Ratings Classifications

I know what you mean sidevalve...

An excellent example is the Tesla guy... There really ought to be some form of marking a topic as the above star system except having 'black holes' for BS topics

Too many times I've read the start of a topic and thought this could be interesting... and then suddenly someone pops up with religion / creationism / free energy etc...

and the topic all falls apart... it wastes time reading the replies and then getting to the BS and realisation that its gone to pot! a simple selection of blak hole or star for the thread rating system might help others to skim view it instead of wasting time reading...

John.

I guess i'm earnest enough about this to propose it to the moderator; but am too blind to find the contact link.

In all fairness, have also run across a few (technically) 'off-topic' that had me asking "why didn't i...?" They too need a comment (positive)

That would be Chris Leonard. You can contact him here: http://cr4.globalspec.com/user/mail/addmessage?us=2

Personally, I agree with you totally. While some of us try to argue a point using scientific logic, others, particularly the "free energy" and "water-for-gas" proponents tend to use childish insults like "skeptoids" and worse whenever anyone tries to point out flaws in their arguments. While I myself have been guilty of posting utter nonsense on the so-called "Brown's Gas" and other "free energy" threads sometimes, it is only to show the original poster that their ideas are no more effective than the nonsense I'm proposing.

Guys like these should really grow up.

Bravo DVader1K! It was the water-as-over-entity bunch that prompted this.

I BEG YOUR DAMB PARDEN, " ALL FOUR OF YOU AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW AND SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW."

I proposed a simple and important subject regarding electrolytes that the developing public, many who are not graduate engineers and scientists, found important enough to contact me through other forums.

I was not attacked through their extra efforts.

"HOWEVER A CERTAIN FEW OF YOU GODS OF THE ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC WORLD FOLLOWED ME TO THE POST FROM SEVERAL OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS AND MADE PERFECT JACKASS' OF YOUR SELVES. FRANKLY, YOU SHOWED ME AND OTHERS, SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ALIKE THAT IF WE DON'T SUPPORT YOUR VERY NARROW POINTS OF VIEW, THAT YOU WILL HARASS US UNTIL WE LEAVE YOUR LITTLE FORUM ALONE.

Occasionally I pop in for a peak like this one only to find that the idiots are still running the asylum, THEN I GO BACK TO DEVELOPING MY PROJECT, WITH MY SIMPLE LITTLE MIND AT PEACE, KNOWING THAT I AM NOT WASTING ANY MORE OF MY TIME. [kiss my grits]

A wee bit sensitive?

It's the replies that 'approximately achieve "good answer" status that i'm trying to bring back into 'the fold'.

Parallel thoughts are often the very best! KEEP 'EM COMING!

I've only been doing this for a few months, but it does seem like after a few days most of these threads get just a little silly. Usually the good ideas come out in the first day or two. Maybe your idea of some new classifications would help with this. Maybe a new category of "trivial nonsense". But still that means somebody has to wade through all the idle chatter to vote it up or down.

Maybe I'm missing something, but there must be some way to spin off the good parts of a discussion, by starting a new thread with a more carefully defined topic. Is there somebody in charge here, or can just anybody start a thread?

NO, No, NO!!! Don't let ANYONE take charge! You want this forum to look like the US Congress, or something?

Anybody can start a thread here, but the guy in charge is Chris Leonard. You can contact him at the address I provided in posting #4.

As the saying goes, let he who is without sin...

But, in terms of realistic improvements, I would find it helpful if one could "travel both ways" when hopping from unread post to unread post. For example, there could be a "Go to previous new (unread) answer" in addition to "Go to next new answer" as presently exists. This would enhance reader's ability to "track" with preferred lines of discussion and skirt around unpreferred...say, when you're trying to post reply that addresses more than one post that's been previously read. Especially helpful for voluminous discussions going every which way.

Any seconds?

As to plus and minus points and attaboys, gradings on top gradings, and other such "enhancements," beyond there being no end of possibilities, seems to me that the more you try to layer on, the more the point of participation is lost to...casting pearls and stones.

We didn't think anyone would notice, did we now, Precious?

What you are proposing is called "Censorship" - is that really what "Scientist's" should be advocating ?

I agree with some of the responses - let people decide for themselves.

Not @ all!

Just opinion made public.

If you don't allow me that; It's YOU that are the censor!

Is YOUR response not in contradiction to what you were advocating in the first place ? So its OK for you to express an opinion but not for others - well that seems like a rationale arguement !!! YOU really need to consider what you are actually proposing prior to posting it.

My point and the point made by others was that people should be left to decide what they do or do not read.

I think you are missing the point. As I read it, slidevalveguru is advocating that users should be able to express their opinions in these threads, and that in addition users should be able (democratically through 'voting' for a rating) to express opinions about those posted opinions. This isn't censorship - its democracy.

This system is already set up so that users can rate answers as good, or as off-topic. It seems like if one reader rates an answer as good, and another reader rates it as off-topic, the votes cancel out. Again, this isn't censorship.

I get tired of wading through some of the sillier back-and-forth exchanges, and so apparently do others. People who want to use the thread to swap off-topic humor should (an often do) mark their own comments as off-topic. This is just good manners.

Maybe the solution would be for the moderator to include as an option for the users who want it, a choice to only receive the email alerts for new comments that are not rated (self or otherwise) as off-topic. Or maybe the email alerts could include the rating. If this is too complicated for programming reasons, then fugedaboutit, the current system mostly works ok.

I'm hoping that the ratings are only a guide.

A consensus view that a reply is 'off the mark' is merely that; a CONSENSUS VIEW

But ... "all 100 marching, except 'my Johnney' are 'out of step"... Could it be possible...?

I can foresee some great arguments about what is BS & what is not.

Personally I love it when threads drift off into cloud cuckoo land, that is often when they are most entertaining but I can also see it being annoying when the poster was looking for a serious answer.

A perfect example of what is happening "on topic" is in the thread on "Throwing a Little More Fuel on the Pyre. This has went in more directions than you could ever have ratings for. I am trying to stay on topic with this reply and using the other for example purposes only.

Thread title implies "word-play"; you'd better expect convolutions on this one!

The ones i'm having more of a hard time with are those that ask: 'what's the most efficient (or safe) way to do the impossible'; then getting most irate when you try to point out that the math just doesn't work.

I am guilty about drifting too. I do try to answer most of the post with logic, and true work experience. I will provide links and information to help out someone in need of info. But there are times that someone ask the question in a way that they are kinda "asking for it". That is what is good about this forum, it is free to express our thoughts. I have seen some gUrU's go way out left field, but it is mostly do to there knowledge base, and they can see thru BS as well as dish it out. I do mostly try to check the off topic box when I am replying to some threads to not disturb the thought train. And if there is call for pointing and laughing at someone or call for telling a strong opinion I will just send them a private email. That is how I have made many friends and business contacts on the site.

DANG NAB IT! You cannot possible get as much energy out of an off-topic post as you put into it. Checking the "off-topic" box typically requires you to remove one hand from the keyboard to grab the mouse, and that movement consumes energy.

You skeptoids may not believe this, because you are unable to think outside your tiny little box of outdated physics, but I have seen it with my own eyes! On-topic posts are at least 15% brighter on my screen, because energy has not been wasted by clicking on the off topic-box. Your proposal makes me want to write this*: If the Wright brothers participated in a forum with a box marked "Utter BS" we wouldn't have John Searl's anti-gravity flying cars now. And then where would we be??

All I want to do is stop global warming, bring piece to the world, and prevent more free energy prophets from being mysteriously murdered. If doing so involves fleecing people for millions of dollars and being abusive on this forum, how can that be wrong??

OK, OK, OK, (drifting in the general direction of the topic): Yes, I think an "Utter BS" button might be a good thing. The other button ("would be on topic...") may be a little too esoteric, but I don't have strong feelings one way or the other.

* no, it doesn't make me want to write the word "this"... if makes me want to write whatever follows the ":"

I think we should all treat this forum as anyother on the web...

Let's lighten up and enjoy it as individuals! We all have different ideas about what is on topic and what's not, but don't let us forget that a bit of humour goes a long way to making a topic much more interesting to read as well as to defuse a potential misunderstanding between two rivals or rival factions...

I don't believe that much of the humour is off topic at all!!

John.

"The other button ("would be off topic, but enlightening ...")

What i'd originally intended for this "other button" would be on the order of a response to a query as: "What solvent should I use to remove paint from a glass surface?" Alternate reply: "Have you tried scraping with a razorblade?" Rating: No, not "on topic", but most useful in real world

No.

Hmmmm a man (or woman) of few words I see...

John