New Approach To Projects

[Gary Lewis]

Folks - I'm trying an experiment.  (Yes, you live in a lab.)  I've started a new "project" called EFI For Dad's Truck.  And, I'm using that post as a sort of a whiteboard, where I can keep track of what I plan to do.  But, instead of it being on my computer where no one else can see it, I have it out where you can see it and suggest changes.  However, I've locked that thread so people cannot make comments to it.

Instead, I want the comments to come in the E4OD thread.  That way I can come back to that page and update as the plan evolves.

And, if you want to try it yourself I've changed the permissions so that authors of topics/threads in the Projects folder, and only in the Projects folder, can lock their own threads, meaning no one can comment.  Just post a project, click Options, and then click Lock Topic.  At that point no one can comment and, since you can edit your posts at any time, you can come back whenever you want to update it - just like a whiteboard.

Let's see what we think of this.  All input appreciated.

[85lebaront2]

Damn, does that mean I am back to being a "lab rat" (NNS O31 inside joke)?

[Gary Lewis]

Had the same joke in Groton.  Yup.  

[Ford F834]

Gary, I think this is a really interesting and progressive idea for a forum....

The very obvious benefit is that the locked thread will have controlled content. It will document a project without all the chatter and side discussions. It is better documentation for future reference. It has the characteristics of a web page but in the context of a message board.

The drawbacks that I see are that any useful and good comments will not show in the "formal" thread unless the author chooses to quote and insert the content into the build thread. It is no longer a discussion, it is a publication. The locked format is good for those who are knowledgeable and want to declare what they did. It is not so friendly to use for those asking questions or soliciting input on their build. I think it is more convenient for the author to just read, write and maintain one thread with everything in it, rather than splitting the discussion for the sake of producing a polished product build document. So there may be some reluctance to use the option unless the author is driven to produce that kind of record.

I can't say that I am sold one way or the other on this... but it sure is nice to have the choice. I would suggest that anyone writing a locked thread should put a link to the discussion thread at the end of each post for the convenience of the readers. I am interested to see how this format works out. Maybe I should give it a try with my diesel build thread especially since I will already be condensing the "story so far" from my FTE thread and my first post(s) will be a long, one-sided "conversation" explaining where I am with the project. Members might have a hard time adjusting to reading in one place and responding in another, but should really appreciate the locked threads when going to browse for information. No big deal in a 10 or even 30 page build thread... but trying to find something in a 100 or 300 page build thread can be a real problem.


Edit: wait... I just re-read that you continue to add and add to a single post? Is there any way to allow only the author of the thread to add replies? If not the one collosal post will be an organizational nightmare, and limiting in my opinion. As it grows it will be hard to follow where you left off, and I don't believe that post edits bump the thread to the top of the list with a new time/date. No one will know when you have updated your post in the locked thread unless they check...
🤷‍♂️

[Gary Lewis]

Jonathan - You and I are thinking of slightly different purposes for this. I was thinking of having one post that serves as a simple whiteboard on which someone can keep track of his/her plans in one place, and probably on one page. My plan was to edit the single post as I learn things that change or add to the plan, but keep it succinct so the info is easily found.

You are thinking of a project where someone can record his/her progress without the to and fro that happens in an open thread. A way to condense the mega-page threads that some people are infamous for () into a true document of a project.

Both are good ideas and I’d like to accommodate them. Unfortunately the way the Nabble options are set up I don’t see a straightforward way to do that in the Projects folder where we heretofore have been allowing to and fro.  But here are a couple of ways we can do it, at least for a test:

Single Folder: The Projects folder is now set up to allow the author of a topic to lock it, meaning that no one, including himself, can reply to it but he can still edit his post.  But, to reply to it an author could unlock the topic, reply, and then lock it again. And if the author is worried about someone else replying while it is unlocked s/he could prepare the reply elsewhere and paste it in quickly. Or, s/he could ask an administrator to remove a post that snuck in while the topic was unlocked.

Another Folder: We could have a single folder for “whiteboarding” and for “documenting”.  I can set a folder up so that only the author can reply to any topic s/he creates. That would serve both your purpose as well as mine. You can add replies without worry that someone will sneak in, and I can edit my one post to my heart’s content.

So, what do you think?  We can try either approach and change later if we want.

[Ford F834]

Gary I think I was over complicating this idea. Using the lock/unlock to post replies would probably work just fine if one wanted to use it that way. Making another folder for author only threads would accomplish the same thing but would create additional clutter and would divide logically "like" threads based on a set of posting rules. I would find that counterintuitive and back to searching down too many rabbit holes. Let's see what the whiteboard idea does first. The only thing I don't care for is the fact that no one will be able to tell when you update it unless they open it and check. I rely on the time/date stamp to alert me when a thread has new activity, and I don't think a person subscribed to a whiteboard topic by email would get notified of edits either.

[Gary Lewis]

Good points. I agree that people aren’t going to get notices of whiteboard updates. I’m sure that’s true as I’m subscribed to everything and don’t get notices of my own updates. But, people will get notices of new posts to a locked thread.

Let’s give it a try and see what we think. We can change the rules as we go. 😉

[Gary Lewis]

Folks - If you haven't tried the "whiteboard" idea then you are missing something.  By "whiteboard" all I mean is that you can create a thread/topic in the Projects folder and lock it so no one can comment.  Then you can post and edit to your heart's content.  (Note: That is only true in Projects.)

For instance, I have the one for Big Blue and I use it to develop and keep track of my plans.  I go back almost daily to upgrade the plans as things progress.

And Bill has one on Darth where he is telling the whole story of how he came by the truck, who named it, how the changes came to be, etc.

So, again, if you haven't tried it I'd encourage you to do so.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Maybe I should move my 460 build over there?

Things are progressing very slowly as I find myself over committed and underfunded.
But I have taken care of 96% of my holiday shopping and only have a couple more trips to Swarthmore.
So i should be back on track about the time winter really sets in.

[Gary Lewis]

Your choice on that.  And, in Projects it is your choice whether to lock the thread or not.  I like comments on my normal project work, so don't want things locked so that others can chime in.  But, when you are trying to think things through, having others chime in can be very confusing.  Having it locked lets me go back and completely change any and ever aspect of the plan.

So, I really have two threads for the same thing.  One is the whiteboard for planning, and the other is just an interactive thread.

Anyway, hope you get back on track soon.

[PetesPonies]

So is there a way to remove posts already there, then lock it?

[Gary Lewis]

Pete - Yes, and no.  I have the ability to delete others posts, and you have the ability to lock your own thread in the Projects folder - but only in that folder.  However, I would want agreement from the others that posted before deleting their posts.  And, in many cases follow-on posts by the original author of the thread reference the posts of others so then there's a missing piece and statements don't make sense.

I think the better thing to do would be for you to copy your posts into a new, locked thread.  You can easily edit each post and then highlight and copy all of the text, which would include all formatting as well as the picture links.  Then paste that into a post on a new thread, and then lock the thread.  As you do that you can tweak the wording to take out any references to the posts of others - if needed.  And, you can combine posts into one massive post or several smaller ones - whatever is convenient for you.

Would that work?  If so, have at it.  However, I should warn you that in the 5 weeks or so since I created my whiteboard I've not gotten a single comment about my plans in any other thread.  So, it is kind of a lonely feeling when you write and write and there's no easy way for others to comment - even though I gave them a link to another thread where they are welcome to comment.  It just doesn't happen.

(Oddly enough, this isn't what I envisioned when I enabled locking threads.  I was just wanting some place for me to record my thoughts and plans and then come back to them w/o having to wade through the comments of others, however well intentioned.  But, however y'all want to use the tools works for me.  )

[ArdWrknTrk]

I remember cut and pasting all of my ongoing starter woes from the whydtytt thread after Chris commented about how it was overshadowing all the usual banter.

Haven't seen him in a while....
Hope he is doing well.  

[Gary Lewis]

No, I haven't seen anything from Chris of late.  He should be working on his house as they were pouring the new concrete floor for the garage a bit ago.