Just a few thoughts on your idea in no particular order …
I began indexing my posts to help me locate old stuff that was out of reach of conventional search tools. During this process, I discovered a few things: I wrote about one in twenty posts on the thread; I’ve forgotten nearly all of them; many contain errors; and since I only posted when I felt I had something to contribute, I avoided posting on many, many, issues appearing on CL and DM threads.
Someone like Mark has joined far more discussions, and an index of his work would prove far more useful. However, I’d guess he wrote over 10,000 posts. It took me about an hour to review 1,000 posts, find mine, cut and paste the URL, write a brief description. Since Mark’s participation is a dozen times mine, a catalogue of his work would progress a dozen times more slowly. I would estimate for him to create an index equivalent to what he posted would require well over 400 hours. (I spent less than 40.)
But why would an individual index their own work? Probably efficiency. Re-reading my old posts refreshed my memory. Understanding the post was not necessary. Tracing backwards to determine the original question or issue was not necessary. Following forward for alternative solutions was not necessary. I was spared all this work during the indexing because I was dealing with only my own posts. Anyone else would require considerable time and effort getting up to speed on each issue addressed. (They would also need to determine which posts were legitimate and which were a bit of silly fun.) The CL and DM threads often keep several issues ‘in play’ simultaneously, with many participating in some, none, or all. Another issue: participants log on and discover a number of posts addressed to them, and they answer each in turn. Since SI records posts sequentially, questions and answers get separated.
Supplemental questions are required at times. Additional information gets posted. As more knowledgeable people join the discussion, original participants, feeling they’ve exhausted their ability to contribute, step back. Soon, the thread is a spaghetti bowl of posts. Although this is easily mastered by humans, computers have a difficult time understanding context, and a worse time dealing with humour. In short, any automation faces major challenges.
If I were motivated to do this and given SI’s resources, how would I proceed?
I’d create a database of posts, each tagged with some indicator of the post’s content. (Like the Subject in an E-mail header.) I’d also tag posts that initiate discussions. Users could search for issues in a manner similar to Windows Help. Once an issue is found, the post bringing that issue to the thread, along with all replies would be displayed. The difficulty in building this database would be the requirement that each post be reviewed, understood, and fitted with appropriate tags. This would be labour intensive.
Searching the database by author, date, thread, or SI URL would be trivial to automate.
As for SI marketing member’s work, legal and ethical issues must be addressed. I think members agree that their contributions to SI belongs to SI, but I’m not sure if this means that members cannot copy another member’s work, or that SI cannot copy it. Ethically, can SI market work that was not written for commercial publication? And what about advice that is totally inappropriate. Well meaning participants sometimes offer solutions that cause more harm than good. Who’s responsible: the author or SI? Let’s not visit the issue of people posting yet another’s work, or links to SI competitors.
But what does CL and DM provide that couldn’t be found in a library or well stocked bookstore? I see SI’s main strength as bringing people together. Those who seek assistance today become those reaching out with a helping hand tomorrow. I can find an answer in a book, provided I know where to look. But if I don’t know, I can put my question into my own words, explain my problem the best I can, and post to SI. Somewhere out there, another person will read my question, and being a person and not a machine, will understand what I’m trying to say, and respond in a manner I can understand.
When I created my index, I was hoping it would enable me to locate issues discussed on SI previously. Since most issues are addressed by many participants, I realised that others may use my index to find their own long-forgotten contributions too, so I decided to post my index on SI.
And yes, I’d pay $25 for a conveniently searchable SI database if one was offered.
Cheers, PW.
P.S. Maybe the Laughter thread could use an index. Perhaps it would reduce the repeats! |
