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To: Bob Hack who wrote (390)	2/6/1998 4:45:00 AM
From: Bill Ulrich	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 32883

Hi Bob, re: poster toaster The idea has been bandied about more so than any other feature suggestion. It would be difficult to implement in a fair manner, though. A lot of "what ifs" come to mind&#151please allow me to suggest one: sometimes I read a post which has a really intrigueing message. Often, I wish to go back to the post which inspired such a reply, and sometimes it is from somebody I'd rather not read. i.e: Response 2: Well, actually poster 1 is right because this...and Poster 2 is right because this... Response 1: Company ABC just said (insert good specifics) Original post: This company just said (insert bad specifics) So programmatically, how do you filter Poster X out, but keep his messages in if you want them? Many posters are bad, but they're usually not bad 101% of the time. Programmaticaly how do you write: { if message=good then function.post.message; if poster=bad then function.do.not.post; if message=good \|and\| poster=bad then get.confused.break.computer; } Sometimes you just have to use that 'Next' button. (Not picking on you, btw, just looking at the enlarged picture) -MrB

To: Bob Hack who wrote (390)	2/6/1998 10:22:00 AM
From: Jerry in Omaha	Respond to of 32883

Mr. Hack, <<My guess is that I speak for many fellow SI'ers. I have a limited time to read posts and would appreciate any opportunity that would allow me to be more selective. I have lots of ideas of how this could be implemented, but I'm sure Brad and Jeff have a well thought out strategy that they are following...>> Alexander Bell's strategy when he was inventing the telephone was to help his deaf parents not to make a two way conversation device. When asked he said he couldn't imagine why anyone would want such a device. He couldn't figure for the life of him what anyone would talk about on a phone! This nifty communication device that the Dryers have put together here falls into a similar category, I would think. Who can foresee what direction the evolution of Silicon Investor will take? I fear the Dryers, Mr. Bell, you and I and other readers are in the same predicament prognostication-wise. Speaking for myself I would like to hear all kinds of ideas from all kinds of contributors. By providing a lively discussion forum here we can keep the idea flow going and the Dryers can pick and choose. This thread could substitute for a lot of emails to HQ. I have a suggestion to your point about selectivity filters. Word or line count is an obvious first filter. Appearing on each subject page one could set the count limiter before browsing the page. You read all the one-liners right a way and when you hit "next" only the posts fitting your selection will come up. That should save some time right there. You won't have to read short irritating posts or long tiresome posts at all. The feature could read something like, "Only show postings between (#x)lines and (#y)lines." Someone else wanted to see the activity level of a particular thread. I would expand that suggestion to include a "Full Diagnostic Page" where threads could be compared, say four at a time, by real time graphs of significant parameters. I'm sure there would be no end of suggestions about the nature of what makes a good thread, and ways to measure components of thread activity to make sense out of the raw data. Such feedback could promote general improvement trends all over SI. Well if it can be done, I'd sure like to see something like it. The "top fifty list" is fun but didn't Steve Allen wear out that format in the 1950's? There's got to be way more cool things that could be done with the data that can be captured. JMO Jerard P P.S. FWIW -- Perhaps the "banished from SI" posters could be given their own area to continue posting accessable only to members. I really don't like the idea of shutting people up. A SI Devil's Island.