Creating Articles from FAQs

corkwan · 03-23-2005, 04:56 AM

it might be an idea to actually get someone to edit the massive threads into concise FAQs. you can give credit to all the posters, and maybe even link to the original source thread, but it makes it much easier to read than a thread which can meander all over the place.

this is one thing i have seen on other message boards/communities. essentially, this is collaborative content writing, in a rather unstructured way. there is lots of great wisdom in message boards, but often finding it is the hard part. the content generation is already happening, all that is needed is a bit of harvesting.

this can also be another role you ask of your moderators, or any other active board members, to be the editor of a particular FAQ and keep their eyes peeled for any relevant information.

i guess you already do that to some degree by having a FAQ forum, but the idea is to really to remove the content from the message board, and turn it into an article.

***JustAskJulie*** · 03-23-2005, 12:38 PM

that's a great idea, so when are you going to get started on that?

corkwan · 03-23-2005, 07:58 PM

touche!

well, one thing i can offer is help setting up the infrastructure to do collaborative editing like that. i take it you've seen wikipedia? there are lots of open source scripts to do this, my favourite is pmwiki (www.pmwiki.org) and it is pretty easily skinnable so converting your sites template wouldnt be too tricky.

i had a look to see if there was any integration done with vbulletin, as that would be handy: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showt...highlight=wiki but it doesnt look like it yet. this would make pages like: http://www.swingersboard.com/?swing=swingerinfo easier to edit.

the beauty of wikis is that anyone can edit any page. for some this is contentious, but this freedom has allowed wikipedia to grow into a very useful resource.

***JustAskJulie*** · 03-23-2005, 09:28 PM

Incorporating is easy, finding the time to write articles is a lot harder. That said, if anyone wants to take the time to write ANY articles related to swinging, there are already places on this site for them to go, and I will be happy to post them

***JustAskJulie*** · 04-12-2005, 11:46 PM

The more I've thought about this, the more I like the idea. The same problem still exists - finding people and / or time to do convert great threads into articles. We so often have newbies finding their way here with the same basic question - which is why we have the FAQ Archive, and it would be nice if there was a more succint way of giving newbies a way/place to start without directing them to a bunch of different threads on the topic.

Typically, when I archive threads (not always) I try to edit the thread down to the nuts and bolts and cut out all the "fat", but I can't always do that.

So, anyone want to volunteer to help me convert some really great threads into detailed articles?

Vespertine · 04-13-2005, 10:25 AM

I'll help.

**TNT** · 04-13-2005, 11:20 AM

Not sure if I know how but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Teresa

***JustAskJulie*** · 04-13-2005, 12:41 PM

YAY! I'm not sure I know how either but we can all learn together...lol.

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03-23-2005, 04:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
corkwan Here to Stay Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 98 Location: somewhere	Re: Threads that never end it might be an idea to actually get someone to edit the massive threads into concise FAQs. you can give credit to all the posters, and maybe even link to the original source thread, but it makes it much easier to read than a thread which can meander all over the place. this is one thing i have seen on other message boards/communities. essentially, this is collaborative content writing, in a rather unstructured way. there is lots of great wisdom in message boards, but often finding it is the hard part. the content generation is already happening, all that is needed is a bit of harvesting. this can also be another role you ask of your moderators, or any other active board members, to be the editor of a particular FAQ and keep their eyes peeled for any relevant information. i guess you already do that to some degree by having a FAQ forum, but the idea is to really to remove the content from the message board, and turn it into an article.

03-23-2005, 12:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
*JustAskJulie* Your Hostess Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 29,294 Location: In my House Status: Female Swing Lifestyle Name:swingersboard	Re: Threads that never end that's a great idea, so when are you going to get started on that?
	__________________ Julie - your hostess The Swinger Manual - all the info from the Swingers Board in one convenient book

03-23-2005, 07:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
corkwan Here to Stay Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 98 Location: somewhere	Re: Threads that never end touche! well, one thing i can offer is help setting up the infrastructure to do collaborative editing like that. i take it you've seen wikipedia? there are lots of open source scripts to do this, my favourite is pmwiki (www.pmwiki.org) and it is pretty easily skinnable so converting your sites template wouldnt be too tricky. i had a look to see if there was any integration done with vbulletin, as that would be handy: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showt...highlight=wiki but it doesnt look like it yet. this would make pages like: http://www.swingersboard.com/?swing=swingerinfo easier to edit. the beauty of wikis is that anyone can edit any page. for some this is contentious, but this freedom has allowed wikipedia to grow into a very useful resource.
	Last edited by corkwan; 03-23-2005 at 08:01 PM.

03-23-2005, 09:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
*JustAskJulie* Your Hostess Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 29,294 Location: In my House Status: Female Swing Lifestyle Name:swingersboard	Re: Threads that never end Incorporating is easy, finding the time to write articles is a lot harder. That said, if anyone wants to take the time to write ANY articles related to swinging, there are already places on this site for them to go, and I will be happy to post them

04-12-2005, 11:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
*JustAskJulie* Your Hostess Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 29,294 Location: In my House Status: Female Swing Lifestyle Name:swingersboard	Re: Creating Articles from FAQs The more I've thought about this, the more I like the idea. The same problem still exists - finding people and / or time to do convert great threads into articles. We so often have newbies finding their way here with the same basic question - which is why we have the FAQ Archive, and it would be nice if there was a more succint way of giving newbies a way/place to start without directing them to a bunch of different threads on the topic. Typically, when I archive threads (not always) I try to edit the thread down to the nuts and bolts and cut out all the "fat", but I can't always do that. So, anyone want to volunteer to help me convert some really great threads into detailed articles?
	__________________ Julie - your hostess The Swinger Manual - all the info from the Swingers Board in one convenient book

04-13-2005, 10:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
Vespertine Swingers Board Addict Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,688 Location: Shangri La Status: Happily Married	Re: Creating Articles from FAQs I'll help.
	__________________ Ves The art of life lies in taking pleasures as they pass, and the keenest pleasures are not intellectual, nor are they always moral.

04-13-2005, 11:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
TNT Julie's Helper Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 5,003 Location: baker, fl, usa Status: couple Swing Lifestyle Name:tblonde312	Re: Creating Articles from FAQs Not sure if I know how but I'm willing to give it a shot. Teresa
	__________________ Ted and Teresa No lifetime is enough unless you live it in such a way as to make it enough.

04-13-2005, 12:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
*JustAskJulie* Your Hostess Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 29,294 Location: In my House Status: Female Swing Lifestyle Name:swingersboard	Re: Creating Articles from FAQs YAY! I'm not sure I know how either but we can all learn together...lol.

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