Avoiding Duplicates

[streaker69]

This isn't really a suggestion that forum management can do anything about, more of a suggestion that people should follow to avoid the countless duplications of threads everytime a big event happens.

When posting a news article, we should try to maintain some consistency so that the forum search will find them. Here's what I suggest.

Since Everyone likes the cutesy thread titles, keep them, but try to have them apply to the article.

In the first of the thread body, put the entire Headline directly from the website where you're getting the source.

On the second line put the link to the original article.

After that try to quote something pertinent from the original article. Many news sites do not like the entire article being copy/pasted from their site to forums, some sites have gotten cease and desist notices for such things. But a quoted section many times is allowed as long as a link is provided to the original article.

When selecting a section to quote try to pick a section that includes important names in the article, so if someone searches on that name, it's found.

Next add your own commentary if you like.

I feel that if we were to all try to this, the searching would be easier to find articles, then it's just up to people to actually search before posting, or at least read through the New Posts list to see if what they're posting is already there. I realize that can be tough when people aren't using the Headline at the Thread Title, but people should be searching before they create a new thread about a big news item.

Thanks, take it or leave it, flame suit on.

[JayBell]

you really think people will bother with all that?

they dont even look at the first post in the forum before they hit th "NEW POST" button.

[streaker69]

you really think people will bother with all that?

they dont even look at the first post in the forum before they hit th "NEW POST" button.

I think some will, and those that don't, get beaten into submission.

[The_War_Wagon]

"SEARCH FEATURE" is your friend.

[streaker69]

"SEARCH FEATURE" is your friend.

I agree, and I make every attempt to search before I post any kind of news article to avoid making duplicates. I've seen people bitching for years about the search function of vBulletin isn't good, and it doesn't return proper results. Much of that is, it's only as good as the information that's put into it. If someone just posts a link to an article with no other information and people start discussing it, without using names included in the article, searches aren't going to turn anything up.

People should realize that if you're reading a big story that broke in the morning and it's now evening, chances are, it's already been posted. Especially things that lots of people have been watching closely, like the Gerald Ung story.

I figure if everyone tries, this will put less workload on the mods trying to close duplicate threads.

[mauser]

Good suggestion and advice, unfortunately though, too many people won't see your post and of those who do, too few will follow your advice.

[streaker69]

Good suggestion and advice, unfortunately though, too many people won't see your post and of those who do, too few will follow your advice.

If only there were some method on the forum to make it some how stick to the top so that people could see it easily.

Of course, reading it on the other hand that's a problem considering people already don't bother to see there's "I'm new thread" and feel the need to start one each time. But every little bit helps.

[mauser]

If only there were some method on the forum to make it some how stick to the top so that people could see it easily.

Of course, reading it on the other hand that's a problem considering people already don't bother to see there's "I'm new thread" and feel the need to start one each time. But every little bit helps.

The only thing that would accomplish is generating complaints like the paragraph in red at the top of the page in the Classified forums.
Well maybe not the only thing, some people would actually read and follow the guidelines.

[streaker69]

The only thing that would accomplish is generating complaints like the paragraph in red at the top of the page in the Classified forums.
Well maybe not the only thing, some people would actually read and follow the guidelines.

I really didn't mean it sticky like that. More or less a Sticky thread, so that this one doesn't get bumped to the bottom. Maybe a mod could write it into the rules or sumthung.

[Emptymag]

You know, I was "this close" to starting a thread in this section titled "Same Thread, Different Name - Avoiding Duplicates" just to be a prick, but JayBell has had a stick up his ass lately, and I was worried that I may find out if a mod can actually ban another mod, so...