67-72 Chevy Trucks.com Index Idea

[ERBSIX]

Would it be allowed and/or would anyone be interested
in having an aggregation of all the information (and pictures & vids) on this website and categorizing everything into a usable index?

For instance:

Troubleshooting
Truck is leaking oil (aggregate all current info on the site about this)

Suspension
Lower truck using X method (put everything about this topic here)

Basically making an index of this entire website into a browsable (instead of searchable) area for people.

This would make it easier for people to find things I think.

Finally, it would be possible to make a Book out of all this information.
It could even be broken down by the year ranges in the forums.
The books about these subjects are all horribly outdated in my opinion...

Thoughts?
Ideas?
Problems?

[Liz]

Its something that has been discussed among the staff for a long while. And started to some extent in the FAQ areas.

It would not be allowed by anyone other than Josh (without written consent from him) to be done. For anyone else to take the information from within this site (databases etc) would be illegal.

The task is a huge one, and though it would rock.. is something that may come to be at some point. I will open the discussion within the staff about your suggestion.

[ERBSIX]

Thank You.

I'm a professional web developer, so if you need any help, don't hesitate to ask.

[Alvin]

Anyway to set-up a wiki that can be updated and edited by members?

[ERBSIX]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Anyway to set-up a wiki that can be updated and edited by members?

Much better idea!

[Liz]

Been discussed in the past, when wikis did not integrate easily with forum software. I will add that to the table as well. Truthfully, it is not something I have looked into personally in a few years. So I can not make an educated opinion on it at this time.

Erbsix, thank you for your offer. I will pass that on as well. We have a web development team and a few IT guys on staff as well. I will fwd your info to them.

[ERBSIX]

Very cool. I'm guessing your staff also have full time jobs right?
I know this forum is awesome, but I doubt it can sustain salaries. :-)

Anyway, I think a user controlled Wiki is a fantastic idea.

You could task people to moderate just like the forum.

The point is to give a more concise and cohesive How To level guide instead of just searching. Searching is great, don't get me wrong, but straight "tutorials" on most of this stuff would better serve the largest part of the populace, not to mention help 67-72 get even more notoriety on the internet.

[Liz]

We fully understand the point. As a fellow web developer.. I am sure you fully understand the magnitude of the request. Its not a simple plug in.

As for the staff, most are strictly volunteer, not all.

[ERBSIX]

Totally.

I had not thought of having it be a plugin either.

We have like 17,000 people on this forum.

Even if 1,000 are active and 100 of those want to help
we could start the Wiki manually.

Pick the top 10 searched for items on the site and make Wiki articles about them, or even just make a simple locked thread for them...

[lolife99]

ERBSIX,...
I believe this is one of the smoothest, best run websites on the internet.
It's also a full time job for the Admins to keep it that way.
I don't think anyone understands "fully" the amount of work/time they put in, so we can enjoy it effortlessly.
Actually the search function works really great for finding answers to just about anything.
Plus,... all the members are here to help also.

[ERBSIX]

I didn't mean to offend anyone.
I'm going to leave this alone now. Sorry.

Believe me, I understand how much work goes into a site like this.
I've been involved with several and built a few.

Regardless, I was just looking for a way to help new users and new buliders (like me) be able to find the information they need easily.

I'm certain the staff will let us know what's best and inform us if they need any help.

[Liz]

Your numbers are very off to the low side. Even so, in the past when we have asked for help indexing the FAQ area. Tons of folks went woot, let us do it... and one actually helped.

Any type of wiki, search index, data collection etc would have to be set up by staff. Wikis users can contribute to, but it still has to be maintained by a staff team. Input has to be monitored as well.

In doing so without a plugin or bridge, the members would have to create a new account as well. Which would bring more potential for cookie and login issues etc.

I am not trying to counter what you say, and or be argumentative. I really do not think you understand the spectrum of what you are requesting. A knowledge base would rock. Its been worked on from the FAQ items off and on. And it is a huge undertaking. Granted it was not wiki form, but again for reasons stated previously.

This site has archived articles, and data outside the forums, from the last 10+ years. There are just under 4 million posts on the forums themselves. I am not saying it is impossible to do.. just that it is a very large undertaking. I am not saying it is not going to happen, as the staff is discussing the options available.

As for the top ten keywords, its been done. There are FAQ indexes, a FAQ area and many areas of the site have a FAQ index within there own forum. 67 blazer board is the perfect example for that. They do all need updating though.

The best thing for folks to do right now is report posts they deem FAQ worthy. With an average of 2k new posts a day (during the summer when it is slow) It is not possible for us to see every post that is FAQ worthy. If they are reported, we copy them over to the FAQ area. Then they are added to the current index.

[ERBSIX]

That's awesome.

Thank you for the clarification.

I promise I do understand the magnitude.
However, I was no thinking of it in the terms you were,
so that part passed me.

Thank You for all you guys already do.
I've learned so much from this site already,
but I know not everyone is a good at using google & the search
so I just wanted to help the new users.

Regardless, if you folks need any help with anything, I'm happy to help.