Thu, 2009-07-23 03:27
With the upgrade that someone foolishly promised this year :shrug: the year is disappearing rapidly. I or that someone, have been considering how to make better use of the links section.
My thoughts run along these lines.
Allow all members to post links to articles and sites.
Links would have to be relative to CSS or web development and would need to be categorized.
Moderators would of course have access to moderate them.
Members would be able to vote on the links which would help them be more visible, I suppose something like digg.
The links page would then allow users to view the links in different ways as well as provide rss feeds.
You could view the most recent links, links of a specific category, links ordered by votes.
This is a community site and I'm interested in hearing opinions as it wont work with just me.
Thu, 2009-07-23 04:04
#1
Perhaps set a few safety
Perhaps set a few safety protocols such as requiring members to have accumulated quite a few posts before they are able to access and add links ~ 100 to ensure that there isn't too much spamming, maybe queue the links pending verification by moderators.
There will have to be an acceptance that there are a great many sites out there now that simply are not authoritative and tend to be someone who fancies that they know their subject and rushes into writing guides that can tend to be a little inaccurate (hate trying to be diplomatic) So we'll need to be quite firm on what passes muster.
I like the idea of some form of tag clouding for the links to highlight popular / important ones.
While Mods would have final approval? perhaps enable a new tier of user, gurus?, that we know will have fair experience and be able to judge a article/site for quality and grant them ability to approve new links.
Thu, 2009-07-23 04:07
#2
Well, first off I would
Well, first off I would recommend adding rel=nofollow to everything in hopes that this might reduce some spammers.
Second, make it where users have to have a significant post count of at least 50 to start posting links.
Third, and possibly most important, I'd hate to see any of Gary's links show up in there, so make sure to put a filter to not allow the old hack's site to appear in the links section. }:)
EDIT: and double posted with Hugo...
Thu, 2009-07-23 04:54
#3
Great minds think
Great minds think alike.
Those ideas are all possible.
I think if we go with the pending approval then minimum post of about 10 should be sufficient.
We could possibly tie access levels to site rank, and allow leaders and above to view and approve pending posts.
That would take some of the work load off the moderators and give responsibility over to those interested in doing so.
Thu, 2009-07-23 05:04
#4
Quote:I think if we go with
I think if we go with the pending approval then minimum post of about 10 should be sufficient.
Good point, that logic escaped me.
Deuce I agree we have to be wary of the old hacks and wannabees with their vertical align hacky guides, perhaps a special section? Entitled "Caution: Hacky Links Ahead" 
Thu, 2009-07-23 07:45
#5
Ummm...the queue for pending
Ummm...the queue for pending approval could become a bit onerous if the limit is only 10. The rel=no follow is a good idea for those links as well and I suggest make it very obvious on the screen where the link is suggested, to deter people trying to get 10 posts in order to post their own site and hence result in long pending queues.
Mods and gurus – THANK YOU!
For your time, knowledge and experience so willingly and generously given.
Please come back tomorrow and sort us all out again 
Thu, 2009-07-23 08:09
#6
Ancient gurus and other stuff
And here I was thinking that old, gray-beard, barefoot hackers who sit on mountain tops dispensing great wisdom should be exempt from the nofollow rule.
Mmmm. Not a bad idea, say for members of a certain seniority. 
Deuce, I'm thinking I should open a big can of ignore on your …. And, Hugo's just as bad.
cheers,
gary