There are already hundreds of images and discussions that have taken place over the past few years on this Forum, and some of these are already lost in the mists of time.

Right now, one has to directly search for information and then you might uncover past info.  This DOES work but is actually somewhat inefficient and a bit of a waste.

Do we have an internet database management geek out there who can help us learn how to create a directory of links which would organize all the various topics discussed, images shared, etc., into a single browsable, searchable place?  Forum members might like to browse that database to go directly to past discussions or view images on topics of interest.

Kinda the digital difference between having an encyclopedia versus just having a table full of old newspapers and random books . . .

Am I onto something here, folks?

Ralph

I doubt it. One problem is that many people don't title the thread with the ability to find in a search. A thread titled "Has Anyone Seen This" might go into a great topic of Foreign G-Men cards, for example.

Eric, good observation. 

While we probably can't totally automate the construction of a browsable map of all our info, but could probably get a decent start that way, and then expand via editorial intervention by us human beings: folks going through messages and putting sorting tags on them, or the like.

I think the categorization and sorting would have to go beyond just looking at titles, because then you have exactly the problem you mentioned, the vague caption.

This is not an easy issue.  But also not unique to our Forum.

TODD, you are something of an IT guru, no?  Any thoughts???

 

Ralph - this issue is an issue with every forum I have ever visited; and the answer is:..............archivers. Someone who will wade through ALL of the threads and sift the wheat from the chaff and then "cut and paste" into an indexed archive.

In the meantime, better use of your favorite search engine will generally suffice. I used Google and this search string:

www.network54.com goldmine

And presto, the search engine took me directly to this thread.

Always place the URL of the forum in question (in this case www.network54.com) in the search string, along with keywords. Try it.

Jon.

Ralph,
I think Jon is right. After all, the format of this site is completely random. Only some human intervention could select the "savable" items vs. the items we would all like to see disappear into the "mists of time". I'm sure something could be done but it would need someone to dedicate their time to sort through everything. Are you offering your time?

Todd, so far, I am asking the question, not yet necessarily volunteering to provide a brute force solution!  Obviously, thought, I'd be open to collaborating if there was a consensus.

I agree there's a lot of stuff that has no shelf-life, but there's also a lot of info in here that ought to be made more accessible, and perhaps worth an effort.

If this requires a team of screeners to read messages and assign predetermined tags, which could then be used to build a user-friendly, browsable database, that might well be worth organizing. 

Am wondering who has already solved this problem, and how much can be automated, rather than relying 100% on human intervention . . .

Ralph, if I can ever afford to retire I'll be happy to take it on one day

What seems like a long time ago,
I posted the below,
after hours of searching previous threads.
===================================================
No one replied. That non-responsiveness motivated
THE GALLERY
to be the showcase it is today.
===================================================
By the way, there are many visitors that don't know
THE GALLERY even exits.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/526604/message/1184166760/last-1184200904/Re-+Did+someone+ask+%26quot%3BHOW+COMPREHENSIVE+IS+THIS+SITE+-+%26quot%3B
.
.
.

Dan - simply amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOTS of work!

A HUGE THANK YOU!

Jon.