Search filters before a new post

Everyday here we see threads pop up over and over again with the same nonsense. I.E. Haiti video, alien autopsies, and so on.

Isn't there a way that in all forum when members want to post a new topic, that their subject is run through a search filter leading members to previous threads with the same topics before it's published? This would save us so much time space here.

What's wrong with that filter on the end of your neck?

Out of order?

reply to post by malignant_tumor

Interesting idea, but probably would require an extensive code addition to the database.

Unfortunately, we'll have to rely on Members searching for themselves, but I'm sure Administration will see this post and perhaps keep it in mind for the future.

Just remember, the less front end restrictions, the better, allowing the greatest facility for the Member/User.

HTH, and thanks for the input. Happy posting (and searching)

-Badge01
Forum Moderator

Originally posted by Badge01

Unfortunately, we'll have to rely on Members searching for themselves,

That's the whole point I am trying to make. A VERY high percentage of members Do Not use it.

And when that happens, the mods quickly take care of it and direct members to the existing threads. If they don't other members will.

It works itself out naturally.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Not losing any sleep.

This is a perfect example www.abovetopsecret.com...

Myself and others directed to previous threads and alerted mods. Nothing has been done

Same here www.abovetopsecret.com...
Nothing done as well. This happens constantly.

I'm merely addressing this problem in a proactive manner.

Typically, the moderators will remove a thread if there are far too many threads about the same topic.

You do have to remember that this is an all voulenteer staff that spans the globe so not all of us are online at the same time. We can and do miss things.

We do try to hunt down duplicates as often as we can. If we do miss them then we do apologise and will try to get them in a timely manner. Given the sheer volume of traffic they can get missed.

If a thread is a duplicate then the intial thread is given the priority and the duplicate is shut down. This happens alot in the news forum where a breaking even can have up to 5-10 submissions. Compounding this is the fact that the title are often vastly different for the same event. There are a few exceptions but as stated before those exceptions are few and far between.

I do realize this is a volunteer basis. I do realize moderators are not on here all the time. On the other hand, I am a volunteer member, just one member. I see it happening all the time. It just seems as if it is ignored a lot because the thread gets popular with newer members who are not aware of the previous threads. That is why I bring this idea here. Having a keyworded type of filter for a new subject would educate or as how you say it here, "make the member less ignorant" before posting. It may be a big code to implement, but would save us all so much time and frustration.

Think about how many members are here and how much time it takes to read a duplicate of a duplicate of a duplicate thread and multiply the two.

That makes for a hell of a lot of time.

Also think about the time it takes to warn, and ban some members that are frustrated dealing with the same thing? You know it happens.

I just think it makes sense.

A keyword filter, or any other filter based on words in a title, would not work. Think about it this way:

Someone starts a thread that has a subject title of "Aliens are eating my cookies"... which word(s) would you filter from that?

No matter which one you choose, you've just effectively stopped the creation of several thousand new threads that would all be completely different.

This is one of the many reasons why we have an alert button that all members can utilize. If you see a duplicate thread, simply hit the alert button and let the staff know. I should also add that we do allow one thread in Breaking News and another (on the same topic) in the appropriate forum for the subject matter.

Springer...

Originally posted by Springer


This is one of the many reasons why we have an alert button that all members can utilize. If you see a duplicate thread, simply hit the alert button and let the staff know.
Springer...

Malignant tumor, this is what I was going to suggest. As a regular member, you can re-direct the thread to the existing one and then hit the ole' alert button and tell the Mods that there's a duplicate topic.

Deny more codework,
Embrace simplicity.
Be the solution.
Cuhail

It wouldn't eliminate a thread from "becoming" it would just point members in a direction of a similar thread.

I am not saying that if there is an existing thread about "aliens eating cookies" doesn't mean that another one can't be created about eating hotdogs.

My solution on multiple threads has been to pick the first one, (or in some cases the more active one and post in that thread with an occasional pop in to the others if I spot an interesting comment, but as with the Chinese and Japanese moon ships we tended to focus on the one thread and by doing that eventually that thread wins out by activity....

Couple pointers... Don't post in the new thread, just mention where it is and leave...

People get enthusiastic about a new topic and there are far more people than there are topics... In breaking news how many of us pop in a thread hoping to be first out of the gate only to find 10 people beat ya to it already?

And don't forget that new members also wish to gain some points by starting a thread. Sure search is great but even I have searched some days and found nothing... then after posting I found it had already been discussed, albeit the title was different than my search parameters.

But it appears that you are upset about certain topics being repeated Forgive me if I am wrong, but I think not

Not to be a killjoy but aren't there other threads that are exactly like this one?

I know that reference was made to the thread"mothership over MO" so in my defence I did use the search tool before I posted that one and nothing came up so I went ahead and posted it under new.I will apoligise to "malignant Tumor" if the post upset in any way I just felt that it was a topic that I wanted some feedback on (new topic for me) and that is exactly what the post accomplished.I was not expecting the topic to be absolutly proved or disproved.As a new ATS member I am excited to contribute in any way I can and will always try to comply with ATS standards while doing so.

Well, as Springer already mentioned, if that's not what you want, I guess you'll have to be more specific. You want the database to query how many threads on post submission? As of now...over 413,150 entries? Are you nuts?

reply to post by malignant_tumor

I guess I misunderstood what you meant... After re-reading your OP I see now that you meant a system that would present the existing threads that had the keywords in them for the member to review to see if the existing thread covers what (s)he wants to discuss.

If the existing thread(s) covered the topic then the member should add to the existing thread rather than create a new one, is that about right?

That's actually a pretty good idea but unfortunately with a database approaching 100Gigs it would bring the entire site to a grinding halt. With a system like this, every time someone hit submit on a new thread a HUGE query would be initiated that scoured the entire database.

On a smaller site it would work well, a site that had a db that was only a few megabytes and didn't have hundreds of people all hitting that database at the exact same Nano second would be able to do this.

Heck, we had to kill Boolean search for this very reason and it was no where near the intensity of load on the db server a system like this would be.

It's one of the downsides to explosive growth, the technology available is not optimum because there just aren't that many sites like ATS that have the intense traffic and content we do. In other words, there hasn't been enough demand to justify the development expense to create customized solutions for sites like ours.

An example of what I mean is the fact SkepticOverlord had to take an off the shelf version of PhP and create what can honestly be called a completely customized, proprietary version we call "AboveTop:Board v2.3". He had to do this because the standard PhP products out there just aren't capable of running this site.

Springer...





[edit on 11-23-2008 by Springer]

Mark,

Yes, you understand what I am trying to say now.

Good explanation on why it can't happen. Thanks for the time and reading anyway.

Originally posted by badgerprints
Not to be a killjoy but aren't there other threads that are exactly like this one?

Exactly!