Stuck on Stickies

[Andy Hoyt]

I have a love/hate relationship with Stickies - they allow us to get to information that is needed, wanted, or important quite quickly; but they have a tendency to accumulate to the point wherein they take up the top half of the screen forcing one to scroll down to find the new stuff. I'll freely admit it, I'm lazy and scrolling burns precious calories.

Your moderators have debated this and are split on what to do, so I thought it prudent to ask your opinion, hence this poll.

Do we leave it the way it's always been?

Or do we create one Master Sticky which contains the needed linkage to those threads deemed stick-worthy. Wed' then unstick, that which was formerly stuck and let them float in the thread order like any other thread based on the most recent post.

[David Walser]

While I could use the excuse to burn the extra calories, I think the number of stickies has gotten out of hand.

[Scott Hackler]

I agree, the sticky's have grown to "wholy cow" proportions. I would think that either some (most) could be removed after being thier a bit or have an option for contributors to remove them from thier screen.

[Peter Lamb]

Create a master file

[Robert McGowen]

Seems like you could put the stickys at the bottom of the page, if possible, instead of at the top and it would accomplish the same thing, but would allow the stickys to still be visible. Just trying not to get too complicated. :eek:

[Trevor Howard]

Personally I never see them unless somebody posted, on one, between my visits. I always click new posts, when I come here so I don't miss anything :D

[Michael James]

my mouse has a scrolling wheel, and it's obvious where the new posts start. Give it to the majority; doesn't affect my Creek experience either way.
mj

[David DeCristoforo]

Profound question. There are so many things to ponder here. Like once a sticky gets stuck, how long does it stick? Forever? Is there any way to unstick one? And if you do unstick it, will it be like Buster Keaton's handkerchief, clinging tenaciously to whatever it comes in contact with? And what happens to the sticky whose subject had lost relevance? Does it continue to stick there for all eternity, with no real meaning to it's existence? How do you deal with the ever growing population of stickys? Eventually they could grow to the point where they overwhelm their ecosystem or mutate into some new and bizarre form or develop immunities to their natural enemies, further exacerbating an already seemingly insurmountable problem. I don't think we can simply dismiss these issues with a simple multiple choice question with only two options.

[Thom Sturgill]

Compromise. Create a master sticky to move links to important messages to after they have been posted one month. Keep a maximum of 5-6 individual stickies active.

[David E Keller]

Profound question. There are so many things to ponder here. Like once a sticky gets stuck, how long does it stick? Forever? Is there any way to unstick one? And if you do unstick it, will it be like Buster Keaton's handkerchief, clinging tenaciously to whatever it comes in contact with? And what happens to the sticky whose subject had lost relevance? Does it continue to stick there for all eternity, with no real meaning to it's existence? How do you deal with the ever growing population of stickys? Eventually they could grow to the point where they overwhelm their ecosystem or mutate into some new and bizarre form or develop immunities to their natural enemies, further exacerbating an already seemingly insurmountable problem. I don't think we can simply dismiss these issues with a simple multiple choice question with only two options.

Wouldn't master stickies be even harder to corral? Master sticky sounds much more omenous... like something you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I'm scared of master stickies, but I'm a lemming, so I voted like everyone else did.

[Bob Vallaster]

The concept was worthwhile: a special notice to the forum on which it appears. I expect something of enduring value (FAQs, playground rules) or something requiring timely delivery to readers (eventually expiring). The present crop of 11 no longer draw my attention. I habitually jump past the visual clutter to get to new posts.
There are two stickies on interviews...and a master list on the SMC main page.
The promotion for SMC archive disks does not appear in Gen'l Woodworking, Neander, Workshop. It rightly appears in the SMC Store.
The promotion for a CNC router/lathe bulk buy also appears in Gen'l Woodworking but not in the CNC Machines forum.
The Friends of the Creek notice is in the Store and Turners' forum, but elsewhere missing.
Freedom pens has a sticky which appears identical to one in the Freedom Pens forum.

BobV

[John Hart]

I didn't vote. Everytime I vote, I end up getting more junk mail... And jury duty... Nope, not me.

Oh wait...I'm not allowed.:(

[Steve Schlumpf]

I didn't vote either ... but have to admit that I like Thom's suggestion! I find it a nice compromise with what we have now and a cleaner - more user friendly - forum!

[Tom Sherman]

I like the idea of the Master Stickey. and the floating responses.

[John W Dixon]

Thom's idea most closely follows my thoughts. Too many stickies right now.

John

[Jerry Rhoads]

I like the thought of a master sticky. Iwould still click on it to see what is new.
I also like Thom's idea of having the lastest stickies on the top of the page.

Jerry

[Jeff Nicol]

This may be the most difficult to create, but it would put everything in its place and organize things. Just like on the home page of SMC there is an index that directs one to all that is available on SMC. Under each heading a sub index is created to organize subjects that are asked about and used on a continuous basis such as: Which lathe would you buy? How many times has that been asked and answered? There are certain things that could be put in the index that are normal every day things like:

1. Tool questions
2. Lathe brands and info
3. Wood ID and where to get wood
4. Creeker visits/ Looking for creeker in certain area
5. Important stickys and ongoing events etc.
6. Finish questions
7. Turners finished or works in progress

I am sure there could be more and by creating an index new members and old alike could go directly to the area they have an interest in or guestion. There are people who just visit to see what is going on and what is being created and that would get everyone directly to what they are looking for.

It still would not stop those who don't read the istructions first but I think it would make for a smooth system.

Stickys that are very important would still be placed on the top of the turners forum and highlighted in some way to make them stand out even more.

My 2 cents,

Jeff

[Roland Martin]

This may be the most difficult to create, but it would put everything in its place and organize things. Just like on the home page of SMC there is an index that directs one to all that is available on SMC. Under each heading a sub index is created to organize subjects that are asked about and used on a continuous basis such as: Which lathe would you buy? How many times has that been asked and answered? There are certain things that could be put in the index that are normal every day things like:

1. Tool questions
2. Lathe brands and info
3. Wood ID and where to get wood
4. Creeker visits/ Looking for creeker in certain area
5. Important stickys and ongoing events etc.
6. Finish questions
7. Turners finished or works in progress

I am sure there could be more and by creating an index new members and old alike could go directly to the area they have an interest in or guestion. There are people who just visit to see what is going on and what is being created and that would get everyone directly to what they are looking for.

It still would not stop those who don't read the istructions first but I think it would make for a smooth system.

Stickys that are very important would still be placed on the top of the turners forum and highlighted in some way to make them stand out even more.

My 2 cents,

Jeff

I really like this concept the best, basically indexed and catagorized stickys. Could this be included in the voting as an option?

[Andy Hoyt]

Voting has been stagnant for a day or so, so I'm bumping this back up to give others a chance to weigh in on this and vote before it gets thoroughly lost.

[David DeCristoforo]

"Voting has been stagnant for a day or so, so I'm bumping this back up..."

Why not make it a sticky?

[Andy Hoyt]

Only you would dare say that :D

[Karl Card]

I saw that the other night after posting in several other categories. Didnt really think anything negative of it, just figured we, turners, were an active and communcating group..

Maybe mods or admin one day will have a moment to review and take action needed...

[Wally Dickerman]

Profound question. There are so many things to ponder here. Like once a sticky gets stuck, how long does it stick? Forever? Is there any way to unstick one? And if you do unstick it, will it be like Buster Keaton's handkerchief, clinging tenaciously to whatever it comes in contact with? And what happens to the sticky whose subject had lost relevance? Does it continue to stick there for all eternity, with no real meaning to it's existence? How do you deal with the ever growing population of stickys? Eventually they could grow to the point where they overwhelm their ecosystem or mutate into some new and bizarre form or develop immunities to their natural enemies, further exacerbating an already seemingly insurmountable problem. I don't think we can simply dismiss these issues with a simple multiple choice question with only two options.

I don't know what David said, but I agree anyway.

Wally

[Bernie Weishapl]

I totally agree with Thom.

[Cody Colston]

I think a better poll would have been to ask..."How often do you read the stickies?"

Everyday
Seldom
Never

I'll wager that a large majority here simply scroll past the stickies to find the first post without ever reading what they actually say. That should tell everyone how important (or unimportant) they really are.

I have no problem with an occassional important message that is communicated via sticky but twelve of them that have been up for weeks or months?

I wouldn't even create a master sticky but would set a time limit of one week for any sticky to stay up.

[Paul Douglass]

I look at the titles of most those stickies and can't understand why they are stickies. If there is a thread people want to track there is the subscribe option.

[Andy Hoyt]

With a 90% positive vote to clean up the stickies, I've taken action.

[Bob Vallaster]

Andy,
It was a pleasant surprise to open the forum page and find current material in view at the top.
I visited the Master Sticky and find it helpfully organized.
Thanks for the poll and cleanup.

BobV

[Tom Sherman]

Well done Capn Andy

[Wayne Hendrix]

Whoa, the Master Sticky is awesome. I was so used to scrolling down one screen to start reading that it took me a second to realize something had changed. I love it.

[James Combs]

Andy,
It was a pleasant surprise to open the forum page and find current material in view at the top.
I visited the Master Sticky and find it helpfully organized.
Thanks for the poll and cleanup.

BobV

Ditto on the pleasant surprise. I didn't vote but if I had I would have been in the 90+%.

[Paul Douglass]

I like it. Thank you for doing it.