Organiizing Data

[admin]

One thing I'd love to do on the class site is have a quick reference for future builders to specific info. For example, let's say you need info on sheer clamps. There would be an directory to subjects, you'd go down alphabetically, past "Keel foils" and "lead pours" and "Rudder Lengths" to "Sheer Clamps"...click on that link and a new page would open up to:

Sheer Clamps:

- alchemy blog december 2009
- 207 blog may 2009
- pipedream blog septmeber 2008
- knot racing blog april 2009

etc

But I'm not sure what would be the best way to organize this. Any ideas? A downloadable XL file? I cannot tell you how many hours I've spent rifling through various blogs trying to find info on specific solutions. Thank god the Yahoo site has become pretty much a non-player.

[Tim Ford]

(had to get rid of that "admin" thing)

BTW, the examples above are not actual links!!! I just made them up for purposes of illustration.

[Kevin]

Great idea Tim. I'm thinking a separate page not in the forum would be a great way to organize that because it could be database driven instead of reply driven. Let me think on it a day or 2 and see what I come up with. I was also thinking that we need to have the member section of the website link to the forum class member group some how. I'll think on that too.

I need to get that pesky constitution revision done first though. k.

[admin]

At least the Forum page now opens in a separate tab. So you can click back and forth. But a return to home button would be cool.

[Kevin]

The web page forum link uses the target _blank so it opens in a new page. We still need to find and edit the forum banner so you can go the other way. But it would probably open another copy of the home page versus going back to a copy of that which you already had open. Make sense?

[jerome]

Kevin, Tim how are you guys working out this issue of organizing data ?
İ truly believe this could be one of the most important contribution to new builders. We have all been through the same nightmare of digging up info in the old forums. Reeaaally time consuming ! And we already have some very interesting topics bebing discussed in our new building forum. İmagine when it is all opened to public ! İt is going to be just as messy as the other one if we dont organize it.
By the way, İ am bringing a problem but İ am unable to give you the solution at the same time. İ dont know what can be done, but if it is technically possible, then İ think we should do it !

[Kevin]

I'm planning on building something "awesome" for this how-to thing. I think you are right Jerome that it could easily be the largest section on the site. We can start by jotting down a few good "real" examples of what's best and go from there.

[admin]

"best" might be difficult. One man's pumpkin is another man's albatross. Tell you one thing though, a page of regrets would be a good thing. Wasn't there a "if I had it to do over again" thread on the old forum?

I regret not building a heated garage first!