• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Towers Street Abbreviations Thread

Would it be a good idea to integrate the Wiki into the main site?

I don't know about anyone else but while I frequently brows the forum and main site I keep forgetting the Wiki (and even chat to an extent) exist unless someone mentions them. I'm not quite sure how this can be done as most of the wiki pages are just people messing around anyway and there's only one or two pages like this one that are actually of use.

Maybe just a little tab on the home page saying:
“For humours Theme Park nonsense and archive of our members references and in-jokes check out our Wiki!”

^ I know it's not great but I only spent a few minuted thinking about this :p
 
The Wiki appears to be full of long, sprawling pages (such as 'Chat'), that have little/no actual relevance to the topic they are about. I understand it's a humorous database of in-jokes and tidbits for giggles, and it's for this reason I believe putting in an actual page with correct information such as these Abbreviations, wouldn't work.

It wouldn't be long before someone thinks it would be amusing to add their own to the list, that have no actual input or meaning, and this will just cause further confusion to the people who the topic was created for in the first place!

As with any publicly editable document or data, theres always going to be abuse of the system.


Sent from my New iPad using Tapatalk
 
If you search the wiki, its full of junk yes, but its also full of loads of factual information. The acronyms pages for example is actually full of decent information and chat is probably one of the only pages that is full of junk.
 
Established members have made my point for me, by debating with other long established members as to the requirement for a thread/on forum wiki.

The fact that you have to keep explaining how great the wiki is, to other long time members, some of whom still don't get it - really makes my point for me.

If it is 50/50 in favour/not in favour with long time members, how on Earth do you think new members are supposed to get along with it.

I've given you that answer, but you don't seem keen to hear it. Very few new members will use it, know where it is, or care about in jokes etc. Particularly lurkers/browsers who you look to convert into members.

That wiki is confusing, and full of stuff a new member doesn't need to know, to get along in a forum.

Any website/project I have been involved in, has had information that people need to get along readily available and easy to digest. It's about making their life a bit easier.

This stuff is essential for people to be able to engage in discussions, particularly with the depths they can go to on here - that's credit to some members brilliant expertise. Surely, surely it is better to have the facilities there to allow others to engage in this forum discussion better, and more simply, than presently available?
 
But the key question is, is there really a demand for it? That's something which I'm keen to establish in this topic. Overall (and this is going from my experience joining TTF as a new member back in the day!) I feel acronyms are something which you pick up over the time that you're on the forum. The context of the topic often allows you to work out what the acronyms mean, and as others have pointed out a quick Google or question in the topic will allow you to gain an understanding.

I know you're speaking as someone who is not as you said a long established member, but in the years of running the forum on here and TTF it's not been something that's popped up a great deal. Therefore, although your viewpoint as a new member is that such a page is needed, I'd like to hear from others who are perhaps quite new as to whether they have difficulty understanding the odd acronym thrown in.

I've already mentioned a few options which are possible which I'll list below along with the downsides of each. It's worth noting that SMF does not allow us to globally announce a topic. We can only sticky in a specific forum:

- Sticky a topic at the top of a board - Downsides would be that it's visible only in one forum and would need to be updated by the team or the member who originally authored the topic.
- Utilise the Wiki - Can be edited by anyone, potentially open to abuse however would soon be self policed. The link to the Wiki article could be included in the welcome e-mail sent to new signups.
- Static page - We could create a static page which we could refer members to, this again could be included in the welcome e-mail. Downside is additions would need to be sent to the team to be added.
 
Well it may seem a bit contradictory, but I'd vote for a Wiki ;D

Just one that is totally separate, well maintained, perhaps agreed by someone to be kept an eye on, and hyperlinked out to further information on a subject.

This adds a value to the site, is simple to run, and as you say would easily be self maintained. Perhaps joined by a sticky forum, where links or new information can be discussed to include within that specific Wiki page, and a direct link to it, at the start - with a perhaps a few of the very common ones, included in that sticky.

I don't think either works alone. You would never find things like TL for example on Google either, but it is such a frequently used term on here, as it's an intrinsic part of TST culture. Popping that in a basic sticky would work. Then if something becomes more frequent, it could be updated in the thread.

So for me, the most common, frequently used ones, in a sticky. With a link to an extraneous Wiki, but that is specific to education and sites of interest.

It's a chance to build a knowledge base on here too.

It was a right mare when I started reading these forums, I was constantly on Google, or reading other posts trying to find out what they meant - which did spoil the enjoyment of the discussions themselves for me, and I'm not exactly inexperienced when it comes to internet researching ;D.

Anyway, your post makes perfect sense to me Craig, I thought I would clarify exactly how I felt it's probably an amalgamation of the options that will present the best reward.

Thread, with basics (and hyperlinked), linked to a specific and clearly defined (sensibly monitored) Wiki page (hyperlinked as above to further info), that is presented to new members on arrival via email.
 
I am not clued up on running & managing a Wiki, but I do know they are open for anyone to make edits. How would this be managed & kept on top of people inputting whatever they like?

I am not speaking specifically about people in this community, I am speaking about anyone that can access it (which, in this case, is anyone worldwide, as long as they have a TS account). It may not be something anyone thinks of abusing, but that's just something that I'd think about.

Also, I've never had need for such a topic/page, however it would prove useful to the newer members, as we take these acronyms as the norm, but, of course. they won't be that for new people! In the past I've managed to work out, via reading further, Google, or failing that, posting in the topic itself to ask!

On the whole, I am not against it, if done properly, and in the correct location, wherever the Team deem that to be. It would certainly be a valuable asset to members of the forum, new & old alike.
 
As far as I'm aware, the TST Wiki can only be edited by those who have an account on TST itself, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Jonathan said:
As far as I'm aware, the TST Wiki can only be edited by those who have an account on TST itself, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Quite correct, however, as these are open to anyone, so is the Wiki!
 
The Wiki as an extensive thing is very random and contains serious pages alongside jokey ones. However, the argument that 'new members won't want to look at that' is irrelevant as, if they are simply directed to the abbreviations page, they will probably not look at any of the other pages nor will they know they exist. By pointing them to it though, they might feel encouraged to look around :)

As Craig has pointed out though, I'm not sure how necessary this all is anyway? Particularly as most new members work out wht things mean themselves or just ask the community for help. When I was new I knew very little of phrases and terminology but now I have picked up on so much in just over a year!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.
 
Yes Mr B,

Why take a couple of hours to browse something that can provide you with stuff you can faff about, research, and take a year to learn?

You seem to keep missing the point I'm making about having a thread, with the basics in, where you actually use it, and a link to a more detailed Wiki page that incorporates direct links where people can read into more detail, and get a better grasp of some of the quite complex discussions that can take place in here.

This is known as adding value, and could eventually serve as something people outside come to visit, to learn specifics in more detail.

I even went to the trouble of finding a real world technology version of LSM so people can see a working version, and get a better understanding, and as an example of how this could be incorporated into every day life on the Forum.

I get a little bit of a sense of, we had to do it the hard way, so why make it easier for new members.

I could have completed a good chunk of it in the time it's taken to debate it lol!! ;D
 
As long as we only stick to the well established abbreviations then there isn't a need for any form of explanation topic. Things like MCBR, SBNO, OTSR, LIM, LSM are all very common abbreviations that you can find out with a simple search.

The problem (and there must be a problem as this topic has already appeared 3 times in the 5 months this forums been online) is that there are a load of unnecessary acronyms. It’s understandable really; since the forum split from TTF we’ve seen less new users joining than we were used to and so it’s easy to forget when new members do arrive that they might not know what we all previously accepted.

The simple solution is just for everyone to take more care when they post.
If you start a topic called "Favourite Version of ITHOTMK" then you need to explain in the first post what it means. Have fun looking that up
If you are in a general topic and suddenly reference a random ride by initials only you need to make sure people know at least which park it's at.
And if you don’t understand and a quick search doesn’t come up with anything then ask. Chances are they’ll be someone else who’s just as confused as you.
 
I have had a chat with Craig about this now.

Ultimately I must point out, I may get feisty in my discussions, but the good of the site is at the front of the majority of peoples minds with regards to these issues, that includes my self and I know many of you whom I may disagree with. Differing opinions with the same goal in mind.

There are things that were to be considered, that I had not - and now have, and simply state that I will support Craig et al in whatever decisions they come to on this matter. I assure everyone 100% my decision on this, is based purely on a better understanding of the workings of the site.

We discussed this at an exceptional level this evening, and I have a wider comprehension of how the site functions, it's goals, and general intentions.

Some great people have put their money/time where there mouth is, with a simple but honourable goal of providing a brilliant place for people to converge and visit, and ultimately enjoy. I may think of ways things could be done better, or at least believe I have lol, but my faith in who is running this (as a newbie) could not now be higher.

The thread itself has created some good ideas, and actually led to some fantastic discussions for me personally and hopefully even if it just a modicum, to the site also.

Slightly off topic in a way, but I felt this was the best place for me to point this out. Ultimately, it is important not that my idea is used, but that the best idea for the site is used.

Though I still think my idea rocks haha! ;D

This might not be viewed as the most important topic ever, but it important in some ways - it's clear how passionate everyone is about getting the site to the best it can be, and everyone chipping time and ideas to help it so.

That my friends, is a wonderful thing.

Abbreviate THAT! ;D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top