What should be stickied? *******Your input required************

[SiBurning]

Also...

Which threads should appear in the Sticky thread?

If you want some ideas, I put up a menu in the wiki. Also see the Coffee FAQ and the Tea FAQ for more threads.

 

[arghblech]

One sticky containing all the others. My other choice is "none at all".

 

[StillShaving]

I voted "All 5-6 "Of The Day" threads + Acquisition, Shopping, and Sticky threads" but in many ways would prefer a single sticky with pointers to the other threads. ...But I think a single sticky will create a problems, since when any of its contained threads are updated then the top level thread would not show up as having a new posting, so there is no indication of when to visit the sub-thread to see new postings....except those should show up in the normal listings so maybe not a big deal.

That said, I don't think a single sticky with links to containing threads is the most practical. Across all of B&B I wish the stickies only showed up on the first page. I guess they would not be true stickies in that case, but they would still have priority to show up at the top of the first page. As it stands, I find myself ignoring some stickies in other forums to my own determent, as they get to be a bit dated and just noise at the top of each page. Having a more concise list of at the top of the first page would help this tendency to ignore/overlook. (Once you click the link to page 2 you have to train your mind to ignore the stickies...which makes you ignore them on page 1 as well. IMO).

 

[StillShaving]

This is a general comment, not really specific to the cafe, one which I have been meaning to make to the moderators or folks which drive B&B. Which is, it would be very helpful for newbies (and old timers) if there was some kind of hall-of-fame, or most-valuable-postings listing separate from the current groups of threads. B&B already as a hall of fame, but instead of people I am referring to posts/threads which are most helpful, most informational, most fun, etc. I saw a similar setup on a car forum where they called it the "garage" where the most common repair problems (threads about said problems) were collected in a single place. B&B has a "star" rating which in theory could be the same thing, used to highlight the best threads for people who don't have a lot of time to read all the forums.

We have a lot of good moderators and stewards which could potentially flag (tag) the best postings, or the community at large could be given opportunity to tag/star their favorite threads which help identify these more useful threads. Just need a way to show them easily....just wondering about all this out loud.

 

[Luc]

I voted "All 5-6 "Of The Day" threads + Acquisition, Shopping, and Sticky threads" but in many ways would prefer a single sticky with pointers to the other threads. ...But I think a single sticky will create a problems, since when any of its contained threads are updated then the top level thread would not show up as having a new posting, so there is no indication of when to visit the sub-thread to see new postings....except those should show up in the normal listings so maybe not a big deal.

That said, I don't think a single sticky with links to containing threads is the most practical. Across all of B&B I wish the stickies only showed up on the first page. I guess they would not be true stickies in that case, but they would still have priority to show up at the top of the first page. As it stands, I find myself ignoring some stickies in other forums to my own determent, as they get to be a bit dated and just noise at the top of each page. Having a more concise list of at the top of the first page would help this tendency to ignore/overlook. (Once you click the link to page 2 you have to train your mind to ignore the stickies...which makes you ignore them on page 1 as well. IMO).

This is not exactly correct.

A single sticky thread with few links in it will give you an idea on what's important in that bit of the forum or sub-forum.

If someone post in let's say the SOTD and it's not a sticky, it will be pushed up right under the sticky thread. It will come up in the new posts and if you subscribe to it, you will see it in the User CP right away.

The sticky itself won't be appearing as having a new post unless someone post in that thread.

For the second bit, my understanding is that stickies are stickies and they need to be un-sticky to not appear on page 2...

This is a general comment, not really specific to the cafe, one which I have been meaning to make to the moderators or folks which drive B&B. Which is, it would be very helpful for newbies (and old timers) if there was some kind of hall-of-fame, or most-valuable-postings listing separate from the current groups of threads. B&B already as a hall of fame, but instead of people I am referring to posts/threads which are most helpful, most informational, most fun, etc. I saw a similar setup on a car forum where they called it the "garage" where the most common repair problems (threads about said problems) were collected in a single place. B&B has a "star" rating which in theory could be the same thing, used to highlight the best threads for people who don't have a lot of time to read all the forums.

We have a lot of good moderators and stewards which could potentially flag (tag) the best postings, or the community at large could be given opportunity to tag/star their favorite threads which help identify these more useful threads. Just need a way to show them easily....just wondering about all this out loud.

I shared this post with the other Mods to comment and see what we can do to improve the system even more.

 

[Bertilak]

I voted "other idea".

I think only administrative posts should be stickies. This would mostly include rules and announcements.

I peruse B&B using "view new posts" and have trained my eye to skip any thread that is a sticky and has more than a few posts. That means I have already seen it and if I cared would have subscribed to it.

 

[Drybonz]

I liked the sticky with the links to different vendors.

 

[AlanL]

The only things I expected to be sticky are important announcements from management about forum news or rules of particular threads. The BST is a good example, and they were eventually grouped into a single thread.

For anything else, I think that's the purpose of individual subscriptions; sort of a way to make our own stickies.

 

[SiBurning]

I voted "other idea".

I think only administrative posts should be stickies. This would mostly include rules and announcements.

I peruse B&B using "view new posts" and have trained my eye to skip any thread that is a sticky and has more than a few posts. That means I have already seen it and if I cared would have subscribed to it.

A sticky full of helpful pointers is good for newbies and for people trying to help newbies. Most of the regulars are more familiar with coffee & tea and care more about the OTD type threads and responding to fresh new threads. There's a balance to be struck between these different needs. There's a lot of good stuff buried inside the forum. I've been putting the better threads, especially tutorials, in the wiki. I prefer the wiki because anyone can add to it at any time. But how's a newbie to know to look there without at least one sticky pointing them to the right places? If we could find a better answer, we might not even need that one sticky. Until then... well, that's why there's no poll option for no sticky threads. As my old boss would say, if you have an idea or complaint, and want something done about it, you need to tell me how to implement it.

I liked the sticky with the links to different vendors.

See The Cafe'. That's the template for a single sticky page, if we go that way, except it probably won't have appetizers or side dishes. Those will probably stay in the wiki.

Keep the ideas coming.

 

[craig87c]

In order to keep clutter down, how about 3 stickies with links to posts with information:

1. Info for new tea/coffee people
2. "OTD" threads
3. Acquisitions

 

[SiBurning]

The poll is closed. A single Sticky thread with links to all the others won by a landslide. Here's what I'd like to use for the One True Sticky. Feel free to provide feedback. It'll go up in the new year, once the new acquisition threads are created.

The Cafe' Menu
Welcome to The Cafe' where we indulge ourselves in the pursuit of fine tea and coffee.

du jour
See what our members are drinking today.

• [thread=111691]BOTD: Black Of The Day[/thread]
• [thread=84515]OOTD- oolong of the day[/thread]
• [thread=59712]SOTD- sheng of the day[/thread]
• [thread=111520]GOTD- Green of the Day[/thread]
• [thread=76762]Ripe/Cooked Puerh of the Night[/thread]
• [thread=143227]What's Brewing? - 2010[/thread]
• Older versions

Wares
See the latest caffeine goodies our members have acquired.

• [thread=143281]Caffeine Clips: Show off your tea/coffee acquisitions ~ 2010[/thread]
• Older versions

Takeout
Our members recommend these online sources for coffee and tea and related goodies.

• [thread=172842]The Cafe on line shopping links[/thread]

Children's Menu
We also like to have a little fun in The Cafe'.

• [thread=113321]Carnival Contest #12: Tea Term Telepathy[/thread]

FAQ
Tutorials and other information can be found in the Badger & Blade ShaveWiki.

• The Cafe'
• Coffee FAQ
• Tea FAQ

 

[_JP_]

The "of the day" threads should be displayed on their own.

 

[SiBurning]

The "of the day" threads should be displayed on their own.

What do you mean? Are you trying to vote? Too late.

 

[Luc]

What do you mean? Are you trying to vote? Too late.

I think Jon means that we should see 1 sticky regrouping everything with the 'of the day' threads stickied on their own, not in the main sticky...

 

[SiBurning]

This is a general comment, not really specific to the cafe... I am referring to posts/threads which are most helpful, most informational, most fun, etc. I saw a similar setup on a car forum where they called it the "garage" where the most common repair problems (threads about said problems) were collected in a single place.

This part still needs work...

The wiki's a good place for listing your favorite posts & threads. Either the Reading Room section of The Cafe' page, or the Best of The Cafe' in Coffee FAQ or the Reading Room in the Tea FAQ. Unless you can find a more specific place to fit it into the FAQ.

 

[StillShaving]

This part still needs work...

The wiki's a good place for listing your favorite posts & threads. Either the Reading Room section of The Cafe' page, or the Best of The Cafe' in Coffee FAQ or the Reading Room in the Tea FAQ. Unless you can find a more specific place to fit it into the FAQ.

I see where you are coming from, given the way the B&B forum is setup, that is likely the most logical way to organize the most useful threads.

Thanks for tiding up the forum, stickies, and wiki for the new year! BTW I made a minor edit to the wiki to remove a duplicate entry.
I realize that more folks should be participating with updating the wiki, myself included But I also think having a small core control the overall wiki outline provides integrity. But it has enough shape for more of us to help fill out.