Topic Review and Update

[Drashner1]

Heya,

As part of the recent discussion on doing a review and update/clean-up of the Topic pages, I've created a tracking spreadsheet.

LINK

Anyone accessing via this link should have the ability to comment on the spreadsheet.

The idea of how this would work is:

Volunteers to work on the project would be given editing capability on the spreadsheet.

Each volunteer picks a Topic.

Turn the Topic title into a hyperlink to the relevant page in the EG. Just to save time getting back to it later.

Indicate on the spreadsheet whether or not you've reviewed the article, whether or not it needs updating, and add some notes providing a quick overview on what needs adjusting.

We then regroup on the forum (maybe on this thread) to discuss details of what needs changing in a given article and how best to make that change.

One of the people working on this goes in and makes the change.

We update each relevant cell with a Y or an N as appropriate as we do each part of the process. When a Topic has been reviewed and updated (if needed) we turn the row green or something to indicate it's done 'at a glance' (helpful when we reach the point of having lots of items in process or done or not started yet all at once.

Please look this over and let me know if if this needs tweaking. Either on this thread or via the Comment feature on the spreadsheet.

And please don't hesitate to ask questions if you have any.

Thanks!

Todd

[Drashner1]

Making this thread sticky since we'll be referring to it regularly.

[Drashner1]

So - It seems we are ready to begin the process of reviewing and updating OA's Topics.

A link to the tracking spreadsheet can be found in the first post in this thread. I've added an additional column and over the next day or so use it to indicate which front end Topic (Culture & Society, Galactography, History, Science, Sophonts, Technology) each lower level Topic appears under. From there, I'll set up filters so that we can jump to a specific major block of Topics as desired. And from there we can get started.

Would everyone interested in volunteering to take part in this project, please send me a PM and I'll give you editing capability on the spreadsheet. For an idea of what will be involved, please read the first post in this thread.

The process of reviewing (and where appropriate updating) all the various Topics in the EG is likely to involve a lot of discussion. As it happens the first thing we need to discuss is how best to tackle the process of Topic review and editing. There are literally hundreds of Topics, covering a wide range of subjects, and we are aiming to make some fairly major - even fundamental - changes to them. At first blush, this can seem overwhelming - but if we approach it in an organized fashion I think that it will quickly prove to be more manageable.

In terms of how best to approach this, some initial options that have come to mind. In no particular order:

1) Straight numeric/alphabetical order - This is how the spreadsheet is currently organized, mainly because that's the default for how the Content Management System displayed it when I copy/pasted it into this spreadsheet.

Pros - Is straightforward and reasonably logical for going through all the Topics.

Cons - Because it is ordered by title, we may find ourselves jumping among Topics without any consideration for how they might relate to each other (or not). It also means that we may spend a lot of time on fairly minor Topics before getting to the 'big ticket items' that readers often encounter first (and built first impressions on).

It also places all the History Topics first - and for various reasons, including scale and also the need/want to create a revised cohesive history for the setting - which may require a massive amount of effort all by itself (possibly in its own thread) - it may be that tackling this first would be a case of 'running before we can walk'.

2) Start with a number of smaller and/or more self-contained Topics that don't figuratively link up with a really large number of others and aren't likely to cause a host of 'ripple effects' when we start changing them.

Pros - Good initial practice while we work out best practices for performing this project. Also should give us several early 'wins' (Topics reviewed/updated fairly quickly and easily) that can make the project seem less overwhelming and otherwise increase morale. May require minimal changes in many cases.

Cons - Less likely to result in significant updates/changes to what new readers learn about the setting, which shapes their sense of how it works. So that desired change will take longer to happen.

3) Cherry pick a number of medium to high profile Topics that seem likely to be things new readers often read early on and that contain out of date info on how the setting works.

Pros - Updating these first will help accelerate more current understanding among both new and existing members. While it might take longer to update each Topic, there is greater 'bang for our buck' in each updated Topic.

Cons - Will require more thought/planning/discussion to select which Topics should be updated first. Will take longer to build up a stack of 'wins' (updated Topics). More complicated approach than some other options.

Likely there are other options (and if you have one, please share), but these are what I've been able to come up with so far.

Thanks!

Todd

[MacGregor]

Let’s do this! I think the best place to start should be with the smallest topics. Not sure where y’all’s heads are but I think we can massively consolidate these. In other words, many if the topics that only have a dozen or so articles can be merged into larger topics. Thoughts?

[extherian]

I think for the time being I'll focus on smaller, individual articles rather than the meta-topics. Some of the major Terragen empires like the Orion Federation still have hardly any articles written for them.

[Drashner1]

I think for the time being I'll focus on smaller, individual articles rather than the meta-topics. Some of the major Terragen empires like the Orion Federation still have hardly any articles written for them.

Er...What?

You've been perhaps the primary driving force advocating that we that on this project.

Based on that and discussions while this project has been set up, I was under the very strong impression that you would be one of the people taking part in/helping with it.

Are you saying that is not the case?

[extherian]

Frankly, Todd, I'm unemployed, chronically depressed and I should really have stepped away from this stuff a long time ago. If I gave you the impression otherwise, it's because some days I wake up feeling like I could write War & Peace by the afternoon, and other days I can't even motivate myself to get out of bed. I go through brief spells of feeling normal in between extended periods of total exhaustion.

If my participation in this project is crucial then it will have to wait until I've sorted my life out and have moved beyond the thirty-year old manchild phase. I wish it were otherwise and I will likely not be contributing even small articles for a long time. I am not well, and I need to get well instead of indulging in escapism like this. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this anymore.

[Drashner1]

It's unfortunate you're not feeling well.

Perhaps when you are you can return and assist with wherever we are at at that time.

I hope you get better soon.

Todd

[MacGregor]

Frankly, Todd, I'm unemployed, chronically depressed and I should really have stepped away from this stuff a long time ago. If I gave you the impression otherwise, it's because some days I wake up feeling like I could write War & Peace by the afternoon, and other days I can't even motivate myself to get out of bed. I go through brief spells of feeling normal in between extended periods of total exhaustion.

If my participation in this project is crucial then it will have to wait until I've sorted my life out and have moved beyond the thirty-year old manchild phase. I wish it were otherwise and I will likely not be contributing even small articles for a long time. I am not well, and I need to get well instead of indulging in escapism like this. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this anymore.

Extherian, I hope you feel better and please seek help if needed. 

- Mac

[MacGregor]

Todd,

What emphasis, if any, are we putting on consolidating topics? Is there a rough number we are trying to get down to?