I was really wowed, yes, the front page is changing too quickly. I know some days it is like this, but I really do have my two-penny concerns:
- Do we really have that many top quality questions? Of course, I really wish that's the case, but even that's the case, we must have some top among tops ;-)
- Are we losing a little bit focus?
I know every one has a different view, as what types of posts really worth the front page, but I just want to provide some of my opinions:
- Posts that generalize a type of questions, but not those have been on the front page recently
- Posts that has a deep thinking
- Posts about something rarely being mentioned, yet important
- Posts look at things from a uncommon view
Re: Is the front page change too quickly?
by rob_au (Abbot) on Dec 23, 2002 at 23:28 UTC
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There are other threads questioning the slow turn-over of frontpage posts and now one questioning the quickened turn-over of posts - This is really a non-issue from my perspective.
The front-page of the site is not intended as a reward for posts, but rather to represent a cross-section of recent posts which may or may not provoke thought or consideration. As to whether these represent the best of the community or daily posts is fairly unimportant, it is the cross-section and discussion knowledge base as a whole which they represent that is significant and indeed, the value of this site. Furthermore, given the wide and diverse usage of Perl, the focus of this cross-section is necessarily broad in scope, in turn, further adding to the value of this site and it's place in the Perl community.
For a previous discussion on this topic, see Rampant Frontpaging.
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(wil) Re: Is the front page change too quickly?
by wil (Priest) on Dec 23, 2002 at 23:32 UTC
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No.
Please read the documentation and the FAQ and all the other extensive documentation and nodes that has ever been written about this.
The front page should 'showcase' the entire site. Not just the elitist, 'k'ewl questions, complex regexes, or anything like that. It's to show the first point of presence (for most newcomers) what we're all about. And we're about everything Perl. If there's a simple question like 'hey, where can I find CGI.pm?' then let's front-page it. I'm sure that will actually generate substantially more hits than your fancy regex anyway and cover a lot more ground.
- wil
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Re: Is the front page change too quickly?
by gjb (Vicar) on Dec 24, 2002 at 01:25 UTC
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One can look at the issue either way.
Suppose a note is submitted that has been dealt with in SoPW just a few days ago having an almost identical title there are two options:
- tell the second seeker of wisdom to do some research before submitting a question (or if one is more "lenient" deal without without front paging it.
- front paging it since apparently several monks have trouble with this issue.
Both approaches have their pro and cons. On the one hand, if such questions get on the front page, experienced Perl programmers might be put off thinking this is a site for newbies. On the other hand, a lot of experienced seekers of wisdom already know about PerlMonks and are not even accessing the front page anymore (personally I hardly look at it).
If the former is the case, one should concentrate on bringing those notes to the front page that attract the "elite", where if the latter is the caes, the front page should be representative for the site's purpose/contents.
This leads to an interesting question: how do the "experienced" monks improve their skills? By attracting those to the site that are their peers, or by reflecting on more basic stuff and hence gaining a more thorough understanding where Perl is concerned, but also on how to communicate ideas?
I wouldn't want to be the judge in such a matter, but it seems to me that a healty compromise would be ideal, even if it doesn't suite all (a compromise hardly ever does). Everyone from friar upwards should think carefully what to front page, but I think we should trust one another's personal judgements (and if in doubt, communicate those feelings). After all, an online community such as PerlMonks exhibits a very interesting dynamics that is (probably) self-regulating.
Apart from this, I think the front page contains too many items at the moment. I'd say some four notes in SoPW and two Meditations along with the other categories should be enough. Otherwise one simply looses overview, probably also as a newbie and that would diminish the attraction of the site and hence harm the community.
Just my 2 cents, -gjb-
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Good points.
I disagree about the front page containing too many items
presently. People wading through the web to PM can certainly
handle a long page at the gate.
Some think of the front page as, uh, the front page.
Others think of the Monastery Gates as the, uh, gates
to the monastery. These are two different functions.
A front page should change fairly often, the welcome
mat at the front door has a longer usable life.
Residents never pay much heed to their welcome
mat, but to clean it now and then.
If PM is not first a community which attracts and
keeps the exalted, the mundane will find no
blessings here. So I'm willing to oblige those who
treat it like a front page.
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Re: Is the front page change too quickly?
by jdporter (Paladin) on Dec 24, 2002 at 23:50 UTC
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