Here's a quick way to improve the usefulness of your nodes: Modify the subject line when replying to a question.

For instance, I replied to One-shot code critique, and instead of just taking the default subject of "Re: One-shot code critique", I changed it to Use Perl's in-place file-handling capabilities, since it more clearly states what is said in the post. When you're reading the thread it might not matter, but I trust that future searchers will find it more useful when presented with a bunch of search results.

xoxo,
Andy
--
<megaphone> Throw down the gun and tiara and come out of the float! </megaphone>

  • Comment on Modify your subject lines when appropriate

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Re: Modify your subject lines when appropriate
by Sifmole (Chaplain) on Sep 28, 2001 at 20:47 UTC
    I like it when the subject line stays the same. That way I can easily tell by looking at the "Newest Nodes" whether a thread I was interested in has a new comment in it.
[reply]

      While I understand petdance's point, I tend to agree with Sifmole. When I find a topic that I want to follow, I'd like to be able to tell by the subject line

      So on that note, I'd personally prefer a) keep it the same, or b) keep the original subject, and add specific comments, like "Original subject ( Use ..... to do this )" or something like that

      But then again, I personally don't have strong opinion as long as I can follow a node's thread, really ....

[reply]

        I like a variation on kudra's method, namely: add my username, and a short description of my node in parentheses. I also condense multiple Re:'s into a single, using digits to indicate how many there were. See the title of this node for an example. :-)

        bbfu
        Seasons don't fear The Reaper.
        Nor do the wind, the sun, and the rain.
        We can be like they are.

[reply]
Re: Modify your subject lines when appropriate
by grinder (Bishop) on Sep 29, 2001 at 13:44 UTC

    This is somthing I tend to do myself. Either I replace the title completely, as when I gave the history behing the naming of the GECOS field in /etc/passwd in some random thread (in the hope that it might come up when people search for it -- which indeed it does).

    Otherwise I will keep the subject line the same, and append a phrase on the end, as I did here in Can you teach a new dog an old trick?.

    I suppose another alternative to use would be to employ the Usenet/mailing list convention of retitling a thread in the following way:

    Use CGI! (was: I can't decode my form's parameters)

    ...but I haven't seen anyone do that here, and I doubt one can kickstart a tradition by fiat.

    --
    g r i n d e r
[reply]

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