web fundamentals

I appreciate the opportunity to vote on the "star" value of a post, but I am at a loss as to what is being done with those values.

Secondly, I sometime fail to even make a choice.

Thirdly,  there are a lot of very good messages that really deserve more discussion and analysis that are simply being loss due to the simple volume of the messages posted.

I suggest, simply as a way to get a good discussion started on how to better this forum, we should make voting in the "star" value function mandatory, if that is possible?

Secondly, a linear presentation would probably be more helpful in displaying all of the threads and their posts, with the "first post -- last post" option being given to the reader.

Lastly, how about putting the  "star" value function on each post of each threads as well? The post with the higher value, is placed immediately below the title thread.

Let's get some other suggestions and make this site move; how about it?

ex animo

davidfarrar

In addition to the two previous excellent web strategy articles this is a suggestion for a very simple approach.

There is an element of web strategy that is more business strategy than political policy.  There are likely to always be policy and candidate disputes within the party, and the left likely has benefited from being nearly 100% united against President Bush and the Iraq War.  However, that can be countered with some organization.  It doesn't have to be fancy, and is probably best if it isn't.  Simply set some goal, and let everyone know how to achieve them.  For instance, suggest that casual readers join the mailing list of their favorite candidates.  Recommend they join social networks like MySpace and Facebook, and join groups related to their interests.  Give them petitions to fill out or 'forward to a friend'/'sign a friend up' emails and email forms.  For bloggers, give them widgets, provide them with a source of articles to draw from, give them instructions on blogging and linking basics if needed.  Finally, do what this site does and keep people networked and on the same page.  Not everyone has to agree on the specifics, but if people are given the tools to pursue their political objectives than the greater cause benefits.