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As many of you know our tech team is busy working on improving the search capabilities in AB. It is a high priority and will certainly improve the AB experience. Currently Caitlin and I are the main category moderators that approve or reject your category suggestions. We’ve been having ongoing discussions about what guidelines we should use when it comes to approving or rejecting your suggestions.
We receive 30-50 suggestions a week, and in addition to approving or rejecting those, we are currently in review of all of the categories on AB and we will be removing, editing, or merging many of them with the Category Project. This project as you may recall is our attempt at going in and cleaning out and streamlining categories that may not have any questions or that may be duplicates, as well as subcategories that are in the wrong parent category. This is an ongoing project and will continue for some time. Caitlin did a wonderful job in some health categories and I just completed travel. I am currently working on transportation and automobiles.
Which bring us to this current update. As some of you have noticed we have increased our rejection rate of suggested categories. We have started to look very closely at suggestions that have little or no questions in AB. Many of these suggestions are things like movie titles, book or album titles, actors, celebrities, car models, bands, singers, etc. Before, we approved almost every subcategory, but we are realizing that we will have to impose limits on approvals with little or no questions. Categories reflect what is already on AB and they are not an attempt to comprehensively list all topics within an issue (i.e. all directors, all baseball players, all Harry Potter characters, all Toyota models ever made, etc). Therefore, unless there are at least eight questions in AB on a suggested subject, we will most likely reject it. We will try to be objective in our decisions, but sometimes our own subjectivity comes into play and we will attempt to give some of your category suggestions leeway and approve them. For instance, the car seats category under auto safety currently has only three questions, but we feel it is an important subject that should be included in discussions of auto safety and automobiles.
Some current subcategories, especially subjects such as specific movie titles and celebrities, as well as others mentioned above, will be merged into a parent category and some subcategories eliminated until enough questions are provided by AB users to meet the eight question subcategory minimum. If you have a category you really want to add, start asking and answering questions about it! Categories aren't the end-all be-all of AB, rather it's the questions and answers that are at the heart of AB. If there is a lively discussion of a topic we are much more likely to create a category for it than if there are only a couple of questions from 2006. We really want to create categories for topics that have multiple Q&As, recent/recurring Q&As, and other signs of lively interaction.
So again, we will be adding or removing categories throughout this project. We will also be strict about what we accept, in an effort to make sure each category actually makes AB better and more useful. However, we want to encourage you to continue to submit category suggestions. They help improve our taxonomy and hopefully make it easier to find a question and answer. With the future improved search capability on AB coming in the near future, plus your category suggestions and the current category database, all of this should make the AB experience much more pleasant.
Back in the day – he was a great player, but how many baggers here even know who he was?
Also take away Shaun Alexander – a top back a couple of years ago, but on his way out – and only two questions about him: http://www.answerbag.com/c_view/5534
All I can say is it is about time. The Category count has mushroomed to such an extent that just about every question could have a category of its own.
Personally I believe that most of the categories have been suggested and added purely for the sake of Moderation points.
I am not complaining about moderating since I have the highest mod. points on site but I am complaining about so many new categories being added that questions have been moved around as if we are playing musical chairs with them.
We were told last Summer that the categories were going to be cut down and instead they became like frogs spawn, every silly suggestion was accepted and some that were useful refused.
Three weeks ago I had Health Care and Reform refused. A subject which is very much discussed at this time. I was told it was not necessary. The next day We had the Categories. That has happened on several occasions.
If you are going to cut down these categories and sub categories, more power to your elbow and thank you in advance.
Can you explain how this is going to affect flagging wrong categories?
Hey AB mods! I think one of your advertisers is being naughty!
Starting today, my AV has popped up once or twice (but not on every page) when I go to a new page on AB and tells me that it blocked a phishing attempt.
AB,
This is re. my posting in the last Answerblog, Comment no 32. I wrote that the comments under an answer are no longer there. In the last 2 or 3 days there are new comments, so it should be refered to as the old comments. I am hoping to see an acknowledgement from AB "we will look into it" or something, since it is security related item. If it were AB that removed it for whatever reason here would be an indication of that with an explanation I am assuming.
in response to answerbagy's comment on Aug. 29, 08:54 PM
AB,
This is re. my posting in the last Answerblog, Comment no 32. I wrote that the comments under an answer are no longer there. In the last 2 or 3 days there are new comments, so it should be refered to as the old comments. I am hoping to see an acknowledgement from AB "we will look into it" or something, since it is security related item. If it were AB that removed it for whatever reason here would be an indication of that with an explanation I am assuming.
Thank you.
Answerbagy,
No... I've NEVER seen an "explanation" when comments are removed. They just plain disappear. Usually, it has to do with at least one of the participants getting into name-calling, or some other heated argument. True, I would like to see a "comment removed", or "thread removed", but they don't remove them without reason, so it's not necessary, far as I'm concerned.
[EDIT: I take that back about the "[removed comment]" When they nuke someone who has made comments, I would like to see this, instead of absolutely nothing. It really screws up comment threads, and makes many of them make little sense when comments are "surgically removed".
I would like to suggest a new category that does not require any subcategories at all! It will also condense a few unnecessary ones.
I submit it should be called the Magic 8 Ball category. Essentially, this category is where all those questions would go that no sane person could possibly answer. Here are some examples:
1- Am I pregnant?
2- Will my boyfriend/girlfriend/whoever....call me today?
3- Will I pass my drug/English/math test?
4- Will I get back together with my boyfriend/girlfriend/whoever?
5- My dog/cat/friend is bleeding. What's wrong with him/her?
6- What's this pill?
7- I have a lump in my throat (or other physical malady). What is it?
As you can see, there are no answers to these questions unless you hire a psychic and develop a psychic category for such questions. Thank you for your attention, and for your efforts.
Some of us who answer question refer directly to the questions when answering. Those of us who are first, now have to scroll back to the top, then back down to the answer to do so, because of the Google Ads you've put on the page.
If the Google Ads will remain, would it be possible to put a copy of the question directly above the answer, as it appears once the question IS answered?
Back in the day – he was a great player, but how many baggers here even know who he was?
Also take away Shaun Alexander – a top back a couple of years ago, but on his way out – and only two questions about him: http://www.answerbag.com/c_view/5534
Sports figures are next in line to get cleaned up. There are to many with little or no questions. Hang in there, we'll keep on working to get things working right.
Back in the day – he was a great player, but how many baggers here even know who he was?
Also take away Shaun Alexander – a top back a couple of years ago, but on his way out – and only two questions about him: http://www.answerbag.com/c_view/5534
Also, two additional things. I think the magic 8 ball is a great category. I will pass this on to AB Caitlin and see what she thinks. Also, for those of you reporting spammers, this is great, keep it up, but it would be better if you reported it in feedback. While we may not acknowledge you there, we'll be able to do a better job getting these spammers off the site.
I wish there was an option to like comments (both answer and blog comments) like we like comments on Facebook. If anyone uses Facebook, they'll know what I mean by "liking" a comment.
I wish not to be addressed (stalked here too) by the user who I have unsubscribed or tried to unsubscribe. Isn't there something in AB's "Terms of Agreement" that says "thou shalt not address anyone who does not want you to?"
in response to answerbagy's comment on Aug. 31, 08:40 PM
AB,
I wish not to be addressed (stalked here too) by the user who I have unsubscribed or tried to unsubscribe. Isn't there something in AB's "Terms of Agreement" that says "thou shalt not address anyone who does not want you to?"
@ answerbagy,
I'm not AB staff at all. However, having just gone through the "Terms of Use" in an effort to find an answer for you, I haven't found anything remotely close to "thou shalt not address anyone who does not want you to".
I'm assuming by this you mean is there a rule which says "If someone does not want any given individual to post any responses to their material, then they cannot."
The answer to that is (unfortunately, sometimes) "no".
However, if there IS a problem, then you can, as you suggested, click "Unsubscribe". You will no longer receive notifications of postings to that string. However, if you ever visit it again and post another comment, this will negate the "Unsubscribe" and you will again receive notifications. If you have done this, then simply click "Unsubscribe" again and do not post any more comments. This will fix that.
Another way to avoid continuing issues in a comment string is simply never to respond again and let the conflict die that way. Even if you do not unsubscribe.
And finally, you can contact a Community Leader by email (Look under Site Guidelines for a list. Galeanda and Barcaluv are currently active, I believe) and explain your problems, providing them with links to review.
I hope this helps. Doubtless, a CL or AB Staff will provide additional information for you if I missed something.
in response to BigDaddyBS's comment on Aug. 30, 06:17 PM
Some of us who answer question refer directly to the questions when answering. Those of us who are first, now have to scroll back to the top, then back down to the answer to do so, because of the Google Ads you've put on the page.
If the Google Ads will remain, would it be possible to put a copy of the question directly above the answer, as it appears once the question IS answered?
Excellent suggestion! This has been problematic for me, also.
in response to The Chief's comment on Sep. 1, 12:00 AM
@ answerbagy,
I'm not AB staff at all. However, having just gone through the "Terms of Use" in an effort to find an answer for you, I haven't found anything remotely close to "thou shalt not address anyone who does not want you to".
I'm assuming by this you mean is there a rule which says "If someone does not want any given individual to post any responses to their material, then they cannot."
The answer to that is (unfortunately, sometimes) "no".
However, if there IS a problem, then you can, as you suggested, click "Unsubscribe". You will no longer receive notifications of postings to that string. However, if you ever visit it again and post another comment, this will negate the "Unsubscribe" and you will again receive notifications. If you have done this, then simply click "Unsubscribe" again and do not post any more comments. This will fix that.
Another way to avoid continuing issues in a comment string is simply never to respond again and let the conflict die that way. Even if you do not unsubscribe.
And finally, you can contact a Community Leader by email (Look under Site Guidelines for a list. Galeanda and Barcaluv are currently active, I believe) and explain your problems, providing them with links to review.
I hope this helps. Doubtless, a CL or AB Staff will provide additional information for you if I missed something.
Thank you The Cheif,
-But,why would it ever be necessary to see if there is something in the guidelines though??? Why, why, why?
-You wrote, that there is no rule that says something like "If someone does not want any given individual to post any responses to their material, then they cannot." Since I used the words "address", i.e. "thou shalt not address a user who doesn't want you to, and
"stalked here too", I couldn't have meant that. It is a given that anyone can be informative without addressing any particular person.
-Is it odd or not that AB has not addressed my original question since it deals with it's security?
-It is odd that it hasn't addressed the stalking issue as well.-
1 Put the vegetarian category in one place only - it currently features in several places.
2 Add a category for British cooking
3 Add a place where Ab'ers can contact moderators directly, as they do not seem to respond to comments
- Relationship advice
- Brain teasers, trivia & jokes
- Random questions
- And much more!
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