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from the prevention-goes-a-long-way dept.
So, every once in awhile, if things have been quiet, I like to pop a post seeing what the general feelings of the community are towards the site, seeing what we could do better, etc. I think its been a few months since the last time I posted in Meta, so I think this is a good time to get a pulse on the community, and provide a venue to get any feedback (good or bad).
On the staff side, I know things have been relatively quiet over the summer due to most of us being busy with life and such, which is why we haven't made a major site upgrade since the original rehash upgrade at the end of May. For myself, I've been working at a new job, and dealing with a fair bit of non-Soylent related things to the point that I really only have the time or energy to post, and occasional check in, and I'd like to thank the rest of the staff, and mrcoolbp in particular for holding down the fort for me.
Anyway, in contrast to my usual posts, I'm going to cut this off here, and will be looking forward to your comments below.
73 from NCommander
(Score: 2) by mtrycz on Tuesday November 17 2015, @11:08AM
We need more submitters at times, otherwise all's good.
In capitalist America, ads view YOU!
(Score: 4, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @12:11PM
I second this. I try to keep the pipeline full when it flags, but I would like to spend time on the back end. Plus I'm sure people would like to see my username less.
Some people might think it takes a long time to prepare a submission, but it doesn't have to. Check the headlines, see one you think the community might find interesting. Copy & paste 3-4 paragraphs that give people the gist (summon your inner grad student with a massive syllabus to get through), throw a link in there somewhere, and you're set. When you get into the rhythm of it it doesn't take more than 5 minutes.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by quadrox on Tuesday November 17 2015, @01:40PM
I know that somewhere there is supposed to be the output of an IRC bot that lists potential new articles - only I cannot find it anywhere on the website anymore. I have tried twice without success, it is too well hidden.
To increase submissions (at least from me), please make this useful tool widely visible so as to encourage readers to submit articles.
Thank you!
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @01:54PM
Here it is [sylnt.us]. I use it every day and usually it's enough to keep the queue full. About once per week, usually on Mondays or Fridays, I have to ping other sources.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by quadrox on Tuesday November 17 2015, @02:04PM
Thanks a lot - in the short term this will be sufficient for me.
In the long term however I am hoping that this link will be put into the menu or at least the submission page, so that other users can find it also.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 17 2015, @02:55PM
How about making a story that shows what to do?
(Score: 3, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday November 17 2015, @05:33PM
I submitted a piece to the editors as an addendum to the wiki on "how to submit a story." I haven't actually checked to see if it went through or if it was included, but here's what I do. For me the cost-benefit ratio is fine, but YMMV:
1. Check the story feed on http://logs.sylnt.us/%23rss-bot [sylnt.us]
2. Click the headlines you think would be interesting to the community to open multiple tabs in your browser.
3. Quickly skim the article to make sure it passes the sniff test, if so, copy & paste the headline into Soylent's "Submit your scoop" form.
4. Copy & paste 3-4 paragraphs from the article that convey the gist of the story (tip: articles from dailies make this easier, monthlies make it harder) into Soylent's form, enclose them in blockquote tags.
5. Copy & paste the link to the full article somewhere in the blockquote clause on Soylent's form.
6. Include your own conversation starter or quip, or don't. Submit. Done.
I find I can often submit a story in about 2-3 minutes. Not too much time. Easily done while having your morning coffee or evening apperitif.
It's not like doing a book report, which I think most Soylentils think it would be. But even if one were so inclined initially, I would recommend not approaching it that way because you'd wind up spending a lot of time on the submission, only to very likely be let down and/or insulted when nobody comments on the submission (should it be even accepted). So my advice is, don't spend too much time on it, don't invest too much of yourself in it, don't care too much when it's rejected.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 3, Informative) by martyb on Wednesday November 18 2015, @02:53AM
All your steps / suggestions are much appreciated! Quite simply, how much does your submission resemble other stories that you see posted to the site? The more it looks like something that appears on the main page, the less we have to do to the submission so that is looks like it should appear on the main page!
One suggestion, if I may, on the copy-pasting of paragraphs from the original story: PLEASE include relevant imbedded links!
One can note where the links are in the copied text and update the submission accordingly. Alternatively, after selecting the text, do a right-click and then "View selection source". Barring that, just a note to the editors in the submission stating, say, "3 links were not brought over from the source" would be a big help.
Is that necessary? No, not really. Does it give a boost to the likelihood your story will be selected for the site? I certainly look favorably on the links being included.
NOTE: I am speaking only for myself as an editor on the site, but from what I have seen, I'm not the only one who holds those views.
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday November 18 2015, @11:41AM
OK, duly noted.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Nerdfest on Tuesday November 17 2015, @01:17PM
Maybe it's time for each of us to do a little advertising again as well. Every once in a while it's good to post a description of the site to social media groups that might be interested. I would think the site's growth is very much word of mouth driven.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday November 17 2015, @03:30PM
We need more submitters at times, otherwise all's good.
Agreed. I really think having a story rejected without knowing why turns infrequent submitters away.
Anecdotally, after the last Meta thread several people said they want more polls. (Still a popular position)
So I decided to try to come up with a poll idea every 10 days or so.
They don't all need to be posted, of course, but recently they seem to all get rejected. With no feedback as to why I've basically just stopped submitting them.
I think it should be a high priority to get some sort of submission feedback mechanism working.
(Score: 2) by cmn32480 on Wednesday November 18 2015, @12:35AM
It is my understanding that this has been coded and is to be included in the next code update around the first of the year-ish.
"It's a dog eat dog world, and I'm wearing Milkbone underwear" - Norm Peterson
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday November 19 2015, @02:13AM
Yep, the pull request has already been merged. It'll be up on dev shortly and go live sometime around year's end.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.