Let's make Keywords mandatory, okay?

[rs79bm]

I think we can make posting much easier and enjoyable if people would better back up their posts with keywords. For example, if you post an article on President Bush, add a keyword called "President Bush". This would make a simple search for posts much easier when considering if a certain topic has already been posted, and give the moderators a little more free time :)

[Paleo Conservative]

Where's your keywords for this post?

[rs79bm]

my point exactly!

[rs79bm]

Much much better good job! (THeres a difference between whining and then complaining of a duplicate post)

[EggsAckley]

One of the problems is when people change the title to their own version. I always try to use the same title, and search under that title. Sometimes it's already posted under an altered title, and the keywords don't match up.

[Willie Green]

I think we can make posting much easier and enjoyable if people would better back up their posts with keywords.

It is a laudatory suggestion, but unenforceable as "mandatory".
It is nice that the ability of others to add Keywords is available.

OTOH, I believe that there needs to be more discipline among those who overload their posts with topics and keywords. It defeats the purpose of having such capabilities. ("Breaking News" abuse is the classic example.")

While we're on the subject, I'd like to take the opportunity to once again humbly suggest refinement of the "Topics" selection that's available. In particular, I think more countries and geographic areas can be added to those already listed.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

Keywords don't work right, click them and you only find the first 20 threads that included them, nothing current shows up if the keyword is popular.

[Jean S]

I think making keywords mandatory is a bad idea. I don't think it would be accurate because everyone has a slightly different idea on what keywords should be added and the use of keywords is abused enough as it is.

I've been posting articles for years and I never search by keyword and I very rarely have posted a duplicate. Instead, I search for a word or two from the title of the article.

[ErnBatavia]

Sometimes it's already posted under an altered title, and the keywords don't match up.

This is why we have Illbay and Tom Servo on board...to point this sort of thing out!

[rs79bm]

And from the looks of the keywords that have been added to this post, there are a lot a immature people, just on here playing around and goofing off. Now how do we prevent this?

[stylin19a]

um......by not starting this thread in the first place ?
Have the mod pull the thread ?
Hit the "report abuse" on the thread starter ?

[Aeronaut]

I would strongly urge using the exact title of a news story as well. That's generally what I try the search on.

[Willie Green]

Now how do we prevent this?

That's what the Sidebar Moderators are supposed to be for.
Some people claim that the Side Mods are merely mythical creatures,
not unlike griffins and dragons, or 'Nessie.

But I can testify that I have occasionally seen them post,
usually when there is a full moon.
I think the real answer is that the Admin Mods have gone global,
and the Side Mods are now an endangered species.
They've been moved to "chat" for their own protection.

[mhking]

I plead guilty - I rarely enter keywords on my posts, but so many of my compatriots here are so willing to oblige once the thread gets up and running...

The larger problem is people changing article titles, which usually result in multiple threads once people search and can't find the story title they'd like to post...

[Pookie Me]

Let's make Keywords mandatory, okay?

I'm not sure that I'm comfortable with things being mandatory, m'kay? Besides, I'm not sure the admin mods NEED any more free time.

(they would just start lurking and pulling threads, which means no fun for the rest of us!)

Pookie & ME

[Publius6961]

Rotsa Ruck, rs79bm.

It's like trying to get posters to stop editorializing the titles. Makes archiving on CDs a real nightmare, but they gotta do what they gotta do.

[hellinahandcart]

Keyword "Illbay". LOL

[gcruse]

No. I don't want to try guessing what keywords you
used to post an article. The headline search works
fine for me, thanks. Alternatively, you can do what I do,
which is to read every headline, if not every article, that
is posted every day. Then you're always up on it, and much
less likely to post dupes.

[wildbill]

Why don't the moderators have a search facility for the site from which the item was posted. Even with a popular source, there are probably fewer Wash. Post items than keywords like "Bush" or "Democrats"

[krb]

Actually, if the search feature could search the content of threads, it would help out a quite a bit.