what is wrong with the Knowledge Base?

[Bibbyman]

I like the front page too.  I've posted a lot of pictures and it's always nice to see one pop up.  Today, a picture of my Uncle Elmer playing a banjo and Aunt Alma came up.

I'll even do a refress some times just to get another picture.  Some times I'd like to be able to click on the picture and get the link back to it on the Photo Gallery.

[Frickman]

I can't say I go to the knowledge base every visit here, or even every week. About once a month I'll get bored on a rainy day and look around on it. I've learned all kinds of neat stuff on it. I only use it once or twice a month which is why I voted rarely.

I'm like alot of you guys in that I'm not to computer literate, so I don't think I could post something on it. Besides, I thought that Jeff, Tom, and the other head honchos controlled the knowledge base, I guess I was wrong. Right after I joined up here I was involved in a discussion about Frick mills, and Jeff put one of my posts on it. Maybe that's why I think the way I do.

[Ianab]

Well I voted in the "Seldom" group, but I have had a look thru it from time to time. It's just not something you visit every day or every week, but it's cool to go and have a look sometimes.

Now, on a completely different subject...
What about a knowledgebase base sort of thing with entries on all the different sort of trees that members cut and use? I see a lot of questions about "whats this tree?" or "what can I use this wood for?"
Maybe we could develop a section with entries for each species of timber tree, pics of the tree, leaves, flowers, timber and projects made from the timber.
Should be cross referenced with common and scientific names.
Should be contributed to by any member working with that sort of wood.
What some of us saw every day is an unusual find for many other members.
Probably need a couple of volunters to administer it  :
This wouldn't be an instant thing but could be built up over time.
Anyway.. this is just a suggestion thrown into the ring, comments and suggestions welcome

Ian

[Kevin_H.]

I like Bibby's idea of a link from the pic, But I think I would like it to link back to the story it was posted in...

I to have a quick link to the front door, but I keep mine down on the task bar.

[Tom]

The link to the picture on the front door would be nice but it takes control of the forum and the Gallery out of Jeff's hands. I had mentioned it to him one time and he explained it to me.  I don't remember exactly how it works but it would allow some of those unscrupulous folks to get in here without telling us who they are.  That wouldn't be good. :D

[Jim_Rogers]

First of all, I have to say that I didn't know about the poll because I don't use the front door entrance. I have my web favorites link set for the forum categories page. That way I can scroll down to see who's on and sign in at the bottom. So because of this, again, I didn't see the poll.
I'm not sure how many other regular daily users don't come threw the front door entrance but that could be another poll (did someone already say that ???)
So I didn't even vote...... :(

I will admit that I have used it but not recently and it's probably been months since I have.

I did go there, just now, before this writing this post, and took a look around.

The first thing I noticed is there is no search function available on the contents page. So I went back to the page under the name "Main"...... no search function button there.....
There is a Google search but that's not what I wanted. I wanted a function to search our knowledge base for my article.
So I went back to the front door entrance page. There is a Google search there, and a button to select "search the www" or "search the forum". I selected search the forum and I get no results found.

I don't mean this in a bad way, but the search function needs some improvement.....
I tried to find the knowledge base article that was created from one of my postings. The search engine couldn't find it.
I knew the name and the user name and it couldn't find it. This isn't good. If I can't find my own stuff, how is a new learner going to try and find something that he/she is interested in...... by using a search function.
Other wise they'll have to hit or miss in finding it......
Maybe I wasn't using the search correctly but if not then there should be instructions there on how to use it.

I hope you understand this, as I intend it to be a helpful suggestion and not a complaint.
Jim Rogers

[Kevin_H.]

Tom you are 100% right that would not be good. Oh Well. ;D

Sometimes you open to an interesting pic and just know there has got to be a good story behind it.  :D

For the longest time I didnt even know the FF had a front door, I had saved the general page to my fav's and that is how I got here.

[Jeff]

Actually, that has nothing to do with why the picture isnt linked. Sorry Tom, yer thinking of something else.

Its not linked, because the pictures have nothing to do with any given thread. You upload the pictures then post a link to the picture in a thread. The pictures are not really part of the thread. The random picture program simply pulls a picture from the image directory. One phot may be used in a dozen threads. There is just no way of linking a random photo to a thread it may or may not be in. (there seems to be a lot of photos in there that have never appeared in a thread).

Jim, as for the search functions or lack there of, we have had a few recent discussions on this. Do a search to read about it...

[Rocky_J]

Jim,
We had some discussions on the shortcomings of the search fuinction, so Jeff 'fixed' it. Now it's worse so everyone just quit talking about it.

Google is great for searching the web. It stinks for searching one particular forum. But I better be quiet, or else we may not have ANY search capabilities soon!  ;)

[Bibbyman]

I skip right to advanced search.

[Jeff]

I'm working on it... Not very hard though. ;D

[Jim_Rogers]

Bibbyman:
I was using the advanced search and the title and author and it still couldn't find my story.
That's why I made the suggestion that it might need some work.
I'm sure it's not easy to fix, or improve. And it probably has to do with the naming of the thread or story, also.
Bibbyman, if you could give me some advice on posting to the knowledge base, either here or in a IM I'd appreciate.
Thanks
Jim Rogers

[Ron Wenrich]

There's really not much to it.   Put your mouse on Knowledge Base above.  You can then either look at contents or submit knowledge.  Click the submit knowledge.

You then have a form that asks where you want to put it, what you want to call it, and the contents.  If you're coming from a thread, you can copy and paste.

Hit submit and its permanent, mistakes and all.   :D

As for the HTML for pictures, maybe the Bibmeister can fill you in.

[Jeff]

TO put an individual post in its really easy to even include pictures IF you know just a tad HTML. You simply view the source of the page and pick out the code that contains the post, copy that, and paste it in the text box.

[iain]

jeff
you mean right click  
view source?

[etat]

And then what?

[Jeff]

jeff
you mean right click  
view source?

Yep, that source. If you can figure out the start and finish of the part you want to pick out you will have all the tags you need to make it appear as it does in the post. Use control f to search for a word in the source to find a start point.

[iain]

how about an example like your last post (yep)
where dose the code for that start and finish?
linda says im being dim in not working it out >:( but wont show me how till the fence is finished :

[Jeff]

O.K.  I right clicked on paget to view source. I then hat control/f to bring up search box and entered "on jun"  to get the first few letters of that post to find it in the code. Once I found it I decided to also copy the Font tag before those words because it tells the type how big to be. I then copied the end font tag at the end  and here is what I got. I am pasting it in the code tags so the forum deos not link the addresses.

Code Select Expand

<font size="2">
            <B>on Jun 12<sup>th</sup>, 2004, 4:11am, <a href="https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?action=display;board=general;num=1086644929;start=40#40">iain  wrote</a>:</B><table bgcolor="#000000" class="bordercolor" cellspacing="1" width="90%"><tr><td width="100%"><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="quote" width="100%"><tr><td width="100%"><font face="Arial,Helvetica" class="quote" size="1">jeff  <br> you mean right click   <br> view source? </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table> <br>  <br> Yep, that source. If you can figure out the start and finish of the part you want to pick out you will have all the tags you need to make it appear as it does in the post. Use control f to search for a word in the source to find a start point. <br>
            </font>

[iain]

sorted sonney

[Frickman]

I was thinking about the knowledge base yesterday, and a new thought came to me. It's kind of like the hospital, you might not use it everyday, but you sure are glad it's there when you need it.

[redpowerd]

will there be a base here on the new forum, if its here, i need some knowledge on how to find her.

[oldsaw]

Personally, I've been known to ask a few good questions every now and then, offer some of my limited insight, and have essentially done a decent job of staying out of trouble when I'm here.

Otherwise, I link right to the forum category page, I use the knowlege base every now and then, but don't feel I have the experience to really know what's going on...which is why I hang out here...to get smarter.

However, in the MO portion of the forum, someone did ask about records and turntables.  There I can offer advice, but I'm here generally as a seeker.

[sawman]

 If'n it weren't for the knowledge base, I would still be tryin to figure out how to coil blades .
I printed the instructions out and read them about ten times and finally figured out I was twistin my wrists out instead of in.
Would have been to embarrassed to ask publicly on the forum, especially since info was already here.
   : : :-[

[Jeff]

I'm not feeling the best right now and have put a hault to work for the time being.