THE REASON AMY IS BUMPING STUFF

JennaGlatzer · Jul 12, 2005

Hi folks. Amy is Absolute Write's managing editor and my right-hand woman.

We were down for more than 24 hours because we've overloaded our database (or somesuch... don't ask me... I just do what the techies tell me to do).

I've asked her to bump all threads that are more than a year old from this board so we don't lose them. I have to optimize our database and will be deleting all threads that are more than a year old. We will then lose threads from the index Cao has created. This is the one board where I don't want to lose old posts, so this is the stop-gap solution so I can continue the database maintenance before we crash again.

I'm trying to beat the clock. Once I finish my maintenance stuff, I'll come back here and start cleaning up (deleting the old threads that didn't need to be brought back up).

CaoPaux · Jul 13, 2005

Um, er, I'm not sure if in the end you'll be deleting some stuff from here or not (although there's a lot of fluff that could go, IMO). If you do delete stuff from here, could you PM me a list of thread numbers to make it easier for me to cull the index?
:flag:

James D. Macdonald · Jul 13, 2005

CaoPaux said:
Um, er, I'm not sure if in the end you'll be deleting some stuff from here or not (although there's a lot of fluff that could go, IMO). If you do delete stuff from here, could you PM me a list of thread numbers to make it easier for me to cull the index?

I've been using your Index (and a handy thing it is, too) to merge a lot of threads.

Essentially -- any time there are two or more threads on the same agent or publisher I'm combining them into one. The ones labeled "worthless" or "spam" (with some few exceptions) are already gone.

In most cases, for those multiples, the thread that remains is the first one listed.

I'm leaving the PA threads alone -- there are too many of them, and too long already -- and the general discussions are also not being combined.

CaoPaux · Jul 13, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
I've been using your Index (and a handy thing it is, too) to merge a lot of threads.

Essentially -- any time there are two or more threads on the same agent or publisher I'm combining them into one. The ones labeled "worthless" or "spam" (with some few exceptions) are already gone.

In most cases, for those multiples, the thread that remains is the first one listed.

I'm leaving the PA threads alone -- there are too many of them, and too long already -- and the general discussions are also not being combined.

Cool beans! I'll wait 'till Friday to scour it out. Thanks!

James D. Macdonald · Jul 13, 2005

CaoPaux said:
Cool beans! I'll wait 'till Friday to scour it out. Thanks!

In those cases where the title of the thread winds up being "Query" or "Need Help!" I'm changing the thread's title to the agency's name from your list.

CaoPaux · Jul 13, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
In those cases where the title of the thread winds up being "Query" or "Need Help!" I'm changing the thread's title to the agency's name from your list.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 13, 2005

And ... I've gone to the end of your post #4. I'm going to leave post #5 alone (except "spammers" and "nothing of interest") until I have a chance to read and make some sort of decisons on what can be folded into what.

In some few cases I discovered that I didn't have the power to merge threads. I believe those were cases where a more high-powered mod had already merged one or another of the threads, but I could be wrong. Or maybe it was just the phase of the moon.

Next step: To go in and make an on-topic comment in everything that hasn't had a comment since July of last year.

victoriastrauss · Jul 13, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
In some few cases I discovered that I didn't have the power to merge threads. I believe those were cases where a more high-powered mod had already merged one or another of the threads, but I could be wrong.

I've been merging duplicate threads over the past few months, to avoid proliferation--could be you're running into that.

- Victoria

CaoPaux · Jul 13, 2005

There are also a few (mostly PA- and ST-related) that are on other parts of the board, if that makes any difference. In any case, breaktime!

I figured, since I can't do any of the heavy lifting, it's only right I supply the munchies.

Maryn · Jul 14, 2005

Hey, just wanted all of you who are doing the grunt-work to be aware that all of us who benefit from it are genuinely grateful that you're willing to take on the tasks. Thanks!

Maryn

James D. Macdonald · Jul 14, 2005

Here's something everyone can do:

Go to the very last page of this board (I believe it's page 32).

Find a thread there that appeals to you.

Read the whole thread.

Post a single on-topic reply.

MadScientistMatt · Jul 15, 2005

I'm on it.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 15, 2005

Thanks, Matt! One further tiny request: In the body of the reply, or the title, please put the name of the publisher or agent so the search tools here will be able to find 'em.

THE REASON AMY IS BUMPING STUFF

JennaGlatzer

wishes you happiness

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Maryn

Baaa!

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

MadScientistMatt

Empirical Storm Trooper

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle