A new Forum idea...

[LustInBlack]

Maybe this could help the productivity of the wiki !?

I am thinking about a way to encourage members to share information..

My first thought was to add a contribution bar that would show how much this specific member had contributed during his existence on the forum ..

I believe a simple ratio based on the number of logged on time of this user and his contribution percentage on the wiki and on the forum, for example, posted images in the user community forum, reputation level, number of posts, percentage of articles written on the wiki etc etc ...

The visual representation could look like this attached image...
Well, it could be much better than what I am showing you there, but it gives the idea ... somebody with more artistical senses than me could provide us a better way to show the ratio ...

[Jeff L.]

I for one don't understand the advantages of posting our ideas, good or otherwise, on wiki. Scott has done an admirable job of hosting this forum, and I'm of the opinion that a mere link to this website would be adequate for anyone wanting to find out more about the subject. I would advocate putting WORKING wheel designs on wiki, though, as well as the same link to here. Over the years, there have been countless ideas presented and discussed here, and it would seem to be a needless duplication of effort to throw wiki in the middle of it all.

As far as keeping score on contributors, who needs it? One person could have years of logon time, presented more ideas than you could shake a wheel at, and written volumes of theories, and yet another could logon and present a complete working machine with full and complete explanations on their first post. Who REALLY contributes more???

Some of us are more hands-on and others would rather spend their time at the computer - both approaches have their good points, but to grade a person's 'contributions' based solely on computer use unfairly ignores all the workshop time, sheets of notes, lost sleep and other non-computer issues which also have value.

Another two cents - I have a strong feeling that Bessler's wheel weights were somehow re-gauged by the same principles that Milkovic has presented, and the internal pendulum was kept in motion by the rotating wheel.......




Jeff L.

[LustInBlack]

Well you described it well ..

There are two kinds of people here, old School and modern ones.


For one thing, I think you are wrong.. All those hours you work on something.. and you take the decision that it isn't worth it in the end and change your idea.. Well. maybe you were onto something but with a different point of view, someone could have made your idea work...


I say.. At least, Take a look at what I added on the wiki, keep an open mind..


The contribution bar I talked about, is just an idea to improve the motivation to contribute ... I don't care how it's done, I just hope that people like you, who may have good ideas post them, work together with others...

[rlortie]

Jeff L.,

Kudos! Jeff
You do not speak often, but when you do decide to make a statement, it is one worth reading. You have been a member since 2003 and this is your 20th post. Still waters run deep.

Ralph

[LustInBlack]

Well I see that my idea is not quite well accepted .. .

I think this reflect the fact that the wiki is quite a void ..

[scott]

Hi LIB and thanks a lot for your idea here and for your contributions to the wiki.

Like you I have been a little disappointed that the wiki has not gained traction faster. But I would not call it a "void" by any stretch.

So far there are 9 main sections. Here's what I think of each of them so far:

• Maschinen Tractate
  Awesome. Perfect use of the wiki. Thanks LIB for commenting on some of the drawings there. I think it will slowly pick up.
• Machines Log
  I'm not so sure about this one. I tend to agree with Jeff L. that the forum is a better venue for this kind of thing. Using the Album feature on the forum you can easily browse through thousands of designs and images by date or by author. Seems like duplicating them on the wiki might not provide much pay off.
• Chronology
  This was copied from the main site and I don't see much value in duplicating it *except* that since it was on the wiki it was corrected in a few places by Stewart and John C (this is good!)
• Drawings
  Copied from the main site, not much value on the wiki that I can see yet.
• Clues
  Awesome. Perfect use of the wiki. There is a LOT of great info here mostly from Preston (thanks Preston). If you haven't seen this page you should check it out.
• MechLibrary
  I'm on the fence on this one. Not a lot of value here that I can see.
• Myths
  Awesome. Perfect use of the wiki. Finally, information that is repeated ad nauseum on the forum has a place to live.
• Principles
  Awesome. Perfect use of the wiki. Similar to above.
• Frauds
  Awesome. Perfect use of the wiki. Similar to above but needs to be filled out.

So out of 9 sections so far I would say 5 of them are great and really show how the wiki has the potential to compliment the forum. So far so good!

It's also just the nature of a wiki to always be a work in progress, and always be far from perfection. I don't see that as a bad thing as long as the trend is positive (if not a little slow).

But I agree with LIB 100% that it would be great if more people contributed. I also think (hope) it will happen eventually over time. LIB you are doing a great job helping to move us in that direction.

Just my $0.02
-Scott

[jim_mich]

I just now revisited the wiki portal titled "Myths". It deals with the Frank Edwards "poetic license" where he describes the supposed inside working of the wheel.

I think the biggest myth of all is that Bessler's wheel was a fraud. The strong evidence against Bessler's wheel being a fraud should be listed. The myth that it was driven using some type of mechanical connection to an adjoining room where someone manually caused the wheel to rotate should be explained. This is/was mechanically near impossible based on engineering analysis of the historical description of the wheel and its axle bearings.

Of course John Collin's book explains all this. The wiki should be a place where this type of information is presented in a short concise "easy to understand" format and then have links to more elaborate sources such as John's book and maybe a seperate page explaining why the wheel could not have been powered through the 3/4 inch axle pin resting in an open bearing which allowed the wheel to be moved from one support to another. This allowed the witnesses to inspect the wheel bearings and look for any possibility of fraud.

The torque needed in order to spin the wheel up to speed within the time described would have required a mechanical connection to the 3/4 inch axle pin of a substantual size. Any such connection would have been quite visible at the bearings.

[LustInBlack]

Scott, well I tend to agree with you ..

The mechlibrary seems useless ..

Principles, I would say this is not unlike what I was trying to do with the mechlibrary.. It's about the same thing, it could grow in popularity..

The thing is, every talk about mechanics will fit on the wiki, and everything new or discovered will too ... Milkovic double oscillator would fit perfectly there.. I think that's why I thought about the mechlibrary, for those useful devices .. Or it could fit in the Machiens Log, which is frankly, about the same as the mechlibrary .. ;]


However, I still believe in the Machines log, not everyone posted their wheel on the forum and many other ideas are on other forums and on personal pages ... I still believe in this idea .. But if it doesn't grow in popularity it will die and natural selection will deal with it .. ;]

Wiki is just that, the material posted there will be eventually sorted out what is useful will be kept and the rest will die .. and the information isn't yours it's everybody's information ..


Edit : Scott, I just thought about it.. Well I must admit that many images are on the forum.. I think it would be nice to find a way to link them from the wiki, this could be done automatically.. however there would be some sorting to do on the wiki after that..

The images wouldn't have to be duplicated, since they would exists in the forum image directory..

Well anyways, maybe it doesn't worth all the trouble ..

[wheelmaster]

I think the one section that is missing is "How to build a wheel". Members could upload photos of wheel construction. Should include parts needed, costs, tools etc.

Also a biggie is tips on how to make common parts like storkbills, levers and such. I would still be scratching my head if the members of this board had not come to my aid. Thanks again guys.

I had to make a jig for my jigsaw to cut out my wheels. Just that photo alone would save a lot of time and effort for anyone who needs a wheel cut out.

This would encourage members to get off the computer and into there workshop. Knowing that the members of this board are behind them every step of the way.

WM