Should we create a read-only public section?

[Steve95301]

I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to create a public section of the forum, for content such as articles that could be written by volunteers.

Comments could be turned off, so that the public could read the articles but not comment on them.

I think this would benefit the RRDi in a variety of ways.

First, it would help us in the search engines. Not that we do badly--we actually do quite well for certain keywords. However, articles would provide more content for the search engines to index, and provide more keywords, which drive traffic.

Second, it would give people a chance to see this nice forum and perhaps want to join.

Third, of course, if the articles were good they would just help people, in general. I especially would like to gather information that lies scattered in the archives of the forums and mailing lists and condense it down into nice, hyperlinked, topical articles.

Thoughts?

[Guide]

I agree.

[Guest Jenny]

Sounds like a great idea Steve but who, realistically, would write these atrticles? Do you mean that it would be one place to look for condensed info on Rosacea? I'm not sure I understand what you want to do? Do you mean that you want to put articles together from the mountain loads of posts/info out there? Sounds like a HUGE task. Fantastic if you want to do this, I just think it is a major undertaking. Maybe I don't fully understand what you are proposing? I don't want to see you burn out and worry that this is such a BIG task for one person alone. I'm not sure many members here would be prepared to take the task onboard.

Please don't think I am being negative about this, I'm not. I think it's a great idea. Just thinking about the work load for you in doing this.

Jenny

[Steve95301]

No, I didn't mean try to cover everything. Just an article here and there, to increase content. They'll build up over time. There's no specific number I was thinking of.

And we could even focus specifically on issues we'd like to see researched, as an organization.

[Guest]

Steve,

I checked in the permissions and wonder if there is a way to allow the public to view the ASK THE MAC forum without being able to reply. That would be the ticket. But I couldn't figure out how to do it. Maybe it is not possible?

No, I didn't mean try to cover everything. Just an article here and there, to increase content. They'll build up over time. There's no specific number I was thinking of.

And we could even focus specifically on issues we'd like to see researched, as an organization.

[bastet0201]

Steve,

When you get the chance, could you post a sample article in the read only mode? The rest of us would get an idea of where you want to go with this. Then we'd know if we like this feature and if we could help with the content.

I do think Brady should approve anything that it posted. (More work for Brady. )

I vote yes for anything that brings folks to the forum and anything that promotes teamwork within the ranks.