I was thinking of ways that could make the site better, when I thought of this. We could have a sticky topic that would link to sources on various issues. That way, there would be a collectively searchable archive of websites containing good solid information.

People could suggest particularly helpful websites in the thread itself, and a moderator could update the first post to include the website if it's reputable enough.

Sample:

======

Black Holes
----------------
Site 1 on Black Holes
Site 2 " "
Site 3 " "


General Cosmology
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Site 1 on General Cosmology
etc.
etc.


perhaps this could help with researching topics? It would be pretty easy to maintain, and I'll even volunteer to maintain it if you like. IMO, it should go into the Q&A section, so people might be able to look various easy questions up before they even ask them.

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The visions we present to our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. - Carl Sagan, 1992

That's a pretty good idea actually... we could pin the topic so that it always appear at the top of the forum. We could do exactly as you suggest and a moderator would just have to update the list so that the subjects appear alphabetically. I'm willing to do that.

Good thinking Batman!

What do others think?

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"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

Yep. This forum should definitely link up to up-to-date resources on the 'net, with room for further questions & discussion etc. There is already quite a lot of good information linked to throughout the forum, it would be good to have it all archived in one sticky thread!? Nice idea, Devilmech!

Sounds good to me. I think the amount of organizing we do can fall in line with the quantity and quality of material. If there's enough good content put together, I could easily pull it over to the website and make it more accessible there as well.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

There you go then

If you build it, they will come!

Devilmech, if you start the topic off in Q&A, I'll pin it and moderate it for sure. (A note to the other moderators: feel free to do the same LOL)

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"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

Good stuff. I'm going to start by going through every thread in each area of Universe Today( I know, I know, I'm crazy :P) and make a list of each relevant link by area of interest. Then I'll proceed to use a few of the major search engines to further populate the list.

Granted, this is going to take a few days, as the Air Force currently has me on 12 hour shifts, but I'm going to devote a couple of hours a day to it, and if anyone wants to help out, feel free.

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The visions we present to our children shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. - Carl Sagan, 1992

This will be perfect for the problem based learning course that i am setting up devilmech, will provide access for research.

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Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Spectroradiometry Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

Can't believe I just noticed this resource, congrats devilmech, it was a very good idea indeed. Also, its interesting just to look at what's in the thread one immediately notices the preponderance of websites out there relating to Mars in relation to the other planets. I think Jupiter, Saturn and their mini-systems are really that much more interesting than Mars myself, but its definitely captured a large chunk of the popular conciousness.

Q&A Resource Thread

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BugMeNot A portal to bypass free-site registration.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer - renowned 19th Century German philosopher.

And another useless senseless bump by jkmccrann.

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An emperor without enemies, a king without a kingdom, supported in life by the willing tribute of a free people.

But Mars is so close, it looks like Arizona, there is atmospere, it can get to 70 degress f in the summer. Its Got the biggest mountain in the solar system. These are realy good Tourist attractions. Plus there is mounting evidence of running water. Where there is water , there may be life. Mars rules!