Finding active discussions

sab39 · 2004-03-16 15:01:14

I'm a newcomer here; I was inspired to buy "The case for Mars" after reading the "RGB Mars" trilogy and seeing some of the pictures from Spirit and Opportunity. FWIW, my desktop background has been Olympus Mons for months now

I'm posting here because I'm finding it a little hard to figure out "where the action is" in these forums; this particular forum certainly seems to be active and a question about how to find active forums certainly seems like it qualifies as a "meta" question.

I was disappointed to notice, for example, that the "Political Outreach" topic (which I'd consider by far the single most important if there's to be any hope of ever getting to Mars at all) is buried low in the list and seems pretty inactive.

Has anyone considered the possibility of re-ordering or coloring the display on the main page to indicate the activity level of each forum (eg, number of posts in the last week or month)? That way newcomers such as me could quickly find which forums to post in if they have something to say, and which forums are likely to just be "talking into a black hole"[1].

I'm definitely interested in being part of an organization that's actively working on pushing the political issues necessary to get to Mars. I'll write letters to congressmen or newspapers if there's any chance it will actually help. I'm even willing to support Bush (who I hate in every other way) in the next election, just on the basis of his space program, if it's true that this program really does advance the cause of getting to Mars and his opponent's plans don't. But I can't find much serious political organization happening here at all, at least so far. Someone tell me I'm missing the place where the action is, please...?

Stuart.

[1] as opposed to a red planet, I guess

clark · 2004-03-16 15:25:19

Welcome.

Just jump on in- Free Chat tends to be the most active on any given day, however, Human missions and unmanned probes are both very active threads.

If there is a particular issue you wish to address, just start a topic.

dickbill · 2004-03-16 15:47:58

If there is a particular issue you wish to address, just start a topic.

welcome to the forum.

Before you start a new topic, you can also browse a little bit in the pages of threads. Only the first page is displayed. For example, I have opened 2 or 3 topics in the MArs forum, they usually get buried after a while, but I know there are there. When I want to talk about it again (like the anthropic principle) I don't open a new identical topic, I just retrieve the old one, usually in pages 3 or 4. Have fun.

Palomar · 2004-03-16 16:01:24

*Howdy. Click on "New Posts" (in the string of option links directly beneath your name), in the upper left-hand corner of the screen:

[ Your Control Panel :: Log Out :: Notes :: New Posts ]

That'll get you a list of all active threads with most recent posts in them.

--Cindy

Josh Cryer · 2004-03-16 16:25:14

Hehe, I take it "New Posts" is working properly now? I never use it, I just stick to conversations that appeal to me the most.

Anyway, welcome aboard sab39! Hope to see you become a regular, it's nice to get an introduction like that.

clark · 2004-03-16 16:29:41

Two regular 'ghosts' of NewMars speak in a row! :laugh:

Always heard, never seen.... ooowwwooo

I hear crosses keep them at bay... well, some of em.

Rxke · 2004-03-17 00:03:46

Hi, there!

I, personally, thrive on the 'new posts' feature... Of course when you visit frequently that's the easiest way to keep track of *every* topic... barely. Sometimes it just gets too hectic here to keep up... Oftentimes older topics 'flare-up' when somebody unearths it again, esp. newer members, and that's a good thing, so don't feel inhibited if you see a certain topic is a sleeper... if it's interesting for you, it could be for others!

dicktice · 2004-03-17 09:49:04

Sab39: My experience has been that politics gets injected into whatever topic introduced, eventually. I can't imagine anyone in the MS devoting their time exclusively to political discussion. I hope you won't.

sab39 · 2004-03-17 12:33:25

dicktice: Good point. I wasn't planning on talking about politics exclusively (see my other post, in "Science and Technology", which only includes a small amount of politics) but it certainly seems obvious that without addressing the political hurdles, much of what we do here becomes useless speculation.

I don't want to be uselessly speculating, I want humans to really go to Mars, I want my children to have the option of emigrating there if they so desire (heck, if I'd had the option when I was single I'd have jumped at it), and obviously I want all this to start happening within my lifetime.

TCFM has convinced me that there are no technical or financial reasons why that shouldn't happen. The only obstacles are political. So my motivation in being part of this group is to be part of the solution, in striving to overcome the political obstacles, rather than a mere observer with big (but perpetually unfulfilled) Mars dreams.

Stuart.

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#1 2004-03-16 15:01:14

Re: Finding active discussions

#2 2004-03-16 15:25:19

Re: Finding active discussions

#3 2004-03-16 15:47:58

Re: Finding active discussions

#4 2004-03-16 16:01:24

Re: Finding active discussions

#5 2004-03-16 16:25:14

Re: Finding active discussions

#6 2004-03-16 16:29:41

Re: Finding active discussions

#7 2004-03-17 00:03:46

Re: Finding active discussions

#8 2004-03-17 09:49:04

Re: Finding active discussions

#9 2004-03-17 12:33:25

Re: Finding active discussions

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