Introducing the PF Library

[Greg Bernhardt]

How come it says that I don't have sufficient privelliges to make an article?

Looks like you do have permission. Were you logged in? Went to "add content"?

 

[jal]

I have a few questions.
Will the library link work when quoted?
I don't like to paraphrase an explanation that I found. Can I cut and paste and not get into "trouble" with the original authors?
Can I just say, "see wiki entry" and add a link?
jal

 

[CRGreathouse]

What about objects with multiple definitions? I've already seen "square" used in the sense of a second power auto-linked to the geometrical definition.

What happens if someone writes an alternate definition talking about algebra? Will only one ever be auto-linked, will this cause a problem, will we not be able to add it?

 

[robphy]

Maybe something like...
square (geometry)
square (algebra)
..with links to alternate uses.
EDIT: (Oh, I understand the issue under discussion now... maybe it should point to a disambiguation(?) page.)

Interesting... my original word was lowercase... but it appears Capitalized in the post.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Interesting... my original word was lowercase... but it appears Capitalized in the post.

working on this

 

[Air]

One Question:

Do you get to edit other peoples articles for mistakes that they might have done (like wikipedia) or will you need to leave comments asking them to correct mistakes?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

One Question:

Do you get to edit other peoples articles for mistakes that they might have done (like wikipedia) or will you need to leave comments asking them to correct mistakes?

For the time being only staff, HH, and SAs can edit. So either report it or comment.

 

[cristo]

So either report it or comment.

Where do library reports go? Is it the same system as for post reports, or do they go to HH/SA?

Edit: scratch that question.. I can see you're working on it now.

 

[Crazy Tosser]

For the time being only staff, HH, and SAs can edit. So either report it or comment.

So can we just send you a PM with a change if we want to change anything?

 

[Hootenanny]

So can we just send you a PM with a change if we want to change anything?

Yeah, send Greg a PM if you need something changed

Edit: Just encase you've started writing the PM's already, I was only joking. I think it would be best to use the 'report' button and explain what changes you would like to make. However, please note that the reporting system is not operational as yet.

Edit: Looks like the report feature is now operational

 

[cristo]

So can we just send you a PM with a change if we want to change anything?

I think it would be best to use the "report" feature.. just like one would use the report feature to ask a mentor to edit a post on the forum. This way, there are several people that can do it if one person is too busy.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

So can we just send you a PM with a change if we want to change anything?

Just report the item and enter in what you want changed.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Improved browsing function is now complete. If is no longer required to select all three drop downs. You can now browse by topic, topic/sub topic or topic/sub topic/ sub topic.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Now search will return a group of results if a match isn't directly found.

 

[tiny-tim]

Some words are simply not suitable for auto linking.

The word "square", for example, comes up far more often in its non-rectangular sense, as in …

… Only square matrices are invertible.)

where the auto linking even gives it a capital S although it was not typed like that!

And does any user of this forum really need a library entry whose entire wording is "A square is a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles"? Or an entry for "triangle"?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Some words are simply not suitable for auto linking.

The word "square", for example, comes up far more often in its non-rectangular sense, as in …

where the auto linking even gives it a capital S although it was not typed like that!

And does any user of this forum really need a library entry whose entire wording is "A square is a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles"? Or an entry for "triangle"?

True, those were kinda test entries, I will likely delete them.

 

[CRGreathouse]

True, those were kinda test entries, I will likely delete them.

Similarly, on a recent thread, I saw "surreal numbers" linked to "real numbers".

This may be unavoidable when there is no article for (in this case) the surreals. But if there was an article there, would the algorithm know to link only the longest match?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This may be unavoidable when there is no article for (in this case) the surreals. But if there was an article there, would the algorithm know to link only the longest match?

Ok noted for future fixes, thanks

 

[Redbelly98]

When I browse subtopics, it would be nice if my Search choices would remain intact. For example, I select "Physics", then select "Classical Optics", then select "Diffraction". Perhaps I would next like to look at other subtopics under Classical Optics, but I must reselect "Physics" and "Classical Optics" all over again before selecting my next subtopic. If "Physics" and "Classical Optics" stayed as the active selection, I could do this more quickly.

Thanks for putting this together!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

When I browse subtopics, it would be nice if my Search choices would remain intact. For example, I select "Physics", then select "Classical Optics", then select "Diffraction". Perhaps I would next like to look at other subtopics under Classical Optics, but I must reselect "Physics" and "Classical Optics" all over again before selecting my next subtopic. If "Physics" and "Classical Optics" stayed as the active selection, I could do this more quickly.

Thanks for putting this together!

Good idea, noted!

 

[Helical]

It might just be me, I'm kind of a neat freak, but I think that the article writers should be able to turn off information sections (i.e. Definition/Summary, Equations, Scientists, etc.) which don't apply so there aren't empty sections. Some things just aren't going to be "In the News."

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It might just be me, I'm kind of a neat freak, but I think that the article writers should be able to turn off information sections (i.e. Definition/Summary, Equations, Scientists, etc.) which don't apply so there aren't empty sections. Some things just aren't going to be "In the News."

"In the News" will be changed into something else shortly.

 

[mathwonk]

so far the few entries in the library I've read are not exactly likely to bring me back for more reading.

to me they just display symbols without insight, not the kind of thing i think anyone needs except maybe as a way for the posters to spend their excess energy.

of course maybe wiki looked like this too at first. hopefully all the enthusiasm here will translate gradually into higher quality treatments.

 

[Kurdt]

I think once people get used to the features and the bugs are ironed out the quality of the entries will increase. Of course you're free to add to any entries yourself mathwonk

 

[CRGreathouse]

I think once people get used to the features and the bugs are ironed out the quality of the entries will increase.

Just to spite you, I'm going to define all 26 letters of the alphabet.

"Q: The rational numbers, or a constant or variable. In number theory, an unknown prime number."

j/k

 

[benabean]

Seeing as not everyone is able to edit, how can we report something needing editing?

see here
'Equations' box, 2nd one down, has a typo.

b.

 

[cristo]

Seeing as not everyone is able to edit, how can we report something needing editing?

see here
'Equations' box, 2nd one down, has a typo.

b.

Hit the "report item" button on the menu on the left hand side of the screen (although there's no need to do it for this one, since I've just edited it! )

 

[benabean]

Hit the "report item" button on the menu on the left hand side of the screen (although there's no need to do it for this one, since I've just edited it! )

thanks for that!
keep up the good work.

b.

 

[Eric Belcastro]

A great idea - though members might want to consider not recreating entries needlessly that are explained well in wikipedia. It's not hard to find endless arrays of physical and mathematical concepts explained there.

 

[Hootenanny]

A great idea - though members might want to consider not recreating entries needlessly that are explained well in wikipedia. It's not hard to find endless arrays of physical and mathematical concepts explained there.

I would hope with the system that we have in place that our entries will be far more reliable than Wikipedia. Not that I am suggesting that either the PF library or Wikipedia should be used as a primary study reference.

 

[benabean]

A possible addition to the right hand side menu could be 'recommended texts and books / further reading' for each entry.?

b.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

A possible addition to the right hand side menu could be 'recommended texts and books / further reading' for each entry.?

b.

Sort of what the "see also" section is for

 

[benabean]

Sort of what the "see also" section is for

Ahh I would've taken the see also section to contain links to other Library entries,
ie 'Magnetism' would have a link to the library entry to 'electricity' for instance.

After a while there maybe a substantial list to other see also's, which wouldn't be good for organization of links.

 

[Diffy]

Perhaps those who are not members can submit "recommended edits" then those who have access can approve. I would like to edit some of the entries but alas do not have the ability to do so.

 

[_Mayday_]

Quadratic Equation