The hierarchical structure is a subject of a change: Please post suggestions to

fill missing topics, keywords,
choose better expressions, better keywords (The starter of a condensed thread has the right of a final decision about related 2nd level keywords),
rearrange topics (In fact, the look of level 1 of hierarch. structure depends on starter of the condensed thread. If you are interrested in beakers count for example and you don't want to manage the whole of advances topic, then 1st level will be adjusted for you),
and especially, post strategies (with keywords).

"Condensed" threads (their title starts with "Info:" contain all the tested knowledge about a particular topic. The archives have been scoured, and all relevent info condensed into one complete thread. These are a work in progress. Any new insights or discoveries should be posted directly into the condensed thread. The editor of the thread will incorporate new material or changes into the main post.

The prototype thread is Info: diplomats and spies thread.

I will try to summarize hints how to do it. Regard them as suggestions only, the final look depends on your decision. But the existence of a standard look has some advantages: It would be more comfortable for readers and a prospective moving of paragraphs between threads would be easier.

The main post (Post 1 in the "Info: diplomats and spies" thread) needn't be kept on the same place as the debate (if you want to keep it on your own web pages for example). But I suggest it: It is simpler to load everything at once and any reader can see the newest knowledge or theories (not included into Post1 yet) easily.

Name the thread Info: topic,
where topic is taken from a table above.

When I made "Info: diplomats and spies" thread, I went to SEARCH button and I searched for words spy, spies, diplomat, brib, sabotag etc.
Great Library Index should contain most useful threads.
But you may search also for "keywords" (see here). (You can add new keywords if there are none, or missing ones from threads you work with.)

Use posts for additional informations and reserve one or two posts for a future use (posts 2-5 of "Info: diplomats and spies" thread).

Don't be afraid of the html code if you don't know it:
Use the Post 1 of "Info: diplomats and spies" thread:
Load Info: diplomats and spies thread, go to "edit" button of Post 1 (located besides "reply with quote" button) and copy the content to a Windows clipboard. Then make a new file through Notepad (or any text editor), paste the content of the clipboard in, and save the file with a .htm extension. Exit the text editor. Open your something.htm file using a html editor (you have to use (at least for the first time) a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor: for example a built-in editor in IE (Front Page Express) or Netscape (Netscape Composer)). Edit the file and insert your text. If you use html-tables, then you should set font to Verdana and decrease the standard size of the font by 1. Save your work.
Unfortunately, you cannot send the result to Apolyton immediately: a standard html ignores EOLs (end-of-line-markers), but Apolyton mixes html and EOLs. You have to replace all EOLs by spaces:
I use MSWord for that purpose: I copy my something.htm into something.txt file and I open it in Word. I use the search/replace function (Ctrl-H) and I replace all ^p by ^s (I have made a simple macro for that procedure but you can use a "replace all" button too).
The text is ready now: you have just bring it (through a clipboard) to an Apolyton input field.

It is useful to keep links to threads that were not abandoned, i. e. to threads that contain a semifinished problem. (See yellow parts of Post 1 of "Info: diplomats and spies" thread: 3.9 (emerging partisans) and 12.1 (industrial sabotage)).

Help others to maintain build and their condensed threads. Or create a pair or a group that will build one thread. The cooperation improves the morale.

Keywords will help to find threads related to a specific topic: For example if you will want to find all threads related to partisans, then you will search the table in this post for a corresponding keyword ( {partisans} ). You will then click on the SEARCH button and enter an exact form of the keyword (with braces) in the search field.

Just write a new post and include keywords. The problem is that the thread will jump to the top of a forum page. Therefore you should add a warning message (I use a bold text: This thread has got to the top of the forum because of this post. It may be a very old thread.)
If there is your old post in the thread then you can edit it and put keywords there (an advantage of this procedure: the thread won't jump to the top of a forum; a disadvantage: the Apolyton system builds the search index occasionally, and so added keywords won't be found by the SEARCH page until the next reindexing of Apolyton (it is done once per several weeks)).

Keywords are stored in the table in this post.
If you want to use a new keyword then "register" it: post it into this thread (readers must know it so that they can search for it). If you are patient then wait for comments of the others: keywords should be chosen carefully, they should not be doubled (for example {caravan} and {trade}) etc.
I don't suppose there will be a "3rd level" in the future: any Civ2 term may be added to the 2nd level.

You may put just keywords of 1st level or you can put keywords of both levels.
Don't put only 2nd level keywords into threads. Write also the appropriate 1st level keyword. An example: if you write {rushbuild} then add {city window} too.

Don't do typos! You have to use the precise form of the keyword stored in the table here.

Add an empty keyword: {}
It will help to search for all threads that were "indexed" already.

If you think that you have read all thread carefully and you covered all the discussion then add a special keyword:
{end1} if you added all keywords of 1st level
{end2} if you added all keywords of both levels

Sign using your login: it may be useful to be able to search keywords of one's own (if you will want to edit them etc.). For example I will use {SlowThinker}.
If you want to use a signature that is different from your login (for example a shorter one: I would use {ST}) then post it into this thread. I will keep a list of abbreviations here.

An example of a post:

or another example (just keywords of level 1)

or another one (if I am not sure that I included everything)

You can

• help to adjust the hierarchical structure
• add keywords into existing threads
• help to improve existing condensed threads (corrections, testing...)
• start a new condensed thread

Any suggestions are welcomed! Please post them to the Great Library Discussion thread.

One idea is to term non diplomat or spy special units "special combat units". I assume you mean any unit with one+ of the special abilities (ignore ZOC, treat all terrain as roads, etc) given in rules.txt?

quote: Originally posted by Marquis de Sodaq on 03-30-2001 11:45 AM One idea is to term non diplomat or spy special units "special combat units". I assume you mean any unit with one+ of the special abilities (ignore ZOC, treat all terrain as roads, etc) given in rules.txt?

Good note. I agree.