Pick lists are a great idea
There could be a list of the most full featured tools to Browse the Web - Download Files - Edit HTML & Descriptor Files and check them for portability *Grin*
Or you could have a list of the fastest (lightest CPU & RAM utilizing) programs to view & edit txt, rtf, htm & PDF (or images or video or audio)
Or the smallest programs (in Mb's on the USB) to do a given task
Or the "most-fun" portable games [very subjective - but often there's agreement - lots of people thought Doom & WarCraft were fun]
The idea is we can all have different ideas of what are good goals, for our portable programs to achieve
- the same people may be interested in posting Picks that seem contrary (like 1 member could want the smallest set of tools for some days and the most features on others - may depend on which computers they'll have available at the lab)
All their input could be useful
But how can abuse be minimized, without squelching creativity?
What if people's favorite "picks" were regulated Amazon List Style?
http://www.amazon.ca/Need-Your-Own-Pers ... XBTTFKMY1/
(Link to Amazon 'Need your own Personal Chef?' Book Suggestons)
(Ours of course should include much more explanation of what makes our picks fit together so great)
(Picks must refer to programs in the database, although coments can refer to those not in the database for comparisons)
(to prevent automated entry - users must enter text from an image like most fileshare sites & free e-mail registrations require)
{Please note: I hate those image entries - but they do tend to deter abuse}
To discourage abuse, each pick has a "Report Abuse" Link under it that can flag a pick-list for probationary review. (If it is determined to be spam the material is removed & poster can lose membership)
Posts with more than 10 identical words (in the same verbatim order as a pick-list posted in the previous week) are automatically flagged as possible abuse
Also No one can post an "officially-approved" "pick" list till they've been a member in good standing for a certain period of time (like a month) with at least 3 serious posts.
Unofficial Pick-lists are welcome from new members in a seperate section and can be considered as part of 3 serious posts.
Also readers can click to indicate if they found a pick-list useful (only official members can vote).
(..of course this "useful" rating is subjective & could also be abused)
But Amazon seems to be working so far
All the posts in the forums are easier to abuse, but most posts seem to be useful.
Most disccussion groups seem easy to abuse, but most contain useful information.
Maybe it depends on the number of abusers in the user base.