I think it sounds like a cool idea, but rather than lumping all the different sifts in each site, why not make a different URL for each type (i.e., videosift.com, photosift.com, musicsift.com, etc). Just like TeeVirus.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^well, it's harder for our tiny team to manage what would be multiple sites. And to put my marketing hat on for a moment, it's messier to brand each one seperately.

If you start Sifting news, I will probably have a heart attack from all the fiery debate.

http://viewtvcontent01.prostream.co.uk/thumbs/55/3761/0

I'm all for it.

>> ^blankfist:
If you start Sifting news, I will probably have a heart attack from all the fiery debate.
http://viewtvcontent01.prostream.co.uk/thumbs/55/3761/0


Where the hell did you get that picture of me?!

Videosift is VIDEOS ONLY. If you want others, make new names. Please don't turn into Digg.

>> ^dag:
^well, it's harder for our tiny team to manage what would be multiple sites. And to put my marketing hat on for a moment, it's messier to brand each one seperately.


I just think if you blend it all together, it's all going to be jumbled and disjointed. If you must keep it together, please allow filters to just show me videos or just show me photos... and so on.

>> ^Stingray:
I think it sounds like a cool idea, but rather than lumping all the different sifts in each site, why not make a different URL for each type (i.e., videosift.com, photosift.com, musicsift.com, etc). Just like TeeVirus.


The way I would see it through, the new site would include each different section (image/video/audio/news/whatever else) on the main site, (accessible through tabs) so that you would still have your VideoSift (as it is now) accessible through a tab on the main site ("The Sift" or what have you) along with each other media component I listed. Those might be accessible in the same way we access the Front/Unsifted/Comments/Etc. sections of VideoSift (through the tabs) and then within each of those separate sub-sites, (image/audio/news/games) they would be like a site unto themselves. I'd imagine VideoSift remaining exactly the same, with the only difference being that it is accessed through the main page of "The Sift" instead. Does that make any sense? It wouldn't be all blended together so that you'd see videos next to images next to news articles next to mp3 files, or whatever. It'd be organized and uncluttered, ideally - each media section a separate sub-site branching off from the main site ("The Sift")

And I don't want to seem like I'm hijackacking, or taking down the wrong road the ideas the administration have for this, I just want to add what I feel are constructive suggestions if this idea were to be implemented.

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^That mirrors closely what I was thinking too, Endall - and Ant, I hear you as well, I would not do it if it turned the Sift into a link dump- and we would want to provide filters so people could view just video content if desired.

I'm not sure. I voted yes, because I would like to see it tried, but I fear that it could easily be a god-awful mess.

Change and growth is necessary. I completely agree with EndAll on how to implement it. I think we can all trust that the design of it would be something that would work for everyone, can't we?

It would attract loads more people and that's what the place needs to start making the fellas some dollar, we all want that for them I think. As long as there were seperate tags to access each one, and it didn't all spill over into eachother and make a big mess, i'm pretty sure it would work

While this might sound like a good idea this is a total dissolution of your branding and identity.

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^Maybe. It could be a fuck-up of New Coke proportions.

But generally, I associate "brand" with products and selling- I'm not sure that the VideoSift brand is a selling product. Advertising here is a pretty anonymous affair- very little advertising based on our name alone - and VideoSift branded shirts aren't flying off the shelfs.

So if you take out the mercenary side of things - If VideoSift does have a brand- I would say that it's more to do with the culture, rules and people of the site - that has built up like a patina over time. That wouldn't change- unless everyone fucks off and goes somewhere else - always a possibility.

The site is already complex enough to not be flooded with filtration systems and other content.

Why can't we just refine the system more? More Flash tutorials about submitting that you had earlier. Bringing up more vids that were posted a couple of years ago.

I voted no. I really don't want this to be implemented, at least not yet. Definitely not yet. I will remind everyone that we have Sift Talk for discussions and news stories that haven't yet been covered in video form so as to get sifted. If they're good, people award * quality points for them - this happens all the time, and for now I think this is enough.

As far as long-term strategy goes, business practice has shown that it's best to move into new areas with preexisting (and fierce!) competition when you're the clear leader in your own field. As much as I like the Sift, I don't feel like we're there yet.

As far as branding goes, I don't think VideoSift -> The Sift would be perceived as THAT big of a change. Besides, we're already using both.

If we want to become a bigger player we'd need a clear identifiable goals:

-Focus: video
I think enhancing online video experience, by adding supplements (text, images, audio, book links, etc. - turn the description area of the video in a unique community-generated website for the particular video) to videos to give context to the video is, apart from selecting videos (quality control), our strength as a community.

-Focus: global audience
I think we'd need to avoid too much of a mixture in the type of context we add to to videos: I'd be for a clear distinction for the visitor between VS-culture and global culture (just like Wikipedia culture and the articles (for the global audience, unaware of the people behind the site)), the serious and the frivolous.

As a sifter I like both cultures but the general audience is not a sifter:

Does the general audience (want to) know about VS-culture or not? (or: To what degree are we sifting for ourselves or for strangers?)

That's a fundamental question here I think that we need to ask ourselves before we dive into a new phase..the answer lies somewhere in the middle I suppose but on which side,? that's crucial.

I'd rather not see turning VS in too much of an unfocused VS-culture-laden entertainment site.

>> ^EDD:
I voted no. I really don't want this to be implemented, at least not yet. Definitely not yet. I will remind everyone that we have Sift Talk for discussions and news stories that haven't yet been covered in video form so as to get sifted. If they're good, people award quality points for them - this happens all the time, and for now I think this is enough.
As far as long-term strategy goes, business practice has shown that it's best to move into new areas with preexisting (and fierce!) competition when you're the clear leader in your own field. As much as I like the Sift, I don't feel like we're there yet.
As far as branding goes, I don't think VideoSift -> The Sift would be perceived as THAT big of a change. Besides, we're already using both.


Perhaps we could just expand and refine Sift Talk's features? Make posts votable? And then somehow make sure it didn't become messy. Tabs for choosing newest or hottest, perhaps.

imo, the channel view thing is already a bit weirdly implemented. Not straightforward enough to get back to the front page.

Also, the very equal vote count reminds me, it would be nice if comments that had a lot of both up- and downvotes, but hovered near zero, was marked somehow. Glowing red hot or something.

As long as it's the same community, it's fine with me. I'd go anywhere with you guys.

I think you already have the structure in place. The conversations should occur under each channel's talk section but you have to enhance it to make it an attractive place for submissions and of course to support new media types.

This is also where the whole subdomain navigation becomes an issue as moving back and forth to the main page and the respective channel isn't as user-friendly as it might be.

You'd have to link it up nicely on the frontpage so you could have a headline linking to politics.videosift.com, "And today in Politics..." and with a general invitation to participate in other channels.

I haven't voted because I believe we just need to bring out the potential of what is already here. Do that, gradually and see where it leads.

i like the idea of subsites (with a top header or a block of links to sistersites like on boingboing) if its gonna be one big site thats fine but i'd make sure each site can be visited on its own. if i want to sift videos i dont want to be forced to first select some sort of filter.

i like the idea though. poetrysift, quotessift, artsift, endless possibilies

^academicPaperSift, solutionSift, businessPlanSift?

Maybe, oh I dunno, PornSift?

^you were saying?

I do think VideoSift should branch out into sifting other types of content. But the suggestion I put forth had a very narrow focus (news article sift). I think the initial hook with Videosift is that it was built around a central theme, and then got better and better at delivering on that theme.

I imagine there probably aren't a lot of people in the VS community who crave what I suggested in particular, but I think generally speaking it would be a better strategy to pick something specific and try to own that niche, rather than dilute our core competency by trying to generalize it into another digg/reddit/buzz with a videosifty flavor.

I also think the content you're sifting matters. You need a prolific content type that people might otherwise tune out without some level of quality filtering. I also think it's important for community-building purposes that the content being filtered can also serve as a conversation piece. Both web video and news meet those criteria.

I would use a NewsSift that sorted the gems from the refuse when it comes to what people are writing about in the papers and the larger blogosphere. I would also love to use a videosift-inspired charity/cause sorter, though I have no idea how that would work (maybe like ActBlue?).

I have no need for some generic AnythingSift.

Stick with video's. That's all I come here for. Other mediums have their own place.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Looking at the way the poll is going, I'm thinking the majority wants us to stick with what we're best at ...

As a milder alternative to a full-fledged branching out of content types - I like the idea of allowing Sifters to create longer more comlex posts that are not just a single video - maybe a few videos that get across a message- interspersed with text and pictures, more of an "article" type format. I could see it being useful for newsy political posts or other complex concepts.

We have a lot of passionate subject matter experts on the Sift - I would like to give them more of a voice to synthesize content- beyond just a single video that says "I like this".

As a couple of people mentioned, it could really be just something like a Sift Talk or blog post with voting allowed, also with the potential of it being published to the front.

Lots of good ideas in this thread to work with.

Dag, you're forgetting a very important aspect of videosift. On the turning away... from the pale and downtrodden. Don't accept what happens is just a case of all the suffering or you'll find you're joining in the turning away.

It's a sin somehow. Light is changing to shadow (when we click the sun icon in the top right corner)... casting a shroud over all we've known.

No more turning away. From the weak and the weary. No more turning away from the coldness inside, dag. It's not enough to just stand and stare. On the turning away.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^ Hello, Hello, Hello? Is there anybody in there?

Expanding (or simplifying? ) on what you just said, dag - how about a new optional privilege for, say, gold star members and above - to embed 2 videos in a single sift, one after the other? Or up to 3, even? Each with its own description. How's that sound for 4.1?

>> ^dag:
Looking at the way the poll is going, I'm thinking the majority wants us to stick with what we're best at ...
As a milder alternative to a full-fledged branching out of content types - I like the idea of allowing Sifters to create longer more comlex posts that were not just a single video - but maybe a few videos that get across a message- interspersed with text and pictures, more of an "article" type format. I could see it being useful for newsy political posts or other complex concepts.

What ant said. Digg/reddit already pretty much do what is described, and I like this site the way it is currently.

I honestly could do without all the "FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: RE: LOL" type pictures that show up on the frontpage on Digg with 3000 votes when the actually interesting stuff barely makes 300 at times. Please don't bring that here.

"Jack of all trades, master of none"

Dag - you could purchase something like Google or Yahoo, and use their existing infrastructure to manage the new ____sift sites. It could work.

>> ^Throbbin:
Dag - you could purchase something like Google or Yahoo, and use their existing infrastructure to manage the new ____sift sites. It could work.


2nd motion. This actually could work, wouldn't need (I would think) more people to work The Sift. As well, holds on to the branding and identity that Farhad mentioned earlier.

^Should only take a measly $35 billion or so

Photos. I always wanted PhotoSift.

unintentional post .. ugh

>> ^CrushBug:
Photos. I always wanted PhotoSift.


That would totally be YouDieJoe's realm. You might need to offer up a daily bounty of SD Cards and photochemical solution just to gain entrance. I know I'd do it.

I find it fascinating how evenly the vote is split. And in the end, when you think about it, it all comes down to keeping things the way they are, or treading into new and unknown territory (ie. change). Hmmm...the Sift as a metaphor for life. I'm seeing a book deal in this for you Dag/Lucky. And then the movie rights. Just as long as I get cast as me; no fake Kramers for this kid. At the very least, you might get Oprah interested.


Personally, I think schmawy summed up my feelings. Most succinctly. You've created a beautiful thing here and picked up a lot of internet orphans along the way. I'm with you, Hell or high water.

welcome to mediasift.how may i take your order?

but i agree with some sentiments here.as long as it does not affect the community.
i get irritated at some things that happen here,but it's like being pissed off at my cousin.yeah,im pissed off, but ill still give you the keys to my car.
the "other" sharing sites had me wishing some people would anally impale themselves on a broken glass covered dildo.
it is the people that make this place.
and no...
you cant borrow my car.

I fear that the transformation into other medias will drive away more than it lures in.

Voting for this poll ended with the majority of users voting Yes - open it up to other things besides video..

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

^Thanks Big S - love you.

Based on the feedback - if we did do it, I'm thinking it would be in a much smaller form than I originally laid out. Maybe just an option to submit in "article format" allowing multiple videos interspersed with text.

^And don't forget a game room. The membership approved of that a while back:

http://www.videosift.com/poll/Should-VideoSift-have-a-game-room

While browsing videos I am constantly coming across news and science articles that I wish I could sift.

I think it's a great idea. Besides, if it doesn't work you can always kill it.

Dag, also make new servers and don't use VS'. You could also make a portal to connect VideoSift, Tshirt, etc.

I think introducing some of those is a good idea, but they should definitely be given their own tab up top and generally somewhat hidden away since they're not the main focus of the site. Along the lines of how google hides away its non-search services. Others have made the point already, but if you stick it into the main queue and don't give some blatant way for people to censor it out, some will feel that the reason that they come here has been diluted away.

Photos, news stories, essays and anything along those lines could be fit into an 'everything else' style separate area. From the looks of it, the blogs section already more or less works like this anyway and has had plenty of these kind of things posted there already.

If anything, I think music posts could possibly work in the main queue, purely because you already have say live performances being posted where there's really not much to watch visually.

I win! Yay!

But seriously - do what you need to do Dag et. al. Take it slow, experiment, even offer up some beta testing for folks.

I like the idea though. And like someone ^up there said, if it don't work, just trash it and carry on.

Videosift is the bomb, and I hope this would only make it better.