"Weeding" the Timeline & Early Timeline Contribution Guidelines?

[Drashner1]

Thoughts and comments below. If I don't post a reply to some bit, take that to mean I'm fine with your take on it.

Speaking in general terms I think that we need to consider creating some kind of consistent policy about what does or does not make it into the timeline and how that is decided so that we don't keep running into this issue. Many of the entries here are quite old - but some are much more recent.

Perhaps we need to also discuss/consider what the role of the timeline is in the overall project/website?

31 - infamous September 11 terrorist attack on New York Twin Towers and Pentagon changes the shape of the political climate for the next half century.

I don't mind it this is cut given that the growth of the security-state in the west isn't a trend we touch on in OA.

33 - Contact with Pioneer 10 lost (February 2003 c.e.)

These are both RL historical events though. You're correct that the growth of the security state in the West isn't something we deal with directly - but we do spend a fair bit of time looking at issues around total surveillance societies and related issues. Which could (in a sense) be tied back to 911, at least in the US.

We are a spacefaring setting, so Pioneer 10 might be seen as of historical significance to one degree or another.

I'm not overly fussed if these are left out, but I think an argument can be made for keeping them.

45 - Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around Ceres.

46 - New Horizons probe reaches Pluto.

Same as above - in a spacefaring setting these are significant events. I'm not sure how we're supposed to define 'revolutionary'.

63 - Academion Island founded by Aristos, a front company of various European universities.

Not sure what this is meant to reference, probably should be removed.

It references THIS

I think that if we have an actual article relating to a timeline entry, there is more of an argument to be made for having/retaining a timeline entry.

60's-70's - Emerging virtual states take on increasing importance with further advances in immersive tactile VR via wired 'hotsuit' and 'Simmball' systems.

I'm not convinced that VR is a route to "Virtual States", not least on its own.

At this point, I'm not even sure what we mean by 'Virtual States'. We don't seem to have much of anything on it in the EG unless you count Cyberia, which doesn't show up until much much later.

I'm wondering if this is/was some sort of attempt at creating something like the artificial nation-states in the book The Diamond Age - can't remember the term used atm.

Until/unless an article is created explaining what this is and how it fits into the overall early timeline, agreed it can probably be removed.

78 - Brief fad for Polypedal pots, robotic houseplant containers

Unnecessarily specific.

~80 - VirchMon first developed, as smart pets, companions and virus guards for frequent net-users.

Doesn't add anything.

Both of these have existing EG articles - same argument as above.

86-87 - Static Music and White Noise becomes the most popular form of music in the 11-24 demographic.

86 - First broadcasting of The Planet X epic-comedy-drama saga featuring the popular fictional character Morag the Moravec more.

Both add nothing.

Static has its own EG article. The Planet X series and Morag are mentioned in passing in another EG article.

106 - First recorded backup of a '.....' spore exoself

Not sure this is particularly relevant to include in the timeline.

This has an EG article that is fairly extensive.

I don't think any of these really add anything, the gene-splicing one is more soft-SF than plausible.

Note that we do have 'Splices' in the setting, which need to be fit in somewhere if we are to retain them. This includes some number of EG entries for various splices, including some that almost certainly include dates. If they are removed from the timeline for the reason stated, then this also impact the various EG articles, which should logically also be modified in whatever way we decide to address this.

119 - An internet based virtual world war centered on North America which shifts a number of assets and influence from previous geopolitical and corporate powers to new players.

Doesn't ever come up and doesn't make much sense. Remove probably.

Has its own (admittedly short) article, which in turn has a link to a longer and more general article. Not disagreeing with your analysis, but there is more to this than just the timeline entry.

122 - The suborbital/intraorbital Waverider brings about a drastic reduction in the cost of space flight.

123 - Ken Ferjik's MMORPG Mother Russia further extends many of the themes and developments of the innovative Pertinax, placing networked gaming roleplaying in an epic historical simulationist perspective.

126 - Ken Ferjik's Cuba integrates his earlier work in a detailed immersive political-educational simulation.

Ken Ferjik gets far too many entries that don't at all seem of historical importance. Also space flight is already "cheap" at this time, the waverider seems unnecessary.[/quote]

I'm not familiar with Ken Ferjik, other than that e has an EG article. The waverider was introduced some years back before our recent update of the Tech Timeline and has a full article and a YouTube video. We should probably figure out a place for it, even if it isn't in this exact spot.

Todd