A Pointless Conversations Forum, where posts != Post count++

[edesignuk]

Sometime threads get sent to the wasteland, or locked or whatever for being pointless and being seen as spam threads to increase postcount ("OMG alomost at 500 posts!" etc. Well how about a subforum to the community forums where threads can be moved to where posts in that forum DON'T count towards post count (like the political forums)?

This way some of the fun threads that currently get trashed for being a waste of time can go in here, and it wont hurt anyone, and by posting in there no one gains anything (no spamming for postcount = status/avatar).

What do you think?

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

I like that idea, seems neat.

 

[Sun Baked]

So you're asking for something like the Political Forum?

Or you can just ask the mods to move that thread on "Bellybutton Lint" into the Political Forum, it should work just as well there as anywhere else.

 

[Elan0204]

This seems like an OK idea, but how do you decide if a thread is pointless? Some like the "I almost have 500 posts" ones are obvious, but a lot of the discussions in the community forum could be considered pointless by some, but not others. I think it will be a lot of extra work for the mods if they need to come to a consensus on whether any given thread is pointless enough to merit being moved out of the community forum, to this new "pointless thread" forum. If the whole process is left up to the person posting the thread, then they might feel their thread is not pointless, when the rest of us might disagree.

 

[edesignuk]

I'm saying that there are some theads which I think members would like to have continue, because there a laugh, but that the mods wasteland or lock because they're seen as spam to increase post count to gain status or get an avatar. If there was a subforum that was set just the same as the political forums where post in that forum DO NOT count towards post count that would solve the problem. Members get to keep their threads, and those who are only normally in it to gain post count would gain nothing from it, best of both worls it seems to me.

 

[edesignuk]

This seems like an OK idea, but how do you decide if a thread is pointless?

That would really be down to the mods, if they would normally wasteland a thread because they view it as spam, they could throw it in this new forum instead (provided it's not a thread full of abuse or anything). Also those of us who know the type of thread that would normally get wastelanded could post to the forum direct if we knew what we were about to talk about would be considered spam in anyway.

 

[stoid]

Maybe it should be a whole sub-forum complete with "Ranters Lounge", "Poop/Drinking Threads", etc.

Seems like a decent idea to me. Maybe have those forums like the News forum, locked to new threads. Then the mods decide which threads belong there and move them. Though that does make extra work for our mods, and I'd hate for this to take away from the excellent job they are doing with the legit threads, esp. in arn's absence.

 

[edesignuk]

Maybe it should be a whole sub-forum complete with "Ranters Lounge", "Poop/Drinking Threads", etc.

Those are fine example of exatly the type of threads I'm talking about. The mods/admins don't really like 'em becasue there's so much crap in 'em, but the members love 'em because they're good fun. A place to put these where there was no forum "gain" to be had from posting your jibberish would be perfect.

 

[Mord]

great idea, go ed.

 

[asphalt-proof]

As a member with less than 110 posts (OMG! almost 120!!!) I think its a fine idea to provide a forum for fluff used to inflate post counts.

 

[t300]

As a member with less than 110 posts (OMG! almost 120!!!) I think its a fine idea to provide a forum for fluff used to inflate post counts.

That is NOT the idea...And you're a prime example of what makes it not a good idea.

The sub forums about nothing, good idea...But they shouldn't increase rank.

 

[edesignuk]

As a member with less than 110 posts (OMG! almost 120!!!) I think its a fine idea to provide a forum for fluff used to inflate post counts.

Just to echo what t300 said. The entire point of these forums would be a home for those threads that are fun to keep going, but that normally would be percieved as spam and so closed. If they could be moved to a forum where posts did not count towards your post count, then only those there for the fun of it would be, as you have nothing to gain (post count).

 

[Inkmonkey]

Those are fine example of exatly the type of threads I'm talking about. The mods/admins don't really like 'em becasue there's so much crap in 'em, but the members love 'em because they're good fun. A place to put these where there was no forum "gain" to be had from posting your jibberish would be perfect.

I'm with ya. I'm all about the mindless chatter. Could care less about my post count. It'll get up there eventually.

 

[MacNut]

I agree, good idea, they is too much "fluff" on the boards, not that there is anything wrong with it but its clogging up the useful info. And Ed I love that avatar, best one yet.

 

[Mudbug]

this isn't too bad an idea, but then again, what's the point of having a forum full of threads that don't have any purpose of existance other than existance?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Not only that, with a more lax set of rules, as you imply, things would get out of hand pretty damn fast. people would get annoyed, personal insults would ensue and we'd have to moderate even more crap.

If things are so bad that this is what you'd come here for (given all that is already available at this site) then you need to get a hobby. Or maybe another besides Kiera

D

 

[edesignuk]

this isn't too bad an idea, but then again, what's the point of having a forum full of threads that don't have any purpose of existance other than existance?

You know, things like the geek thread, even my keira 80+ clicks thread, stuff like that. Things that we as members would like to keep going, but the admins might frown on as being used by some for post count boosters. There would still be a use for the wasteland, but I think this would have a good use too.

 

[edesignuk]

Not only that, with a more lax set of rules, as you imply, things would get out of hand pretty damn fast. people would get annoyed, personal insults would ensue and we'd have to moderate even more crap.

If things are so bad that this is what you'd come here for (given all that is already available at this site) then you need to get a hobby. Or maybe another besides Kiera

D

I'm not saying it should be an unmoderated free-for-all. I'm saying it should be a place for those threads (like i just mentioned in response to mudbug, as well as those mentioned by stoid earlier) where threads that are fun for the members, but are maybe viewed as spam by yourselves (the mods/admins) could be put. This way those that are actually posting because we are enjoying the conversation get to carry on, while those who are only interested in raising their status have nothing to gain.

 

[zelmo]

Not only that, with a more lax set of rules, as you imply, things would get out of hand pretty damn fast. people would get annoyed, personal insults would ensue and we'd have to moderate even more crap.

If things are so bad that this is what you'd come here for (given all that is already available at this site) then you need to get a hobby. Or maybe another besides Kiera

D

If you have only one hobby, you could do a lot worse...

Hmmm...is this one of those pointless posts edesignuk is referring to?

 

[Inkmonkey]

You know, things like the geek thread, even my keira 80+ clicks thread, stuff like that. Things that we as members would like to keep going, but the admins might frown on as being used by some for post count boosters. There would still be a use for the wasteland, but I think this would have a good use too.

I guess the question is do the moderators really frown upon things like the geek thread and keira 80+? Do they or should they end up in the wasteland? Has this become an issue that is getting out of hand?
Mudbug? Mr. Anderson?

 

[edesignuk]

Bottom line:

I think it would be nice for there to be a place where we can chat away (within the normal rules, no personal abuse etc) without the thread being locked or wastelanded because admins view it as being a post count booster thread, if the forum posts didn't count towards users post counts then there would be no issues and we could just continue to natter away.

I think it would be nice, but it's not up to me....just putting the suggestion forward

 

[Mudbug]

of course you realize that if we were to make such a forum, and god forbid the 'drunk thread' get moved to it, half the members of the forums would immediately lose their avatars, and folks like wdlove would be considered a n00b once again.

I guess the question is do the moderators really frown upon things like the geek thread and keira 80+? Do they or should they end up in the wasteland? Has this become an issue that is getting out of hand?
Mudbug? Mr. Anderson?

it's really dealer's choice. We'll usually only act on a thread if it's been either 1) reported by another member as being spam or completely worthless and of no benefit to the forums or 2) we find it trolling through and think that it's of no value or existing to boost post count only.

some tried and true ways to get your thread deleted is to post a 'I've made 500 posts' thread - those get moved quick, but they've served their purpose in life by the time they get moved anyway, so they're actually fine to post in the first place, as long as you know it's short-lived.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I think you're mixing up the concept of the community forum with the threads that actually get wastelanded and closed.

You can discuss plenty of topics in the community forum: things that get wastelanded are threads the end up in trouble, free iPods, explicit discussion unsuitable for minors (there are plenty here), personal attacks, spamming in general.

What kind of threads do you want to post in a free for all forum that you can't post in the community?

D

 

[zelmo]

Bottom line:

I think it would be nice for there to be a place where we can chat away (within the normal rules, no personal abuse etc) without the thread being locked or wastelanded because admins view it as being a post count booster thread, if the forum posts didn't count towards users post counts then there would be no issues and we could just continue to natter away.

I think it would be nice, but it's not up to me....just putting the suggestion forward

So basically, you propose that when a thread gets to the point of being viewed by a moderator as wasteland worthy, they would stop and consider whether or not the content is harmless or not. If it is harmless, they would drop it in a forum where we can still chat away without padding post count, correct?

I guess the only question is if this adds too much maintenance for the moderators. i think it is a worthwhile idea, but then again, I'm not a mod.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

So basically, you propose that when a thread gets to the point of being viewed by a moderator as wasteland worthy, they would stop and consider whether or not the content is harmless or not. If it is harmless, they would drop it in a forum where we can still chat away without padding post count, correct?

I guess the only question is if this adds too much maintenance for the moderators. i think it is a worthwhile idea, but then again, I'm not a mod.

No, I think he's just saying open up the Geek, Drunk and other closed threads, and start similar new ones in a Free-For-All forum.

It will cause more work for us because of its nature more people will get carried away and cause problems. All of the threads are in the wasteland for a reason - read through a few and you'll see why. Other threads have been closed down, that's a bit different, and there are far fewer of those.

D