Ban "Newbies" from using HTML :)

[CalBoy]

I
In my experience, this has little to do with being new. You can easily get blasted by members who have been around for years for something like this. It's attitude, not forum experience.

This is true, but at the moment, newer users have a much higher ratio of "bad/rude" posts as opposed to members who have been around long enough to "settle" down. There are plenty of new members who are very nice and easy to get along with, and I have no problem with them. However, one step into the iPhone forum, and you see what's going on.

What about moderation all first posts? If they do something stupid, such as big bold fonts or Comic Sans, they can get a PM from a mod explaining why their post was edited or up for deletion. That'd make it easier to pick up spam, and it might help educate people on MR etiquette.

Yay? Nay?

Wouldn't that take an enormous amount of mod-hours? Aren't there upwards of 30 new threads (excluding news, macbytes, and macpolls) every day? Aside from all the reported posts, other duties, and general moderation, the mods would have no time for anything else.

 

[annk]

This is true, but at the moment, newer users have a much higher ratio of "bad/rude" posts as opposed to members who have been around long enough to "settle" down. There are plenty of new members who are very nice and easy to get along with, and I have no problem with them. However, one step into the iPhone forum, and you see what's going on...

Just stay out of the iPhone forums, and you won't notice much of a problem. No reason to let one sub-forum get to you, there are many others in here.

 

[saltyzoo]

How about turning the Title for a new thread into a search term and having a confirmation screen before posting a new thread that lists threads that match the title search.

Simply ask "Do any of these threads answer your question or cover a similar topic?" You can also add the caveat that if none of the listed threads are even remotely close to what the poster is trying to ask that they might want a more descriptive title to attract help more quickly.

I've never understood why people on a forum get upset when someone else posts on the forum. If it was just to be a search engine, you wouldn't need forum software. Just make it a static page.

Seriously though, let people ask the same question over and over. How does it hurt you? Out of the 10,000 threads posted here a day thousands don't interest me and I manage to not get pissed off that someone posted them.

 

[CalBoy]

Just stay out of the iPhone forums, and you won't notice much of a problem. No reason to let one sub-forum get to you, there are many others in here.

Oh I don't venture in there too often. But once in a while there's an actual thread that's worthy of response...and that's when they come after you like rabid wolves

PS I like your 'tar

 

[annk]

...

PS I like your 'tar

Thanks, I usually have a Wizard of Oz theme going, it's just been derailed lately because I've been too busy.

 

[CalBoy]

Thanks, I usually have a Wizard of Oz theme going, it's just been derailed lately because I've been too busy.

I like that; a "theme" is a good idea for avatars. I usually just go through phases and rotate every 6-8 weeks.

Meanwhile...what were we talking about?

Oh right. I still disagree with the central premise offered by the OP. A gentle reminder to new users who are rude to be polite and respectful would do the job well enough.