Who Killed the Picture Association Thread

[MacNut]

An easy way to stop spam would be to shut off the post counts all together, then we wont have to worry about people inflating there counts to get a new ranking.

 

[Lacero]

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Picture Association thread. While I did create it, I had no feelings of ownership for it as the thread took off and members embraced it as a place they could go to to have fun; a thread for the people by the people.

So it's not my thread in any sense, but I do feel pride and can now die happy knowing one of the non-MacRumors Discussion threads I started on MR neared almost 4,000 replies. A record for me, no doubt. I expected at most 1,000 replies, so each post above that gave me orgasms multiple times each day.

Something like the Picture Association thread can go on indefinitely, and I'm sure there were many members who hated seeing the thread keep popping up near the top of the 'New Posts' search results. I got sick of it myself! and it's my thread.

At 3,000 posts, I was going to ask the mods to close down the thread, but I didn't want to deprive anyone of fun. So I let it run as far as it would go. Damnit, only 13 posts shy of 4K. Argh!

 

[bousozoku]

I guess I should have waited 13 posts. Oh wait, is that 4K in computer numbers or 4000 even?

 

[watcher2001]

I expected at most 1,000 replies, so each post above that gave me orgasms multiple times each day.

Thank you for quite the lovely mental picture...

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

I was terribly confused to notice my post count had dropped by about 50. Not a big deal, I just thought I'd committed some terrible offense or something.

 

[whocares]

I expected at most 1,000 replies, so each post above that gave me orgasms multiple times each day.

I honestly didn't expect it to get past the first page, as previous "word association" threads were sent straight to Wasteland.

The first 500 posts or so were fun, until we started seing the same pics 50 times

 

[Sun Baked]

An easy way to stop spam would be to shut off the post counts all together, then we wont have to worry about people inflating there counts to get a new ranking.

In order to sell something or post in the Political Forum, you need to have so many posts.

If the Community Section didn't count and keep some of the spam to be contained there, it would spill off into other sections.

That would be much worse than few bad apples "inflating" their post counts.

Sort of works OK now, turning off post counts across the entire board -- would allow people directly into the two biggest areas for problems (political -- trolls, marketplace -- corporate sales/advertisements/scams.)

 

[Kobushi]

I was wondering what happened to that. I can understand tossing Gay Way as after reading the last several pages (and some other random ones) it did seem to turn into more of a chat room than a message board. However, there were may members that truly enjoyed it. I suppose if it was more trouble to clean it up regularly than to toss it altogether, that's a moderator's responsability.

I suppose I can also understand ditching the picture association thread if it was getting spammy, but I don't believe it was. As one who posted there with my limited twice a day posts, I thought it was a great place to express creativity. Only rarely was I unable to make an association when I viewed 2 pics in sequence. Some were quite challenging. Color me disappointed.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Make Community Discussion posts count as 1/2 a post each post. Problem solved.

 

[MacDawg]

Why the obsession with post count?
I've never understood it.

I realize some are interested because of the 500 post requirement, but even then, an avatar is not really a big deal.

Post count to me is irrelevant.

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[whocares]

Make Community Discussion posts count as 1/2 a post each post. Problem solved.

And get double the spam?

I suggest that community posts only start counting once you've reached 1,000 posts in the community forums and they they count x10 to make up for lost posts. Now THAT would really reduce spam!



---------


But more seriously, post counts are important. First they determine who gets an avatar, a limit needs to be set. Second it determines who can post in the political forums (v. important). Last, let's face it, for many people it's an ego thing Hiding post counts won't help because they can more or less easily be found by searching for all posts made by a user...

Ideally, the emphasis needs to be taken off of post counts and put on something else. Maybe something like user ratings à la eBay: for e.g.. based on how helpful a post was in a help forum, a member can get feedback and a rating between 1-5. Once a member is no longer a newbie (based on the 20 post limit), his/her title (6502, 68k, etc.) and 'tar eligibility are based on user feedback ranking.

What d'y all think?

 

[MacDawg]

I would be opposed to user ratings, but that's just my opinion
Why make it a popularity contest here?
I guess that's what I just don't get.

I understand the 500/100/100 for 'tar, politics, marketplace
It is a good system

I also have no problem with the member titles of 6502, etc.

I just don't understand the premium people place on it as an ego driven thing

I place no more value on someone with a gazillion posts versus someone with an insightful post

For me, it is about community, fellowship and interaction
Not numbers

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[whocares]

I would be opposed to user ratings, but that's just my opinion
Why make it a popularity contest here?

Yeah, maybe I didn't look at it from that perspective. But we do need some kind of ranking for reasons we both (all?) agree on. I just think that user ratings could cut down on spam for gaining member "popularity" and might incite members to post more in the help/interest forums with helpfull and insightful answers.

If popularity and ego are important to a specific member, he/she should feel free to increase his/her popularity by helping others out, and *not* by posting tons in the community threads... And if popularity isn't an issue for a member, he/she could just continue posting as he/she already does.

Just an idea

 

[MacDawg]

Yeah, maybe I didn't look at it from that perspective. But we do need some kind of ranking for reasons we both (all?) agree on. I just think that user ratings could cut down on spam for gaining member "popularity" and might incite members to post more in the help/interest forums with helpfull and insightful answers.

If popularity and ego are important to a specific member, he/she should feel free to increase his/her popularity by helping others out, and *not* by posting tons in the community threads... And if popularity isn't an issue for a member, he/she could just continue posting as he/she already does.

Just an idea

Its been suggested before, and most members have passed on the idea.

I personally think there is just too much room for abuse, and as I said "popularity" based on who knows what.

Ego, self esteem, etc. all come in to play.
Ranking by post count is not perfect by any means, but is more objective than subjective in nature (though can be influenced by spam)

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[Kobushi]

This place is clique-ish enough without trying to make a popularity contest. Perhaps we should take whocares's nick at face value.

As a 'tarless person who lost 42 posts with the wastelanding of the thread, I can still say "I don't care!". I only looked at my post count out of curiosity. I'm more interested in content, and I found the thread fun.

Bah, I don't understand all the talk about post counts and stupid spamming. Just write what's on your mind with a mild filter between your brain and your fingers to screen out uselessness. It's up to the mods to get rid of any junk that passes through. That's the responsability you adopt with the title and superhero powers (One of the many reasons I wouldn't want to be a mod--kudos to you guys)

 

[xsedrinam]

It's been pretty well pointed out that the Picture Association Thread was getting bogged down with repetitious posts and an obvious lack of creative association. I enjoyed the thread while it lasted.

I take issue with the view that MR is "clique-ish". I don't think that's a fair picture. Many who post here may do so in spurts, according to schedule, etc., but a good majority do so in an attempt to either share technical help or insight or to engage in community topics of interest with little regard to numbers or titles. You're interested in a topic? Have something to say? Post. I think it has been consistently that kind of environment. To see a Mod responding directly to a newbie's question or comment with no particular agenda is not at all uncommon in here, and has been one of the plus factors with regard to protocol and community in MR. Now the Political Forum....well that's another story.

 

[redAPPLE]

It was another spam hole, so I killed it. It served its purpose and then, it was used for whatever else...everything else.

uh, i haven't read that thread, because i hate clicking through 500+ posts. if i were a mod, or arn, i won't allow any thread going over 500. it just is a "waste of time" clicking through it.

uncle bousozoku, what is a spam hole?

 

[redAPPLE]

I was terribly confused to notice my post count had dropped by about 50. Not a big deal, I just thought I'd committed some terrible offense or something.

does someone really care about post counts? there are more important things in life you know?

 

[zap2]

I have to disagree. It did start to get out of hand a little while ago but Doctor Q reined it in and had it pretty well under control (limiting it to two posts per day etc etc etc). Obviously it was a very popular thread as it was posted in multiple times every day. In my opinion it is scary that one person can have that kind of power. In your opinion it was a "Spam Hole" but what about the rest of the mods and the community in general? I can see killing a thread if there is something illegal/sexual about it, but just because they believe it is a "Spam Hole" is not (once again In my opinion) a good reason to kill a thread.

One other thing. The gay way thread just got closed therby maintaining the post counts of everyone who posted there however the picture association thread got wastelanded thereby trashing a lot of peoples postcounts. If we can't open it back up can we at least move it out of the wasteland and mark it as closed?

Also even tho I disagree with the decision I will respect it.

Best not talk back to the Mods, your they will send the secret MacRUmors Police on you, and do they beat people well

 

[Sun Baked]

Best not talk back to the Mods, your they will send the secret MacRUmors Police on you, and do they beat people well

Bye, bye ...

Letting the rumors of the organization "they who must not be named" out will probably result in your vanishing.

 

[neut]

lame.

my favorite MR thread is dead.


i am in mourning ...

 

[cr2sh]

lame.

You wanna see lame? Check out this thread!



Get over it.

 

[yellow]

You wanna see lame? Check out this thread!

I don't get it.. isn't that this thread?

 

[Lacero]

I don't get it.. isn't that this thread?

Nice bit of irony.

Anywho, I'm starting to feel this thread suffered collateral damage due to closing of the GayWay thread.

If this thread was closed due to spamming, then perhaps we could continue it in the Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum.

 

[watcher2001]

Nice bit of irony.

Anywho, I'm starting to feel this thread suffered collateral damage due to closing of the GayWay thread.

If this thread was closed due to spamming, then perhaps we could continue it in the Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum.

Now I am confused. Are we talking about continuing the Picture Association thread in the political forum or this one?

I tend to agree with you about the collateral damage comment. Could that be the politcal ploy. By killing off other popular threads the heat from closing the gay way thread is not felt as badly? Just a random thought.