[Suggestion] Editing threads of distractions...or equivalent.

Koltar · January 01, 2009, 02:14:53 PM

Hello RPGSite Moderator types,

Is there a way to edit out back & forth insults from a thread when they interfere with might otherwise inyeresting discussion?

I am particularly thinking of the theead in "Politics" sub-forum that talks about property rights, debtors, and Baliffs in the U.K.

Some threads would be much better reading if those text speed-bumps of back & forth insults were not there. It would probably cut down the number of pages per thread by maybe 30 to 50%.

- Ed C.

CavScout · January 01, 2009, 02:22:34 PM

Quote from: Koltar;276756Hello RPGSite Moderator types,

Is there a way to edit out back & forth insults from a thread when they interfere with might otherwise inyeresting discussion?

I am particularly thinking of the theead in "Politics" sub-forum that talks about property rights, debtors, and Baliffs in the U.K.

Some threads would be much better reading if those text speed-bumps of back & forth insults were not there. It would probably cut down the number of pages per thread by maybe 30 to 50%.

Ed you pussies. Are you really going to pop into a thread, start insulting folks and then when you can't hang run to the moderators for help?

One Horse Town · January 01, 2009, 02:41:20 PM

I've said my piece on that thread (lets not start on Serious Paul's Obama thread, huh?).

It's become the kindergarten of the site.

Koltar · January 01, 2009, 02:45:11 PM

...and you said it well.

Just sent you a PM right before I saw your above post.

- Ed

Serious Paul · January 01, 2009, 02:45:54 PM

Well you have a function available on this board called the Ignore List Ed. And I'm no moderator, but you could also simply ignore stuff, and not post to threads you dislike. (I generally just do this, voting with "my wallet", so to speak.) Have you tried those out?

Koltar · January 01, 2009, 02:56:38 PM

Quote from: Serious Paul;276769Well you have a function available on this board called the Ignore List Ed. And I'm no moderator, but you could also simply ignore stuff, and not post to threads you dislike. (I generally just do this, voting with "my wallet", so to speak.) Have you tried those out?

At times YES I have....but it also makes some conversations really difficult to follow. The context gets completely strange.

At one point I had up to 4 or 5 people on my IL. Now, I'm just down to one.

I believe you and I have dsagreed on some things in the past, but I don't remember having you on my ignore list. (you're interesting to read quite often)

The problem is when there is an interesting debate going on and wel presented points posted that suddenly gets the equivalent of sideswiped or ambushed by more than a page of back & forth insult tossing. Its especially bad when cuss words get tossed in - those tend to accelerate the heat a bit if its heading towards flsmes.

Okay, Sorry folks, I've been in a bad mood, bummed out mood for close to a week now....maybe more. I've actually been cussing in recognizable English.
So yeah, I got a little ticked in that thread.

- Ed C.

Serious Paul · January 01, 2009, 03:54:15 PM

I vote with my participation, and time. It works okay enough for me, but obviously we all make our own choices.

Drohem · January 01, 2009, 04:13:36 PM

Edit: It was an unnecessary post, and I removed it.

RPGPundit · January 01, 2009, 04:31:18 PM

The question of editing out threads, and what parts "deserve" to be culled and which don't is a bit too complicated to bother with.

More likely, what will be happening (as per the threads I've stickied in off-topic and politics) is that threads that degenerate into name-calling will the closed by mods, and of course people can start a new thread taking up the productive parts of the conversation.
Also, people who are routinely disruptive in off-topic or politics in the sense that their presence and posts lead to threads being turned into pissing matches and threads being closed will eventually find themselves banned from the politics or off-topic forums. These forums are not an integral part of the site, they are not the reason why any poster should be here, and I will feel no compunction to be as stringent about limiting moderation actions on there as I am with the rest of the site.

RPGPundit

KenHR · January 02, 2009, 10:26:29 AM

I have no problem with routine purges of off-topic/politics threads (even my frequent OT threads) as they aren't germane to the site, nor for taking action when acrimony in those fora spills over into the RPG sections.

But I vehemently oppose "pruning" threads of "distracting" talk for a huge variety of reasons. I'm glad you're not going to go that route, Pundit.

StormBringer · January 02, 2009, 10:32:34 AM

Quote from: KenHR;276884But I vehemently oppose "pruning" threads of "distracting" talk for a huge variety of reasons. I'm glad you're not going to go that route, Pundit.

Agreed.

CavScout · January 02, 2009, 01:01:15 PM

It's interesting that this thread has remained open with the new "rules". Granted the thread didn't "degenerate into name-calling" it simply started that way.

RPGPundit · January 02, 2009, 02:19:25 PM

The thread was about something, even if the way the original poster phrased it was very personal and antagonistic.

If the thread ceases to be about something, and devolves into pure name-calling, it'll be closed.

RPGPundit

Engine · January 16, 2009, 10:55:41 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;276798The question of editing out threads, and what parts "deserve" to be culled and which don't is a bit too complicated to bother with.

Most heartily agreed! I don't think any site with any pretensions toward freedom of speech ought to be delving into the editing of threads and posts.

Quote from: RPGPundit;276798More likely, what will be happening (as per the threads I've stickied in off-topic and politics) is that threads that degenerate into name-calling will the closed by mods, and of course people can start a new thread taking up the productive parts of the conversation.

That second bit is a relief. I'm thinking of the Israel thread, which got closed because of CavScout and Jackalope, but which contained a lot of otherwise interesting conversation. It's good to know that closed threads can be restarted, then, although this seems to me to work best in conjunction with...

Quote from: RPGPundit;276798Also, people who are routinely disruptive in off-topic or politics in the sense that their presence and posts lead to threads being turned into pissing matches and threads being closed will eventually find themselves banned from the politics or off-topic forums.

Please. Look, if it were up to me, there'd be no thread closing on account of pissing matches; if you don't like it, hit "Ignore." But it isn't up to me, so if there's to be thread closing, let's try to keep track of the people who are causing the trouble, and remove those people from the forums in which they're causing the problems. Otherwise, it feels too much like we're all being punished because of a few bad apples.

That said - as with my reinstatement to this forum, thank you sir - perhaps some sort of system by which there might be, say, warnings, or tempbans ["time to cool the fuck down," we call them], or at least the possibility that someone who changes their behavior to be non-disruptive could find their way back into the fold.

Obviously, I favor a freer system without such restrictions, but if there are to be restrictions, let's make them not onerous for the well-behaved, and make them very very clear to everyone involved.