A set of changes/proposals

DrWho, actually, post counts will not count in TNZ, the lounges or Misc. Possibly not QSF either. The number of posts requirements on posting in TNZ and thread starting... we are still trying to iron everything out. I do know there will be a post count requirement to get into TNZ. Most likely, new people will still be able to start threads in the Trek forums. In your absence, we also made a post count requirement for posting inline images after a couple of unfortunate troll infestations involving spamming porn. I don't like it myself, I don't like the requirements to get in TNZ, but the actions of some really unsavory individuals have made this pretty much necessary. The flood control, we have actually had for quite some time on people with fewer than 100 posts -- it just wasn't 3 minutes.

 

Actually the Lounges do have purpose. I think of them as a place to meet and get to know other Trek fans, something that can be hard to do in the other cluttered forums. Sure there are people who, spam in the lounges, but that could be lowered with Mods being a little more strict.

I am also curious as to what you hope to accomplish with posts not counting in Lounges, Misc, etc... Won’t people, who are still obsessed with rank, just spam in the other forums?

[This message has been edited by The Evil Trekkie (edited October 10, 2001).]

 

That's too bad. I rather like the post count concept even though it can cause problems. Having said that, I would have no problem with removing it all together, but not selectively as is now proposed. I guess TNZ isn't the only place I won't be posting anymore...

 

Oh, come on. You don't seriously mean you wouldn't see posting in TNZ as worthwhile if you weren't getting your postcount raised. Geez.

 

I post in Misc. because I'm tired of the flame wars in the VOY forum; I cannot open my mouth without some elitist loudmouth in there telling me how stupid I am for enjoying the show and that if I had any intelligence at all I would never be a fan.

Now you're telling me that my posts in Misc. won't count? I feel as if I'm being punished for posting in a forum that I enjoy. IMHO, punishing people who post in Misc. and TNZ (by not counting their posts in those forums) is micromanagement to the extreme; if there's a spamming problem, I fail to see why everyone must be penalized.

I fail to see the logic in creating forums and then discouraging people from using them (this will be the net effect of the proposed policy changes); where does this leave the people who don't particularly feel like talking about ST that day? I talk ST whenever I'm in the mood to do so; I resent people dictating to me what I should be talking about. I know this a STAR TREK forum -- OTOH, I don't feel like talking Trek every single day.

If you want to stop spammers, do away with the lounges altogether; either that or beef up law enforcement. No matter what you do, you're not going to stop spammers altogether; there will always be some sick individuals who get a thrill out of seeing how far they can go on the BBS.

When you create a BBS with multiple forums, you're dealing with real people and their personal preferences; IMHO, no one who follows the rules of this BBS should be penalized for preferring to post more in Misc. or TNZ as opposed to the ST forums.


[This message has been edited by LizFL (edited October 11, 2001).]

 

That is what I said, I believe. See, it's the principle of the thing. As I see it TNZ is being made into a second class citizen and, by association, Misc, etc, all because of a few trouble makers. Maybe if the fora weren't so popular none of this would have been tabled, which is rather ironic since the aim of the BBS is to be popular. Effectively you are punishing those people that have lost interest in the various Trek fora due to the repetitive and infantile nature of most of the threads found there, by applying rules selectively. It's bullshit and I won't stand for it!

 

Yeah, they (Misc, TNZ, QSF, maybe Announcements) are being made second class citizens. This is a Trek board, that's what it's here for. We also have a vibrant community in the social fora, but they're here as supplements to the Trek fora. But I don't think the proposal can be construed as punishment or as dictating to people what they should talk about. People still have all the same rights as before (except posters with fewer than 100 posts, but that's not the issue); there has been no punishment, merely an effort to get the board back on focus. If this were really an attempt to make people stop posting in the non-Trek fora, those fora would be removed. They will not be.

 

^ Hear, hear!!

I still say we should get rid of the lounges; that way, there would be one less incentive to spam.

Is that not the effect of the policy changes? You're telling people that unless they post in a ST forum as opposed to TNZ or Misc., their posts won't count; you're dictating to them what they should be talking about.

"On focus" ... since when has the board been OFF-focus?

We have thirteen -- count `em, THIRTEEN -- different ST boards. A person can talk Trek until they're blue in the face! There's no question where the "focus" of this BBS lies.

Forgive us for not being obedient little set-pieces.



[This message has been edited by LizFL (edited October 11, 2001).]

 

I'm all for removing ranks entirely too. Maybe it should be a test, to see how much spamming goes down without them.

 

Yeah well, if you want to blame someone, look to the man in charge! This BBS has been something of a joke for a long time now.

Dump ranks - who gives a monkeys anyway.

I would personally only like to see TNZ looked on from above but without direct moderation. Why can't mods just go in a close down the spam/porn/whatever.

If postcount is so much to people, keep it fully, that or dump it, what Christian is proposing is half-arsed. Having said that, it is by and large what this board needed.

 

Yu Wanker, I called the fora second-class citizens, not the posters.

LizFl, "obedient little set pieces"? WTF?
No one is trying to tell you what to post and what not to post. You're completely free to post anything you like. Your posts count as much as they ever did, as part of conversations in a community. Isn't that the important thing here?

 

I think you are incorrect on this matter. If you create a second class poster because of the forums they post in then your going to piss a lot of people off. Why should someone get more perceived benefit from this board because they post about kirks sex life, than someone who is discussing real life issues?

And don’t bother with the bullshit about it’s a star-trek board and that should be it’s focuses….

What bull shit, if that’s the case then close TNZ down. Ahhhh… that’s not going to happen is it… no matter what you say it is one of the most popular forums on this board, and closing it would be shooting yourselves in the foot. I have no intention of remaining here if I’m going to be treated like a second class citizen for posting mainly in TNZ. The same rules for all of us, that is the way it should be. Get rid of it every ware or not at all. This picking and choosing is just wrong.

Yes it’s a star-trek board, but not everyone is thinking about trek 24 hours a day, now this board is run by an individual who can make and change the rules as he sees fit, but in the end if there is no perception of fair play, then people will go to other places. If you start to discriminate between posters, then your just helping them pack there bags. You are penalizing legitimate posters, because of the trolls that have obviously not been dealt with vary effectively. This is not the way to do things. Just make your minds up, no post counts, or post counts for everyone.

Personally I would like to see them scraped all together. But why should we post here if your going to treat us as if we aren’t as important as the posters in other forum’s? That is what your doing, no matter how you try to justify it. basicly it’s a big fat fuck you to the people who post in these areas. Thanks but no thanks.

 

I propose that only Adminstrators are allowed to post in the Announcements forum.

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"There were brave men a plenty all well known to fame who served in the ranks of the Czar, bababa bababab bababa ba baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......"

 

susannah, perhaps you should listen to what people are saying rather than stubbornly towing the party line. It is obvious that many people feel strongly about this and no amount of pooh-poohing will make it go away - it will have the exact opposite effect.

 

I'm not toeing the party line, hon. I feel strongly about it as well. Is my opinion not allowed?

 

Is not the intended effect of the proposed new policy to discourage people from posting in the "non-Trek-related" forums? You yourself want to bring the boards back "on-focus".

From the looks of things, if Christian had his way, we would all be posting exclusively in the Trek-related forums. Yu Wanker is right; not everyone is thinking about Trek 24 hours a day.

For now ...

I'm talking about the effects of the proposed policy.

We're human beings; we're individuals with our own unique preferences. Each ST incarnation has its fans; each poster here has their own favorite forum(s) -- not all of which are Trek-related.

Whatever happened to IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations)?

Count all posts ... or don't count any of them. What I'm asking for is an end to this cherry-picking nonsense. If spamming is rampant, I see it as stemming more from lax moderation than from people simply posting in TNZ, Misc., etc. There are a lot of people who post in the "social forums" who follow the rules and don't cause trouble; you're penalizing THEM along with the spammers.

 

I can kind of see where you guys are coming from. I would like to see post count gotten rid of completely. Let's face it, at least half of my own posts were made in TNZ. Another huge chunk in Misc, and yet another fairly large portion in QSF. My post count would probably be around the rank of Captain if those forums didn't 'count'. I don't think I'd be particularly upset by it (as I think post count should be done away with altogether), but I can see why you guys are. Even people who don't really care all that much about rank like Dr Who.It *is* sort of unfair that posts comparing the relative merits of Seven of Nine's boobs vs. T'Pol's boobs get 'credit' while posts comparing the relative merits of rationalist epistemology vs. empericist epistemology do not. There is this vague notion that all posts in TNZ or Misc are worthless... and that really isn't the case. Otherwise, the majority of my own posts have been worthless.

I don't think anything is set in stone just yet. Keep in mind too, that the reason behind this isn't ONLY 'to focus on Trek' or the fact that 'this is a Trek board'. It is also to prevent spamming in the forums where spamming is a problem.

[This message has been edited by LizardLaugh (edited October 12, 2001).]

 

LizFL:

The effect of the new proposed policy is not, I repeat NOT, to discourage people from posting in the non-Trek related fora. Rather, it is to discourage rank-motivated spam, which is concentrated in the non-Trek related fora.

Well, I don't presume to speak for him (I like to avoid the wrath of Indi), but I'd be very surprised if that were an accurate representation of Christian's wishes, as he has always supported the social aspects of the board.

I think that was intended to sound ominous or something, yes? Well, I can tell you there are no intentions of imposing a fascist posting paradigm.

No one is trying to tell you to post where you don't want to. No one is trying to tell you not to post whatever it is you'd like to post. All that's going on is an attempt to emphasize again that this is a board primarily for Trek discussion.

I would fully support eliminating the rank system altogether. However, that's not going to happen, and this is the best we're going to get.

Well, I did say we're trying not to be fascist here. I do agree, though, that sometimes things go unwarned that deserve a reprimand. We'll work on that. However, I don't think that is what encourages spamming; it merely allows it to happen sometimes (which shouldn't happen).

I'm having a hard time seeing how anyone is being penalized. Please explain.