Suggestion for the fora.

[Molikroth]

Whenever a thread occurs that some people think is going to suck for whatever reason, why do those people insist on posting things like "this is gonna get locked" or "this has no discussion value"? Since these things are usually true, isn't it a better idea to just not post and let it die on its own?

Basically my suggestion is don't post in threads that offend or annoy you. At worst report them.

Something I noticed though, these whining people are all long-term members and/or people with multiple thousand posts. Since they already have the larger badges I really can't see what the appeal is in posting their inane objections - though I don't see much appeal in badge-whoring either.

In before "hurr no discussion value"/"gonna get locked". Nilcypher, if you're still around, please lock this sharpish. Despite how obvious and lame it'll be, I'm betting there will be several of those posts from people who think they're funny.

 

[ThaBenMan]

This has no discussion value. This is gonna get locked.

Seriously, though, just by making this thread, you're pretty much doing the thing that you're complaining about.

 

[Cousin_IT]

See that little number under your forum title? To some people it means something Consequently any excuse to +1 is taken with gusto regardless of content.

 

[Molikroth]

Further question, then, Cousin_IT: why haven't these people been banned?

 

[Cousin_IT]

because, while irrelavent to their posting purposes, they also tend to have a point :-D

 

[Lt. Sera]

If no one points out that a topic is inane, how does the poster ever get to know why his/her topic failed? I think it's right to let people know they messed up somehow, but not be an ass about it. Explain what the fault is, then report for a lock, if someone already pointed it out, just report it for good measure.

 

[jim_doki]

as one of the head people you're talking about here, we do it not because we think its funny, we do it because it's important so show that it's bad to post things here that are indiscussable, or blatently against the recommended guidelines. A lot of the time we dont hold any specific grudges against the poster. We too, more often than not, grab mod attention for it. We dont hate YOU, we hate lack of discussion

 

[CIA]

Since they already have the larger badges I really can't see what the appeal is in posting their inane objections

"Please think before raising objections Mr. Wight, I'm afraid I'll have to penalize you"
-Judge

 

[Molikroth]

Sera makes a good point. However as a mod in some forums and poster in others I generally like to report the thread to a moderator who will then lock it, explaining why (or do it myself if I have moderator privileges) in the thread or via PM (or if necessary, in the "reason for warning/ban" secion) rather than just posting for post count.

Here the mods are more faceless authority figures than actual posters, which is fine, but wouldn't it be a good idea for them to explain why a topic is being locked as opposed to posters who don't know for certain? Look at the current "Porn" thread for example - people whined about it but there's been no reason to lock so far. Like Cousin_IT said, despite having the shiny badges some people seem to equate post count with self-worth and/or intelligence.

New suggestion, delete all posts like "gonna get locked" and so on. Or, just ban those who post them.

 

[Riicek]

This thread is like one enormous Catch-22.

Oh yeah, and this thread has no discussion value, and it's gonna get locked.

 

[Spartan Bannana]

yes, we do say something is being locked, but we also say why for the betterment of the OP, it helps them understand what they did wrong, and it keeps messages out of Nil's inbox saying:
"Wyh meh tread geht lockxorz?"

 

[Molikroth]

My complaint is largely against the posts that don't explain anything at all - like I said, look at the current "Porn" thread.

 

[wilsonscrazybed]

Hey guys, the OP is largely correct. Saying "IBTL" or "This thread is gonna get locked." really dilutes our ability to moderate effectively. We've been handing out probations to the long term members of the community that have been participating in this behaviour already.

If you see someone posting this way let us know, either through reports or direct PMs. We'll take care of it.

 

[Molikroth]

Awesome news, Wilson. I'll start reporting it when I see it.

Nice to know the mods here have some common sense. Last forum I modded, the admin was a drunk and the rest of the active mods (me and one other) were rendered impotent because of his shoddily-worded rules meaning anyone could protest a decision and be in the right, meaning everyone could and did do what they liked and spend hours or days trolling about it when we did something.

I mention this because there was a very similar situation there, instead of reporting posts people pointed out problems in the thread itself, spamming up the "view new posts" page and rendering the posts exercises in pointlessness - since we'd click "view new threads" to see offending posts anyways pointing out problems publicly does nothing to help, wheras reporting them means we see them upon logging in.

 

[Lord Krunk]

This has no discussion value. This is gonna get locked.

I see what you did there.

I would like to state that, at one given point, I did cop a bit of abuse from Knight Templar on creating a thread that had already been created (albeit badly worded).

Anyway, I do tend to mention whether a thread will get locked or not, but i explain why.

Oh, and 'Spambot Crush! [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/362.76029.888987]' doesn't count.

 

[Spartan Bannana]

My complaint is largely against the posts that don't explain anything at all

Oh, so that's how I've been avoiding probation...