Unnecessary Posts

[DaddyHoggy]

Do we really need post counters? Aren't people mature enough to let the weight of their opinions rest of the legitimacy of their well-articulated arguments and personal expertise rather than try to point to a number of posts on a message board?

If David Braben and Ian Bell showed up we'd listen, and their post counts would be very low, yes?

At least one of those is already a member of the board, but has never posted.

[DaddyHoggy]

And for me the other thing to remember is that the posts here are just text, devoid of the more physical communication clues that can put over context or more subtle meaning. A post that one person makes which they understand as being ironic or tongue-in-cheek or lighthearted can seem to others as being offensive, aggressive or combative. And that's even before the consideration that many people here speak English as their second (or even higher) tongue.

We seem to have had several examples of that lately which is at times making this place far from "the friendliest board this side of Riedquat". And the general result of such post "misinterpretations" is usually "why am I bothering?" or "I don't want to have anything to do with this" which is not exactly ideal for a non-profit and collaborative contributor-supported project.

So for my 0.2cr I would urge people to think a little before they post as to how their words may be interpreted by others reading them (either their intended target or the general board population) and that in moderation here a somewhat more active stance is taken against people who post in that kind of style. From my own moderating experience elsewhere a quiet word early on can usually prevent the need for a heavy-hand or a post-explosion clean-up later on.

It's a good point Thargoid - very sensible.

Even I have been sucked into a "you did nothing" argument on the board - the first time in almost 6 years I've ever felt uncomfortable and had to chose my words very carefully to extract myself to my own satisfaction.

I guess as Oolite becomes more popular (which is what we want) and it attracts more members on the board (which is what we want - I think) there will be many personality types outside the original core of enthusiasts that came here originally.

My only suggestions to the board as a whole is - if you don't like a thread, don't post, even to say you don't like it.

If it's obvious the thread is a post count generating show, then once it's obvious then the thread will be locked and it will sink without a trace.

Technically I'm only a Spam Assassin, so it's down to the "real" Moderators to do the "quiet words" (this is not shoulder sloping, I'm just aware of my diplomatic limitations), however, there have been a few occasions where the temptation to lock a thread has been there...

Members come and go, there was a particularly annoying 13 year old whose name I've deleted from my memory, who joined and posted in a blaze of glory but after a few hundred posts faded away. Attention seekers do not survive in a vacuum.

I'm very happy to see new members, I'm very happy to see them post and contribute to the Forum. Of course what the Board en masse decide is acceptable contribution is a moving feast and the BB only decides what's unacceptable posting/behaviour once such a posting is made or behavioural trait is displayed.

I'm fairly certain, things, one way or another, will settle back down. After all, of out 2300+ members, I reckon less than one hundred consistently post every day (RL(tm) notwithstanding) and probably less than 500 even post once a week.

[drew]

Whilst I don't want the board crammed with irrelevancy, I prefer to see the recent influx of new folks as bringing a bit of fresh air in here. Lots of new enthusiasm and some genuinely good ideas, not to mention more fan-fic, Yes, it's all a bit rough around the edges for a while, but it will settle down as folks acclimatise.

Otherwise it's all familiar faces/names, and worthy as we all are, the conversations, jokes and discussions get awfully predictable. I'm heartened to see younger folks finding their way into the whole Elite/Oolite mythos. The board needs to continue to adapt and evolve.

Let's not throw the trumble out with the escape pod. Change is inevitable. (Except from a vending machine.)

Cheers,

Drew.

ps. You younglings sit down at the back and shut up! You're to be seen and not heard. Got that? <Grumble, tut, strokes beard, mutter, dribble, wipes chin, tsk tsk.>

[Rxke]

...annoying 13 year old....

Before anyone is offended by this, we all know very well age has nothing to do with 'annoyiness' But now we know who DH meant without calling names!

(I'm a 41 yrs old geezer)

[Rxke]

Whilst I don't want the board crammed with irrelevancy, I prefer to see the recent influx of new folks as bringing a bit of fresh air in here. Lots of new enthusiasm and some genuinely good ideas, not to mention more fan-fic, Yes, it's all a bit rough around the edges for a while, but it will settle down as folks acclimatise.

Now, where's that +1 Google button?

[DaddyHoggy]

...annoying 13 year old....

Before anyone is offended by this, we all know very well age has nothing to do with 'annoyiness' But now we know who DH meant without calling names!

(I'm a 41 yrs old geezer)

Erm, yes, absolutely, I just remember he said he was 13, (he just happened to be very annoying), I have a 13 year old nephew who's not annoying at all, so definitely not tarring the "yoof" with the same brush...

Thanks Rxke.

[Wildeblood]

And I think it is time to warn those users that this board is not a kids' playground.

I agree with Okti 100%. There is, however, a practical problem: who are "those users"? If I were running this board, there are three users who would immediately be warned about their posting style. Now think of the three most annoying people on this board. I guarantee you are not thinking of the same three I am thinking of. (Possibly one out of three. )

[Mauiby de Fug]

And for me the other thing to remember is that the posts here are just text, devoid of the more physical communication clues that can put over context or more subtle meaning. A post that one person makes which they understand as being ironic or tongue-in-cheek or lighthearted can seem to others as being offensive, aggressive or combative. And that's even before the consideration that many people here speak English as their second (or even higher) tongue.

That's true enough. Despite being 21, and therefore supposedly of the age that is used to such things, I never use emoticons. And occasionally I notice that something I type doesn't come off the way I intended and have to rewrite it. So I can see that sometimes things like that can help to convey meaning beyond the text. It's a matter of being more aware of how things come across.

Whilst I don't want the board crammed with irrelevancy, I prefer to see the recent influx of new folks as bringing a bit of fresh air in here. Lots of new enthusiasm and some genuinely good ideas, not to mention more fan-fic, Yes, it's all a bit rough around the edges for a while, but it will settle down as folks acclimatise.

Otherwise it's all familiar faces/names, and worthy as we all are, the conversations, jokes and discussions get awfully predictable. I'm heartened to see younger folks finding their way into the whole Elite/Oolite mythos. The board needs to continue to adapt and evolve.

Let's not throw the trumble out with the escape pod. Change is inevitable. (Except from a vending machine.)

This.

If I were running this board, there are three users who would immediately be warned about their posting style. Now think of the three most annoying people on this board. I guarantee they are not the same three I'm thinking of. (We'd possibly agree on one out of three. )

Undoubtedly. Different people are annoyed and concerned by different things.

[drew]

Whilst I don't want the board crammed with irrelevancy, I prefer to see the recent influx of new folks as bringing a bit of fresh air in here. Lots of new enthusiasm and some genuinely good ideas, not to mention more fan-fic, Yes, it's all a bit rough around the edges for a while, but it will settle down as folks acclimatise.

Otherwise it's all familiar faces/names, and worthy as we all are, the conversations, jokes and discussions get awfully predictable. I'm heartened to see younger folks finding their way into the whole Elite/Oolite mythos. The board needs to continue to adapt and evolve.

Let's not throw the trumble out with the escape pod. Change is inevitable. (Except from a vending machine.)

This.

I'm afraid my powers of loquacious are insufficient to decode the meaning behind this single word. Can you elucidate, per chance?

Cheers,

Drew.

[DaddyHoggy]

Whilst I don't want the board crammed with irrelevancy, I prefer to see the recent influx of new folks as bringing a bit of fresh air in here. Lots of new enthusiasm and some genuinely good ideas, not to mention more fan-fic, Yes, it's all a bit rough around the edges for a while, but it will settle down as folks acclimatise.

Otherwise it's all familiar faces/names, and worthy as we all are, the conversations, jokes and discussions get awfully predictable. I'm heartened to see younger folks finding their way into the whole Elite/Oolite mythos. The board needs to continue to adapt and evolve.

Let's not throw the trumble out with the escape pod. Change is inevitable. (Except from a vending machine.)

This.

I'm afraid my powers of loquacious are insufficient to decode the meaning behind this single word. Can you elucidate, per chance?

Cheers,

Drew.

I think "this" in this context was short-hand for "Dear Sir, I whole-heartedly concur with absolutely every single syllable you have deemed relevant to submit to the electronic medium of your Forum posting."

[JensAyton]

I think "this" in this context was short-hand for "Dear Sir, I whole-heartedly concur with absolutely every single syllable you have deemed relevant to submit to the electronic medium of your Forum posting."

+1

[Mauiby de Fug]

I think "this" in this context was short-hand for "Dear Sir, I whole-heartedly concur with absolutely every single syllable you have deemed relevant to submit to the electronic medium of your Forum posting."

+1

This. To both of you!

Basically, Drew, you said exactly what I wanted to say, in a far better manner and far more clearly than I did. DaddyHoggy's expansion was indeed correct.

The use of "This" is fairly common amongst both my friends at university, and their friends too. The majority of whom are far more internet-savvy than myself. I maybe erroneously assumed that everybody would be familiar with it. Presumably I also assumed that all those who aren't familiar with it possess the power of telepathy and would be able to deduce my meaning. Oops...

[drew]

I consider myself educated in internet parlance...

And thank you for your kind words.

Cheers,

Drew.

[Okti]

Thanks to all, expressed their views on this subject.

But I still see a lot of off topic posts made or posts made in the wrong threads.

Oolite Bulletins Index page is very clear about the main threads and must be read by anyone posting a new topic. I have seen many posts made in the wrong threads.

I would only suggest any inquires about OXP's if it is not specific to an OXP to be under discussions and any concepts for an OXP to be under Suggestions. And please do not post any forehand ideas before you have actually tested an OXP released Under Expansion packs.

I know that it may a bit patronizing, but I believe the moderators of the board will not need to move topics any further.

Cheers

[DaddyHoggy]

...annoying 13 year old....

Before anyone is offended by this, we all know very well age has nothing to do with 'annoyiness' But now we know who DH meant without calling names!

(I'm a 41 yrs old geezer)

Erm, yes, absolutely, I just remember he said he was 13, (he just happened to be very annoying), I have a 13 year old nephew who's not annoying at all, so definitely not tarring the "yoof" with the same brush...

Thanks Rxke.

FSOneblin - the name suddenly comes to me...

(He got better, but still had his moments - but then again - don't we all?)