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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

About this new Communications policy....

Discussion in 'Communications' started by Darth Dark Helmet, Dec 1, 2001.

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  1. Darth Dark Helmet

    Darth Dark Helmet Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 27, 1999
    I understand the reasoning behind it, but I think it may be too strict. I can see locking threads that turn on to chat threads, or turn into Preacherboy bash fests, that's all well and good. But I don't think that every thread should be locked immediatly after the question is answered. It doesn't give everyone a chance to chime in whther they have an opinion, or an answer, or want to ask a related question.

    To me, the biggest thing it does is takes away some of the fun that was always present in this forum. Which I always viewed as a positive for this place, this was a layed back area where you could get your questions answered and still have a little fun in the process. That's gone now. Now this place is like every other communications forum, just a dull, boring, come in and get out forum.

    If a topic strays totally off topic, yes, I can see the reasoning behind closing it. But there are a lot of topics that are closed after 6-7 posts.

    If this was something that was a rule passed down from the big-wigs, that not even you guys (the mods) had input in, fine. But I think it may have warranted a bit of discussion first.
     
  2. Wattowatta

    Wattowatta Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2000
    If you want to add a comment in, just PM a mod, and they'll be happy to unlock it.
     
  3. Saint_of_Killers

    Saint_of_Killers Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2001
    unless they disagree with your what you want to say.

    Wattowatta, do ever have any opinion of your own, or do you always just regurgitate official statements?

    I agree with DDH
     
  4. Wattowatta

    Wattowatta Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2000
    Look, I'm not too thrilled with the extremity of what's going on, but there's not a real bit of good I can do about it. Member's don't set board policy, the admins do.
     
  5. Liz Skywalker

    Liz Skywalker Ex-Mod star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 13, 2000
    I agree with DDH. (sign of the apocalypse)
     
  6. Wattowatta

    Wattowatta Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2000
    Try #EEE4E4, Liz.


    EDIT- There you go.
     
  7. DarthDarkDart

    DarthDarkDart Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 23, 2000
    I concur as well. This is stifling communication, not facilitating it. I think it would be a better policy if the admins left all threads open until 24 full hours after they thought the discussion was over. That way there will still be time for users to add their thoughts before the thread gets locked.
     
  8. Vertical

    Vertical Former Head Admin star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 1999
    The biggest problem I see with it is that it does not foster discussion at all. Often times, threads aren't simple Q&A format. They require discussion. And simply because a moderator answers it doesn't mean the moderator is any more correct than a regular member. After all, moderators *are* regular members, they just enforce rules. It doesn't mean they're granted extra wisdom or anything.

    If the thread *is* a simple question, then it will be answered quickly, and will likely sink, locked or no. If a thread turns into a spam fest, yes, locking it is totally understandable.

    I don't really like the idea of locking everything under the sun the instant any mod offers input. If we're not allowing public discussion, why have a public *forum* for this sort of stuff? Why not just remove this forum, and make it a policy to just PM a mod if you have a question or suggestion?

    It doesn't make any sense. Is this "communication" the way it's set up now?

    Vertical
     
  9. DarthDarkDart

    DarthDarkDart Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 23, 2000
    Thanks, Vert. That was exactly what I meant, but you wrote it out more eloquently. :)
     
  10. Valiowk

    Valiowk Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2000
    Thank you Vert.

    Firstly, it looks really depressing to lock a thread right after the question "has been answered" because it looks like a whole lot of threads were not really relevant, and doens't help us differentiate between threads which might have been useless and threads that actually were good.

    Secondly, some people might have a further opinion or something to say after the thread has been locked, so this really does not help in answering some questions.
     
    Jedi Knight Fett likes this.
  11. AlienAcid

    AlienAcid Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 27, 2000
    It stops all the internet drama that has been going on.
     
  12. PreacherBoy

    PreacherBoy Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1998
    On topic and relevant discussions are going to be allowed, but you must remember that those types of threads account for 2% of the true volume of threads here.

    I'm cleaning house, and I can see why that is bothering you. You feel like you have no control or power over the situation, but that is far from the truth. If a thread is closed, tell the Admin that locked it that you would like to discuss something, and we will open it, no questions asked. Once the discussion is over, and two users are using it for a make-out closet, then it will be locked.
     
  13. Liz Skywalker

    Liz Skywalker Ex-Mod star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 13, 2000
    ja, Vert, ja...this place is becoming boring...
     
  14. PreacherBoy

    PreacherBoy Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1998
    The thing is, Vertical and I are the only consistant [daily] Admins that take care of this forum. We are both very tired of the sheer amount of work that needs to be done in here, daily. By cutting down the amount of open threads, it will become a lot more inviting and not so intimidating for the other Admins. Does it matter if the discussion has turned into Make-out Peek, or if the "HOW DO YOU BECOME ADMIN_LIKE?" quesiton has been answered? No. To tell you the truth; I come in here, and see 400 open threads as 400 questions and discussions that I need to answer.
     
  15. PreacherBoy

    PreacherBoy Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1998
    S_o_K- I guarentee that you'll be out of here real quick if you continue to lash out at members that are honestly trying to help out, and doing a good, fair job at it.
     
  16. Valiowk

    Valiowk Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2000
    PB, there is a difference between typing out a response on the spot, and having to find ALL the threads that you want to give a proper reply/more information to and PMing an admin to unlock them. Furthermore, if you have to wait an entire day for them to be unlocked if there is no one online at the same time, it can get quite bothersome.
     
    Jedi Knight Fett likes this.
  17. Darth Dark Helmet

    Darth Dark Helmet Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 27, 1999
    I guess my main concerns lie along what Vert said. That topics that require a lot of discussion are closed before they are fully worked out. They are closed because one admin or another thinks the discussion is over. Yes, another admin can open it up, but the damage may have been done. It already looks like the admin who closed it (legitimate reasons or not) is trying to stifle discussion.
     
  18. PreacherBoy

    PreacherBoy Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1998
    Sorry, but until things change, this is the only way I am going to maintain this forum.

    If Vertical wants it a different way, he can work to get others motivated and dedicated to this forum himself.
     
  19. Rimkar

    Rimkar Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 23, 1999
    In one of your earlier posts you said that only topics strictly about forum policy would be left open. The definition of this forum, however, I believe is broader than that. This is the text next to the link to Comm.- "Your Questions, Comments, and Suggestions relating to the Jedi Council and theForce.net."

    I also think that topics are being closed at the drop of a hat, before all discussion/feedback/suggestion can be given and the thread is able to run its due course.
    Examples that I feel are relevant:
    Topic 1
    Topic 2
    Topic 3
    Topic 4
    Topic 5
    Topic 6
    Topic 7
    Topic 8

    Expanding on the "forum policy" requirement for threads now, why hasn't the Custom Icons Submission thread been closed yet? Does the formation of 50x50 pictures qualify as forum policy? No, but it's still a perfectly valid thread for the Communcations forum.
    Note: Don't close it just to prove a point. ;)

    A quote from you: "Any thread from the member of the Administration will not be locked"
    Does this not set a precedent of favoratism? Why should your threads be immune, and ours not? You have the Announcent board for that sort of thing. Should regular members not be able to help shape forum policy outside of what admins deem worthy for a thread?

    You warn against turning a thread into a social/chat thread and say that it will be closed, but in this example, I believe it's fair to say that you largely turned a thread with a serious topic into a chat thread which then had to be shut down.

    Yes, we have had more than a normal amount of "drama" threads lately, but they don't make up a majority or represent any great departure from the norm in Communications. So in short, I think that this has been an exaggerated response to a minimal problem.


     
  20. PreacherBoy

    PreacherBoy Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1998
    Topic 1 - Current discussion wasn't relevant to the thread. DDH then opened a new thread, which was completely acceptable.
    Topic 2 - Read my damn post. No brainer.
    Topic 3 - Right, doesn't even exist. ?[face_plain]
    Topic 4 - Pizza and I had a little talk about his trying to get his last word in or add something before threads were closed. I was not pleased with this.
    Topic 5 - Already dead. If you want to add to an already irrelevant discussion, create a relevant thread about it.
    Topic 6 - You call that a discussion?
    Topic 7 - Read my damn post. No brainer.
    Topic 8 - Read my damn post. No brainer.

    You could have found 1-2 threads that I probably shouldn't closed, but did because I went through something like 300 threads that night. Come on. That was a waste of my time to go through. I explained myself in the majority of those threads or my reasoning was obvious due to the new rules I put forth on that night.

    The Icon thread is an exception to the rule. It is in the relevant place and is serving a purpose to the JC community as a whole.

    Wierd Things took place a week before I came out and carried out my new policy. MAH GAWD! THE HIPPOCRATSEE!

    Rimkar, being that you are not responsible for dealing with hundreds if not thousands of active issues in Communications, you have no idea if this is a minimal problem or not. Don't presume that we all have time for this sort of thing in the first place.
     
  21. Humble extra

    Humble extra Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 12, 1999
    my reform topic was admittedly dead, thats why i didn't complain to pb about it......although i do think it was a rather open ended topic, and raised serious issues
     
  22. Pedro

    Pedro Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 1999

    Whatever happened to letting turds sink naturally?
     
  23. LostOnHoth

    LostOnHoth Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2000
    I agree with DDH and Vert.

    As PreacherBoy is actually moderating this forum I think there is probably some middle ground that will eventually have to be reached as to how the Comms forum is run.

    IMHO some threads are best left open even if they appear to be spent just for the convenience of having a thread open if you have an issue or a point to discuss later on or if an issue needs reviving.

    Seems like a waste of ime having to PM a mod to get the damn thing open again etc etc.

    After all,they're not doing any harm remaining open and it looks better than having 50 closed threads.

    Having a whole page of closed threads sends the wrong message to the uninitiated. It says: don't post here or attempt any form of communication or else you will be ridiculed and your thread closed.

    In other forums having a thread locked is usually a sign that the thread is either redundant or inappropriate. A lot of people visiting Comms for the first time will probably be daunted by all the locked threads and not even attempt to post something. That is not right.

    Anyway, I'm sure it will all work out fine.

     
  24. Darth Dark Helmet

    Darth Dark Helmet Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 27, 1999
    In other forums having a thread locked is usually a sign that the thread is either redundant or inappropriate. A lot of people visiting Comms for the first time will probably be daunted by all the locked threads and not even attempt to post something.

    An outstanding point, I didn't even think of that aspect of it.
     
  25. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    Threads that are redundant simple questions usually sink down by themselves, they don't have to be locked.

    I also think that this forum looks hostile with all the locked topics, if I was a membe going in here for the first time I would hardly dare to post a new topic, since it probably would get locked anyway.
     
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