tonyw wrote:In my experience on multiple sites, there are always stupid threads like "rate the avatar of the person above you" etc etc
uhh, just ignore them, it;s simple ...
You made your point earlier tonyw, when you said:
tonyw wrote:
How many times do I have to say it- if the posts are stupid, boring, offensive or abusive just ignore them. They will soon stop.
How many more times do you need to say it (and especially in this thread, where it's about 3 or 4 now)? Yet only a few posts before you were saying that the discussion is over, yet you still feed it with pearlers like the above!
tonyw wrote:In my experience on multiple sites, there are always stupid threads like "rate the avatar of the person above you" etc etc
uhh, just ignore them, it;s simple ...
People do ignore them. I ignore them. However we're talking about when this sort of crap spills into other threads which are on a serious topic, and dragged off that topic (this thread is a prime example) - Can't ignore that.
All views expressed are strictly my own and do not represent my employer or anyone else.
I wouldn't normally get involved an a topic such as this, but I have to say, as someone who has been a member of this board (and the previous one) for quite some number of years now, the simple question that admin and mods need to ask themselves is - why is this board here?
For mine, the answer is also simple - for the informed and serious discussion of a whole host of transport areas and issues (though I'm intrigued to learn that there is now another board with restricted membership for this purpose!). This doesn't mean views can't be exchanged with some passion - in fact it is a very good forum through which to do so - it does mean that petulant behaviour and uninformed rants are unacceptable. This board shouldn't try to do too much or keep too many people happy.
There has always been the niggling presence of immature contributors (I still remember the character 'Rimes" from many years ago - prob still here by some other name I suppose), but whereas this used always to be actively and continually discouraged, it has now been given an avenue for expression through the games cupboard, etc. The idea that one can just ignore this sort of thing (not read the posts) is fine, but it has been very well established through this thread that such activities drag down the entire board because the crap that starts in those discussion areas permeates through many others threads.
I'm not saying that kids or under-18s shouldn't be allowed to contribute - to the contrary, this board can actually provide a wonderful forum through which younger members can learn and discuss transport should they choose to do so, but the standard of the board should be very clearly established upon joining, and even advertised through a sub heading on the board for example - that serious and considered discussion is what is appropriate.
I think that admins and mods do a very good job under the circumstances and personally have a great deal of respect for the amount of their own time they invest in attempting to maintain a level of respectability in a board that is falling under the influence of over-opinionated, under-informed clowns (regardless of age). But at the same time, lets get back to the basics - get rid of the Games Cupboard, get rid of the Lunch Room, clearly articulate the standard (serious and informed discussion). Its not a kiddies playground, and if people want to carry on with that sort of crap - do it on MSN of Facebook, or start some other discussion board.
This board is trying to do too much, and it amazes me that people are actually defending the appropriateness of the 'games room' on this board. It started as an attempt to try and moderate the behaviour of certain members (mainly younger members) by admins who were being extraordinarily generous and accommodating in doing so - it is now being talked about as if it has a legitimate place on this board. IT DOESN'T
Last edited by Silver Eagle on Thu Oct 22, 2009 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
tonyw wrote:In my experience on multiple sites, there are always stupid threads like "rate the avatar of the person above you" etc etc
uhh, just ignore them, it;s simple ...
Being the owner of a car enthusiast forum, not entirely unlike Bus Australia, its staggering the differences. My forum doesnt have anywhere near as many of those kinds of threads, but similarly, I dont get flooded with dozens of complaints from touchy do gooders everytime somebody says something slightly controversial. I tend to find the ones who start and participate in pointless threads like this are usually the first to complain the second someone else does something they dont like, which is ironic on so many different levels.
Another point to make, is that there have been a number of once-valued members of the ATDB community who have been driven away due to the kinds of things this thread is trying to highlight, including long time fleet list manager 'M.A.N._Lover', and former moderator of the Western Australia section 'PoweredByCNG' to name two of them.
Many other long standing or original members of this site are still here but only post a shadow's worth of what they used to.
These are people with lots of knowledge and stuff to contribute, being replaced by a generation of people who will bicker over the tiniest of things, and spam threads, abuse people, etc...
It's a shame, really.
All views expressed are strictly my own and do not represent my employer or anyone else.
Well, I hear what you say RB, and it is a shame that such posters have disappeared. As you know I am only six months here and enjoy the site as it is. I guess I would have enjoyed it even more a while ago ....
Clearly there is a case for both sides of the arguement.
I agree with Herbert. If you aren't on this forum to discuss transport then what are you doing here?After all it is the "AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT DISCUSSION BOARD". The Lunch Room does serve a useful purpose where members can post topics that aren't related transport discussions and that might be of interest to other members.The Games Cupboard seems to be where the problem lies.Alot of the threads in that forum would be better placed in other web sites.
Some of them are totally irrelevant to transport.Some examples include I am sitting here or what have you learnt today?
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Moderating the posts of the under 18s (including me) and new members sounds like a pretty good idea.
I guess it will stop the bad spelling and grammar polluting the boards (of which I am a serial offender).
Mubd, I can't say I've personally had any issue with your spelling... or your posts for that matter! You happen to fall into a minority of kids who post when there is something worthy to contribute, and kept brainfarts to a minimum, so I commend you for that. Shame others don't follow your example.
mubd wrote:Moderating the posts of the under 18s (including me) and new members sounds like a pretty good idea.
I guess it will stop the bad spelling and grammar polluting the boards (of which I am a serial offender).
There are other people over 18 that can't use correct grammar or spelling.
mubd wrote:Moderating the posts of the under 18s (including me) and new members sounds like a pretty good idea.
I guess it will stop the bad spelling and grammar polluting the boards (of which I am a serial offender).
You know, as a general rule i dont think anybody has an issue with an occasional spelling or grammatical error. As long as people can fairly easily figure out what you are trying to say its all good.
I think this thread directly relates to the posting of completly pointless, non sensical and stupidly immature posts from people who simply have nothing better to do with their lives than post whore on ATDB. Sometimes the old rule of "Saying nothing unless you have something to say" is handy to know.
Tim wrote:just get rid of the games cupboard already !!!
That is a ridiculous post. We need to retain the Games Cupboard for what some of you think are silly posts.
If you don't, the silly posts will come into other parts of the Forum.
OMG, it is so simple really.
As someone who has been here a number of years, I've found that the amount of "silly posts" in other sections of the forum has skyrocketed since The Games Cupboard was opened.
All views expressed are strictly my own and do not represent my employer or anyone else.
Agreed. And please....even silly posts need to have a point of some kind. And thats where some posts lately have fallen short. There still needs to be a point to it all.
, but it is good to see so many users passionate about keeping the board a good place to be.
You having started this very thread, I find it slightly amusing and frustrating that you would choose to make such a post!
