New Forum Experiment

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I have been thinking about something like this for a long time. The election has brought it into sharp relief.

I created two groups:

"I prefer not to play" is an open group, anyone can join it, and it will not allow you to see General Discussion, the election forum, the Firearms in the News or the Well Regulated forum. This is for folks who want to take a break from the more combative forums and concentrate on the information sharing (I may make another group for just membership related folks). Several of you over the years have self banned or otherwise decided not to play, only to return because of the good, relatively apolitical discussion in the technical forums, so, if you can't control yourselves but hate to leave, this could be a way to have your cake.

To join this group and find some peace, click on the User Control Panel, select usergroups once in the control panel, select "I prefer not to play" from the list, scroll down and click "join selected"

You can leave the group at anytime and have access to the full forum again.

"I cannot play nice" has the same features, except its punitive. If you find yourself in this group its because we didn't want to ban you outright. You probably have a couple warnings formal or otherwise, and for some reason we want to keep you around hoping you can play nice eventually.

The names were just what I was thinking at the time. I am open to suggestions. This may be a terrible idea, it may be the most brilliant thing I have ever conceived. I am prepared for either result.

I have seen the punitive version work well on another forum, its a little like being grounded I guess but less severe than throwing you out of the house.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Marlene wrote:This is a really good idea.

One thought is that this makes it much more important for mods to move gun threads out of general discussion to their proper locations, which is a kind of organizational policing we have never prioritized.

It won't be perfect and its a work in progress.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Inquisitor wrote:
Queen wrote:
HuckleberryFun wrote:What an excellent idea! I may well make use of it, myself, to "take a break" once in a while. I'd give it a thumbs-up "like" if phpbb had "likes". :)
If it had been available in 2012, would have stuck around. :tongue:
I am a little slow on the uptake.
Your longevity in this environment says much about you. Bet you've got some cool zen thing going on.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Queen wrote:
Inquisitor wrote:
Queen wrote:
HuckleberryFun wrote:What an excellent idea! I may well make use of it, myself, to "take a break" once in a while. I'd give it a thumbs-up "like" if phpbb had "likes". :)
If it had been available in 2012, would have stuck around. :tongue:
I am a little slow on the uptake.
Your longevity in this environment says much about you. Bet you've got some cool zen thing going on.
Chardonnay.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Marlene wrote:This is a really good idea.

One thought is that this makes it much more important for mods to move gun threads out of general discussion to their proper locations, which is a kind of organizational policing we have never prioritized.
This. Finding firearms in the news, and other threads in the general is confusing and I wouldn't mind seeing some moved to their right locations. But, primary responsibility for locating a post is on the OP.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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sikacz wrote:
Marlene wrote:This is a really good idea.

One thought is that this makes it much more important for mods to move gun threads out of general discussion to their proper locations, which is a kind of organizational policing we have never prioritized.
This. Finding firearms in the news, and other threads in the general is confusing and I wouldn't mind seeing some moved to their right locations. But, primary responsibility for locating a post is on the OP.
We shall endeavor to take due care.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Question regarding "I prefer not to play":
Is this an all or nothing proposal? Can I decide I want to view the General but not the Well Regulated forum for example?

General forums are normally well liked for their ability to let people talk about non-firearms related topics; a place to unwind and learn more about members other interests. I would personally hate to have to choose.

One idea that would make the general forum more friendly. How about a new separate Civil Rights forum to be included in the Prefer Not to Play in lieu of the General forum? Besides Politics, the biggest point of contention on this forum seems to be the various topics of Civil Rights (ie police shootings). I think that would take away the overwhelming majority of the arguments on the General forum.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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curtism1234 wrote:Question regarding "I prefer not to play":
Is this an all or nothing proposal? Can I decide I want to view the General but not the Well Regulated forum for example?

General forums are normally well liked for their ability to let people talk about non-firearms related topics; a place to unwind and learn more about members other interests. I would personally hate to have to choose.

One idea that would make the general forum more friendly. How about a new separate Civil Rights forum to be included in the Prefer Not to Play in lieu of the General forum? Besides Politics, the biggest point of contention on this forum seems to be the various topics of Civil Rights (ie police shootings). I think that would take away the overwhelming majority of the arguments on the General forum.
All or nothing. At some point you have to take responsibility for your own viewing habits. GenDisc tends to be where the trolls land first as well.

I'll consider the civil rights angle, you may be on to something.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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wanzer777 wrote:Instead of a list fur people that don't want to be bothered how about a select forum that's unmoderated to a degree that people have to request access to? The mods could choose who can go in and then heavily police the other forums
"Heavily police" as in Broken Windows zero tolerance forum moderating?
That's profiling!
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New Forum Experiment

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wanzer777 wrote:Instead of a list fur people that don't want to be bothered how about a select forum that's unmoderated to a degree that people have to request access to? The mods could choose who can go in and then heavily police the other forums
We will it this way. Less work for me.

I am uninterested in this place being any LESS moderated.

Re: New Forum Experiment

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Inquisitor wrote:If someone wants to test it :)
I would be glad to, but for the issue I have raised.

The current first page of General Discussion includes 15 of 38 non-stickied threads that should be categorized elsewhere. Meanwhile, I don't even have to look to know that neither handguns, rifles, nor reloading has fifteen threads that have been active in the past week.

I really think the notion of what you're proposing here is excellent, but as the board currently exists, the filter doesn't do what it is meant to, by a big margin.
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