Should they just go ahead and open the General Forum back up?

All right this is pretty straightforward.

Resident Answers has been the de-facto General Discussion Forum for a while now. But with the ease in moderation we are getting a lot more General SL Discussion and even Non SL discussion threads springing up like weeds.

The idea of clamping down on what SL Residents want to talk about really is very un-Tao like at its core.

But a legitimate complaint by many is some Residents Questions are getting lost in the shuffle.

So why not just open/re-open the General Discussion forum so that those threads that are obscuring the landscape can live in the proper pasture?

At this point in moderation all the fears about having a General Discussion forum have *already* been realized, so I can see *NO* downside to just admitting reality.

yes

I can't see a valid reason not to. The nonsense used to close it originally won't work with me. It wasn't that bad.

I wish they would. You all know I enjoy the fun, but I also like answering questions and I'm having more and more trouble actually FINDING them as time goes by.

It would get me out of people's hair. Open up GD and I'd never have to post in RA again.

they should just make it Off topic so we can really get crazy heheheheheeh

I'd personally be in favor of them opening both the General SL discussion and the Off Topic Forums back up.

as a sacrifice they can have the "Townhall feedback" forum which is totally useless.

hahaha so true

I wasn't around when the original GD was open, but in any forum I've ever belonged to there is always a forum for GD or Off topic and I feel those are very important! So what do we have to do to get this reopened? Sign a petition? Count me in, perhaps it will lighten the load and mood in RA.

Would there be Wannabe Moderators who would complain there were too many "On Topic" threads or posts. *blows whistle* "Hey You! Yes you with the mismatched penis. You gave a helpful answer to a question. We don't approve of that here. Out of the pool, now!"

Of course there would. Anyone who doesn't think so is crazy.

I voted absolutely, positively, without hesitation YES!

I wasn't around when the old forums were shut down so I can't say whether they were valid or not. (I think it'd have to be pretty damned severe to justify) It's been some time now, and I wish they'd just give it another try and reopen them.

I figure General Discussion would probably be like Resident Answers is now .. but without 3/4 of the Resident answer type threads.

Those would be in Resident Answers where they would be answered with pretty amazing rapidity.

I've read the archived threads. They aren't that bad, if you ask me, about the same as here. I think this group has more humor, maybe since most of us are relative newcomers we don't take SL, or our place in it as seriously. Thing is, it will cost LL nothing to try it, and it could gain them a lot.

As I wrote in my blog a couple of months ago:

If I ruled the forum I'd make a stream of consciousness or tickertape forum that would have just one page. Anyone could post anything there, but once it scrolled off the page it would be gone forever. Resident Answers would be kept for resident answers, and if someone posted drivel there they would be confined to the stream of consciousness forum forever after.

The best thing about a stream of consciousness forum is that people would get to vent their feeling but then there would be an auto-flushing action

New! Stream of Consciousness Forum with Modern, Hygienic Auto-Flush Action!

it will just never happen..we have to realize that we are only wishing for a better life in here and *face in palms crying* it will just never happen!!!!!!!NEVER!! ohhh god help us alll!!!!

I also voted yes. Any forum I have ever belonged to had a general discussion or off-topic section for us to post in so the important threads didn't get derailed. It kinda suprised me when I first came to these forums that there was no general discussion section given the wide dynamic of people in the virtual world we all congregate in.

I have always found it weird that the website for a online socialization virtual world doesn't have a general discussion forum.

Also that the website for a game run by people from a very liberal area, witha very liberal internal management style tried to take such a draconian approach to limiting discussion - but still they didn't really want to limit discussion as we can see by the history of Resident Answers.

So the whole thing is a bit of a paradox.

Wow I just finished a little rant over on Rha’s poll and now this. Must be Friday.
Hell yes bring back GD and lets have Off Topic and Topic Specific and Thread Games too.
RA should be a place where anyone can feel free to ask a question with out fear of being whacked or attacked with a “I gotcha” or a “you must really be doing something wrong to have that problem…giggle giggle….oooh I bought shoes….giggle giggle”!!!

The truth is, they are trying to get us to give up our recipes for pie...

or "Your Computer Sucks. Buy a new one".

Awwww don't go saying bad stuff about shoes.......

Absolutely,, YES

It may also have been that the population numbers were much smaller in the old days. People were hard core and took it very seriously and personally. That I imagine led to some bitter arguments. I haven't had the patience to read the archives so I can only base this on what others have said.

I agree that reopening them can only be a positive move. If it doesn't work then close it all down for good, but no reason not to give it a shot.

Oh.... you done it now... you said bad things about shoes. Incoming lynch mob!

runs….errrm….time for dinner

i vote yes.

i would love to be able to get help, and give help when i can, in a real RA forum.

but i would also love to be able to be a major goofball and dorkus in a GD that was in the same website, and not care if it was all about pies or sex or real RA issues that could be presented in BOTH forum settings.