Policing this forum

Pie is an old internet stand-in for

"I think this thread has outlived its usefulness"

You'll see it on other boards too.

Unfortunately different people have different opinions on whats still a useful discussion.

Hmmm ..

Now what does that say for Pie and Cheesecake threads? Are some of those intending to say the entire FORUM has outlived its usefulness?

It is this stated concern that has led me to the conclusion the best thing to do is to reopen the General and the Off-topic forums.

Thus sorting out the threads based on content.

I personally don't have a problem with anything that is being discussed, But obviously if its a disorganized, chaotic mess, some questions won't get answered.

Maybe the answer is to pick another forum down the list for general discussion

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Maybe current version feedback


This one is kind of the default though, because it occupies physically the nearly the same location on the forums main page that the General Forum did.

Just because a thread has posts in it doesn't mean anyone actually addressed the op's question ("pie" posts), or that the answers didn't create more questions that were lost in the subsequent off-topic banter (or on-topic debating for that matter).

The only threads that seem to be getting closed are threads that don't fit in with the actual purpose of RA, so either whoever is reporting threads only takes issue with those kinds of threads, or the resmod is levelheaded enough to only close those threads that actually are off-topic so there's no "policing" beyond a very rare "slap on the wrist".

The only good reasons I can think of to AR a thread are if it contains outright libel or RL threats, because they may have legal or even criminal implications, or if it could bring SL into disrepute, like say a vicious neo-Nazi poster. Other sorts of (clear) TOS violations? Well, I'll listen to arguments about specific situations but I'm dubious.

I mean, we are all adults here, despite considerable evidence to the contrary in certain cases. The OP is absolutely right: We can all skip past threads we don't care for, and find the ignore button when we need to, and deal with criticism or bad manners when we need to in our own way (even those who whine about it).

Getting your nose out of joint because you don't like what someone said is not a good reason for silencing them; it is at most a reason for hitting the ignore button.

The light moderation we've been seeing can be useful; censorship is not. Especially not self-appointed censors more interested in grinding axes than in reasoned discussion.

Love ya, Love.

Yeah, it's all very strange because it seemed mention of "pie" had been waning, in favor of other random absurdity. Then suddenly, a veritable onslaught of pie-hurling, which all seemed like a weirdly out-of-the-loop attempt at ridicule, gone horribly wrong.

To the larger topic: I think I've AR'd a total of one thread ever, but still it's a bit optimistic to expect no threads to ever need ARs. It's been pretty tame, and the potential penalties for forum griefing certainly discourage serious misbehavior, but someday a "necessary enforcement opportunity" will surely present itself.

I would like to point out that it was ONE poster last night who was infringing on even serious threads with the word pie. I don't think it is fair to blame everyone for one disgruntled pie hater.

Impossible. To try and encourage the few here to stop doing this is to keep them from their dreams and fantasies of being forum moderators.

It's the Stockholm Syndrome! People start identifying with their oppressors!

(Just kidding.)

coco

Ignoring the occasional off-topic thread here and there is not difficult. The problem is that if everyone ignores it, then these one or two threads grow into dozens and eventually the forum will be 99% garbage and essentially useless.

The forums are topical for a reason. It lets people discuss specific topics. People know where to go to ask questions. People know where to go to help others who may have questions. It works out for everyone who cares about whatever the topic is.

This is Resident Answers, the place for residents to come to ask other residents questions about Second Life (assuming it’s not something covered in the even more specialized forums). If you have a thought on religion, guns, abortion, politics, or even just something silly, etc… then fine, post it! … just somewhere else where somebody might actually care.

--Hugsy

This is why I think it was a mistake to shut down the General and Off-Topic forums.

QFT

The poster last night clearly had an ax to grind and lacked the guts to come out and say what he really thought.

I'll sign up to be the police of this forum, as long as I get to frisk the men!

It seems to me the poster from last night accomplished exactly what s/he set out to do based on the threads and posts of today.

"Don't Stand, Don't Stand, Don't Stand so close to me...."

I don't even know what to think when I see this issue pop up. I like these forums, but I know I'm one of the guilty parties.

I see posters gripe in one thread about off-topic posting, but then post a news story that has nothing to do with SL in another. It's not ok for forum regulars to discuss off topic subjects, but it's perfectly fine for people who perceive themselves to be "outsiders" to do it because they're in the oppressed minority? How does that not reek of hypocrisy? Complain about how the regulars attack you, without being able to provide a single concrete example of an attack, but then attack the forum regulars repeatedly, and usually without provocation. Nice little scam you have worked out there.

So, I feel like I can't post. I'm not an old-timer like a lot of the people here. I'm not a scripting genius or a land baron or an accomplished builder. I'm just a guy who really loves SL and really loves the friends he's made here and in-world. But I see people post that people like me are the reason they are going to other forums. That says to me that I'm unwelcome on other forums because people there were driven there by the likes of me. So what am I to do at this point? I can't post here because nobody wants my off-topic stuff and I'm not perceived as being smart enough to help in any meaningful way, and I can't post elsewhere because people there are there because they don't like me.

I give up. Seriously. What a bunch of crap. Sorry if I've offended anyone or pissed anyone off with this post or other stuff in the past.

Wouldn't dream of it!

Glad I wasn't around last night, I guess.

Personally, I can't see the difference between people who post requesting that pie threads be stopped, and someone who posts requesting that they shut up (aka this thread), but that's just me. Both parties are voicing complaints about others' posting styles, and they are totally entitled to do so. I complain sometimes too But to expect any behavior to actually change as a result of complaining is a bit quixotic.

I try to reserve forum ARs for things like death threats, but the button is there and people will use it. Sometimes people just use it when they're irritated, and to expect folks to behave moderately when they are REALLY irritated is unrealistic. Again, we all have a right to complain but to expect behavior to actually change ...
.

I AR rarely. Yes, it is LL's house... but if I was at someone's house and saw someone defecate on the couch, I would tell the homeowner, too.

aren't *you* policing it when you explain why it shouldn't be policed? hmmmmmmm

Why don't we just start a General Discussion or Off-Topic thread? Let it go to a certain number of posts and then start part 2, etc...

That's already been covered in this thread.

while not a bad idea,

I kinda wonder how many people would bother to follow it.

It definitely would limit the "threads getting pushed to the bottom" problem if they were followed.

To me that's a fallacious argument. It's accusing someone who's trying to stop censorship of censoring the censors. But if you disagree, I respect that.

Anyone who likes to follow that kind of banter would keep up on it, I would think. Everyone else can just bypass it.

Some just enjoy making people feel guilty. They like accusing others, adore being perceived as outsiders and wish everything ran the way _they_ wanted. They make no room for other people's humour/beliefs/ways of behaving, yet accuse everyone of not letting them in to the 'group'. They don't want to be 'in' the group, yet can't stand knowing others are enjoying themselves. Miserable energy suckers.

Unless you go out of your way to be an ass to others, there's room for everyone. Scrolling or by-passing a thread is just too easy to make a big deal about it. Except for me - stupid scroll ball is completely useless... Mighty Mouse indeed.

edit: Quoted you because I don't think you are 'one of the guilty parties', not because I disagreed.