Author Topic: Is It Worth It? (Read 17267 times)

Lizard Dude · « **on:** February 03, 2009, 08:22:05 PM »

As seen in recent events, preventing new members from creating threads can cause just as much annoyance as freedom in posting. I've always thought the restriction caused more trouble than it tried to prevent and, additionally, stifles forum growth. If someone comes to a Mario forum with something interesting to share about Mario, why should they be forced to jump through hoops to do it? They're either going to A) disrupt unrelated threads to ask/complain about it or B) just not bother to share with us.

Yes, there's a good chance it might be something dumb they want to create a thread about but it's sure easier to avoid a specific thread than avoid some new person posting about something you don't want to read in threads that you do. If you see a dumb thread, just let it die. The only problem arises when you enter their thread specifically to complain. So if you can resist that, n00bs being able to post threads is clearly the best option.

Be a Creationist. It will clean up existing threads, encourage forum growth, and at the least, give us more to talk about.

Plus, they can be really funny!

BP · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2009, 09:16:51 PM »

I think that they should be able to create their own threads because when members come here just trying to get help with something and will leave, they use whatever aimlessly-chosen topic instead. If a new member is going to post a lot of troublesome threads, it's not that big of a deal. We just ban 'em.

bobman37 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2009, 10:10:53 PM »

The only issue with creationism, I think, is like LD said. People are going to have a hard time controlling themselves when a dumb topic is posted.

TEM · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2009, 10:59:39 PM »

The more restrictions the better. If I had my way these forums would be on lockdown so tight I wouldn't even be able to post.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:01:07 PM »

There's an easy solution to dumb threads becoming postcount++. Wait, two. Three if you count eliminating postcount, but that's not what I'm after here.

Here on the Fungi Forums we have these special users called "moderators". They have this control panel for threads in their area of jurisdiction that has a nifty little "lock thread" option. Using this option on a thread renders it inert - unchanging, nonreactive, and gassy.

The other solution involves creating a "stupid thread repository" forum where posts are not counted. Stupid threads would be moved there and no one would have to worry about them again if they didn't want to.

To the mods:
If the restriction gets lifted, regardless of which option here (if either) is used to deal with idiocy, we're depending on you. Get on your butts and pay attention to the forums. Strike swiftly and often.

I support Creationism. New FF blood would be nice. The spambots are more of a problem than the idiocy, but either solution above (or simply deleting spambot threads) deals with them handily.

BP · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:11:03 PM »

Quote from: WarpRattler on February 03, 2009, 11:01:07 PM

a "stupid thread repository" forum where posts are not counted. Stupid threads would be moved there and no one would have to worry about them again if they didn't want to.

We already have one of those.

Ultima Shadow · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:20:35 PM »

If we must have early topic making disabled for new members, perhaps we could keep the New Topic button active for those users, but make it display a notice that says new members can't make new topics right away? That way, we shouldn't get questions about the lack of the button, and our sanity is rendered slightly more secure.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:26:37 PM »

Quote from: Bird Person on February 03, 2009, 11:11:03 PM

We already have one of those.

Don't bring your personal bias into this. This is serious business on serious Internet being posted while I listen to Sirius satellite radio.

Ultima Shadow, while that option sounds like it could work if the restriction wasn't removed, I'm not sure that's an option in SMF. It does give me an idea, however: rather than the Fungi Forums page on the main site containing a link to the board list, remove that link so that the only way new users can get in is through the rules and guidelines page. From there, it's a simple matter of placing "NEW USERS ARE NOT ABLE TO POST THREADS." in large script at the top of that post.

Deezer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:36:03 PM »

It's to prevent spam/abuse. Trust me, you don't want us to turn it off.

SolidShroom · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2009, 11:38:29 PM »

The beginning period isn't even that long. If someone is serious enough to stay here and post, I'm sure they can wait long enough to make topics with little negative repercussions.

BP · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2009, 12:02:43 AM »

Just the facts, Warp. Technically, yes, Forum Games was created because most of us were sick of the stupid worthless crap scattered all over the forums. We mask it with the name "Forum Games" but the truth is that it is the Crap Board.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2009, 02:45:27 PM »

Quote from: Deezer on February 03, 2009, 11:36:03 PM

It's to prevent spam/abuse. Trust me, you don't want us to turn it off.

I'll buy that. But then my question is: how do forums that do allow new member threads handle it?

WarpRattler · « **Reply #12 on:** February 04, 2009, 04:22:05 PM »

Usually forums that allow new members to make threads have more mods that are more active and can stop the spam threads before most people see them.

CrossEyed7 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2009, 04:28:53 PM »

Also, usually forums that aren't the Fungi Forums suck.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2009, 04:30:37 PM »

Secondly, how come I can't remember having a problem like that before the restriction? How long has it been in place, again? And how does Deezer know what would happen, if we haven't had the envrionment to test it?

WarpRattler · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2009, 04:52:13 PM »

The reason you can't remember it being a problem before is because forum spambots didn't become a problem anywhere until long after the restriction was put in place here. Can't answer your second question, and as for how Deezer knows it'd be a problem, I imagine he's seen other boards - boards most likely having lower spambot registration rates per day than us - where it's a big problem.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2009, 06:30:37 PM »

I think you guys are amnesiacs or something. If I remember right, there were several spambot occurrences on the forums before the restriction was put into effect.

Bigluigifan1.0 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:09:23 PM »

I don't remember a lot from before then, but I do know that if it wasn't in effect now, those hundreds (?) of spam accounts created after the restriction would produce their hundreds (again, ?) of spam topics.

Did anyone look at the joining rates lately? And the actual accounts? Deezer and Chup are right.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:26:11 PM »

Clever comparison there, if even it made me briefly wonder why this wasn't in Not at the Dinner Table.

That being said, I see no reason why new members can't make threads; now, if they really want to ask something, they'll just hijack a thread (or two). Besides, there's longtime members that have made stupid threads and newbies that have made great threads.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:47:31 PM »

It's mainly for spambots...

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #20 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:49:33 PM »

A) Could we take it off for a few hours to test if bots will actually post threads? Why would they post millions of threads but never post in an already existing topic?

B) If the bots do immediately strike, the posts needed to make a thread should be set to 1.

FlamingBlueMario · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2009, 11:13:15 PM »

I remember when I first joined the Fungi Forums. I fully read the rules and I try not to break any. I knew at that time I couldn't start any threads, so I waited patiently and just replied to posts instead. I still haven't made many threads yet (just two) because everyone's talking about something that I'm interested in. Letting a new member have too much freedom is not a good thing to do. So everything is fine (for now) and should be left alone. I know once an idea pops into my head I'm going to start a thread and talk about it. But I always search the past threads to make sure I don't waste space or anything. Also, those Spam-Bots are annoying! I'm glad they ceased fire.

Turtlekid1 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2009, 01:00:50 PM »

While I am most certainly not an evolutionist ;) I voted for the second option. Why?

1. I never felt constricted by the rule. I rarely post new threads, even now. Yeah, that's just me. Deal with it.

2. With the ratio of "members" to "members who post" on these forums, we may well suppose that the restriction is needed to protect against spammers, whether they be bots or just butts.

3. If people really care about the ability to post new threads, they can exercise patience and prove they wouldn't abuse their position.

Kudos to whoever gets the reference in that post.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #23 on:** February 05, 2009, 05:57:26 PM »

Oh, yeah, forgot about the 'bots...

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #24 on:** February 06, 2009, 05:00:20 PM »

This question needs to be answered:

If the restriction stops bots from creating threads, then what is stopping them from posting and PMing?

Deezer · « **Reply #25 on:** February 06, 2009, 05:46:14 PM »

Their creators.

Bigluigifan1.0 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 06, 2009, 05:48:21 PM »

Yeah, I was pretty sure that the only thing bots did (if allowed of course) was post a topic.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #27 on:** February 06, 2009, 05:55:20 PM »

What's the last bot-topic(s) we had?

WarpRattler · « **Reply #28 on:** February 06, 2009, 06:09:15 PM »

The last bot thread we had was removed as Bird Person's first real act as a mod.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #29 on:** February 06, 2009, 06:13:11 PM »

Oh, so they just get totally deleted?

dc804 · « **Reply #30 on:** February 06, 2009, 08:07:15 PM »

New members should be able to post new topics. What's the worst that could happen? Other than spammy topics, more pointless topics and one member making 50 topics a day.

Luigalaxy · « **Reply #31 on:** February 06, 2009, 09:11:46 PM »

Quote from: dc804 on February 06, 2009, 08:07:15 PM

...and one member making 50 topics a day.

And the mods get annoyed cause of all the topics that need to be deleted.

jmdblazer · « **Reply #32 on:** February 07, 2009, 12:27:12 AM »

I think that may be what he was trying to say.

WarpRattler · « **Reply #33 on:** February 07, 2009, 12:33:55 AM »

If a spambot were to make 50 topics a day, it'd most likely be because of gross negligence on the mods' part, so the mods wouldn't get to be annoyed about cleaning up the mess, because it'd be their fault for being lazy and not stopping it right away.

jmdblazer · « **Reply #34 on:** February 07, 2009, 12:41:15 AM »

So you expect them to be on 24/7, just so that new members can post threads right away?

WarpRattler · « **Reply #35 on:** February 07, 2009, 01:00:32 AM »

Not too hard, when you consider how many mods there actually are (all TMK staff, plus Black Mage, Fifth, and Insane Steve in their respective sections, plus Bird Person). At least one of those people is nocturnal, so...

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #36 on:** February 07, 2009, 08:13:28 AM »

Every time I see this thread's title I think it's from the White Mushroom House.

jmdblazer · « **Reply #37 on:** February 07, 2009, 12:53:08 PM »

It would just be easier to leave it as it is.

ShadowBrain · « **Reply #38 on:** February 07, 2009, 09:17:35 PM »

No, it's not like I was suggesting it be changed. Just saying, is all.

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Author Topic: Is It Worth It? (Read 17267 times)