Community Forum Announcement

[Chi_townPhilly]

The Moderation and Administration Team has agreed that, until further notice, all threads started in the Community Forum will be placed in queue and released for view after assessment conducted by staff.
(C.f.: our long-standing procedure in the 'Articles' Sub-Forum.)

We ask for your patience with any delays related to this review.
If you haven't heard from us, it's best to figure that your contribution is still pending review. Thank you.

[Ukko]

Ah, veddy interesting. Do you folks plan to reveal the criteria? you will follow?

[Sid James]

Oh no, I can't do my knee jerk reaction shoot-first-ask-questions-later massive rant threads now ...

[Sid James]

But seriously, if the person making the thread tries to be moderate and even handed, while still expressing his opinion, the tone of that opening post can make the rest of the thread less argumentative/divisive/controversial. I think I achieved this, kind of, in the following recent thread (but it was very short, only 2 pages of discussion, but I think it was good quality dialogue). Anyone would have been welcome to debate there, not only those sharing my overall sentiments re this issue.

Political musical chairs & gay marriage...

[Ukko]

Hah. Could it be that all member posts to the community forum will be 'reviewed' with great deliberation?

The M&A team is not composed of intellectual lightweights. I am sure they know that confrontational threads can be started in any forum that doesn't have a 'hold for review' block. A 'one-strike-and-you're-out' policy may become necessary.

[Krummhorn]

The only thing currently affected are brand new threads created in the Community Forum. Any existing threads are not affected, nor are the replies to existing thread, provided of course, that the rules and regulations are not compromised.

Nowhere did we say that "all" member posts to the community forum will be 'reviewed'.
What we did say was:

all threads started in the Community Forum will be placed in queue and released for view after assessment

. . . I am sure they know that confrontational threads can be started in any forum that doesn't have a 'hold for review' block

D'oh ... of course we do ... however, if a subject matter irrelevant to the particular forum is posted, it will be either moved or deleted, depending on the circumstances. We already do that now.

[Ukko]

Hah. The suspicion I semi-voiced was that the community forum would be effectively deleted, by means of the Interminable Review. The procedure has at least the appearance of utility, looking like controlled braking instead of a sudden stop.

[Moira]

Actually, I think this forum would be better off without the community forum. But that's just my two cents worth. I think that discussion should probably be restricted to discussion of musical matters, but I understand that if people want to discuss what they had for lunch (the wings from two chickens I roasted this morning, in my case) that they will insert this information into any thread, resulting in thread drift, which is a terrible thing.

[Ukko]

Actually, I think this forum would be better off without the community forum. But that's just my two cents worth. I think that discussion should probably be restricted to discussion of musical matters, but I understand that if people want to discuss what they had for lunch (the wings from two chickens I roasted this morning, in my case) that they will insert this information into any thread, resulting in thread drift, which is a terrible thing.

I was with you until you got to 'resulting...'. Rapine and murder are terrible things; thread drift ain't in it.

[Moira]

I was with you until you got to 'resulting...'. Rapine and murder are terrible things; thread drift ain't in it.

Blame my sense of humour, Hilltroll.

I used to post in USENET which didn't have sections. All the best threads drifted. And we learned to ignore the spammers and the worst of the trolls (not that you would even count as a troll if it weren't for your nick).

[Ukko]

Blame my sense of humour, Hilltroll.

I used to post in USENET which didn't have sections. All the best threads drifted. And we learned to ignore the spammers and the worst of the trolls (not that you would even count as a troll if it weren't for your nick).

I 'suspicioned' that you were, ah, exaggerating there, Moira. I used to post to a newsgroup too.

My 'nick' comes from newsgroup days too; it was suggested by an internet friend, and is intended to refer to the troll 'species' that is associated with dwarfs and goblins. Except dwelling on a hill instead of under a bridge. And reflecting an oblique sense of humor, not eating habits. Hah; I hadn't noticed how complicated that is.

[moody]

Actually, I think this forum would be better off without the community forum. But that's just my two cents worth. I think that discussion should probably be restricted to discussion of musical matters, but I understand that if people want to discuss what they had for lunch (the wings from two chickens I roasted this morning, in my case) that they will insert this information into any thread, resulting in thread drift, which is a terrible thing.

I agree and can see no justification for 90% of the threads that appear. A certain person was told off the other day, he apologised and blamed the community forum for his behaviour.

[Sid James]

...but I understand that if people want to discuss what they had for lunch (the wings from two chickens I roasted this morning, in my case) that they will insert this information into any thread, resulting in thread drift, which is a terrible thing.

That's what facebook is for, where you always see these kinds of very deep and meaningful things -

I just had a chicken avocado sandwich for lunch. It was very tasty with my Pepsi, LOL.

[regressivetransphobe]

Although he seemed about ready to take a long break of his own accord, I think it was a mistake to ban pole. This is a "community" more reliant on the active participation of a few than a ton of short-timers. Kinda bad for morale.

[Krummhorn]

Although he seemed about ready to take a long break of his own accord, I think it was a mistake to ban pole.

When any member accumulates enough infraction points they can get banned ... it's up to the member how many points they wish to accumulate. This forum has rules ... rules that every single member agreed to abide by when they first registered. Upon checking the box "I have read and agree to abide by the forum rules" during the registration process, they have committed themselves.

We have thousands of members who have never received a warning or infraction ... apparently, the majority are quite happy with abiding by the rules. Case closed.