I'm suggesting three in one because they all go hand in hand.
"IGNORE USER" FEATURE
The site needs an "ignore user" feature. If someone doesn't like what a person does or says, they should be able to just ignore that person. I say this because there are a couple of people here who would definitely prefer to ignore me, and having the option to just not see my posts could help them feel more comfortable. From time to time, I'm going to blow off steam. I've learned that I am who I am, and I just can't change for others, so better for them to simply ignore me.
"CURRENT MOOD" FEATURE
By allowing posters to select their current mood, with an emoticon and descriptive word at the top of the post, they are able to amply warn people that the post might not be one someone wants to read, whether depressing, a rant, or chew session.
"+1 BUTTON" FEATURE
I'm not suggesting a feature that allows a post to go below "0" (I hate that, and it's not conducive to a friendly site). I'm simply suggesting showing how many people appreciate the post, and that is all. This can communicate to others that a post is a good post and should be read. It does not communicate that a post is bad in any way, as such can irritate the poster and cause general disharmony.
All three of these features work together to help people feel more comfortable. If they have a person on "ignore", but then they see that the person has "+1's" on their post remnant, or that the person is in a good mood, then they can open that post to read it without worrying about seeing something they don't want to see. Because apparently no amount of warning people that a post is not going to be what they want to see seems to keep them from reading it if it's already in front of them.
Please, no discussion about me. This is a genuine suggestion and I would like it to be taken seriously.
 April 12, 2010 - 5:59pm | Your kidding? How about a "Pick up my toys and leave button"?  |
 April 13, 2010 - 1:18pm | I personally think this is a step too far to use a series of buttons to 'convey' your feelings. If the site is annoying someone to that extent, I would suggest some time away, get back to RL for a while, and come back when you're feeling better. Sometimes, a person can be too close to a project and a bit of time away is good for you - I've done it myself. I've also just read that this site is considering using a moderator more actively. Although the option has always been there, I hope that as a group we can maturely handle the issues that crop up as a group - it is a game, after all, and that should be the underlying tone to the whole site - it is an enjoyable hobby. Rules, moderation, etc - we may as well be back in work. @woot - I prefer the "teddy in the corner" button  |
April 13, 2010 - 4:35pm | Nice one elpotof. You have good points - reminds me of a recent conversation with a friend, "We have 20 active people on a hobby game site that can't get along. How crazy is that?" How about a "Panic button" that deletes all forum posts and we start over again. hahahaha |
 April 13, 2010 - 6:52pm | There is an ignore user button and I've used it quite effectively in the past. Its call the "What's New" Button just click it and see how effective it is and move on. Someone aggravates you, just click the button and move on. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 April 13, 2010 - 7:01pm | Why should we modify how the site has worked thus far just to deal with one person that refuses to be civil? At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy...... |
 April 13, 2010 - 8:16pm | Just my input, take it for the 2¢ that it's worth. "IGNORE" --- This has its merits, but also some shortcomings. Let's say Joe Bagodonuts is an active poster who has dropped a lot of useful info, including stuff I may have invoked in the past. Then he takes a cheap shot at me and I put him on ignore. After awhile, there's going to be temptation to read all this missed stuff, whether it's the possibility of valuable info for the topic or --- I really hope it's not a shot at me/you/him/her etc...curiousity gets the cat, and I'm a nosy bugger.  Nosiness aside, when someone quotes one of Joe Bagodonuts' posts, well...now everyone that might be ignoring Joe can see what he posted thanks to someone else. But aside from my curiousity-fueled neutral tendnecy toward it, it is a useful tool for those that really don't want to interact with someone they dislike. "CURRENT MOOD" --- the issue with this is just that: it's the current mood. If I'm away for a few days and come back to see your current mood is less than splendid, do I avoid all the posts you made the prior few days when the mood may have been better? After all that mood thing is going to show up on each one of them based on the most recent setting (at least that's how it worked at other forums I frequent)...How will I know what the mood was for those prior posts? What if you forget to change the setting? I would lean to IGNORE on this one. +1 (OR ANY OTHER RATINGS SYSTEM) --- Unless a person is a complete buffoon, and complete buffoons are rare...is there ever really a need for this? Actually even if the person is a complete buffoon, I'll still lean to the IGNORE feature instead of a ratings system. That is after I let the person know he/she is a complete buffoon first. This isn't a popularity contest, I know which members I like, you know which members you like, he knows which members he likes, and she knows which members she likes. Personally I find that my list grows with each new member that joins and becomes an active poster, and even the less active ones that contribute good stuff make the cut. To be honest, despite what may be construed as disturbances here the past few months, there isn't anyone here that I don't like. Chalk that up to a lack of complete buffoons. |
 April 15, 2010 - 2:59pm | umungus: I believe you have misunderstood what the ignore button is. The ignore button is for a single individual to ignore one other poster. It is not a moderation feature. The feature is to circumvent the need for moderation as people can simply moderate the site for themselves (I don't mean that one person ignores someone and suddenly they are ignored to everyone). View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
April 15, 2010 - 6:42pm | I can't speak on behalf of how it would work here...but what I said about the "mood" thing based on other forums (all php format) I frequent, it simply shows the current mood in any post defaulting to whatever the last setting happens to be on. To cite an example of how it worked on those other boards: say I set my mood to "crappy as hell" today and write this post in said crappy mood. If you see it today you'll see the crappy mood indicator. But if I come back tomorrow and set it to "I'm so happy, my testicles are dropping" and you don't see this crappy mood worded post until tomorrow, when you get here to this post tomorrow the mood setting shows "I'm so happy...etc" and you read my crappy mood post from yesterday under "false pretenses". In other words, whatever my current setting is will show up on every post since I started posting, and when I change it tomorrow it shows up again as the new/current setting on every post I made since I started. It's why the thing has never lasted more than a few days at the other boards, it's basically useless to anyone that is not online at the same time as the mooded poster. And again, I can't speak on behalf as to how it would work here. _______________________________________ My whole stance on the +1/ratings system is that it turns into a popularity contest. If someone happens to like me and hate Joe Bagodonuts, I can feasibly rack up a slew of +1s, even for "stupid" posts, while Joe continues belting out good material. Think about it, Joe takes the time to type up a lengthy article or response and afterwards I post "I like it." Dude Member who happens to hate Joe (for whatever reason) decides that Joe gets no acknowledgement, but Dude Member might like me and gives me the +1 for a simple three word post of agreement. Therefore it becomes something of a popularity contest that can lean the wrong way. It's right up there with "post counts" in my book. You know, that number below your name which is often associated with some title ranging from "Forum Newbie" to "Wise Master of All Things Elite" based on a simple number of posts since he/she joined. For whatever reason, people come to a board for the first time and see that Dude Member has a slew of posts and somehow associates Dude Member as being very knowledgeable thanks to his title of "Wise Master", while Joe Bagodonuts posts once every month obviously doen't know much at all based on his "Newbie" title. But when reality sets in and it turns out Dude Member has 90% of his posts being stuff like "Dude, awesome!" and "Man, that's cool!" and even the lame "Word!" type of material all posted within the last month, meanwhile it turns out that Joe's handful of posts from the last few years is actually quite informative and worth reading. Again, it becomes a popularity contest that can lean the wrong way. _______________________________________ My stance is still the same for "Ignore". It can be a useful feature, although I personally have a hard time with it because I'm such a nosy lil' cuss. And again, all the above is merely my 2¢ on the issue, based on what I've seen transpire elsewhere. |
 April 15, 2010 - 7:01pm | Ascent, You brought up some decent compromises/ideas here but I really feel they are not necessary for this forum at this time. You clearly labled your [previous] post as a rant that might offend people. Many of us chose to read post that warning, some of us chose to bitch and moan about it. I thank you, not only for the disclaimer, but also posting your opinion and feelings about your article. In all honesty, I almost didnt read it due to all the venom that was in the pre-warning post, but I went ahead anyway. Your pre-post was more pissy than the one people are complaining about. That second post, I felt, was fairly professional. I dont agree or disagree with what you said. But it was no where as nasty as you led me to believe. As stated earlier, we are all (mostly) adults here and we need to move on. I am sure that this post is going to irritate poeple and I might make it on a few crap-lists, but this is the internet... either they will get over it or they wont. I am not going to loose any sleep over it. Can we kill this thread now? Time flies when your having rum. Im a government employee, I dont goof-off. I constructively abuse my time. |
April 16, 2010 - 1:22pm | I agree RR, after having read the initial post in that thread I couldn't help but think "Oh, no...not again." Fortunately it didn't continue to go that way. Aside from agreeing that it could have been done better via email or PM, the follow up was quite civil in nature. Sadly it carried the leftover flavor from the prior post, you know how it goes with first impressions and all. Nix that first post and it probably would have been much better received. |
April 19, 2010 - 4:27pm | No problem. Thank you for considering it. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
