What improvements would you like to see in this discussion forum?

[Michael Hardner]

I agree with WCR. Even discussions of fact are based in human values and perceptions. Furthermore, they're expressions that can be done in artful style and with humour, where it works.

[dre]

Why not reply to basic common sense idea to make decidated boards for global warming, and the Middle East?

[The_Squid]

deleting posts, or portions of posts, that are offensive.

If someone reports a post and it results in some sort of demerits/penalty, why does that post remain up? It should be removed, like spam.

[bleeding heart]

But I'm not sure that your second point follows from your first. That is, neither a post receiving penalties--and certainly not a post being reported (an act which is almost always politically partisan, I believe) is a measure of how "offensive" a post is to everybody...it only has to offend one person, and (arguably) a moderator.

I have no problem at all with the warnings, nor with the suspensions, including my own. But to automatically liken them to spam? That's not so clear.

[betsy]

What this forum needs is a fresh start. From scratch. My last suggestion would be to delete all members' current handles and have them all sign -up using different names.

Why? This place is so "poisoned" that there so much negativity between members.

Reporting to moderators does no good. Conservatives are not in the nature of "reporting" to BIG BROTHER....and liberals, are. Therefore, conservatives tend to get more demerits and suspensions.

What you need is a fair-playing field....and a moderator who will conduct himself as a model to all, especially when it comes to rudeness and manners. One-line put downs and snarky comments should never come from a moderator. If you're burnt-out from all the bickerings you have to moderate, then maybe you ought to take a break as moderator.

Volunteer or not, doing this service for free should not be an excuse to be able to be rude to others.

Especially when one has the power to punish those for same infraction(s).

I'd like to wean myself from this forum....it's hard, since it's been a long-time habit to

gravitate towards it. Therefore, I'd like to do it the hard way. Make it difficult for me to respond in any way. I'm taking it off my favorites and will go the extra mile.

Charles Anthony, I'd like to have my name taken off as a member, please. If ever this site improves someday, I might come back using a different name.

Edited March 18, 2014 by betsy

[BubberMiley]

Hmmm...Just when they get a photograph of the gravitational waves of God's hands creating His great evolutionary universe at the very time of Genesis, you decide to quit? Couldn't be a coincidence.

[guyser]

Reporting to moderators does no good. Conservatives are not in the nature of "reporting" to BIG BROTHER....and liberals, are. Therefore, conservatives tend to get more demerits and suspensions.

Seeing as that is private info you dont have (and pretty funny) , why would you state that?

Besides, Conservatives can cry and whine with the best of them.

[bleeding heart]

Yeah, I think there are plenty of "liberals" here who could reasonably dispute the charge.

For example...I was personally suspended....because of the nature of my response to.....Betsy!

Why do I suspect that cybercoma, BC Chick, Guyser2 or eyeball were not the ones who reported me?

[Argus]

How about a new topic forum. We can call it "Resolved" and it can be for formal debates. The catch is you don't actually have to believe in what you're talking about. It would be like debating teams. You pick an issue, no matter what, and choose to argue one side of it whether you believe it or not. In fact, if you don't believe it that's even better. I think it would be an interesting exercise for people, and given that it will be well known you don't necessarily support the subject you're arguing for it might remove a lot of the "Oh what a scumbag you are to believe that!" kind of reply.

You could even formalize things by saying that any comment which referenced or related to the other parties in the discussion (including their intelligence, motivation, morality, etc) would be deleted.

[Charles Anthony]

What are all of your thoughts on the activity in the Status Updates column?

Sometimes they develop into dynamic mini-discussions that would otherwise fit well into the forum. On the one hand, this is something I would hope we could avoid but on the other, maybe it is indicative of something that the Status Updates format has that the formality of the forum lacks. Any ideas?

Perhaps we should have a 3rd box in the right hand column that shows Recent Posts with the most recent post on display?

[cybercoma]

I'll often use the Status Updates to post quick things that I don't feel like writing an entire post about. Since it's against the forum rules to drop a link, then write a sentence stating what it is, I'll make those posts in the sidebar. Sometimes I want to discuss these things and would like a thread for them, but at the time I don't have enough to post about it or would rather see other people's thoughts on it first before I wade into the debate. Right now, it's against the rules for me to start a thread that way, so into a Status Update it goes.

[Argus]

What are all of your thoughts on the activity in the Status Updates column?

Sometimes they develop into dynamic mini-discussions that would otherwise fit well into the forum. On the one hand, this is something I would hope we could avoid but on the other, maybe it is indicative of something that the Status Updates format has that the formality of the forum lacks. Any ideas?

Perhaps we should have a 3rd box in the right hand column that shows Recent Posts with the most recent post on display?

The limiting factor in the status updates means they're like text messages in that you have to try and say something intelligent in very few words.

I find them interesting on occasion, sometimes funny. I think certain individuals use them to taunt others, however, often on subjects which will be difficult to refute in a few words. Not sure most of have anything to do with a person's "status update". They're more like personal statements.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Argus

[WWWTT]

What are all of your thoughts on the activity in the Status Updates column?

If I was to rank the status update column next to any subject heading, I would say it's the most popular!

I'll often use the Status Updates to post quick things that I don't feel like writing an entire post about. Since it's against the forum rules to drop a link, then write a sentence stating what it is, I'll make those posts in the sidebar. Sometimes I want to discuss these things and would like a thread for them, but at the time I don't have enough to post about it or would rather see other people's thoughts on it first before I wade into the debate. Right now, it's against the rules for me to start a thread that way, so into a Status Update it goes.

I feel these are reasons why the status update is popular, more freestyle and less rigid/formal!

The limiting factor in the status updates means they're like text messages in that you have to try and say something intelligent in very few words.

I find them interesting on occasion, sometimes funny. I think certain individuals use them to taunt others, however, often on subjects which will be difficult to refute in a few words. Not sure most of have anything to do with a person's "status update". They're more like personal statements.

I feel that the format should be expanded, but just a little so as not to lose its attractiveness.

WWWTT

[GostHacked]

What are all of your thoughts on the activity in the Status Updates column?

Sometimes they develop into dynamic mini-discussions that would otherwise fit well into the forum. On the one hand, this is something I would hope we could avoid but on the other, maybe it is indicative of something that the Status Updates format has that the formality of the forum lacks. Any ideas?

Perhaps we should have a 3rd box in the right hand column that shows Recent Posts with the most recent post on display?

Yeah to bad no one else had mentioned that already. (ahem) Ditch the status updates, my 2 cents.

[WWWTT]

(ahem) Ditch the status updates, my 2 cents.

How about you just not use it and let the other posters contribute to them? Sounds like less work to me. No?

WWWTT

[GostHacked]

How about you just not use it and let the other posters contribute to them? Sounds like less work to me. No?

WWWTT

It is taking away from the threads in my view. A lot of the status updates could easily fit into some of the threads.

[WWWTT]

It is taking away from the threads in my view. A lot of the status updates could easily fit into some of the threads.

cybercoma explained how it could lead to more actual practical threads.

More threads doesn't necessarily mean more activity.

I think the activity increase is what the mods are after.

WWWTT

[GostHacked]

cybercoma explained how it could lead to more actual practical threads.

More threads doesn't necessarily mean more activity.

I think the activity increase is what the mods are after.

WWWTT

The thing is that some of those 'updates' could easily add to an existing thread. To me it is pure laziness to throw it in a status update instead of contributing to an existing thread that might benefit from the new information.

[GostHacked]

And with that new information, the thread can continue with debate and discussion. The sidebar does SFA to promote that, it does exactly the opposite.

[GostHacked]

I also do not expect any real changes here on MLW either. Reason being is that some of these issues are a couple years in the making with no progress. Despite multiple inquiries about it and emails to the moderation.

And that was part of the reason I wanted to pack it in last week and have my membership cancelled here. This site has already lost a few good posters because of the complete inaction by moderation when a good deal of the membership has expressed their issues only to get suspended for airing their views. That is not good moderation at all. So in the end the moderation knows exactly what needs to be done, but yet fails to actually follow through with any action plan aside from punishing those who voice their concerns.

So Greg, CA, MH...... what are the plans for this site? Care to enlighten us at all? If neither of you have real time to moderate the site, then either get more moderators, or simply hand the site over to someone else.

[Charles Anthony]

Forgive me for my delay in responding. You addressed me personally and all I can tell you is that for me, my plan is to stay the course until I am given further notice. I have a closer appreciation for how busy Greg is than most members do here in the forum. It is easy for me to be patient with him. He has a few revolutionary ideas about re-vamping the moderation aspect and I am itching as much as you all are for those changes. However, it takes a lot of planning and customization of the forum which is WAY above my level of ingenuity. When Greg pulls it off, I am confident everybody will like it.

Until I am instructed otherwise, I continue to expect all members to respect the forum rules and to report any trolling-as-they-perceive-it and to refrain from responding in kind.

... or simply hand the site over to someone else.

LOL I would buy the forum from Greg if I had enough dough.

There is nothing stopping anybody from making him an offer.

[guyser]

I continue to expect all members to respect the forum rules and to report any trolling-as-they-perceive-it and to refrain from responding in kind.

Why? Does it do any good ?

Not that anyone would know since everything is done in secret with no measure for the rest of us to see. One only needs go looking for troll(s) , start with the CBC thread.

Giant F'ing troll there who has been schooled but trollish posts still eminate.

Like I said why bother? How many # of months now and nada done? Not even a slight indication.

Is this government run, Union run.... or something?

Edited April 11, 2014 by Guyser2

[waldo]

utilize existing functionality that allows a board moderator to selectively, by unique thread, suspend individual member participation within respective threads. Accordingly, this will limit the impact of overt moderation bias that acts to coddle/protect recognized board trolls in favour of ignoring troll reports and the highly suspect moderation subjectivity that meters out suspensions of those members who purposely, or inadvertendly, or unrecognizingly, or unknowingly, respond to recognized board trolls.

additionally, either remove the existing board rule against trolling... or enforce it... directly enforce it. In the presence of an unenforced rule against trolling, presuming to put the onus on members to interpret an unenforced rule is dubious, at best.

further, if there is a rule against labeling a board troll, a troll... or if there is a rule against labeling the actions of a board troll, trolling... please reinforce the supposed existence and related wording of said/presumed rule. More pointedly, if said rule exists and can be verified/confirmed, please ensure an equitable application of metered moderation suspension for violation of said/verified/confirmed rule..... a quick MLW board search shows recent weeks use of the words troll/trolling by multiple board members... notwithstanding, of course, the words troll/trolling have a long-standing applied use by many members, within many threads, over many years.

[Michael Hardner]

Why? Does it do any good ?

Definitely, it does.

You can't equate not getting the result you would like with nothing being done. In the end, what constitutes a good argument and what is trolling is subjective. I wouldn't want to be the one to have to decide, but somebody does. In my opinion the referee takes abuse in all great sports.

[GostHacked]

Definitely, it does.

You can't equate not getting the result you would like with nothing being done. In the end, what constitutes a good argument and what is trolling is subjective. I wouldn't want to be the one to have to decide, but somebody does. In my opinion the referee takes abuse in all great sports.

Refs make mistakes too.