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

[jacee]

Can we stop with the "report and ignore" charade? Yeah. We all get it. Report it so you guys can ignore it. You don't have to tell people every time they get frustrated with the lack of moderation here that they should "report and ignore" things.

At the risk of making myself a target ... it's been my experience that some reports get overreaction. I've been suspended repeatedly for reasons given by someone reporting that have no relation to my posts.

.

[jbg]

I have been outspoken in expressing my views that Greg owns the forum and can, either by himself or delegees such as CA run it as they please. That being said, there have been some posters suspended or banned mostly for insulting them. I appreciate the work that Greg and CA have done, but I think the forum would be a livelier place with posters such as M.Dancer and Rue back. I don't know the details of their suspensions or bans. My personal opinion is that their presence, on balance, made the forum a better place.

Edited December 25, 2014 by jbg

[Big Guy]

I would assume that the limitations and moderation of any forum is based on an attempt to satisfy its particular goal.

The fewer the controls, the more controversy, the higher the traffic and the more serious posters are turned off and leave.

The more controls, the less controversy, the less the participation and traffic and fewer people log on.

What is the intent of providing this forum for discussion?

[jbg]

I would assume that the limitations and moderation of any forum is based on an attempt to satisfy its particular goal.

The fewer the controls, the more controversy, the higher the traffic and the more serious posters are turned off and leave.

The more controls, the less controversy, the less the participation and traffic and fewer people log on.

What is the intent of providing this forum for discussion?

Implicit in my post is that both of those were basically serious posters who may have strayed over the line a little bit.

[Big Guy]

Sorry, I was not referring specifically to your post.

I was seriously wondering why the individuals who created this site did so? What was intent and/or purpose?

Most opinion boards are associated with a media outlet to promote their product.

What do Greg and ... expect from this board?

[jbg]

Sorry, I was not referring specifically to your post.

I was seriously wondering why the individuals who created this site did so? What was intent and/or purpose?

Most opinion boards are associated with a media outlet to promote their product.

What do Greg and ... expect from this board?

Part of a university project, I believe.

[Big Guy]

So I assume that we are the "rats" being studied. I hope that when they publish that we might get access to the paper.

[Charles Anthony]

What do Greg and ... expect from this board?

Nothing. There is no study. There is no paper. You are not rats.

This forum is just a remnant of a previous project that stopped operation a few years ago. Greg has chosen to keep the site active for everybody's sake.

Yes, Greg would want to see an increase in web traffic but not at the expense of the quality of discussion.

Me?

My expectations of the board are only slightly higher. I expect to be able to continue reading lively and good-quality discussions by my fellow Canadians until the day I die without having to participate in them myself. I have no other vested interest nor obligation.

I appreciate the work that Greg and CA have done, but I think the forum would be a livelier place with posters such as M.Dancer and Rue back. I don't know the details of their suspensions or bans.

I do not know how to respond. You clearly do not know the details. Half of what you wrote is false. I totally disagree with the other half. All of it is none of your business.

I do not know how to respond without being rude and without being misconstrued. All I can tell you is that when folks are clearly making stuff up while simultaneously passing it off to the world that it is true (or in this case, worthy of consideration) then I get confused and I lose interest in communicate with them. I focus on what matters in the decision-making process as moderator and I default to deal-breakers. The deal-breaker here is that I do not have permission from those members to discuss their issues with you. It would be different if you demonstrated 1st hand knowledge in the matters but that is obviously not the case. I would afford you the same respect if you were in their shoes.

[jbg]

Nothing. There is no study. There is no paper. You are not rats.

This forum is just a remnant of a previous project that stopped operation a few years ago. Greg has chosen to keep the site active for everybody's sake.

Yes, Greg would want to see an increase in web traffic but not at the expense of the quality of discussion.

Me?

My expectations of the board are only slightly higher. I expect to be able to continue reading lively and good-quality discussions by my fellow Canadians until the day I die without having to participate in them myself. I have no other vested interest nor obligation.

I do not know how to respond. You clearly do not know the details. Half of what you wrote is false. I totally disagree with the other half. All of it is none of your business.

I do not know how to respond without being rude and without being misconstrued. All I can tell you is that when folks are clearly making stuff up while simultaneously passing it off to the world that it is true (or in this case, worthy of consideration) then I get confused and I lose interest in communicate with them. I focus on what matters in the decision-making process as moderator and I default to deal-breakers. The deal-breaker here is that I do not have permission from those members to discuss their issues with you. It would be different if you demonstrated 1st hand knowledge in the matters but that is obviously not the case. I would afford you the same respect if you were in their shoes.

Thanks.

I do not want to know anything that's not my business. I am just trying to help improve the Board and get traffic up. I mean no harm or interference.

And you're right, I don't know the details.

[Big Guy]

I am disappointed. I was looking forward to another intelligent analysis of the demographics of anonymous opinion boards. I have read a few papers in the past and find them fascinating. Looking from an anthropologic view of a board one can appreciate how humans developed a community/village and how roles were created. The leaders, the followers, the naysayers, the analysts etc.

What I found especially interesting was the interaction of the different community members when a new "person" entered the village and how roles have to be accommodated to adjust. The creation of alliances and enemies is fascinating as is the conscious development of avatars and the choice of the picture representing the poster accompanying a post.

I guess I will have to make my own analytical observations.

[WestCoastRunner]

How do we get new posters on this forum? And I do mean women. I get tired of listening to men respond on behalf of women. This forum seems to heavily lean towards men. There is a reason there are more male members than female.

Edited January 15, 2015 by WestCoastRunner

[Michael Hardner]

There is a reason there are more male members than female.

Part of the reason is that there are so many men and not enough women, it perpetuates itself. Let's invite women too.

[Smallc]

How do we get new posters on this forum? And I do mean women. I get tired of listening to men respond on behalf of women.

I'm pretty sure we're responding on behalf of ourselves, from our own perspectives.

[Argus]

How do we get new posters on this forum? And I do mean women. I get tired of listening to men respond on behalf of women. This forum seems to heavily lean towards men. There is a reason there are more male members than female.

Yes, more men than women are interested in politics. So what? It's always been that way. Nor do I see any advantage in looking for new members based on them having a womb. One either can contribute intelligently to a wide range of discussions or one can't.

[Charles Anthony]

How do we get new posters on this forum? And I do mean women.

Do you know any?

If you know any women who would be so inclined, tell them yourself. Tell them to join and participate in the discussions.

I am disappointed. I was looking forward to another intelligent analysis of the demographics of anonymous opinion boards. I have read a few papers in the past and find them fascinating.

Can you offer some references to such analyses? I have never heard of any and I am curious to learn their methods. My curiosity is fueled largely by skepticism because socially, I see this place the same way as I see my local watering hole --- no more and no less. We just happen to discuss things that popularly fall under the label of "politics" a lot.

If you commissioned me to do such a study, I would not know how to start ---- even with Moderator privileges.

From my perspective, I can not imagine how somebody/anybody would conduct a responsible analysis with the expectation of arriving at any intelligent conclusion. What observations or data would enter the analysis?

[Big Guy]

In this anonymous public access atmosphere, how can one assume the gender of posters or believe which gender they declare to be.

I do not believe that a woman speaks for women nor a man speaks for men. Each individual is very different and to assign views according sex is a mistake. An individual may attempt to speak for his/her gender but only to try to reinforce his/her individual views. No one speaks for me and I speak for no one - but myself.

[jbg]

How do we get new posters on this forum? And I do mean women. I get tired of listening to men respond on behalf of women. This forum seems to heavily lean towards men. There is a reason there are more male members than female.

Ask some of your friends, real life or Facebook, to join.

[Big Guy]

To Charles Anthony - I suggest that an analysis would be directed to the anthropological study of villages and closed communities. The participants create an avatar and give it a personality. Then the village starts to form; You have the moderator who is the village "elder" whose role is to maintain order and decide who is allowed into the village. Virtual reality cliques are formed with participants fighting for attention, small groups of like minded form alliances and battle other alliances. Members seek status through political posturing and number of postings. Why else would number of postings be posted?

Any new member walking into the village is met with scepticism, with some existing members trying to intimidate the newby by making sure they stay above the newby in the evolving pecking order. I find the interaction far more fascinating than the different opinions presented although the knowledge of some in their careers becomes obvious and informative to me. I find especially interesting when the anonymous poster gets emotionally involves and forgets the personality built for the avatar allowing the nature of the individual to fall through. I find it especially humorous when two posters who do not seem to like each other find themselves on the same side of an issue.

All public access anonymous opinion boards are villages and are generally organized in the same manner. The unfortunate part is that after a while, participants have locked themselves into positions where it is basically the same posters posting the same view towards the opposing posters who are repeating the same view and so on. That is why I believe that most boards die - it becomes the same old taking the same old positions about the same old issues. This board has been healthy for a number of years (well done)but is beginning to show the pressures that have destroyed other boards.

[Charles Anthony]

Elder or bartender?
I liken this place to a pub. People come and go. People get suckered into conversing with the town drunk while others wisely step away snickering. Rowdy folks are kicked out until they sober up. Some people stick around until closing hour while others go hopping elsewhere. Life goes on and most people do not take things personally.

I am disappointed because you did not adequately answer my question: What data would enter such an analysis?
Number of postings can not possibly be it, can it? If I am wrong, please explain.

Members seek status through political posturing and number of postings. Why else would number of postings be posted?

Forgive me but I fail to follow your conclusions and I see no reason to accept your axioms.
How can you conclude that members seek status? let alone that they seek anything at all? or to the exclusion of seeking other things?
How do you define status? How do you observe status? How do you observe they are seeking something?

All public access anonymous opinion boards are villages and are generally organized in the same manner. The unfortunate part is that after a while, participants have locked themselves into positions where it is basically the same posters posting the same view towards the opposing posters who are repeating the same view and so on.

I do not see the "village" dynamics you envision but I am still curious because I share some of your abstract fascination too. Can you refer to any study/analysis that was conducted on any other forum? I want to see such methodology because from my perspective, I do not believe your posited analysis is methodologically possible. You clearly seem to think it is possible and I do not understand why.

[On Guard for Thee]

The mods, one in particular, are biased, everybody knows that. Maybe moving more toward center would help.

[cybercoma]

This forum only has one mod.

[jbg]

The mods, one in particular, are biased, everybody knows that. Maybe moving more toward center would help.

You think it's biased in favor of the right. I think it's biased in favor of the left. Maybe the mods are really in the center.

[BubberMiley]

It's nice to see the closeted right-wingers finally come out.

[Big Guy]

Hey Michael and Charles - I do understand that moderating is a difficult and time consuming job but the level of discourse has been degrading over the last few months. The petulant adolescents have been allowed to continue to make personal attacks. They are now setting the standard of acceptable communication here. The more serious posters posting less frequently and some excellent minds have given up participating here. I have enjoyed my participation here but the atmosphere has degraded to allowing ignorant intimidation and wild accusation.

You have a good thing going here. Don't let the inmates take over the asylum.

[WWWTT]

Nothing. There is no study. There is no paper. You are not rats.

LOL!

And this coming from someone who is highly cynical of authority! Writes columns and lives in the Ottawa region.

And what happened to your belief/mantra on ignoring perceived irrelevant comments???

Must have taken something real special for you to break your code of silence hey?

Hey buddy, I'm back just like you wanted me to do.

If you thought I was hard on you before, just wait, I'm just starting to role up my sleeves!

My return comes at a cost, say a pound of flesh?

Anyways, you know very well that the moderation on this site may be one of the largest areas for improvement!

WWWTT