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

[jbg]

I'd like to have a sincere discussion about what type of improvements we can make to the MLW forums. I want to attract more members, and I think the best way to do that is to appeal to the existing membership for ideas and opinions on what we could do to make this forum the best in class.

I'm not just interested in new forum features, but modifications to existing forum features. This is an open thread, so lets hear from everyone, but PLEASE keep it on topic. The sky is the limit, I'm interested in all suggestions.

I am again going to respond. I would be around a lot more if I didn't expect literally every post to result in a warning or a suspension. I care because if I participate I expect to be able to follow up, be around and contribute. I am a serious poster but have been hit with suspensions or warnings on almost all posts of any length.

Edited July 3, 2016 by jbg

[jbg]

And Happy Late Canada Day everyone!

[Argus]

I am again going to respond. I would be around a lot more if I didn't expect literally every post to result in a warning or a suspension. I care because if I participate I expect to be able to follow up, be around and contribute. I am a serious poster but have been hit with suspensions or warnings on almost all posts of any length.

Maybe you should post examples. I have not been shy about posting why I have been suspended when I felt that it was arbitrary, unfair or unreasonable. The whole moderation topic is because of my bitching and complaining.

[jbg]

Maybe you should post examples. I have not been shy about posting why I have been suspended when I felt that it was arbitrary, unfair or unreasonable. The whole moderation topic is because of my bitching and complaining.

The thread that earned me a thirty day suspension is no longer available. It was a satirical thread, upon Hugo Chavez's death basically on how Hugo Chavez benefited Canada. Granted it wasn't serious but it wasn't insulting either. I was making fun of tyrants the same way George Orwell did.

[BC_chick]

In light of a recently deleted post discussing the word count of a post by a certain member (it was the equivalent of a 5 page essay) I think the issue of especially long winded posts could use being addressed.

Has MLW ever considered having a maximum character count allowed in a post? Like Twitter?

[BC_chick]

Well like Twitter in concept, not amount.

[Charles Anthony]

Has MLW ever considered having a maximum character count allowed in a post?

No.

[?Impact]

Satire is always dangerous. Many of us appreciate it, but unfortunately it is often misunderstood. While language barriers of on-line forums is a big problem, even here where most of us have English as either a mother tongue or at least a fairly good command of the language there are still cultural and other biases that tend to get in the way. This is best illustrated by reading the comments section of a major media publication when there is a satire piece, one that has even blatantly been labelled as such, and still the commenters will be upset.

[BC_chick]

No.

Given the deleted essay and your super duper busy schedule I'm surprised.

[Charles Anthony]

Well like Twitter in concept, not amount.

What do you recommend?

[BC_chick]

What do you recommend?

Many forums have a character maximum, including Facebook, EBay, Yelp, LinkedIn as well as comment sections of various news agencies. It depends on the threshold of what is comfortable for the site. If the writer can't make it work within the allotted character count, the can no longer type and they have to trim it down to a level deemed acceptable by the site.

MLW clearly does not condone wasting bandwidth with excessive quoting so if it's generally accepted that very long posts go unread it's the same idea being applied to wasted bandwidth with long posts as you do with long quotes.

Hypothetically you can have let's say a 750 word maximum - exluding images and quotes. Average English word is 5 characters. The type box could max out at that point.

Readers don't have to scroll scroll scroll, no wasted bandwidth and it saves you time modifying and/or deleting. Win for everyone.

[Big Guy]

Many forums have a character maximum,...

Hypothetically you can have let's say a 750 word maximum - exluding images and quotes. Average English word is 5 characters. The type box could max out at that point.

Readers don't have to scroll scroll scroll, no wasted bandwidth and it saves you time modifying and/or deleting. Win for everyone.

Perhaps you might use the criteria of limits given by most media outlets for letters to the editor. Most publications limit any submission to 400 words or less. In most cases, they also retain the ability to do minor editing before publishing.

[Charles Anthony]

Hypothetically you can have let's say a 750 word maximum - exluding images and quotes. Average English word is 5 characters. The type box could max out at that point.

Too complicated. There is no need to censor anybody.

I would suggest a FastForward, SkipTrack and ReWind script in the empty right-hand collumn beside each post. If anybody knows of such a script, let us know. If nobody knows of such a script, feel free to run with my idea.

[?Impact]

Hypothetically you can have let's say a 750 word maximum - exluding images and quotes.

Generally I am ok with long posts that do not include long quotes. When someone tries to make a simple point, then quote half a novel it is ridiculous.

[WestCoastRunner]

Generally I am ok with long posts that do not include long quotes. When someone tries to make a simple point, then quote half a novel it is ridiculous.

A drop down list of worthy sources would be nice. Jk of course.

[BC_chick]

Too complicated. There is no need to censor anybody.I would suggest a FastForward, SkipTrack and ReWind script in the empty right-hand collumn beside each post. If anybody knows of such a script, let us know. If nobody knows of such a script, feel free to run with my idea.

I respect that decision and I won't press the issue beyond my previous suggestion (on a thread by Greg asking for it), however, I do want to address the your choice of the word censorship in your paragraph above.

MLW has very explicit rules of conduct none of which are concerned about what the posters say, but rather how they say them. For example, you delete posts all the time, not because of what people say but because of where and how they are saying it. Censorship, on the other hand, would imply that certain content is deemed unacceptable and removed from the forum (see below).

Requiring posters to express themselves within a character count is not censorship by any stretch of the imagination, it's very much in line with any of the other rules of conduct in which it addresses *how* a poster expresses themselves.

cen·sor

ˈsensər/

noun

1.

an official who examines material that is about to be released, such as books, movies, news, and art, and suppresses any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.

Edited July 11, 2016 by BC_chick

[cybercoma]

People will just make multiple replies, see: Twitter essays for examples.

[BC_chick]

True, but at least the poster is aware that what they're doing is a faux pas.

Anyway, it was just a suggestion (as per Greg's OP). Maybe the powers that be agree, maybe they won't.... but it doesn't hurt to throw it out there.

Edited July 11, 2016 by BC_chick

[Big Guy]

Woodrow Wilson was asked how long it takes him to prepare a speech. He replied:

“It depends. If I am to speak ten minutes, I need a week for preparation; if fifteen minutes, three days; if half an hour, two days; if an hour, I am ready now.”

I suggest that a corollary might be that the number of words required to present a case on a bulletin board are inversely proportional to the knowledge of the poster.

That appears to be the case on this board.

[Charles Anthony]

however, I do want to address the your choice of the word censorship in your paragraph above.

In that case, change the word "censor" to "arbitrarily limit the expression of" and then re-interpret what I wrote. Such a re-interpretation is what I meant.

I do not see a need to arbitrarily limit the expression of anybody here in the proposed way because nobody is forced to read anybody's posts.

More than enough power is already in your hands: If you think a fellow member's post is too long, the cure is to ignore it and move on!

People will just make multiple replies, see: Twitter essays for examples.

Indeed. That would be expected.

It would be more prudent to add something like "Members are expected to avoid posting a string of multiple replies." to the forum rules and guidelines.

[BC_chick]

You already do limit expression with all your rules. But I get it, you don't like this particular limiting of expression.

Big Guy, great quote.

[GostHacked]

Too complicated. There is no need to censor anybody.

I would suggest a FastForward, SkipTrack and ReWind script in the empty right-hand collumn beside each post. If anybody knows of such a script, let us know. If nobody knows of such a script, feel free to run with my idea.

If someone can't get their point across in a couple paragraphs...... I question their ability to communicate properly. Hence, I just skip those posts.

Edited July 11, 2016 by GostHacked

[BC_chick]

I think that's the consensus around here GH, I don't think anyone reads very lengthy posts.

In fact, the wasted bandwidth was the reason I posted my suggestion under how to improve the forum as opposed to the other thread where we just bitch and complain things that affect the forum from the perspective of the poster.

For us it's easy to ignore, it's the site that ultimately loses from it.

[GostHacked]

I think that's the consensus around here GH, I don't think anyone reads very lengthy posts.

In fact, the wasted bandwidth was the reason I posted my suggestion under how to improve the forum as opposed to the other thread where we just bitch and complain things that affect the forum from the perspective of the poster.

For us it's easy to ignore, it's the site that ultimately loses from it.

It's not a matter of bandwidth as this site uses very little compared to most forums. Text only, no pics, very very light considering the amount of throughput we have via the Internet these days. It's more of what other members limits are when reading posts from other members.

One can have a lengthy post and as long as it is well thought out, there really should not be an issue. Rants are quite obvious, but with moderation not recognizing blatant trolling I don't think this issue would be addressed any time soon.

I am not looking to censor anyone. But people can post stuff here without being a total dick about it.

[?Impact]

It's more of what other members limits are when reading posts from other members.

Pet peeve: those when replying to a single point in a long post, quote the entire post. I like to focus on a single sentence, or sometimes just a few words. The header with the quote allows one to scroll back if they want bigger context.

That get's us to the 'improvements' part.

1. I would like the software to allow me (perhaps when scrolling over quote header) to bring up the comment quoted. That capability should allow for nesting as well.
2. When quoting someone, particularly someone who writes novels, I would appreciate being able to just highlight what I am interested in and then hitting quote so I don't have to go through the entire War and Peace a second time to find the sentence that I am interested in and delete what is before and after.