Poll: What do you think of the OT forum?

'Disrespect' is a strange word to use - that thread doesn't appear to contain personal abuse, name-calling or anything like that

We may be talking about different threads.

Anyway, I didn't mean to imply that anything truly dastardly was going on. I think it's probably more comical than anything else.

I do appreciate the "length" aspect. The OT threads do tend to stretch on.

And on... and on...

Chris

It does, but only in one sense, and that is that the posts in it tend to be longer, so it takes longer to read through them.

Perhaps an appropriate middle ground would be to deputize a few trusted folks who would have direct access to the moderators and could alert them when / if things started getting out of hand.  That way, the OT topics would be moderated but the moderators wouldn't have to read all of them.

[3]

It does, but only in one sense, and that is that the posts in it tend to be longer, so it takes longer to read through them.

Perhaps an appropriate middle ground would be to deputize a few trusted folks who would have direct access to the moderators and could alert them when / if things started getting out of hand.  That way, the OT topics would be moderated but the moderators wouldn't have to read all of them.

Isn't this equivalent to creating a moderator just for that area?

I really don't get it.  What is the actual problem, anyway?   Three people responded to this poll in the negative.

3

There is nothing in OT unsuitable for family viewing.   Hence, I don't see the need for consternation over un-needed moderation.

[3]

I really don't get it.  What is the actual problem, anyway?   Three people responded to this poll in the negative.

3
.

Well, I imagine there are lots of people who haven't voted yet. Still, I gotta admit I'm suprised at how lopsided the vote is already.

Chris

I haven't voted.  I don't think we should have polls here.

Isn't this equivalent to creating a moderator just for that area?

I've been on forums where they had a button that anyone could click on to alert a moderator if the thread was getting out of hand.  Since we don't have such buttons, I proposed people who would summon the moderators.  The deputies, as I proposed them, wouldn't have the power to lock the thread - only to summon a moderator.  If the deputies were given the power to lock a thread then I suppose they could be considered moderators themselves.

Isn't this equivalent to creating a moderator just for that area?

I've been on forums where they had a button that anyone could click on to alert a moderator if the thread was getting out of hand.  Since we don't have such buttons, I proposed people who would summon the moderators.  The deputies, as I proposed them, wouldn't have the power to lock the thread - only to summon a moderator.  If the deputies were given the power to lock a thread then I suppose they could be considered moderators themselves.

We've all got the power to 'summon a moderator' - send a PM. Anything more than that suggests we'd need a full-time (paid) team of moderators on 24-hour standby. I don't think that's either feasible or necessary...

[3]

We've all got the power to 'summon a moderator' - send a PM.

'xactly.

3

 

Should this post not be in OT

Mark

Andrew Rose said it all:

Because it's as good a place as any, because I don't want to hang around anywhere else, because there's an interesting diversity of opinion between people who share common interests, because there's a community here of regulars, because it does no harm, because I don't want to go anywhere else, because I can disagree with a forum member on at OT thread while discussing amicably something on topic elsewhere, because we're all grown-ups here, because there's a good deal of intelligence here, and because our primary reason for being here is not to have political discussions and therefore they tend not to attract the obsessives and the nutcases you find in specifically political forums.

I agree with each and every point Andrew makes. I'm sorry Steve, I know you have enough to do, but thsi is the best place for an OT forum, and you are definitely my choice for a moderator who knows when to say "enough", and when to let it go. You mentioned a free zone for kids to wander, I'm sorry but I don't see what kids are doing in this forum at all - I see this more as a pub where friends hang out!

Count me with the "leave it as is" brigade.  

The main reason for the AM forum is obviously for the exchange of technical information.  However, the occasional dip into the OT forum is a good way to get to know other posters in a more informal...dare I say "real world"...context.

I have no problem even with difficult topics like politics or religion.  I can either ignore them or dive in.  The one proviso I'd make is that if the discussion descends to flaming or personal attack, THEN it's time to either close a topic or send somebody on a "posting holiday".  However, so long as people are just expressing views--even widely differing ones, so be it.

Bob

You mentioned a free zone for kids to wander, I'm sorry but I don't see what kids are doing in this forum at all - I see this more as a pub where friends hang out!

I did say 'it has been suggested' - it wasn't by me, but I do know who did suggest this, and he can comment about it if he wants to.

Rather than a free zone for kids to wander - how about a zone where those who have kids can read in peace - confident that when Susie sneaks up behind dad and reads over his shoulder, dad won't have to quickly close the AudioMasters Forum window to protect Susie's innocence.

That does happen I think rather more than kids wandering around the forum.

However, so long as people are just expressing views--even widely differing ones, so be it.

So long as the monitoring of those widely differing views doesn't become too burdensome for the moderators.

So long as the monitoring of those widely differing views doesn't become too burdensome for the moderators.

So, say what you want, as long as no one has to be burdened by the comments.

Bah.  There is no burden not willingly assumed.

There is no burden not willingly assumed.

(Blaming the victim is always great fun.)

I'm not quite sure what you meant, Ultra.  I meant that at some point the moderators might grow weary of monitoring widely differing views and simply close down the OT section.  It was only a comment, meant to acknowledge that the OT section (the entire forum, really) exists only through the graciousness of the moderators.  (Valentine's Day is coming.  I'm throwing roses, OK.)

My comment was not meant to suggest that we should all think alike in order to not overtax the moderators.