The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Forum/Website Discussion => Topic started by: saint on November 18, 2007, 09:36:31 am

Title: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: saint on November 18, 2007, 09:36:31 am
So P&R has been hidden for a while as an "Opt-In" status, and now I've got it visible so you can see what's going on but can't participate without opting in. How should we leave it now?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 18, 2007, 11:06:22 am
Keep me blocked from even seeing it. With me not having access and being able to read something in there my PC might end up finding it's way out into the street.  :)

If i wanted access to that section i would have asked, so don't tempt me by allowing me to see that garbage.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: bfauska on November 18, 2007, 03:27:36 pm
In the other thread there was some concern that the P&R section would wither away and die if nobody saw it by default.  I think that if it were available until someone was either banned from it or opts out then people who enjoy reading it and behave have the opportunity to find it and participate.

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: patrickl on November 18, 2007, 03:39:24 pm
I didn't really understand why it was closed to begin with.

I would like if people who are not native to BYOAC are not allowed to get in (ie they need something like a 1000 posts before being allowed in) other than that I don't see why it needs to be blocked so I voted regular access.

If people insist on not seeing it then opt-out sounds like the best option.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: bfauska on November 18, 2007, 03:58:22 pm
1000 seems a bit high, no? 

Pat, you have about 50% of your total posts (2500) in P&R.  If you had needed 1000 other posts before you could start there your experience of this forum would have been totally different.  Why not just allow people who are registered to see it and if they abuse it or misbehave then take it away from them?

On a side note, when looking at Pat's statistics, I noticed that the numbers don't add up.  Do posts in threads that get moved from one forum to another count in both? The numbers of posts per forum greatly outweighs the total post count. And I think that the percentage of posts per forum statistic is off by 1 decimal point.  If you add them all up it should add up to 100, but it adds up to about 10.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: patrickl on November 18, 2007, 04:16:53 pm
1000 seems a bit high, no? 
Lol, ah well something high. Not like 15 or so. Last time someone just posted 15 nonsensical posts and got through right away. IIRC the posts were even in EE so that protection was really almost nonexistent.

Quote
Pat, you have about 50% of your total posts (2500) in P&R.  If you had needed 1000 other posts before you could start there your experience of this forum would have been totally different.
I'm pretty sure I had well over 1500 posts before I entered in P&R.

Quote
Why not just allow people who are registered to see it and if they abuse it or misbehave then take it away from them?
Cause then the damage is already done. It's annoying when people who have no affiliation with arcade building come in and start behaving badly. They don't care if they get banned or if they alienate people.

Quote
On a side note, when looking at Pat's statistics, I noticed that the numbers don't add up.
Strange indeed. Maybe because some posts don't count? I thought EE posts didn't count, but that's not enough. Maybe P&R posts don't count?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 18, 2007, 10:43:57 pm
I voted open, but at the very least don't hide it.

My typically long-winded thoughts on the subject are in the other PnR access thread here. (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=73601.msg760785#msg760785)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: AtomSmasher on November 19, 2007, 01:21:23 am
Is it possible to make it so everyone can see the the title of the forum, so they know it exists, but when they click on the link to the forum it says you have to ask for permission from an admin to see it?  Or maybe they can only see one thread that is dedicated to "opting in."  That way newcomers will know the forum exists, but no one can see the contents unless they opt in.

And before you make up your mind on what to do, you should look back and see what the exact reasons were that convinced you to close it in the first place.  I'm sure we all know Santayana's famous quote about remembering the past   :)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 19, 2007, 08:29:42 am
I think opting out is a good compromise.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 09:57:27 am
I think opting out is a good compromise.

Ditto.  Especially with the big election coming up.

The whole "just don't click in there" doesn't account for those of us who use means other than the main page for getting thread listings.

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: Cakemeister on November 19, 2007, 12:37:23 pm
Opt in, 2nd choice opt out.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: XyloSesame on November 19, 2007, 12:43:41 pm
The whole "just don't click in there" doesn't account for those of us who use means other than the main page for getting thread listings.

Good point. Vote changed...
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 19, 2007, 12:58:34 pm
Just for my own clarification...

Opting out is for persons who can't resist the allure of P'n'R, but don't like it so they don't want the temptation?

Hmmm....sort of like fat people wanting the donut shop out of sight. :laugh2:

I think I'm voting for "Grow a spine"
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 19, 2007, 01:00:05 pm
No, for fat people who don't want a donut up their ass.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 01:01:13 pm
The whole "just don't click in there" doesn't account for those of us who use means other than the main page for getting thread listings.

Good point. Vote changed...

Hey wow!  I convinced someone to change a vote!   :cheers:
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 19, 2007, 01:02:53 pm
No, for fat people who don't want a donut up their ass.

Sorry Tommy, I just don't see how having "Politics and Religion" among 21 forum headings is a "donut up the ass".

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 01:06:24 pm
I agree.  It's definitely more like chocolate eclair.

(http://www.delightsbyirlandesa.com/images/Eclair.jpg)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 19, 2007, 01:07:23 pm
I vote Apple fritter - big, brown and chunky.  :laugh2:
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 19, 2007, 02:53:52 pm

Take jukeboxes.  I think that the type of jukeboxes people in this hobby build are, about 95% of the time, god-awful gigantic eyesores, and not even particularly functional.  But can you imagine if I went on a campaign to have that forum eliminated, or hidden, or restricted in some other way based on my own personal preferences?  People would put forth exactly the arguments I am now.  They'd say, "Just stay out of that forum.  Nobody's forcing you to go in there."  No imagine that every six months or so, I resurrect my cause and start the campaign afresh.  And the same damned arguments get rehashed over and over again.  Don't you think the people who like Jukeboxes might get a little irritated with me?  Now here's the kicker, imagine that in spite of how crazy ridiculous my position is (surely when it's not PnR you can all see how ridiculous it is, even though I legitimately hate those jukeboxes), I achieve little victories.  Saint concedes just a little bit, here in there.  Small restrictions here.  Make it a little harder to participate in there.  But these things add up, and the forum starts really stagnating.  Don't you think that the jukebox people are going to get frustrated and call me an ---uvula--- for waging my irrational, unfair war on them when all I have to do to make EVERYONE happy is simply ignore them?  You see that.  You must see that.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 19, 2007, 02:57:03 pm
The whole "just don't click in there" doesn't account for those of us who use means other than the main page for getting thread listings.

Good point. Vote changed...

Hey wow!  I convinced someone to change a vote!   :cheers:

How does that legitimize anything.  You choose to use RSS.  Why should our entire forum suck monkey balls so that you don't have to see thread titles?  What if some users don't frequent or want to see EE threads, or Linux threads, or Jukebox threads?  What if they use RSS.  Should Saint hide those threads from the world so sensitive RSS users can sleep at night without having to imagine what is going on in all those threads he's not interested in?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 02:59:26 pm
If people in the jukebox forum were belligerent, aggressive, and abusive, no one would blame you for wanting the jukebox forum gone.

I don't want the PnR forum gone for everyone... just for me.  I have given up on it being a place worth being and on it being a positive contribution to BYOAC.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: XyloSesame on November 19, 2007, 03:05:31 pm
The whole "just don't click in there" doesn't account for those of us who use means other than the main page for getting thread listings.

Good point. Vote changed...

Hey wow!  I convinced someone to change a vote!   :cheers:

How does that legitimize anything.  You choose to use RSS.  Why should our entire forum suck monkey balls so that you don't have to see thread titles?  What if some users don't frequent or want to see EE threads, or Linux threads, or Jukebox threads?  What if they use RSS.  Should Saint hide those threads from the world so sensitive RSS users can sleep at night without having to imagine what is going on in all those threads he's not interested in?

I wouldn't say it legitimizes anything (don't want to speak for you, Chad); however, in using RSS or other means to view a forum, I don't want to see topics unrelated to that specific forum. If I wanted to weed through PnR feeds, I'd check out a PnR forum. In fact, it seems like the opportunity for self-service opt-out of all subs would be good...
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 03:13:32 pm

Self-service opt out hasn't been presented as an option to this point.  I suspect that is because the forum doesn't have that as a user function currently. 

I don't claim that using RSS makes my opinion any more valid that shmokes'.  It does, however, present the concept that people use multiple methods for browsing the forums (three have thus far been noted).  RSS in particular is one I think saint would want to pay attention to as any external service that wants to offer a BYOAC feed is going to be getting it through RSS.  Would we really want someone somewhere with a scrolling BYOAC topic feed getting all of the nastiness that will come up when the '08 election starts?


(yes, I realize the irony of being the Chief Kicker and saying that)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 19, 2007, 03:22:53 pm
There is a fundamental difference between the jukebox forum and the P&R forum.

The jukebox forum is arcade related, and there is relevant and good discussion that happen in there.

P&R is not arcade relevant.

That is not exactly an apples to apples argument. Now if you want to be fair, compare P&R to EE.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: bfauska on November 19, 2007, 03:40:26 pm

Self-service opt out hasn't been presented as an option to this point.  I suspect that is because the forum doesn't have that as a user function currently. 

I don't claim that using RSS makes my opinion any more valid that shmokes'.  It does, however, present the concept that people use multiple methods for browsing the forums (three have thus far been noted).  RSS in particular is one I think saint would want to pay attention to as any external service that wants to offer a BYOAC feed is going to be getting it through RSS.  Would we really want someone somewhere with a scrolling BYOAC topic feed getting all of the nastiness that will come up when the '08 election starts?


(yes, I realize the irony of being the Chief Kicker and saying that)

This post is actually a good argument for opt-IN.  I do think that opt-out makes P&R a more lively place where only people who are sick of it are not there but new people get the opportunity to decide for themselves, but with opt-out, anybody who mostly experiences the forum from an RSS situation will possibly not know that they can opt-out of the P&R portion of the feed.  If people have to opt-in then any passive observer of the site won't have their experience of this really really helpful arcade controls forum watered down by all of our bickering.

Now I'm in the air, but my vote stands at opt-out.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: saint on November 19, 2007, 03:43:52 pm
Gah, it's a 3-way tie! Don't make me make a decision! ...
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 19, 2007, 03:44:41 pm
The point is no one wants to be told to ---fudgesicle--- off and should not have to put up with that sort of talk, and even with these so called rules and how it implies that this sort of talk is not tolerated it is still tolerated, this sort of thing is till going on and it should not be.

PnR talk and being told to ---fudgesicle--- off seems to just go hand and hand with this whole forum section.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 19, 2007, 03:56:39 pm
Casual users will not be using RSS, most likely.  Casual users will come to the website, and if they get hooked, and if they even know what rss is and how to use it (statistically unlikely, by the way) they might decide to use RSS.

I can see pulling pulling PnR and EE just from RSS syndication if Saint was concerned about headlines being syndicated on other websites or something.  Otherwise, I think it's dumb.  RSS is really handy -- for PnR folks as well as other people.

EE is really the irritation for me.  I simply cannot fathom how posting a link to "Leave Britney Alone" is more valid than a thread discussing whether voting for a third party is good, or worse than a wasted vote.  Hell . . . entire graduate courses in higher education are devoted to the second question.  I can at least sympathize, if not identify and agree with people who ONLY do arcade-related stuff here feeling like PnR is an imposter that doesn't belong. 

But every single person who posts anything whatsoever in EE, who is fighting the war against PnR is a hypocrite.  Nothing makes cheesecake a more objectively legitimate or important topic than politics (it IS, in fact, more important, but . . . :)  ).  Nothing makes NFL last-man-standing one shred more appropriate than politics (Hell . . . considering the existence of Tommy, I question whether football is even less contentious than PnR). 
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 19, 2007, 03:59:18 pm
The point is no one wants to be told to ---fudgesicle--- off and should not have to put up with that sort of talk, and even with these so called rules and how it implies that this sort of talk is not tolerated it is still tolerated, this sort of thing is till going on and it should not be.

PnR talk and being told to ---fudgesicle--- off seems to just go hand and hand with this whole forum section.

Tommy, are you sure you are really in a position to be lecturing anyone about conducting oneself well?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 04:00:50 pm

The simple response to EE being more or less valid than PnR is this:

It's not more valid.  Validity is not the problem.  Behaviour within the subsection is the problem.  PnR has by far the highest abuse to signal ratio.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 19, 2007, 04:05:11 pm
The point is no one wants to be told to ---fudgesicle--- off and should not have to put up with that sort of talk, and even with these so called rules and how it implies that this sort of talk is not tolerated it is still tolerated, this sort of thing is till going on and it should not be.

PnR talk and being told to ---fudgesicle--- off seems to just go hand and hand with this whole forum section.

Tommy, are you sure you are really in a position to be lecturing anyone about conducting oneself well?


I've already admitted that i cannot deal with others In PnR and that i can also be a problem there, but others are too.

That is why i choose to not be there and subject myself to the kind of chat that will bring out the worst in me. These type of heated talks bring out the worse in almost everyone it seems from the evidence in this and other forums.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 19, 2007, 04:09:12 pm
Behaviour within the subsection is the problem.  PnR has by far the highest abuse to signal ratio.

What he said. EE is lighthearted chatter. P&R definitely brings out the worst in everyone most of the time.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 04:19:08 pm

Most of the reason why I left is that while I was usually (but not 100% of the time) able to keep above the maturity line in debating there, it took too much effort, with too little reciprocation.  I would end up with a crappy taste in my mouth as a result and that's not what I want to take away from time at BYOAC.  I enjoy the forum much more when I'm not hanging out in PnR.

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 19, 2007, 04:25:47 pm

 I would end up with a crappy taste in my mouth as a result



Now you know how most of us feel while reading your posts.  ;D  :laugh2:


I'm kidding, kinda.  ;)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 04:32:11 pm

It's all good.  Kinda.   :laugh2:
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 19, 2007, 04:34:47 pm
Hey look at it this way, if i didn't like you in some odd way i wouldn't have taken the time to make fun of you and would have just told you to ---fudgesicle--- off.  :o  ;D
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 19, 2007, 04:36:31 pm

Wait, did I just get the tommy seal of quality?   ;)

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 19, 2007, 05:19:36 pm
Gah, it's a 3-way tie! Don't make me make a decision! ...

I'm not so sure that it is a tie if you consider sentiment...the people who think you should either just not click on it if you don't like it or that you should just opt-out if you don't like it - outnumber the people who want it gone from the screen (and accessed only by opt-in) by almost a 3 to 1 margin.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: bfauska on November 19, 2007, 05:29:20 pm

Wait, did I just get the tommy seal of quality?   ;)



Dude wash it off quick.   ;D ;)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: polaris on November 19, 2007, 06:40:58 pm
regarding the rss feed thing, couldnt rss feeds be set up for each forum(21 i make it) then people could just subscribe to the ones of interest to them :dunno
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 19, 2007, 07:43:25 pm
Hey look at it this way, if i didn't like you in some odd way i wouldn't have taken the time to make fun of you and would have just told you to ---fudgesicle--- off.  :o  ;D

What you can't tell a guy to ---fudgesicle--- off unless you dislike him?   ;D
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: meismr on November 19, 2007, 09:14:33 pm
I usually don't chime in on these things, but I like my forums like I like my government...  as unobtrusive as possible.  If you don't like something don't read/watch/listen to it.  Sometimes I read the P & R stuff and I think some (ok... a lot of) people are morons in there and say some really insulting stuff.  But guess what...  I went in there.  Running to a moderator saying someone should keep me from reading something screams of a lack of responsibility/self control.  As far as the RSS feed goes; if someone knows how to set up an RSS feed then they should know how to mod it... 
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 20, 2007, 04:47:26 pm
OK, I have been reading P&R threads just to see what the current "situation" is.
Take a look at the first page of this thread. Now I stopped there, so I can only assume pages 2 and three get worse.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=73351.msg757151#msg757151

Ok, we have people insulting each other in every post, we have people disrespecting the loss of another member. And best of all, PBJ was not anywhere near this thread. Jeez, people get banned if they toss around that crap anywhere else on the forum.

So remind me, why should I have to see a forum that violates the rules of the forum on quite a regular basis? ::)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 20, 2007, 07:12:07 pm
I can see where these guys are coming from and used to say the same things. Just don't click on the thing and don't read that section and all that. All we are saying is block us from that section, that is not hurting anyone in anyway. I'm not trying to get it removed altogether from the board but just for me.

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: meismr on November 20, 2007, 09:56:50 pm
Just so we're clear: You chose to click on a forum and start reading things, and that's how you came to the conclusion that you "have" to see it.
If you don't like a topic, then don't read it.  The responsibility is your own.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 20, 2007, 10:45:19 pm
So remind me, why should I have to see a forum that violates the rules of the forum on quite a regular basis? ::)

You shouldn't have to see what's in P'n'R and certainly you will not if don't click on that forum. As far as the relaxed rules on that forum....well, it is P'n'R....I think the premise alone precludes regular norms of civility...it's simply gonna get more heated there due to the nature of the content.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: Kremmit on November 20, 2007, 10:56:50 pm
Voting for "Opt Out".

Just so it's clear where it's coming from, I'm not a fan of a lot the things that go on in the P'nR section; that's why I'm glad those things have moved to the P'nR section.  I practically never went in there before it went on "ask for access" status, I didn't ask for access when it did.

-BUT-

That doesn't mean I think it should be hidden.  If it's hidden, as Schmokes has pointed out, there won't be any site traffic, and the board will wither an die.  Despite my ill-thought-out post a few days ago, I don't want that to happen.  If it dies, those topics will either make their way back onto the rest of the forum, or they'll become de facto banned topics.  I don't want to see them back on the rest of the board, and it would suck for the people that want to participate in them if they were banned completely.

So, if P'nR is to stay, then it should stay as open and easy to find as possible, in order to attract more traffic. 

-BUT-

A lot of people obviously hate it's very existence, or cannot control themselves sufficiently to stay out.  If the board's to be available, these people will be happier and cause less trouble for the people in P'nR if they can opt out and pretend it's not there.  Since Saint's opened this poll, he's obviously willing to give those people the ability to opt out.

So, the "opt-out" option should make the following groups happy:

P'nR people
People who want P'nR to stay in P'nR
People who want to never see P'nR

The only group I can think of that it won't make happy is:

People who hate P'nR so badly they won't rest until the forum and all posts on the topics that live there are removed and outlawed.

...that's like forum genocide or something, so those people are like Nazis.  Don't you P'nR guys all compare people you disagree with to Nazis all the time?  :D
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 20, 2007, 11:40:25 pm
Opting out doesn't hurt anyone, and it doesn't hurt P&R in the least. It can be left open, and there can be a sticky at the top that explains you can opt out if you prefer. MOST members of this forum don't visit P&R or the "Forum" forum - they don't even know this conversation is going on. Why is it such a big deal  to not allow opting out that you have to argue about it? I mean really? Give up the "just don't click on it" argument. It is possible to have an opt out, it gets your precious board back, everyone is happy. Instead of dragging this to eternity, just move on and shut up and let us "P&R relapse prone" members  , as you seem to be portraying it, not have to see that irritating forum.                         

And to be perfectly clear, I used to be a fairly frequent P&R poster. It was an interesting place, and I did learn a bit thru that forum. Unfortunately there is a very small handful of people in there who make it their life's goal to tick off people who are trying to have intelligent debate, this devolving the whole discussion. They get dealt with everywhere else on the boards, but not there. It is ---smurfing--- ridiculous.

If it isn't going to be moderated like the rest of the site, then it should be an optional forum.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: saint on November 20, 2007, 11:45:32 pm
That does beg the question, should it be moderated better? I do deliberately avoid moderating that forum as kind of a zinc to keep rancor out of the other forums, but that may be a contributor to the decline of that forum...

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: Kremmit on November 21, 2007, 02:55:27 am
and there can be a sticky at the top that explains you can opt out if you prefer.

I like that bit.  It's a bit like the casinos putting the phone# for Gambler's Anonymous on all their literature, which always seemed kind of weird to me, but if you don't have it stickied, then will noobs even know they can opt out?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: missioncontrol on November 21, 2007, 07:46:08 am
and there can be a sticky at the top that explains you can opt out if you prefer.

I like that bit.  It's a bit like the casinos putting the phone# for Gambler's Anonymous on all their literature, which always seemed kind of weird to me, but if you don't have it stickied, then will noobs even know they can opt out?

isn't the FAQ stickied on the main page? and we all know how well it's read
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 21, 2007, 09:21:03 am
Just so we're clear: You chose to click on a forum and start reading things, and that's how you came to the conclusion that you "have" to see it.
If you don't like a topic, then don't read it.  The responsibility is your own.


Now elaborate on how that applies to the other means of accessing threads that this forum provides.  The main forum page is not the only way to do it.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 21, 2007, 10:19:54 am
Just so we're clear: You chose to click on a forum and start reading things, and that's how you came to the conclusion that you "have" to see it.
If you don't like a topic, then don't read it.  The responsibility is your own.


Now elaborate on how that applies to the other means of accessing threads that this forum provides.  The main forum page is not the only way to do it.


Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 21, 2007, 11:58:58 am
This may sound strange, coming from me, but I wouldn't mind a heavier moderator presence.  I think there should be room for the heat to turn up -- more latitude than the rest of the site, but I wouldn't mind having it toned back a bit from the free-for-all it has devolved into lately.  The place just isn't attracting enough users to make it as great as it once was (well . . . it'll never be as great as it was when it was part of the EE forum, but someday I'll get over that  :'(   ;D )

And Chad, all I can say is try to be a little gracious.  I understand that you have very recently decided to boycot PnR, but what's up with deciding that now that you suddenly don't personally enjoy it anymore you think that all vestiges of it should be crushed out of existence.  People enjoy different things.  You didn't have a problem with RSS for PnR when you used it post 30-40 messages an hour.  Where was your concern for people being subjected to our horrible thread-titles then?  Chill out, man.  You're going to be okay.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 21, 2007, 12:08:01 pm
...you think that all vestiges of it should be crushed out of existence.

You throw around the word disingenuous quite a bit.  Toss it at a mirror.  I have not said anything of this sort.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 21, 2007, 12:25:43 pm

RSS in particular is one I think saint would want to pay attention to as any external service that wants to offer a BYOAC feed is going to be getting it through RSS.  Would we really want someone somewhere with a scrolling BYOAC topic feed getting all of the nastiness that will come up when the '08 election starts?


(yes, I realize the irony of being the Chief Kicker and saying that)

I apologize if I misunderstood you, but I took this to mean that you thought PnR should be crippled so that it would be invisible (as it has been) and incompatible with stuff like RSS and the like.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 21, 2007, 12:32:57 pm
Not making it available in RSS does not cripple PnR.  I didn't even say I would like it eliminated from RSS.  I suggested saint put some thought into the issue.  I don't know if there are any external sites taking RSS feeds from BYOAC... only saint and SirWoogie would know that for sure, and as site owners, it is their choice as to whether or not any third party sites (if there are any) would be feeding PnR posts.  I chose that phrasing very carefully.

I'm also not saying that PnR should be invisible by default.  I have stated clearly, I think, that I'd like it to be opt out, which makes clear visibility the default.

You're an IT/web/admin guy just like I am... we both know active opt out is rarely actually used by much of a site membership.  Most people usually can't be bothered.



EDIT:

Let me approach this from your side.  You want it open and available to all... great.  What is the benefit of having it how it is now?  What good is it having it open for all to read but only for some to actually post?  Why is that useful?
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 21, 2007, 04:48:49 pm
I think most of the hard core PnR's want a non-modded no interference section where they can do what they please and not have to worry about rules.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shmokes on November 21, 2007, 05:36:29 pm
I think opt-out is perfectly fine.  In the alternative, though, having it visible at least means that people will see it and if they are interested, will opt-in.  Nobody will ever opt into something that they don't know is there.  I have memberships to quite a few places cos I saw something that interested me and realized that I had to register if I wanted to participate.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: patrickl on November 21, 2007, 06:12:04 pm
I think most of the hard core PnR's want a non-modded no interference section where they can do what they please and not have to worry about rules.
Actually I'd rather have some rules. I guess a political debate can get a bit more heated than a regular EE thread, but sometimes it's really ridiculously foul.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 21, 2007, 10:10:59 pm
I think most of the hard core PnR's want a non-modded no interference section where they can do what they please and not have to worry about rules.

Kinda like a section where adults can have a frank discussion and simultaneously be mature enough not to get their wittle feewings hurt?....wow....never thought about it like that. Cutting edge indeed.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: tommy on November 22, 2007, 11:01:27 am
If you took the people who visit the PnR section and put them in a real life room i don't think much discussing would be going on, it would be a room full of people fist fighting.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 22, 2007, 12:22:39 pm

I tend to agree there.  You'd only get away with calling a man a --cream-filled twinkie-- IRL twice at the most before you were spitting teeth.  In PnR it gets tossed around like a proper noun.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: FrizzleFried on November 22, 2007, 02:01:37 pm
If people in the jukebox forum were belligerent, aggressive, and abusive, no one would blame you for wanting the jukebox forum gone.

I don't want the PnR forum gone for everyone... just for me.  I have given up on it being a place worth being and on it being a positive contribution to BYOAC.

No Chad,  you just got tired of people handing your ass to you in P&R....

If you can't stand the heat,  stay out of the kitchen.  No need to excavate the kitchen from the house.

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: FrizzleFried on November 22, 2007, 02:02:49 pm

I tend to agree there.  You'd only get away with calling a man a --cream-filled twinkie-- IRL twice at the most before you were spitting teeth.  In PnR it gets tossed around like a proper noun.

Chad...stop being a --cream-filled twinkie--...

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 22, 2007, 03:56:27 pm


Chad...stop being a ---meecrob-bag---...

 :cheers:

That's one, but given your gigantism, I'll let you have three.  Now go back up your beanstalk before I change my mind.

 ;D
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: shardian on November 22, 2007, 10:41:00 pm


Chad...stop being a ---meecrob-bag---...

 :cheers:

That's one, but given your gigantism, I'll let you have three.  Now go back up your beanstalk before I change my mind.

 ;D

You're only a month away from playing shape remember? He only gets two. ;)
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 23, 2007, 10:58:21 am

Yeah, but as time goes on, I'm a lot farther from being 25.   :laugh2:
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: FrizzleFried on November 23, 2007, 11:32:56 am

Yeah, but as time goes on, I'm a lot farther from being 25.   :laugh2:

...but at almost 36 I ain't no spring chick myself.  Hell,  I get winded after 30 seconds of strenuous activity. 

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: saint on November 24, 2007, 11:33:42 am
...but at almost 36 I ain't no spring chick myself.  Hell,  I get winded after 30 seconds of strenuous activity. 

Must play havoc with the love life!
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: FrizzleFried on November 24, 2007, 12:27:10 pm
...but at almost 36 I ain't no spring chick myself.  Hell,  I get winded after 30 seconds of strenuous activity. 

Must play havoc with the love life!

Sheeeeiiiiiiittt... 20 seconds is all I need to make my woman happy!   :laugh2:

Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: missioncontrol on November 24, 2007, 06:38:56 pm
...but at almost 36 I ain't no spring chick myself.  Hell,  I get winded after 30 seconds of strenuous activity. 

Must play havoc with the love life!

Sheeeeiiiiiiittt... 20 seconds is all I need to make my woman happy!   :laugh2:



yep, because she's happy you stopped touching her 10 seconds ago
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: ChadTower on November 24, 2007, 09:31:47 pm

The first ten seconds are all "ew put those back on" and "ow my leg doesn't bend like that" and the next 8seconds are when he gets his groove on... the final two are all about her, baby.  That's her time.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 25, 2007, 12:09:25 pm
20 seconds??? :laugh2:

Does that include cuddling  ???
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: danny_galaga on November 26, 2007, 07:18:07 am


looks like someone has opted me out in PNR regardless, i have no access   :'(
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: patrickl on November 26, 2007, 07:30:04 am
Cool, I was "opted out" too  :P
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: saint on November 26, 2007, 08:00:14 am
Uh... think I broke something :)  Will look at it shortly.
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: fredster on November 26, 2007, 11:50:40 am
Maybe you could opt it out as an option from the main menu.  Like one of those "are you sure???" options on that ONE board.

Click it, and it comes up with a menu to view it or not.  Once there, you could have a 'hide forum' button on that one board.


If you want to write in it, you have to request it with a pm as outlined. 


Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WunderCade on November 26, 2007, 12:10:07 pm
Judging from the ghost town over there, everyone has been "opted out" for the time being. ;D
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: mr.Curmudgeon on November 26, 2007, 12:16:37 pm
Uh... think I broke something :)  Will look at it shortly.

Actually, I'd say you fixed something. Que sera sera...
Title: Re: Politics and Religion access - opt in, opt out, or regular access?
Post by: WaRpEd on February 15, 2008, 08:10:03 pm
I guess I opted out as well.
But I wanted to grow a spine.