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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9903
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:50 pm Reply with quote
I can't post a new topic in "Teh Rules" so I have to post it here.

Recently I've noticed that some posts or even an entire thread was there a minute ago and evaporated minutes later. There are less and less threads got locked compared with couple months ago -- they got deleted, without a trace of existence.

I'm not questioning the authority of Moderators. Humans are emotional animals and make mistakes, including posting inappropriate articles, and thanks to Mods we can maintain the quality in ANN's forums. However, if the offending post simply gets deleted, the offender may never know what had he done wrong, and post repliers who did nothing wrong might find their posts deleted along with the entire thread for no apparent reason.

May I humbly suggest that inappropriate posts get edited by Mods to remove specific words (e.g. profanities) first. If the entire thread is going nowhere meaningful, lock the thread instead of deleting it; a "lock" in front of a thread title is a warning sign for all ANN users that the same mistake shall not be repeated again.

Best wishes and thanks in advance,
dormcat
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king_micah



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 994
Location: OSU
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 6:18 pm Reply with quote
I disagree.
I like the modding to a bit draconian. It keeps the boards ontopic and keeps bad topics off the front page. I don't want to see a dozen HI! IMA KNEW HERE! topics everytime I visit.
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9903
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:56 pm Reply with quote
king_micah wrote:
I like the modding to a bit draconian. It keeps the boards ontopic and keeps bad topics off the front page. I don't want to see a dozen HI! IMA KNEW HERE! topics everytime I visit.

I don't like those threads either. Newcomers often started those threads on the very same day they signed up and soon followed by dozens of welcomes, which is totally meaningless. However, many of those "Hi" thread starters have limited, if not their first, forum experience. For them "Teh Rules" are the same as EULA during software installation or disclaimers on credit card application form -- way too long to read.

My personal experience: In the place where I was born and raised, most BBS require new forum users remain "submerged" (i.e. unable to post a new topic or reply to existing topics) for 3 days (I've seen the most extreme case with 7 days of observation period and a photo ID requirement). New users are asked to obey rules by system-wide Administrators, follow styles and specific taboos by Moderators of individual boards/forums, and observe behavior and courtesy used by experienced users before expressing their own opinion. In addition to rules for new users, one-liners and excessive quotations are filtered by the system. An article without enough words by the poster him/herself will be asked by the system to add more personal opinion.

I know those rules may scare off some inexperienced users and/or raise some arguments about freedom of speech, and I don't want to be snobbish just because I have a few more years of experience. I'm happy to see more and more people joining the discussion about anime every day. However, if "Teh Rules" were enough then no one would spend over their credit limit. Most people (myself included) wouldn't wake up unless the enforcement of rules is in their very proximity, if not on them directly. Temporary/permanent bans warn an individual user, while lock signs warn other users, which is the point I want to emphasize. If certain annoying things happen repeatedly (e.g. "HI IM NEW" threads), Moderators can add those actions to a "taboo list" in "Teh Rules" and state that any of those actions would result deletion without warning and temporary/permanent ban.

Oh, king_micah, thank you for teaching me the word "draconian." Wink
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king_micah



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 994
Location: OSU
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:54 pm Reply with quote
Hi topics are forbidden under the OT rules, perhaps that could be extended.
As for reading the rules, there has been much debate on this. I think the first few days should have a limit of 3 topics created and a break of 5 minutes between creation.
Right now, with the report feature, modding has gotten much quciker at responding to problems. I no longer hunt down staffers on Aim because of board issues. I think the biggest issue is making new folks understand the rules and understand what is frowned upon. After that is enforcement and no longer do we own anything. Another issue is that good, if overeager enforcement prevents the members from crushing new folks. That makes it the big bad mods rather than the whole forumn crushing someone.
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9903
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:32 pm Reply with quote
There is a "HI" thread in progress as we speak...many veterans are "welcoming." Mad

king_micah wrote:
Hi topics are forbidden under the OT rules, perhaps that could be extended.
As for reading the rules, there has been much debate on this. I think the first few days should have a limit of 3 topics created and a break of 5 minutes between creation.

Forgive me for my ignorance, but all I know about "OT rules" is overtime rules for salary and I couldn't find it in "Teh Rules."

EDIT: Is OT "off topic?"

IMHO "a break of 5 minutes between creation" is still too soft. I really doubt if anyone has so many questions (which's answer couldn't be found at ANN or by Google) to ask in such a short time period.

king_micah wrote:
Another issue is that good, if overeager enforcement prevents the members from crushing new folks. That makes it the big bad mods rather than the whole forumn crushing someone.

Good psychological point of view. Big bad Mods create more forgiving forum users and vice versa. Wink


Last edited by dormcat on Fri Jul 16, 2004 11:47 pm; edited 2 times in total
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one3rd



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1819
Location: アメリカ
PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:43 pm Reply with quote
dormcat wrote:
My personal experience: In the place where I was born and raised, most BBS require new forum users remain "submerged" (i.e. unable to post a new topic or reply to existing topics) for 3 days (I've seen the most extreme case with 7 days of observation period and a photo ID requirement).


This actually sounds like a good idea. But I'd probably make it 30-60 days and no photo ID.
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phoelixian





PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:18 am Reply with quote
one3rd wrote:
dormcat wrote:
My personal experience: In the place where I was born and raised, most BBS require new forum users remain "submerged" (i.e. unable to post a new topic or reply to existing topics) for 3 days (I've seen the most extreme case with 7 days of observation period and a photo ID requirement).


This actually sounds like a good idea. But I'd probably make it 30-60 days and no photo ID.

Well, 30-60 days would be a little harsh, but I think that option would definitely be a plus. It's annoying to log in and have to sift through a couple pages of repetitive threads over and over. I'm not reading through the topics nearly as often as I use to. I mainly hit ANN now for the Encyclopedia, which is a shame; there are some good members here that are a big help to others.
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher


Joined: 29 Dec 2001
Posts: 10474
Location: Do not message me for support.
PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:41 pm Reply with quote
"Teh Rules" are about to be updated. There's currently a draft that needs to be reviewed by a few of ANN's staff.

I might even post the new rules in the forum after we (the staff) have come up with our final version. Perhaps you will be able to make sugegstions or comments that will cause us to change them before they are posted.

As for an observation period, it won't happen. I've thought of it, and it would solve many problems, but it would also create a new one. Some people come here to aska question, others come here respond to an issue. In both cases, these people obviously don't want to wait 3, 7 or 30 days... What's more, PHPBB doesn't have the functionality built in.

-t
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Sarki-Kun



Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 594
Location: Spain
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:15 am Reply with quote
Tempest wrote:
As for an observation period, it won't happen. I've thought of it, and it would solve many problems, but it would also create a new one. Some people come here to aska question, others come here respond to an issue. In both cases, these people obviously don't want to wait 3, 7 or 30 days...


The first clever and human thing I have read here. Forcing people to wait a couple of days for being "active" just because they don't follow exactly all rules is not correct. Maybe should be a Rule by the OT threads. I know that there are a lot of annoying topics, but would be enough with the few modifications that ANN Staff is planning. I also totally agree with the first post of Dormcat. Someone (I'm not going to tell who, just by education) locked a topic that I started just because "He/She didn't like it and admins will is much important".

Anyways, here is it a good job. Also the forums are completly ordenated, I know other webs that they're also good, but how can I take a look to 60 different forums??? Mad


Tempest wrote:
-t


Can I ask what's this?? (And don't say "it's a signature Very HappyVery Happy)
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abunai
Old Regular


Joined: 05 Mar 2004
Posts: 5463
Location: 露命
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:13 am Reply with quote
Sarki-Kun wrote:
Tempest wrote:
-t


Can I ask what's this?? (And don't say "it's a signature Very HappyVery Happy)

It's a secret code. By using a discreet "-t", that is, a time indicator with a negative prefix, Tempest is giving you a hint that he is in reality a time traveller from the 23rd century. His mission in our era is to guide us towards the true future of anime, where everybody has spiky hair and the girls wear skimpy sailor suits to school - and to teach us how to pronounce "Arsène Lupin".

Any further questions?

- abunai

"In the grim future of Hello Kitty, there is only war."
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Sarki-Kun



Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 594
Location: Spain
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:59 am Reply with quote
Really?? Wow, I thought that "-t" was an ancient rune that showed other people how to enter into other's minds and change his preferences. Of course, that would be Tempest's Ultimate Weapon 'cause he just will enter into the whole world mind and get everyone into anime. So, what a dream, a world where "everybody has spiky hair and the girls wear skimpy sailor suits to school".

Of course, as we are fans yet, that rune it's weirdness acting to us. Er...In fact I guess it's a hint for knowing someone of the staff has written or edited that post. Of course, -t (Tempest), -c (Cookie), etc, etc, etc.

Am I right?? Razz
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cookie
Former ANN Editor in Chief


Joined: 02 Jan 2002
Posts: 2460
Location: Do not contact me for support.
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:24 pm Reply with quote
I should point out that locking (rather than deleting threads) has generally INCREASED recently, rather than decreased.

It's standard procedure to send a PM to the individual who created the offending thread, so that they know what they did wrong. In cases of extreme spamming, we can just ban the user with a message asking them to contact editor@ann via e-mail to discuss being unbanned.

About 33% of the time, these people don't even log in again, and thus never see their message was deleted, OR the PM informing them of the thread's removal.

It's draconic, but really, we're caught between a rock and a hard place -- even if we DIDN'T lock/delete the thread, the user might not return anyway, thus cluttering the forum needlessly. If they DO return, they read the PM and usually respond saying "Sorry, won't do that again" and then become regular users who might only need the occasional prod in the right direction.

Hopefully the rules rewrite will be worthwhile.. but frankly, there are many people who WON'T read the rules, no matter how nicely we ask.. and those people are the ones who are causing problems.
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7440
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 11:36 pm Reply with quote
I think we can thank summer vacation for the increase in locks. Now that kids are out of school (and only for another month or so, thank God) kids are spending more time online and therefore, more time here. However, ANN isn't a playground or a baby sitter for these kids and I applaud all those involved in keeping the standards here as high as ever.

Emerje
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Sarki-Kun



Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 594
Location: Spain
PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:41 am Reply with quote
Cookie wrote:
Hopefully the rules rewrite will be worthwhile.. but frankly, there are many people who WON'T read the rules, no matter how nicely we ask.. and those people are the ones who are causing problems.


Just for being helpful...Maybe putting more advertisements on the principal page or in the forums, and make it bigger....Er...Don't know. And also one more thing. Maybe you could do that when someone is registering ANN MemberList, put a big advertisment showing him/her the importancy of reading Teh Rules. How does this look??? :O
Emerje wrote:
I think we can thank summer vacation for the increase in locks.


I thought that summer vacations were godd Smile. Hey, by the way, maybe when were kids other elder people was thinking the same, xDDD
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