Off-Topic Forum Suspension Disussion

[JLStorm]

One of the other forums I visit (http://bbs.scoobynet.com/forum.php) has an 'Infraction' system running. Whereby if someone finds a post offensive (there are rules set out) they can 'Infract' someone by clicking the 'Yellow/Red Card' icon on the post. The poster gets an infraction for that post, and it stays live for x number of days. If that person receives a certain number of infractions within a certain period, they get automatically banned from posting for a few days. During a ban they can still read the forum as normal, just not post.

Here's my infractions, as an example (don't ask).

The only issue I have with infraction systems are that someone can give another user one for no reason whatsoever. So if one user just happens to dislike another user little infraction wars can start. However on the plus side it does allow the group as a whole to self moderate which is something we have always prided ourselves on here. The moderators in the past have tried to take a very hands off approach, however perhaps what worked when we had 500 members is a bit different with 3000, although I would like to think not.

[syslight]

.... Just for the record, it went down something like this. .....

==

Thanks GW. and now we know the REST of the story

[azjoe]

I've debated all day on whether or not to post this but what the hell.

Perhaps funny... but posting it will help solve what... ?

Lots of people have offered up a number of good suggestions so far, but this offers no constructive input that I can see.


(PS ... don't forget to give credit to the original author of that work)



- whatever

[JMS]

Perhaps funny... but posting it will help solve what... ?

Lots of people have offered up a number of good suggestions so far, but this offers no constructive input that I can see.


(PS ... don't forget to give credit to the original author of that work)



- whatever

AZJoe, you are officially one of my hero's!
Lou sent that to me this morning also! I laughed my a$$ off!

[Jimbo]

Hey guys,

I know I haven't been around much lately, and have missed whatever it was that lead to the regrettable need for a topic like this. I don't really have a lot to add.

I agree that it's Lynn's house, and we should abide by the house rules. But it's the members that make the house a home. I feel it's up to each of us to decide what, if any, sort of home we want to create for ourselves here, and how we as individuals can take responsibility for building that environment.

I really don't know what has lead to this recent issue but if rules were breached, action should be taken. If rules weren't breached, but undesirable outcomes have developed regardless, the rules need to be looked at.

James.

[Masher]

In my opinion, the OT Forum should make a come back. I feel that with the last couple of days of actions, we should all have learned some valuable lessons. Keeping this in mind, it shouldn't be difficult to keep the forum civil and friendly. This way it could be self regulating, like the honor system. Maybe heated debates could be held by PM ing each other? I don't know. I just feel that taking the Off Topic forum away from everybody is a poor way to punish a few members.

[Kees]

We will have to balance on the one hand our wish to keep everyone on board and on the other hand our wish to be able to discuss anything with each other.
It has not been the first time we lost esteemed members through subjects not related to shaving. Have we ever lost members through discussions related to shaving???

How about a different website, run by the same people as SRP, maybe different moderators, or an "outsider" as a moderator, that only SRP members can become member of, that can be used to discuss stuff unrelated to straight razor shaving?

My USD 0.02

[jaegerhund]

In all honesty, when I first joined this forum (it being the first forum I had ever even looked at), I thought it was kind of odd and silly that an off-topic section was even available ---- I mean this is a straight razor shaving forum, why do you need an off-topic section?. But as I got to know the people here better, the off-topic section started to become a means of getting to know my friends better and that to me is its value. Forget the topics, forget the arguments, --- to me it's the meat of being a family or community ---that is, most friends spend time talking about things off-topic --otherwise, things stay in the realm of the professional and contrived.

I think either there should be an off-topic section or not --- please don't bring it back with some convoluted rule sytem that ruins the whole laissey-faire attitude of that section. Maybe we would be better without it --- but that doesn't say much about us.

Justin

[JMS]

In all honesty, when I first joined this forum (it being the first forum I had ever even looked at), I thought it was kind of odd and silly that an off-topic section was even available ---- I mean this is a straight razor shaving forum, why do you need an off-topic section?. But as I got to know the people here better, the off-topic section started to become a means of getting to know my friends better and that to me is its value. Forget the topics, forget the arguments, --- to me it's the meat of being a family or community ---that is, most friends spend time talking about things off-topic --otherwise, things stay in the realm of the professional and contrived.

I think either there should be an off-topic section or not --- please don't bring it back with some convoluted rule sytem that ruins the whole laissey-faire attitude of that section. Maybe we would be better without it --- but that doesn't say much about us.

Justin

HEAR HEAR!!

I also enjoy the off topic session for the same reason Justin does! I find no deep interest in talking about shaving! I joined SRP to answer a question about one of my hones! I can see the attraction for newbies, But for me, off topic is the real interest! thats where you get to know your fellow man.good, bad, or indifferent! My closest attachments here were made through the off topic forum! some off these new friends have completely opposite view points than I! We became friends because through the off topic discussions the real character of each person participating in these discussions were revealed, so we could look and say "I don't agree with a damned thing so an so is saying, but hes got a good heart, he means well, he's a decent man and so on"!
the shaving forum for me is like different sorts of hard candy! I look and pick through, nibble here, nibble there, but when I'm hungry I go to where the meat is, off topic!

[JLStorm]

I am all for freedom of speech, but if I had to see a few things go I could live. It seems that religion and politics can become ugly and I wouldnt cry if those werent allowed, but I certainly dont want to have to watch every word I say.