Is DA getting boring?

[Red]

had DHM/RBH acted the way Mandrake acted first go around, he'd still be here today.

[Java_man]

You guys banned one of the best contributers to the debate forums, and what people are saying (which seems to fall on deaf ears) is that when you ban smart, interesting posters like him, you make this place very boring. Why can't you guys see that he is not a bad person, and he's not someone like Martin (i think everyone here agrees with that permanent ban) RBH/Mandrake is liked and respected by most people here and you guys are making a mistake by excluding him from this site.

I really think that personal vendettas any mods may have with a particular poster should not be what keeps good posters banned, that is really disappointing and lame for the rest of us to see.

It's also sad that the people who never seem to get bans (even with many reports against them) are the intellectually dishonest, eternal baiters who constantly post retarded threads in the Big Debates.

Bring back RBH and let's drop this silliness of treating him like he's some sort of pariah.

here-here ! (all-right ... I know you don't imbibe alcohol ... but you get the idea! )

I miss the good 'ol days where we would really push-the-envelope in Big Debates and then at the end of the day it was all-good

By the way, Buttercup is spot on with her post. I still find it amazing that Mandrake was banned, and posters like "mobile vulgus" haven't been banned yet even though 90% of his posts consist of insulting other members' intelligence.

agreed again

[Red]

I miss the good 'ol days where we would really push-the-envelope in Big Debates and then at the end of the day it was all-good

exactly why i think some ppl need to grow thicker skin. we had 3000+ RP last year. :

[fat mike]

reported posts? is that a lot for a site this big?

i really dont know....

[No_Brakes]

I would think that number includes all the spam reports.

[Red]

for every RP about spam, i bet see about 10 about other members. amazingly, spam isn't reported as much as members' posts are.

[optimus]

exactly why i think some ppl need to grow thicker skin. we had 3000+ RP last year. :

Here's an idea. Revamp the TOS.

My observation: DA is supposed to be a place where bored intellectuals come to get the neurons firing, exercise their brains and debate and argue until blue in the face. Of course there's gonna be heated debates that result in some insults. That's human nature, it's what happens when people are passionate, it comes with the territory. And really, most debators expect it. Everyone knows it's mostly sport, it's a place that was created for arguing. I mean really.

The TOS has become so restrictive that it's actually hurting DA. The warning system is also ridiculous. The TOS is really a turn off, and it would be nice to be able to really let loose and not have to worry about so many restrictions and offending people. As a result of the combination of the totalitarian TOS and the bored mods, DA has lost so many good members. I am not advocating complete anarchy here, I'm just saying tone down the damn TOS. Limit it to a few basic rules:

1. Spammers - BAN (because they contribute nothing at all)
2. Stalking, harrasment, and personal threats - BAN (because people should feel safe here)
3. Personal attacks - Should be mostly allowed, as long as you're a regular contributer to the threads in a constructive way. If a member gets way out of control, give them a warning to get back to being constructive. But no bans because of personal attacks, only temp-bans for 2 weeks at a time, (with each progressive temp-ban adding an additional week), to allow the boarder to cool off.

Wipe out a few of the absolutely retarded rules, like the one where you HAVE to post an opinion or comment along with an article, otherwise you get a warning, come on.

I don't think I'm suggesting anything unfair here.

[Ema]

we're supposed to report spam? I wanna push the button. I'll start reporting spam.

[No_Brakes]

I've been reporting spam as fast as I can find them, Ema.

Wanna race next time!?

[Ema]

ready! set! go!!!

[Red]

Here's an idea. Revamp the TOS.

My observation: DA is supposed to be a place where bored intellectuals come to get the neurons firing, exercise their brains and debate and argue until blue in the face. Of course there's gonna be heated debates that result in some insults. That's human nature, it's what happens when people are passionate, it comes with the territory. And really, most debators expect it. Everyone knows it's mostly sport, it's a place that was created for arguing. I mean really.

The TOS has become so restrictive that it's actually hurting DA. The warning system is also ridiculous. The TOS is really a turn off, and it would be nice to be able to really let loose and not have to worry about so many restrictions and offending people. As a result of the combination of the totalitarian TOS and the bored mods, DA has lost so many good members. I am not advocating complete anarchy here, I'm just saying tone down the damn TOS. Limit it to a few basic rules:

1. Spammers - BAN (because they contribute nothing at all)
2. Stalking, harrasment, and personal threats - BAN (because people should feel safe here)
3. Personal attacks - Should be mostly allowed, as long as you're a regular contributer to the threads in a constructive way. If a member gets way out of control, give them a warning to get back to being constructive. But no bans because of personal attacks, only temp-bans for 2 weeks at a time to allow the boarder to cool off.

I don't think I'm suggesting anything unfair here.

Manu's plan for DA was a friendly site, where ppl of all ages could get together and discuss current events, science, culture, etc, in a civilized and constructive manner. that doesn't sound retarded to me. insults, name calling, etc. is for kindergarden children, not educated adults. or maybe i was raised wrong.

Wipe out a few of the absolutely retarded rules, like the one where you HAVE to post an opinion or comment along with an article, otherwise you get a warning, come on.

that is not a rule, where the hell did you see that?

[No_Brakes]

Frankly, I thought I'd seen that too. (About having to post an opinion or comment, that is.)

Wasn't that in the "Article Posting Guidelines" announcement?

[Mystlet]

Frankly, I thought I'd seen that too. (About having to post an opinion or comment, that is.)

Wasn't that in the "Article Posting Guidelines" announcement?

Yeah, but it's only for posting articles in the debate section.

If posting an article to start a thread please observe the following guidelines:

~Quote PORTIONS of the article in your post
~Supply a direct link to the source article
~Give an opinion, comment, or question you have regarding the article

If the following are not done, we will close the post and remove it from our database.


http://www.discussanything.com/forum...articleposting



Mostly, people who post an article without commenting on it are usually spammers & shit disturbers.

Besides, just printing a page of an someone's article is plagarism.

[Red]

~Give an opinion, comment, or question you have regarding the article

the whole mindset behind that was to keep the forum moving with active threads/discussion.

i can honestly say i've never closed any thread for that reason, never ever. and i've closed/removed a shitload of threads.

[angelone]

With all the hoopla, of lawsuits, and people getting offended, I can see why these sights have a certain responsibility to set guildlines, that are accepting to everyone. People love to insult, but no one wants to be insulted. So I can see the need to keep things nice. And after all, THe TEF is a good place to get more elusive. I think this is a great sight.

[optimus]

Manu's plan for DA was a friendly site, where ppl of all ages could get together and discuss current events, science, culture, etc, in a civilized and constructive manner. that doesn't sound retarded to me. insults, name calling, etc. is for kindergarden children, not educated adults. or maybe i was raised wrong.

Uh, that's not what I was calling retarded, Red.

Manu's plan for DA was definately a good one, the problem is, that's like utopia. It's just too idealistic. There isn't a site in existence where not even the occasional insult is lobbed. Especially, "quite possibly the most ideal place to get into an argument."

Politics is simply too heated, too passionate of a subject to actually expect everyone to refrain from all insults and name calling. It will never happen.

[angelone]

Uh, that's not what I was calling retarded, Red.

Manu's plan for DA was definately a good one, the problem is, that's like utopia. It's just too idealistic. There isn't a site in existence where not even the occasional insult is lobbed. Especially, "quite possibly the most ideal place to get into an argument."

Politics is simply too heated, too passionate of a subject to actually expect everyone to refrain from all insults and name calling. It will never happen.

I do agree with this one too, That is why I try to stay out of those areas, even though some are fun and interesting. I wish they had a place where you could post anything, and the First rule would read, Plan On getting offended,UPset, and angry, and you can not complain, unless someone is threatening your life, just a thought.

[Red]

Manu's plan for DA was definately a good one, the problem is, that's like utopia. It's just too idealistic. There isn't a site in existence where not even the occasional insult is lobbed. Especially, "quite possibly the most ideal place to get into an argument."

i remember that phrase.

but things change, and DA's ITN sections are a much more heated place. some ppl simply cannot handle certain topics/subjects without ruining it for others. so, like utopia, that phrase is too idealistic.

Politics is simply too heated, too passionate of a subject to actually expect everyone to refrain from all insults and name calling. It will never happen.

i'd much rather get rid of the ITN forums myself, but that isn't my call.. so i just try to enforce the rules we currently have the best i can.

[lily]

The point that hasn't been adressed is... Mandrake's last stay here was fine, there were no problems with him, and you guys (at least Red) knew who he was and said he could post as long as he was good... So why is it that when he stopped posting for a while (due to probably being busy in his own life) when he was away someone banned him when he didn't even have any warnings? It's not like he came back here and started being a big problem, he was contributing to good debates and being low-key.

Anything to say about that?

Oh, and i'll second Optimus' idea!

[Misteria]

Here's an idea. Revamp the TOS.
Limit it to a few basic rules:

1. Spammers - BAN (because they contribute nothing at all)
2. Stalking, harrasment, and personal threats - BAN (because people should feel safe here)

i agree with those 2

i can only say that till now admin. have done a good job so far