[17-DEC-2012] Please read: (1) Controversial topics and (2) Use of the SPAM button

[gcbryan]

@MountainKing

I think it is regrettable to not be able to post ‘controversial’ topics. Life is made up of different viewpoints and it would be nice to have them in the appropriate “Off-topic Chatter” forum. Else, why not close this useless subforum if this forums only deals with flashlights?

To be fair, it doesn’t just deal with flashlights. It’s everything other than flashlights and controversial issues

[Flacomuchacho]

@gcbryan

I agree that controversial topics should be avoided mainly just because Mr. Admin prefers that policy and it’s his (well run) board.

Otherwise, I personally think it’s interesting especially if people can refrain from personal attacks and remarks.

There are a lot of members with differing views and backgrounds and it’s interesting (to me) to hear everyone’s point of view.

I don’t understand those who it bothers so much that they want to leave. If threads of that nature aren’t your thing there is no need to read them. There are many threads on here that I’m not interested in and therefore don’t read but it doesn’t bother me that others want to read them.

I don’t think it’s appropriate to bring those divisive subjects into regular flashlight topics as Gorann used to do but if left in the Off Topic area I would have no problem with it.

Rather than closing or deleted those topics I think they generally die out on their own. It makes them more “dramatic” when they are closed as they would soon die out anyway.

That’s not Mr. Admin’s policy however and I can totally respect that. I’ve just never quite understood the reactions of a few that were bothered so much by topics when they (including me and anyone else) could just not read or participate in.

If this is the price paid for a fun and peaceful forum however I agree it’s a fair price

100 % Flaco approved

[DarkSide]

Well said...

I'll throw this out there. Perhaps a nomination ?

Scaru and Lumatic running the joint? Its a good thing.

@Lumatic

because folks are getting ‘riled up’ by other topics other than flashlights. Gettin’ riled-up about flashlights I’m cool with. I don’t have a problem with disagreements like that. Riled-up about everything else, take it somewhere else, else I’m gone, outta here, vamoosh. I get enough of it 24/7 everywhere I go, from pretty much a lot of disgruntled, frustrated with society bodies and a lot of hinky angles that suits only one’s particular beliefs and upbringing. I don’t need any more of it. I’m saturated. You guys make the choice of what ya want this forum to function as. Either as essentially a pure flashflight forum, or a flashlight forum getttin more and more disguised as a place to nastily vent your stances in life against each other. And believe me all those differences will seep-in to the flashlight-part to where it becomes a moderator’s nightmare. I’m not interested in the latter one iota, neither under a subdued version, politically-correct version, or any other kind of version other than discussing and arguing about flashlights. And I don’t think there are enough moderators here who need to deal with the headaches of acting like constant virtual social-referees either - so it’s ultimately up to them. Some people are touchy enough here as it is. Real thin skins. Sometimes I can’t obviously kid around without somebody taking it unbelievably dam* seriously. C’mon. Lighten up. I don’t care how old you are, who you are in status, or how self-important ya think ya are. No one’s that important here. This place will continue without you or me. Lighten up. No one’s trying to be nasty towards ya. Think humor first or light-hearted jabbing like hopefully ya handle it in real life. And if ya can’t handle it here, then you’re prolly a social basket-case outside of here too. We’re just here to have a little distracting fun is all and maybe poke each other in the ribs once in a while about mainly flashlights in general. But we do know when to back off, or when things go too far in Flashlight World, ya know what I mean? But now if ya interject controversial subjects on top of the fact that ya gots yer real touchy folks here it’s only gonna get worse unless they change which I doubt. That I know for a fact. As for me, if this happens some more I’ll be on the very verge of saying hasta la vista baby and participating somewhere else or just no place at all. Life is short and hard enough as it is. I think can contribute some good things here, some different viewpoints, even challenge some of ya to think outside the box and vice versa. But on the same token I don’t need drama, nor drama queens. I’m not gonna waste my time if it’s gonna end up being Flashlight Fist City, Nasty Distractionville, or Prima Donnaville either. Lighten up. I like having fun. And so should all of you. Else why come here? Just sayin’…

[RedForest_UK]

@gcbryan

I agree that controversial topics should be avoided mainly just because Mr. Admin prefers that policy and it’s his (well run) board.

Otherwise, I personally think it’s interesting especially if people can refrain from personal attacks and remarks.

There are a lot of members with differing views and backgrounds and it’s interesting (to me) to hear everyone’s point of view.

I don’t understand those who it bothers so much that they want to leave. If threads of that nature aren’t your thing there is no need to read them. There are many threads on here that I’m not interested in and therefore don’t read but it doesn’t bother me that others want to read them.

I don’t think it’s appropriate to bring those divisive subjects into regular flashlight topics as Gorann used to do but if left in the Off Topic area I would have no problem with it.

Rather than closing or deleted those topics I think they generally die out on their own. It makes them more “dramatic” when they are closed as they would soon die out anyway.

That’s not Mr. Admin’s policy however and I can totally respect that. I’ve just never quite understood the reactions of a few that were bothered so much by topics when they (including me and anyone else) could just not read or participate in.

If this is the price paid for a fun and peaceful forum however I agree it’s a fair price

I 100% agree with this too. I know I am one who is guilty of taking us off-topic, I really didn’t think it was a problem at the time, at least it didn’t have to become one. But I respect Mr Admin’s wishes and agree that it may well be for the best to simply keep such discussion out of the forum altogether.

It is a shame we don’t seem able to discuss certain controversial topics without descending into chaos, but if not then I completely agree that we should stop trying to. That clearly applies to me more than most, so I apologise for anything I have done (and may do in the future, although I will try my best not to) which crosses a line.

[Flacomuchacho]

@DarkSide

Scaru and Lumatic running the joint?

what kind of joint are we here talking about…? I thought polemical topics were forbidden… but it would surely calm things down!!! S)

[dthrckt]

Zombie Kid Likes Turtles

[ILIKEFLASHLIGHTS]

I respect that decision. And I, too stepped over the line, but I also feel I needed to since what was said in advance. I would say the majority of folks here who have flashlights also have some guns in the house. It’s a guy thing. We like to have cool things. But I will try to rememeber the rules if this ever happens again.

[FlashPilot]

@sb56637

@FlashPilot (Keith):
Thanks a lot for your thoughts, and no offence taken. Let me respond to a few of them here:

1. With regard to an ignore button and a corresponding user rating/score reducing administrative load, this is unfortunately not at all the case, at least here on BLF. When we used to have a “SPAM level” indicator below every user’s profile, my inbox was constantly flooded with requests by users, often feeling very hurt, asking me to “fix” their SPAM level rating. Most of the time, the SPAM level was simply a result of mistaken clicks on the SPAM button.
2. As to whether I enjoy the drama, absolutely not. I hate it when this stuff comes up.
3. About enforcing rules: I enforce the rules whenever I personally notice that a user has seriously crossed the line or when it is brought to my attention. Many users here have received a PM from me in which I request them to go back and remove offensive content, be it controversial or lewd in nature. Almost invariably, the users in question are very reasonable and they edit their posts, or else they ask me to just remove the whole thread for them. The problem is that I don’t read 100% of the posts, and I am frequently away from my computer and away from an internet connection, so I sometimes can’t handle problems promptly, and I apologize for that. In fact that was what happened with the gun control threads. I was away for the better part of Friday and Saturday and extremely busy for all of Sunday, thus the lack of action on my part.

So, I’m not discarding the option of an ignore button. But it’s definitely not a silver bullet solution. The most effective way of ensuring that the rules are enforced is enlisting the help of a slew of moderators in different time zones around the world who will constantly police the forums 24/7 and temporarily ban users after 1 or 2 offences. But as everyone well knows, there are already plenty of forums across the Internet with that moderation style, and we’re not going to follow that same route.

Keith, you say you “created the last poll on this subject”. Are you referring to a poll you created here about whether we should have an “ignore” button? I can’t seem to find one about the subject.

Thanks again for your helpful criticism!

Thanks for the thoughtful reply sb56637. These are obviously very controversial topics.

• The “ignore button” would have a completely separate use and definition (described by you in your new policy addendum) as a condition of using this forum, and not to be confused with the spam button. If a user receives ignore counts on his profile, then that is because someone has obviously chosen to ignore that person. There is no room for conjecture or resetting the count… it is done. If someone PM’s you about it to complain, you can chose to answer with a quick link to your policy (copy/paste link) or you can ignore it all together. You need not answer in detail for what we all know is policy, and that this type of enforcement has now by default, been transferred to the user group. Be a descent person and people will want to converse with you. Be a jackass and get ignored… not rocket science here. The admin’s job should be to ban when a user gets out of hand. Given enough time, everyone will have a certain number of ignore marks on their profile. I think that goes without saying. We will get used to it. The people that tend to annoy the majority will automatically be silenced very quickly because no one will want to see their moronic posts any longer.

Your other thoughts regarding modding the forum sound fair enough, and there are more than enough responsible users here that would certainly be pleased to help out any way they could.

I couldnt find that poll either, along with a few other threads I posted at least a year ago. Did we crash at some point?

As others have pointed out, this is a flashlight forum, not one to air controversial subjects that will surely upset groups of people. Some of the subject matter and comments have been deeply offensive to some people. If youre looking for fame or to pick a fight, go to youtube and do that. Do it here and be ignored by those that find your comments offensive. Keep it up and be banned.

I seriously hope you will implement this sb56637. Of course there will be some initial resistance, especially by those that will quickly become ignored. But that is their fault and earned by the personal resentment of so many offended users.

[scaru]

I personally don't like an ignore button. While there are some people that do annoy me sometimes, other times they are extremely helpful and nice. I wouldn't want to miss out on all of their posts.

But that's just me.

[rojos]

@ILIKEFLASHLIGHTS

I would say the majority of folks here who have flashlights also have some guns in the house. It’s a guy thing.

No.

[Flacomuchacho]

@kreisler

@Flacomuchacho

@DarkSide

Scaru and Lumatic running the joint?

what kind of joint are we here talking about…? I thought polemical topics were forbidden… but it would surely calm things down!!! S)

Add a Chix, a Vectrex and a me

Did i smoke that joint too, or is the mother wearing the fake dr. dre headsets?

[feilox]

Sorry I was one of them that used, ‘SPAM’ on replies not related to the topic. And I’ve marked a thread like 20 times with it on accident, from ones of those first time posters.

[zelee]

I sometimes accidentally press the spam button when try to access the next page when using mobile browser on my phone and do anyone experienced to make a double post when using mobile browser?

[zelee]

I sometimes accidentally press the spam button when try to access the next page when using mobile browser on my phone and do anyone experienced to make a double post when using mobile browser?

[kronological]

Nice double there, zelee

I hit the spam button accidentally almost every day.

I also wish the subscriptions button was near the top of the page.

It would also be nice if there was a ‘Next New’ button.

[zelee]

@kronological

Nice double there, zelee

I hit the spam button accidentally almost every day.

I also wish the subscriptions button was near the top of the page.

It would also be nice if there was a ‘Next New’ button.

Very annoying on give away thread and suddenly bam your post is doubled

[Rufusbduck]

Right fingered so spam button gets tapped fairly often while scrolling. I only confirm it on obvious spam threads.

[DavidEF]

@kronological

Nice double there, zelee

I hit the spam button accidentally almost every day.

I also wish the subscriptions button was near the top of the page.

It would also be nice if there was a ‘Next New’ button.

Oh, to have a ’Next New’ Button!

As for hitting the SPAM button accidentally: it has never happened to me. :bigsmile:

[thijsco19]

I accidentally hit the spam button once. But I have used it a couple times already, of course only on spam threads…

[kronological]

@DavidEF

@kronological

I also wish the subscriptions button was near the top of the page.

It would also be nice if there was a ‘Next New’ button.

Oh, to have a ’Next New’ Button!

As for hitting the SPAM button accidentally: it has never happened to me. :bigsmile:

Sully….is a ‘Next New’ button possible? Purdy please?

Oh…one other thing…OK…two. Can you add a ‘Messages’ and ‘My Subscriptions’ button at the top so you don’t have to scroll down to them, maybe next to the ‘recent posts’ button on the top right?