Ask the Moderators

[Hatusu]

Unfortunately no. "Just live with it" is not an answer. There are rewards for having a higher post count. The reason I ask is that it seems arbitrary.

1) Posts count only in the some threads.
2) People who have higher post counts are awarded more priviledges.
3) Therefore it must be better to post in threads where the posts count toward your total.

So does this imply that people who participate in threads where posts are counted are better than the people who participate in threads where posts are not counted?

Does this start to remind you of the "brown eyed and blue eyed people" experiment?

Are you using us for a thesis, Darren?

[Shipperahoy]

The fact that there are benefits involved with higher posts counts is part of the reason WHY posts in OT don't count. As has been said this is a Stargate forum and Darren thought it best that people not be allowed to go off one day in OT with random conversations and then be able to access avs and whatnot. You're basically EARNING access to certain priviledges by participating in forum discussions. Having a higher post count certainly doesn't make any one person better than another and it's too bad that people would feel that way. It's merely a sort of reward system.

As far as the brown/eye blue eye experiment reference I'm sure it was made jokingly but I certainly don't think that people with higher post counts getting rewards is in any way similar to taking aside one group and telling them that they're smarter, more athletic, and basically better overall than another group of people.

[Hatusu]

That's exactly how it is starting to feel for at least some of the people who spend more time in Off-Topic.

It's just a forum. It's just a forum.....

[ShadowMaat]

That's exactly how it is starting to feel for at least some of the people who spend more time in Off-Topic.

It's just a forum. It's just a forum.....

I'm really sorry, Hatusu, I think you're a great person, but I'm having a hard time feeling any real sympathy for the plight of the OT crowd. This is a STARGATE forum. Why would you come here and the not ever talk about Stargate? Hell, I don't even watch SG-1 anymore, I spend oodles of time on my Sulky Thread and yet I still manage to find enough on topic stuff to discuss to get the added bennies.

No one is FORCING people to stay in OT. If they CHOOSE to stay there, that's their perogative, but I really don't see how they can feel they somehow deserve the same rewards as those who actually make an effort to discuss something relevant to the subject/purpose of the board.

And then there's what was quoted a few posts above- all the extras in the world don't make a lick of difference in the grand scheme of things. Make your posts COUNT. If you're having fun, then to hell with message space and avs and whatnot.

[Hatusu]

We discuss "Stargate" all the time. Shadow, in your thread "Stargate", the actors, writers and directors are mentioned frequently. I've even written rhymes about the show. It's just not all that is discussed in OT.

Now back to my original question. Why would posts in this thread count and not OT?

[Shipperahoy]

Because this thread is directly forum related.

[Hatusu]

I feel like what I'm saying is not being taken seriously. I'll end it now.

[Shipperahoy]

How are you not being taken seriously? You asked why OT posts don't count and were answered. You don't agree with it and that's perfectly fine. It's your perogative. I'm not sure what you expect. Ultimately the decision is up to Darren and, who knows, he may decide to change things but all that we can do at the moment is listen to what you have to say and answer your questions.

[Skydiver]

One reason the OT section doesn't count is because folks can talk about anything and everything. They can write a 3 word fanfic, they can chat about the weather, they can discuss what they ate for dinner last night....and if those posts count then the folks that play here that keep things on topic would express the feeling that the folks that play in the OT area unfairly get the goodies that come with rank.

It would basically make the post count and rank too easy to attain

Is it fair? That's open to the interpretation of each user. It is how Darren has chosen to set it up though.

If folks don't like it, then let Darren know. I can't promise that he'll change things, but at least he'll know that there is a concern about the matter.

[Egeria]

I feel like what I'm saying is not being taken seriously. I'll end it now.

Quit while you losing Hatusu...

OT is like being a second class citizen to some on this board. Yes it's a Stargate board, but judging by the tone of the board recently you'd be hard pressed to say that this was a 'happy' place. OK OT might not be what Darren evisioned as being worthy as post count, but it's where alot of people are finding sanctaury here. When will someone wake up and smell the roses and realise that when some of the 'old' timers (sorry guys) are getting hacked off that there 'might' be something wrong here.

BTW why is it that every time I visit this thread that Shadow is constantly responding to posts. I'm sure people come her expecting to be answered by a mod not someone, who by post count seem's to convey a false sense of respect.

Yes mods I'm fed up with the way this board is 'feeling' at the moment...what are you doing about it? I'm not alone here.

[Madeleine]

Some things are just the way they are because that's how Darren's chosen it. The forum is blue, the default script size is 2, reputation points are enabled, episodes get a single thread each... and post count depends on some forums and not others.

The FA & H forum is not one where masses of one-word posts, back-and-forth ersatz chatroom stuff, trivial banter and the like will naturally find a home. A lot of posters in here are saving the mods work by answering questions that we'd otherwise spend our time answering (or in my case can't answer because I'm usually incapable of understanding anything that follows the words 'browser' or 'cache'.)

I'm sorry you feel you aren't being taken seriously. I think you are. The replies you have got were not nasty, mocking or false. They just don't give you an answer that satisfies you. That may not be possible though. There are reasons for not 'counting' posts that are not at all Stargate-related. Really, there are, and they're Darren's. I agree with some of them. I know (and Darren knows) that there are Stargatey posts in the OT forum, but it's not like we're throwing a baby out with it's bathwater. No one's getting injured, unless their pride is what counts.

[Hatusu]

How are you not being taken seriously? You asked why OT posts don't count and were answered. You don't agree with it and that's perfectly fine. It's your perogative. I'm not sure what you expect. Ultimately the decision is up to Darren and, who knows, he may decide to change things but all that we can do at the moment is listen to what you have to say and answer your questions.

I felt that my question wasn't being taken seriously, because circular reasoning was being used, because my central point of the application being arbitrary wasn't addressed, and finally because Shadow was replying in a condescending manner toward me. I held my temper and replied politely...but you asked.

I love to discuss the show, but I have my reasons for staying away from the discussion threads, which I don't need to list here.

I respect your more direct answer of "It's Darren's prerogative". That is why I addressed my question to Darren in the first place. Because it is his prerogative, he is the only person who could answer it.

[Hatusu]

Quit while you losing Hatusu...

You have made a valid point, Egeria.

[Madeleine]

OT is like being a second class citizen to some on this board.

Do you mean that some people treat you as second class citizens if you post in OT? How? Seriously. Do they do it in the OT folder (which would be tricky, as they'd then be admitting to also being second class) or do they disrespect your views when you post in an episode thread cos you're an OT-er?

Or is it the Avatars and PMs that make people feel second class? I've edited this paragraph to excise the sarcasm, but it really really sticks in my craw that anyone should complain that they haven't got as much as others in this regard. Darren pays to have this site, and every bit of bandwidth and every bit of storage space costs money. Real money. He's generous in giving some of the users here the storage space for avatars and for lots of PMs. I'm not entirely sure if people are complaining because his generosity isn't universal or if the rules he's set for where to draw the line isn't to people's liking, but I think it's pretty churlish to complain. I brought satsumas to work the other day, and e-mailed my entire team and the Investors team inviting them to share, but not the Printouts team; cos even though some of them are closer friends, have closer desks and have been around longer, most aren't / haven't. My Satsumas, my choice, heaven forbid that any of the printouts team would have imagined that complaining about it was an option. You want an avatar of your own? Get one the same way the rest of us do, or go and start a forum which you fund yourself, give yourself the avatars you want, and then sit back and wait for people to tell you you're getting the rules wrong.

Yes it's a Stargate board, but judging by the tone of the board recently you'd be hard pressed to say that this was a 'happy' place. OK OT might not be what Darren evisioned as being worthy as post count, but it's where alot of people are finding sanctaury here. When will someone wake up and smell the roses and realise that when some of the 'old' timers (sorry guys) are getting hacked off that there 'might' be something wrong here.

Yes, people whinge, gripe, attack each other, shout rah-rah-rah for one character till everyone's ears bleed, attack character X while shrieking in indignation if anyone implies a weeny fault in Y.... People are people. We can only go so far towards keeping this place nice without becoming censoring schoolmarms. That's not going to be changed by giving anyone av-creating capabilities sooner, or by upping the post-counters for OTers.

BTW why is it that every time I visit this thread that Shadow is constantly responding to posts. I'm sure people come her expecting to be answered by a mod not someone, who by post count seem's to convey a false sense of respect.

Shadow, like most of the non-mods who answer questions, is at liberty do do so. If you don't like it, put her on ignore. If the mods don't like anything she says we'll contradict her. If we agree with it, we'll be chuffed at having four minutes of composing saved for us. If you don't like it, put her on ignore. Do you have a problem with anything she's actually said in here? Was it false? If not then what does it matter what her post count is? If you don't like it put her on ignore.

Yes mods I'm fed up with the way this board is 'feeling' at the moment...what are you doing about it? I'm not alone here.

Deleting posts where people call each other a dikhead. Closing threads for a spell so they can calm down. Splitting threads so that the spiky parallel discussion that Bill and Ben are having doesn't trample all over the fluffy original idea that Dan and Deb were having. Getting whinged at, attacked, dinged, sneered at, whinged at and mocked. PMing people who are crossing lines. Deleting posts which patently ignored previous moderator posts. Being called both overbearing and soft for the same action, by different people. Being called both overbearing and soft by the same person for the same sort of action depending on whether they were personally involved or not. Having long private debates with each other on the way to handle certain situations, and how the rules apply in each case.

What more would you like us to do? summarily ban everyone who is giving the place a bad feel? I'll leave you to work out the rather scary conclusion of *that* idea.

[Madeleine]

I respect your more direct answer of "It's Darren's prerogative". That is why I addressed my question to Darren in the first place. Because it is his prerogative, he is the only person who could answer it.

And he has answered it before. Forgive us for trying to set out his reasons rather than buck-passing. We couldn't tell whether you wanted a reason or a rationale, and accidentally tried to give a rationale. Sorry.