Maybe this is in the wrong forum but I'm not really sure where to put this. And I honestly seldom read other fora. I haven't been really active the last few months but I've noticed a new trend, we're much more forgiving towards newbies now than we were at the old boards. then comes the interesting question, why? Look at the main boards here, it has a poll called ' your favorite character' on the old boards anyone posting anything like that would be asked not to. Now it's a poll instead of a thread but it's the same thing, isn't it? What's changed? Are we getting nicer because we have more power? When will I learn how to spell? Are we nicer because we still haven't gotten the guidelines afloat? Because the favorite character thingy hasn't surfaced until now and thus newbies wouldn't know what we oldies think about it? Anyways, it's interesting isn't it? Have we become what BlueGerbil wanted us to? And, from a purely psycological point of view, shouldn't more power make us less nice? I'll go back to writing my essay now.
A few reasons. One we haven't got the rules up and running, so we can expect people to follow them. Now people only know they've done something wrong once we've told them, most people once told tend to try to improve, which is cool. Once the rules are up and running we can expect more from people and can allow less leway. On the old board we did had a billion threads on 'what are you favourite characters' and any small about on searching good find them. So there was no reason to start a new one. Here we don't, so it's fair enough that knew people start them. Maybe becuase we feel we need new people, so we're willing to be more forgiving. Oh, and new guys, don't feel weary that we're discussing this, it's nothing personal, merely that we're an old community, but we moved to a new board-due to trolls- so we've got alot of history to play around with.
I was thinking more along the lines of now that we have the power to inforce rules there is less need to worry about it. Before, all we could say was there are a lot of threads on this can you please not make another. The problem with that is we could not actually inforce it. Now that we can, it's not as important. Plus these old threads live only in the old board, we could do with some new ones so when another newbit comes along and makes the thread we have soemthing to point to. It's also to do with the attempt at attracting new members as rinso said...
Everything that Rincewind said, I think we'll allow one of everything then tell all posters of polls/threads after the first identical one that it's already been done and, if they're lucky, the person that points this out will show them where the original is.
Just to add a minor point, i don't want to hijack this tread or anything but it seems all the "old hands" will be reading this, could anyone point me in the right direction of a good translator on the web? I want to translate a song to post here from [i:2628f83f4d]Afrikaans[/i:2628f83f4d] to english, but non that i can find on the web can translate from/to [i:2628f83f4d]afrikaans[/i:2628f83f4d], and i am not sure i would be able to translate very well. :?: I am also looking fo a translator that will be able to convey meaning, not just translate directly into the most appropriate word. I don't want to end up with the type of stuff you get from poor Japanese-English translations. [i:2628f83f4d]Instructions on a set of knives: [b:2628f83f4d]Keep out of children![/b:2628f83f4d][/i:2628f83f4d] EDIT: Added the second paragraph.
I agree with Rinso. Asides from that: Smoking GNU, lets create a language thread. I will later come up with some questions about the English language in general that have been bothering me lately, and details from the books where a dictionary doesn't help, and you can ask translating questions. I'll post my answer there.
I agree with Rinso, FairyLiquid and Maljonic on this. We need to get those rules in place though. I know got annoyed with a newbit (Willmolly3 in the Marmite thread), I probably wouldn't have if I could have just linked him to the rules/guidelines. Happy puppy behavior annoys me sometimes as this site is still relatively low on traffic.
I can only speak for myself, but I imagine most new people would be more than happy to follow the local rules (a complete listing of which would be delightful but I'm sure you folks have more important things to do with your time). In the meantime, I certainly don't want to be annoying, or irritating, so please tell me if I do something wrong! (I can't vouch for anyone else but I promise not to get offended or cry, unless you're really mean). It's stressful enough posting when everyone else seems to know everyone and everything, and I still can't think of a cool signature.
The dreams of Ba are many and colourful, and quite a few of them involve death and misery. And then there's the nightmares...
It seems like the old place was very "fire and brimstone". I don't knoww why, or if that element has come here with the rest of you who moved, but perhaps it's simply time to mellow out a bit and see how this place evolves.
We had some problems, but they were really from people who did not want to be part of the communiity - you could go here to see what I mean.
Pixel makes a rather valid point. And to reply to Mynona, I think the reason we are lenient here is because we have the power to rid ourselves of this stuff, if it gets way too annoying. As it is, I think the people involved have already got a fair idea of what the general reaction to those threads is, so we should see a little less happy bouncy puppy stuff now.
i started the poll about the favourite character thingy. *hangs head in shame* it was just cos i didn't know about the other "old" forum. i also wanted a nice ice breaker to settle into this forum. i love the terry pratchett books and i love a good debate. i also wanted to do some polling to find out everybodys thoughts. as a newbie, i love the polls, becos some of the threads have been hanging round and i don't feel right butting in this late in the game. i will try to improve, and i will learn. but you will have to point out when i'm doing wrong for a while. sorry everyone.
You wheren't to know. So thier is no need to apologise at all. This is a transistional period for us. Due to heavey trolling we had to move, so there alot of things that, as a community, we have to sort out-what we want this place to be like. Generally, we all think the same ways now and we have a few old hang ups that will newbies can fall into. Until, we make any problems clear it's going to be hard for you guys to avoid them, and right now, we're not even sure on what all the problems are! you just have to bare with us, and like wise we have to bare in mind that you new guys don't know our history and can't be expected to follow it.
i really am enjoying this forum. i like the ratings everybody gets. i think alot of the nickmaes are fantastic. not to mention the avatars. did you really get alot of trolls on the last forum? i'm shocked to hear that! i didn't think it would happen on a terry pratchett board.
It was less general trolling and more of a vendetta really .. Read Pixel's observation about this .. I think he posted it in the religion and homosexuality thread.
I think this is the link that sampanna is referring to. Mal - a side issue to a side issue - I have made several posts recently including URL links, but from responses I don't think that people are always following the links - the default colour-scheme on the board when I see it does not always make links clear - is this the board software or is it just that I need to adjust my browser (which, for my sins, is still Internet Explorer - I know - mea culpa etc. - I've just never got round to changing it!)
[quote:308c0fdd7e="Pixel"]I think this is the link that sampanna is referring to. Mal - a side issue to a side issue - I have made several posts recently including URL links, but from responses I don't think that people are always following the links - the default colour-scheme on the board when I see it does not always make links clear - is this the board software or is it just that I need to adjust my browser (which, for my sins, is still Internet Explorer - I know - mea culpa etc. - I've just never got round to changing it!)[/quote:308c0fdd7e] 1) [color=blue:308c0fdd7e]Get Firefox[/color:308c0fdd7e] . It will import your shortcuts and everything from Internet Explorer. 2) You can change the colour of your links. By hand, until Mal fixes it. (It might not show like that on Mal's screen, I've noticed it looks better on some screens, like for example at my work). Here's how to: [code:1:308c0fdd7e] Get Firefox [/code:1:308c0fdd7e] Take note of the spaces between the url and the color tags. If you don't use them it sometimes messes up.
I do that, but instead of changing the colour, I underline the link, since that's what most people are used to seeing, and it takes about two seconds less of my valuable time!
