<strong>Maybe there was a little powertripping but sheesh... how hard is it to
1. Post topics in the "correct" forum
2. Check to make sure your topic isn't already covered.
Sometimes it's nice that threads in AI don't become laboriously long. It's a nice change of pace from a large "overactive" board.</strong><hr></blockquote>
that wasnt the case with most locked threads. most were locked because certain mods just didnt like them. they werent innapropriate or anything, just not good enuff fer the mods. even though it was helping keep this place active, they got a bit excited w/ their new roles. oh well.
this place is paying for it now...
which extreme do you prefer? personally, a dead forum isnt nearly as excited as an "overactive" one...
must say, there is much less incentive to keep coming back. something is missing that this place once had. the threads aren't all that interesting anymore and usually just monotnous. there aren't as many active members and the a good majority of the active ones don't have much to add. the days of having very knowledgable and educational threads are fewer now than they once were.
Whether they were right or wrong, having a front page with rumors attracted more people to the place. Now its just the leftovers who don't like to leave and find somewhere else to talk mac.
I'm not going to diss the moderators because for the most part they are all cool and for the most part deserving but I do think there are too many and not enough for them to have to keep track of.
It's great having this place still up despite not having a true website anymore but because of that it has lost a lot of focus, a lot of members, and a lot of whatever it was that used to make it a cool message board.
But don't think this place is so bad... look what else is out there. MacNN has become pathetic. Their lounge is a hell hole, OS X discussion is overrun, and the rest just ain't to amazing. MacAddict... well is macadddict.... I hate saying its a bunch of kids because I am a kid and was a kid and hated people saying that to me but its true there. Not much else out there. Xlr8yourmac gets some decent knowledgable discussions going on but its not that busy and registration is closed for new members. Ars, well you either love it or you hate... I hate it... sometimes you'll find great discussions but there are just too many genius losers there who go back and forth forever on the same exact thing.
So, while this place ain't what it used to be it still isn't that bad compared to what's out there. I hear there are going to be some major changes coming... to the forums and possibly the front page again. Perhaps things will get better. I sure hope so.
For anyone that may be humor-impaired, I should point out that my line about banning members was a joke.
[quote]Originally posted by _ alliance _:
<strong>most were locked because certain mods just didnt like them. they werent innapropriate or anything, just not good enuff fer the mods.</strong><hr></blockquote>This is false. If it is true, I would really like for you to prove it to me. Show me that over fifty percent (a simple majority = "most") of the threads that have been locked since the new mods came on board were locked as you claim. I believe you will find that the VAST majority of threads that have been locked were locked for one or more of the following reasons:
1) The thread was in the wrong forum. In this case, the thread was probably moved.
2) The thread duplicated another discussion that was already in progress in one or more other threads in the past few days.
4) The thread had to be closed because of actions of the participating members which could severely disrupt the forums. In one specific instance, you may recall the discussion of the leaked PowerMac "Mirrored Doors" pictures and specs. If those threads had not been heavily edited and/or closed, APPLEINSIDER MIGHT NOT BE RUNNING TODAY. We had received cease and desist letters from Apple and rather than fight a legal battle with money that NO ONE here has to offer, the administrators agreed that the threads had to be shut down.
If you have a problem or concern with how the administrators or moderators and handling these situations, you need to contact one of us privately and not vent frustrations publicly on the board. All of the moderators have Private Messaging enabled with the e-mail notification; so, we should be able to respond to most situations fairly quickly.
Brad: Do we really have to rehash this every time it comes up? It seems that some members have their panties in a wad and refuse to dig them out. Shouldn't we let them have their time to work out the kinks on their own? I've got no personal beef with alliance at all (hell, we share alot of the same musical tastes), but he's obviously been rubbed the wrong way.
Personally, I feel that fireside chat has opened a big can of worms that has really ruined the karma of AI. I'm not against free discussion of hot topics, but it's becoming a problem. It goes back to <a href="http://forums.appleinsider.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=000078"; target="_blank">something I alluded to</a> around December of last year when I wondered out loud whether moderators and admins should use their 'adminstrative' handles to post personal views. It seems to have greatly reduced members' respect for some of the mods/admins and has led to some people leaving or becoming outright trolls. I just hope it can be cleaned up before my favorite site on the internet gets ruined.
I've never really thought the site was going downhill. I like it here a lot.
I do like ideas and plans to perhaps flesh the site out a bit more into some other things (store, member-written opinion pieces and reviews, separate standalone art gallery, for mockups AND original art, etc.).
But the boards are great. Lots of smart people, funny people, nice people, etc.
I'd rather hang out here than anywhere else like this.
If I have something Apple-oriented, I choose one of the appropriate forums.
If I feel like being silly, I'll got to AppleOutsider.
And if I feel like getting into a fist-fight, I'll slink on over to Fireside Chat and take my chances.
Cool site.
Troublemakers and shit-stirrers come and go...I don't worry about them. They usually implode anyway, if you give them enough time.
Yes, I don't like rehashing this either. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> I just wanted to lay that out before anyone else started complaining about the way things have ben handled as of late. You are correct, though, that some people will never be satisfied.
We have actually been discussing Fireside Chat very regularly in the moderators forum. We know that *something* needs to be done because some members still seem to think it's a "free for all" area.
We have also discussed whether or not moderators should use an alternate handle when participating in "hot" topics. Some thought that would be a good idea, others thought not. Some are indeed using other handles so not to let the moderator or admin title carry extra weight. Of course, I'm not giving any names.
*shrug*
This is the kind of discussion that leads us to think we ought to shut down AppleInsider, throw in the towel, and just give up. Oh well.
We have also discussed whether or not moderators should use an alternate handle when participating in "hot" topics. Some thought that would be a good idea, others thought not. Some are indeed using other handles so not to let the moderator or admin title carry extra weight. Of course, I'm not giving any names.
It's not really the 'weight' issue I'm so concerned with. It's more the deterioration of the power structure, for lack of a better term. The proliferation of threads lambasting the mods/admins is really a problem. Not because they are started but because someone feels the need to start them. Sure, there always will be shit-stirrers, like scates calls them, but there are a lot of them and it seems there's more than enough sh!t to stir lately. And some of the people who start these threads are not your typical trouble-makers. I'm thinking of BRussell in particular. For as long as I can remember, he's been an active, positive member of AI until recently. When that happens, something's really wrong.
for the most part i've avoided FC. although there is one interesting topic in there.
i'd like to think that it's ok for mods/admins to post as regular folks, as long as they can leave it behind when they aren't in that forum anymore. i haven't really felt like there were that many problems, but i tend to lurk in lower traffic areas like the GB and CH, and people tend to post threads into the right places there.
as for more or less people, i haven't noticed much of a change. the font page being gone doesn't help i'm sure.
Having seen figures mentioned in the past regarding the number of AI members, I do wonder how many are actually active and how many have simply registered, posted once or twice and never returned.
The issue of moderators posting as themselves is a problematic one. On the one hand, they may have strong views and opinions that are equally as valid as those of other people. On the other hand, to moderate, you need to be impartial. I, for one, have always welcomed Alcimedes attempts to, er, foster discussion
To the uninitiated, the term fireside chat may be misleading. It does conjure up a picture of a cosy group of members gathered around the glowing embers of a camp fire, roasting their nuts (so to speak). If this is the case, people may get a rude awakening and never return.
The **only** complain I have on this site is the apparent lack of members. I want more people, with opinions, ideas, suggestions, experience, etc. Just more people.
I like to see some very big flame wars occuring on some threads, with humor, black humor, weird ideas, jokes, sarcasms, etc... This is fun.
I used the internet many years before the advent of the web and all the commercial things happening on the net, these days. 10 years ago, I was using Usenet and the newsgroups. THAT WAS THE DAYS, FOLKS !
It was furiously fast, with lots and lots of people, LOTS of flamewars happening everywhere, it was the party ! I was able to get the answer to any question very fast, within hours. Geez, it was fun in those days !
It isn't the same anymore.
These days, I find the net very boring, with all the publicities, commercials, etc. Forums everywhere are MUCH too politically correct.
I feel the same, I come here about 1/5 th of the time I used too and spend about 1/5th of the time reading or posting.
To be honest, I think its a combination of Apples complete lockdown on rumour mongering, and while I have no beef with any one moderator*, I got completely ratted when I've recently been to FH and found 60-70% of the threads locked, some even several pages long.
If the mods want a single thread for every topic, they might just as well create a thread "the G5" themselves and not allow anyone to create new topics. Perhaps we could submit suggestions for new threads by private messaging. Pathetic, yes. Reality, not far from it.
<strong>I do miss some of the good old members, but then again, there are some really cool new members as well...
Applenut is right, this place is so much better than anything else out there.
A frontpage would be nice...
And to the mods, maybe it is a good idea to post under a different name, especially in FC?
and I just want to say...
*..sniff...* I love all you guy! you're all great! *...snifff...*
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Even with a different name, people will recocnize me (my english amazing style ...). And remember that we are (except Jamie, that have power everywhere except FC) only mods in our own forum.
So I am not a mod outside AO and there is no mod in FC.
Comments
edit: the url works now. huh ? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: Defiant ]</p>
Who knows? Maybe you could be next!
Everyone's on holiday, back from holiday, going to Paris, not going to Paris for any reason, ... being casually banned...?
The appleinsider url works, though
1. Post topics in the "correct" forum
2. Check to make sure your topic isn't already covered.
Sometimes it's nice that threads in AI don't become laboriously long. It's a nice change of pace from a large "overactive" board.
<strong>Maybe there was a little powertripping but sheesh... how hard is it to
1. Post topics in the "correct" forum
2. Check to make sure your topic isn't already covered.
Sometimes it's nice that threads in AI don't become laboriously long. It's a nice change of pace from a large "overactive" board.</strong><hr></blockquote>
that wasnt the case with most locked threads. most were locked because certain mods just didnt like them. they werent innapropriate or anything, just not good enuff fer the mods. even though it was helping keep this place active, they got a bit excited w/ their new roles. oh well.
this place is paying for it now...
which extreme do you prefer? personally, a dead forum isnt nearly as excited as an "overactive" one...
Whether they were right or wrong, having a front page with rumors attracted more people to the place. Now its just the leftovers who don't like to leave and find somewhere else to talk mac.
I'm not going to diss the moderators because for the most part they are all cool and for the most part deserving but I do think there are too many and not enough for them to have to keep track of.
It's great having this place still up despite not having a true website anymore but because of that it has lost a lot of focus, a lot of members, and a lot of whatever it was that used to make it a cool message board.
But don't think this place is so bad... look what else is out there. MacNN has become pathetic. Their lounge is a hell hole, OS X discussion is overrun, and the rest just ain't to amazing. MacAddict... well is macadddict.... I hate saying its a bunch of kids because I am a kid and was a kid and hated people saying that to me but its true there. Not much else out there. Xlr8yourmac gets some decent knowledgable discussions going on but its not that busy and registration is closed for new members. Ars, well you either love it or you hate... I hate it... sometimes you'll find great discussions but there are just too many genius losers there who go back and forth forever on the same exact thing.
So, while this place ain't what it used to be it still isn't that bad compared to what's out there. I hear there are going to be some major changes coming... to the forums and possibly the front page again. Perhaps things will get better. I sure hope so.
[quote]Originally posted by _ alliance _:
<strong>most were locked because certain mods just didnt like them. they werent innapropriate or anything, just not good enuff fer the mods.</strong><hr></blockquote>This is false. If it is true, I would really like for you to prove it to me. Show me that over fifty percent (a simple majority = "most") of the threads that have been locked since the new mods came on board were locked as you claim. I believe you will find that the VAST majority of threads that have been locked were locked for one or more of the following reasons:
1) The thread was in the wrong forum. In this case, the thread was probably moved.
2) The thread duplicated another discussion that was already in progress in one or more other threads in the past few days.
3) The thread violated the <a href="http://forums.appleinsider.com/guidelines.html"; target="_blank">Posting Guidelines</a>, which you should find a link for at the top of EVERY page.
4) The thread had to be closed because of actions of the participating members which could severely disrupt the forums. In one specific instance, you may recall the discussion of the leaked PowerMac "Mirrored Doors" pictures and specs. If those threads had not been heavily edited and/or closed, APPLEINSIDER MIGHT NOT BE RUNNING TODAY. We had received cease and desist letters from Apple and rather than fight a legal battle with money that NO ONE here has to offer, the administrators agreed that the threads had to be shut down.
If you have a problem or concern with how the administrators or moderators and handling these situations, you need to contact one of us privately and not vent frustrations publicly on the board. All of the moderators have Private Messaging enabled with the e-mail notification; so, we should be able to respond to most situations fairly quickly.
- Brad
[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
Personally, I feel that fireside chat has opened a big can of worms that has really ruined the karma of AI. I'm not against free discussion of hot topics, but it's becoming a problem. It goes back to <a href="http://forums.appleinsider.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=000078"; target="_blank">something I alluded to</a> around December of last year when I wondered out loud whether moderators and admins should use their 'adminstrative' handles to post personal views. It seems to have greatly reduced members' respect for some of the mods/admins and has led to some people leaving or becoming outright trolls. I just hope it can be cleaned up before my favorite site on the internet gets ruined.
I do like ideas and plans to perhaps flesh the site out a bit more into some other things (store, member-written opinion pieces and reviews, separate standalone art gallery, for mockups AND original art, etc.).
But the boards are great. Lots of smart people, funny people, nice people, etc.
I'd rather hang out here than anywhere else like this.
If I have something Apple-oriented, I choose one of the appropriate forums.
If I feel like being silly, I'll got to AppleOutsider.
And if I feel like getting into a fist-fight, I'll slink on over to Fireside Chat and take my chances.
Cool site.
Troublemakers and shit-stirrers come and go...I don't worry about them. They usually implode anyway, if you give them enough time.
We have actually been discussing Fireside Chat very regularly in the moderators forum. We know that *something* needs to be done because some members still seem to think it's a "free for all" area.
We have also discussed whether or not moderators should use an alternate handle when participating in "hot" topics. Some thought that would be a good idea, others thought not. Some are indeed using other handles so not to let the moderator or admin title carry extra weight. Of course, I'm not giving any names.
*shrug*
This is the kind of discussion that leads us to think we ought to shut down AppleInsider, throw in the towel, and just give up. Oh well.
Blah. I'm tired. Goodnight all.
[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
<strong>
We have also discussed whether or not moderators should use an alternate handle when participating in "hot" topics. Some thought that would be a good idea, others thought not. Some are indeed using other handles so not to let the moderator or admin title carry extra weight. Of course, I'm not giving any names.
[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
It's not really the 'weight' issue I'm so concerned with. It's more the deterioration of the power structure, for lack of a better term. The proliferation of threads lambasting the mods/admins is really a problem. Not because they are started but because someone feels the need to start them. Sure, there always will be shit-stirrers, like scates calls them, but there are a lot of them and it seems there's more than enough sh!t to stir lately.
i'd like to think that it's ok for mods/admins to post as regular folks, as long as they can leave it behind when they aren't in that forum anymore. i haven't really felt like there were that many problems, but i tend to lurk in lower traffic areas like the GB and CH, and people tend to post threads into the right places there.
as for more or less people, i haven't noticed much of a change. the font page being gone doesn't help i'm sure.
The issue of moderators posting as themselves is a problematic one. On the one hand, they may have strong views and opinions that are equally as valid as those of other people. On the other hand, to moderate, you need to be impartial. I, for one, have always welcomed Alcimedes attempts to, er, foster discussion
To the uninitiated, the term fireside chat may be misleading. It does conjure up a picture of a cosy group of members gathered around the glowing embers of a camp fire, roasting their nuts (so to speak). If this is the case, people may get a rude awakening and never return.
[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: RodUK ]</p>
I like to see some very big flame wars occuring on some threads, with humor, black humor, weird ideas, jokes, sarcasms, etc... This is fun.
I used the internet many years before the advent of the web and all the commercial things happening on the net, these days. 10 years ago, I was using Usenet and the newsgroups. THAT WAS THE DAYS, FOLKS !
It was furiously fast, with lots and lots of people, LOTS of flamewars happening everywhere, it was the party ! I was able to get the answer to any question very fast, within hours. Geez, it was fun in those days !
It isn't the same anymore.
These days, I find the net very boring, with all the publicities, commercials, etc. Forums everywhere are MUCH too politically correct.
Applenut is right, this place is so much better than anything else out there.
A frontpage would be nice...
And to the mods, maybe it is a good idea to post under a different name, especially in FC?
and I just want to say...
*..sniff...* I love all you guy! you're all great! *...snifff...*
To be honest, I think its a combination of Apples complete lockdown on rumour mongering, and while I have no beef with any one moderator*, I got completely ratted when I've recently been to FH and found 60-70% of the threads locked, some even several pages long.
If the mods want a single thread for every topic, they might just as well create a thread "the G5" themselves and not allow anyone to create new topics. Perhaps we could submit suggestions for new threads by private messaging. Pathetic, yes. Reality, not far from it.
*That Scottish faggot twat excepted.
Oh well, looks like I just got banned, Oh well!
<strong>I do miss some of the good old members, but then again, there are some really cool new members as well...
Applenut is right, this place is so much better than anything else out there.
A frontpage would be nice...
And to the mods, maybe it is a good idea to post under a different name, especially in FC?
and I just want to say...
*..sniff...* I love all you guy! you're all great! *...snifff...*
Even with a different name, people will recocnize me (my english amazing style ...). And remember that we are (except Jamie, that have power everywhere except FC) only mods in our own forum.
So I am not a mod outside AO and there is no mod in FC.