Musicbanter Improvement Thread

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

I agree with your comments in bold about the debate over whether posting YouTube videos without commentary was spam or not.

My point was that a member recently raised the issue of discouraging posts that contain only a picture (used to ridicule someone else's point) in music threads, and I feel it is reasonable for mods to debate this issue since some mods felt a YouTube video alone was spam.

I have no problem with authority because rule enforcement helps an online community function peacefully without dissolving into chaos. I love it when you mods are playful, fun, supportive, helpful, and courteous, as you often are.

I am only anti-authority when those in power abuse it. I only question and challenge your behaviors when I feel you are being impolite and are breaking the first rule of MB:

• While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, trolling, purposeless inflammatory posts or members deliberately provoking another member into committing any of these acts.

^ I feel that breaking this excellent guideline harms MusicBanter by discouraging people from wanting to discuss their opinions about music openly here. So I argue, as I have for 3 years now, that mods should also follow the rule when enforcing it.

An additional argument in favor of discouraging people from posting picture-only posts in music threads (especially when the pictures appear to be used to ridicule someone) is that we already have an MB rule asking people to refrain from one word (or short) posts, which I'd say include posts that contain only pictures:

• Please refrain from posting meaningless threads, one word (or short) nonsense posts, or the like.

I feel like we're just discussing semantics here. You're splitting hairs over this, really.

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

• While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, trolling, purposeless inflammatory posts or members deliberately provoking another member into committing any of these acts.

^ I feel that breaking this excellent guideline harms MusicBanter by discouraging people from wanting to discuss their opinions about music openly here. So I argue, as I have for 3 years now, that mods should also follow the rule when enforcing it.

We do follow it. We're also human and not robots and occasionally might say something out of turn, but then we've never banned or infracted a member for saying one thing out of turn either.
Like I've said endlessly in the past we give people chances. Sometimes they need to be told to cool off sometimes they don't. We treat people like adults not kids.

I also seem to remember with some of the people did constantly ignore warnings and were banned for this, you were the first person to defend them and say they should be given another chance.

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

An additional argument in favor of discouraging people from posting picture-only posts in music threads (especially when the pictures appear to be used to ridicule someone) is that we already have an MB rule asking people to refrain from one word (or short) posts, which I'd say include posts that contain only pictures:

• Please refrain from posting meaningless threads, one word (or short) nonsense posts, or the like.

What makes you think it's not being enforced already?
How many pictures do you think I should allow before I start throwing out bans or infractions? 1? 2? 3? 4?

[sopsych]

There must be more you can do. I think there's a perception among a sizable percentage of site visitors that members are too harsh toward each other and that that is linked to the lack of posts and good discussion. I found an in-depth discussion about Madonna on a Prince forum that kicked the butt of just about any thread here - that's sad. I increasingly suspect that many regular members are mostly here to talk with each other, as opposed to talk music or make friends with more music fanatics.

[Key]

What are people talking about in terms of the lack of discussion? There is discussion going on constantly, that I see anyway.

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by sopsych

I increasingly suspect that many regular members are mostly here to talk with each other, as opposed to talk music or make friends with more music fanatics.

So? If you're suggesting that we shouldn't be talking to each other, or whatever, how are we supposed to have discussions about music and make friends with people who share our music tastes? Do you know how a conversation works? It's no different online than in real life.

[Janszoon]

Originally Posted by sopsych

There must be more you can do. I think there's a perception among a sizable percentage of site visitors that members are too harsh toward each other and that that is linked to the lack of posts and good discussion.

I know I've suggested this to you several times already, but if there are things you'd like to change about MB's culture, why not lead by example? If you think people are too harsh, try being the example of someone who is friendly. If you think there is a lack of good discussions, start some.

[sopsych]

I am a distant person by nature. I'm also not an official here. Therefore, no. Meanwhile, I have started plenty of discussions I consider good. And, voila, probably like other people's threads, many of them have quickly been sidetracked, sometimes by moderators themselves. Yeah, that really makes me want to create more threads. The problems here cannot be fixed by me.

[Janszoon]

Originally Posted by sopsych

I am a distant person by nature. I'm also not an official here. Therefore, no. Meanwhile, I have started plenty of discussions I consider good. And, voila, probably like other people's threads, many of them have quickly been sidetracked, sometimes by moderators themselves. Yeah, that really makes me want to create more threads. The problems here cannot be fixed by me.

If you're unwilling to make an effort toward changing things you want changed, why should anyone else make the effort?

As far as threads created by you go, I can't say I recall seeing them derailed by mods. I have seen a number of examples of you responding antagonistically to replies though, usually because they don't conform to some sort of expectations you have in your head that you never made clear in the OP. Maybe that's what you perceive as "sidetracking".

[Scarlett O'Hara]

It takes two to tango sopsych (in regards to threads that got heated).

[Key]

Where's the new mod that was supposed to be announced on the 1st of this month?