This place is going to the dogs again.

[RavingPenguin]

I have noticed that since 09, there have been a lot of idiots.

This makes me sad. I try my best I really do, I spell and grammar check, I research my arguments, I try to be logical, but I also like to be silly sometimes. Am I a bad person?

 

[Olikunmissile]

I've been here over a year. Though my post count is low (Yup, I'm a lurker.) I have began to notice a slow decrease in the quality and amount of thought provoking threads. However I'm sure with some careful moderation and gentle pushes in the right direction this place may soon return to glory.

 

[caz105]

Not sure if anybody else has noticed, but there has been another influx of new users posting misspelled, insubstantial, contentious and repeated threads.

At the risk of sounding like a grouchy old person, shouldn't the admins/mods impose some kind of rule for new users?Achieving a certain post-count [80 would provide ample experience, I think] before being granted the privilege to start threads?
Of course, there are exceptions, but I'm sure they would understand.

I'm aware that my threads aren't exactly full of flowering prose or concise points, but nevertheless, it's sad to see the standards of this nice community being lowered like this.

Opinions?

You know what annoys me even more than the new users? The old users complaining about the quality of the forums, yet other more notable posters (no offence intended) state that they see no difference. We were all new once and I still consider myself a newbie, but I try to help out when I can. You should, instead of bashing new users, try to help them to make it better for everyone.

Oh, and irony at repeated thread.

 

[chronobreak]

Again, a single repeat isn't doing any harm, but when there are 4 separate topics running at the same time with the same subject, it's just annoying.

I think it's more than annoying, I don't think people realize what happens when we allow list/repeat/crap threads. Good topics get pushed to the second page, and never seen again, because obviously more people are not going to take the time and care to make an awesome query when they can just do something that has been done before, because the Mods generally will not lock it unless they see it. This is what annoys me the most, when I see good threads getting the shaft because 20 people really NEED TO KNOW what all the other member's eye color is, or which pant leg they put on first. Give me a break.

Another option could be some kind of tutorial on working the search bar/forum search tool. That seems to be one of the bigger issues, aside from spelling errors and trolls. I know I've started at least one thread that I was almost positive was original but quickly found out that it was a repeat. Usually I try doing a little research for all of my posts to make sure I can back up whatever I write or write it correctly, but sometimes the search bar fails me (or I fail it).

I like your ideas, and I like that you are trying. Until the people who run this site are willing to tackle the search bar problem though, this idea won't work. Fixing the search is very, very important, and I wish the community would nibble at the ankles a little more for this to get done. After that, though, a search tutorial would be a great thing.

 

[Federalist92]

I must admit i am one of those guilty people who posts alot of new threads.
Or at least i was.
I had a stint when i posted at least 20 threads in as many days.
This was because I had done 150 posts and just found the thread starter button which made me jump for joy as i had been looking for it since day one here.
I havent posted a new thread for a couple of months now though as i find that theres normally already one on the topic i was going to start.

 

[Neonbob]

It happens.
More people come in, chances are plenty of them don't want to read the rules about the site.
Which is why I had that idea of a quiz about the forum guidelines.
After you pass it, you get a shiny badge, and are allowed to make topics.
Of course, the tech side of that is probably a magnificent pain in the ass to do.
Until then, I just ignore the errors, gently try to correct them, and wait for a banhammer to drop when it's needed.

 

[PxDn Ninja]

I have noticed that since 09, there have been a lot of idiots.

This makes me sad. I try my best I really do, I spell and grammar check, I research my arguments, I try to be logical, but I also like to be silly sometimes. Am I a bad person?

Absolutely not. Being silly is just fine. God knows if you search my forum history you will fine some bizarre shenanigans, but even when I'm being silly, outlandish, or logical, you can ALWAYS easily read my posts because I attempt to make it clear with spelling and grammar. We need silliness, but we don't need posts that are a paragraph without a period and no caps, with every other word misspelled.

 

[Jedamethis]

They're doing no wrong, they're just not familiar with the forum rules yet and obviously have a few issues with spelling. We shouldn't punish or shun them but rather set a good example by kindly pointing out mistakes and the how to follow the rules.

I don't care if it's been said before, I shall say it again. The Earth would be awesome if everyone was as nice as this guy, I tip my hat to you sir.

 

[chronobreak]

It happens.
More people come in, chances are plenty of them don't want to read the rules about the site.
Which is why I had that idea of a quiz about the forum guidelines.
After you pass it, you get a shiny badge, and are allowed to make topics.
Of course, the tech side of that is probably a magnificent pain in the ass to do.
Until then, I just ignore the errors, gently try to correct them, and wait for a banhammer to drop when it's needed.

I've thought about this too, it wouldn't be too hard, they do quizzes on here all the time. I think there's one going on about videogame jobs or something right now. Not even make it hard or anything, mostly common sense questions with a few thrown in to make sure they've read the guidelines.

 

[RetiarySword]

*Sigh, another elitist rant. New users keep the site numbers up, we was all new here once.

 

[MrGFunk]

Ive noticed it, and i havent been here long. there seems to be at least five threads concerning whether you like Halo or not, every single day.

I don't know how I'm not seeing these threads. Are they killed off pretty quick.

OT: I agree a restriction on threads is an okay idea but surely the quicker someone starts a stupid thread the quicker they are on the radar of the mods and moderated.

Repeat threads are a nature of the beast though as people don't search enough but new people bring new opinions and they won't necessarily know what's happened before. I enjoy seeing resurrected threads though.

 

[Ranooth]

I am sorry to use you as an example, you really don't have anything to do with what I've been saying, and yes we do need more hugs, in fact the other day we just had a thread for hugs, and a good time was had by all.

I just got exampled to the face
All i wanted was a hug!!!!!

(By the way my comment wasn't aimed at anyone, just an observation of what iv seen over the past weeks)

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I have noticed that since 09, there have been a lot of idiots.

This makes me sad. I try my best I really do, I spell and grammar check, I research my arguments, I try to be logical, but I also like to be silly sometimes. Am I a bad person?

YOU are not. But even you must admit, there are many people this year who don't care.

 

[GrinningManiac]

I am actually a recovering "newb", having done that godawful GARY thread a few of you may have seen, so I may be able to shed light:

Quite a few of us new guys quickly see all the Gonzo guys posting witty/thoughtful threads, and we grow subconsiously desperate to make our own threads and rake in the peerage.

Unfortunatley, this usually results in us vomiting up the first thing that comes into our heads, so we spew this onto the forum without thinking twice, or once, or at all.

In short, Peer pressure, give people time to learn to doublecheck their stuff and learn about witticisms and sarcasm rather than Teh Oh Em Gee

 

[LTK_70]

I'm a new member, and usually the Posting Guidelines on a forum are put somewhere at the top of a thread list or RULES forum, any place where it really gets in your face screaming 'READ ME OR DIE'. Here, I didn't even see it until I started looking... Not that I don't know how to behave properly, of course. I think it's a good idea if you were to redirect a new poster to that page before entering the forums, much like the Steam forums do. Rules like 'no topics before x posts' and 'no links until x posts' like on the xkcd forums might help too, but then again, on a large forum like this they might do more harm than good.

But wow. This is especially bad. Let me quote some of the thread titles I saw first on off-topic.

Would the world be a better place without leaders?
Why do everything exist ?
A genderless world
What defines a man?

I don't think I'll be spending much time on OT discussion.

 

[GenHellspawn]

If the people here bug you, then leave. Don't try to impose retarded limits just because you were personally annoyed.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

They will leave in time. Trolls are quite nomadic.

 

[LTK_70]

If the people here bug you, then leave. Don't try to impose retarded limits just because you were personally annoyed.

I'm sorry, do I look like forum staff to you? Those rules are just a suggestion, and I didn't even say it was a good one. What do you expect me to 'impose'?

 

[Smudge91]

It happens.
More people come in, chances are plenty of them don't want to read the rules about the site.
Which is why I had that idea of a quiz about the forum guidelines.
After you pass it, you get a shiny badge, and are allowed to make topics.
Of course, the tech side of that is probably a magnificent pain in the ass to do.
Until then, I just ignore the errors, gently try to correct them, and wait for a banhammer to drop when it's needed.

I like this idea, as theres no excuse for people not knowing the rules. I doubt it would be too difficult to make and could be joined in with the signing up process.
PS:Your avatar is strangly hypnotic.