Clutch, the ignore feature will damage your BBS.

[RodneyMcCray]

I can already see it happening. Your BBS is splitting into cliques, and whole groups of people are putting eachother on ignore.

The result will be long, popular threads that don't make sense to readers and/or lurkers. Posters will make redundant arguments because they won't see that a very good point was just offered. When Doc Rocket or Oeilpere post, the same question may get asked several times. How about that for wasted bandwidth?

Even worse, threads with the same titles and/or same topics will be posted because members can't see what eachother are writing. Your BBS is going to be a cluttered mess at times, wait and see.

The BBS Nazis (you know, the guys who spend their time "policing" your BBS) are taking this a little too seriously. This is supposed to be about having fun, yet some people can't just ignore what offends them- that would take too much maturity and discretion.

[Clutch]

I'm aware of this. I have no problems with ignore list being used.... I do have a problem with users publicizing the hell out of who they are ignoring. I'll handle it....

[A-Train]

Heck, pretty soon, Pete Rose Mobster will have everybody but himself on ignore

"Now ignoring 125 members"

Maybe you should limit each person's ignore list to five people? Save it for the people that really warrent it...

[vj23k]

Originally posted by Clutch I'm aware of this. I have no problems with ignore list being used.... I do have a problem with users publicizing the hell out of who they are ignoring. I'll handle it....

I agree with that.

Who cares who you have ignored...

I doubt the ignore feature "damages" the BBS, but it could change it a little.

The people who are using the feature extensively could miss out on a poster who grows some and becomes a valuable poster.

[Band Geek Mobster]

I thought my sig was funny, but if it bothers Rodney that much, then I'll remove my sig.

I'll even clear my ignore list.

Are you happy Rodney?

[Space Ghost]

I really do not see the point of the ignore list. As it stands, I don't read majority of the junk anyways. How hard is it to see "Space Ghost" and just scroll right on through.

If im really that offensive, then perhaps the Crew should do something about it.

[RocksMillenium]

I don't understand what the big deal is about the ignore option. It just gives everyone a chance to block out someone who is harrassing them or trolling, or whatever. I don't see how it's going to "damage" the BBS. If the "BBS Nazis" are ignoring you, then you should be happy because that means you won't have to interact with them. Like Clutch said, the only problem I can see with it is if people go around announcing who they are ignoring. Other then that, I don't have a problem with the ignore option.

[Behad]

Hey Rodney, I have a challenge for you. Find the last post of mine where I said "wrong forum". Let me know what you find.

[Gutter Snipe]

I never knew about the feature until today. It's a really cool idea, but now I'm thinking about what some people said.

You can only make yourself look stupid if you have someone on ignore and then you repeat their point. Even ZRB has optimistic stuff to say sometimes (not that I'd put him on ignore on the bbs).

It's kind of a personal ban function for trolls though - that's nice to have.

[Mango]

Rodney,

A few quick questions for you:

1) Did you frequent another BBS before joining CC a month ago?

2) If so, has your interest/participation at the other BBS site declined since you started posting here?

3) 191 Posts (8.36 posts per day) shows you have a certain affnity for the various Forums and enjoy the dialogs with the great unwashed masses here. Correct?




Mango

[Vengeance]

I've been giving this issue a lot of thought over the past few days, and I think RodneyMcCray is on to something, but I disagree with his theory that it's a result of the Ignore option. However, he raises a good, and in my opinion, valid point.

As a precursor to my comments, I just want to say that I've been on TONS of BBSs in my time. From the good old dial-ups (which aren't the same, I know), to the newer ones. I do a ton of lurking at many BBS, and I have been a big time poster on some in the past. Examples include BenHarper.net, TTLG.com, Minarets.net, PlanetUnreal.com, HardOCP.com, and many more. I am telling this just to qualify my thoughts on this issue, as I've seen MANY MANY MANY BBSs come and go. And I've gone to many, then left, never to return. However, this one has always piqued my interest, and I am proud to say I've been reading and posting since 1996.

This BBS is the best I've ever seen. NO QUESTION. It doesn't get the most posts of any BBS I've seen, and the topics are not always the most entertaining (comparitively of course), but this BBS has an element that I have been loathe to find in others. At CC.net, there is a consistency that is unmatched by other boards, and a community that is more well-developed than most REAL communities. In fact, I don't know the people who live next to me here in Houston at my house as well as I know some of the people who post here.

However, it is the habit of ALL BBSs to develop cliques and factions over time. At PlanetUnreal, typicalsituations, etc., there became fairly well-defined groups of people who band together and create an elitist mentality about them. It begins to become the downfall of the community, and people's egos get in the way of the actual fun, and we are left with nothing but a group of people who get old and stodgy. They leave eventually, and the board is devoid of anything worthwhile, just the crummy posts and trolls . . .

Now I want to say that in no way do I say this BBS is this way. This BBS is awesome, and has been that way for an awfully long time.

But I say this because I believe we need to GUARD AGAINST THIS!!

However, I am worried that there may be the beginning signs of this kindof community. The ignore list is not necessarily the thing that causes it, but it's the feature that can create rifts, ESPECIALLY by publicly talking about it. It also can be the kindof thing that makes trying to be a newbie here a bit of a daunting task. I'm just worried that we may be getting a bit too harsh on those who don't fit the mold of the "top echelon" of posters. The heypartners, the BGMs, the Mangos, etc. And that's not to call anyone out either, I'm just trying to bring this issue to light. Everyone here is awesome, and I am thankful to have "met" all of you in some fashion.

Now, if someone posts with something to say, no one will turn him away, as long as his post is in the right forum, is nicely spaced and puctuated, and is relevant. We have a standard for our respected posters that is high, and this BBS has VERY LITTLE junk. The trolls come in waves, but they seem to give up very quickly, and the Administrators are awesome at keeping the BBS clean.

I am sure I'll offend everyone and probably get on dozens of "ignore" lists with this post, but I just want to make sure that this BBS stays as good as it is and has been. Let's just guard ourselves against becoming TOO big and TOO significant and TOO much for our own good. I know that in my posts over the past few days, I've branded myself as a ZRB supporter, and it seems to have it's own little "party" if you will. Let's all just try to keep things in check, and not get to be too into this for our own good.

I would suggest that maybe we all kindof take a step back, realize why we came here, how we arrived, and how we reached our "status" or "infamy" whatever it may be. Then come back and have a good time. This BBS is about having fun and enjoying ourselves. If it weren't, we'd all be at stileproject or something . . . hehe We all are here because we are Rocket fans, first and foremost. Let's remember that, and not get so caught up in our post count, and our seriousness of everything, that we can't laugh at stupid posts, and make fun of ZRB with his poll poll poll poll.

Anyways, I have nothing more to say. This is the most kickass bbs I've ever been to, and I hope it's around ten years from now, with the same awesome people posting, and some new faces too . . . by that time, maybe I'll have as many posts as Jeff . . . :D

[vj23k]

Originally posted by Vengeance I'm just worried that we may be getting a bit too harsh on those who don't fit the mold of the "top echelon" of posters. The heypartners, the BGMs, the Mangos, etc

The day BGM enters the "top echelon" is the day we know the BBS is damaged.

:D

Just Kidding BGM

[CriscoKidd]

vengance, good post. Anyone who would put you on ignore for it or being a "ZRB supporter" really isnt worth interacting with anyway.

I don't really see an elitist attitude prevalent right now. Yeah, people bash newbies that make stupid threads or make fun of some of their inane rantings, but people do that to regulars too. And when a newbie posts something good, people recognize it. How about bovilles analysis on gausol, or some of the newbies that gave info on those summer league games? I was surprised no one really made fun of their english, which was cool.

But when you make 3 threads in the space of a day, "any news yet" "****!! whens the news comin?" or similar crap, you deserve to be bashed, and since regulars are the ones who post the most, they will usually be the ones to do the bashing.

Do some people like to read the posts of other people and interact with them? Yeah. Do some people think that some of these posters are full of **** or annoying? Hell yea!! :D But thats what is good about this bbs, so many different people interacting.

Now about the ZRB thing, I really don't care that much. And littering the board with "poopy" crap? What is it a lot of people say on the board ... "if you don't like it don't read it." Well thats my approach. If he's banned, I wont mind much. If he comes back, I wont really mind that either.

People who argue and argue and refuse to accept that their arguments are full of holes get on my nerves too. When people become stubborn and wont listen to reason, I'll probably use my ignore on them too if they try to litter the board: like Matronix, caveman, theCat during playoff time(you know how you get ), espn board trolls like flutie, etc.

thats all i have to say for now.

[Vengeance]

Oh yeah, and I agree 100% CriscoKidd. There is not really that attitude YET. But with some of the recent discussions, I think Rodney brings up a good point, and one that we must be wary of. It's something that I am worried about POSSIBLY developing, based on recent events and discussions.