inside you will find the most in depth dissertation of clutchfansology ever conducted

Clutch used to have a quote on the front page kinda like that. I think a quote of mine was the "last one" before a revamp or something. (it wasn't worthy!)

 

The current GARM can still be fixed and salvaged...

1) Restrict starting new threads to veteran posters only....but leave a daily sticky thread for anyone else who would like to propose a new thread, whose topic must first be mod-approved.

2) Create a way for Mods to permanently mark (and leave comments if need be) on problem posts, so that all posters can see what not to do in the GARM. Sort of a scarlet letter if you will. Problem posts could include such infractions as going off topic, making personal attacks on other posters, simply not adding any value to the thread, etc. Hopefully after a few weeks the quality of posts in general would improve.

 

Separate forums should be out of the question. It would be looked on as elitism if there are any parameters that are out of someones control. At best, you could create a "contributing members" forum. Anything else would leave the main forum in a chaotic mess and leave potential good quality rookies disinterested. Im speaking from my aspect, but if I came across this, I simply would not get involved.

The GARM is in very poor shape. People who do not have time to sit at a computer all day and sort through threads simply will not interact. You have the younger guys who have plenty of time on their hands flooding the GARM with posts that have no real substance. Even when I go through spells in which I am not busy, I don't want to go through 85% of irrelevant information.

The only threads i look at are the ones that start hitting a couple pages, and then I only read the first page. Im usually done with the GARM in a few minutes. Unfortunately, I am missing on my great posts. For example, from time to time, I will search for posts only from a couple certain posters.

This is why I feel filters would be a terrific way to solve the problem. Next to each persons name, you could have a "add" or "remove". "Age" and "contributing members" filter doesn't solve much. In a convenient place, have the ability to enable or disable the filter (or even multiple filters).

This is a win-win situation because I can filter out the 80% of the posts im not interested in (you don't filter out threads, just the poster). With an easy click to disable the filter, I can actually see what everyone is saying, allowing me to be exposed to potential posters who might be interesting to me.

It also exposes all the same information to everyone. Nobody will be left out. You won't need a thread rating system (that is flawed). Each poster will have to earn the respect of everyone else to make it in their filter. By adding a "contributing member" or "age" filter will negate the need for a separate forum.

Also, it makes new visitors experience much better. Over a very short period of time, they can determine quality posters and simply not be overwhelmed. Keeping it private is the key.

 

If you filter based upon only people you like, how would you ever view new posters' posts? Also, filtering threads based upon people's responses often ends up leaving you with a ton of posts out of context. When you reply, there's going to be someone who just said basically what you did, but you may have had him on filter. The potential for utter confusion would be high.

 

I had thought about this also. Maybe you could have either the option to show all posts regardless of status or just a link to the "public" GARM, and at that point I think it would be on the OP or moderators to elevate posts to the "new forum" thread.

I don't know if this creates new problems, I was just trying to think about ways to incorporate what Clutch was talking about (not killing the existing forums) but also create an environment where quality veteran posters may feel like they would want to come out of retirement.

 

This is why I stress having a convenient method to unfilter. I understand how it might be problematic if you must go into User CP to filter/unfilter, but if its at the top of the page or something where you can just do one click to enable/disable, it solves that problem.

If someone always leaves it on filter, that is up to them. Its not like it has to be mandatory. You're concerned about people missing good post(ers),but right now, I miss nearly all of them because its too time consuming for me to read every post.

Also, your favorite posters will likely to engage in other posters who are actually contributing something useful. When they do the reply, the other posters comment will still show up, so you will still be exposed to other posts that are filtered.

Lastly, the GARM is already an utter confusion, hence this entire conversation today. A large problem of the GARM is the one liners and the bickering back-in-forth of "hu-uh, he sucks/nu-uh he doesn't". Not only do you have half the BBS posting "Tmac sucks", you have many of the same posters posting the same exact thing half a dozen times in every new Tmac thread. Having a few double posts is a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the useless banter. Also, people want to be heard, so they are going to voice their same opinion no matter what is said or how many times its said.

 

ok, several beers in, and beating a dying horse, but if you allow users to apply filters as to which threads/posts they can view based on the poster's demographics (age, tenure, location), then it's really up to each and every user to customize the bbs to their liking.

then there is no subjectivity as to individual poster's reputation, there is no manual judging by bbs crew, it's all left to each and every user. and no extra work (after the initial code changes for the enhancement) by the bbs crew.

if you, as a user, apply no filters, then you have the bbs as it is today. otherwise, you have the option to ignore under 18 posters, or posters from china, or posters who have been registered less than a year, whatever.

will you inevitablely miss posts you would have enjoyed, sure. but i'd much rather only see 80% of the posts i'd likely enjoy, than have to sift through 100% of the posts to catch the 20% that i find worthy.

again, stickied threads would be visible by all regardless of filters.

am i really the only one that likes the idea of being able to customize the user experience in this way? this hardly seems like a novel concept.

 

interesting discussion...

One of the main points i got from Clutch's post in the thread is that the goal should be to improve the overall quality of the GARM. You don't want the GARM to end up like an American public school, where the the best and brightest are contained in one class while the rest are considered hopeless. The only way i see to improve the quality of posts, without segregation, is to have zero tolerance for newer posters. Somewhat like a BBS boot camp. When a rookie is seen making an ignorant post or creating useless threads he is immediately disciplined (banned). Being new to the board, they will likely a) re register and clean up their act or b) give up posting on the website because they can not post the way that they want to.

Basically, i propose a more strict rookie status where you have to prove you are competent and will not be a detriment to this website. Even a "spring cleaning" period for all posters in the GARM might be useful. ANYONE who does anything that the clutch crew deems a detriment to the website can be immediately banned from the GARM.

...and i'm surprised no one has mentioned the problem with all the terrible posters with some permutation of mac in their name.

 

We already went through that with the permutations of SF, Francis, etc. still in their names.

 

The whole basing your handle on a current player is a risky, usually dumb move. Best example is probably EddieWasSnubbed.

The filter idea based on the status of the posters sounds pretty good. Maybe even throw in some new classes like vet or contributing rookie so those new guys who bring something to the table could be heard.

This board really is like a team. The problem is there are way too many ten day contracts!

 

I want to say: I have been a contributing member in the past, but lost the status after a server crash. I would donate again, if reasonably priced, to post in a filtered GARM.

 

DaDakota, I sent you an email through the board about this subject. Let me know if you don't receive it.

 

Haven't read through this whole thread so maybe this has been mentioned, but is it possible to sort threads by star ratings? So all active 5 star threads would show up above 4 star threads, etc?

 

It's been mentioned - star ratings aren't a great indicator of thread quality unfortunately. People often vote on how they feel about the subject matter instead of the quality of the thread. Just because you hate the news or disagree doesn't mean the thread should be a 1-star, but I think people vote that way.

 

That's the time I had to register b/c I couldn't read the BBS after Yao got drafted. Clutch made it exclusively to members b/c of the amount of traffic he was getting. I had been reading it since '99, and been visiting the site since '97.

 

I've contributed money to the tip jar but never got my member status changed.

 

they should also have a separate area on the garm for
media opinions about the rockets

for example any time:


we get a thread about it.

 

Same here... I've donated a couple times actually in relevant amounts too. I wonder if I paid some random dude besides Clutch over Paypal. Whoever they were must have been happy to see free money.

 

lol

Only in the Hangout (you can laugh at people making fun of you and not care)

 

Yeah, pretty much. There used to be more fans of the rockets than fans of players only. We used to talk a lot of ball also, but now its a lot of crying and b****ing about something. I stay out the name calling and stuff even if that's what the other party is throwing out. I've discovered the hangout lately and its really good and entertaining. I guess you have to filter yourself.