The terrestrial forum.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Moderation has nothing to do with the participation in forums. Otherwise the telestrial forum would be most popular. The reason people congregate in the terrestrial forum is because there is a stigma that the terrestrial forum is where the most attention is.

My proof???

The fact that when the war game was mentioned it was posted in the terrestrial forum and had said it would be moved in a while but requested that it be kept there for a while so people can see it.

Bond posted an off topic sticky thread in the terrestrial forum about skype and said he would later move it.

Shades posted about my "weblog" in the terrestrial forum and said he would later move it.

Even I have done it because I know it will be seen.

It is the stigma that goes around.


The board is fine and the use of multiple "rooms" is fine, in fact it is great. We just lack discipline. I especially do. This stigma ought to be removed. I have noticed that when clubs get a stigma they renovate and rename.

Maybe we ought to all take about a weeks holiday. We could make it a national MDB holiday and if we get any impulse idea's we can write them on paper or in word and compile them and make them well structured, or even set ourselves a topic that we could all study in the holiday period and build up our beliefs and arguments so that when we come back we could have decent abundant conversation?


Pirate.

[_Ren]

Ok - if I propose an alternate theory, am I gonna be told that I'm 'driving you mad'?

[_Moniker]

Yah, I was just thinking that I need to think of some interesting topics -- then realized that I can't do that! I wait for others to do this. Ah, well....

I don't know, when I usually start a thread it gets a fair amount of participation. Yet, apparently (I've seen it insinuated) that the more posts on a thread the less quality there is. So, I suppose my threads are little substance and lots of whatever no one else likes??

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Propose away. I didn't mean you were literally driving me mad. Maybe frustrated is more appropriate of a word to use. I just read about the bombings in York. Did you hear about that?

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Yah, I was just thinking that I need to think of some interesting topics -- then realized that I can't do that! I wait for others to do this. Ah, well....

I don't know, when I usually start a thread it gets a fair amount of participation. Yet, apparently (I've seen it insinuated) that the more posts on a thread the less quality there is. So, I suppose my threads are little substance and lots of whatever no one else likes??

I often think of stuff to write. I just lack the ability to structure it in a suitable way. Then I forget. That is probably why we could take a break together and focuss on a few relevent topics. A- we will learn loads from looking into the topics more deaply by using the time we are on here to do this. B- discussion will be of greater quality and C- the Admin can clean this place up.

[_Moniker]

Yah, I was just thinking that I need to think of some interesting topics -- then realized that I can't do that! I wait for others to do this. Ah, well....

I don't know, when I usually start a thread it gets a fair amount of participation. Yet, apparently (I've seen it insinuated) that the more posts on a thread the less quality there is. So, I suppose my threads are little substance and lots of whatever no one else likes??

I often think of stuff to write. I just lack the ability to structure it in a suitable way. Then I forget. That is probably why we could take a break together and focuss on a few relevent topics. A- we will learn loads from looking into the topics more deaply by using the time we are on here to do this. B- discussion will be of greater quality and C- the Admin can clean this place up.

I think that's a great idea.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

We just need everyone to think it is a great idea.

[_Ren]

I just read about the bombings in York. Did you hear about that?

...no! How bad? I'll have a look after I've 'driven you mad' a little more! :D


First of all, the Celestial forum being a bit more 'active' about 6 months ago. I do remember that.
I remember a sticky thread - the epistemology thread -being in place at that time. That was a good thread, and I think it got a few good posters involved.

But I wouldn't say that thread was moderated to 'Celestial' standards. There was quite a bit of personal stuff going back and forth in that thread.
This is in my opinion. But I could understand also why that stuff was 'exused'. in my opinion - because we wanted the Celestial forum to be a success. To start giving up on such a - mostly - decent thread to handle yet again more infractions didn't seem worth it. Better to have 'some' kind of successful thread than risk killing before it even had a chance to really get started.

And just after that, sure - there might have been a flash of threads, as people were up there anyway. But as far as I remember, it didn't last long. I think I remember a bunch of threads getting started that simply got demoted to the Terrestial forum, because it got out of hand. In that case, the people who took the thread down WON, and people soon learned that interesting threads get demoted to the Terrestial anyway - so what's the point in starting 'good' threads up there? May as well just start them in the Terrestial - where they have a good chance of ending up anyway.


...and as far as why the Telestial is not that popular, well - why bother with two different places to post when their both pretty much the same in effect? ONE of those rooms was gonna become the one to use.. it was bound to happen.

Maybe that's not an 'alternate' theory - it's more my view on why the Terrestial forum IS by the far the one 'that is really used'. It's because (unfortunately in my opinion) the other two are just the two slightly weird appendages off either side - that sometimes get a look in, but otherwise are pretty redundant.

I'm not saying that to be a pain, or drive people up the wall. I'm saying that because that's exactly how I see it.
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But that's how I see it. And if people think my memory is worth ****, then please correct me.

People COULD change their posting habits by themselves. All the rooms could suddenly burst into life on their own. It could happen. But I doubt it.


Now - did that drive you batty? I don't mind if you say I'm wrong, but I'd hope I'm not driving you mad :)

[_Yoda]

I think that the Terrestrial Forum is the most popular simply because of the nature of the forum itself. It is a "PG-13" forum.

You can be a little more racy, and discuss things that are perhaps, a little more adult in nature than what is generally allowed in the Celestial Forum. You also have the flexibility to post interesting on-topic subjects that may be a tad more personal and less scholarly than what is currently thought of as "celestial" topics.

I think what has happened, though, is that some posters have abused the Terrestrial Forum in a way that they are pushing the envelope to see exactly how far they can get to the line of Terrestrial vs. Telestial without crossing over.

[_Ren]

I think that the Terrestrial Forum is the most popular simply because of the nature of the forum itself. It is a "PG-13" forum.

You can be a little more racy, and discuss things that are perhaps, a little more adult in nature than what is generally allowed in the Celestial Forum. You also have the flexibility to post interesting on-topic subjects that may be a tad more personal and less scholarly than what is currently thought of as "celestial" topics.

I agree to an extent. I think the terrestial will always be the most popular forum, for the reasons you correctly state. Doesn't matter what you do - the Terrestial forum will be the most popular.

But if people REALLY thought that they could post threads in the Celestial forum and be able to not have their threads derailed or turn into slug-fests, then I think you'd see a lot more activity personally. many people are LOOKING for that. The problem is, I think if you imagine a LOT of the Terrestial traffic going up to the Celestial room and now held to Celestial standards - can you imagine how much work you guys now have on your hands to sort it all out?!

I also agree with you the other way, but I'm less sure of a decent solution - past what we've said already. Thinks like relying on people to change, ignore, threaded views etc. I guess you'd have to get more strict with Terrestial moderation as well - and perhaps that'd be easier if the Terrestial is less 'bulky', if a lot of the stuff that could be in Celestial has actually moved up there...