Are OCUK Forums in decline?

[Tummy]

FYI, I meant to quote Tummy, taking the time to discuss threads is a positive thing IMO, as the vast majority of the time, the Dons make the 'right' decision.

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[Hatter The Mad]

More than 90% of the community isn't racist (overt or covert). That is the reason why the subtle racism from people like dirtydog sticks out like a sore thumb, and why he is known to all members here to be a racist person (if not now then within a matter of months, usually). Not only that, but they get harassed and exposed in the thread for their subtle racism.

That's why for me it isn't that big of an issue that people are not banned for it.

If I was to complain about anything on this forum is the (frankly) absurdity of the 'family friendly' rule. It could not be more ridiculous. You can't say the s-word or the f-word, but we can leer and be chauvinistic about women, talk about how much fun it is to drink ourselves to death, be subtle racists, talk about smashing baked goods and 'ruining' girls all we like.

 

[Burnsy2023]

My grammar and spelling has been terrible due to being poorly.

@ Ace Modder;

If we're going to have this debate, can we link to sources please?

 

[Burnsy2023]

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I was making making the comment that moving the thread was a better idea than merely closing it. You inevitably will get other threads which will be asking why it was closed etc and trying to debate it again in inappropriate threads.

 

[Judgeneo]

All this anti-racists talk is almost as bad as the actual racist talk.
Free speech yo.

 

[Tummy]

If I was to complain about anything on this forum is the (frankly) absurdity of the 'family friendly' rule. It could not be more ridiculous. You can't say the s-word or the f-word, but we can leer and be chauvinistic about women, talk about how much fun it is to drink ourselves to death, be subtle racists, talk about smashing baked goods and 'ruining' girls all we like.

Indeed. I agree with this.

I found the out rage of the 'no boob' rule in the GiF thread funny when you considered some of the threads that have come up in regards to discussing women and the innuendoes made.

 

[Tummy]

I was making making the comment that moving the thread was a better idea than merely closing it. You inevitably will get other threads which will be asking why it was closed etc and trying to debate it again in inappropriate threads.

I've not said otherwise.

I merely pointed out that leaving a comment as to why it was going to be moved would have made more sense then simply moving it.

Just consider how it looked, thread treading the line on critical comments about moderators gets removed shocker. It was good to have this bought back, it was silly to remove it without warning (I was mid post when it was moved) and it's just as good idea to have it back.

Critical thinking is a good thing, self improvement and that shizz, if moderators can get feed back from the community they can help develop and improve it. (certainly true of this environment)

 

[Freefaller]

More than 90% of the community isn't racist (overt or covert). That is the reason why the subtle racism from people like dirtydog sticks out like a sore thumb, and why he is known to all members here to be a racist person (if not now then within a matter of months, usually). Not only that, but they get harassed and exposed in the thread for their subtle racism.

That's why for me it isn't that big of an issue that people are not banned for it.

If I was to complain about anything on this forum is the (frankly) absurdity of the 'family friendly' rule. It could not be more ridiculous. You can't say the s-word or the f-word, but we can leer and be chauvinistic about women, talk about how much fun it is to drink ourselves to death, be subtle racists, talk about smashing baked goods and 'ruining' girls all we like.

I think I probably agree with that in general - however you have to remember the user base of hte forum is mainly young males. How hard do you want to forums moderated?

Personally I prefer a bit of childish and fantasy (for most people) of "doing" women, rather than seeing a post littered with swear words.

However, if we clamp down too hard then I think we'd lose a little bit of the fun that we have here? It is a good community here and it would be a shame to over do it...

 

[Freefaller]

I've not said otherwise.

I merely pointed out that leaving a comment as to why it was going to be moved would have made more sense then simply moving it.

Just consider how it looked, thread treading the line on critical comments about moderators gets removed shocker. It was good to have this bought back, it was silly to remove it without warning (I was mid post when it was moved) and it's just as good idea to have it back.

Critical thinking is a good thing, self improvement and that shizz, if moderators can get feed back from the community they can help develop and improve it. (certainly true of this environment)

Unfortunately you cannot leave a comment when you move it.

I suppose one could soft delete it and leave a comment since you can now see the comments. However, let's not witchunt the decision for doing it this way.

 

[Nitefly]

If I was to complain about anything on this forum is the (frankly) absurdity of the 'family friendly' rule. It could not be more ridiculous. You can't say the s-word or the f-word, but we can leer and be chauvinistic about women, talk about how much fun it is to drink ourselves to death, be subtle racists, talk about smashing baked goods and 'ruining' girls all we like.

By family friendly, I've always considered it to be similar to a 'family meal at the dining room'. Being somewhat rude or provacative is not necessarily unnaceptable, but being out and out or crass or unnecessarily vulgar probably is. Obviously there's a grey area.

It's only absurd if you view it as a strict black and white rule rather than the guiding principle that it is.

 

[Tummy]

Unfortunately you cannot leave a comment when you move it.

I suppose one could soft delete it and leave a comment since you can now see the comments. However, let's not witchunt the decision for doing it this way.

No, but you could have made the comment and locked the thread for a few minutes, to allow the people having the debate time to understand. As it looked to me at the time that it was a thread in which it was being critical of moderators and rules and was just removed.

Alternatively just make a new thread, lock it straight away and explain why it was removed.

I'm not witch hunting, just pointing out there is more then one way to skin a whatever the animal is in that saying.

A change of tact sometimes works wonders.

@ your comment about 'clamping down' hard, I don't think that's true. I think just reminding people of the rules and clarifying several could work wonders. I don't think being a bit more strict on the family friendly rules would have a detrimental effect on GD too much.

I'd rather see the mob mentality 'clamped down on' so to speak too.

 

[Hatter The Mad]

By family friendly, I've always considered it to be similar to a 'family meal at the dining room'. Being somewhat rude or provacative is not necessarily unnaceptable, but being out and out or crass or unnecessarily vulgar probably is. Obviously there's a grey area.

Son: I had a really **** day today
Father: YOU'RE GROUNDED. DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT WORD AT THE DINNER TABLE.
Mother: Oh honey, don't get so wound up. I'll wind you down later
Father: I can't wait to smash your pasty, wife.
Mother: Let's make a SAUSAGE ROLL om nom nom nom

 

[Nitefly]

Son: I had a really **** day today
Father: YOU'RE GROUNDED. DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT WORD AT THE DINNER TABLE.
Mother: Oh honey, don't get so wound up. I'll wind you down later
Father: I can't wait to smash your pasty, wife.

Haha, I think such a comment in front of his son is more odd than anything else.

Honestly, it really doesn't strike me as odd that blunt swearing is frowned upon but other comments with 'rude' undertones are not to the same extent. As aformentioned, if you see something you don't like, RTM it.

 

[godinman]

I've RTM'd posts I've found a bit disgusting and they've been removed. It works fine, you can't have a rule for everything, all you can do is give general guidelines and moderate where necessary. People soon get the message.

 

[Freefaller]

No, but you could have made the comment and locked the thread for a few minutes, to allow the people having the debate time to understand. As it looked to me at the time that it was a thread in which it was being critical of moderators and rules and was just removed.

Alternatively just make a new thread, lock it straight away and explain why it was removed.

I'm not witch hunting, just pointing out there is more then one way to skin a whatever the animal is in that saying.

A change of tact sometimes works wonders.

@ your comment about 'clamping down' hard, I don't think that's true. I think just reminding people of the rules and clarifying several could work wonders. I don't think being a bit more strict on the family friendly rules would have a detrimental effect on GD too much.

I'd rather see the mob mentality 'clamped down on' so to speak too.

Well bear in mind that it can get quite frantic and some of us sometimes use our phones to browse, and if I'm honest sometimes work and life takes priority, shoving it out of the way or just locking it is sometimes the best bet.

We get hounded if we lock it without explanation and hounded if we move it out of the way so we can clean up a thread.

What can we do?!

Happy to discuss any moderating decisions off line if in the future anything has been done that you do not like. Got this thread back didn't I?

As for the "adult" themes, I just think we need to be a bit sensible, puerile posting is going to happen, and I am guilty of it too... outrageous sexually explicit posting or hardcore drug talk clearly isn't... It's a hard balance to get the moderating right of such a big active forum .

 

[koolpc]

A simple explanation at the close of a thread saves a lot of head scratching and seems the best thing to do i guess.

 

[Tummy]

Then surely the answer might be to pick up another moderator or a couple more to help around the place?

While I completely understand just locking a thread because you have things on, taking a minute at a push to post a reply is just almost polite. Certain threads don't need it, I mean if it's a really daft or abusive thread, then it's self explanatory. Again not having a go at anyone.

You only get 'hounded' on this occasion because you (not you personally per say) removed a thread that was critical of moderators without explanation, again, just adding the line 'BRB checking thread' or 'BRB want other moderators to look at the thread' would have surfaced but heigh hoe, what's done is done.

I agree in response to the 'adult' themes, but there is a difference between a bit of casual banter and many of the replies that happen here, the explicit things aren't really seen (for a number of reasons, good moderating and people knowing the rules) but there have (imho) been a bit of a surge in slightly more crass references. I'm not saying come down on them like a tonne of bricks but surely a few wise words in these threads would do well.

 

[semi-pro waster]

I've not said otherwise.

I merely pointed out that leaving a comment as to why it was going to be moved would have made more sense then simply moving it.

Just consider how it looked, thread treading the line on critical comments about moderators gets removed shocker. It was good to have this bought back, it was silly to remove it without warning (I was mid post when it was moved) and it's just as good idea to have it back.

Critical thinking is a good thing, self improvement and that shizz, if moderators can get feed back from the community they can help develop and improve it. (certainly true of this environment)

You're right in that there may be multiple ways to deal with any particular problem but often the best approach is simply to remove the offending thread or posts until they can sensibly be discussed amongst the moderating team. The thread gets cleared up and it's now back for discussion, provided people don't overstep the boundaries as Freefaller has said then input can be valuable. Sure, it's bound to be a bit annoying when you're mid-post but that's pretty much unavoidable - the same issue would have have occurred for you with a thread lock or soft-deletion.

It's good that people feel involved enough to offer their opinions on moderating decisions and they are valued but sometimes it pays to remember that just because a few people disagree with a decision doesn't necessarily make it a bad decision - there may be an equal or greater number who agree with it and the reasons for it. Then again there are some decisions that simply have to be taken regardless of the popular mood.

 

[Nitefly]

We get hounded if we lock it without explanation and hounded if we move it out of the way so we can clean up a thread.

I was recently criticised that I was alligned to the 'far right' because I deemed that the word 'scum' was a personal insult

My light sabre has only ever been blue.

*vooooom*

 

[G-MAN2004]

When a suspension is issued, is it not possible to include the offending post in the text area that appears when you log in? I got suspended a while back and had no idea why until I got a reply from Freefaller (the only don who actually bothered to reply back to my emails - thanks ).