I was talking with one of the mods about this idea, so I thought I would bring it to light.
Obviously there is still some disagreement on what to do with off topic. Some people like it, some don’t…ok…
I’m guessing that a high percentage of users are using the “new posts” button on the page to see whats going on around here. This is especially big for those people who are addicted to the board and on it 5 times a day. And obviously the people who are complaining about Off-topic use this button, otherwise they would have to intentionally click on off-topic, which means that they probably shouldn’t be complaining.
My idea:
Either disable Off-topic from coming up under “new posts”…or at least give that option to the user of the board. That way we can keep the off-topic for those who want it, and for those who don’t want it…Well, they won’t know what they’re missing. I honestly think this will also put the focus more on the automotive side of the forum.
I don’t see how this will stop the bullshit that continually has to be cleaned up :shrug:
But I do see how it can “steer” people to what the site is supposed to be geared towards (automobiles). I guess it can’t hurt.
I think there is a better way to focus the forum on what is was intended.
What I would like to see is a closed off-topic forum. You earn the right to get in. Prove your worth to the community by contributing something useful, then you get access to the offtopic. Offtopic stays locked/unaccessible to the general public. THEN you can feel free to make a complete ass of yourself, and nobody will care because nobody can see it. Then I wouldn’t have to clean it up, because everyone in there is comfortable or used to everyone, and I won’t have to worrry about potential sponsors or potential new people with something good to bring to the table being insulted or whatever.
If you don’t have anything to bring to the table when it comes to cars, and/or you don’t show a willingness to be here to learn/ increase your knowledge, then you can just go somewhere else for your offtopic needs. Let the people that contribute to the site in a positive manner enjoy offtopic, and they can have the privelage to do whatever the hell they want in offtopic and get away with it. Because it will be a closed environment (to the general populace). And I’ll bet those people will be able to handle themselves so that we wouldn’t need to police there ever.
Also, I liked the idea of posts in offtopic don’t count towards your overall post count (I suggested that before as well)
I semi agree with you Mr. Rula Sir, but I think it should be the opposite…newbs only allowed in Off topic, and gain a right to the true purpose of the forum. I understand it would be a pain for you to clean up for the newbs…but maybe if they proved they werent :gay2: in OT, then they would have more to bring to the automotive side and understand the way the board and its mods work, therefore decreasing the rants on mods and members.
I don’t think that would work, because we’d be in the same boat now. Me banning people that have no business here. You will have just a shitload of people joining up to mouth off in offtopic. Because they won’t care about the car part.
The purpose of this forums is a car resource for NY. That should remain open to the public. The purpose is not “make yourself an asshole in offtopic”. If we do decide to allow that, we should keep that in the backroom so our credibility as a CAR FORUM remains intact (what little credibility we may have).
:word: Rick, we did this when we revamped wnyDSM last year. You needed a 50 post count to gain access to the Classifieds and the Off-Topic forums. You build up your rep as a user and then you can post in those forums. All these ideas are great but we need Howie to review and evaluate all the options since this site is his.
As always, if you don’t want to read it, stay the hell out. Just make it unmoderated and anything goes. If the bullshit leaves off topic, ban them. Give em a place to play.