How can we improve AH

WhiteWashMan

So, its that time of year again when we ask the punters how they feel we can improve AH as a forum.

This forum is pretty much run as the users have deemed it be run in the past, but as always, we are open to suggestions on what users feel should be improved on.

let me be clear, this is not a thread to moan and complain.
id like constructive feedback. if you want to vent your sleen, head off to feedback or something.
This is also not a mod appreciation thread either. we all know how great we are

and, just to get one item out of the way.

we are not going to start allowing images to be posted.

c - 13

The whole "Yore Ma" thing seems to have blown incredibly out of context in the last few months from what I can see. Its being thrown into threads where it doesn't really have any relevance, repeated countless times and so on.

I do believe it has its place as a part of AH history but would it be possible to curb its use somewhat, keep it for "relevant" threads if that even makes sense ?

IIRC, this was attempted before without much success either late last year or very early this year ?

Other than that I cant think of anything off hand really.

Caoimhín

The "your ma" thing is a tough one. I have seen it used out of context and inappropriately but with hilarious results and used in context but very unfunny and gruff.
It is getting old though, i think its just a post bumper for people who cant add anything substantial (however offensive and rude that may be).

Sherifu

I'd agree on Yore Ma. When it makes it into every thread it gets irritating.

I wasn't going to ask for images so that's ok.

I would like to see threads that fit better in some other forum get locked or booted out of here quicker.

And one final thing, it seems to me you can get away with more in AH before you get banned. Idiots like 2-ShortDa5foot5 should be tasting the pain much sooner.

Abi

I originally thought putting a 'thanks' in AH would be a bad idea, but not so much now. I've seen people quote huge amounts of text just to put +1 after it.

brianthebard

Abigayle wrote: »

I originally thought putting a 'thanks' in AH would be a bad idea, but not so much now. I've seen people quote huge amounts of text just to put +1 after it.

yea i was thinking the same thing,some people just put a full stop in after a quote as a 'reply'.Maybe a +1 button even?

Xavi6

Nothin wrong with a 'Yore Ma' when it's used in a good context. It is used stupidly on numerous occassions though.

'Thanks' should be turned on as well.

DanGerMus

Abigayle wrote: »

I originally thought putting a 'thanks' in AH would be a bad idea, but not so much now. I've seen people quote huge amounts of text just to put +1 after it.

brianthebard wrote: »

yea i was thinking the same thing,some people just put a full stop in after a quote as a 'reply'.Maybe a +1 button even?

Xavi6 wrote: »

Nothin wrong with a 'Yore Ma' when it's used in a good context. It is used stupidly on numerous occassions though.

'Thanks' should be turned on as well.

+1
, sorry
Seriously though its very annoying their have been some extremely long posts quoted for this, i'm constantly wandering to the thanks button only to remember it's not there.

Cokehead Mother

It'd be great if Teach na nGealt and Cool Vids & Pics & Links weren't sub-forums. I just like minimal scrolling...

Black Swan

Xavi6 wrote: »

'Thanks' should be turned on as well.

And maybe also a "thanks...but no thanks" button?

Example: A poster says "Yor Ma"
You push the "Thanks, but no thanks" button.

Abi

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

And maybe also a "thanks...but no thanks" button?

Example: A poster says "Yor Ma"
You push the "Thanks, but no thanks" button.

Thats a terrible idea. There is no comebackseys for "yore Ma" - and any attempt to do so will only make you look sore and a little bit sad.

Now if you dont mind?

/presses trap-door button

smellslikeshoes

I'd like if that stupid +1 thing was banned outright adds nothing to any discussion.

EamonnKeane

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

I'd like if that stupid +1 thing was banned outright adds nothing to any discussion.

+1

javaboy

brianthebard wrote: »

yea i was thinking the same thing,some people just put a full stop in after a quote as a 'reply'.

That might have been me on International Post Like Pighead Day. I was too lazy to write in third person so I just cheated and "quoted" myself instead.

Sherifu

javaboy wrote: »

That might have been me on International Post Like Pighead Day. I was too lazy to write in third person so I just cheated and "quoted" myself instead.

So that's what that was about. Epic Fail.

chickenhawk

A thank you button is definitely needed.

Karoma

- The whole "yore ma" thing: if it's completely out of context, or think it is used too often by the same poster - report them. We'll look into it. It's not something we want to ban people for, although many of the moderators do share your frustration. Bans are there for those who simply cannot play well with others, not for those who irritate us.

- "Thank you" - first off, the "thank you" system is not a +1. It was confused as such and was removed from AH. I'll ask CuLT whether we can get a "+1" button that isn't tracked, etc. just for AH. If it is feasible are you sure you want it? Would it not just encourage the practice? The whole "+1" thing was raised in the last of these stickies, you can see the previous discussion (*, I think). Again, it's not something we want to ban for unless someone is really taking the piss.

barnacle

More boobies!
Or at least some boobies.

Seriously... Thank You button would be good.

Fighting Irish

Mods shouldn't close threads because they think the users haven't discussed the topic enough already.

With all the sub forums on boards, every single thread in AH could be moved to a sub forum, the majority don't but some threads do, why is this?

AlmightyCushion

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Mods shouldn't close threads because they think the users haven't discussed the topic enough already.

With all the sub forums on boards, every single thread in AH could be moved to a sub forum, the majority don't but some threads do, why is this?

Threads only get moved if they are better suited to another forum. Given the volume of threads we get here, the amount of threads that are moved is relatively low and most of those would be to cool vids and pics.

Karoma

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Mods shouldn't close threads because they think the users haven't discussed the topic enough already.

Try again, or did you mean what you typed?

With all the sub forums on boards, every single thread in AH could be moved to a sub forum, the majority don't but some threads do, why is this?

As AC said, we move relatively few threads - ones that really fit another forum, or if we get the impression that the OP was misguided in posting in AH (And wanted non-AH answers).

As ever, thank you ever so much for your worthwhile contribution to this and every other thread Fighting Irish. You make the world, and our little part of it, what it is. If only there was a Thank You button...

Dord

I think it's fine as is. The whole "Yore Ma" thing seems to have quietened down a good bit lately.

AlmightyCushion

Dord wrote: »

I think it's fine as is. The whole "Yore Ma" thing seems to have quietened down a good bit lately.

Yeah it was a whole lot worse. I've warned users I've seen who use it a lot (one of whom started a thread saying "awaits the stupid yorema jokes" and then litters other threads with them). Like Karoma says, I don't think going down the line of banning users for it would be the way to go.

Earthhorse

Okay, before I begin let me first say I don't really regard all of these as problems (well, the catchprase thing really gets my goat) but in general I think AH is okay though it goes through phases of being complete rubbish. Oh, and I'm posting these because they seem to be the most reoccuring issues with regard to AH.

Problem: Overuse of unfunny, worn out catchphrases, namely "Yore ma" and Atari Jaguar.

Solution: Could we ask CuLT to develop a filter for these?

Yore Ma => "I AM TOO UNFUNNY AND LAZY TO COME UP WITH MY OWN JOKE"
Atari Jaguar => "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO I AM POSTING ABOUT IT"

They wouldn't have to be permanent. We could switch them on and off at will (the mods I mean). For instance, when we get a flood of new users at the start of college term or any other time there's an influx of idiots. The idea is to make people think twice about posting them rather than outright ban them. Similar thing happened when the rolleyes smiley was replaced. I don't feel it's been half as abused since it came back. Might be a lot of work for little gain though.

Problem: No embedded images allowed. If I remember correctly this rule came about because of persistent posting of NSW images, some of them probably pretty gross, that mods were having to clean up. Added now is the fear that people will flood every thread they even mildly dislike with cat macros, though to the best of my knowledge this never actually happened in AH and is only an "issue" on Feedback.

Solution: Okay, I don't know how Flickr groups work but I think you can set one up and moderate the images posted to it. If someone were to do this and ensure that (a) no NWS images were posted and (b) if macros began to be misused would start removing them could we ask CuLT (yeah, I know) to allow images from that group? I'm not sure that's possible as the URL will actually probably lead back to the user's page rather than the group know I think about it.

Anyway, the principle stands. An image hosting site where we (i.e. someone trusted) can moderate the images. Any such moderation would obviously have to be done in conjunction with AH mods so it might be a bit awkward but honestly I think not having embedded images is killing a bit of the fun you can have on a forum.

Problem: No "Thanks" button in AH.

Solution: Honestly, I think this was switched off a little quickly in here. You can be guaranteed that when a button is new and shiny the monkeys are gonna press it but I think it's lost a lot of it's shinyness at this stage. Look at tags. Everyone was tagging everything the first week they were switched on and now it's barely used at all. Switch it back on for a month, if it's abused switch it off again (I don't use the feature and don't really care but a lot of people seem to want it).

Problem: Earthhorse's posts are too long.

Solution: :cool:

Ghost Train

Earthhorse wrote: »

Okay, before I begin let me first say I don't really regard all of these as problems (well, the catchprase thing really gets my goat) but in general I think AH is okay though it goes through phases of being complete rubbish. Oh, and I'm posting these because they seem to be the most reoccuring issues with regard to AH.

Problem: Overuse of unfunny, worn out catchphrases, namely "Yore ma" and Atari Jaguar.......

you lost me at atari jaguar... atari jaguar will never be unfunny or worn out

AlmightyCushion

Your solutions to the first two problems seem like a lot of effort (fortunately all the effoty has to be put in by cult so that doesn't bother me if they get implemented ) for what little benefit they give. Plus they not guaranteed to work. You filter, Yore ma, they'll just say Yorema. You filter that they'll just use Your ma etc. Saying that filtering a word or phrase is simple enough last time I checked so we shouldn't rule that out. I just think people will find away around it so it's not really worth it.

As for the images thing, that sounds like a lot of work. Essentially what you're saying is that images could only be embedded if they were from this group? I don't know if that could even be done and once again if it was I imagine it would be alot of work for what little benefit it gives.

As for the thanks, the measures that have been put in place (limit of 10 thanks per day, removal from users who are abusing it) means that it probably could be implemented here with little problem so I would be in favour of a trial run.

Karoma

Earthhorse wrote: »

Solution: Could we ask CuLT to develop a filter for these?

Yore Ma => "I AM TOO UNFUNNY AND LAZY TO COME UP WITH MY OWN JOKE"
Atari Jaguar => "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO I AM POSTING ABOUT IT"


They wouldn't have to be permanent. We could switch them on and off at will (the mods I mean). ...The idea is to make people think twice about posting them rather than outright ban them. ... Might be a lot of work for little gain though.

We couldn't turn it on / off at will, we'd have to ask CuLT, but that wouldn't be a major issue. I do feel that it'd be a lot of work to implement for little gain. Another phrase will rear its ugly head and another...

Solution: Okay, I don't know how Flickr groups work but I think you can set one up and moderate the images posted to it. If someone were to do this and ensure that (a) no NWS images were posted and (b) if macros began to be misused would start removing them could we ask CuLT (yeah, I know) to allow images from that group? I'm not sure that's possible as the URL will actually probably lead back to the user's page rather than the group know I think about it.

... honestly I think not having embedded images is killing a bit of the fun you can have on a forum.

Not sure how feasible that is. Even if it is, we'll just have people whinging that the same limited amount of pictures are being over-used and we'll end up with complaints similar to complaints about 'yore ma'. Again, more work than benefit, it would seem.

Solution: Honestly, I think this was switched off a little quickly in here.

Thank you was and is not intended as a '+1' thing. It will not be used as such.
A similar enough system could probably be implemented. Are you sure you want one? We're here for discussion (no matter how light-hearted and ill-informed and downright stupid), not to just echo each other. It'd stifle discussion.

Problem: Earthhorse's posts are too long.

Solution: :cool:

Ban you? Ok.


Seriously though, please don't take these as outright dismissals or anything. I appreciate the effort!

Earthhorse

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Plus they not guaranteed to work. You filter, Yore ma, they'll just say Yorema. You filter that they'll just use Your ma etc. Saying that filtering a word or phrase is simple enough last time I checked so we shouldn't rule that out. I just think people will find away around it so it's not really worth it.

It's better than nothing. Also, you, by which I mean CuLT, can chuck all the variations into the filter. Yore ma, Yorema, y o r e m a. Besides, anyone lazy enough to use it is gonna be too lazy to find their way around the filter.

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

As for the images thing, that sounds like a lot of work. Essentially what you're saying is that images could only be embedded if they were from this group? I don't know if that could even be done and once again if it was I imagine it would be alot of work for what little benefit it gives.

I know they do it on SA. That is, they have certain URLs banned. But they work off a pretty hacked version of vBulletin so maybe that's easier for them. Essentially every URL bar the group would be banned.

Basically, I'm trying to suggest compromises on these issues. Don't ban catchphrases but filter them from time to time to curtail use. Don't ban images but only allow them from certain URLs that are likely to be safe.

KnifeWRENCH

Karoma wrote: »

- "Thank you" - first off, the "thank you" system is not a +1. It was confused as such and was removed from AH. I'll ask CuLT whether we can get a "+1" button that isn't tracked, etc. just for AH. If it is feasible are you sure you want it? Would it not just encourage the practice? The whole "+1" thing was raised in the last of these stickies, you can see the previous discussion (*, I think). Again, it's not something we want to ban for unless someone is really taking the piss.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what's the difference between "+1" and "Thank You"? I thought they meant the same thing - that you agree with/appreciate what another poster wrote.

I think either a "Thank You" or a "+1" button would be handy in AH.

AlmightyCushion

Earthhorse wrote: »

It's better than nothing. Also, you, by which I mean CuLT, can chuck all the variations into the filter. Yore ma, Yorema, y o r e m a. Besides, anyone lazy enough to use it is gonna be too lazy to find their way around the filter.

I know we could filter a new one everytime it comes around but it would be so easy to get around it that I don't see the point.

Yoooore ma
yoore maaaaaaa
y0re ma
yore mother
yore muder
yore muther

That's only a few variations that I came up with in no time at all. One of them gets blocked add an extra 'o' or 'a' in there. It'll just get silly and Cult will spend half his time adding yore ma variations to the filter. It could lead to a thread where people come up with even more imaginative ways to get around the yore ma filter.

AlmightyCushion

square_igloo wrote: »

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what's the difference between "+1" and "Thank You"? I thought they meant the same thing - that you agree with/appreciate what another poster wrote.

I think either a "Thank You" or a "+1" button would be handy in AH.

It's meant as a way of thanking someone useful.

Poster 1: My computers fooked, it won't turn on.
Poster 2: Have you tried plugging it in?

Then Poster 1 would thank poster 2 for being ever so helpful. Just think of it as how you would say thanks in real life.