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Does anyone else agree?

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  • 10-12-2008 11:04pm
    #1
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,778 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I'm not sure if I am alone here, but over the last while I have just been getting very bored and pissed off with boards. This is mainly due to a problem that happens mostly in the After Hours forum, but many others too. I wanted to share my thoughts here and see if anyone agrees or what others think.

    I've been on this forum a long time, but it seems to me the quality of actual "discussion" has been on a slow spiral downwards. I think boards is a very different place than it was in the early days. People seem to be far more concerned with trying to be smart or say something funny, than contributing positively to the forum discussion.

    In after hours, its almost impossible to actually write a post on a normal topic wanting some intelligent, interesting and helpful discussion. Some other forums do not have this problem at all – but generally they are on a specific topic and are well moderated. If you have a topic that is quite general and it is not suited to any other specific forum, if it’s put just in after hours, its like its being given a death sentence. I really wish there was another forum with no specific subject, just for general discussion where having a laugh and messing around is not the main priority, but creating a thread of useful and helpful replies, is.

    Interested to hear what you guys think.
    Cheers
    Post edited by Shield on


«134

Comments

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    #2
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Blame the users not the forum. They are the ones that post it. This is after hours you are talking about, it's meant to be full of nonsense and stupid replies. Also, in all of the other forums I mod I tolerate a bit of messing around as long as it doesn't interfere with the thread too much.


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    #3
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,778 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zascar


    Then why cooko's nest or thunderdome? I never read either but I thought they were for the nonsense?

    You can't change the users, but changing the forum slightly could solve the problem


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    #4
    Ponster
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Ponster


    You're spending too long in After Hours. You want the forum to be something its not.
    normal topic wanting some intelligent, interesting and helpful discussion

    That's not what the forum is for I'm afraid. Try spending a week on Boards but without *ever* looking in AH and discover that there are loads of other forums where real discussions take place.


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    #5
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Zascar wrote: »
    Then why cooko's nest or thunderdome? I never read either but I thought they were for the nonsense?

    You can't change the users, but changing the forum slightly could solve the problem
    Thunderdome is for abusive threads and flamewars style stuff. TCN is for what I can only describe as more nonsensey type stuff then after hours. E.g. the count to a million thread would have been locked or moved if it was posted in after hours.


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    #6
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    I can see where you're coming from OP but I don't think it's as bad as you make out. There's a balance of stupid stuff, funny stuff and serious stuff.

    It's not for everybody I know and some people go off it. As for wanting something seriously discussed that's not covered by any other forum, you'll find if you look close enough that almost any serious topic posted in AH could actually go somewhere more appropriate. Humanities, politics, green issues, economics etc. could take an awful lot of the topics people think don't fit anywhere else.

    Have you any particular examples of threads that were supposed to be serious and were derailed by people making stupid jokes? I bet most examples you could give could have gone in a more "serious" forum.

    Anyway I think Ponster hit the nail on the head: "You want the forum to be something its not."


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    #7
    Terry
    Registered Users Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    You bastards broke Mordy.


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    #8
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    In fairness, the odd semi-serious discussion can still survive in AH, kind of to my surprise (sorry, AC! :o) e.g. ... ok, a couple of mild smart comments, but it still stuck fairly much to the point.

    Seems if people are actually interested in discussing something seriously, it can happen.

    If however you want a totally serious / solemn discussion with no-one throwing in a smart comment or a bad pun, you're probably better off in Humanities, Politics, etc. as someone pointed out.


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    #9
    Gandalf23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Gandalf23


    What randy said.


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    #10
    Kintarō Hattori
    Registered Users Posts: 14,993 ✭✭✭✭Kintarō Hattori


    You want a forum for general topics like After Hours but without the posters. I'm not sure how your going to make that one work. The only way you could have something like that is to restrict access otherwise you'll most likely end up with just another AH.


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    #11
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    Zascar wrote: »
    I'm not sure if I am alone here, but over the last while I have just been getting very bored and pissed off with boards. This is mainly due to a problem that happens mostly in the After Hours forum, but many others too. I wanted to share my thoughts here and see if anyone agrees or what others think.

    <snip for brevity>

    Two things spring to mind;

    After Hours was never focused around discussion, more down the pub type of banter, and yes, a little lot of who can get in the pun or jaded witticism first, but that's human nature, and we the users, make it that way. AH is not mod driven, save the guidance towards PC matters, which is a sitewide policy, so it is inherently more democratic than the rest of boards.

    Boards is (thankfully) much more than Feedback wagon circling, AH (which, as I note has its merits), and various other flavour of the month forums which in the main, while possessing an admirable community spirit, also veer rather close to cliquedom and circle jerking on occasion. There are many specialist fora here, like Photography, Fitness, to name but two of hundreds which are exemplary, and trot along nicely due to input from the users, and moderators who used to be users, and still behave as such. They are chock full of expert opinion, willing help, and a total absence of local boards.ie politics/bullshit/sycophantics. It's a deep pool, with plenty of discussion, and well worth the effort of diving in IMO. Have the craic in AH, and leave the courtiers to, em, court.


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    #12
    Gandalf23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Gandalf23


    Lads, I dont think OP is talking specifically about AH. Its wider than that ... he's talking about the entire site I think.
    Zascar wrote: »
    I'm not sure if I am alone here, but over the last while I have just been getting very bored and pissed off with boards. This is mainly due to a problem that happens mostly in the After Hours forum, but many others too. I wanted to share my thoughts here and see if anyone agrees or what others think.

    I've been on this forum a long time, but it seems to me the quality of actual "discussion" has been on a slow spiral downwards. I think boards is a very different place than it was in the early days. People seem to be far more concerned with trying to be smart or say something funny, than contributing positively to the forum discussion.

    OP could you be a bit more specific? Why is boards going downhill and a different place than it once was?


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    #13
    Nerin
    Registered Users Posts: 10,523 ✭✭✭✭Nerin


    I think that after hours serves boards-it gives people a place to act like idiots,to vent,to just talk like stereotypical lads sitting at a bar.

    I don't like after hours,but i don't think i'd be telling the truth if i said i hate it. I agree that its really really ****ing annoying to see a serious thread get a million yore mas,but the simple solution is to start a thread in a more serious forum. Humanities for one example,can be a great place for serious discussion,and they do allow a bit of jokey posting,nothing like Ah though.

    My advice op,is to start threads in other forums on topics you think deserve a more serious discussion. And try not looking at Ah for a week,you'll notice some of the more serious business that gets discussed.

    Oh my,that was all very serious. Meow.
    ^_^


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    #14
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    Nerin wrote: »

    Oh my,that was all very serious. Meow.
    ^_^

    Perhaps, but I agree with the sentiment.


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    #15
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    Nerin wrote: »
    I don't like after hours,but i don't think i'd be telling the truth if i said i hate it. I agree that its really really ****ing annoying to see a serious thread get a million yore mas,but the simple solution is to start a thread in a more serious forum.

    Just want to point out that doesn't really happen. The whole "yore ma" thing isn't that much of a problem. Most people have grown out of it now.


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    #16
    Nerin
    Registered Users Posts: 10,523 ✭✭✭✭Nerin


    javaboy wrote: »
    Just want to point out that doesn't really happen. The whole "yore ma" thing isn't that much of a problem. Most people have grown out of it now.

    I might start lurking more so :)


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    #17
    DonkeyStyle \o/
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,145 ✭✭✭DonkeyStyle \o/


    I agree about After Hours... lately I find the signal to noise ratio is taking a beating from there being a few too many wannabe comedians.
    I'm all for people sharing something funny they've thought of, but sometimes I get the feeling people are approaching threads with "say something funny" as their primary objective... which, IMO, leads to much fail.
    Flop joke after flop joke with very little discussion on the actual topic... even though it could be a funny thread if people just went with the flow and stopped trying so hard.


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    #18
    Ponster
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Ponster


    javaboy wrote: »
    Just want to point out that doesn't really happen. The whole "yore ma" thing isn't that much of a problem. Most people have grown out of it now.


    14 times today :)


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    #19
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    Ponster wrote: »
    14 times today :)

    AH clichés are a fucking epidemic. Whether the mods want to resort to an editorial role in order to stop that from happening is a matter for them really.


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    #20
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    It's already been said and I agree that AH is more akin to bar banter than serious discussion. People posting there in the hope of a serious discussion should really know better because you would be hard pressed not to find a forum where the discussion could otherwise be held.
    Also, I believe there is something in the loosely upheld charter that actually discourages posting there 'to gain a wider audience' when there is a more suitable forum for the discussion.
    Personally, I wouldn't like to see AH any different, it's a fun relaxing place to read/post and very well run imo.


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    #21
    Gandalf23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Gandalf23


    SteveC wrote: »
    It's already been said and I agree that AH is more akin to bar banter than serious discussion. People posting there in the hope of a serious discussion should really know better because you would be hard pressed not to find a forum where the discussion could otherwise be held.
    Also, I believe there is something in the loosely upheld charter that actually discourages posting there 'to gain a wider audience' when there is a more suitable forum for the discussion.
    Personally, I wouldn't like to see AH any different, it's a fun relaxing place to read/post and very well run imo.

    +1,000,000 ... exactly right.

    Why wasn't SteveC made mod of AH? Excellent poster ... he should definitely be mod of something around here.


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    #22
    DonkeyStyle \o/
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,145 ✭✭✭DonkeyStyle \o/


    SteveC wrote: »
    It's already been said and I agree that AH is more akin to bar banter than serious discussion.
    Yeah, but if someone in a pub kept butting in with tiresome, ill-timed your ma comments, you'd probably tell them to shut the hell up.

    |--B]Serious Discussion[/B
    B]Bar Banter[/B
    B]TCN[/B--|
    ...........................................................................^After Hours.


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    #23
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    RoundyMooney wrote: »
    AH clichés are a fucking epidemic. Whether the mods want to resort to an editorial role in order to stop that from happening is a matter for them really.

    I am tempted to start taking a more stronger stance on the yore ma type posts. I'll decide once I start getting back on a more regular basis.
    Gandalf23 wrote: »
    +1,000,000 ... exactly right.

    Why wasn't SteveC made mod of AH? Excellent poster ... he should definitely be mod of something around here.

    Not hitler-esque enough.


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    #24
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »
    Yeah, but if someone in a pub kept butting in with tiresome, ill-timed your ma comments, you'd probably tell them to shut the hell up.

    |--B]Serious Discussion[/B
    B]Bar Banter[/B
    B]TCN[/B--|
    ...........................................................................^After Hours.
    Karoma was handing out bannings for straight up unfunny 'yore ma' comments a while back, this seems to have laxed a little lately. Maybe this needs to to be re-introduced. I agree while a lot of them are tiresome, some of them, in the right context, can be peaches as well.


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    #25
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    Not hitler-esque enough.
    Ja mein fuhrer! :D


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    #26
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    Not hitler-esque enough.
    This from a big ball of fluff ... :rolleyes:


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    #27
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,778 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zascar


    Guys I'm not suggesting changing after hours at all. But I think it would be nice to have another forum for general topics with a focus on quality 'discussion'.

    After Hours gets a lot of thread about current issues in the news etc - but not they are necessarily suited to politics or economics etc. Some topics are obviously perfectly suited to AH and are great fun because of this, but personally what I'd like to see is a "General Discussion" forum with better moderation around short useless unhelpful replies that do not add to the topic in a positive manner.


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    #28
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    Zascar wrote: »
    Guys I'm not suggesting changing after hours at all. But I think it would be nice to have another forum for general topics with a focus on quality 'discussion'.

    After Hours gets a lot of thread about current issues in the news etc - but not they are necessarily suited to politics or economics etc. Some topics are obviously perfectly suited to AH and are great fun because of this, but personally what I'd like to see is a "General Discussion" forum with better moderation around short useless unhelpful replies that do not add to the topic in a positive manner.

    What topics in particular are not already catered for by another existing forum?


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    #29
    Gandalf23
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,643 ✭✭✭Gandalf23


    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    Not hitler-esque enough.

    Maybe not, but that might be exactly what AH needs.

    Ah go on ... give SteveC a go. He'd be a brilliant AH mod!

    Who agrees?????


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    #30
    Terry
    Registered Users Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    Ponster wrote: »
    14 times today :)
    Less than usual.

    RoundyMooney wrote: »
    AH clichés are a fucking epidemic. Whether the mods want to resort to an editorial role in order to stop that from happening is a matter for them really.

    I deleted almost 500 posts containing the word "Yore" last week.
    They were all made in November.

    Most people are getting pissed off with it and have made it clear to others.

    Pighead and Javaboy ripped the piss out of some guy last week for a yore ma post.


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    #31
    Terry
    Registered Users Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    Zascar wrote: »
    Guys I'm not suggesting changing after hours at all. But I think it would be nice to have another forum for general topics with a focus on quality 'discussion'.

    After Hours gets a lot of thread about current issues in the news etc - but not they are necessarily suited to politics or economics etc. Some topics are obviously perfectly suited to AH and are great fun because of this, but personally what I'd like to see is a "General Discussion" forum with better moderation around short useless unhelpful replies that do not add to the topic in a positive manner.
    Politics-lite?


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