Ban History?

seamus

No, I don't like the idea.

dublindude wrote:

Making it more "ooooh he was banned previously" will just totally stifle (sp?) people being themselves.

How so?

stevenmu

I'm not sure how usefull it'd be for moderating, I prefer to think that a post(s) is either ban worthy or not based on it's own merits alone, maybe more usefull for smods/admins when deciding about site bans though.

It could have good entertainment value though, some of the funniest threads on boards are to do with bannings and people moaning about them.

I think people who are worried about the stigma of having a boards 'criminial record' take boards and the internet far too seriously.

Jonny Arson

^ the stigma that will be attached to an effective ''boards criminal record'' WILL only have consequences such as if a user looks up the history of another user and sees that the have got (insert number) of bans, they know they can use this history to wind people up and cause further confrontations on the site. This can also apply to a number of mods who simply can use this to their advantage with users who they simply don't like and want off the site.

People who have criminal records in everyday life don't go around with a list of their crimes around their neck. This ''ban history'' should not come into effect at all IMO.

CuLT

People who have criminal records in everyday life don't go around with a list of their crimes around their neck. This ''ban history'' should not come into effect at all IMO.

No, but the worst ones have tags around their ankles.

seamus

No, I don't like the idea.

stevenmu wrote:

I'm not sure how usefull it'd be for moderating, I prefer to think that a post(s) is either ban worthy or not based on it's own merits alone, maybe more usefull for smods/admins when deciding about site bans though.

It could have good entertainment value though, some of the funniest threads on boards are to do with bannings and people moaning about them.

I think people who are worried about the stigma of having a boards 'criminial record' take boards and the internet far too seriously.

The way I could see this tool working:

The information is not world-readable (stigma is removed).
A Moderator can see previous bans from forums he/she moderates.
A Cat Mod. can see previous bans from forums in his/her category.
Smod, Admin, and the user themselves can see all previous bans from all forums.

There's no need for everyone to see every ban. This would be a useful ban tracking tool for mods - on the busy forums, you quickly lose track of who has and hasn't been banned.
For Smods and Admin - Personally, I would find it extremely handy when faced with someone who seems to be acting the tosser, but I'm not sure if they're deserving of a site ban. If I could check to see that this guy has managed to get banned from 5 separate forums in the last 24 hours, it puts my mind at rest for banning him, saves me from having to trawl through his posts, and is also fairer on "excitable" newbies who may act the tosser, but aren't really causing any intentional irritation.

If a mod added in a comment with a ban as well, it could help on the FS forums. A worried buyer/seller could contact a Mod or Smod, who could then check to see if they've been previously banned for acting the tosser in the FS section. It's not as useful as a feedback tool, but...

Gone West

No, I don't like the idea.

I'd like to see this idea implemented.
But I disagree with seamus on one point:
(Obligatory disagreement )

I think all mods should be able to see all users previous bans(say in the last 6 months or year).
When someone posts a thread which is pure crap/spam, and youre faced with the choice of banning him or not. I find I give the benifet of the doubt and simply delete the thread. However, the same people have since come up on the radar as being banned from other forums, etc.
Had I known that they were repeat spammers/muppets I would have banned them.

My point is that there would be no 'public branding' of users, if only moderaters could see their ban history. This would be purely used as a moderating tool.

Although I'm not sure if this is relatively easily implementable, or even possible to code into the site.

Lemming

No, I don't like the idea.

stevenmu wrote:

I'm not sure how usefull it'd be for moderating, I prefer to think that a post(s) is either ban worthy or not based on it's own merits alone, maybe more usefull for smods/admins when deciding about site bans though.

For the Shop forums, this idea would be a very handy asset to have.

stevenmu

seamus wrote:

The way I could see this tool working:

The information is not world-readable (stigma is removed).
A Moderator can see previous bans from forums he/she moderates.
A Cat Mod. can see previous bans from forums in his/her category.
Smod, Admin, and the user themselves can see all previous bans from all forums.
...

I guess the forum I mod is quiet enough that I can easily keep track of people myself, the same wouldn't be true of busier forums.

CuLT

It's certainly possible; I doubt it would even be too complex to code either.

for($forum_id=1; $forum_id<$total_forums; $forum_id++){
if($user_status==banned_at_some_point){
$ban_info+=banned_at_some_point;
}
}
echo $ban_info;


...or something.

amp

No, I don't like the idea.

dublindude wrote:

Yes, it is when it starts getting out of hand. A ban history will turn an already strict website into a totally strict website. This is not how "conversations" flow.

I like Boards.ie, but making it stricter is not the way to go.

And stop trying to be a smartass. What was your point anyway?

What's your point? That by logging how many times a moron got stupid we are some how going to infringe on the liberty of the common user? Puhlease.

I think it should be public too. That way people can identify the stupid ones quicker. Stupidity is not a right, especially not here.

BuffyBot

I think it's a good idea, but it should be restricted to mods and above.

ecksor

dublindude wrote:

I like Boards.ie, but making it stricter is not the way to go.

boards.ie isn't perfect and we don't make perfect decisions about how to run it. Mistakes and errors of judgement have been known to happen. Somehow or another people do actually still like it and keep coming back to post though. There is no doubt in my mind that this is very much to do with the systems of crowd control we have in place and those systems must adapt as we grow.

stevenmu

Wasn't it suggested recently that people be automatically informed via pm of bans. I'd imagine Both systems could be tied in nicely together. i.e. a mod bans a users entering a reason, a p.m. is sent to the user explaining who, where, why etc and the ban get added to their list automatically too.




(I should probably get some kind of award for stating the obvious here)

1

stevenmu wrote:

Wasn't it suggested recently that people be automatically informed via pm of bans. I'd imagine Both systems could be tied in nicely together. i.e. a mod bans a users entering a reason, a p.m. is sent to the user explaining who, where, why etc and the ban get added to their list automatically too.




(I should probably get some kind of award for stating the obvious here)

Automation is the future.

it would be cool citing all the bans.

Then to top it of there could be a graph thing added were seasonal behaviour trends and what not could be analysed to help decided whether or not to ban some one for breaking a charters ot the sites rules.

Or people could just ban people for breaking a charter or site rules.

hmm I think I have missed something....

Hugh Hefner

No, I don't like the idea.

1 wrote:

Then to top it of there could be a graph thing added were seasonal behaviour trends and what not could be analysed...

A nerd's wet dream. Let's make it happen.

Cake Fiend

Why would anyone who's not going to go and get themselves banned have a problem with this?

nesf

No, I don't like the idea.

1 wrote:

Then to top it of there could be a graph thing added were seasonal behaviour trends and what not could be analysed to help decided whether or not to ban some one for breaking a charters ot the sites rules.

You sir are an amateur at data analysis.

Pfft.

As if a single graph could accurately display muppet behaviour patterns!!

RuggieBear

Sico wrote:

Why would anyone who's not going to go and get themselves banned have a problem with this?

Isn't that the argument that government's use when trying to introduce identity cards and other big brother style measures


I'd like to see it introduced but that's coz i'm a nosey ****er and i'd love to see how many times a person has been banned and the reasons for it.

1

RuggieBear wrote:

Isn't that the argument that government's use when trying to introduce identity cards and other big brother style measures


I'd like to see it introduced but that's coz i'm a nosey ****er and i'd love to see how many times a person has been banned and the reasons for it.

Better make is a nice big text box for some folk then.

RuggieBear

1 wrote:

Better make is a nice big text box for some folk then.

merc T?

ferdi

if ideas were people, this idea would be a ****ing wanker.

GoneShootin

No, I don't like the idea.

FuzzyLogic wrote:

I'd like to see this idea implemented.
But I disagree with seamus on one point:
(Obligatory disagreement )

I think all mods should be able to see all users previous bans(say in the last 6 months or year).

I agree with FuzzyLogic - info not in public domain, but viewable to that user/all mods, and upwards in the chain of pain and suffering.

@fergi - If **** were ideas, you would be the most weak wristed idea ever

rsynnott

Yes, it's a good idea. I disagree with those who say it should be restricted info tho; I feel that it should be broadcast on national television.

And add the old "Total Information Awareness" logo to the top of each page.

rsynnott

AndyWarhol wrote:

- TCD (for being vehemently opposed to the TCDSU's liberal agenda [mods are directly involved with this plague of an organisation that purports to being representative of the views of TCD students when in fact most students have more important things to be worrying about than Coca-Cola bans and 'shag week'])

Ah, yes, sexual health is bad.

Incidentally, 'liberal' doesn't quite mean what you think it does.

GoneShootin

No, I don't like the idea.

rsynnott wrote:

And add the old "Total Information Awareness" logo to the top of each page.

You are joking, right?

rsynnott

GoneShootin wrote:

You are joking, right?

No; it's pretty. And might scare away the warez posters.

GoneShootin

No, I don't like the idea.

rsynnott wrote:

No; it's pretty. And might scare away the warez posters.

Yes, I can see the advantages of affiliation with such a (defunct) project.