Question about what's "right" for this forum
Oct 23, 2004 | 12:52 am
#16
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Originally Posted by 500 miles at a time
This game has been around for several years now so that's why I think RP gave it special consideration. That said I can't speak for those who made the decision because I don't know why it was done.
The German Word Association Thread (Part 16) has been around for years.
And the Mongolian Cryptic Crossword Puzzle Clues thread.
And 50 other similar threads in OMNI.
My suggestion in ORP was to create a new Forum called:
The Fun and Games Forum
Make it like OMNI was, i.e. so that posts to it do not count to overall post count, to not allow new members to get around the 100 minimum in just 90 mins - needed to access S.P.A.M. etc, and start IPOD Conga lines etc (they can do this now this thread is in Community)
And let folks exchange German Word Association type banter at will and let those who come to THIS forum read about get togethers etc do so as they always have.
As the OP outlined - folks STARTING a new thread like these will likely have them closed, so it seems rather a tough call for Mods right now. And confusing for all.
Can I start a new thread like - "Can someone assist with neat some tips on how to win at Roulette, as it means one day I may meet those FT'ers in Vegas or Atlantic City?" There are no other Forums that would be acceptable - so does it now just go into Community?
Same logic as your other point 500 miles at a time "that folks meet each other via this games thread so it should be here" - you can drive a Humvee through your argument, it is so rubbery and flimsy.
And I bet that would get locked by Mods. And quite rightly so.
Randy as you say can put threads wherever he chooses on FT. It may just be that this Forum was the first trip on the journey, as a Games type Forum had not been thought about initially?
Does not seem on first take, to fit the general objectives of FT, (miles and points and Community) but gee if 88 out of 44,000 members might eventually post there. ....
====================
As to essxjay locking down that very first post by a new member I agree with other comments it did seem a pretty tough call. Sadly that poster has not been back to FT I notice.
Heck - I have seen some very left field threads allowed here, that many might think were even more borderline? This interesting (to me) thread just got closed and NO reason was given, or forum it was directed to given:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365461
Yet this helpfully telling us there was TB election on (wow!) was not locked:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364211
Last edited by ozstamps; Oct 23, 2004 at 2:28 am
Oct 23, 2004 | 1:10 am
#17
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Originally Posted by Gator Gal
Not to offend anyone, but why is a thread like this: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=26934 not allowed on the community forum, when a thread such as this: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ferrerid=26934 goes on and on and on? 
In the first thread, a first-time poster is looking to tap into this community's thoughts for a travel-related school project but the person is pretty much told to go away because the topic is "not appropriate." The second thread -- astounding at over 2K pages of 30K posts -- is simply some silly game that's about nothing but putting up someone's name. The person who closed the first thread kindly reminded the OP that Community is an "area is reserved for proposing get-togethers, the wishing of happy birthdays and the occasional community humor." I agree with keeping messages on focus (I surely have benefitted from this forum and all our DC get-togethers) but I dont see how the second thread falls into any of those categories. While IMHO it's a stretch to say that game thread falls under "humor," given the high number of posts I'm sure for some people here the game is quite fun (clearly I'm not one of them, as just reading the first and last pages it seemed like a huge waste of time! ). But in that same way that the game post is considered fun for some FTers, likewise for some of us it might have been fun to see the responses that other thread (the school project) would have generated. In fact, that thread had the potential to give us insights into this community, in the same way that the "Who we all are" thread does.
I'm not contesting the moderator's decision on this, just trying to understand why it was just flat-out closed. I can understand if it'd been moved somewhere ("Travel Buzz," maybe, where there are currently other polls taking place?) but to just close it altogher is a disappointment and a poor way to "welcome" someone here -- especially since we're saying their post doesn't add anything to this site, yet some game is allowed all the bandwith it's willing to take. If I were that person, I'd think "Sheesh, people on a travel board don't want to talk about travel because they'd rather play some name game."
Please understand I mean no offense to the folks partaking in the game, just as I'm not nitpicking, incinting anything, or taking sides I'm just really curious as to the logic. Thanks for this board and the opportunity for open discussion. 
Have a good weekend!
PS - For what it's worth, I never posted on OMNI but from what I read there (and in subsequent threads about it), I'm glad it went away since it didn't seem to be adding much to the site but rather draining the moderators' time.
ETA: I really hope we get some good answers and not bashing and arguments. Also note that I'm going out of town in a few minutes for a long weekend so if there's any discussion, I won't be responding until Wednesday, so I'm not ignoring you. Thanks.
In the first thread, a first-time poster is looking to tap into this community's thoughts for a travel-related school project but the person is pretty much told to go away because the topic is "not appropriate."
The second thread -- astounding at over 2K pages of 30K posts -- is simply some silly game that's about nothing but putting up someone's name. The person who closed the first thread kindly reminded the OP that Community is an "area is reserved for proposing get-togethers, the wishing of happy birthdays and the occasional community humor." I agree with keeping messages on focus (I surely have benefitted from this forum and all our DC get-togethers) but I dont see how the second thread falls into any of those categories. While IMHO it's a stretch to say that game thread falls under "humor," given the high number of posts I'm sure for some people here the game is quite fun (clearly I'm not one of them, as just reading the first and last pages it seemed like a huge waste of time! ). But in that same way that the game post is considered fun for some FTers, likewise for some of us it might have been fun to see the responses that other thread (the school project) would have generated. In fact, that thread had the potential to give us insights into this community, in the same way that the "Who we all are" thread does. I'm not contesting the moderator's decision on this, just trying to understand why it was just flat-out closed. I can understand if it'd been moved somewhere ("Travel Buzz," maybe, where there are currently other polls taking place?) but to just close it altogher is a disappointment and a poor way to "welcome" someone here -- especially since we're saying their post doesn't add anything to this site, yet some game is allowed all the bandwith it's willing to take. If I were that person, I'd think "Sheesh, people on a travel board don't want to talk about travel because they'd rather play some name game."
Please understand I mean no offense to the folks partaking in the game, just as I'm not nitpicking, incinting anything, or taking sides I'm just really curious as to the logic. Thanks for this board and the opportunity for open discussion. Have a good weekend!
PS - For what it's worth, I never posted on OMNI but from what I read there (and in subsequent threads about it), I'm glad it went away since it didn't seem to be adding much to the site but rather draining the moderators' time.
ETA: I really hope we get some good answers and not bashing and arguments. Also note that I'm going out of town in a few minutes for a long weekend so if there's any discussion, I won't be responding until Wednesday, so I'm not ignoring you. Thanks.
Last edited by skye1; Oct 23, 2004 at 1:15 am
Oct 23, 2004 | 3:49 am
#18
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I think that pretty much all to be said about the purpose of CommunityBuzz and the game-thread in question has been said already:
Definition of CommunityBuzz as quoted by SanDieago1K above:
The official get together page for the FlyerTalk community as well as topics related directly to the general membership of FlyerTalk.
Pretty clear, but still it is not that easy for three moderators to rule every nuance of a post that doesn't fit into the forum 100% equally. But do we really need to...? And from time to time even a mis-posted thread slips through. But this is not a big problem, is it?
As to the 'Who's next' game: Randy decided to move it to Community. I don't know what/who has convinced him to do so, but there is no question he is free to do so. My fellow co-mods here and many others in the TalkTeam decided that this game should be handled as a one-time exception here in CommunityBuzz. So please don't start new 'games' here, it's not the place to do so.
This thread itself is not appropriate for CommunityBuzz. If you wish to continue discussing please do so in the thread mentioned by ozstamps in the 'Only Randy Petersen' forum, as soon as it has been switched back to accept posts.
ralfkrippner, community co-moderator
Definition of CommunityBuzz as quoted by SanDieago1K above:
The official get together page for the FlyerTalk community as well as topics related directly to the general membership of FlyerTalk.
Pretty clear, but still it is not that easy for three moderators to rule every nuance of a post that doesn't fit into the forum 100% equally. But do we really need to...? And from time to time even a mis-posted thread slips through. But this is not a big problem, is it?
As to the 'Who's next' game: Randy decided to move it to Community. I don't know what/who has convinced him to do so, but there is no question he is free to do so. My fellow co-mods here and many others in the TalkTeam decided that this game should be handled as a one-time exception here in CommunityBuzz. So please don't start new 'games' here, it's not the place to do so.
This thread itself is not appropriate for CommunityBuzz. If you wish to continue discussing please do so in the thread mentioned by ozstamps in the 'Only Randy Petersen' forum, as soon as it has been switched back to accept posts.
ralfkrippner, community co-moderator