Just something to think about.

[Bystander]

http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10675&FID=5&PR=3

 

[scott1]

That's a good idea for P&WA.

 

[DaveC426913]

You want PF to think about changing its skin to look like a video game?

 

[scott1]

You want PF to think about changing its skin to look like a video game?

No he ment to ban certin poltical topics.

But having a skin that looks a video game wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe not that one. (I might be seouris)

 

[J77]

That's a good idea for P&WA.

I don't think censoring discussion is ever a good idea.

If a topic derails, the mods should lock or delete the post, but not allowing a topic simply because it discusses sensitive issues is not good.

For example, in the link in the OP, they suggest not to discuss the Isreali-Palestinian conflict - I have no idea why this should be not allowed!

 

[Pengwuino]

I don't think censoring discussion is ever a good idea.

If a topic derails, the mods should lock or delete the post, but not allowing a topic simply because it discusses sensitive issues is not good.

For example, in the link in the OP, they suggest not to discuss the Isreali-Palestinian conflict - I have no idea why this should be not allowed!

Go talk to Evo about whether or not censoring is a good idea. Better yet, do Evo's job of moderating such discussions and then consider whether or not censoring is a good idea. Theres a difference between censorship and keeping order

 

[J77]

Go talk to Evo about whether or not censoring is a good idea. Better yet, do Evo's job of moderating such discussions and then consider whether or not censoring is a good idea. Theres a difference between censorship and keeping order

Not if, like the boards in the OP do, keeping order means the restriction of certain topics.

And, why bring the moderator into it?

I know, through first-hand experience, what it's like to mod a busy board, and deleting posts/banning persistent trolls is part of the job.

 

[Pengwuino]

Well maybe you can talk to Evo and ask for the job of moderating PWA. I'm sure she'd love to get rid of that job. Don't try to ignore the major reason a lot of these discussions are closed. You obviously haven't really done any meaningful moderation or you haven't moderated such a heated topic such as politics or haven't moderated for a forum with such high standards as PF. From what I hear, most of the things that need to be deleted never get a chance to be read by forum viewers in the first place so what we see is just teh tip of the ice berg

 

[Bystander]

Something more along the lines of forum specific banned topic lists: no creationsim or ID in Biology; no perpetual motion or Brown gas in the physics and engineering forums; no hollow earth, deluge, or rapid crustal movement in Earth --- that sort of thing. Phil. and P&WA? Who cares? Same handful of people, endlessly chanting the same tired litanies, to no apparent end, accomplishing nothing --- boorrriiiinnnnngggggg.

 

[Pengwuino]

The mods have expressed an interest in keeping the image of the forum up to a certain standard so i don't think they want to just ignore it.

 

[Bystander]

The mods have expressed an interest in keeping the image of the forum up to a certain standard (snip)

Good! Someone else brought up the "i" word --- https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=121944 is an example of "image" that could be improved. The thread belongs in GD, S&D, a subforum of S&D, "Pseudoscience & Nonsense," or the "landfill of wasted electrons."

 

[Evo]

I couldn't handle P&WA without Moonbear & LYN.

Bystander, we do already ban certain discussions, so what you are suggesting isn't unrealistic.

 

[Rach3]

PW&A seems to be much less exciting these days (good thing), now that we're essentially troll-free. Kudos to the Mods. Ironically, it also seems to have very low participation - many interesting threads die with only two or three posts, an exposition with no discussion. The threads that do thrive seem to contain more soliloquy than back-and-forth talk - an indication of a subcritical number of participants, I think.

 

[Rach3]

Something more along the lines of forum specific banned topic lists: no creationsim or ID in Biology; no perpetual motion or Brown gas in the physics and engineering forums; no hollow earth, deluge, or rapid crustal movement in Earth --- that sort of thing. Phil. and P&WA? Who cares? Same handful of people, endlessly chanting the same tired litanies, to no apparent end, accomplishing nothing --- boorrriiiinnnnngggggg.

A while ago I remember one of the Mods asked members to write stickies clearing up the most common misconceptions, so that the same questions wouldn't keep recurring twice a week. Apparently it's really hard to write this kind of tutorial, because very few took up the challenge. This doesn't seem to be too big of a problem though, as offending threads are usualy locked without much ado, after a quick referral to a previous discussion or FAQ.

 

[Pengwuino]

PW&A seems to be much less exciting these days (good thing), now that we're essentially troll-free. Kudos to the Mods. Ironically, it also seems to have very low participation - many interesting threads die with only two or three posts, an exposition with no discussion. The threads that do thrive seem to contain more soliloquy than back-and-forth talk - an indication of a subcritical number of participants, I think.

The trolls are gone?

If you'll look at the name of this forum, you might understand why we have such a low PWA participation. I'm amazed such participation is so high. But then again... well Evo knows why

 

[Bystander]

--- and, this little eyesore, recently resurrected ---
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=51526

Image? Two thousand plus views --- gives the appearance that such nonsense is taken seriously.

Maybe a "Hall of Shame" instead of the "TD Disaster" where the mods can place such things --- part of GD, lock 'em, but leave 'em publicly pilloried, labelled, as garbage --- examples of things that simply are NOT science.

 

[Pengwuino]

haha i hope that isn't locked or deleted anytime soon, i still want to read it! I saw some of the last pages responses and I am like "whoa this sounds like a laugh a minute thread, ill have to read it all later!"

 

[Moonbear]

Something more along the lines of forum specific banned topic lists: no creationsim or ID in Biology; no perpetual motion or Brown gas in the physics and engineering forums; no hollow earth, deluge, or rapid crustal movement in Earth --- that sort of thing. Phil. and P&WA? Who cares? Same handful of people, endlessly chanting the same tired litanies, to no apparent end, accomplishing nothing --- boorrriiiinnnnngggggg.

Most of those topics are locked or deleted pretty quickly. We do take the time to clarify misconceptions in an effort to educate those who are open to it, but if they are here to peddle crackpot theories rather than learn, they don't last long. I wouldn't want to ban any and all questions on those topics, because there are people who come here knowing there is something wrong with those "theories" but don't really have the educational background to fully understand what or how to refute them in discussions with others, and I want those people to be able to ask and get clarification so they can help spread the correct information. It's the only way we can push back against the tide of misinformation spread every day is to educate anyone willing to come here to learn.