Misconceptions users have about forums and forum owners

Definely that the staff coded the forum themselves. Heck, another is the idea the staff coded every single add on, modification and feature themselves as well and could magically fix every problem or add features.

That arcade games for arcade scripts are just added by downloading them from any site on the internet that they're in flash file form. Or that java games and stuf can be added.

 

It's hard to tell since no one tells me if they have any or not, hopefully not.

At a forum I used to be at though members seemed to always think you were there to serve them and only them. If it took too long, they complained. If you made a small mistake, they complained. If something went wrong, they complained. I like pleasing members as much as the next guy, but some people just don't know the meaning of patience...

Good thing I don't deal with them anymore.

 

"The forum should be free. Everything should be free."
"I can run a forum like this for free. You can get free software and free server space, or almost free. So it should be free."
[so why don't you you twit, and get away from here?]

I would like to respond "Here - have all the bills."
Yeah friend. You can run a forum like this, 110k+/monthly bandwidth, large db even when zipped, the photos, the chat, the blog (and now the articles,) contests giveaways promotions, 6+ years of posts cuz the members like their history, etc., on free sw/server space. So please go do so and don't send me any more stupid notes that you want all the services but you don't want to pay.

:lol: eggs-acterly! There are 40+ forums on my * site, go read anything else!

Nor can they skip a post that is aggravating them from the first phrase, or ignore an annoying fellow member. Their eyeballs are trapped, beyond their control.

If a thread has a political title and you don't like politics, would it be barely possible, maybe with therapy and training, not to open it? :speechless: :spin:

 

I do my best to indoctrinate my members to slow service. They are reminded that the mods are volunteers, I have an actual job, and management is not online at all times. If they see a problem, turn in a post report and go do something else. They are reminded they are not to retaliate or lash out if they are offended or wounded. I make sure we let them know what we did about every post report so they know we don't ignore them. Justice is likely to be slow in coming ... but it's coming.

That's supported by their own stated preference that they do not want to be nannied. They are adults and swear they will act like adults, in return for not being hovered over by mods. That suits everybody.

 

I love the draconian "your world is ending" threats from people who don't get their way. Everything from "your forum will never last if you don't take that thread down" to "I'll be suing you for libel." Or that they have rights! when they don't.

Or that nothing should ever be posted or allowed to stand that offends them. Where does this sense of entitlement come from that no one should ever be "offended?" Heck we have it in the "About," "expect to be offended at times." There wouldn't be a forum if we kept everything off that offends one of the hundreds and hundreds of active members.

 

Hey man, whats with the triple post?

Oh, your first post says it is impossible to fun a forum for free. Sorry, you're wrong. Go to freeforums.org Viola! free sub-domain, free bandwith, free software. Not ideal, but doable.

 

excellent idea. set the bar low. it's just easier.

 

I agree. But there are some cases where the possibly-offensive posts and threads seep into the main areas of the forum, meaning people inadvertently stumble across them and get upset.

In a case like this, it is important to contain the questionable content in its own section, with an option for users to ignore or hide it. Much like I had to do with the "vBulletin/InternetBrands Passionate Discussion" forum.

 

I agree when there is a whole lot of it, and so many threads are being turned into the same rant that it's affecting how members use the forum. When it gets to the point that avoiding the tiresome posts means avoiding most of the forum content, and maybe the forum, it's a problem that needs fixing. I like what you did with Passionate Discussion, that was a stroke of genius. Didn't shut down the rants but pulled them out of threads discussing other matters.

Several years ago on my forum we had a different kind of similar problem. :p Instead of a topic, it was a single member with a very high post count. Her snidely unpleasant posts had become extremely unwelcome to more and more members, and they appeared every 5 or 6 posts in most threads. They had begun to affect the tone of the entire forum, and other members had told us they were visiting less often or not at all, because of the one member. So that is what had to change. Since then we've had one other member who had the same effect and we were much faster to take action with her, once we starting hearing the same feedback from other members.

Some said that one member shouldn't be such a concern. But management's refusal to stop one or a few members from degrading the value of the entire forum is a very annoying aspect of any forum one might otherwise enjoy.

 

3Phase, I am currently having the same problem with one of my members. She hasn't broken any rules, hasn't personally attacked anyone, but she's so defensive that it's setting almost everyone on edge. It's such a subjective judgment though; some people aren't bothered by her at all. What it boils down to is, can or should you get rid of a member just because you (or most members) don't like them?

 

I also have the exact same problem. 1 member degrading the quality of the entire forum, but has not really broken any rules.

This is probably not the best thread for a long discussion about that but I am interested in creative ways to address the situation.

 

Sometimes an arbitrary action is needed in the best interests of the forum. I don't see the point of futzing around with one complete stranger at the expense of the entire rest of the visiting population.

Tighten up on "baiting" = provoking & bickering with other members. Add a rule that regardless of what the member is doing, multiple unrelated complaints from members, from different threads, is grounds for banning. After one very clear warning there is no point in more chances, they change their attitude or they're out. It's not their forum, why should they get to mess it up, is my pov.

To me understanding the impact on the forum, and being ready to do what must be done regardless, is very much part of stopping a chronic annoyance that can loose the posters that are most wanted.

With the second emergence of a real *head I didn't even fool with rules, she was uncooperative and argumentative toward mod contact and life is too short, the forum too important, just gave her the boot. To the relief of the members. And the mods. No one disagreed with the action.

 

Thanks 3Phase. It helped immensely.

 

I see. Yes, you have permission for "because I said so" heads-off executions at dawn, if that's what it takes. :p Believe me the world won't end if a rare arbitrary action must be undertaken - in fact it should get a little better. Right?