RWO rules reminder (Updated May 28th)

[dimelb]

Nup, the proof is in the pudding.

[On-Baller]

Just a suggestion and i can see why some wouldnt want it changed after years of contributing but i think you should lose the number of posts someones made from under their avatar as i believe some of the banter is just newer members trying to build up their post numbers.

I can also understand why newer members are doing this as i along with others ive seen have been spoken down to by long term members just for having differing views from them so i think some new members try to get their post numbers up quickly by posting alot of pointless stuff to try and get themselves out of that newbie range of posts.

I myself have tried to go with quality rather quantity [not sure ive succeded ] ,but have also seen some new members dwarf my misely amount of posts within days/week of joining.I also would even suggest maybe taking the year joined from peoples titles,losing that and the posts makes for a less cliquey set-up for new comers to be confronted with i believe.

I fully understand that people who have been around for years would want to show proudly their thousands of posts and the fact they joined years and years ago and maybe if these were removed the status monikers like Regular In The Side could be changed to reflect a persons posts or years of membership,with the moniker changing as you progress.

Anyway im probably way off but just thought id put the idea out there.

[Frog]

Wow, 92 posts, some off, some on topic, some dribble, some responses from the admins, some suggestions and some telling us how to moderate.

One request for moderator nominations to help keep the site "clean-ish".

To date, not a single nomination received by either of the three admins ...

I suppose we just keep doing what we are doing ... It must be OK

[ScottH]

You could be right On-baller.
We did remove the post count a few years back as this was an issue. I'll consider this again, if people think it will change the way people think of others.(???)

Not sure if the Join date is a problem, as there are plenty of members who have been around a long time, but have a low post count.

As for being spoken down to: I do cringe sometimes when I see this happen. I'd like to see people more encouraging of new posters with differing opinions.
"Good idea, but, blah blah blah" would probably be better than "you've got to be kidding"

Currently the User Titles (monikers) are a reflection of the number of posts:
Rookie 0-49 posts
Pushing for Selection 50-99
Warming the Bench 100-499
Regular in the Side 500-999
Senior Player 1000-3999
Veterans List 4000+

There are also 2 usergroups.
Up to 30 posts, you only see a limited number of forums, after 30 you will see all forums(except admin/mod forums), Just a little encouragement to get people to post.

Thanks for the feedback.
I've enjoyed you contribution On-baller. 156 posts since March is a reasonable effort.
We find people who are prolific posters from the outset are usually here with their own agenda.

As for RWO currently:
Things seem to have settled in nicely in the last few weeks.
We have a steady stream of chat, with a nice mix of banter.
Even had people resolving their own dispute in an adult and non insulting manner.

Keep up the good work people, and concentrate all our angst on the Bombers!!!

[Jewels]

I'm not sure if I'm speaking out of line here and if I should have PM'd this to a mod, but anyway here I go.....

The swear filter annoys the hell out of me!!!!!!
I am not a swearing person, since my children were babies the rule has been in our home that the children could only use words that they hear my husband and I use and has therefore wiped swearing out of our vernacular, till I get on this site!!!!!
I use the word @@@@e as my alternative in everyday speech yet when I use that word on here, I get a warning so I have to actually use the swear word - it just doesn't make sense.
And then we have the other weird annomoly on here - the word piss. I find that word more distasteful than @@@@ but that does not invoke the swear filter, why?
I really think you need to do some reworking of the swear filter and also before issuing a warning for swear filter avoidance, perhaps PM the person involved and ask them if (like me) these are alternatives they use in everyday speech.

[Frog]

...snip... The swear filter annoys the hell out of me!!!!!! ...snip...

Don't swear.

[Jewels]

Don't swear.

Hehehe, cheeky!

[ScottH]

Good point.

Jewels, the swear filter is again the bane of my life. We put everything in there, then we relaxed it a little on advice from RWOers.
We've been through the issues of what can and can't be heard on TV at 7pm, or any other time slot, and I'm happy with the balance we have.

Again it's not perfect, but it covers the best of them, and more.
You're also right a PM would be better, but it is easier to use the infraction system to issue a warning, as it PM's the user, and also copies in the offending post.

Thanks for your feedback as well.
I have a lot to think about with the useful info given by several posters!!

[Bloody Hell]

You could be right On-baller.
We did remove the post count a few years back as this was an issue. I'll consider this again, if people think it will change the way people think of others.(???)

Not sure if the Join date is a problem, as there are plenty of members who have been around a long time, but have a low post count.

As for being spoken down to: I do cringe sometimes when I see this happen. I'd like to see people more encouraging of new posters with differing opinions.
"Good idea, but, blah blah blah" would probably be better than "you've got to be kidding"

Currently the User Titles (monikers) are a reflection of the number of posts:
Rookie 0-49 posts
Pushing for Selection 50-99
Warming the Bench 100-499
Regular in the Side 500-999
Senior Player 1000-3999
Veterans List 4000+

There are also 2 usergroups.
Up to 30 posts, you only see a limited number of forums, after 30 you will see all forums(except admin/mod forums), Just a little encouragement to get people to post.

Thanks for the feedback.
I've enjoyed you contribution On-baller. 156 posts since March is a reasonable effort.
We find people who are prolific posters from the outset are usually here with their own agenda.

As for RWO currently:
Things seem to have settled in nicely in the last few weeks.
We have a steady stream of chat, with a nice mix of banter.
Even had people resolving their own dispute in an adult and non insulting manner.

Keep up the good work people, and concentrate all our angst on the Bombers!!!

Don't get rid of the post count. As you said it was tried a few years ago and didn't work. Post count all of a sudden became a massive issue when it wasn't.

I think alot of the points On-baller makes come from perception.

I, I'm sure like many others, was a lurker on this site long before I joined. And there is a familiarity you get from people just because you read their posts. Like life, you get to know them, while it is tied to post count (the more posts the more people know your opinions), it has little to do with how you're treated. It is the perception that if you met a new group of people and they all started arguing with you you'd take a backwards step, while if you had the same argument with a group of friends it wouldn't matter. Give it time...that feeling will go away....and all hail the power of the internet!

If you have 1 post or 10,000 if you say something that people disagree with I would hope that someone on this site would tell you.

Likewise if you're being an idiot I would hope someone would let you know. It'd be terrible to go through life as an idiot without being aware and it's much easier to make mistakes here than in the real world.

[Bloody Hell]

FWIW I see no evidence of any new direction.

Nor do I think the rules have changed, and frankly I can't understand how anyone with any degree of emotional intelligence could find them repressive.

As for banter: I think Scott was being exceedingly generous by using that term because the word banter contains a suggestion of wit. An ingredient almost completely lacking from some of the pointless, trivial, banal and above all thread clogging drivel that seems to be infesting the site atm.

Some RWOers are posting with such rapidity, and going off topic so quickly it's pretty obvious that they aren't bothering to read through the thread. They're in too much of a hurry to add their 2 cents worth. If only they took the time to ensure their posts were actually worth 2 cents.
At it's best RWO is a diverting way to avoid doing anything productive at work for a little while. A place to exchange ideas and opinions, preferably those which contain original and cogent arguments, with fellow Swans fanatics. The humour and spirited banter was always the frosting on the cake.

At the moment there's more frosting than cake. Not that that's against the rules, I just wonder if it's easier to transgress if you're not thinking too hard about what your posting.

Post of the thread. Particularly the highlighted part.

[RogueSwan]

...To date, not a single nomination received by either of the three admins ...K

We're not worthy, we're not worthy

[BillyRayCypress]

The way I see forums.
There are several different types of posters.
1) The one who's here to pass on their 2 cents along with everyone else and enjoy the banter
2) The one who's here to shove their opinion down everyone's throat and gets upset if people disagree or get bored with the monotony of the poster
3) the one who's here to read only the ON TOPIC threads.
4) The mods/admins who are here, voluntarily, to try and keep the peace.

Posters in 1) and 3) get tired of posters in 2).

Posters in 4) get tired of posters in 1) and 3) who are then complaining about the posters in 2. (although we are appreciative of their assistance in pointing out problematic posts). It takes the enjoyment and fun out of coming here.

Posters in 2) get tired if posters in 4) telling them that we don't play like that here.

Posters in 4) then cop the wrath of the posters in 2) for trying to do their job, and sometimes from posters in 1) and 3) because posters in 4) don't appear to be doing their job.

Posters in 4) wish there was a poster 5) group so they could cop the abuse, but that doesn't exist.

So to posters in 1), 3) and 4), thank you keep up the good work, and we love you for your contributions.

Posters in 2) lift your game.

To everyone, we've said it before and we'll say it again:
please keep threads mostly on topic.
Please keep personal attacks out of posts, no matter how small, coz people tend to bite back, and that's when things get out of control.

Thanks. (poster 4))
Oh and just for your interest, I'm a mod/admin on several other sites besides RWO, so I think I have a pretty good idea about what goes on in Forums, and I see this behaviour all the time. I prefer to lose people in group 2) than the others, as group 2) cause the most work and headaches for all other groups.
I know too many good contributors to RWO and the others sites I'm on who have walked away due to one or two clowns from group 2)

Scott, I think you have explained enough there for either a Masters or PhD for someone - Pscychology of Forum Posting.

Well thought out and explained.

BTW, I swear by the swear filter.

[ScottH]

I GIVE UP.
I'll keep paying the bills.
But good luck with the site.

[Doctor]

Did I miss something? What happened?

[Plugger46]

Did I miss something? What happened?

I must have missed it too.