[Pendergast]

Today, we grieve the disappearance of thread.

It was fun, funny, and funnier than many expected.

It was also instructive, especially regarding the lives of wallabies and their bizarre relationship with pickles.

underwater news were a nice change over the regular program. I suspect a series of shows about the intimate relatinship between Hell and the Arctic circle.

And I never thought weather could be so inspiring...

Alas...

Today, we grieve... the disappearance of a nice thread...

[Mrjinglesusa]

"People, start threads when you have something to say." --- then LOCKED.

By this criteria, half of the threads in the Lounge should be locked. This was a better, more entertaining topic than 90% of the others in there.

[tooki]

It was devoid of any real content.

The stupid threads are going to be cut down, as their posting has proliferated as of late.

tooki

[besson3c]

Tooki, you said before that any post that is amusing will be kept alive. Do you remember having this discussion with me in an earlier Feedback thread?

People are saying that this thread was amusing, so... it would seem to me like the mods are sending mixed messages. You voted for the war before you voted against it! Whopps.. never mind, that's something else

You guys can do whatever you want, it would just be nice if we knew the rules of the game.


Like I said before, many thread to MacNN are inane to me, but are kept alive. How many "check out this hot chick" threads do we really need?

Are the MySQL/PostgreSQL tables getting really large? Is it a matter of resources? Bandwidth?

[Pendergast]

Originally Posted by tooki

It was devoid of any real content.

Please define: "any real content".

We ought to know, as users.

That 's the way I see it: this is privately owned. Fine.

Forums needs people to post in. Fine.

Rules are unclear; initiatives are killed, no explanations, leaves users confused.

MacNN Lounge (70 Viewing)
Feeding your internet addiction since 2000.

appears as the sole criteria.

Rules:

General Forum Rules 2005-05-14
Signatures
Our current signature rules give you two options:

1) an image (200x50px max, 10KB max, non-animated) and up to one line of text, OR

2) no image, and up to four lines of text.

In either case, blank lines do count, and lines must be of reasonable length so they don't wrap on most screens.

Inline Images
Inline images may not be wider than 480 pixels, nor taller than 720 pixels, UNLESS the thread title includes "Picture Thread", "JPEG Orgy" or something to that effect.

Also remember to not quote posts with images (or be sure to edit out the images!), since this causes excess width as well.

Images posted in violation of this rule are subject to deletion.

Spam
We take a strict zero-tolerance stance on spam. Any commercial messages (other than product announcements from active forum participants, or with prior permission, and are prefixed with [Ann]), posts linking to free iPod/Mac/Xbox/etc sites, etc will be immediately closed, the links removed, and the poster banned with no warning.

Repeat offenders may find themselves subject to loss of posting privileges, after due warning.

Thank you for following these rules, they help to ensure that all our members have a positive and responsive experience on the forums.

The last sentence is quite telling.

So could you please, if you may, add in the general rules, an update, defining: "any real content".

Thank you.

[BasketofPuppies]

Originally Posted by tooki

It was devoid of any real content.

The stupid threads are going to be cut down, as their posting has proliferated as of late.

tooki

But isn't that the point of the lounge?

[Maflynn]

It seems people want there cake and eat it too.
There's been lot of complaining of late at how out of control the lunge has been, the mods weren't doing anyhing to rein it in. Now its getting tookinized and people are complaining.

Being the lounge I think it is unfair that we are using an unwritten rules. That is only if tookie deems it devoid of content. If people post to a thread and its quite lively I can make a case that its not devoid of content.

To be fair to mods and the members alike,we should have written done what will be acceptable and won't be tolerated in the lounge. Not just some vague notion of one person's take on contect.

While I was one who thought the lounge was really going overboard, I also realized, heck its the lounge, not the PM forum, or the applications forum.

Mike

[besson3c]

I think the lounge should be pretty much anything goes, with the only rules being stuff like:

1) no offending people

2) no trolling

3) no blatant spam (although I don't mind longtime members announcing a site or something dear to their hearts)

etc.

Unlike the other forums, I wouldn't think that people frequent the lounge looking for actual information and content, it is just a place of recreation. To me, enforcing too much control over the place is futile.

Don't worry about members who complain about having their time wasted. If there time was so valuable, why are they in the lounge in the first place?



Just my two cents, FWIW

[Athens]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I think the lounge should be pretty much anything goes, with the only rules being stuff like:

1) no offending people

2) no trolling

3) no blatant spam (although I don't mind longtime members announcing a site or something dear to their hearts)

etc.

Unlike the other forums, I wouldn't think that people frequent the lounge looking for actual information and content, it is just a place of recreation. To me, enforcing too much control over the place is futile.

Don't worry about members who complain about having their time wasted. If there time was so valuable, why are they in the lounge in the first place?



Just my two cents, FWIW

My thoughts too. I hang out in the lounge as recreation, stress relief, I love some of the silly posts. I hate are people fighting and wreaking a posts.

[besson3c]

I guess I should also add that some moderation for moderating and breaking up arguments between people might be nice too, since an argument that gets out of hand is always annoying - particularly when two stubborn people who don't want to back down get into it.

The moderation could be in the form of locking, or even a simple "hey kids, behave yourself" warning.

That generally doesn't seem to happen much in the regular Lounge anyway.

[euphras]

I also think it was way too early to tookinize this thread since it began to develope. Sometimes threads need time to develope a specific character or "culture".

Take for instance the thread "Der deutschsprachige thread". It began VERY lame since no one could figure out how to deal with it. but once being on it´s way it´s now like a german sub-lounge* where german speaking folks all over the world meet and discuss things when they feel the need to.

I call it our little suite

[besson3c]

On the topic of mixed messages,

Cubeoid was temporarily banned because he broke the rules and wrote nonsense threads (nonsense as defined within the definition of the mods), fine.

However, what rule has Rob *not* broken? Unlike Cubeoid, he has actually offended and insulted people. To me it sends a mixed message to ban somebody completely harmless and inoffensive like Cubeoid, while letting Rob hang around.

The bans are more like suspensions, right? I'm starting to realize this, but this has been confusing for me. To me, a ban implies something permanent.

I'm not trying to imply that bans shouldn't be suspensions, that obviously comes at the discretion of the mods. What I'm trying to point out is how this makes the rules confusing in language (specifically, calling a ban a ban, when it isn't really a ban).

Just my two cents here. I hope my opinionated nature isn't rubbing you guys the wrong way.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I think the lounge should be pretty much anything goes, with the only rules being stuff like:

1) no offending people

2) no trolling

3) no blatant spam (although I don't mind longtime members announcing a site or something dear to their hearts)

Most of bessosn3c's threads offend me and I feel spamed. So yes, lock 'em down.

-t

[vinster]

Originally Posted by besson3c

On the topic of mixed messages,

Cubeoid was temporarily banned because he broke the rules and wrote nonsense threads (nonsense as defined within the definition of the mods), fine.

However, what rule has Rob *not* broken? Unlike Cubeoid, he has actually offended and insulted people. To me it sends a mixed message to ban somebody completely harmless and inoffensive like Cubeoid, while letting Rob hang around.

The bans are more like suspensions, right? I'm starting to realize this, but this has been confusing for me. To me, a ban implies something permanent.

I'm not trying to imply that bans shouldn't be suspensions, that obviously comes at the discretion of the mods. What I'm trying to point out is how this makes the rules confusing in language (specifically, calling a ban a ban, when it isn't really a ban).

Just my two cents here. I hope my opinionated nature isn't rubbing you guys the wrong way.

Just my 2 cents besson3c, but I think you're pushing for a punishing by the admins. I'd let it go and post stuff you think people might be interested in. These alternative news threads are lame and lockworthy, IMO.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Most of bessosn3c's threads offend me and I feel spamed. So yes, lock 'em down.

-t

Are you serious? If so, I would like to resolve this between us. I don't intend to offend you, and would like to know how I'm doing so.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by vinster

Just my 2 cents besson3c, but I think you're pushing for a punishing by the admins. I'd let it go and post stuff you think people might be interested in. These alternative news threads are lame and lockworthy, IMO.

I'm intentionally being very respectful and trying to engage in a civil conversation with the mods here, because I don't believe in lashing out and bitching... not only is it counter-productive, but it would also seem offensive and unwarranted. I have absolutely no axe to grind here.

If civil conversation over the rules results in my being punished, I'll simply leave the MacNN forums permanently. I don't want to be in an environment where respectful dissenting opinion gets squashed, and I don't think this is an environment where this happens either.

What we're trying to do here is classify exactly what is "interesting" and not lock-worthy. I found my thread funny, and just as interesting and amusing, if not more so than the status quo. This is not just about whether this particular thread should be locked, this is about something more systemic.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c

Are you serious? I don't intend to offend you, and would like to know how I'm doing so.

Many of your dumb posts offend my intelligence

Originally Posted by besson3c

If so, I would like to resolve this between us.

Stop posting dumb threads. Period.

-t

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Many of your dumb posts offend my intelligence


Stop posting dumb threads. Period.

-t

It isn't fair to expect everybody to cater to you. I think my posts I intend to be silly succeed in being so, but they are no more "useful" than pretty much anything else in the lounge.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I think the lounge should be pretty much anything goes, with the only rules being stuff like:

1) no offending people

2) no trolling

3) no blatant spam (although I don't mind longtime members announcing a site or something dear to their hearts)

BTW I also think there is a difference between posting inane silly threads just to liven things up a bit, and posting them just to certain mods.

Alot of the latter has been happening as well.

I also agree that people are getting banned for inane things, and the people actually doing obnoxious hateful things are not.

Which is odd.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I think my posts I intend to be silly succeed in being so

You are right, they are silly.

The problem: they are neither not funny, not even remotely amusing. A complete waste of time. And space. And bits. And bandwidth. And mod capacity. You get the picture

-t

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by turtle777

You are right, they are silly.

The problem: they are neither not funny, not even remotely amusing. A complete waste of time. And space. And bits. And bandwidth. And mod capacity. You get the picture

-t

dear god. This is----> BlueSky biting his tongue.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

You are right, they are silly.

The problem: they are neither not funny, not even remotely amusing. A complete waste of time. And space. And bits. And bandwidth. And mod capacity. You get the picture

-t

I'm sorry, in the future I'll be sure to forward all of my posts to you in advance so that you can screen out which ones you think aren't funny prior to my posting.

Would that meet with your approval?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I'm sorry, in the future I'll be sure to forward all of my posts to you in advance so that you can screen out which ones you think aren't funny prior to my posting.

Would that meet with your approval?

Yes, please send all new posts and threats to [email protected]

If you don't hear from me, they are NOT approved.

-t

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

BlueSky biting his tongue.

Did it help ?

-t

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Yes, please send all new posts and threats to [email protected]

If you don't hear from me, they are NOT approved.

-t

I'll get right on that... Is there anything else I can do for you? Maybe help you prop your feet up?

[Maflynn]

Originally Posted by turtle777

You are right, they are silly.

The problem: they are neither not funny, not even remotely amusing. A complete waste of time. And space. And bits. And bandwidth. And mod capacity. You get the picture

-t

I suggest you put him on your ignore list because not everyone feels that way.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Did it help ?

-t

.........................

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Maflynn

I suggest you put him on your ignore list because not everyone feels that way.

The mighty ignore list. Ah well, I'm just having fun here.

-t

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

.........................

Still thinking about the content ?
Maybe next time, you think first, then post...

-t

[BlueSky]

Teach me how to do that, turtle.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

The mighty ignore list. Ah well, I'm just having fun here.

-t

Hey, I realize that I have a very absurd sense of humor, but I don't set out to annoy the world, nor is my motivation simply to waste my own time posting content that is meaningless to me.

I think this discussion is worthwhile. If we can come up with a clear definition which excludes my sense of what is funny, so be it. I try to be a polite and civil person. I've never set out to hurt anybody in here, including you, so I don't feel it is just for me to be ridiculed for the way I post given the ambiguity (IMHO) of the rules.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Still thinking about the content ?
Maybe next time, you think first, then post...

-t

If your time is that valuable, maybe you shouldn't bother with the lounge?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c

If your time is that valuable, maybe you shouldn't bother with the lounge?

Good point. You're catching on !

-t

[Kevin]

I'll take a silly inane post any day over a hateful spiteful one.

Or even the repeats. And redundant threads.

[andreas_g4]

To add my 2ct to the discussion, I did also not quite understand why the thread was locked. It was a funny idea and there were some funny posts. As stated above, nobody was insulted, it was just playing around. I actually really looked foreward to it after coming from school to have a good lough only to find it locked. Meh.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by turtle777

You are right, they are silly.

The problem: they are neither not funny, not even remotely amusing. A complete waste of time. And space. And bits. And bandwidth. And mod capacity. You get the picture

-t

Actually some of his threads and posts were funny. Some aren't. You can't always win.

besson just has a habit of not realizing when a joke has ran it's course. AKA the whole triangle thing.

[baw]

You can't just use a rule that states "no offending people" Someone will always be offended about something. Someone is probably offended by this thread.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Kevin

besson just has a habit of not realizing when a joke has ran it's course. AKA the whole triangle thing.

I thought that was funny. Thing is some people react to stuff like that as if he's being a smart ass and badgering them. I don't think he is, and they'd find that out if they engaged him in his absurdity of the moment.

It's a far better thing to set sail onto the sea of nonsense than to have a firm anchor in the harbor of reality.

'specially at 'NN.

[Kevin]

Oh it WAS funny.

I agree.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I thought that was funny. Thing is some people react to stuff like that as if he's being a smart ass and badgering them. I don't think he is, and they'd find that out if they engaged him in his absurdity of the moment.

I don't. He's been told that it is annoying and he still does it.

He does it simply to annoy Kevin. You find that funny?

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Railroader

I don't. He's been told that it is annoying and he still does it.

He does it simply to annoy Kevin. You find that funny?

I figured that anybody that dishes out as much as Kevin would have a thick enough skin to take a little teasing and having to deal with something so silly.


I'm sorry to everybody who was ever bothered by my insistence of Kevin playing the triangle. I'll never tell people that they play the triangle again. From this day on, I'm turning over a new leaf, and leaving behind my old triangle days. I will forget about Kevin ever playing the triangle and purge this from my memory.

We will send this memory to the Bermuda Triangle.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by besson3c

I figured that anybody that dishes out as much as Kevin would have a thick enough skin to take a little teasing and having to deal with something so silly.

Huh, when did Kevin tease anyone half as much as you have been draggin this triangle thing out?

Originally Posted by besson3c

I'm sorry to everybody who was ever bothered by my insistence of Kevin playing the triangle. I'll never tell people that they play the triangle again. From this day on, I'm turning over a new leaf, and leaving behind my old triangle days. I will forget about Kevin ever playing the triangle and purge this from my memory.

We will send this memory to the Bermuda Triangle.

Thank you.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Railroader

Huh, when did Kevin tease anyone half as much as you have been draggin this triangle thing out?

I'll let you in on a secret:

TEASE is all Kevin DOES. His middle name is TEASE. His Last name is TEASE. His full name is KEVIN TEASE TEASE, ESQUIRE. He lives on TEASE BOULEVARD in TEASE City, TEASELVANIA. He has a MASTERS in APPLIED TEASEMATICS from the UNIVERSITY OF TEASE-O-NOMICS in TEASERVILLE, N. TEASESEE. His dog's name is TEASER and his bird's name is TEASER 2. He starts every day with a big bowl of TEASE PUFFS and pours a liberal amount of Vitamin TEASE-fortified milk on it. He drives a 1999 Chevrolet TEASER and works at TEASE GRAPHICS down on the TEASE side of town where TEASE is not only an art form, it's a way of TEASING.

And where was he born? You guessed it: WEST VIRGINIA.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I'll let you in on a secret:

TEASE is all Kevin DOES. His middle name is TEASE. His Last name is TEASE. His full name is KEVIN TEASE TEASE, ESQUIRE. He lives on TEASE BOULEVARD in TEASE City, TEASELVANIA. He has a MASTERS in APPLIED TEASEMATICS from the UNIVERSITY OF TEASE-O-NOMICS in TEASERVILLE, N. TEASESEE. His dog's name is TEASER and his bird's name is TEASER 2. He starts every day with a big bowl of TEASE PUFFS and pours a liberal amount of Vitamin TEASE-fortified milk on it. He drives a 1999 Chevrolet TEASER and works at TEASE GRAPHICS down on the TEASE side of town where TEASE is not only an art form, it's a way of TEASING.

I told you a thousand times, I am sorry for getting you all hot and bothered in iChat, and then leaving.

Wanna go out back and make out?

And where was he born? You guessed it: WEST VIRGINIA.

BZZZZZZZZZZZT I was born in Cleveland Ohio.

[besson3c]

Hey Mods,

I just got an AWESOME idea for a new thread, but I want to make sure you're cool with it....


a MacNN blooper thread! Who doesn't like bloopers? Unfortunately, we can't accompany the thread with crazy blooper music, but we can still highlight some zany moments in MacNN history.

For instance:

"Look at this guy, he's posting a thread about how he wants to duplicate some files, and... somehow his post gets duplicated so that there are 8 copies of the same message! Wow, I'm sure he wasn't expecting that... *cue slide trombone*"

Here's another one:

"Here is Rob wanting to post about how SUVs crash all the time, and he clicks on "post new thread" and....... his web browser crashes! *cue laugh track*"

Hehehe...

Can I post my blooper thread? I think it will lighten everybody's mood and put a smile on people's faces like bloopers always do!

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I told you a thousand times, I am sorry for getting you all hot and bothered in iChat, and then leaving. Wanna go out back and make out?

No. You're on rations, beotch. And no more virtual hickeys.

BZZZZZZZZZZZT I was born in Cleveland Ohio.

Well shoot, that explains everything.

[subego]

Originally Posted by besson3c

Cubeoid was temporarily banned because he broke the rules and wrote nonsense threads (nonsense as defined within the definition of the mods), fine.

However, what rule has Rob *not* broken?

Have you missed the part where every account Rob creates ends up banned?

More on topic, I agree the "Macnn Alternate News" thread was entertaining, had content, and shouldn't have been locked.

OTOH, I wouldn't have ever read it if it wasn't for my curiosity over why it got locked.

What's the point anyways? Tooki didn't think it was funny. Instead of whinging, make the next thread funnier.

Edit: Sorry, this post came off in a way more assholian way than I intended.

[subego]

Dp.

[Kevin]

This new habit of writing nonsense posts or threads because certain people think it makes them "clever" or "cool" "HEY LOOK AT ME, I AM POSTING INANE POSTS IN TEH NN!!!1" Or do it just annoying the mods has gotten old.

Nonsense posts or threads have their place. But when that is all the person does, then yeah, I would understand him or her getting "suspended" from the lounge.

It's only "cute" up to a point. Then it gets annoying.

I had to block someone from my AIM account the other day because of said annoying inane msg's.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Kevin

This new habit of writing nonsense posts or threads because certain people think it makes them "clever" or "cool" "HEY LOOK AT ME, I AM POSTING INANE POSTS IN TEH NN!!!1" Or do it just annoying the mods has gotten old.

Nonsense posts or threads have their place. But when that is all the person does, then yeah, I would understand him or her getting "suspended" from the lounge.

It's only "cute" up to a point. Then it gets annoying.

I had to block someone from my AIM account the other day because of said annoying inane msg's.

Kevin, no offense, but you are in absolutely no place to be the judge of what is inane and annoying posting and what isn't. Your high post count doesn't reflect you having brilliant things to say.