Have the Moderators given up?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Banned man talking!

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

It seems to me that the quote threads are pretty easily identifiable (and avoidable, if so wished) by their titles. There are about half of them for which I haven't read a single post, not being familiar with the subject in question. I didn't find it bothersome having to avoid them...

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Just make a quotes subforum and be done with it!

[KK 3,307]

I stopped at 2. It was very slow, but was interesting, just haven't had time to continue with it.

It rockets into gear after 3 and doesn't look back. We have one episode left and, I'm hesitant to say it, but I think GreyPilgrim may be right... it might be superior to Breaking Bad.

That's bold praise, especially from a fellow big BB fan like you. I'll take your word for it Lee. Just have one more bloody exam to finish, then I can commit again.

It seems to me that the quote threads are pretty easily identifiable (and avoidable, if so wished) by their titles. There are about half of them for which I haven't read a single post, not being familiar with the subject in question. I didn't find it bothersome having to avoid them...

A lot of them have a bunch of different titles, and they clogged up all of GD. It was pretty difficult to find any real conversation going on (which for a good time was gone entirely). Glad things are starting to clear up now though.

[Jay 37,516]

This places confuses the hell out of me sometimes. I thought the quote threads were fun. But you guys want them closed?

Boring, fuddy duddy party poopers!

Well, you got your wish. Go talk about film scores now, I guess!

[KK 3,307]

1 Star Trek Quote thread? Cool, have fun!

100 random quote threads? No thank you!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

As KK said, it's more fun when quotes are used naturally in the course of a regular discussion.

And yes, a few quotes threads can be fun, but a lot of quotes threads is just annoying.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

In typical JWFan fashion, everyone took the piss. It was like that JW's most daunting cues thread that sparked 20 other stupid threads with 3 posts in each.

[King Mark 3,631]

I didn't bother reading any of the quotes threads

[KK 3,307]

Me neither. But that's all everyone was doing, as Koray said, and there was little room for any other discussion. So if you weren't in on the quoting fad, this place became real boring, real fast.

As KK said, it's more fun when quotes are use naturally in the course of a regular discussion.

Bingo.

[King Mark 3,631]

As long as it's not Star Trek quotes

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Why you green blooded, inhuman....

[Quintus 5,399]

This places confuses the hell out of me sometimes. I thought the quote threads were fun. But you guys want them closed?

Boring, fuddy duddy party poopers!

Well, you got your wish. Go talk about film scores now, I guess!

You know your score shit that is undeniable and was never in question, but I've always said your finger is not on the pulse as to what the culture of these JWFan message boards are and what they mean - the magic sauce which makes them desirable and addictive: you do not comprehend it.

This is not a personal attack, Jason. You're a good guy. But you do not prescribe JWFan in the way the vocal vets enjoy it. The way they remember it, and love it. (AKA Big Mouths, probably). On the other hand maybe I'm completely in the wrong about all of that.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493]

At 1600 hours, Pacific time...the forum formally declared war against the quote threads. They've already struck 11 threads within General Discussion. So, this is a huge victory for the good guys! This may even be the turning point of the entire forum! There's even a "Have the Moderators given up?" thread tonight in the board!

So...I lied. I cheated. I caused men to cover up the discussion with quotes. I am an accessory to murder of actual discussion. But the most damning thing of all...I think I can live with it. And if I had to do it all over again...I would. Stefancos was right about one thing: a Star Trek quote thread is a small price to pay for the safety of the forum. So I will learn to live with it...because I can live with it. I can live with it.

Computer, erase that entire post.

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

A lot of them have a bunch of different titles, and they clogged up all of GD. It was pretty difficult to find any real conversation going on (which for a good time was gone entirely).

I understand the sort of *groan* reaction to some of these threads (I know virtually nothing about Star Trek, Star Wars, James Bond, or several of the other quote thread topics, for instance, so all of those threads were over my head). But they were never any impediment either to reading or to posting in the other threads on the message board.

[gkgyver 1,646]

At least they weren't polls.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Go and invade Polland.

[Jay 37,516]

That's what I don't get. I've been using the internet for a long time, and I've never had a problem skipping over something I didn't want to read, and instead reading something I did want to read.

And once again, people spend more energy complaining about how the board is discussing things they don't care about, instead of starting a thread to discuss what they do want to talk about.

Boggles my mind.

[Quintus 5,399]

No, people do not take issue with the 'status quo'.

Jason, you're pretty much dealing with the same problems community managers have to deal with whenever a dev of high profile software makes a minor/major change to a previous iteration.

[KK 3,307]

That's what I don't get. I've been using the internet for a long time, and I've never had a problem skipping over something I didn't want to read, and instead reading something I did want to read.

Jason, I have no problem skipping over threads I don't care for. I didn't bother reading the quote threads, but everyone was so invested in them (or turned off by them) that there was literally almost nothing else being discussed. But that didn't stop me from trying. For instance, to try and bring some fresh air in here, I tried sharing one of Shore's latest concert pieces in the LotR thread (though in all fairness, not sure if much people cared for it anyways). Of course in the next 10 seconds it gets drowned by another 10 quote threads. They clog up the forum, and the GD just becomes a mess.

Now normally, I wouldn't have a problem with this. If these were threads with people discussing something they're interested in, then I'd understand that and respect it. But they're literally a bunch of threads with just quotes. Sure, people found it fun, but why did you need 50 threads for it? Just a few (one or two) would have sufficed, but it started getting out of hand when you saw a quote thread for JP, a quote thread for Indiana Jones, and then another bloody quote thread for Spielberg films?! Why couldn't they have all just gone under the Spielberg thread? This is all just pointless post-count padding, and that's all that was happening on the GD, which really turned me off to the whole forum. Especially for a guy who's been so vocally against post-count padding, I'm surprised you let this go as far as it did.

Anyways, just my two cents.

[Jay 37,516]

I don't really JWFan much on weekends. When I last saw this place on Friday afternoon, there wasn't that many quote threads.

Anyways, they are all locked now!

[Ricard 2,245]

General quote threads are harmless. Too specific quote threads are stupid.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

Well this took a turn for the dramatic!

[Glóin the Dark 1,229]

General quote threads are harmless. Too specific quote threads are stupid.

Drat and blast it! I was about to start a thread dedicated to quotes taken from the sentence "May the Force be with you".

We could have had "May the quotes be with you", May the Force quote with you" and "May the Force be with quotes" among other delights.

[King Mark 3,631]

Dammit, I was going to go on a posting spree in the quotes threads but they're gone

[indy4 155]

There's

Dammit, I was going to go on a posting spree in the quotes threads but they're gone

there's still a few that survive

[mrbellamy 6,340]

When I last saw this place on Friday afternoon, there wasn't that many quote threads.

Yeah, earlier in the week I just saw the Star Trek one. I'm kind of ignorant about Star Trek so I didn't participate, but when I came back on Friday, there were dozens of them. It just seemed like one of those random bursts of manic energy this place gets, so I didn't think anything of it and joined in.

Those of us who weren't bored with it instantly would have caught up soon enough and the whole thing would have died on its own, like the "Williams cues" threads. I do sympathize with people whose new posts in other threads were getting buried, though.

[Datameister 2,096]

You're gonna need a bigger quote.

[Uni 306]

They were a joke, nothing more. It became a quick fad not only to contribute to the existing threads but to start a new one of your own, just to show your cleverness. I didn't expect it to last long, but it was good for a few chuckles while it did.

That's what I don't get. I've been using the internet for a long time, and I've never had a problem skipping over something I didn't want to read, and instead reading something I did want to read.

And once again, people spend more energy complaining about how the board is discussing things they don't care about, instead of starting a thread to discuss what they do want to talk about.

Boggles my mind.

Yup. But that's just it: If you can count on anything around here, it's that someone will always find a way to complain about what others are doing. And it doesn't matter what it is, either; we all wind up on someone's bad side no matter what angle we take on any particular subject. Everyone's got their own idea of what JWFan oughta be, and no one's vision matches anyone else's. So in the same minute that you see someone jump to the defense of a particular action by one or more members and tell everyone to "lighten up" and stop taking things so seriously, you'll see that same person jam their finger in another member's direction and tell them to stop screwing up the sanctity of what these message boards represent.

Which is why I think blaming the Mods is exactly the wrong thing to do, especially when it comes to something like this. Given the mass of apparently conflicting opinions about the MB's purpose and parameters, and the prevalence of the sort of double-standards I just mentioned . . . how the hell can we reasonably expect them to find any kind of consensus in way that makes everyone happy? Take the current "crisis," for example. About half the folks around here were either having fun with the quote threads or didn't mind them, and the other half were apparently severely galled by them. What does a Moderator do in a situation like that? Let people have some fun, or crack down on them to save face with the serious crowd? So they try to make a decision that's fair and reasonable and act on it. Fine. But what are they supposed to do next week, when the half they sided with this week is split down their own middle about some other perceived problem around here, and the same people who cheered their last decision are now rising up in revolt against their negligent leadership?

The creators and Mods have established a handful of rules for everyone's enjoyment, but the membership around here is constantly engaged (more so than in any other activity, it sometimes seems) in moving the lines around and demanding that everyone follow their vision of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable discussion in this place. I don't think a single one of us could do the job the Mods are faced with half as well as they do, with the result of maintaining an excellent film scoring MB that--despite the occasional spat--has never degraded to the churlish level of, say, the FSM boards. For that, I say their actions deserve, even demand, our respect. With all the crap they take from people around here, it wouldn't surprise me if they'd "given up" by now, Stefan. And yet . . . that's the one thing they've never done, in spite of everything they have to deal with.

And now I have to stop and add the necessary disclaimers: 1) Don't take this the wrong way, folks. I'm not arguing that the quote threads should've been left active (though I'm really pissed that the new Alien one got closed before I could jump in . . . bastards!) They were a cute little joke, hardly what I'd call offensive but certainly not important enough to keep around. 2) I'm also not saying objections shouldn't be raised when people find something wrong with posted material around here. The Mods can't make any decisions if we don't let them know what we're thinking. 3) Nor am I suggesting that I'm better than anyone else about the stuff I just called out. Back when we were all debating the issue of how to classify and place all the Tolkien threads, I had my own opinion and I wasn't shy about expressing it. I'm not saying everyone should just shut up and let things be; I'm just trying to point out the impossible nature of the duty we've saddled the Mods with. Whatever you think of the validity of joke threads, or Tolkien threads, or quote threads, or any other kinds of threads, keep in mind that there will inevitably be several other members who disagree with you. That's when we leave it in the hands of the Moderators. And that's when I don't envy them their job.

- Uni

[Quintus 5,399]

Well for what it's worth I was a bit drunk when I participated last night. Probably being a bit of a stirrer, sorry.

[Incanus 5,734]

First get my username right in the poll Stef before you come accusing me of lack of authority!

And I would have nuked this whole place from the orbit to eradicate the quote threads but if Ricard takes part in that kind of repartee, what can I do. I am powerless before the head honcho!

I see Jason already used his omnipotent powers to settle the dispute.

And choose what you want, enlightened tyranny or chaos and anarchy!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I see no enlightened tyranny!

I see apathy...indifference! The old order must be purged by the cleansing purity of fire!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Burn them! Burn them!

[Incanus 5,734]

I see no enlightened tyranny!

I see apathy...indifference! The old order must be purged by the cleansing purity of fire!

Thank you for letting us know we can tighten the noose.

But I actually sympathize you on the quotes-threads situation Stefan.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There is no noose that can hold my neck!

[Incanus 5,734]

There is no noose that can hold my neck!

Oh my god Stefan what has happened to you? When did your neck become so bloated?!!!

[Jay 37,516]

It just seemed like one of those random bursts of manic energy this place gets, so I didn't think anything of it and joined in.

Those of us who weren't bored with it instantly would have caught up soon enough and the whole thing would have died on its own, like the "Williams cues" threads.

+1,000

It was just another short burst of fun that happens spontaneously. It wasn't the start of a new trend on the board that would last forever. It was only going to ever last a few days.

If you can count on anything around here, it's that someone will always find a way to complain about what others are doing. And it doesn't matter what it is, either; we all wind up on someone's bad side no matter what angle we take on any particular subject. Everyone's got their own idea of what JWFan oughta be, and no one's vision matches anyone else's. So in the same minute that you see someone jump to the defense of a particular action by one or more members and tell everyone to "lighten up" and stop taking things so seriously, you'll see that same person jam their finger in another member's direction and tell them to stop screwing up the sanctity of what these message boards represent.

Which is why I think blaming the Mods is exactly the wrong thing to do, especially when it comes to something like this. Given the mass of apparently conflicting opinions about the MB's purpose and parameters, and the prevalence of the sort of double-standards I just mentioned . . . how the hell can we reasonably expect them to find any kind of consensus in way that makes everyone happy? Take the current "crisis," for example. About half the folks around here were either having fun with the quote threads or didn't mind them, and the other half were apparently severely galled by them. What does a Moderator do in a situation like that? Let people have some fun, or crack down on them to save face with the serious crowd? So they try to make a decision that's fair and reasonable and act on it. Fine. But what are they supposed to do next week, when the half they sided with this week is split down their own middle about some other perceived problem around here, and the same people who cheered their last decision are now rising up in revolt against their negligent leadership?

The creators and Mods have established a handful of rules for everyone's enjoyment, but the membership around here is constantly engaged (more so than in any other activity, it sometimes seems) in moving the lines around and demanding that everyone follow their vision of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable discussion in this place. I don't think a single one of us could do the job the Mods are faced with half as well as they do, with the result of maintaining an excellent film scoring MB that--despite the occasional spat--has never degraded to the churlish level of, say, the FSM boards. For that, I say their actions deserve, even demand, our respect. With all the crap they take from people around here, it wouldn't surprise me if they'd "given up" by now, Stefan. And yet . . . that's the one thing they've never done, in spite of everything they have to deal with.

And now I have to stop and add the necessary disclaimers: 1) Don't take this the wrong way, folks. I'm not arguing that the quote threads should've been left active (though I'm really pissed that the new Alien one got closed before I could jump in . . . bastards!) They were a cute little joke, hardly what I'd call offensive but certainly not important enough to keep around. 2) I'm also not saying objections shouldn't be raised when people find something wrong with posted material around here. The Mods can't make any decisions if we don't let them know what we're thinking. 3) Nor am I suggesting that I'm better than anyone else about the stuff I just called out. Back when we were all debating the issue of how to classify and place all the Tolkien threads, I had my own opinion and I wasn't shy about expressing it. I'm not saying everyone should just shut up and let things be; I'm just trying to point out the impossible nature of the duty we've saddled the Mods with. Whatever you think of the validity of joke threads, or Tolkien threads, or quote threads, or any other kinds of threads, keep in mind that there will inevitably be several other members who disagree with you. That's when we leave it in the hands of the Moderators. And that's when I don't envy them their job.

- Uni

Well said Uni, well said as always.

The most likely outcome would have been that when I returned to work on Monday and saw the sheer number of new quote threads, I would have probably locked them all up and said enough is enough, after 3-4 days of fun let's return things to more normal, and probably still left the Star Trek one open at that. I dunno.

But of course, once again Stef had to play moderator and start up a whole thread/poll about the "problem", and got everyone's fun ended early.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But of course, once again Stef had to play moderator and start up a whole thread/poll about the "problem", and got everyone's fun ended early.

I was not having fun!

[Jay 37,516]

I understand how incredibly difficult it can be to avoid clicking on a thread you don't want to read. My god, the extra mouse movements!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Restore John Williams topics to GD and I might consider it!

You neglect the fact that I wasnt the only one who was vexed.

[Quintus 5,399]

John Williams in GD or death!

It's a scandal which has gone on far too long.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Indeed!

[Incanus 5,734]

Ummmm no.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Valar Moderulus!

[Incanus 5,734]

Do not speak of Valar in this thread. The Holy Ones do not deserve to be drawn into this!

[Quintus 5,399]

John Williams' sub forum is crap. I never visit it.

[Incanus 5,734]

John Williams' sub forum is crap. I never visit it.

You should. It has wonderfully erudite threads like "What's your favourite John Williams Chord" and the like. Riveting, absolutely riveting! Spared no expense!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,734]

John Williams' sub forum is crap. I never visit it.

And how exactly would moving the JW threads back in GD make them any better?

It would help Quint-o while he is surfing JWFan on his mobile. Less hassle and more dazzle!

But I guess the lonely corner of JW discussion is so remote and uninviting people never stray near it. I say we form a committee to figure out incentives to visit there! Government subsidies, free licorice and inviting atmosphere!

[Jay 37,516]

This conversation also goes round and round in circles and is going to have to be a banned topic soon.

There are like 3 people who oppose JW deserving his own forum, and they like to complain about it whenever they can which makes it seem like a larger majority is against it, which isn't true.

If those 3 people are unwilling to use "View New Content" with "Since My last Visit" checked off instead of clunking through each of the forms individually, then that's there problem, not mine. Everybody else has adjusted just fine.

JW subforum is staying as it is, end of issue. Move on to other discussion topics now.