As a matter of interest, why do we bother having a censor when everyone just bypasses

hatrickpatrick

...it and there's no rule against this?

I mean for f*ck's sake, it's fairly sh!te that I have to replace letters with symbols to type this sentence, but that typing either **** or ****e results in a censor, even though bypassing it won't get me in any trouble at all?

Seems rather pointless to have the feature in the first place, no?

Adam

what the fuck are you talking about??

iPlop

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

...it and there's no rule against this?

I mean for f*ck's sake, it's fairly sh!te that I have to replace letters with symbols to type this sentence, but that typing either **** or ****e results in a censor, even though bypassing it won't get me in any trouble at all?

Seems rather pointless to have the feature in the first place, no?

It will get you in trouble in PI ,RI and politics.In AH it will get you into trouble if it's said viciously or over excessively ,the odd fcuk every now and again is not so bad if you're just taking the mick (I think).OP it depends what you're saying and how you're saying it ,if it's in every post ,as in fcuk this and fcuk that ,I can only imagine an infraction or ban will be on the cards very quickly.I don't think bad language is tolerated in general ,that's why the swear filter is there but different forums have different charters and different rules

It's tolerated in the Thunderdome because ,well it's the dome and all the posters in there know what the score is ,and how far things can go ,and also nothing from the Thunderdome comes up as post of the day and on the home page ,nothing in the dome is for public consumption unless you have a log in you cannot view it

biko

The filter is there to show swearing isn't allowed on boards in a general manner of speaking.
Some forums will allow it somewhat, it's up to the forum itself.

I like it, the discussion benefits from a better English.

OldGoat

The swear filter exists for my sake because I'm offended by inappropriate or excessive use of profanities. It irks me and it demeans the poster in my eyes.
When used selectively profanity is a wonder****ing tool but when it’s used in every post it becomes ineffectual, and tedious, too dilute to carry any impact.

Sparks

OldGoat wrote: »

The swear filter exists for my sake because I'm offended by inappropriate or excessive use of profanities. It irks me and it demeans the poster in my eyes.
When used selectively profanity is a wonder****ing tool but when it’s used in every post it becomes ineffectual, and tedious, too dilute to carry any impact.

Amen to that.
If we didn't have it in some forums, it'd be like listening to Billy Connolly after a noseful of cocaine but without the jokes or amusing anecdotes. And with all the delivery style of David Brent.
If the worst of it gets filtered out but you can still get round it if you work at it, then it's doing an ideal job in that the poster has to take a minute or two longer to write their post; thus thinks about it for that much longer; and you tend to get better posts than you would otherwise.

That doesn't mean you get good posts because of it, mind you - it's more that you're being stabbed in the leg than stabbed in the face... but still...

P. Breathnach

OldGoat wrote: »

The swear filter exists for my sake because I'm offended by inappropriate or excessive use of profanities. It irks me and it demeans the poster in my eyes.
When used selectively profanity is a wonder****ing tool but when it’s used in every post it becomes ineffectual, and tedious, too dilute to carry any impact.

That is the attitude that guides my own approach to writing (and, unless they have missed a good few posts of mine, the politics mods do not seem to have a problem with it).

But we have to ask ourselves if we are discussing a question of right and wrong, or a question of style preference. It looks to me like the latter. If there is to be a ban on profanities, then there might as well be a ban on misspellings, on failures to capitalise or punctuate properly, on the use of "infer" where "imply" is the intended meaning, on infelicitous phrasing, ...

I would draw the line at applying profanities to people, either fellow-members of boards.ie or people in the public eye. That's crossing into personal insult, and we should not allow that.

dr.bollocko

I'm just the poor dude that has to PM the newbies to tell them how to swear.

biko

I've recently taken to swear like "$£!%!" it looks nicer than "****".

P. Breathnach

biko wrote: »

I've recently taken to swear like "$£!%!" it looks nicer than "****".

It also looks more literate than "fcuk" or "cúnt" or "sh1te".

Eliot Rosewater

P. Breathnach wrote: »

That is the attitude that guides my own approach to writing (and, unless they have missed a good few posts of mine, the politics mods do not seem to have a problem with it).

I think your posts are a good example of the strength of the style. You're usually very calm in posting, so that when you do post something that is a little more forward it's quite noticeable, and so communicates your feeling very effectively.

On the point of spelling and grammar, I put quite a bit of stock in it myself. If a poster's spelling and grammar is correct it usually means they've put a bit of time into their post, and this is generally reflected in the quality of argument.

AckwelFoley

irl, in casual conversations ive a vile tongue.

K-9

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

I think your posts are a good example of the strength of the style. You're usually very calm in posting, so that when you do post something that is a little more forward it's quite noticeable, and so communicates your feeling very effectively.

On the point of spelling and grammar, I put quite a bit of stock in it myself. If a poster's spelling and grammar is correct it usually means they've put a bit of time into their post, and this is generally reflected in the quality of argument.

Or just crap at grammar! I'd be decent a spelling but grammar doesn't sink in.

Maths does though. Some people just aren't good at certain things, doesn't necessarily mean anything!

hatrickpatrick

Nah the best way to censor bypass is to asterisks our the vowel. It's sh*t, but it f*cking works.

Cookie_Monster

fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck

Personally I hate the filter, its just childish censorship. They're only words and for somebody to be offended by their use (unless directed at them) is ridiculous IMO

Sarky

I don't think anyone is offended by the words themselves. I think it's more offense at the fact people can't be bothered being more creative with the language. I'm quite fond of the Guns'n'Roses song Sweet child Of Mine, for example, but a couple of summers ago it was so overplayed I ended up wanting to beat the entire band to death with Slash's admittedly fabulous hat. If you insist on swearing, mix it up a little.

I like the censor. I often skim over the posts with a high asterisk-quotient. Every time I've stopped to read them, they've usually turned out to be a waste of pixels.

ztoical

Sarky wrote: »

I like the censor. I often skim over the posts with a high asterisk-quotient. Every time I've stopped to read them, they've usually turned out to be a waste of pixels.

+ 1 It's the same as banning people from using text speak or writing everything in CAPS AND BOLD or worse having a post thats 80% smilies :eek: The odd time is fine but you'd get pretty tired of a thread/forum if it was the norm.

Gary ITR

snyper wrote: »

irl, in casual conversations ive a vile tongue.

I'm fucking shocked

Joey the lips

There is nothing wrong with a Fcuk every now and again. I could do with a propper fcuk now actually. i can only write these retarded backwords fcuks.

Anyway I imagine its sensored for you teenagers sake, you know to be seeing to try with parents

However i imagine its predominatly how its used is moderated.

For example..

Who the fcuk do you think your talking to..... Bad

where as.

i could do with a propper fcuk now....... Deprived.....

stovelid

I willing to bet that everybody who posted in this thread double-checked the post to make sure it gave off a suitably verbose and earnest air.

miju

what the fuck is OPs problem the filters working fine for me

Nodin

stovelid wrote: »

I willing to bet that everybody who posted in this thread double-checked the post to make sure it gave off a suitably verbose and earnest air.

I did in me bollocks....

stovelid

Nodin wrote: »

I did in me bollocks....

Interesting. Bollocks and my preferred version, Bollix are not filtered.

Sarky

stovelid wrote: »

I willing to bet that everybody who posted in this thread double-checked the post to make sure it gave off a suitably verbose and earnest air.

Well, I do spellcheck. Frankly, if you haven't bothered to get it right when you call someone a "C*NTMANGLING F*CKSTUMP" then your heart isn't really in it.

dr.bollocko

Sarky wrote: »

Well, I do spellcheck. Frankly, if you haven't bothered to get it right when you call someone a "C*NTMANGLING F*CKSTUMP" then your heart isn't really in it.

TBH C*ntmangling f*ckstump might be oddly complimentary if aimed at a male.

pickarooney

I don't understand this line about censorship of some words encouraging the use of a more varied vocabulary. 'Hat' and 'turtle' aren't censored words, so what is boards doing to encourage people to mix it up a little when talking about headwear and reptiles?

The use of 'fuсk' and 'сunt' in context are no more indicative of a poor vocabulary than are the use of 'parasol' or 'grout' nor is the non-use of swear words any sign of a broad lexicon. In fact, by censoring one word you are forcibly reducing the available list of words available to a poster, not just vis a vis the word itself, but in terms of all words and phrases formed from it. Which is both shameful and hypcritical when used as a reason for the censor.

That 'ѕhit' and 'cocksucker' may offend is a reasonable reason for discouraging their use but don't pretend it's done in the interest of encouraging erudition.

Slidey

This was very funny.

I did catch a few people out with it when I was a mod in R&R.

The swear filter only bothers me when I am trying to post a link that has a swearword in it. I have even thought my phone ''fcuk'' so i can fucking post from it

pickarooney

I don't understand why the fuсk people even bother using tags and all sorts to get around the filter. Just use the Firefuсks extension and you can swear in plain text.

brummytom

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I'm just the poor dude that has to PM the newbies to tell them how to swear.

And God fucking bless you for it.

K.O.Kiki

Matsu****a is a real company that won't be doing business on Boards any time soon.

El Weirdo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i93-u39XV7I

copacetic

pickarooney wrote: »

I don't understand why the fuсk people even bother using tags and all sorts to get around the filter. Just use the Firefuсks extension and you can swear in plain text.

I don't understand why people think you need plugins or awkward tags and all sorts to bypass the fucking filter!

On the general point, it's a bit pointless but who cares really? The only thing that irks me is when it's used as an excuse to mod someone for bypassing the filter when everyone else is let away with it, a bit like the playing of the off topic card when it suits.