Site is a graveyard - How can boards save itself? [Threadbanned users in 1st post]

babyducklings1 · 30-03-2024 10:18PM

This is such a good point. It’s all instant now. People want to know the answer yesterday. I still think boards is worthwhile and there are definitely knowledgeable people posting on here and people who are willing to take the time to help others and/ or post opinions be they good or bad.

Personally I hate explainer videos ( unless I’m trying to do a house task that I’m not familiar with or something IT related and that I need a video for) Otherwise I much prefer to read text. But the generation coming up are all visual. Attention span is definitely getting shorter too and this isn’t a good thing. I wonder if this is worldwide or in countries that are more IT literate. PS My post was in response to an earlier post which I didn’t quote so apologies and I can’t find it now as thread has so many pages.

ShamoBuc · 30-03-2024 10:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957835#Comment_121957835

I wouldn't dream of having email notifications turned on for posts from a thread, christ, I would have 'the fear' everytime I checked my email if I was away from Boards for a few days.

ShamoBuc · 30-03-2024 10:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957867#Comment_121957867

I would think your first line is right on the money.

Your second line is fairly spot on too.

Avenger2020 · 30-03-2024 10:33PM

mods ruined it

cant say anything these days

i wonder if I actually said something hateful spiting hatred would I get the same restrictions as I was just stating an opinion on the bad management of a government department

Musicrules · 30-03-2024 10:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957867#Comment_121957867

The problem with that is I just said others have messaged me saying the same thing.

I'll give you an example. There's a mod who for whatever reason decided to goad me and post in an aggressive fashion despite knowing that I had just had to put my dog down and wasn't in a very good state. I've reported this but nothing is being done.

ShamoBuc · 30-03-2024 10:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957885#Comment_121957885

Others - meaning they had run ins with Mods or that Mod in particular? Not necessarily the best council in fairness.

Never nice when a dog is put down though.

Musicrules · 30-03-2024 10:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957898#Comment_121957898

Maybe you just have been lucky? At least we cleared up that it's not my fault.

Musicrules · 30-03-2024 10:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957902#Comment_121957902

That mod in particular. But reading some posts on this thread, maybe it's quite common?

Yes, it wasn't nice.

ShamoBuc · 30-03-2024 10:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957918#Comment_121957918

Yes, it is quite common for posters who have issues with a Mod to act in such a way. I've no idea if the Mod was right or not but, as you say, you got several pm's from posters who had issues with that Mod is not necessarily a solid foundation to be building on.

Anyway, that issue has been reported, so I will leave it there.

hello2020 · 30-03-2024 10:53PM

This site layout is outdated as anyone can take over a conversation by posting continuously.. there needs to be a grouping mechanism to subgroup replies with in a conversation

30-03-2024 11:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957935#Comment_121957935

What is the bollox?

I might think you are a bollox just because you have an opinion I don’t agree with, or even the majority don’t agree with, does that make you a bollox?

30-03-2024 11:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957401#Comment_121957401

ah would you stop. 1/4 of this thread is useful, insightful and constructive criticism.

Then it’s the usual “boards is dead”, “Reddit is better”, “mods just ban you for your opinion” hysteria.

Rather than hysterical comments decrying mods for their complete oppression these threads could be focused more on the factual concerns and issues with the site. There’s plenty of perfectly valid and reasonable comments and complaints here but spanning the entirety it’s riddled with nonsense as usual.

If someone wants to express their concerns about site moderation, functionality etc there’s no problem there from any of us that I see and not one mod or admin has made any comment to the contrary. However if posters seriously think it’s “their opinion” that’s the problem then I can’t help them honestly.

Nothing any of us can say will remedy their frustration but it is not, in my opinion, a legitimate complaint because no one’s ever been banned for having “an opinion”. If you consistently post in opposition to a popular opinion mods won’t ban you for that and it’s mad to say they would.

However if for example you’re clearly doing so in order to cause or fuel an argument or hostility then you would be nudged to stop and if you refuse and it’s determined you’re just trolling you will be warned/threadbanned or whatever.

I mean AH literally has a controversial opinion thread and it’s one of the least modded threads in the forum. By the logic we’re banning everyone with a different opinion we’d be using the thread like shooting fish in a barrel. Your opinions don’t get you in trouble generally speaking it would be your posting style and how you express that opinion.

But no one wants to hear that because then the mods aren’t the big evil ogre and can’t be blamed for the sites problems. Maybe some of you weren’t here before but vBulletin was a lot stricter in my opinion and you got away with a hell of a lot less.

Green Peter · 31-03-2024 12:42AM

I just have this mental picture of a few particular mods in their underpants sitting at their computers banging loudly on their keywords with big Dennis Taylor glasses and a cat on their lap. Maybe a Mayo jersey on the odd one.

Necro · 31-03-2024 01:23AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957423#Comment_121957423

That's down to our country's own libel laws though which put the blame on the site publishing the content (posts in this case) rather than the actual author (the forum poster). Archaic, absolutely but until the government amend these it has to be done unfortunately.

JP Liz V1 · 31-03-2024 01:31AM

This thread seems to have turned into mod bashing complaining

I appreciate helpful posters who answer a question or query

The maintenance issues are annoying @Boards.ie: Mike

Sephiroth_dude · 31-03-2024 01:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958156#Comment_121958156

That's what these threads always turn into, mod bashing threads.

ShamoBuc · 31-03-2024 02:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958108#Comment_121958108

Perhaps a few particular mods have a vision of a few particular posters. Maybe a spotty faced teenager, their friends being usernames on a website, believing a sense of self importance is both engrained and enriched with every passing warning they receive. Who inevitably end up spitting out their dummy on some thread.

Perhaps. Who knows.

But Taylor, a former World Champion, never liked cats, apparently. Cool/innovative glasses at the time though.

31-03-2024 02:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958161#Comment_121958161

Earlier on, someone posted to the affect that "if someone keeps having issues with mods, they're the problem."

Well, the same could be said that if multiple posters are all of the view that there are issues with moderation - maybe it's time to accept that there is a very real problem with moderation, and not just brush it off as "mod bashing".

31-03-2024 02:37AM

Delete duplicate post.

Gael23 · 31-03-2024 03:19AM

Too late now.
The move from vbulletin to vanilla was a catastrophic failure that there’s no way back from.

Not to mention the week offline implementing the mess

JeffKenna · 31-03-2024 06:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958161#Comment_121958161

Well maybe as brushing it off as mod bashing it should be taken as feedback that there is a huge issue with moderation on the site.

The Hill Billy · 31-03-2024 07:18AM

As a former heavy user of the site, not to mention being a Mod, CMod and Admin at times, I believe that the site has numerous challenges these days…

Demographics - the kids ain't into discussion any more. Really limits potential growth in new users. Boardsies are a dying breed.

User Experience - The site is crap. Basic functionality no longer works or has been removed. Makes life difficult for users and worse for Mods.

Posters - 99% of posters are sound. But the 1% who aren't (especially the persistent re-reg trolls) take up 99% of Mod/Admin time and effort. The re-regs are the cnuts who drag down the tone across the site, and make it a bad experience for all users.

Site Management - Really noticable lack of Mods in a lot of forums and active Admins on the site. Not surprising given how hard it must be for them to do a proper job without the tools needed. The biggest issue that I see is overzealous modding/adminning. Guilty of it myself back in the day. But it seems like no lessons have been learned and it still stifles the discussion and pisses off genuine posters.

Unearthly · 31-03-2024 08:04AM

For a start I’d purge most of the sub forums. So many dead forums that could easily just be one big thread.

At the moment I just see it as an elderly website in the final phase of its life. It will be a sad day when the bosses pulls the plug. I’ve been here since April 2004

Montage of Feck · 31-03-2024 08:10AM

Better the graveyard than the sewer! But the internet in general is in a decline of sorts.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 08:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957408#Comment_121957408

Who's going to pay, and where will the money come from? How many employees would be needed?

Green Peter · 31-03-2024 09:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958356#Comment_121958356

Not sure of the finances to be honest but if mods were paid a small fee maybe they would be more impartial due to the risk of losing the role. At the moment many mods are there because no one else will do it. If you get a bad one in a forum it's the beginning of the end.

Big Bag of Chips · 31-03-2024 09:15AM

Just as a matter of interest, what would users consider a fair "small fee" to retain good moderators? Who would be in charge of monitoring the performance of moderators and responsible for sacking/withdrawal of payment if certain performances weren't met?

It's a suggestion, but is definitely not one that is in any way workable. Like many things simple suggestions from posters are often not implemented, because if the simple suggestion was viable and workable it would already be in place. People are complaining there's not enough moderators, so how many more are needed? And what should they be paid to keep them interested?

Oscar_Madison · 31-03-2024 09:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958262#Comment_121958262

yep - I’m no saint but when I’ve got into trouble in the past it was mostly due to lack of moderation in a thread - not just over hours but days - reporting posts did nothing - in the past you reported a post sat back and the mods did their job - now you’re faced with days of being badgered by stupid idiots - the “report posts don’t engage with trolls” just doesn’t work anymore.

Ordinary posters are more than happy to let mods do their job - problem is there’s very few active mods around these days and some of the few remaining are just on over drive and attack the trivial things when there’s much bigger issues to deal with

The whole appeals thing for warnings and bans is also pathetic - a simple 24 hour thread ban can cool the heels - no appeal no bullsh1t taken - but that in itself could solve a lot of issues especially if it went from 1 day to 1 week to 1 month - no appeals no PMs - people would be less likely to keep acting a dick and it would feee up a lot of mod time to actually “patrol” the site

Most people respect mods but when you’re in the receiving end of a d1ckhead poster and you’re the one then sanctioned, then sorry, moderation rightfully will be called a joke on this site

Musicrules · 31-03-2024 09:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121957935#Comment_121957935

Mod warning: Abuse. Do not post in this thread again.

Glaceon · 31-03-2024 09:38AM

I don't personally think that moderation is what caused the decline. I've been here since 2003 under a previous account and there were complaints about moderation even back then, and even when the site was thriving. I also remember a time where the site was a left-wing echo chamber but it certainly isn't that now. You'll never have a free-for-all here because Irish law is pain in the arse. Unlike in the US, websites here are responsible for the content posted by their users. That, combined with article 40.3.2 of the constitution (the "right to a good name"), makes it very easy for an Irish site to be sued and/or silenced. I was around for the whole MCD debacle so there's previous form for it.

To me, the decline is down to a combination of the rise of social media and the Vanilla migration. One of the reasons given for the Vanilla migration was that the previous vBulletin system was too heavily customised and unreliable. Yet, this implementation of Vanilla is most definitely not "vanilla", it's again too heavily customised and unreliable. It was chosen because it was cheap, not because it was the best option. At the same time, I remember the attempts to bring in the responsive site, which was hugely unpopular, so it was probably felt that any new platform had to resemble the old one where possible. But it reminds me of putting a Windows skin on a Linux distro. Sure it might look similar on the outside but it doesn't take long for you to find the differences and it gets jarring.

Site is a graveyard - How can boards save itself? [Threadbanned users in 1st post]

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