Board Dynamics - Page 4 - ZEFRANK.COM

Saxifrage · 06-20-2005, 08:47 PM

Your board is a hodgepodge of different sections dealing with different subjects. Some of you are attracted to the composition section, some to the debate hall etc. etc. This brings in a variety of different people, most of them pleasant but some who aren't. Among civilised folks the few who are the loudest and most obnoxious get much of the attention and have a deeper affect on those they attack. The few asses that you have on this board are like big fish in small ponds, they have little to no competition and they take it unto themselves to be movers and shakers on the board. Sides are chosen and cliques form. I quit posting here because I know that I can be a huge ass, especially with no forces of equal assitude to oppose me. I caught myself starting to be an ass here so I went back home to my board where we are all assholes. No feelings to hurt because we are all uncaring, thick skinned louts and no amount of verbal abuse can get more than a blink of reaction before you get hit across the face yourself.

I reccomend that you folks get yourselves some moderators, set up posting rules and stick to them. If someone get's out of hand they get suspended for 3 days to a week, a few more infractions and they are tossed for good. I know that Ze has built a nice little comminity here but when a community grows to a certain size anarchy is no longer a functional governing system. Just my two cents, have a good day all.

joppa.gal · 06-20-2005, 10:14 PM

Oh, yeah, that's right! How has this place got on without any Moderators?

This place is a Dang Democracy!! It's ANARCHY!!!

bealeblues · 06-20-2005, 10:21 PM

there was a deliberate choice by ze not to have moderators for a very long time. i think there are at least a couple of 'moderators' now with post editing privileges. don't know about banning/suspension privileges though-- that may still be up to ze. last i heard, only one person in the history of the board had been banned.

dinzdale · 06-20-2005, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saxifrage

the few who are the loudest and most obnoxious get much of the attention

I thought this worked like sensory compensation. e.g a blind person has increased hearing ability.
By this theory the people with the least to say, usually have their mouth open.

Satan · 06-21-2005, 04:19 AM

THERE IS NOT ALWAYS ‘TWO SIDES TO EVERY ISSUE.’ THAT STATEMENT IS A RIDICULOUS SLOGAN INVOKED BY VESTED INTERESTS AND PERPETUATED BY MINDS OF LIMITED SCOPE!!!!!!!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!

SILLY MORTALS!!!!!!

Brynn · 06-21-2005, 05:01 AM

I think it's interesting to note just how relatively new the concept of the message board still is, and how we are all still making up the rules as we go along. We are the first generation to have to decide on specific message board etiquette, and it just isn't easy. I don't subscribe to a wholesale "this is a message board, people are rude/crazy, deal with it" mentality, although it's not a bad thing to try to remember before reacting. It's my hope that eventually things will work themselves out by the Tokyo "let's all be as polite as humanly possible" model rather than the New York "dog eat dog" model.

Speaking of dogs, I think the dynamic on a lot of message boards that most annoys me is the "Big Dog and Me Too" syndrome. One "popular" Big Dog makes a nasty comment and growls, and then all the little yappy terriers gleefully emerge from the woods and jump on the freshly-exposed meat.

. It is a survival technique, an ugly one, and I guess the idea is that the more alliances you make the better you'll do when someone flames you. Rather than gaining stature, in my view they lose it automatically. And more often than not, the nastiest people on the board are also the least likely to come to someone else's defense no matter who they are.

Craig said "i'm just trying to be positive and have a good time.
i've learned you just have to ignore the negative stuff."

This is a profoundly simple and beautiful stategy, one that I wish I could follow myself.
In my short time here, I've seen some pretty mean, unprovoked things posted about Craig Johnston, and I've always been impressed by the way he just smiles and turns it into something positive. He's not a doormat - he's always got a comeback that's witty, but he doesn't get bent out of shape. It is a choice.

Zaftig · 06-21-2005, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brynn

. It is a survival technique, an ugly one, and I guess the idea is that the more alliances you make the better you'll do when someone flames you.

At first I agreed but the more I thought about it and witnessed what I have on this board and others, unfortunately this isn't necessarily true. Sometimes, despite how many "friends" or "alliances" you have, they won't come to your rescue or defense simply because they don't want that big dog turning on them.

Hyakujo's Fox · 06-21-2005, 12:14 PM

It's all rather disappointingly like real life.

zefrank · 06-21-2005, 01:23 PM

this is interesting.

if saxifrage is still here, i'd love to get an idyllic scenario on what a message board should be . saxi should read about "burstiness" theory - not old school anthro to understand online community self organization.

and also from the rest of you. what would a moderator do? inforce something? if so, what and how?

is this board a hodgepodge? if not, how is it organized?

if no moderator, what sort of guiding principles do you think a board should live by? should you write a constitution?

audrey - who's message board should it be? are you looking for a more supportive environment? if so, for whom? everyone? where do opinions come in?

should the board be "closed"? invite only? should the public be able to read it?

bealeblues · 06-21-2005, 01:32 PM

personally i think things should stay the way they are re moderators, or the lack thereof. i've stumbled on a few other boards that are heavily moderated and have a laundry list of rules. if there is a 'big dog' syndrome now, those boards with the draconian moderators take that concept and run with it.

is everything nirvana here? no. will it ever be? most likely not. but i'd still rather it stay moderator-free.

dinzdale · 06-21-2005, 02:14 PM

Thank you Frank for the 12 (?) and no opinion.

You're the only one here from the start. How has the board dynamic changed since day one til now? Do you have an opinion on how things have developed?
Did you have any expectations, good or bad?

There, that's 3 (?) back.

zefrank · 06-21-2005, 02:54 PM

>>Thank you Frank for the 12 (?) and no opinion.

>>You're the only one here from the start.

i ask questions because i can change some aspects of the board. I see a lot of negative crit, but almost no suggestions on what to do.

>>How has the board dynamic changed since day one til now?

more people, less innocence, better fiction, more fighting, people meet offline, tighter community, more difficult for new users to join the pack, more SPAM, more self referential, deeper sense of personality, more complexity, less orange.

>>Do you have an opinion on how things have developed?

yes. i love the board. i still think its far more intelligent and open than other boards this size. smaller boards have nice qualities, but they lack the depth. no going back for me.

>>Did you have any expectations, good or bad?

no expectations. what has happenned is far more complex than i could have imagined.

>>There, that's 3 (?) back.

zefrank · 06-21-2005, 02:57 PM

and spare me the passive aggressive bullshit. if you don't like the way things are, answer my f-cking questions.

and FYI..the number of active members has not grown that much in the last couple years...just changed...

same with the rate of posts.

bealeblues · 06-21-2005, 03:15 PM

what's your position on the more active moderator suggestion? are you considering that at all?

dinzdale · 06-21-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefrank

i still think its far more intelligent and open than other boards this size.

I think the intelligent conversation and ideas are fewer and sometimes very far between. And that's irrespective of if I personally like / dislike / agree / disagree with any subject matter. If what you say is true, then I'm glad I dont visit other "boards this size" for fear of actually losing brain cells via osmosis.

And it's not as funny as it used to be.

How would I change it? I wouldnt know where to start. Perhaps more rooms instead of one giant Chat section. At least then the chances of finding similar interests and actually sharing information about them would be available. But with no reference points I'm probably talking out of my arse as usual. Who knows? I dont even know anyone's views on anything, except who they may or may not vote for.
And I've just realized I dont actually care. I suppose that's how un-interested I have become.

Whatever.

But that's just my opinion.

06-20-2005, 08:47 PM	#46
Saxifrage monkey Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Angband Posts: 411	Your board is a hodgepodge of different sections dealing with different subjects. Some of you are attracted to the composition section, some to the debate hall etc. etc. This brings in a variety of different people, most of them pleasant but some who aren't. Among civilised folks the few who are the loudest and most obnoxious get much of the attention and have a deeper affect on those they attack. The few asses that you have on this board are like big fish in small ponds, they have little to no competition and they take it unto themselves to be movers and shakers on the board. Sides are chosen and cliques form. I quit posting here because I know that I can be a huge ass, especially with no forces of equal assitude to oppose me. I caught myself starting to be an ass here so I went back home to my board where we are all assholes. No feelings to hurt because we are all uncaring, thick skinned louts and no amount of verbal abuse can get more than a blink of reaction before you get hit across the face yourself. I reccomend that you folks get yourselves some moderators, set up posting rules and stick to them. If someone get's out of hand they get suspended for 3 days to a week, a few more infractions and they are tossed for good. I know that Ze has built a nice little comminity here but when a community grows to a certain size anarchy is no longer a functional governing system. Just my two cents, have a good day all. __________________ The Dude abides.

06-20-2005, 10:21 PM	#48
bealeblues where's my salt? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: finally writing Posts: 6,929	there was a deliberate choice by ze not to have moderators for a very long time. i think there are at least a couple of 'moderators' now with post editing privileges. don't know about banning/suspension privileges though-- that may still be up to ze. last i heard, only one person in the history of the board had been banned. __________________ still jackasinine, make no mistake

06-21-2005, 01:32 PM	#55
bealeblues where's my salt? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: finally writing Posts: 6,929	personally i think things should stay the way they are re moderators, or the lack thereof. i've stumbled on a few other boards that are heavily moderated and have a laundry list of rules. if there is a 'big dog' syndrome now, those boards with the draconian moderators take that concept and run with it. is everything nirvana here? no. will it ever be? most likely not. but i'd still rather it stay moderator-free. __________________ still jackasinine, make no mistake

06-21-2005, 03:15 PM	#59
bealeblues where's my salt? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: finally writing Posts: 6,929	what's your position on the more active moderator suggestion? are you considering that at all? __________________ still jackasinine, make no mistake

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06-20-2005, 10:14 PM	#47
joppa.gal monkey Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 615	Oh, yeah, that's right! How has this place got on without any Moderators? This place is a Dang Democracy!! It's ANARCHY!!!

06-21-2005, 04:19 AM	#50
Satan monkey Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: hell Posts: 28	THERE IS NOT ALWAYS ‘TWO SIDES TO EVERY ISSUE.’ THAT STATEMENT IS A RIDICULOUS SLOGAN INVOKED BY VESTED INTERESTS AND PERPETUATED BY MINDS OF LIMITED SCOPE!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!! SILLY MORTALS!!!!!!

06-21-2005, 05:01 AM	#51
Brynn constantly amazed Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: in the labyrinth of shared happiness Posts: 6,206	I think it's interesting to note just how relatively new the concept of the message board still is, and how we are all still making up the rules as we go along. We are the first generation to have to decide on specific message board etiquette, and it just isn't easy. I don't subscribe to a wholesale "this is a message board, people are rude/crazy, deal with it" mentality, although it's not a bad thing to try to remember before reacting. It's my hope that eventually things will work themselves out by the Tokyo "let's all be as polite as humanly possible" model rather than the New York "dog eat dog" model. Speaking of dogs, I think the dynamic on a lot of message boards that most annoys me is the "Big Dog and Me Too" syndrome. One "popular" Big Dog makes a nasty comment and growls, and then all the little yappy terriers gleefully emerge from the woods and jump on the freshly-exposed meat. . It is a survival technique, an ugly one, and I guess the idea is that the more alliances you make the better you'll do when someone flames you. Rather than gaining stature, in my view they lose it automatically. And more often than not, the nastiest people on the board are also the least likely to come to someone else's defense no matter who they are. Craig said "i'm just trying to be positive and have a good time. i've learned you just have to ignore the negative stuff." This is a profoundly simple and beautiful stategy, one that I wish I could follow myself. In my short time here, I've seen some pretty mean, unprovoked things posted about Craig Johnston, and I've always been impressed by the way he just smiles and turns it into something positive. He's not a doormat - he's always got a comeback that's witty, but he doesn't get bent out of shape. It is a choice.

06-21-2005, 12:14 PM	#53
Hyakujo's Fox left hanging Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: between the click of the light and the start of the dream Posts: 10,071	It's all rather disappointingly like real life.

06-21-2005, 01:23 PM	#54
zefrank ------------- Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: brooklyn NY Posts: 1,581	this is interesting. if saxifrage is still here, i'd love to get an idyllic scenario on what a message board should be . saxi should read about "burstiness" theory - not old school anthro to understand online community self organization. and also from the rest of you. what would a moderator do? inforce something? if so, what and how? is this board a hodgepodge? if not, how is it organized? if no moderator, what sort of guiding principles do you think a board should live by? should you write a constitution? audrey - who's message board should it be? are you looking for a more supportive environment? if so, for whom? everyone? where do opinions come in? should the board be "closed"? invite only? should the public be able to read it?

06-21-2005, 02:14 PM	#56
dinzdale King of the špatnýs Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: was that dog Posts: 9,411	Thank you Frank for the 12 (?) and no opinion. You're the only one here from the start. How has the board dynamic changed since day one til now? Do you have an opinion on how things have developed? Did you have any expectations, good or bad? There, that's 3 (?) back.

06-21-2005, 02:54 PM	#57
zefrank ------------- Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: brooklyn NY Posts: 1,581	>>Thank you Frank for the 12 (?) and no opinion. >>You're the only one here from the start. i ask questions because i can change some aspects of the board. I see a lot of negative crit, but almost no suggestions on what to do. >>How has the board dynamic changed since day one til now? more people, less innocence, better fiction, more fighting, people meet offline, tighter community, more difficult for new users to join the pack, more SPAM, more self referential, deeper sense of personality, more complexity, less orange. >>Do you have an opinion on how things have developed? yes. i love the board. i still think its far more intelligent and open than other boards this size. smaller boards have nice qualities, but they lack the depth. no going back for me. >>Did you have any expectations, good or bad? no expectations. what has happenned is far more complex than i could have imagined. >>There, that's 3 (?) back.

06-21-2005, 02:57 PM	#58
zefrank ------------- Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: brooklyn NY Posts: 1,581	and spare me the passive aggressive bullshit. if you don't like the way things are, answer my f-cking questions. and FYI..the number of active members has not grown that much in the last couple years...just changed... same with the rate of posts.