The Subcontinental Issue!

[Varun]

Ah! You haven't been to typical Indian schools, right? Almost 85% students of my class are all devoid of personalities, and you cannot even call them geeks.

 

[Themer]

A lot of members start out poorly not knowing how the forum works, what we expect and how to be a good member. A lot, not all, of those members subsequently go on to become respected and valued contributors. I've been here long enough to remember when some people were demanding perma-bans for members like Zorax, Kshitiz and sk8ter on the grounds that they were spammers who would never improve.

This would be my problem if the forum was to suddenly become extremely strict on newer posters. There are numerous members who when they started out can only be described as nuisances who either didn't have a concept of the dynamics of the forum or are just attempting show off to friends but eventually improve into more than decent members after some guidance. If the forum were to clamp down on new members who make innocent mistakes it could also put off those newer members from improving and staying around.

There are other members though who from as far as I can see make a conscious decision to not improve or consistently post awful posts without the slightest sign of improvement. Such as RPHKR who Tom has mentioned he just doesn't look to me like he's ever going to reach a stage where he's contributing to the site positively. They're also members who we've had that were always on the borderline of being trolls, winding up the general population of the forum time after time without there being any visible punishment and always trying to be controversial for controversy's sake. They haven't been all "Sub Continental" either; classing all the bad members as being SC is bordering factionalism. Aussie_Ben for example managed to stay on for yonks whilst always trying annoy the hell out of the forum with him bordering on racism towards Indian members at most times. Same can be said to RDF as well; for the duration of his stay I don't think he once positively contributed to the forum merely constantly trying to drive a stake between the Aussies/Poms and the Sub Continent. And starting ridiculous threads about Sachin Tendulkar. Allowing them to stay merely gives a bad example to the newer members who can be easily swayed into following their footsteps where they tried to show off to them.

For me we have to be willing to let people develop but once its become clear that they are just there to be a divisive figure they have to be ostracised as not doing so just annoys the hell out of standing members and slowly grates them till they reach the point where they no longer want to be part of the forum which is a real loss for the forum and the environment that was here.

 

[pcfan123]

Thomas Jefferson's neighbors spoke English though

 

[TumTum]

Ah! You haven't been to typical Indian schools, right? Almost 85% students of my class are all devoid of personalities, and you cannot even call them geeks.

I thought it was the other way around, chatting on the net all the time destroys any real life personality you have (and I must make the point that the net and real-life personalities are almost never the same).

Back to topic, my belief is that these young SC kids are not the problem, but more to do with the way old time users here respond to them. Threads such as these only help to divide the groups (also divide the young SC group itself, as can be read in this thread) and complicate the problem. If you find someone's posts annoying to read, then just ignore them.

BTW they haven't been too active in the Cricket Discussion section so I don't really have a problem

 

[BKB1991]

I think the most important thing that this whole forum lacks is tolerance. Yes there loads of posts that piss you off, some useless threads, but unless they directly break the rules then you shouldnt really make an issue out of them. What i dont get is why you dont put people whose posts that infuriate you, onto your ignore list.

One thing I may mention is the user title or whatever that thing under your username is called. It should be done by a different way then the no of posts you have made. It could be done on the level of maturity of your posts or something that gives us a better idea on the quality of your posts. Might turn out to be tough work, but surely worth loooking into it?

 

[Bevab]

The idea is really nice.
And many those who complain that if we make this site's downloads free there won't be much members coming, TBH the members who come take some time to learn and if you want you can come, just like Facebook.

 

[AkshayS]

Finally after reading all the 18 pages, I can say the discussion was really good. The best in last few months.
IMO, the idea of removing 'forceful' downloads is good. There can be nothing done to C07 forum, it's just totally ████ except the Ahad's thread but that too is infected by some newbies.

As far as Sachin Tendulkar/SC - subforum/threads are concerned, not needed IMHO. Some members need to be a bit more tolerable and some members really need to improve( that ain't gonna happen I think). He is surely overrated here, much hyped but the discussion lately has been good except a thread that shouldn't have been created. If you don't wanna talk sachin, just don't.
I am a great fan of Sachin too, but going back a few months, whatever I had talked about him was ████, I was one of them who regularly called him god and all that. Now I seriously feel like a big idiot, I hates it when I sees my older posts.

I might not be a good poster, but I'm good at avoiding things, I avoided that whole matter of KBC thread because there was nothing to discuss, whatever the ████ happened in Evolution vs Religion thread, despite being a part of a little conversation, I avoided whatever was the discussion after that about Islam. Flame wars actually. I've been following the unofficial Ashes buildup from the start but never posted anything because I never found anything to discuss.
So members needs to avoid a few things surely, If there is nothing to discuss for you in the thread, just don't post. compromises must be made now.

Really excited that what's going to be the decision of the Admins and staffs, It must be surely for the good. This can be a turning point.


P.S.:Chewie, don't ever bring that Martingr8 thingy back.

 

[riz7khan12]

One thing I may mention is the user title or whatever that thing under your username is called. It should be done by a different way then the no of posts you have made. It could be done on the level of maturity of your posts or something that gives us a better idea on the quality of your posts. Might turn out to be tough work, but surely worth loooking into it?

you could use reps but then mod/'graphics' makers will take the cake there. There will always be issues with that.

I agree with the point of allowing downloads without having to register. Even though I came through the AC09 downloads section (having no idea what forums were), not many quality members come through this way.

And considering the issue of dividing the forum, this is not needed... a horrible idea that. Without the diversity this place would be extremely boring. As Bilal said if someone infuriates you put them on your ignore list.

 

[Chewie]

Wouldn't removing the need to register to download mods potentially increase the risk of an overloaded server? And make it easily susceptible to that sort of attack? Or something along those lines

 

[Sureshot]

Doubt there'd be the demand for it whether people are registered or not.

 

[Bevab]

Explain yourself Chewie.

 

[Chewie]

Explain yourself Chewie.

no :sarcasm

 

[MattW]

Wouldn't removing the need to register to download mods potentially increase the risk of an overloaded server? And make it easily susceptible to that sort of attack? Or something along those lines

There are risks of that, I've looked in to suitable ways of dealing with it, will likely start by seeing how it goes first off and implement something if there's an issue.

The vast majority of downloads are ~1MB, so for the most part a minimal impact.

 

[shravi]

Oh god those last two posts rather epitomise the problem

Yes, good to see you agree with me. Mark epitomizes the problem. Just ban him already! :

 

[Chewie]

I was referring to you thinking that Mark is a 'racist bigot'...