Wireclub looked good at first. (Page 2)

anym: "you are a first class sh*t stirrer!"

Can't stir an empty bucket.

CoIin: Earlier I mentioned another site specializing in science and philosophy that I enjoy reading, and sometimes contributing to. I'd like to offer a suggestion to Wireclub based on my experience there.

One thing I love about this place is that trolls -- on the rare occasions that they appear -- are dealt with severely. One feature they have, that Wire doesn't, is that when troll comments are posted, they are removed by mods (same as Wire) but in such a way that no trace of the post is left (unlike Wire). In Wire after a post is deleted, a "scar" is left.

For example, in the recent case of my Philosophy of Mind thread being trashed by vandals, supposing the thread itself had not been deleted, but only that all the objectionable posts had been removed either by myself or by staff, there would have been two whole pages containing nothing but the scars of deleted comments -- unsightly for sure, but I'd take unsightly over non-existent any day. On the other site, though, business in the thread would go on as if nothing had happened with no trace of damage.


Another unrelated suggestion I'd like to make is that the creator of a thread be allowed to block certain members from posting entirely. Take once more the recent case of the trashing of my thread by hooligans. These troublemakers were complete strangers to me and I couldn't possibly have anticipated their appearance in the thread. But it was painfully obvious from the very first post that they were not there to discuss philosophy; they were there for one reason only -- to cause trouble.

If, after their initial posts, I could simply have added them to my "block" list thus preventing them from posting further, all subsequent damage might have been avoided.

Yes, I know many members will howl about free speech. But from my observations anyway, the ones who make the most noise about free speech tend to be the ones whose intention is destructive rather than constructive. Trolls run the gamut from the disturbingly malevolent to the comically benign, but personally speaking, If I had a choice in the matter, I'd prefer that they ALL kept well away from my threads, unless of course they could outgrow their trolling and actually offer something to the community.

But these are PUBLIC FORUMS, the animals will wail. Well, call them something else! Call them clubs if you prefer, or call them semi-public forums. Call them whatever you like. Just find some way to ensure that those people wishing to engage in a sensible discussion are left to do so in peace.

anym: In the wireclub context what are clubs? How formed & accessed? Do they have rules?

CoIin: P.S.

And to those disgruntled trolls who post offensive comments only to have them removed, and then cry about their right to free speech, START YOUR OWN THREAD, .

No one is stopping you from expressing your opinions. Rant all day in your own threads if you like. Just keep your crap out of mine. Thank you.

anym: I like the idea of making deleted posts invisible. Not sure what could go wrong with that.

The ability to block posters from one's topic seems attractive but maybe too easy to abuse, as well as encouraging formation of cliquey enemy groups.

Better might be the ability to transfer inappropriate posts to a special thread set up for the purpose; where they could interrupt & insult each other to their hearts' content. It could even be locked to viewing by anyone who hasn't been sent there; so any obscenity wouldn't be on public display.

I guess I'm thinking not so much outside the box as outside the park

CoIin: Re - open to abuse

Again, I fail to see a problem. If someone blocks me from their thread, SO WHAT?

If it means that much to me, I can say what I want to say somewhere else.

CoIin: I've never understood why certain members continue to post in threads where the creator of the thread has made it quite clear that this person's presence is not welcome.

If you're not welcome, go somewhere else.

anym: "If someone blocks me from their thread, SO WHAT?"

They may be (deliberately?) supplying you with a reason / excuse for what you feel to be "justifiable" anger; for retaliation, escalation of existing animosity etc., etc.

CoIin: Sounds like precisely the kind of person I wouldn't want to be in my thread.

I think we'd be better treating threads as like someone's party. If the guy throwing the party doesn't want you there, he's perfectly entitled to ask that you leave.

And boot you out if you don't.

CoIin: And I hasten to emphasize, this has nothing to do with people DISAGREEING with me on topic. It has to do, rather, with people posting abuse and irrelevancies.

anym: "If someone blocks me from their thread, SO WHAT?" ......
.... "Sounds like precisely the kind of person I wouldn't want to be in my thread."

Ahem... The question you asked 'so what?' and to which I responded was not about blocking someone from your thread; it was about yourself being blocked from someone else's thread. In which case the second sentence above doesn't fit (added) - Haha, unless the person you wouldn't want in your thread is yourself.

CoIin: Ok, sorry.

anym: I like to save little quotes that are inspirational or reinforce some opinion / attitude I like (or would like) to hold. Just thought I'd throw these in here:

"If we forgive someone there's a fear that they will never know how much we've suffered. We can get hooked on suffering."

"Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads"

anym: Someone please tell me; When I edit something previously posted, do others following the thread see a notification that something has changed?

Big Bopper: Sorry, mate, I was wrong about the notification of edits.

I use Wireclub hoping to have contact with interesting people. I have met a few. And I met a woman who I hit tennis with 2-3 times a week for months. Generally, chatrooms aren't the best use of my time, and these forums, again generally, can be interesting, and it is easy to spot a crap-spewer and just skip his posts.

So, I after seeing inappropriate stuff it's just not worth my time to read anything else that person says after that. This effectively eliminates the thread from something I want to read.

CoIin: @ - "It's easy to spot a crap-spewer and just skip his posts."

I spotted several in a serious thread that myself and a few other members -- including anym -- had been working on for months.

That thread no longer exists.

I agree, troublemakers are easy to spot. Wireclub moderators, on the other hand, apparently are unable to discriminate between crap-spewers (to use your term) and genuine contributors.

Corwin: I really love Wireclub.

And I do my best to contribute to this community as best as I can... you have no idea... but the mods and admin know everything... no privacy... no "guile".

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Hey Colin... has it ever occurred to you that you may be wrong?
Wrong about me?
Wrong about your negative view towards Wireclub?

Your mysterious hatred towards me has clouded your brain.

When you find a better online social networking site, you just let us all know...
... I'm sure it will be..... awesome.

anym: The topic is "deletion of entire threads" and I think that's been done to death. Quite obviously the mod & admin are not open to members' wishes for reinstatement of the "Philosophy of Mind" thread; so there's no point in giving them any more feedback; they simply reject it.

I have no interest in, or intention of, facilitating interpersonal animosity here. Anyone interested in that please leave and open your own thread. If someone can tell me whether/how it's possible to close this topic I'll do that and move on.

I do see some other forum sites that look interesting and hope to join one or more of them. I won't say which ones or what name I'd use: don't want to make it easy for thread-crappers to follow me.

calybonos: If you want to close this or any other topic you've created, simply delete your opening (1st ) post and the entire thread will be gone.

In answer to some of your other questions in this thread;

Clubs were a feature of the old Wire format and have since been incorporated into the forums, so the same rules apply to them. It is no longer possible to create any new clubs.

When you edit a previous post, no notifications are given to you or anyone else, other than of course the words - (Edited by *user name*) which appears at the end of the post.

anym: calybonos: Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

calybonos: You're welcome.

Now....get the hell out of my thread


Edited - to feel like I belong. ( Damn peer pressure! )

Big Bopper: I gotta say that I really like Wireclub, too.

Corwin: Colin certainly doesn't twist things around now, does he?

I made an off-colour remark in jest, Colin merely became the butt of a joke, and that was over 2 YEARS AGO. And that was only a bit of humour in response to Colin suddenly attacking me in the forums... I often meet aggression with humour... that's just how I roll.
The comment was flagged and removed, and I publicly apologized afterwards.
He needs to get over it and move on with his life.

anym: Please do not make personal comments to or about others on this thread. If you have done so in existing posts I ask that you edit those comments out or delete the posts. Thank you.