I noticed that a lot of Sciforum members have recently been posting messages indicating their dissatisfaction with the current state of the website. The most recent post that I read was a message from Satryr in this thread. I agreed with some the things that he or she wrote, but it is just one of the reasons why Sciforums is not the best scientific discussion board on the net. The moderators and the owner of this website have to take some of the blame for the current state of Sciforums. Do any of the members on this website pay attention to the donate now banner in the first post of every thread? I visit this website everyday, but I will never make a donation unless some improvements are made. There are many other free science forums on the net. What makes this website so special? Absolutely nothing. A member that is willing to make a donation to keep this site alive should receive special privileges that don’t exist on this site. For example, members could have access to some of the non-existent features (#2) that I will mention below. I am going to write a list of things that could improve this site. #1 Improve The Appearance Of The Website Take a look at The Science Forum.Com, Science Forums.Com, or Science Forums.Net and you will see websites that look better. #2 Add More Features To The Website Adding more features to Sciforums could make it a better website. For example, there could be a scientific news section, or an educational games section. (Games in the links below) http://www.queendom.com/mindgames/index.html http://www.youramazingbrain.org.uk/yourmemory/default.htm #3 Create A Rating System For The Members This is probably the most important new feature that should be added to Sciforums because it will ban all of the members that post too many useless or stupid messages. It would slowly increase the number of intelligent members on Sciforums. I think the world, science, technology, and philosophy, sections should be strictly moderated. All of the members that post messages in those sections should receive ratings from the moderators and some of the members. A new member could begin with a rating of 500. A member with a rating above 100 could have the privilege of voting to send a member’s rating up or down. A member with a rating between 500 – 599 could be able to send a person’s rating down or up by 5 points. A member with a rating between 1000 – 1099 could be able to send a person’s rating up or down by 10 points. No more than ten members should be able to vote you down or up for each thread that you post in. The moderators could be rated up and down also, but they could have the privilege to rate you down by 100 points if they give you a warning for posting something that is considered to be a banable offense. You could also be rated down by as much as 300 points if you are banned for a short period of time. If a moderator’s rating falls below a specific number they could lose their moderating privileges. If a member’s rating falls to 0 you could be banned for life.
Nice and all - your ideas, but it won't happen. We here mostly are a lazy bunch and won't do anything as long as nothing can be continued to be done. p.s. I like how Sciforums looks, it's very plain and readable even if a bit dated, there is no unneeded detail that distracts attention (like it is in some of the websites you linked, only the first one looks moderately good).
For someone in search of a science based bone-dry oh-so-proper site, I suggest this one may be better suited to your needs: http://www.thescienceforum.com/index.php
1.) i also like how it looks, and its a simple layout thats easy to use 2.)to much space 3.)are you serious, the first you have an argument with someone you will drop their rating? dumb
1) No. I like this format. Clean, visually appealing (well to me), easy to use, and to the point. 2) Games would be cool... but I think it's unrealistic. 3) I would like a rating system. On bodybuilding.com they have "rep" points... some people are negative. Haha.
how dare you disagree with me im going to drop your rating, now to think of an excuse see thats how easy it would be
this IS the best science forum on the net let's run down the reasons i think so 1. it's sleek and lean, meaning that there isn't alot of garbage to detract from the real reason of this board and that is the posts themselves. 2. the people, there is a wide range of intellect on this board ranging from the really dumb to the really intelligent. anybody that posts here will find their niche. 3. the moderation, i have yet to see or hear any verified instance of a moderator overstepping their authority or exercising that authority unjustly. 4 the atmosphere, this isn't a 'stuffed shirt' board.
It wouldn’t matter if someone that you were arguing with dropped your rating. They would only be able to drop your rating by 1 – 20 points. There could also be more limits that are put on an individual’s ability to raise or lower someone’s rating. I got the rating idea from gamedev.net. I spent a lot of time arguing with people on the website and my rating fluctuates between 900 – 1100. The highest rating on the site is about 2300. The members that post useful information relating to computer programming and game development always have levels above 1000. The members that continuously post useless information usually have levels below 500.
I think the logo should feature the Hammer & Sickle. And preferrably the phrase "We shall bury them."
i like the non-slick non-mainstream look of it. it contrasts sharply with space.com for example. i have been banned from space.com and hope they burn in hell. if this site goes hollywood, it's all over. i'll be banned from here before long if that is the case. keep up the vulgar, flippant, sarcastic, crass manners. i actually love it and consider it to be a breath of air. here i can post about girl on girl strap-on action and nobody really much cares.
I think all conservatives and religious fundamentalists here should be permanently banned. Both infections defy science and they dumb down discussion. I also wish there were alot more smilies. These are too few and uninteresting. To find an exquisite list of smilies see www.forumgarden.com
see, the strap-on comment garnered no audience nor fanfare. it is as equally glossed over as talking about cereal boxes. i love it! the site is fine the way it is! and if the admin or mods rally to change it, then they can rot in hell and die!
Anyone want a police state forum? Where over moderation is rampant and each word you type is scrutinized and edited? www.IIDB.com Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Banned a few months ago. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Had almost 5k posts!! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
just like on space.com. same thing! that is a nazi camp. the mods regularly edit posts for content and delete entire posts that do not prop up the status quo agenda. i will not bore you anymore with stories about it; just take my word for it. it sucks donkey dick!
I like the fact that the moderators allow the members to post vulgar sarcastic messages. I don’t think the vulgarity and the sarcasm should be eliminated from the site. But I would like to see a higher percentage of intellectual conversations amongst the members.
As a moderator my thoughts are everyone should have an equal chance to stand on a soapbox, although occasionally I have to boot them off when they tend to lay claim to it and won't let anyone else on it. Some might see such locking of imfamous threads as being unfair, but how is a forum suppose to offer variety with the same thread starters often posting the same threads continuously, in attempt to get their point and only their point across. Those types tend to rule out discussion and just go straight for brainwashing. As for lapse moderation in the form of dealing with peoples emotional or irrational responses, quite simply this forum is on the internet. It's viewed by people and programmatic spiders that scurry around with each pages finding and buries them deep within a vast network of cached sites, they might be a government project (Echelon), they could be a well known search engine, perhaps even some spammer trying to hunt e-mail addresses or social engineer people... None the less, what you write here, no matter how much anonimity you might percieve while using a pseudonym, the internet will always remember you and will always recognise you for who you are. In short: If you act like an idiot then the whole of cyberspace will know it. [Edit] As for actual additions to the forums, site etc. Well firstly there is the costs of bandwidth, with the site being popular it can cost a vast amount to keep up with peoples speed posting. The bandwidth was the initial reason that avatars and signatures where stopped. Avatars did eventually come back as Subscription only, but subscribers were rare which meant there was little point with that system. There is then the Labour needed for alterations, the time and effort to rescript/patch/hack the forum software with alterations that people ask for. Some things would require to be written from the ground up (like a plugin).
Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Ummm, like that is scary. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
