Abolish the Infraction System!

The system worked pretty much as you suggested. Infractions could be given by anyone to anyone. They were initially abused, as you say. The problem being that the abuse never stopped. They just ended up causing far more problems than they solved, much as they do now.

I say: drop them and get tough. Instant temp bans for any rule-breakers, increasing in duration for continued abuse, permabans after a certain number of instances. Lay down the law. Let members know exactly where they stand. Members can then decide on that basis whether they want to continue being members or not. A cull.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

I pretty much agree with what you say. I have to admit, over the years, things have slipped here.... bigtime. It used to be the case that if some hard-assed agendist misanthrope was tossing around abuse, one day they were simply gone. Nowadays, just as in real life, everyone tip-toes around them. As long as there are exceedingly clear descriptions with respect to what will not be tolerated, then there can be no excuse (and no, I do not think we currently have such a set of clarifications).

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

I agree with that. The rules must be made crystal clear and all the gaps filled.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

Well, there are two sides to the coin. I recall Stryder and S.A.M. describing something about the infraction system being an efficacious assistance to their workflow. And I can see the value in that. However, I think it's unhealthy for members to be implicated with the banning system.

In that case, moderators should have to communicate their decisions using that famous red type—even for such simple things as closing a thread or warning a clique to *stay on topic*. I was astounded earlier today to find this thread brimming with knickknacks.

 

Well, sound ominous, but it isn't.

If the Infraction System is abolished, there will be only warnings and bans.

For example, after one warning for, let's say, trolling, if member disobeys, he/she will receive no infraction points, yet immediate ban (1, 3, 5 days,...).

That's the difference.

Infraction system represents prolonged warnings. If there is no Infraction System, then there will be only one (or two or three, depending on moderators choice) warning and then ban.

 

I must say that the new policy was very predictable. It is a classic tool of the oppressive regimes. Pretend to give the people an option, and use that to replace it with a worse system.

I'm very disappointed.

once again.

 

We've all read your complaints, Spurious, now what are your suggestions?

 

talked about it plenty of times before already.

clean ship.

start with the top.

And then put some effort into the forum.

Unfortunately we have arrived at a point in time now where there is a cumulative effect of many minor and major negative actions, mostly coming from the administration team, leading to an atmosphere of them vs us, adult vs childish, obedient vs perm banned, controlled vs outspoken, racist vs informative etc.

This polarity is not going to going with a simple measure.

In the past the top never responded to any complaints or inquiries in any other way than to ignore them if they didn't suite their needs or simply lock them.

And regarding the track record I am not convinced of any willingness to put any effort into the forum.

It's not a community as such any more. It is a collection of communities with different needs and unfortunately the main aim of the highest authority is to merely have an active forum that will generate revenue. It's his job after all.

And once you start analyzing all actions from this perspective everything makes sense.

* Appoint James R, a person known to have no feeling for the community or what goes on in it, as an administrator because he loves disciplining and banning people.

* Permban anyone who dissents. No risks can be taken.

* contact the IP of a dissenting member to frighten other people into submission.

* Ignore all requests that require effort. It's just a job after all. Why spend 20 hours on a task that can also be accomplished by locking a thread in 5 seconds.

I still have a open question on the encyclopedia, leading me to boycot any scientific entries, that I have repeated now a dozen times. AND NEVER EVEN AN ANSWER. Why? Because the safety of non-response is more important.

No, this forum has been gutted. It started with the absence of porfiry and it ended with him selling us out.

A cumulative effect of negative actions with no effort to build a community.

It's all nice to pretend to be the nice guy. But actions speak louder than words, and I am one person who pays more attention to action than propaganda.

It's fucking easy to create a stimulating environment. It's just that it requires effort and ability.

So, none of these things are present right now.

You think a crackdown will stimulate scientific discussion? Come on please. Don't be ridiculous. How many scientists are left here on sciforums? How many people interested in science are left on sciforums?

Has anyone ever analyzed how scientists discuss things? Where? Why?

Has anyone ever analyzed where scientific minded people discuss things? where? why?

Of course not. It's been the same for months now. Someone gets a fancy idea. And that's going to make things better. At the meantime let's ignore all the criticisms, lock all these silly threads, give them infractions and make sure we depict them as childish.

Mixed signals anyone?

No.

The top has fucked it up. And it is up to them to clean up their own act. We are not the problem.

We are the fucking community!

say after me!

We are the fucking community!

but like fuck, will they ever look at their own actions?

Hell no.

 

spurious:

That's the point I've repeated time and time again. Moderators can't create an intelligent community by banning all undesirable thought. They need to actively contribute. Perhaps they should spend less time moderating, and more time contributing science!

 

Spuriousmonkey.

As a scientific forum, it is not doing very well
to put it mildly. It works well intermittently.
But as a general site, it seems to be doing very nicely.

Someone has mentioned that the forum has adverts for non-members
and that this is a source of income for the owner of the site
who has bought it as a commercial venture.
(If I am wrong on this, please put me right on it).
I have never seen the site as a non-member,
as I joined to ask a question.

If it is a commercial operation, does it make sense for the owner to
restrict usage to real scientists,
or would it be better for him/her to
make it a general site with a scientific bias?

Whatever. It's really the decision of the owner.
What would you do if you were trying to make a living from something?

 

I would turn it into a porn site.

 

Is that with your "sensible head" on
or the other one.

 

Porn sites make money. You asked me what I would do if I had to make a living from it.

what do you want? an answer that satisfies you?

 

No, but if that is really what you would do if you owned the site
then you are not in a position to criticise the person who does own it.
Not everyone is prepared to do anything for money.

Or perhaps you were joking.

 

Oh you mean, what would I do if I had been porfiry and lost interest in this site?

I would have sold it to invert nexus.

 

even of you had a better (more $$$) offer from someone else?

 

I am a socialist after all.

 

OK take the money from the Serbs, and give the difference to a charity.....

or in fact all of it.

 

As a socialist I am opposed to charity.

 

I don't mean that at all.
In fact I don't know what you are talking about.
Really, I have no idea of the history of this site.
I am a real newby to it. One season of one year.

My feeling is that the site has changed
and that it's objectives have changed.

I like the site and the people on it.
I hate people leaving. The good ones anyway.

I can see that heavy handed moderation is a problem.
But the lack of firm rules and a definite ethos
is making life difficult for them
and I think that they are as P***ed off as anyone.


Please tell me someone. What is the history of this site?
Who owned it? Why did they set it up?
What has happened since?
Bring me up to speed.