Behaviour on Forums

[Imamonkey]

I would like to start off by saying that what I am going to talk about also applies to me. You know the saying, when I point a finger I have three pointing back at me. I am making this suggestion to hopefully make the forums and users, myself included, better members of the tip it community.

 

 

 

This is a problem I see a lot, especially in the Help & Advice forums. People posting putting down other people and not even making a valid point in the thread. Putting someone else down does not make you better than someone else. In my opinion it makes you look as bad or worse than them. People continuing to make off topic posts defending their last post. Let it go.

 

 

 

I sure don't like it when one of my threads go that way. I don't even like seeing these types of posts in a thread I am just reading and not actually participating in. Even if I am not posting in a thread but just interested in what is said and reading it, I don't like seeing these kinds of posts going on.

 

 

 

I think we all should make an effort to stay on topic in threads. Even if someone else makes a post that we may think not be exactly on target it is probably best to let it go most of the time. Unless of course they are continually posting and staying off topic. Posting complaining about an off post topic isn't really much different. Especially when we continue to stay off topic defending and putting down.

 

 

 

One off topic post is still better than ten off topic posts in a thread. And the post may actually be on topic to some. It may be a matter of perception why the post was made in the first place.

 

 

 

Learn to let it go sometimes.

[compfreak847]

Probably directed at me :P

 

 

 

Still, you have a (reasonably) valid point. However, if posting random off topic spam is something the user is doing accidentally\not knowing it's against the rules and is informed, hopefully he\she will stop. Other then saying 'don't spam', there isn't really any other way to tell them not to do that. And if you've already posted your opinion, you don't really have a lot extra to add.

[tripsis]

Thanks for posting this :) I also think it's important to remember that the report post function exists and regular users shouldn't take things into their own hands. By that I mean, I see a lot of people quote an off-topic or spammy post and say things like, "Another useless post from . Way to contribute to the thread!" Honestly how is THAT contributing anymore than what the first person spammed in the first place? It makes much more sense to keep the thread on-topic by reporting the post in question and letting the moderators handle it.

[Imamonkey]

It is pointed at everyone, myself included. I am guilty of doing it as well sometimes. I don't like seeing it, it isn't right when I do it. I am making an effort to quit doing it and I think everyone should. No one likes seeing it.

 

 

 

That is why I said to just let it go sometimes. I know sometimes I feel the need to defend myself. Most of the times when I see other people keep going on defending themselves, I don't stop and think, hey you know they are right and its good they went ahead and made that post even if they are right. I am thinking more along the lines of "I wish everyone would quit being childish and get back on topic".

[compfreak847]

Thanks for posting this :) I also think it's important to remember that the report post function exists and regular users shouldn't take things into their own hands. By that I mean, I see a lot of people quote an off-topic or spammy post and say things like, "Another useless post from . Way to contribute to the thread!" Honestly how is THAT contributing anymore than what the first person spammed in the first place? It makes much more sense to keep the thread on-topic by reporting the post in question and letting the moderators handle it.

 

I don't think this would work. Take the thread I suspect imamonkey is going off of: http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=781445

 

It starts off nice, first few posts giving relevant advice. Then someone replys with something that I personally know the OP already knows (We're friends, I talked about this with him before he decided to buy). I reply and say 'he already knows, he's asking for the prices...', and it goes downhill from there.

 

 

 

I mean, do the mods really want us reporting every post that's off topic or irrelevant? There's more worthless then worthwhile posts in most H&A threads, yet not saying anything just encourages people to post it over and over :-#

 

 

 

It's a conflict between my inner police and my fear of the evil ban hammer (ok, not really, I can always start a new account under a proxy, but I'd still like to stay on the good side of the mods).

[tripsis]

I don't think this would work. Take the thread I suspect imamonkey is going off of: http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=781445

 

It starts off nice, first few posts giving relevant advice. Then someone replys with something that I personally know the OP already knows (We're friends, I talked about this with him before he decided to buy). I reply and say 'he already knows, he's asking for the prices...', and it goes downhill from there.

 

 

 

I mean, do the mods really want us reporting every post that's off topic or irrelevant? There's more worthless then worthwhile posts in most H&A threads, yet not saying anything just encourages people to post it over and over :-#

 

 

 

It's a conflict between my inner police and my fear of the evil ban hammer (ok, not really, I can always start a new account under a proxy, but I'd still like to stay on the good side of the mods).

 

Well there is a difference between veering slightly off-topic and completely spamming. Sometimes posts in Help & Advice can turn into little debates about what's better, and those kind of posts don't really directly relate to the first post, but are still somewhat relevant. I mostly meant people replying with totally useless, pointless comments that don't relate to the thread whatsoever, and then people replying to THOSE posts. So there is a slight difference.

 

 

 

And reporting a post doesn't necessarily mean that the person who posted it is going to get a ban or even a warning. Sometimes it's just nice to remove the off-topic/spammy posts from public view to help things get back on track.

 

 

 

We already do this process quite frequently. My main point was that a lot of people will see a post that violates the rules and rather than report it, they reply to it, insulting the person and informing them that it's against the rules.. but in doing so, they are helping drive the thread off-topic. So it's always better to just report the post and let a moderator handle it.

 

 

 

Things like this honestly don't happen that often in Help & Advice. It's mostly places like General Discussion and Off-Topic.

[compfreak847]

 

Well there is a difference between veering slightly off-topic and completely spamming. Sometimes posts in Help & Advice can turn into little debates about what's better, and those kind of posts don't really directly relate to the first post, but are still somewhat relevant. I mostly meant people replying with totally useless, pointless comments that don't relate to the thread whatsoever, and then people replying to THOSE posts. So there is a slight difference.

 

 

But the problem is that those points have been hashed out a thousand times before in much greater detail in other threads. Is it necessary to have a complete debate with every H&A thread, especially if the OP has already made up his mind? And what annoys me are lists of stats copied and pasted from the KB, as if the OP couldn't be bothered to look them up themselves before buying.

 

 

 

It just tends to hide the real answers and fill the thread up with pointless, redundant posts.

[tripsis]

But the problem is that those points have been hashed out a thousand times before in much greater detail in other threads. Is it necessary to have a complete debate with every H&A thread, especially if the OP has already made up his mind? And what annoys me are lists of stats copied and pasted from the KB, as if the OP couldn't be bothered to look them up themselves before buying.

 

 

 

It just tends to hide the real answers and fill the thread up with pointless, redundant posts.

 

No it's not necessary :P I'm on your side here. My post was just directed at something else. I agree that those debates are unnecessary but they're not quite as harmful or rule-breaking as the ones I was referring to.

[compfreak847]

But the problem is that those points have been hashed out a thousand times before in much greater detail in other threads. Is it necessary to have a complete debate with every H&A thread, especially if the OP has already made up his mind? And what annoys me are lists of stats copied and pasted from the KB, as if the OP couldn't be bothered to look them up themselves before buying.

 

 

 

It just tends to hide the real answers and fill the thread up with pointless, redundant posts.

 

No it's not necessary :P I'm on your side here. My post was just directed at something else. I agree that those debates are unnecessary but they're not quite as harmful or rule-breaking as the ones I was referring to.

 

I have a feeling it's what the OP was talking about, though. He was saying the same thing in the thread I linked to, and posted this soon after :P

 

 

 

 

I think we all should make an effort to stay on topic in threads. Even if someone else makes a post that we may think not be exactly on target it is probably best to let it go most of the time. Unless of course they are continually posting and staying off topic. Posting complaining about an off post topic isn't really much different. Especially when we continue to stay off topic defending and putting down.

 

 

 

One off topic post is still better than ten off topic posts in a thread. And the post may actually be on topic to some. It may be a matter of perception why the post was made in the first place.

 

 

 

Learn to let it go sometimes.

[tripsis]

You're probably right. I just saw this as an opportunity to discuss another somewhat similar kind of behavior that has been bugging me :P

[compfreak847]

You're probably right. I just saw this as an opportunity to discuss another somewhat similar kind of behavior that has been bugging me :P

 

True. Your right though, it's more prevalent in forums other then H&A. It's the amount of proven incorrect information that is spammed and debated on every thread of a certain kind (Basically, any thread involving PVP\Bandos\Ranging\Slaying\Fighter Torso\Proslyte\Veracs\Whip vs. GS etc.) There's already one well known winner, a bunch of new members spamming incorrect information (which usually outnumbers correct info 3 to 1) just annoys me, so I respond, and it turns into a flame\item war :wall: