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Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Posted by Magnus on 25 October 1999, 14:24 GMT

As any regular visitor to our site knows, there have recently been a lot of controversy about the comments on our newsboard. In accordance with our site policy, we have deleted comments that we have considered to be in violation of the guidelines or completely off topic. This has rewarded us with everything from "thank you"-notices to being called communists. It has also taken up a lot of valuable time from our staff members.

It was clear that something had to be done about the situation. As we saw it, we had three alternatives. We have tried the first one, are right now trying the second one, and would like to avoid the third one if possible.

The first one was to disable the posting permissions for the people who posted most off-topic or abusive articles (which accounts were affected is not relevant here). Naturally, this was done after multiple warnings to the persons in question. This was done a couple of weeks ago, the result of which each person can evaluate for themselves. The trial was in force around Oct 9th to Oct 19th.

The second one is the one we are trying now. For this two week period, we will no longer delete off-topic posts. We will let any kind of discussion go on. We will still delete articles that are clearly out to disrupt the page layout (such as 10 pages of blank lines), or that can be considered illegal or highly inappropriate (such as pornography links or anything like that). Apart from that, anything goes. Please note that there is no change in our policy as to what we will answer in this. We will still not answer off-topic posts. If you want to get in touch with the staff, use e-mail.
This trial will run from the posting of this article for two weeks, and will close on Nov 7th.

The third option, which we would like to avoid but will have to fall back to unless the situation is resolved, is to turn off the commenting on our news articles. News would continue to be posted, but the user commenting would be disabled. Discussions would be referred to the mailinglists where appropriate. While we think that this would remove value from our site, there is a limit to how much we can provide as a free service, and we have been pushing close to that limit.

Once the current trial is over, on Nov 7th, a survey will be posted, in which we will ask you, our visitors, which way you think we should handle the situation. The survey will be open for one week. This survey will be purely suggestional - we will make the decision based on the result of that survey and based on what we think at that time ourselves. The survey is not decision-binding. However, we can guarantee that the result of the survey (as well as the result of the trial in whole) will have great influence on the decision.

We have been accused (by certain parties, as far as we have noticed it is not a general concern, but we would still like to address it here) of not listening to the voice of our community. We feel that this has not been the case before, and certainly will not be in this case. But as usual, we ask you to send your constructive comments to our staff directly at news@ticalc.org (assuming it is about our news system). We do not constantly monitor our comment board for site suggestions. We do, however, keep all mail we receive to the appropriate mailing addresses, and we take into consideration every idea that is proposed to us.

We regret that the situation has gone as far as it has. Any other suggestions on how to deal with it are very welcome - drop us a mail anytime.

 


The comments below are written by ticalc.org visitors. Their views are not necessarily those of ticalc.org, and ticalc.org takes no responsibility for their content.


Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Daniel Romith  Account Info
(Web Page)

This may seem off the wall, but, I belive that all Ti-Calc programmers should form "alliance groups" and compete for awards from ticalc.org. We could have "alliance" wars. It would be awesome, it would create better programs and allow better programmers in an alliance help a lesser programmer. I think this would be great, ticalc.org or someone could set up 3 alliances and people can choose which one suits you best. Just a thought, give me feedback.

     25 October 1999, 17:18 GMT

Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
KnightHero

I think that would be good.

-KnightHero
knighthero@flashmail.com

     25 October 1999, 23:20 GMT

Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Arcades  Account Info

Oh! good idea! Actually there should be 6 groups:
3 BASIC (for BASIC programmers) and 3 ASM (for assembly prgrammers)

Then you could choose your group(s) of choice (one per language) and then ticalc could set somthing similar to Dim-Ti's challenges-- but really a competition to make the best of a certain program and give (general) help in the process, while the individual members of the groups give the specific help to those who need it. Then the winning group would get the allance award for that comeptition. I beleve this 'off the wall' idea has some valilidy and should be looked into, consider it at the least...

     27 October 1999, 00:21 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
David Phillips  Account Info
(Web Page)

Umm...no :)

     27 October 1999, 04:45 GMT


Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Disco_Stu  Account Info

This sounds like the "Battlin' Business Groups" from Dilbert.

     29 October 1999, 00:35 GMT

Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
DWedit  Account Info
(Web Page)

Anarchy sucks. Government sucks.

Go figure.

     25 October 1999, 17:58 GMT

Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Daniel Romith  Account Info
(Web Page)

I have a unique idea for the Ti-Calc world. I think that all programmers should form alliances, and all programmers have to belong to atleast one. Then the alliances can compete resulting in better programs.
Here are a reasons, I think, these alliances should be formed:

1) Better and quality programs will be more common

2) Members of these will gain resources from other
members no currently available to them

3) This will create better programmers that can be better adapt to real jobs involving programming skills

Ticalc.org, together with Ti-Files & Dimension-Ti should combine, I mean work together, and issue alliance licenses to all people who want to form their own alliances. I think all of this will rejouvinate the ti-world abroad.

And on another note: Fuck DEMONsoft!!!!!!

     25 October 1999, 18:09 GMT


Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Jacob Guilbeau  Account Info

this isn't a market. programming calculators are not these peoples jobs. they arn't obliged to produce for you and if they choose not to program ever again then your just s.o.l.

they are doing you a favor. while i agree that in the job market, competition does favor higher quality products and lower prices, in this world of TI calculators, we do not have a need for lower prices and the quality is up to the programmer. if he releases a game that sucks, people may not download his next one. tough luck for him. thats his decision though.

jake

     25 October 1999, 18:31 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Bryan Rabeler  Account Info
(Web Page)

Do you ever capitolize the first letter of the first word of each sentence? Just a suggestion - start doing that, people will take you more seriously.

     25 October 1999, 18:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Jacob Guilbeau  Account Info

i find it a habit not to capitalize the first letter of my sentences. after microsft made word 97 automatically capitalize the start of your sentences i felt no need to start doing it.

But just in case you're wondering, I do know how.

jake

     25 October 1999, 18:57 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Bryan Rabeler  Account Info
(Web Page)

Well in case you haven't noticed, the <TEXTAREA> tag doesn't work like MS Word 97. I suggest you start capitalizing.

     25 October 1999, 19:06 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Jacob Guilbeau  Account Info

I know that the <textarea> tag doesn't work like Word. I responded earlier that I really didn't care if I had capitalized sentences or misspelled words. As I was offended that I was mistaken for a high schooler and earlier based upon my writing, I now choose to correct my mistakes as I see them. Man...could we be any more off topic??

Jake

     25 October 1999, 19:15 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Bryan Rabeler  Account Info
(Web Page)

No, we probably couldn't be more off-topic. Lets end this thread now. :)

     25 October 1999, 19:24 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
ikecam  Account Info

This thread was just starting to get interesting... To continue with the trend of discussing things that have nothing to do with anything, have you heard about the giant man-eating frogs in Japan? They've killed 72 people now.

     25 October 1999, 21:49 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
án(_)s Account Info

73.

     25 October 1999, 23:29 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Erich Oelschlegel  Account Info
(Web Page)

Yeah, and Payne Stewart just died. :(

~ferich
I like golf cuz it's soooooo delicious...

     25 October 1999, 23:39 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Rackford Smith  Account Info
(Web Page)

golf sucks ass!!!

--Racko

     27 October 1999, 02:20 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Erich Oelschlegel  Account Info
(Web Page)

I bet you're no Happy Gilmore, either. If the cause of your dislikeis the fact that you can't play it, then you're only ignorant. I hate baseball, except I'm good at it. There's a difference, see? :)

~ferich

     27 October 1999, 07:01 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Disco_Stu  Account Info

Some drunken elephants trampled four people in India last week.

     25 October 1999, 23:51 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Disco_Stu  Account Info

I'm not kidding either. Check Yahoo news from last Thursday.

     25 October 1999, 23:58 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
pcflyer1  Account Info
(Web Page)

How many Re's does it take for a comment message to be 1 character wide?

     26 October 1999, 08:05 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
raw33 Account Info

I dunno. Right now we're on 12.

     26 October 1999, 22:55 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
David Phillips  Account Info
(Web Page)

Not sure, but I do know that a page this long really kills a web browser. If they want to be like /. they should let people choose the format to read messages, or at least limit it to say 100 per page. Wouldn't be too hard, considering it's not done in real time.

     27 October 1999, 04:48 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
raw33 Account Info

14.

     27 October 1999, 22:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
ikecam  Account Info

Yet one more layer deep...

     27 October 1999, 22:53 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
ikecam  Account Info

I wonder how the page will handle having no room to indent for the next level?

     28 October 1999, 00:37 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Adamw  Account Info
(Web Page)

I have a resolution of 768 X 1024 and the page still looks fine, is it all messed up in 800 x 600?

     28 October 1999, 01:11 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Bryan Rabeler  Account Info
(Web Page)

I run 1600x1200 but I only run the browser at 40% width of the screen. :)

     28 October 1999, 17:26 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Erich Oelschlegel  Account Info
(Web Page)

Less than 800x600? That's hard to believe. Most webpages today are at least that wide.

~ferich

     29 October 1999, 07:49 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Newsboard Anarchy Trial
Bryan Rabeler  Account Info
(Web Page)

Maybe closer to 50%. :)

     29 October 1999, 14:39 GMT

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