Seems there is a group that likes to hash, re-hash and hash again controversial or argumentative issues in MR. I admit that I have been drawn in upon occasion and put in my two cents worth. However, when the discussion starts to get worn out or personal or just silly comments are made I switch to more informative posts to occupy my surfing time.
That said, what is the possibility of adding a new main forum category for these issues and what would you suggest calling it? This would prevent folks from having to sift through posts they find dull, worn out or offensive and stick to other issues and posts. This would be especially effective if the moderator could move misplaced threads from other forums to the controversial category if it was deemed more appropriate for that category.
Theoretically, this would keep the crowd that wants to avoid or ignore these controversial/worn out issues on the other forums yet give the debaters a place to discuss and argue until their fingers or computer keys wear out.
My suggestion for the new forum would simply be “Model Railroading Controversies”
Not a bad idea, but while you yourself tend to be cordial, think about some of our “excitable” members that could potentially become “much less than cordial” on a hot topic.
“I don’t know where I’m going to go when the volcano blows!” - Jimmy Buffet
The possibility? Nil. It would keep the moderators waaaaay too busy refereeing the sparring matches and the rest of the forums would still be affected. I don’t see it happening; nor it being a particularly constructive improvement to the forums.
Should the powers-that-be think otherwise, eagle, are you interested in volunteering to moderate such an endeavor?
Sounds like, "Let’s make a stew. We’ll put all the really bland ingredients in this pot, and all the hot, spicy and tasty stuff in this other pot…
Result? No one would want to eat out of either pot! It’s only a good stew when it’s all in one pot.
If you actually read those contentious rehash threads, you will occasionally find a gem of wisdom, or even a suggestion on how to solve some problem that’s been vexing you. I remember one, “It costs too much,” thread that generated a lot of suggestions on how to get more bang for the model railroad buck. I might add that a lot of the plain boiled beef and pototoes threads (about prototypes I don’t model or products I will never buy) are absolutely useless to the guy wearing my moccasins.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in HOj, 1:80 scale)
Are you in a position to make the selection of moderators or are you asking me to commit on an open forum with no chance of a commitment being takes seriously. I thought the moderator’s name was John something, although I could be wrong, and would like any request to come from someone who can actually make that call and I would be glad to discuss it with him in a private conversation. As for as improving the forums I thought I made that point but then again maybe I didn’t. Just an idea. . .
Good points although to the person who is not going to spend time sifting through multiple, multiple, controversial posts they would never come upon those suggestions buried there anyway. Those ideas could more accurately be posted on “Ways to save money in MR” than in the more contentious thread of “MR is too expensive.”
Don’t get me wrong, eagle, ideas are fine. And you aren’t the first one to make the suggestion. I was just asking if you had considered how such an endeavor might affect the administrative/monitoring side of the forum. Having “retired” from my years of moderating responsibilities here, I see how it could open a can or worms.
To answer your question, no, I’m not in any position to select moderators. FYI: There are actually three volunteer moderators here on the MR forums: Crandell (selector), Norris (Murphy Siding), and John (jwhitten). You could personally contact any of them via PM (aka “Conversation” - Still haven’t gotten used to that term yet) if you’d like with your idea.
Considering some of the explosions that we used to have on the Forum, if the Moderators ever decided to let this category get off the ground and running, I’d suggest calling it: “ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK:”, LOL!
As a relative new comer (last 6 months) I admit I don’t know the history of the forums and past problems, etc. I also am not a computer tecky so have no idea how major changes to the forums are made. I do realize moderators offer their time and that is a great commitment which I certainly do appreciate. Just thought it might be less demanding if all the flames could be contained on one forum but I will leave the logistics of that up to the guys who know.
It’s highly doubtful that this would ever come to fruition but if this forum actually opened up a catagory for this, it would be a step in the right direction - a containment for all contraversial topics, where there is a true debate ‘floor’ - that is what a forum is supposed to be about anyway.
There is nothing that prevents a “controversial” topic from being started in any forum area. Even if you created a special forum, there is no way you could enforce coralling all the controversial issues in that forum. Some people may want their topic out in the general area precisely because it will have a wider audience there.
Another issue is that many controversial topics start out as legitimate topics and then are diverted (intentionally or not) into a death spiral of arguement and flames. Witness the discussion on the truck/train accident recently. It was a double whammy. It was about a prototype event, so some thought it belonged on the Trains forum and it rapidly augered into the dirt as a discussion on racial/ethnic/religious profiling. A thread started as a non-controversial thread and ended up controversial.
If somebody wants to try it, fine, but it won’t eliminate useless flame wars in the existing forums