I think what this place needs is some consistency. If you're going to make "community standards", set them and stick to them, don't bend the rules for this one and that one. If this is going to be a real community site then we have to live with everyone, trolls, pricks, sweethearts and scholars. That means allowing people to speak what's on their mind, whether it is the popular concensus or not, and all of the discussion that follows. I think Mods are capable of stopping thread crapping and irrelevant posting. But I think we need to do away with this utopian "shiny, happy people" mentality that we will all get along and no one should say anything that uses bad language or calls people out for their stupidity. I think people should be held accountable for what they say here (think before you post) so that if people go around quoting them, in sigs or otherwise, they have no one to blame but themselves.
That said, I think this site needs to do away with the largely useless (at least I think) boards known as Neighborhood Watch and Burning Circle. The rules for what can be said in either section are totally ambiguous, three-quarters of the things talked about there are things that would have gone on the flameboard before but are now watered-down ineffective posts that no one can truly respond to because they aren't directly involved in the matter at hand, there's no proof of what's being said... blah blah blah. It's simple. If you're going to have a flameboard, have one. If not, don't. But get rid of the half-assed stuff because it really is a waste of space. I think the flameboard was a good and bad thing. Sure there were people who lived there and it was the only reason they came here. And I'm sure that more than one person was flamed who could have just been having the crappiest day imaginable. But I think that I'd rather have a flameboard where one can rant and bitch and have people actually be able to respond than a lame, divided so-called problem-resolution or debate forum where you can't say jack. No I don't want to see a forum with "Your momma so fat" and "Yeah? Well you're a (*)&@^#*$(#*," as the sole content, and i'm sure the mods can assure that wouldn't happen. What I do miss, is the discussion and debate that came from the subjects brought up. Because really, that's what's been missing here for a while. General discussion can only cover so much.
I also agree with the AH board alteration. It would be helpful to be able to respond to those posts.
If it's possible, I would like to see a return of the contests that ran here for a while... The screenshot contest and the like. It's fun stuff that may move someone to participate that wouldn't ordinarily.
More than anything, I'd like the assumption to be that we're all grown up enough to conduct ourselves halfway decently and slap down the ones who need it when the time comes rather than all of us be treated like children as a rule in an attempt to make everything PC. Thanks for asking for our input. I think that's a huge step in the right direction.
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