should we allow copy/paste of FIBS Shouts on Fibsboard?

[stog]

should we allow copy/paste of FIBS Shouts on Fibsboard?

the general rule is No - although there are times when it can save time & typing and is pertinent

with the usual proviso of no personal attacks, but it is such a grey area, as the shouts are by their very nature in situations like the latest copy/paste - all too personal......
but then what if it is relevant to  Fibs, the board and the recent well commented topics.......

i should be interested in what you vote, but we reserve the right to stick to the guidelines in About Fibsboard

moderators would have to blank out parts of shouts that contravene this ethos, but it is, as said, a grey area and as admin i will - as always- try and "allow" as much as possible - so long as people are not being targeted.


i must say that we owe Patti support -
i would not put up with unnecessary hastle when i am trying to  maintain something - as it distracts and ultimately affects others, if by being distracted - the very thing i am trying to maintain is affected.

also there is the factor of "the unknown" ie what the admin know and the "hastlers" don't.......
there are often conflicting and well established complications which admin does not have the time to spell out to all and sundry.....

time is the crucial thing here -

if we allowed copy/paste of shouts here at fibsboard it would mean much more work for moderators and admin alike as it would need to be censored as -there is no gag/blind on fibsboard - it is - public, and though is for adults - we have a duty to not allow the inflamed and hurtful


this being said - i have put up this poll but would urge you to vote with the thinking of someone who would have to voluntarily monitor such, extra to their work, and their having to look after themselves, their kids or loved ones......



my feeling is that poll or no poll - we have it about right
not encouraging shouts to be copied - it is ultimately boring - as used by some, for the transient to be made permanent......
best often to let them - the shouts to evaporate in the ether!

don't get me wrong but it is a pandora's box that eric was perhaps well to keep tightly closed!

[stog]

i always favour visual discussion where possible and i humbly submit the following - noting how often the goodness is extracted by over  or incorrect use.

No release of course is totally explosive

[stog]

socksesss has reminded me of a previous poll in 2005
here

[Patti]

I voted sometimes, but my basic answer is yes.   Short logs of shouts should be posted when they are relevant to a discussion, or when they convey some interesting piece of news or information.

I don't think a general shout log should be published, though.

[diane]

I think it should be ok to use them in the circumstances mentioned, but would reinforce the polite request - please edit them down a bit to pertinent points....

Not just from the point of view of the moderators, but reading a 100 line copy and paste from shouts is not the same as reading it real time - ie, it is quite dull...keep it relevant folks  

[ah_clem]

My $.02

If somebody wants to wade through the vast wasteland of the shouts and republish the interesting bits I might read it, assuming for the sake of the argument that there are interesting bits.  Not a job I'd wish on my worst enemy, but if somebody wants to do it, fine.

My hunch is that the motivation for republishing a shouts log would be to move the argument here, where it can be prolonged, fester, germinate, and otherwise turn into a protracted flame war.  No, I'm not interested in that.  Been there, done that, have the T-shirt.  

I'm pretty good at ignoring threads that are irrelevant (e.g. shouts) so as a user I don't really care all that much - until it overwhelms the site to the point where everyone leaves.  Were I an admin,  I really would be wary of shouts-fights spilling over here (or usenet fights, although usenet is largely quiescent in it's dotage) so a blanket ban on shouts would be an understandable over-reaction to a real potential problem.

So what to do?  My take is the site is best served by more discussion of backgammon play and the nuts and bolts of FIBS connectivity, clients, etc.  And I'm perfectly happy to leave the soap-opera drama to the shouts.