Database Develop

[Q] Suggestions for improving Forum Etiquette

This is my reply to the mess of a thread located at:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=781513
I hope my suggestions are taken in the very helpful spirit that they were typed.
Thanks folks.
I'm gonna be all trolly here and what not. Is there not a way to simply FORCE people to read? As in, you can't post for 3 weeks after you join? It wouldn't stop people from being stupid, but it would help train them to Search & Read in the 3 weeks that they desperately wait for a Rom to drop.
This thread has the train wreck effect... I couldn't not read the whole damn thing. (I am actually very interested in getting the originally mentioned feature, btw.) And yes my post is Off-Topic, yet ridiculously relevant. I have quietly been a member of this forum for years and haven't seen this kind of wasted space ever. Maybe I should stop recommending people "Go check out xda developers online..." I am partially responsible for getting these people here. But, I believe a strong, open community is the best way to get results. Perhaps, all new members trying to post new threads outside of the General/Q&A forums get redirected to the Advanced Search page unless verified by a mod as a legitimate dev contributor? I am sure that would require coding a module for the forums... And since I don't know how to do any of that I will end my trolliness now. Oh wait, maybe a simpler solution - A "Wrong forum button" where if enough people vote the post gets moved. Seems simple enough and the mods can get the help they need without have the more - zealous - members of our community take matters into their own hands.
Thanks for your time and attention to my suggestions. I will now look for an appropriate place to post this in the main forum.
-Memo

See that's why I voted "against" xda samsung section, you'll see it will be even worse when we get an lg and istick sections
This place is becoming just like other places only flaming and "your problems are stupid because this is alright for me". Luckily there are still a lot of decent people around here which make me stay.

poll looks pretty inconclusive to me

Very umm, intellectual thread read that was.
But you know when inviting a couple of close friends over turns into a full blown Hizouse Partaaay a couple of fights are gonna break out...
Actions as such in that thread aren't very rampant but can make for an interesting read. But comparing contributions, join date and or post count in any situation is pretty moronic.
Has there ever been a thread where it ended happy and all party's posted:
Like, man I'm sorry man I was drunk.
Oh no man it's cool, man my wife was gettin on me about the garbage and kids were nagging.
So are we cool?
Yeah man. Can I invite you as a friend?
Oh totally!
That would be awesome to see...
good day.

I have seen many happy ending threads actually.
And honestly, I didn't really understand your ideas on what is being discussed. I think that if the actions were rampant then this site would be dying as many have before. XDA has a very long legacy, and it should be protected BEFORE it becomes a problem. Just how telling a 15 y/o that suddenly his backtalk is not acceptable would have no effect, telling the new influx of users being drawn by the boom in mobility that they have to behave in the forums when everything they see is "IS.HE.THE.DADDY.DNA.TEST-Developers.com" would be ineffective. Needs to be taken care of early. Prevent the problem. Don't waste tons of resources trying to fix it.
And just to be clear were you at all trying to be offensive, snarky, or sarcastic? Just curious.
- Memo

souljaboy said:
poll looks pretty inconclusive to me
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It's a wealth of information! Perhaps we need to stick people into the Brain Training room from Lost. ...I'll go look for my lab coat.

memorito said:
And honestly, I didn't really understand your ideas on what is being discussed.
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Actually just noticed the [Q] on the thread title, your post didn't really reference adding on to your suggestions. So my bad for not seeing the [Q]. Wrong forum button does have some potential. But the experienced xda user should know who his forum mod is and send a pm outlining any gripe with link to thread before turning it into a public chest puffing competition where in the end all who participated look like morons.
Is it feasible to have an ethics moderating committee that would monitor the content and actions of the first 15 posts of a new member? But it all still comes down to an individual showing that they have the utmost respect for xda and its users. Members involved in your example are not spring chickens and should be a little ashamed. Because a new user might think that is the norm for the forum.
memorito said:
And just to be clear were you at all trying to be offensive, snarky, or sarcastic?
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No. The house party statement does hold a lot truth though. Even 3 years ago the "smart phone" was seen as a business tool. Even you brought up the influx of new users as result of the mobile boom. I'm 36 now and didn't even get a cell phone till I was 23. Now I see children with devices that I would die to have or be able to afford. The age demographic of this site has changed so dramatically over the last couple of years. And as elder members we can only protect the image of xda by policing our own actions and utilizing the forum mods for what they are intended for.
Since it is off topic I still feel like I need to have a little fun.
Boobs....... o.k. I'm done.
good day.

a good start would be requiring everyone to add a nice greeting to the end of their posts according to the time of the day

ive talked to the mods about this in the past and they liked the idea, but havent added it yet:
requiring a signature to be set up upon first signing up to xda including current phone/s, rom, recovery, hboot, kernel...
having set up so that registering could not continue without filling out these fields (of course there would have to be a "how-to" option to help those that dont know what those are or how to find out what they have)
this would stop the
"can someone help me please! my phone wont boot"
"what phone do you have?"
"G1"
"what rom are you running?"
"stock 1.6"
"what hboot?"
exchanges which take up half the posts in a lot of threads

souljaboy said:
a good start would be requiring everyone to add a nice greeting to the end of their posts according to the time of the day
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tnpapadakos said:
requiring a signature to be set up upon first signing up
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This would also help create that pause for reflection and research that I think would really help the new members get oriented. Right from the start they learn they have to provide as much info as possible, if they are ever to get a response.
chopper the dog said:
Actually just noticed the [Q] ...
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Actually, I should have restructured the post. I just straight copy/pasted from a related thread where the info would have been read in context.
chopper the dog said:
Is it feasible to have an ethics moderating committee that would monitor the content and actions of the first 15 posts of a new member?... Members involved in your example are not spring chickens and should be a little ashamed. ...
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I don't know that it would be feasible. I was even thinking of perhaps a Volunteer Buddy Moderation, where you have to submit your first 5 posts for approval from a mentor. The mentor would be in charge of making sure the protocol was followed - Search And Read, Label subject line correctly, and provide full info... I just don't know that anyone is willing to work on the actual Forum Coding... And adding more work to the mods wouldn't be a good idea. If they had the time to constantly be vigil, they would kill the problem posts as soon as they are noticed.
chopper the dog said:
The age demographic of this site has changed so dramatically over the last couple of years. And as elder members we can only protect the image of xda by policing our own actions and utilizing the forum mods for what they are intended for.
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I guess it can be expected from the youngins, but how do you get the grumpy, reactionary elders to nod feed the flames?
chopper the dog said:
Since it is off topic I still feel like I need to have a little fun.
Boobs....... o.k. I'm done.
good day.
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Butts.
Good day to you too, sir.

Happy Ending. Don't see many of these. HERE
good day.

chopper the dog said:
Happy Ending. Don't see many of these. HERE
good day.
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That did work out rather nice... But they weren't being completely nasty to each other.
Not like these guys...
http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/7993-ffc-for-the-vibrant/
Some people have every intent of being offensive. Don't really get the point but hey.

Kids will be kids
What i see is a lot of kids (15-30) in this forum tend to think since they know...... you should too. Forums should encourage newbies to get involved and once they are communicating then, reroute them to the right forum etc. this kind of considerate rational act would improve and make this forum WAY better, but then, I digress.
Requiring the signature probably would be helpful, but I think the moderator being vigilant and remind the sarcastic, inconsiderate they once were Newbies may be just as effective. People need to remember that not all here are devs, programmers or really techies. A lot are here for the education..... but then....my wife always said i was too much an idealist

WOW hit a new level HERE.
good day.

where did my thread go?

The 10,000 posts? We were going all the way! We were at like 3000. I even bet some guys on another forum that we could beat them there!
What happend to it?

i dunno who deleted it , but he did a great job
we dont need that spam here
now grow up and do somthin better with ur life

its not spam. You see all of these other threads like ban the person above you and what are you listening to (theres plenty more)
people sit in there and post in those all day. Why not close those down?
and if i did much more with my life i would be the next Trump or Gates or someone

Doesn't matter. Other threads are above 10k. Your thread was worthless lol
Swyped from my cyanogenized and gingerbreaded EVO

Still makes no sense

If you weren't here noticing it's because the 10 posts to post rule was causing major people (And still is) to spam. The mods wanted to cut the threads that caused spam on massive levels.
-There is a 35% chance that right now I'm on the toilet-

How about the three word story?
Hasn't been deleted
And why are you guys being kind of assholish to him?
I enjoyed his thread
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Alanrocks15 said:
How about the three word story?
Hasn't been deleted
And why are you guys being kind of assholish to him?
I enjoyed his thread
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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I wasn't being assholish, I was just stating the reason why it was deleted, like he asked.
Yeah I guess I understand what you mean with the Three word story thread but maybe that might be because it requires some sort of mild intelligence, unlike "1" Just a guess though. I'm not trying to be an asshole so please don't mistake the way I'm acting for assholishness.

twitch153 said:
I wasn't being assholish, I was just stating the reason why it was deleted, like he asked.
Yeah I guess I understand what you mean with the Three word story thread but maybe that might be because it requires some sort of mild intelligence, unlike "1" Just a guess though. I'm not trying to be an asshole so please don't mistake the way I'm acting for assholishness.
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Nah not you the other ones were
Your good
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

miss the post, funny little comments, facts about dates or numbers.
who ever deleted it is a grumpy so and so.

A certain Dead Component deleted it Fair enough, I think it was because the <10Posters were using it to get to dev forums But R.I.P those 3000 posts that have gone

Sanbourne said:
The 10,000 posts? We were going all the way! We were at like 3000. I even bet some guys on another forum that we could beat them there!
What happend to it?
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Your thread was deleted since it was only used for boosting post count, especially now that there is a 10 post limit to new members.

Mr. Clown said:
Your thread was deleted since it was only used for boosting post count, especially now that there is a 10 post limit to new members.
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Hey Mr.C Haven't seen you round in ages
I notice your collecting quite allot of positions

Whats 10 posts gonna do? Not trying to start something or offend anyone but anyone can go into a couple rom or theme threads say thanks and in under 5 minutes have 10 posts.
But whatever it was made to have a little fun in off topic, it doesn't matter

That's crap, the entire ot needs to be set not to bump post count. That would negate deletion of threads and spam from noobs
Edit
Or just ban noobs from ot

boborone said:
That's crap, the entire ot needs to be set not to bump post count. That would negate deletion of threads and spam from noobs
Edit
Or just ban noobs from ot
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We are working on this
and the second one also

Mr. Clown said:
We are working on this
and the second one also
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If it's retroactive, does that mean orb3000 is a noob again?

boborone said:
That's crap, the entire ot needs to be set not to bump post count.
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noooooooooooooooooooooooo
my life .... all these years of research and work , gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

boborone said:
That's crap, the entire ot needs to be set not to bump post count. That would negate deletion of threads and spam from noobs
Edit
Or just ban noobs from ot
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Thats a good idea

Seriously...

This is somewhat half a rant...
I want to participate in this community, but with the restrictions, it's a little difficult.
I know i've made pretty much irrelevant posts, but the places I want to make relevant posts, I need to have a post count.
I don't want to leave random messages in different threads, it's just spamming then.
I know you have that restriction in place for a reason. I would be nice if I could bypass it somehow. In question is just 10 measly posts. You have like a 5 minute gap between posts, i'm not gonna sit at the computer all day just to get to 10 posts, I got stuff to do too.
I'm not upset, not really upset, maybe a little.
I hope we can resolve this somehow...

10 posts, 5 minutes in between. 10 * 5 = 50 minutes.
all day = 24 hours
24 hours = 1 440 minutes
50 minutes != 1440 minutes
This is somewhat of a full on double rainbow rant:
Also you are not the first noob that *****ed about this. Getting 10 posts is easy. Find a different topic in any other forum BUT the developers forum to post. You alread have 2 posts, find and long page thread here in OT to post in, but please. DO NOT POST THREADS IN OFF TOPIC AABOUT HOW YOU CAN'T POST DEVELOPMENT FORUMS. YOu are just degrading the quality of off topic, and I still hope the mods/admins implement a 10 post rule for off topic, or at least 5 or something so we don't have these threads popping up every week.

I agree with that injunction my good sir.
*Just trying to get my 10 posts lol*
-We do what we must because we can; for the good of all of us, except the ones who are dead-

I_am_Error said:
I agree with that injunction my good sir.
*Just trying to get my 10 posts lol*
-We do what we must because we can; for the good of all of us, except the ones who are dead-
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I think now it should be
*Just trying to get my 10,000 posts lol*

jaszek said:
I think now it should be
*Just trying to get my 10,000 posts lol*
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Can I post in the developers forum after I get my 10,000 post? I feel like that'll take too long. I want to complain about how their ROM allowed my phone to break when I smashed it against a wall.
-We do what we must because we can; for the good of all of us, except the ones who are dead-

Oh no here they all come. It's a feeding frenzy!

Well that's obvious, but i'm a busy person, and in my free time, I should be able to post there immediately. I just said "i'm not gonna sit at the computer all day just to get to 10 posts, I got stuff to do too."

Maison Looi said:
Well that's obvious, but i'm a busy person, and in my free time, I should be able to post there immediately. I just said "i'm not gonna sit at the computer all day just to get to 10 posts, I got stuff to do too."
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Did you even read my reply? And no one is forcing you. Also would you like threads like "Free Viagra" in the dev forums? Also what is the post you want to make, I might be good enough to post it for you, and give you credit.

From my understanding, these rules force out bots, noobs and trolls. It also helps to weed out the dedicated members.
As of right now <-- I'm also under the bar. I'll be there soon enough.
Anyhow, I think the rules work. They seem to keep most topics relevant.

Maison Looi said:
I should be able to post there immediately."
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Yeah that's exactly what we need, newly registered users diving straight into the development section to ask questions they could have answered themselves and report already known bugs.
Thread closed.
Off topic is not a place to spam ten posts in order to get into the real forums.
Sent From My Fingers To Your Face.....

About one of the Neowin webpage admins

Hello, my name is Tom-Helge.
I have a case going on the Neowin forum that i want to share with you. And this post might get a bit long.
I'm gonna explain this to you in the best possible way, so i don't sounds like i'm crazy or anything like that. But the whole case is a mess and it stinks fanboy from an admin a long way.
Let me explain you why.
Ok, the day for me 2 days ago (12.12.2012) started out with commenting on some articles about Apple requiring 30% revenue from Microsoft in SkyDrive and Office 365.
That was all fine and nothing wrong with what i was saying.
Then i suddenly got a personal message from Neobond (one of the admins) witch said that i had got 2 of my comments removed and got a warning for that, because i said some users was idiots. Witch i found very strange.
Because when i went back to see what kind of comments he had removed from me, then it was the comments where i said Apple was the idiots because of how they are and because of some of their policies, not the users as Neobond claims.
I called Apple for idiots because of their 30% revenue policy that is my own opinion. I didn't say anyone was dumb, stupid or idiots because someone liked Apple. I said the way Apple is going is idiotic.
Here is one of the comments i wrote to a user that Neobond removed: If Microsoft is removing SkyDrive or Office 365 from iOS because of this 30% revenue thing, then i recommend you to find someone else to use that isn't idiots.
I think it was that comment that triggered Neobonds actions. But if you read closely, you will see that i'm actually calling Apple for the idiots here because of the 30% revenue thing (witch again is my own personal opinion).
Then i asked Neobond if he could explain to me on why he then removed my comments when he clearly are lying to me about calling users for idiots.
Then he just replied and said No. Basicly he refused to give me any explanation at all on this, witch is rather strange coming from an admin.
Then i asked why he wouldn't explain it to me. But he didn't say anything after that for a long time. Then i got angry and said that if he didn't answer within 6 hours to me with some explanations on why he did remove my 2 comments and gave me a warning, then i would bring this case further with the other admins (he was clearly taking me as threatening him by saying that).
3-4 mins after that, he just removed the whole conversation about this. Then i wrote him a personal message and asked why he removed the conversation.
4-5 mins after that, he banned me from the forum.
Is that the way to treat their users on the Neowin forum?
To just give their users a big ass "f*** you" finger because someone said something one of the admins didn't like personally?
I wouldn't mind the warning and the 2 deleted comments if he actually could have explained to me with the truth on WHY i got that warning and got those 2 comments removed. Also that he could have provided some evidences on what i was saying, right?
This is not a good way to treat their users. And absolutely not a good way for Neowins image.
He is rude and childish the way he is. So i got a ban on wrong accusations.
My original account name is 'Tom-Helge'. You can see my profile here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/user/352710-tom-helge/
If you look at my profile, you see that i have the whole 30 comments after 2 of my comments was removed since 2010 when i registered my user.
Take a look at those comments i have and tell me how much of a troll / fanboy i'am as Neobond claims i'am.
You simply don't find any bad comments there, not by a mile. PERIOD.
Now it's true that you might find some posts here on XDA-Developers from me where i bash or talk bad about Apple long time ago. But i have never got a warning or got banned for it. Because the moderators / admins here are way better than the admins on the Neowin webpage.
If a moderator that actually owns an iPhone (yes Neobond told me that he had an iPhone) is going to mess with their users just because someone says something negative about the brand he loves / uses, then he better get another job to do, seriously (it stink Apple fanboy a long long way by the way he told me he uses an iPhone and the way he talked to me after he removed the negative comments about Apple).
I have now been trying to contact Neowin it self of some of their admins for about 1 and a half day now without getting any responses back. So my patience is over.
Now i just want to know what you think about this whole case?
Is this the right way to treat their forum users?
Have any users here seen any similar reactions from any moderators or admins here on XDA-Developers?
Now someone might come here and say he's an admin and he's always right. Well, try to tell that to the moderator here on XDA-Developers that was about to perma ban me like 1 year ago or so, because he though i was saying many bad things (that made me break many rules here), while in reality he mixed me with another user.
He did apologize to me after that. So everyone, even as moderators or admins can do wrong things.
Now, don't take me wrong, i really like the Neowin webpage, but when some of their admins is treating their users this way, then this case deserves to be heard everywhere.
If this post is placed on the wrong place, then just move it to the right place if any mods can do that then. I couldn't find any other places to post this.
Greetings from Tom-Helge.
EDIT: I added a poll with a simple question.

Have you met M_T_M?

DirkGently said:
Have you met M_T_M?
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Not that i know about. But i know he's a Senior Moderator.
But do you think this post shouldn't have been posted or?

Sounds like this Neobond guy made a mistake and didn't want to admit to making a mistake so he took the easy route and banned you.
But there's always two sides to a story so I can't really judge. None of the admins at XDA are douchebags though.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Stop... MUFFIN TIME!!!

DirkGently said:
Have you met M_T_M?
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Doesn't look like he's met the rules either.

xaccers said:
Doesn't look like he's met the rules either.
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He's behaving like all those people who post on 4chan/b....
'This is Suzie... she broke my heart... this is her Facebook... spam it for love.'
Dude... chill.
M_T_M is a cool cabron.... don't compare him to some douche from Neowin...
Also, OP, as /B/ replies to people like you,
WE ARE NOT YOUR PERSONAL ARMY!!!!

XDA, the new Facebook.

ShadowLea said:
XDA, the new Facebook.
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*Like*
---------- Post added at 09:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------
Sly edit, Dirk.
*thumb up*

Olo!!! :silly:
DirkGently said:
Have you met M_T_M?
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@OP....plain and simple...once you sign up to any of these privately owned forums and agree to their terms and condition, you pretty much are at their mercy. Unless you pay a fee and expect to receive a service in exchange for money (which in that case is called a bilateral contract)....you are being a allowed into someone's house and you batter behave or you'll be booted out just like it happened.
Us SMs and Admins do our best to make sure everybody adheres to the site rules but if at any moment we feel that a member has crossed a line...banned he would be and don't really have to give any real explanation. Doesn't happen often but that's the way the cookie crumbles....
Ta OP...wish you the best and next time follow the Admin, site, Mod's suggestions.
Cheers,
M_T_M
PS: InB4L

Can I ask a favour ?

I hope this is ok, nothing in the rules seams to suggest this would be wrong... if it is against the rules, please delete with my apologies.
My company is holding a competition for best smile and I have sent in a picture of my Dog Bandit who sadly was put to sleep in September after a massive stroke left him disabled.
I have never won anything in my life and could do with a win right now having recently split up from my wife of 8 years when she walked out on me about 10 weeks ago... and it would be a great send off for my best friend.
Link:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...88804569097.1073741833.322386357786011&type=1
I would appreciate it if you could take a minute to Like my picture, the competition ends on friday the 31st, I was in the lead but over night another picture has jumped from 101 votes to 159, dropping my picture to second place.
Thank You

link not available man
and my condolenses..

Here is the link to the "vote for my BS" thread....use search next time
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2268238

Link fixed
as for the vote for me thread, first page is full of people taking the mick out of the original poster so thought it unsuitable.

ukdtweak said:
Link fixed
as for the vote for me thread, first page is full of people taking the mick out of the original poster so thought it unsuitable.
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Doesn't matter, it's still the proper thread for this to be in. Time to get mick-y!