Change to News, Politics & Economics posting rights
Discussion
Lord Marylebone said:
Yes. This is the issue, those sub-forums, especially NP&E, make PH attractive also attract the trolls, nutcases, conspiracy loons, and those with frankly appalling views, and it does need stopping.
The mods are doing the right thing.
Good post and I'm sure some of it is the overhead of content moderation and so many open views being in print that could get you in bother very quickly as a site owner.The mods are doing the right thing.
As I work with algorithms I think an arbitrary post number block is easily open to question but if it saves man hours for the mods is understandable. I'm still thinking my way through on it and enjoying seeing people's opinions.
I still do think that if they want to reduce the site to being mostly about cars it'll become much less than it currently is. As yourself and other posters have indicated, it might be an interest in cars that brings people here, but it's the other stuff too that keeps them here and locking people out of the opportunity to discuss is certainly a questionable approach to encouraging a forum to thrive. But at the same time there's nothing wrong in/if wanting it to become smaller and more focussed.
Lord Marylebone said:
Johnnytheboy said:
It is a bit weird. If you want to talk about politics and not cars/driving, why join PH? I've never got it.
The one year thing I approve of, but I do think 1000 posts might be a bit steep. 500 maybe?
To be fair, I can totally see the appeal of joining PH even if you have no interest in cars. The sub forums for DIY/Homes, Business, Law, Health, Economics Photography, Watches, and so on are quite literally some of the best on the internet, certainly for UK based users.The one year thing I approve of, but I do think 1000 posts might be a bit steep. 500 maybe?
PH was essentially mocked years ago for becoming 'Dadsnet' but it has been massively successful at that, and threads like 'Expectant Dads' are terrific help groups and a mine of information.
I joined originally to post about cars, and ask car questions, but I almost have zero interest in posting about cars now. 95% of my posts will be homes/business/watches/economics etc.
My posts are largely about non-car stuff, but that's not why I joined, IYSWIM.
Evercross said:
Sorry to see you shut out of the tent LB - your contributions to the Scottish Independence thread were insightful!
I totally get the reason for the decision, but is the bar maybe set way-too-high and will risk NP&E dying off?
6 months/500 posts would achieve the same result and allow properly established and well behaved posters back into the fray.
Even 3 months/250 posts would be enough to weed-out the repeat-offender trolls?
I’m a new convert to the rules. I think it’s a good idea. I totally get the reason for the decision, but is the bar maybe set way-too-high and will risk NP&E dying off?
6 months/500 posts would achieve the same result and allow properly established and well behaved posters back into the fray.
Even 3 months/250 posts would be enough to weed-out the repeat-offender trolls?
I don’t think NPE will die off. Maybe certain threads will quieten right down, but perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. Some subjects are just inherently polarising
I didn’t really appreciate until now how broad and busy the sub forums are. I mostly hung out in NPE but now I have unsubbed from all of it, I’m really not feeling any loss. There is lots to engage with, assuming you are not looking for a fight.
I think the only thing missing is a way to grandfather old accounts. Should be easy to check they are submitting quality content. And if they are not posting at all, then no loss. Perhaps it can be done on a request basis.
Edited by lizardbrain on Thursday 21st April 12:13
Johnnytheboy said:
I don't disagree with you in terms of outcome. I'm just a little suspicious of the motives of someone that joins a car forum with the intention of talking about politics the whole time.
My posts are largely about non-car stuff, but that's not why I joined, IYSWIM.
Why "suspicious" though? But agreed.My posts are largely about non-car stuff, but that's not why I joined, IYSWIM.
I've used this forum to help me replace headlights in a car that required going in via the mudguard, sort brake pads, understand what was wrong with my exhaust and what a fair price to fix it should be. But one off problems are not things you can post about every day and when the answer's already there in a thread there's not much point starting a new one to ask the same question that has already been answered. Whereas politics changes every day, the news agenda changes every day, so you can have a new opinion or something to say every day in ways you can't about why's my s
tty xr2 blowing fuses all the time 
(I don't own said stty car now but miss it).lizardbrain said:
I’m a new convert to the rules. I think it’s a good idea.
I don’t think NPE will die off. Maybe certain threads will quieten right down, but perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. Some subjects are just inherently polarising
I didn’t really appreciate until now how broad and busy the sub forums are. I mostly hung out in NPE but now I have unsubbed from all of it, I’m really not feeling any loss. There is lots to engage with, assuming you are not looking for a fight.
I think the only thing missing is a way to grandfather old accounts. Should be easy to check they are submitting quality content. And if they are not posting at all, then no loss. Perhaps it can be done on a request basis.
Maybe proposed by an existing member, seconded and reviewed?I don’t think NPE will die off. Maybe certain threads will quieten right down, but perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. Some subjects are just inherently polarising
I didn’t really appreciate until now how broad and busy the sub forums are. I mostly hung out in NPE but now I have unsubbed from all of it, I’m really not feeling any loss. There is lots to engage with, assuming you are not looking for a fight.
I think the only thing missing is a way to grandfather old accounts. Should be easy to check they are submitting quality content. And if they are not posting at all, then no loss. Perhaps it can be done on a request basis.
Now that I've written that, it looks more like a sixties golf club application...
Johnnytheboy said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Johnnytheboy said:
It is a bit weird. If you want to talk about politics and not cars/driving, why join PH? I've never got it.
The one year thing I approve of, but I do think 1000 posts might be a bit steep. 500 maybe?
To be fair, I can totally see the appeal of joining PH even if you have no interest in cars. The sub forums for DIY/Homes, Business, Law, Health, Economics Photography, Watches, and so on are quite literally some of the best on the internet, certainly for UK based users.The one year thing I approve of, but I do think 1000 posts might be a bit steep. 500 maybe?
PH was essentially mocked years ago for becoming 'Dadsnet' but it has been massively successful at that, and threads like 'Expectant Dads' are terrific help groups and a mine of information.
I joined originally to post about cars, and ask car questions, but I almost have zero interest in posting about cars now. 95% of my posts will be homes/business/watches/economics etc.
My posts are largely about non-car stuff, but that's not why I joined, IYSWIM.
If you were seeking out a forum for politics or news, then signing up to 'Pistonheads' probably wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list. So from that point of view, yes, I agree it does look very odd when someone joins just to argue politics and immigration, for example.
It would be like me signing up to something like the 'Gardeners World' forum specifically so I could chat in their News and off-topic areas. Never going to happen.
I see quite a lot of new people signing to post in the Law section for advice, or DIY/Homes, and so on, which I can understand. Also, there will be hundreds of users like me and you who joined for cars but stayed for everything else.
Weighing it all up, I think you, and the mods, are right to be suspicious of the posters who sign up purely to argue in NP&E. I would bet that a fair chunk of them are multiple accounts, sock puppets, shills, trolls, conspiracy loons who just sign up to as many forums as they can to spread their word, or returning banned posters.
I don't think we need any of those types around the place.
Lord Marylebone said:
It would be like me signing up to something like the 'Gardeners World' forum specifically so I could chat in their News and off-topic areas. Never going to happen.
That's quite a good example. I've yet to find a gardening group on FB that hasn't been totally taken over by environmentalists.Johnnytheboy said:
Lord Marylebone said:
It would be like me signing up to something like the 'Gardeners World' forum specifically so I could chat in their News and off-topic areas. Never going to happen.
That's quite a good example. I've yet to find a gardening group on FB that hasn't been totally taken over by environmentalists.BlackWidow13 said:
vaud said:
Except website feedback. You can only post elsewhere on the site until you have made 1000 suggestions for improvements.
Possibly one of the easier topics on which to rack up 1000 posts. Maybe a few thousand more posts will get something done.
B235r said:
Well that another reason not to bother with this place
Blocking what people can & can't comment on, the internet is getting smaller by the day
You’ve been here more than a year, so that’s one box ticked.Blocking what people can & can't comment on, the internet is getting smaller by the day
Join in with the rest of the sub forums. Cars, travel, business, homes, law, finance, restaurants, watches, technology…
Trust me, you can easily rack up 700 more posts within a couple of months, usually while at work
But are you that bothered? Clearly at less than 300 posts in 2 years, you are really wanting to post anyway?
edgyedgy said:
500 posts over 12 months is far more reasonable imo than 1000. Lot of posters happy to pull up the drawbridge so long as it doesn’t impact themselves I see along with lots of the expected “not a departure lounge” “don’t let the door hit you” comments too.
I think this is a better compromise. Gassing Station | Website Feedback | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff