CONGRATULATIONS! BCD is now gone.

digitalscream

Well done to all the assholes who thought it'd be a good idea to push the boundaries of what the modmin team will put up with. You've finally pushed it to the point where I've had enough of dealing with a bunch of adolescents, so it's just no longer worth carrying on with.

From this point forward, if anybody creates a thread which would ordinarily have gone in BCD anywhere else in the forum, they will be summarily banned. No pleading with them to behave, no warnings, just...banned.

You wanted to see what would happen...this is it.

Brilliant work. I'm sure you're all proud.

adamino

  

DB1

I can quite understand why you've done that, and it's your forum, your rules. Just wondering, though, if it wouldn't be better just to pull topics or comments that go beyond boundaries and ban posters rather than the whole sub forum?

I say this because there are a few instances where posting on a publically private part of the forum has been cathartic for people with problems, who may not want the world to see those problems on a public part of the forum?

Mental issues, marital issues, bereavement, etc spring to mind, for example.

But, obviously, your call, and the mod job is a thankless one, as I know to a lesser extent, doing that job in the past on a football forum, and that was a piece of cake compared to this.

CHRISB50

That’s a shame. Although recently it had become Attention Seekers ‘R’ Us

stickyfiddle

DB1 said:

I can quite understand why you've done that, and it's your forum, your rules. Just wondering, though, if it wouldn't be better just to pull topics or comments that go beyond boundaries and ban posters rather than the whole sub forum?

I say this because there are a few instances where posting on a publically private part of the forum has been cathartic for people with problems, who may not want the world to see those problems on a public part of the forum?

Mental issues, marital issues, bereavement, etc spring to mind, for example.

But, obviously, your call, and the mod job is a thankless one, as I know to a lesser extent, doing that job in the past on a football forum, and that was a piece of cake compared to this.

I tend to agree with this. I do think this aspect of BCD had real usefulness. Could we not just ban the shit-stirrers instead? 

digitalscream

DB1 said:

I can quite understand why yo've done that, and it's your forum, your rules. Just wondering, though, if it wouldn't be better just to pull topics or comments that go beyond boundaries and ban posters rather than the whole sub forum?

No, we've tried that and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference. There are too many people (and one in particular) who's decided that it's their mission to push us as far as we can go. We do this "job" in service to the community, and having our time constantly wasted by dickheads who think it's a fun game to act like ever-increasing asshats is wearing in the extreme.

So it's bye-bye to BCD, and everybody loses out because of those people. No more hand-wringing and long conversations behind-the-scenes at all.

It may come back, if folk can actually behave like grown-ups. I doubt it, though.

digitalscream

stickyfiddle said:

I tend to agree with this. I do think this aspect of BCD had real usefulness. Could we not just ban the shit-stirrers instead? 

Quite right, it was very useful to a lot of people. Banning the shit-stirrers is like an eternal game of whack-a-mole, though - as pointless as it is unending.

If anybody objects, then take it to PM with the culprits. Maybe a bit of mob justice will do the trick where modmin actions have failed.

Jetfire

You'd have to name the offenders. 

stickyfiddle

digitalscream said:

stickyfiddle said:

I tend to agree with this. I do think this aspect of BCD had real usefulness. Could we not just ban the shit-stirrers instead? 

Quite right, it was very useful to a lot of people. Banning the shit-stirrers is like an eternal game of whack-a-mole, though - as pointless as it is unending.

If anybody objects, then take it to PM with the culprits. Maybe a bit of mob justice will do the trick where modmin actions have failed.

I can understand that, tbh. I just wonder if some heavier ban-hammering might actually be a better deterrent. We'll see - I certainly don't blame you for wanting an easier life. I'd be happy to assist if extra mods might lighten the burden at all - I'm sure many others would too.

DB1

I do understand. As you say, it's a service, it's not actually your job, and on forums there's a tendency to forget that with some posters. I do wonder whether it wouldn't just be easier to ban posters that you feel are trying to push your buttons though?

I do think that there's room for a specific place for people with problems to go for help or just to 'talk' about difficult things with virtual friends and still remain anonymous to the world at large.

I'm a relative newcomer to the forum but have been struck by how friendly, caring and helpful the forum has been for people in trouble emotionally - or even financially- and it's a shame if the actions of a few spoil that.

Tex Mexico

Frankly I think you all rather missed the point.

Cordoning off a section of the forum like BCD (in a subsection called "parody", I would add) was the opportunity to have a part of the forum that would accordingly be far less strictly moderated than the rest of the forum. The only moderation effort needed would have been to make sure it didn't spill out into other areas of the forum and to kill anything illegal or whatever.

Instead you continued to attempt to moderate BCD on the same basis as the rest of the forum, which completely negated the idea of having a cordoned-off section where people could go to be weird. And crucially, to discuss difficult things privately with, what for some users, are the only friends they have.

If it's too much hassle to moderate then fine, do whatever you want, but don't make other people responsible for your unwillingness to deal with it more constructively.

digitalscream

Tex Mexico said:

Frankly I think you all rather missed the point.

Cordoning off a section of the forum like BCD (in a subsection called "parody", I would add) was the opportunity to have a part of the forum that would accordingly be far less strictly moderated than the rest of the forum. The only moderation effort needed would have been to make sure it didn't spill out into other areas of the forum and to kill anything illegal or whatever.

Instead you continued to attempt to moderate BCD on the same basis as the rest of the forum, which completely negated the idea of having a cordoned-off section where people could go to be weird. And crucially, to discuss difficult things privately with, what for some users, are the only friends they have.

If it's too much hassle to moderate then fine, do whatever you want, but don't make other people responsible for your unwillingness to deal with it more constructively.

I think you'll find I understand the idea of BCD perfectly well, being as I was one of the people responsible for its creation.

When people start creating threads specifically to piss the modmins off, that's where I draw the line. That's not an "attempt to moderate BCD on the same basis as the rest of the forum" (although you yourself have somewhat misunderstood what BCD's for, but that's a conversation I can't be arsed to have right now).

The alternative at this point is simply turning the whole fucking forum off and walking away. What would you prefer?

Sassafras

ADMIN EDIT: Nope, we're not going back to that conversation.

Winny_Pooh

Sad times, I've had some of the best laugh out loud moments reading things in there. 

Tex Mexico

digitalscream said:

I think you'll find I understand the idea of BCD perfectly well, being as I was one of the people responsible for its creation.

When people start creating threads specifically to piss the modmins off, that's where I draw the line. That's not an "attempt to moderate BCD on the same basis as the rest of the forum" (although you yourself have somewhat misunderstood what BCD's for, but that's a conversation I can't be arsed to have right now).

The alternative at this point is simply turning the whole fucking forum off and walking away. What would you prefer?

The rules said "put sex threads in BCD" I put a sex thread in BCD. If I misunderstood anything it was because it wasn't explained clearly enough. 

I know what you intended BCD to be for. What I mean is you didn't seem to grasp that making a "sin bin" section but then trying to moderate it like a normal section is exactly what causes people to start baiting moderators.

It's your forum, you do what you want with it.

steveledzep

Sledgehammer and nut.  Just ban the nuts.

Sassafras

If only the same blanket ban could apply to football threads.
The number of times I've clicked on seemingly interesting thread titles only to find they're about sodding football!#*!#!

digitalscream

Tex Mexico said:

digitalscream said:

I think you'll find I understand the idea of BCD perfectly well, being as I was one of the people responsible for its creation.

When people start creating threads specifically to piss the modmins off, that's where I draw the line. That's not an "attempt to moderate BCD on the same basis as the rest of the forum" (although you yourself have somewhat misunderstood what BCD's for, but that's a conversation I can't be arsed to have right now).

The alternative at this point is simply turning the whole fucking forum off and walking away. What would you prefer?

The rules said "put sex threads in BCD" I put a sex thread in BCD. If I misunderstood anything it was because it wasn't explained clearly enough. 

I know what you intended BCD to be for. What I mean is you didn't seem to grasp that making a "sin bin" section but then trying to moderate it like a normal section is exactly what causes people to start baiting moderators.

It's your forum, you do what you want with it.

You seem to be under the impression that this thread is about your thread. It isn't.

Honestly, though, some of your posts have been close to that line, and condescending stuff implying what I don't "grasp" also fall under that category.

Devil#20

Excuse my ignorance but what did BCD stand for. 

PC_Dave

Devil#20 said:

Excuse my ignorance but what did BCD stand for. 

Behind Closed Doors

fastonebaz

I'm in support of the mods.

I get far more value out of the guitar aspects of the forum than the bcd stuff, even if I have posted in there.   

I'm sure one day they'll be another new section added, but until then,  I'll not be losing any sleep.