The boards are over-moderated.

[?¿?Joker?¿?]

I can understand a post that was posted in the wrong forum being moved accordingly to the proper forum topic then continuing on with the discussion, but what's the deal with all the locked threads around here? Now I have belonged to many forums over the years that get WAY more traffic then here (say, Madonion.com) but this is just pathetic with locking of almost every other thread. There's no need to do it other then a kid looking for a ego boost to show everyone "he's the mod". What's the point in having a discussion forum just to have threads locked all the time? Ya know, new people might pass through here and have something good to add to a thread that has been locked. And personaly, I think these forums would probably handle themselves fairly good with no moderation at all (the traffic isn't really that big around here and there doesn't look like there's any trouble makers, so far) - just making a point.

So to the MODS- PLEASE can you loosen up a bit and just let all of us members shoot-the-sh1t on our favorite park without having to worry all the time about our threads being locked? Oh so there's 'two' topics on 'similar' subjects... So freakin' what? Let people SPEAK their minds for crying out loud. The way I've seen most properly run forums over the years is that threads usually don't get locked. Even if there's a 'little' bit of [mild] flaming going on, hehe (hey, people are going to disagree and get into arguments sometimes, that's just life). So as long as people aren't spamming, purposely causing trouble, posting illegal material or excessive swearing etc.etc... There shouldn't be a need to lock threads all the time OR delete threads for that matter.

But the fact of the matter is, the owner of the site can run his message board any dammn way he pleases. So my only hope is that he can take his members feedback into consideration and perhaps meet us somewhere halfway (I notice there's another thread in here about the locked threads).

Just my point of view.
--?¿?Joker?¿?--

[Nitro 230]

Yea, I have to agree with that somewhat. I mean I know there are annoying people who kill threads, but the number being locked is rather large.

Also at the very begining of the season we had that thread about voting for your favorite coaster, and it was brought up at the time that it would be asked again at the end of the season. Now granted chewman I know you have the survior thing, but I don't see why you had to lock this out too. I mean I'm fairly sure that survior is going to get alot more responcses then that poll.

[Chewman]

Alright -
I know a lot of these complaints are directed at me...but I have my reasons. First off, "every other thread is locked" is a complete exaggeration. I, for one, only lock threads that have run completly off topic or that have just too much bashing of other members, we don't want that here. Certain topics, like the 5 time repeated debate over Scream Machine and Viper get locked because it's the same people saying the same things about their same views and it gets tiring.

Point number two; what do you want? As a result of many complaints (much like this one), I had to change the policy of posting here (consult gadv.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=treports&action=display&n=1&thread=386). People were complaing about everything in the posts, so after intesive interrogation with members, I detirmined the new "board rules" as stated in that old post. Now I am getting complaints from people about that set of rules.

"Ya know, new people might pass through here and have something good to add to a thread that has been locked." You know, this may be so, but I have had a good number of respectable posters leave the boards due to the same material that I base my decision to lock threads on. People post false information, bash other members, go too much off topic, post stupid or short replys, and the list goes on.

Now we know that these boards most certainly can not go "un-moderated". They would just got to hell. Please remember, it's very hard to please everybody, and just because you want to post something you feel is necessary, the point is someone else may find it annoying, insulting, and that list goes on.

Now you say you want me to meet you half way, well at this point it is hard to do that. You must give a little to get a little. Perhaps we could stop these posts that go off topic. If a new topic arises, stop posting in the old one and start a new one. People don't read every topic, they choose the ones that interest them, and if what they are reading suddenly dwells into somthing else, they get very frustrated. Also, we need to stop the references to how many posts we have. No one cares if you are the number 1 poster or the number 200 poster. Perhaps the person with less posts is posting things that are relevent to the topic, rather than just "yes" or "no" or something really off topic that no one in that thread cares about.

Please take the time to look over what types of threads "might" be locked. If we all take it in to consideration, it makes all of our lives easier. Who else has a complaint?

[Chewman]

Nitro said:

Also at the very begining of the season we had that thread about voting for your favorite coaster, and it was brought up at the time that it would be asked again at the end of the season. Now granted chewman I know you have the survior thing, but I don't see why you had to lock this out too. I mean I'm fairly sure that survior is going to get alot more responcses then that poll.

Then there is no need for that poll.

[Coaster Guy84]

Chewman said:

Then there is no need for that poll.

I agree. There is no reason to have a poll on something that is suppose to be a special weekly event. As for the boards, IMO the boards are half way to hell. When I first joined there were fewer members but most of them were trustworthy and posted creditable material. Now we have @$$holes that post to get attention. The Viper/Scream debate machine is getting old and ever since chiller has been fixed there has been no real good news. I would log on every day to check if that ---- thing was working and when it finally did it was like now what? Then the boards grew and more useless garbage was posted and it has come to this. Granted not everyone is a phony but a lot are. EX. I work at six flags new York office and I know thing! I mean come on people. We are not stupid. I don’t have the answers to fix the problems of the boards but if we all agreed to stop posting ---- then I think things would run better.

Don’t start acting like Six Flags INC... LOL!!!

[NITROFIEND]

Give my regards to the moderaters, without them these forums would be hell on earth. Lock what you feel should be locked! I'm with you all the way!

[Robert_Strausberg]

Hey guys,

Just some of my own opinions on this subject.

For the most part, posts which are locked have a valid reason for them being locked. I have noticed many (if not all) of the locked topics are just repeated topics from the past. Old topics get stale and only bring trouble. If you feel the need to continue an old subject, why not do a search and reply to a past topic? No need to make yet another new thread on an old subject. I think it is clear why many of the topics are locked.

Also, as mentioned, why must people add to the clutter to increase their post count? If you have nothing on topic to say, then don't waste your or my time posting it. It only adds to the junk which is posted. Please, would some of you stop saying, "923th Post!!" every time you post? As stated, it adds to the clutter and wastes everyone's time.

-Rob

[Nitro 230]

Most of the ones that are locked I can see the reasoning yes, but every now and then there are ones that I don’t quite see.

As for the poll that was locked, it was just something to do for fun, compare to the pre-season one, very quick and informal. It probably would have been off the first page of posts in 2 days. And the results probably wold have been difrent then the survivor anyway, since I’m just asking those people who actually respond to polls (which I’ve noticed many don’t) but since your making a multi-week event, more people would respond.

I’m not saying let the polls go un-moderated. I’m not saying don’t lock off topic threads, or repeat arguments. But throw a warning out there first at least, because some of these threads are good, but just went a little off. And yea I could make a new one, but all that stuff that was said in the first thread is lost really, because if someone new comes they’re not going to read that before reading my thread

[DRAGON82487]

well being the third mod made, (cheman, stussy{now gone} and then there was me) i have locked a total of 3 topics and moved 2 topics in my forums total! thats it. so anyone thats complaing about overmoderation should read how badly some thigns get off topic. and ive seen chewman give good warning in mid thread about the possible closure of a topic so he does warn you.

[Nitro 230]

I know some of the threads have warnings, all I'm saying is how about before locking a thread give a warning, if after 2 or 3 more posts its stillf off, then lock it. Although some of them have warnings, others don't, they are just locked.

[JJ2K]

Being the 4th mod I can say that I try to lock as few threads as I can I think I've locked a total of 1 thread, since I've came. And I've moved like 5. I try to read all the posts and delete the posts that are irrelevant or flames. But, you have to remember that the forums are so over populated right now and there are so many posts in one thread. I myself have been ignoring both trip reports boards. And even in doing that I have three pages of new posts in Gadv chatter. Its so hard to keep up. By the time we read a board a flame could have been going on for a week and we have to just lock it, cause if we just delete it people still remember the flame and will keep it going. Plus, also think what your asking of us, I'll use Gadv chatter as an example, like I said before there are 3 pages of new posts for me in that board. Now to check all of that, think of how long that would take, it could take all night, if not longer. And meanwhile, while your checking each and every post, people are posting in other forums making it even harder. I mean what do you think we don't have seperate lives from the forums And then you say that the boards are overmoderated!! I mean think if chewman was the only moderator he wouldn't be able to manage it. If anything the boards are under moderated. Cerantly there are 5 moderators attending to 241 members, and thats over moderated

[DRAGON82487]

JJ's right 5 moderators for (as it stands now) 242 i belive, members, how is that overmoderation?