POLL: Members are complaining about the off-topics, how should it be changed?

[jackelope]

 

[Bob33]

I thought it already was like that 

Why would you think that. You're here.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Out of the 22127 members how many are still active?Some left never to come back????With this i think a reset on membership might also be warranted  lets see how many members we actually have these days. 

Maybe if no log-in activity for a year, remove?

I have a feeling that might affect how potential sponsors might consider their level of participation in the forum. 

True.  But it would be honest ?

I think Dale mentioned doing something like starting the membership count over/re-starting it or something. The biggest reason I don't want to eliminate everyone who hasn't posted in a year is the amount of time it would take to do. I don't have that kind of time. Also you can't find them anymore once they're deleted. Can't search their posts, etc. Also any banned members who were deleted would then be able to come back free and clear. There are multiple reasons that would support or not support doing this. It's a toss up. I don't have the time to volunteer to do this, and I suspect the same could be said for lots of the mods.  Maybe there's a feature that would sort them out in the software. Who knows....

My suggestion was based on thinking that something could be put in the system that would monitor and automatically remove them at a set time with no activity, much like the censor function for certain words.

As for the banned members, what prevents them from coming back under a different username now? 

[bearpaw]

Out of the 22127 members how many are still active?Some left never to come back????With this i think a reset on membership might also be warranted  lets see how many members we actually have these days. 

Maybe if no log-in activity for a year, remove?

I have a feeling that might affect how potential sponsors might consider their level of participation in the forum. 

True.  But it would be honest ?

I think Dale mentioned doing something like starting the membership count over/re-starting it or something. The biggest reason I don't want to eliminate everyone who hasn't posted in a year is the amount of time it would take to do. I don't have that kind of time. Also you can't find them anymore once they're deleted. Can't search their posts, etc. Also any banned members who were deleted would then be able to come back free and clear. There are multiple reasons that would support or not support doing this. It's a toss up. I don't have the time to volunteer to do this, and I suspect the same could be said for lots of the mods.  Maybe there's a feature that would sort them out in the software. Who knows....

I can bulk delete members based on post count or last date active. It's fairly easy but still somewhat time consuming. I started to delete old members who have never posted, but decided first I better send an email asking if they still view the forum. I found out two things:

1. Some members who don't post do view the forum, they just want to read, they do not want to post. I'm ok with that.
2. Some email addresses were obsolete and some of those members have never posted nor have they been on the site in recent years, so my decision was to delete members who have an obsolete email address, who have never posted, and have not been on the forum within the last few years.

I deleted a few hundred but it's a slow process with those parameters. When I get time I will do more.

[hunter399]

My question for bearpaw is are you gonna still let members decide what happens to off topics based on the poll?

[boneaddict]

Back before Dale took over we kind of did a purge.   We asked all the members to post in a thread, even if it was a period.  We let it run a bit then we deleted a bunch of members that did not have any posts or activity.

[bearpaw]

My question for bearpaw is are you gonna still let members decide what happens to off topics based on the poll?

Yes, and we are going to do more, if you don't like what we decide you are free to go to another forum.

[Oh Mah]

I thought it already was like that 

Why would you think that. You're here.

Whats that supposed to mean?I got a ban a month or so ago and came back on. This seems very close to a personal attack to me.

[boneaddict]

Curly, that is a rule.   Oh Mah, it's widely "known" you are someone else.  Don't take it personal.  Dale is extremely generous with second and third chances.  Probably why we haven't pursued this.   I'm guessing with the way things are going to evolve around here, there will be less tolerances.   Follow the rules and the "mission" of the forum, and there shouldn't be any issues.

[bearpaw]

I thought it already was like that 

Why would you think that. You're here.

Whats that supposed to mean?I got a ban a month or so ago and came back on. This seems very close to a personal attack to me.

There are actually quite a few members who think you are a member who was banned for bad behavior, that's why it keeps coming up from time to time. It is against the rules to come back with a new username, a member must wait out his ban, so I'm sure that's one reason for concern.

Thanks for notifying us, we do take personal attacks seriously, but I really don't think Curly's comment was a personal attack.

[Oh Mah]

I thought it already was like that 

Why would you think that. You're here.

Whats that supposed to mean?I got a ban a month or so ago and came back on. This seems very close to a personal attack to me.

There are actually quite a few members who think you are a member who was banned for bad behavior, that's why it keeps coming up from time to time. It is against the rules to come back with a new username, a member must wait out his ban, so I'm sure that's one reason for concern.

Thanks for notifying us, we do take personal attacks seriously, but I really don't think Curly's comment was a personal attack.

it is if untrue,i just sent a pm to bone

[hunter399]

We're going to take a poll and determine what happens with the off-topics. I'm sick and tired of members complaining and blaming the site for their own lack of ability to simply opt out of the off-topics if they don't like it.

Let's all vote and the member's votes will decide what happens with off-topics. You vote, you decide, this decision is on you, the whole H-W membership!

If there's another option you want added to the poll please post it and I or one of the other mods will add it. I set the poll so anyone can change their vote at any time. Feel free to discuss this or ask question in this topic!

THANKS! 

UPDATE:
I've had some pm's from members with good input, if you have some constructive thoughts but don't want to post them openly in this topic, please send them to me via pm. THANKS

I guess since the poll is not going the way you want.As a mod I thought you might keep your word.And let members decide.

On a positive note ,I do think you are one of the best mods,your view points I respect,most of them.And whatever your changes to off topics is fine with me.Bearpaw.

[bearpaw]

My choice is the first choice. 

But along the way with this discussion and others we are learning that there are reasons the OT is a problem. We are also going to deal with these problems as I think they are worse than I had realized.

[Russ McDonald]

We're going to take a poll and determine what happens with the off-topics. I'm sick and tired of members complaining and blaming the site for their own lack of ability to simply opt out of the off-topics if they don't like it.

Let's all vote and the member's votes will decide what happens with off-topics. You vote, you decide, this decision is on you, the whole H-W membership!

If there's another option you want added to the poll please post it and I or one of the other mods will add it. I set the poll so anyone can change their vote at any time. Feel free to discuss this or ask question in this topic!

THANKS! 

UPDATE:
I've had some pm's from members with good input, if you have some constructive thoughts but don't want to post them openly in this topic, please send them to me via pm. THANKS

I guess since the poll is not going the way you want.As a mod I thought you might keep your word.And let members decide.

On a positive note ,I do think you are one of the best mods,your view points I respect,most of them.And whatever your changes to off topics is fine with me.Bearpaw.

I don't know if you know this but there are people that Bearpaw is saying that some members aren't voting and don't really want to talk about it on the open forum so they have messaged him.    Bearpaw isn't just a mod here he is the owner of the forum.  So he actually does have the finally decision.  For the most part OT is going to stay but it needs some work.  What is going to be done I am sure TBD.

[huntnfmly]

I voted to keep it the way it is.If you don't like it just ignore it