Off topic posting in the pics thread - your thoughts?

In an effort to restore to harmony that we know exists in Aust social (and to get the debate out of the pics thread), what's your thoughts on posting that doesn't include a pic?

Note: this is not a dig at the mods... I'm seriously keen to know what direction people think the pics thread should go.

1. Deletion of all posts not containing pics (yes, that's those ego boosting ones like 'omg plurkittyraver is the hottest bluelighter here')

2. Deletion of off topic posts, (i.e. are you mates with fred? didn't I see you at that rave/concert/lawn bowls day? etc etc)

3. Editing of off topic posts.

4. Leave them all in.

Should posts be edited after they have posted or is a warning in thread sufficient and PM to repeat offenders?

I don't really care, but I say leave them in. It's not annoying me. We shoudl definately be allowed to make comments about the pics. Off-topic comments are a different thing, doesn't bother me... but I guess it can be annoying to others.

ahh to be honest there are no options here - the mods have said no. The pics thread is a joke and is obsolete since there is now a gallery feature. I don't get what anyone is whinging about but it doesn't really matter anyhow - you don't run the forum, you are just allowed to post in it and when you do so you agree to abide by the rules and regulations as set out by the mods and admins.

If you think you should be able to post whatever you want post it on your own webspace.

^ agreed I dont have extensive strong issues about this but i do think:

1. People should be allowed to comment to pictures that are posted and have their say about the picture.

2. No matter what people are alwase going to comment, whether its allowed or not.

3. Comments that are conversational and off topic Dont need to be in the thread, That could be taken to the Pm/Email.

That is all..

She's just asking opinions... no one is whinging. Pffft

Edit: In regards to PsychoKitten's comments.

The 'off-topic' comments don't annoy me, though I have noticed that they seem to work in 'chunks'. They do eventually 'disintegrate' though so I don't have a big problem with them. If they were more permanent then what I currently see them as then it would bother me. I do like to see more pics than comments in the pics thread - But I am also realistic about this happening since the thread has been around for a while.
I trust that people in this community do have enough initiative to take some comments to PM but many feel it is easier to just leave the comment in the thread.
If you read through thread you will notice that the Mods have been reinforcing the fact that some comments do need to be taken to PM as obviously their warnings haven't had much of an impact as of late, and I can understand the frustration (to a degree).
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I'm fine with off-topic posts being removed, it bothers me not, however I don't really see the necessity to remove them... my comments in the thread were nothing to do with off-topic comments being deleted

You know I really don't think it matters whichever method the mods decide on to dispose/edit off-topic posts, as long as it's done by the mods with a bit of mutual respect and diplomacy.

I agree that there were too many mindless off-topic posts happening in the pics thread, but the way it was dealt with was all wrong. I don't think there was an uproar because the off-topic stuff was edited, I think the uproar came from the fact that people felt they were being scolded in a child-like and subservient manner and did not appreciate being threatened.

courtesy is king!

I don't think the pics thread is obsolete as it provides a quick way to see what everyone here looks like, whereas going thru individual galleries would take a lot more time.

raverchik said:

2. No matter what people are alwase going to comment, whether its allowed or not.

Click to expand...

In a similar thread in the words forum, all posts without pics were deleted, so it purely became just a pics thread.

Should something like this be instituted here and if people would like to comment, they can do so in people's galleries?!?

Yeah well, courtesy aside, I agreed with some of the comments being deleted. They were just mean. Perhaps not meant that way but mean nonetheless.

I think people should be able to make comments on the photos definitely, otherwise there's not much point having a thread with photos in it! 8)

Sheesh. Every few months we go through this.

I dont think a few replies to the picture are much of a problem and don't usually result in mod input ... but then when people reply to the replies and the original picture poster thanks everyone, then the thanker is thanked by everyone else, then everyone replies to the replies of the replies and 2 people partake in a 'lets have a meetup' discussion etc. it gets a bit out of control. yaknowhaimean?

note: i rarely go into that thread and haven't seen the mean comments etc.

it was not in regards to kat, but in regards to the bitching & whinging that has gone on & the childish behaviour by posters in that thread.

i think that the pic thread would be pretty boring w/out any comments, and to have a separate thread for it (i think there was one attempt at it) is just too hard for all the lazy bl's "oh that pic you posted in page 3, halfway down...omg you are super hot!" - yeah just wont happen...

i say leave them in, they generate conversation and i like hearing stories behind them eg: oh such and such where was that pic taken and WHAT is in the background?!!!

alright, let me take a stab at this

let's see... what we have here is a community, and most interactions take place online, with this forum board as a means to communicate. granted you think you have a right to be voicing your thoughts, opinions and whatever inanities that suit you.

but also bear in mind that whatever you think you're contributing, by posting on this forum, has to be geared towards the community.

im emphasising on community here because, if one person is going to start up an one-on-one dialogue with another person, in an open, pubilc thread, that serves no purpose at all for the community. which is why we have a pm function. or email. or chat. or irc.

instead, you're gonna start alienating other users who're bystanders of this "personal" dialogue you have going.

seriously, do i care if "user a" has seen "user b" at a rave? nope. i dont think anyone else would either, except for these two users. how does this benefit a community? i cant see how.

so i say keep the off-topic chatter, outta the thread, and allow for picture comments... if u're gonna have a pictures thread, it's only fair that picture comments are allowed too.

Tip for people who don't want to read comments:

1) Hold you mouse pointer over the vertical scroll bar.
2) Click and hold your mouse button down.
3) Move your mouse up or down so the thread scrolls really fast.
4) Stop when you see a picture.
5) Look at it.
6) Continue with step 3, unless you let go of the mouse button and/or moved the mouse - in which case continue from step 1 or 2 (whichever is appropriate).

we need a PICTURE CHAT thread
or just a General chat thread, where alll the bull can go, just 1 thread, how about that, i think its fair...

The official CHAT all crap in here thread throw in the occacional pic.

hows that for a thought ?

The random comments don't bother me. In fact i kinda like them as long as they don't go for pages and are not making people feel left out.

It simply has to be said that I really detest comments like "If you want to do that, go do it on your own web space!".

That kind of attitude really isn't necessary. People are simply sharing their thoughts on a topic which currently appears to be highly relevant, and without those people there would be no board. It is their thoughts, ideas and suggestions which help us to improve the forums and cater to the needs and the wishes of the people who use it.

And no, I'm not suggesting that the moderators allow the tail to wag the dog, I simply think that it is rude to disallow people to discuss such topics, especially when it is being attempted in as constructive a manner as possible.

ROFL This shit is hilarious. All I know is:

1) The mods are always right.
2) Anyway who says otherwise is an annoying, troubling making whinger.

Because seriously, what does everyone bar the four mods know? Obviously we don't 'run' the forum so we shouldn't really have an opinion.

I agree with Pleonastic. Don't read it if you don't want to... I don't see why having comments is such an issue.

*sigh* Where's the love my peeps?

There seems to be a bit of an undercurrent to all of this that the mods are evil nazis who just can't wait to dig the boot in....this is not true, we're doing this because we love this community and want to help it run smoothly. That means enforcing the rules, and we don't enforce rules for the sheer joy of indulging our dictator fantasies...we do it because the rules are there to help everyone make the most of this place.

Having said that, while it's our job to help this forum run smoothly, it's not our job to sit on a pedestal and judge anyone else. When it comes to contributing to bluelight, none of us are any more important than anyone else. I applaud kat for starting this thread because it's obvious there's an issue and this is the most mature way I can think of handling it in a public forum.

So please discuss: making snide and/or bitchy comments about mods, or for that matter about any other bluelighter doesn't help matters much...it just raises the snark quota without really contributing anything useful. If people honestly feel that we're being too harsh, tell us why--and don't assume you're not going to get listened to.

What I would like to see now is more people answering the questions kat posed in the first post in this thread, and less of all the other bullshit that's come along. So yeah....on with the thread....

--Raz--