Get rid of post your... junk threads

[Kardan]

No I'm not as it clearly is in the rule. So you're saying posting that isn't against the rules despite it clearly saying it is? So you're saying these threads have not had discussions in them? They clearly have. Therefore they're not against the rules. Not all threads promote (actively encourage) discussion - "Where are you going this summer?" doesn't but if discussion happens then this is good. Where does "What are you listening to?" state it only wants short, one or two word replies and where does it actively not want discussion? There's nothing in the thread saying it doesn't want discussions to take place and as acknowledged they have done. To promote something you have to actively encourage, and threads rarely ask this. If anything, Undertaker's threads all actively promote discussion as he asks at the end of each of his posts "Discuss?" or "What are your thoughts?"

Reactions are not de facto discussions, the fact you put "tend" in there suggests you acknowledge this. A reaction is "something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event." The reactions to the knife attacks in the US school are a prime example. Many are just posting reactions e.g. "scary", "hope everyone makes a full recovery". This is not a discussion. A discussion by definition is "the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas." Exchanging an idea is not a discussion, it's one way - it needs to be ideas with an "s". It requires a response. To discuss is to "talk about (something) with a person or people." These posts are exchanging ideas with the thread in the same way posting a song in response is an exchange with the thread "What are you listening to?"


Not necessarily, as an extra quality is attached to it. It's the same for "Last gig you went to?" A problem only arises if these threads are abused or have pointless posts - therefore the part of the rule which reiterates the T&Cs that the forum department has discretion. As acknowledged, these threads lack any abuse happening and there is no pointless posting (reply with a song to a thread about songs is both on-topic and has a point - to post in reply to a thread about a song with a song).

So there would be no reason in the rules to remove the 'Post the last word you said' thread, provided everyone was replying with a word (And not an image for example).

[GommeInc]

Deleted the pointless replies as you clearly said your example for no reason.

Irrelevant since saying DO NOT DISCUSS THIS is not the only way not to promote discussion

So you want moderators to read the minds of thread creators? Since many of these threads have had discussions in clearly they are not against the rules. Not all threads are going to ask members to actively discuss their ideas - you're suggesting they must do.

Thanks for repeating my point

Yet not all threads actively encourage. Look at the example I gave of Current Affairs and actually reply. A reaction is not a discussion.

Absolutely pissing that you're saying this despite trying to refute that exact point for like 5 pages when I was saying it to you

Yet discussions exist in these threads and can have discussions. Show me where these threads are not actively encouraging discussions or promoting them. The very fact discussions happen in them rebuts this remark, hence they're not against the rules. It is a problem with the members, not the thread.

So there would be no reason in the rules to remove the 'Post the last word you said' thread, provided everyone was replying with a word (And not an image for example).

Depends if the thread is abused and the thread is actively asking for no discussion - which would be violating the rules, particularly since the forum department has discretion. They will probably deem this sort of thread a violation anyway as it's too vague and decide to actively use their discretion to close it, under "pointless" or "abuse" if it gets out of hand. The forum department discretion is there to determine which threads are pointless or abused - and you could say that the last word you used is verging a bit too close to pointless as it doesn't really serve a purpose isn't exactly hard to post, while what you've watched and what you've listened to requires a bit more effort.

[FlyingJesus]

So you want moderators to read the minds of thread creators? Since many of these threads have had discussions in clearly they are not against the rules. Not all threads are going to ask members to actively discuss their ideas - you're suggesting they must do.

They apparently read my mind and decided that I was "trolling" by posting a legitimate thread. And yes I believe discussion threads are supposed to ask for opinions and discussions, there was a big thing about it previously where we were told to explicitly ask for reasons and extrapolations when asking thread questions

Yet not all threads actively encourage. Look at the example I gave of Current Affairs and actually reply. A reaction is not a discussion.

A reaction to a discussion topic is.

Show me where these threads are not actively encouraging discussions or promoting them.

SHOW ME A NEGATIVE really

[GommeInc]

They apparently read my mind and decided that I was "trolling" by posting a legitimate thread. And yes I believe discussion threads are supposed to ask for opinions and discussions, there was a big thing about it previously where we were told to explicitly ask for reasons and extrapolations when asking thread questions

Clearly isn't enforced then going by Current Affairs and you can see why, it's unenforceable as it's unnatural to assume everyone wants to discuss on a forum. People just reply to the thread once and leave - that's not a discussion, that's just posting a statement and leaving. It happens all the time

A reaction to a discussion topic is.

And a discussion topic is? What are you listening to? is a discussion thread - people have had discussions in there. There's no restraints. If members refuse to discuss anything it's ultimately the members at fault.

SHOW ME A NEGATIVE really

I shall take that as you can't post examples.

[Kardan]

@GommeInc; What if I post 'Post the last place you travelled to' - surely that thread requires more effort than 'What you last watched/ate'?

Personally I have the feeling no matter what 'Post your...' thread I post, it will get removed

[GommeInc]

@GommeInc; What if I post 'Post the last place you travelled to' - surely that thread requires more effort than 'What you last watched/ate'?

Personally I have the feeling no matter what 'Post your...' thread I post, it will get removed

Same as previously, there's nothing stopping a discussion in them - what you last ate could have people replying to "Domino's pizza" with "Oh two for Tuesdays?"

On what grounds? People already do - what are you doing for Christmas was popular last year. Provided it isn't meaningless. You could just write in the opening post something that adds greater depth to it.

[Kardan]

Same as previously, there's nothing stopping a discussion in them - what you last ate could have people replying to "Domino's pizza" with "Oh two for Tuesdays?"

On what grounds? People already do - what are you doing for Christmas was popular last year. Provided it isn't meaningless. You could just write in the opening post something that adds greater depth to it.

Well, mods like moving my posts to spam because 'It's proving a point', and I'm not so sure where the forum rule is on that

But I'll post the 'Post the last place you travelled to', and we'll see if it gets removed/moved to spam

[FlyingJesus]

Clearly isn't enforced then going by Current Affairs and you can see why, it's unenforceable as it's unnatural to assume everyone wants to discuss on a forum. People just reply to the thread once and leave - that's not a discussion, that's just posting a statement and leaving. It happens all the time

You're again forgetting that we're talking about whether the threads promote discussion, not whether discussion actually follows.

And a discussion topic is? What are you listening to? is a discussion thread

No it isn't because "I am listening to Lady Gaga" "I am listening to MCR" "I am listening to Queen" is not a discussion, nor can it be without deviating from the thread's intentions

I shall take that as you can't post examples.

As you ought to know, asking someone to prove a negative is ridiculous. That said, all you need to do is look at the threads. We can look at the starter post of the main culprit:

[IMG]google.com[/IMG]

Whoa steady on people won't know where to stop talking!
Then one that actually asks for more:

What phone do you have at the moment?
Is it a good phone or is it a phone that you think is rubbish?
At the moment I have a Samsung Tocco Light, I really love my phone, although I wanted a blackberry for my birthday LOL

That is an example of a good thread start which is actively attempting to start discussion.

[GommeInc]

Well, mods like moving my posts to spam because 'It's proving a point', and I'm not so sure where the forum rule is on that

But I'll post the 'Post the last place you travelled to', and we'll see if it gets removed/moved to spam

If it does I'll argue how stupid it is like I said to Tom about one of his posts or threads being tampered with

You're again forgetting that we're talking about whether the threads promote discussion, not whether discussion actually follows.

But how does a thread go about this? As you said, there was apparently a change somewhere asking members to ask questions in the opening post yet not all threads actively promote discussions - probably because thread creators have better things to be thinking about than the expectations of members pursuing a conversation.

No it isn't because "I am listening to Lady Gaga" "I am listening to MCR" "I am listening to Queen" is not a discussion, nor can it be without deviating from the thread's intentions

But as I said, discussions have broken out in that thread. The thread is neither asking for nor against discussions. If it is specifically against them or lacks any quality for a discussion from the start it is against the rules (posting dskjdksjdskjd" for example). What you are listening to/watching etc are posing questions, the question marks after each of these is opening itself up for responses and arguably discussion if members wish to. It revolves back to members and how they are acting - I could reply to "I am listening to Lady Gaga" and a discussion is there, and the thread is neither for nor against it. You could argue grammar is important here and that the question mark is what is asking for responses/reaction/discussion, even when the opening post does not do it.

As you ought to know, asking someone to prove a negative is ridiculous. That said, all you need to do is look at the threads. We can look at the starter post of the main culprit:

Yet people still had a discussion. Also, I have no idea what the img tag is doing there. Another thread has it too.

[FlyingJesus]

If it is specifically against them or lacks any quality for a discussion from the start

Or if it doesn't actively promote discussion... there is nothing in the rule that says that a thread must necessarily ask for no discussion for it to not be promoting discussion since that is ridiculous

I could reply to "I am listening to Lady Gaga" and a discussion is there

This is not a discussion. A discussion by definition is "the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to exchange ideas." Exchanging an idea is not a discussion, it's one way - it needs to be ideas with an "s". It requires a response.

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