Moderation

[GommeInc]

Naturally someone would be offended if you used that (mustard) term with regards to them, and not to Vista, because you're directing it at another person, not a fairly disliked operating system (Hi Tom!). But the problem here is the term "mustard child" isn't close to being as well known, or commonly used as the F word or other common inappropriate words. We don't have to consider adding that to the filter at this moment because it's not exactly a commonly used phrase.

Type the F word into BBC and you're welcomed by a wall of news articles contaning the F word. Mustard child is very tame and well used in in many articles. Besides, we shouldn't be looking at "how often it is used" we should be looking at "how it can be considered rude" and the term being used on a product isn't offensive. It's like you calling Windows 7 stupid and anyone who uses that product being offended by that. The product doesn't have feelings, nor should you. Anyway, my post was appropriate and wasn't rude, it was because it "was avoiding the filter" which isn't a reason

With regards to vBulletin, yes it is a system and it is the only robot here. I mentioned this to explain why we cannot unfilter words such as the D word because even though it's a name and will appropriately be used in that context, it will be abused in another context. I believe Richard created a thread on this not too long ago and this was likely explained similarly in that as well. It is unfortunate that we cannot use it in its righteous context though we wont unfilter words such as this because of their negative implications.

Actually, Oli and Catz want(ed) Di.ck removed as it's a harmless phrase. Again, I am not suggesting you remove the B word from the filter, but I think you should use your common sense and initiative to determine when avoiding the filter is and isn't rude as at the moment you're relying on a system to do the work when a system cannot think and put words into context, unlike a human. But because you rely so heavily on the mighty word filter to tell you what to do you become robotic - hence why I consider moderators and management robotic in response because they seem to have a limit to thought and discretion. I clearly wasn't rude and was told this, so why is avoiding the filter the end of the world when it wasn't inappropriate? It's why the avoid the filter rule was merged into post inappropriate, because the Avoid the filter rule isn't a rule, it's really just describing the intent of the word filter. Oli and Garion understood this, not sure why management have changed their mind :S

With regards to what you're saying about robotic moderation I think you mean moderator's communications to users are quite generic / verbatim and that's a fair opinion to have. What's bothering Rosie, I think, (and rightly so) is that you're using the term robotic in a way such that you are almost inferring that she and the moderation team are mindless and incapable of thinking for themselves. If this is actually your real opinion (and I'd deplore it if that's the case) then I'd strongly encourage you to consider just how many moderation actions a moderator, especially a super moderator, makes a day. I have the utmost confidence in especially the SMOD team at the moment. They have a great deal of experience, and for the most part don't make many errors. In terms of their approach, and how accurately they're enforcing forum rules I'd say they're pretty spot on.

In some cases they are, as they seem to ignore moderator discretion and come out with generic, mindless comments which aren't answers to questions. It's like they a positive magnet facing another positive magnet, they force away from the issue and refuse to answer questions, and when they're caught out you get a swearing match going on or tedious debate. I'm not debating how good the moderators or super moderators do, as they have guidelines to follow and do a decent job, it's only when they're met with abnormalities they begin to act confused and begin making pointless answers which in reality is just rhetoric - avoiding a conclusive answer and just wittering on for ages until inevitably the thread is closed for no reason.

Cwmbran used it in a practical example, where as when you did it contributed nothing to your stance.

Not that this has anything to do with me, but I read his post and he was posting an example of a swear word in a 12A film. It contributed to the discussion, as clearly 12A is the age range of Habbo Hotel. It was comparing two types of media together. You cannot call it pointless, it's not like he randomly blerted out "****".

[HotelUser]

Type the F word into BBC and you're welcomed by a wall of news articles contaning the F word. Mustard child is very tame and well used in in many articles. Besides, we shouldn't be looking at "how often it is used" we should be looking at "how it can be considered rude" and the term being used on a product isn't offensive. It's like you calling Windows 7 stupid and anyone who uses that product being offended by that. The product doesn't have feelings, nor should you. Anyway, my post was appropriate and wasn't rude, it was because it "was avoiding the filter" which isn't a reason

For the record I wouldn't call Windows 7 stupid. It's not a terrible operating system just because I don't use it

Anywho it doesn't matter what a News Station wishes to do, we're an internet forum and the truth of it is that there are internet forums where there are filters, and some with no filters. We're one with filters and context or not that isn't changing because posts everywhere would be degraded in quality and threads would have a lot less actual conversation. It would also make the atmosphere more intimidating for new and young members if they saw swearing everywhere.

Actually, Oli and Catz want(ed) Di.ck removed as it's a harmless phrase. Again, I am not suggesting you remove the B word from the filter, but I think you should use your common sense and initiative to determine when avoiding the filter is and isn't rude as at the moment you're relying on a system to do the work when a system cannot think and put words into context, unlike a human. But because you rely so heavily on the mighty word filter to tell you what to do you become robotic - hence why I consider moderators and management robotic in response because they seem to have a limit to thought and discretion. I clearly wasn't rude and was told this, so why is avoiding the filter the end of the world when it wasn't inappropriate? It's why the avoid the filter rule was merged into post inappropriate, because the Avoid the filter rule isn't a rule, it's really just describing the intent of the word filter. Oli and Garion understood this, not sure why management have changed their mind :S

If that word was unfiltered 1% of the time it would be used properly as a name and 99% of the time it would be used as a derogatory word directed at another member. Unfiltering that word would basically be like encouraging people to insult eachother because in the spam forum especially that's all it would ever be used for. Infact, hardly ever is that word used in a context which isn't calling someone else a penis (replace penis with worse version of penis) which is absolutely unacceptable.

In some cases they are, as they seem to ignore moderator discretion and come out with generic, mindless comments which aren't answers to questions. It's like they a positive magnet facing another positive magnet, they force away from the issue and refuse to answer questions, and when they're caught out you get a swearing match going on or tedious debate. I'm not debating how good the moderators or super moderators do, as they have guidelines to follow and do a decent job, it's only when they're met with abnormalities they begin to act confused and begin making pointless answers which in reality is just rhetoric - avoiding a conclusive answer and just wittering on for ages until inevitably the thread is closed for no reason.

I don't think it's that they're not able to deal with abnormalities. On the contrary I think it's just the opposite, I think they're so used to dealing with the same rulebreaks over and over and so they're just following a standard procedure. I don't see anything terribly robotic about the PMs moderators are sending users, they seem to suit the situations just as accurately as moderator PMs did in previous years (keep in mind I can't see replies to PMs so if there's a problem here I suggest PMing Sct).

Not that this has anything to do with me, but I read his post and he was posting an example of a swear word in a 12A film. It contributed to the discussion, as clearly 12A is the age range of Habbo Hotel. It was comparing two types of media together. You cannot call it pointless, it's not like he randomly blerted out "****".

Avoiding the filter is never allowed in a discussion just because it was used in context. It's been allowed in this feedback thread when it's been necessary to justify your point however in his case it was not necessary - he wasn't using it in an example and his post would have been just as affective without it.

[GommeInc]

For the record I wouldn't call Windows 7 stupid. It's not a terrible operating system just because I don't use it

Anywho it doesn't matter what a News Station wishes to do, we're an internet forum and the truth of it is that there are internet forums where there are filters, and some with no filters. We're one with filters and context or not that isn't changing because posts everywhere would be degraded in quality and threads would have a lot less actual conversation. It would also make the atmosphere more intimidating for new and young members if they saw swearing everywhere.

So I am assuming I proved you wrong when you said it isn't common for the F word to appear?

Again, you're making it seem like I am suggesting you remove the filter (here comes the robotic accusation!), I am just suggesting that common sense and initiative would decide that clearly mustard child (with a ba), in context with a product, is harmless. I am saying that the B word has another, harmless meaning that isn't to do with illegitimate children - I'm not sure why everyone skips this point as it's sort of proving my roboticism theory If someone takes offense to that they shouldn't be let near the media, or outside. I suggest having them shot as they're clearly a waste of life, organs and blood - the organs and blood can be donated to useful causes, but unforunately lives can't be traded, especially dirty ones.

If that word was unfiltered 1% of the time it would be used properly as a name and 99% of the time it would be used as a derogatory word directed at another member. Unfiltering that word would basically be like encouraging people to insult eachother because in the spam forum especially that's all it would ever be used for. Infact, hardly ever is that word used in a context which isn't calling someone else a penis (replace penis with worse version of penis) which is absolutely unacceptable. I don't think it's that they're not able to deal with abnormalities. On the contrary I think it's just the opposite, I think they're so used to dealing with the same rulebreaks over and over and so they're just following a standard procedure. I don't see anything terribly robotic about the PMs moderators are sending users, they seem to suit the situations just as accurately as moderator PMs did in previous years (keep in mind I can't see replies to PMs so if there's a problem here I suggest PMing Sct).

This is a dry argument. People can already insult each other until their hearts content with unfiltered words. Oli and Catz have both said that the word Di.ck can be unfiltered as it isn't rude anymore and if people use it to name call each other they will be met with the same rules that apply to the words "idiot, twit, arse, ass and imbesile". The D word has different uses - as a name, a derogatory word for someone who is being follish, stupid or evil, and another word for penis. Heck, if someone was using the D word isntead of penis I can assure you no-one will take offense - how can they when they mean the same thing? It's only rude if it goes into graphic detail (same with penis) or is used to offend someone (imbesile, twit, stupid, berk, arse, ass etc.)

Avoiding the filter is never allowed in a discussion just because it was used in context. It's been allowed in this feedback thread when it's been necessary to justify your point however in his case it was not necessary - he wasn't using it in an example and his post would have been just as affective without it.

He was, he was saying a 12A film used it (X-Men First Class I believe?). He was using an example - it's a text book example of an example

[AgnesIO]

So I am assuming I proved you wrong when you said it isn't common for the F word to appear?

Again, you're making it seem like I am suggesting you remove the filter (here comes the robotic accusation!), I am just suggesting that common sense and initiative would decide that clearly mustard child (with a ba), in context with a product, is harmless. I am saying that the B word has another, harmless meaning that isn't to do with illegitimate children - I'm not sure why everyone skips this point as it's sort of proving my roboticism theory If someone takes offense to that they shouldn't be let near the media, or outside. I suggest having them shot as they're clearly a waste of life, organs and blood - the organs and blood can be donated to useful causes, but unforunately lives can't be traded, especially dirty ones.


This is a dry argument. People can already insult each other until their hearts content with unfiltered words. Oli and Catz have both said that the word Di.ck can be unfiltered as it isn't rude anymore and if people use it to name call each other they will be met with the same rules that apply to the words "idiot, twit, arse, ass and imbesile". The D word has different uses - as a name, a derogatory word for someone who is being follish, stupid or evil, and another word for penis. Heck, if someone was using the D word isntead of penis I can assure you no-one will take offense - how can they when they mean the same thing? It's only rude if it goes into graphic detail (same with penis) or is used to offend someone (imbesile, twit, stupid, berk, arse, ass etc.)


He was, he was saying a 12A film used it (X-Men First Class I believe?). He was using an example - it's a text book example of an example

To be fair if I went to college and started calling teachers *****, they probably wouldn't be too happy lol

Fool is allowed too lol

[GommeInc]

To be fair if I went to college and started calling teachers *****, they probably wouldn't be too happy lol

Fool is allowed too lol

Is that the shorthand for Richard or a 5 letter T word ending with S? I'm stumped by what word you said I assume if you said the D word you sort of proved my point - you'd be met with an unhappy member/moderator.

[AgnesIO]

Is that the shorthand for Richard or a 5 letter T word ending with S? I'm stumped by what word you said I assume if you said the D word you sort of proved my point - you'd be met with an unhappy member/moderator.

And that is why it shouldn't be unfiltered - as clearly it does still cause offence lol

And yeah *for purposes to show what I meant* Di.cks

[GommeInc]

And that is why it shouldn't be unfiltered - as clearly it does still cause offence lol

And yeah *for purposes to show what I meant* Di.cks

So does idiot, arse, ass, imbesile, berk and so many other unfiltered words, the difference is the context they're used in. It won't cause offense unless directed at members or being used in a graphic way. I don't see the harm in calling Ed Milliband a "bit of a di.ck" at all, as it's about as rude as calling "Ed Milliband a bit of a berk". There are a few interesting discussions on the word Di.ck, but that's for another time