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Renaming of threads in Other.

Old 02-04-02, 04:53 PM
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Renaming of threads in Other.

I realize this may be quite an unpopular thing to bring up, as most other people don't seem to have a problem with it, but what is the deal with changing the names of threads in the Other forum? Perhaps the thread creators don't mind, or ask for it to be changed to something funny, I don't know. I'm all for fun and humor, but it's kind of a distraction to me.

Again, I'm sure I stand alone, but I thought this was the proper place to voice my opinion. I already think that forum is going downhill, and to me, this just adds to it.

I'd be happy to stay out of the Other forum and not deal with things that surely annoy me, however there are occasionally good threads there dealing with things ranging from sports to UFOs to politics -- so I mostly enjoy visiting that forum.

Just thought I'd bring it up. I apologize in advance if my above comments have made anyone mad.
Old 02-04-02, 04:59 PM
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It's Other?

I note of the top 101 threads right now in the Other Forum, ONE had it's title changed, and then only for a short period of time, and after the thread had dropped and there was no further discussion about the topic, which was not a really serious issue.

If that really bothers you... sorry.
Old 02-04-02, 07:05 PM
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There's no need to apologize, I was simply asking what the deal with changing thread names is. And you're right --- it was only one...today. It was not, however, the only one ever.

There's also no need to be so defensive, Randyc. This is a "feedback and suggestions" forum --- if feedback and suggestions aren't welcomed, this forum should not exist. I'm just offering my opinion, as I clearly am allowed to do.
Old 02-04-02, 07:21 PM
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LOL

You perceive it as defensive, I thought I was just trying to keep in context and reply to your post, which would also be part of the point of this forum, no?

Nothing wrong with you voicing an opinion. I never said there was. But yet, I am also entitled to have an opinion right? And to be clear, I am not just saying sorry. If it really bothers you that a thread title was changed, I am sorry for that. That is not out of the bounds either. I did not say for a "need to apologize."

I welcome other people's thoughts on it. It's not a big deal to me, it happens infrequently and seems to bring some amusement to some. Perhaps other people are distracted also.

You have mentioned in the other thread here that you think the forum is going downhill. In regards to what time frame? Do you think the fun is leaving the forum?
Old 02-04-02, 07:36 PM
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I have no problem with changing thread titles, but I think it would be best to have the thread originator's permission to do so; otherwise you might be usurping what the thread originator intends.

That, or allow the thread originator to change it back it they take offense at the change (which they currently cannot do).
Old 02-04-02, 07:38 PM
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Whoa, both of y'all are too defensive. Randy, you reaction did come off (mildly) as such, your denials notwithstanding. And Toad, if you are going to question what someone does, you should expect that person to defend themselves, and not react so strongly when they do so in a civil manner.

That being said, the changing of thread titles has sometimes annoyed me, and sometimes amused me, so I'm ambivalent...
Old 02-04-02, 07:41 PM
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I think it's highly amusing. It happens pretty rarely and it's usually only goofy threads that aren't very serious to begin with that get their titles changed. If the thread starter complained I'm sure it would be changed back.

We have to let the mods have a little fun. It's a difficult and thankless job with no compensation.
Old 02-04-02, 07:41 PM
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Originally posted by Toad
I already think that forum is going downhill, and to me, this just adds to it.

I'd be happy to stay out of the Other forum and not deal with things that surely annoy me
Lighten up Francis.

If a renamed thread title is the most annoying thing you deal with all day you lead a charmed life.

Last edited by joltaddict; 02-04-02 at 07:43 PM.
Old 02-04-02, 07:58 PM
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Originally posted by RandyC
LOL

You perceive it as defensive, I thought I was just trying to keep in context and reply to your post, which would also be part of the point of this forum, no?

Nothing wrong with you voicing an opinion. I never said there was. But yet, I am also entitled to have an opinion right? And to be clear, I am not just saying sorry. If it really bothers you that a thread title was changed, I am sorry for that. That is not out of the bounds either. I did not say for a "need to apologize."

I welcome other people's thoughts on it. It's not a big deal to me, it happens infrequently and seems to bring some amusement to some. Perhaps other people are distracted also.

You have mentioned in the other thread here that you think the forum is going downhill. In regards to what time frame? Do you think the fun is leaving the forum?
Of course you're entitled to your opinion and to defend something you say. As I mentioned above, I surely was not targetting whoever changed the tread name, but more the fact that it was changed. I have no idea who changed it -- and that's not the point.

What I said about the forum going downhill applied to the "Other" forum, certainly not DVDTalk in general, and the time frame is now. I guess I'm just not amused by personal posts and all the things I touched on in DTSC's thread about traditions, etc. Again, like I said, it's simply my opinion, and if it begins to bother me too much, I'll just post in other forums -- no big deal. I guess my idea of "what is fun" is clearly different than other peoples'. I come to this website mostly for information on several of my hobbies. I don't come here to take part in a community as perhaps others do. I'll respect that, and those who do so, in the future.

Joltaddict -- It's certainly nothing I'm worked up about or need to "lighten up Francis" about. I visited the forum today, I saw the name change, it bothered me, so I posted something about it. It's really that simple. But you are right -- I do lead a pretty charmed life, and I'll try to not let banalities such as this to lead to me posting a thread in the future. I appreciate your concern.
Old 02-04-02, 08:12 PM
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Originally posted by Toad
[B]
What I said about the forum going downhill applied to the "Other" forum, certainly not DVDTalk in general, and the time frame is now.
Thanks for the clarification. But it might seem different with more history

I guess I'm just not amused by personal posts and all the things I touched on in DTSC's thread about traditions, etc. Again, like I said, it's simply my opinion, and if it begins to bother me too much, I'll just post in other forums -- no big deal. I guess my idea of "what is fun" is clearly different than other peoples'. I come to this website mostly for information on several of my hobbies. I don't come here to take part in a community as perhaps others do. I'll respect that, and those who do so, in the future.
Bingo. Other is not about the hobbies like the other forums. It is about community.
Old 02-04-02, 08:23 PM
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Since about 1/4 of all my threads end up getting molested, I thought I should weigh in.

Sometimes it is a bit frustrating to have a somewhat serious post turned off topic. Funny headers will draw a different crowd and some people may not enter at all if what was once a serious discusion now has a double entendre on the main page.

But for the most part, it is a benefit, helping to bring new life into sometimes stagnant discussions. I dunno, no complaints as of yet. Sometimes I wish I had the power, but that's another story.
Old 02-04-02, 09:03 PM
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Originally posted by RandyC
Thanks for the clarification. But it might seem different with more history
I'm not sure I follow what you're saying here, RandyC.

Originally posted by RandyC
Bingo. Other is not about the hobbies like the other forums. It is about community.
But isn't that forum also for things "other" than DVDs, Music, Computers, etc.? I'm not picking apart your words here, I just want to be certain what you're saying ... it would add greater strength to the need for other specialized forums.
Old 02-04-02, 09:14 PM
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History. It seems since the Other Forum started, there are people who will complain that it's not the same, or has declined. And the truth is, for the most part the forum is the same as it was. There are minor changes and it's busier...but for everyone that says it's not as good, 5 more take their place.

So, I have heard it over and over during the years. And the forum goes through it's ebbs and flows. And 6 months from now, somethat that joined in January of 2002 will be complaining that the forum is just not as good as it was back in February.

A huge part of Other forum is all about community. It's a lot of friends and if not friends, at least people we have come to know on line. Sure, there are also real threads about sports, politics, issues. But that is not the totallity of Other. It never was. The entire forum started with a major PADfest. It is about a lot of things, including personal issues, tradition, humor, community.

You yourself say you have no interest in that:
I guess I'm just not amused by personal posts....about traditions, ..... I come to this website mostly for information on several of my hobbies. I don't come here to take part in a community as perhaps others do
Perhaps some of the Other forum is related to "Information about your hobbies" but my point is that a HUGE portion is not. It's much more than that, and if that distracts or bothers you, then perhaps it is not a good fit.
Old 02-04-02, 10:54 PM
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I agree that the 'Other Forum' has become a place to unwind and have a bit of fun...

Changing some of thread titles is the mods chance to have a bit of freedom and fun... It doesn't happen very often, but when it does it is usually well worth it...

I have no problem with it.
Old 02-05-02, 02:12 AM
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I really do not have a problem with it although i do think that the mods should be careful to pick on those who would be ok with this type of thing
Old 02-05-02, 04:16 AM
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Originally posted by Toad


But isn't that forum also for things "other" than DVDs, Music, Computers, etc.? I'm not picking apart your words here, I just want to be certain what you're saying ... it would add greater strength to the need for other specialized forums.
Thats why there are Music and Computer forums. People come and go but the Farm is still there.
Old 02-05-02, 07:49 AM
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Originally posted by The Cow
I have no problem with it.
Well, I did say that mine was an unpopular opinion.
Old 02-05-02, 02:40 PM
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Originally posted by Toad


Well, I did say that mine was an unpopular opinion.
After reading this last night and thinking on it...instead of spilling out a gut reaction -- I think that I agree with you. It is a nuisance and certainly shows partiality from the mods. It's typically not something which happens via random chance.

I guess this is just something that happens with mods being active participants in the "community;" however, when mods are using their mod powers (e.g. suspensions, altering/deleting text, closing threads, renaming titles) the mod should NOT be mixing this with their friendship roles. This is the hat of moderator. The hat of participant on the forum (i.e. having a good time and building friendships) should be used at this point.

I know it is difficult to have the dual responsibility of being a mod and being a member...but those two should mix as infrequently as possible. I know that in the past moderators have talked about how they would post in different styles based on whether they were doing mod posts or member posts (e.g. bushdog using his signature or not). It's just a difficult game to get into using something reserved for mods when it is not really a mod power needed at the time.
Old 02-05-02, 03:09 PM
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Technically, you're right. Unless it's for clarity or to comply with a forum rule, moderators shouldn't change thread titles.

But we're talking about the occassional joke here. No harm is intended and an email will get you an apology and a correction if you aren't happy with something.

Saying they shouldn't do this because it bothers you is certainly a valid opinion. But there are many things that bother a few people about the Other forum. There are those who don't like the hot babe threads, those who don't like the political talk, the relationship stuff, the sports threads, and on and on. As with all these other subjects, enough people like them that there's no reason to change it.

"going downhill"

I've been here since the beginning of the Other forum and this has been a complaint for about the last 2 years or so. As the membership makeup of the forum changes, so will it's tone. That's just life in the Other forum. If you don't like the general direction of the forum, the best thing to do is to start threads about what you want to talk about. I can assure you that the occassional thread title change by a moderator has zero to do with any change in the forums. It is neither new, nor frequent enough to have any real affect.
Old 02-05-02, 03:24 PM
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If you want the "root" problem of the Otter Farm, it is the clique nature of Other. I read the odd posts in there, but I try to never post to them. I try to post when people ask for serious advice or to take a few sports related jabs. However, I've never felt like I am part of the Farm and I don't think I would want to be because of the clique nature.

Half the time I know I'm missing most of the story with the clique because there are chats between them done somewhere other than the Farm. I just don't like the clique nature of Otter, but I realize it is there.

I also think the renaming is ingrained in the clique. I really don't notice anyone's threads outside of what I would consider the clique(s) being changed or their username being changed. I can understand the light-hearted nature of the Farm, but I also think it delves into very mature and juvenile things that shouldn't necessarily be there.

I don't mind the changing of the thread names and names in general, but they can be very jolting to those not so ingrained in the Farm or those new users who want to check out what the Farm is about. The Farm grows when new people come in, but they may be scared away by what is talked about in there.

Wooooo...became a little too wordy there, sorry about that. I just think the Farm as a whole should think of ways to bring in new users who would like to discuss serious things and not the Photoshopping of the lastest picture of (user) or the mature pictures and what not, that's all.
Old 02-05-02, 04:22 PM
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AgtFox, I respect what you wrote and think it was well said. I wish I could have been that clear/concise in my ramblings!
Old 02-05-02, 04:36 PM
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I just wanted to say that I greatly appreciate the clarification of thread titles in forums other than "Other", particularly in the "Hot Deals" and "DVD Bargains" forums.

If a deal is dead, the mods have been changing the titles to indicate such, and if the question is vague ("Help!" or "Need something"), the mods have been good about changing them so that the titles indicate what they are asking. If anything, even more thread titles should be modified, but all of the problem threads have been (and are being) clarified.

Now, as for "Other", the thread changes have been in the spirit of fun and I have liked them in this context. As for whether they are a distraction, they would be a minor one, but not enough of a distraction to warrant the stoppage of the practice. Besides, most of the changes are plays on words (changing words to similar sounding words), it is fairly obvious when it has happened.
Old 02-05-02, 06:40 PM
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So... are you saying it would be wrong to use admin powers to change Hot Deals to Hot Carls? I guess it would.

The issue of cliquishness of the Other Forum is a separate issue to me. It's one that has been discussed since the forum started. Hard for there to be a group of people in any form that will not be perceived this way, unless everyone was new.
Old 02-05-02, 06:55 PM
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Originally posted by AgtFox
If you want the "root" problem of the Otter Farm, it is the clique nature of Other.
However, I've never felt like I am part of the Farm and I don't think I would want to be because of the clique nature.
The clique nature as you call it stems from the fact that a lot of members post in the Other on a regular basis and as such have formed friendships off the board. Those friendships took time to form and it's just normal that people respond to their friends more than to someone they don't know.
If you come in there once a week and post once or twice you will always feel an outsider- you simply will never be able to develop any kind of bond with regular members.
Old 02-06-02, 09:13 AM
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Originally posted by Cool Kitten
If you come in there once a week and post once or twice you will always feel an outsider- you simply will never be able to develop any kind of bond with regular members.
I'm in there every day so I don't feel like an outsider, I just don't want to be part of the clique. The Farm is worse than an IRC channel I used to frequent a long time ago and I thought that was bad (and I was part of the clique back then).

And don't think I'm naive to the fact that there are friendships outside in the real world that started in the Farm. In fact, I alluded to it in the message before. This is how cliques are made and an elitist attitude is formed. This is of course my opinion and others I am sure have a different one.

I'm not necessarily looking for any sort of bond with regular members (I know way too much about too many people on here that I never wanted to know or asked to know), I'm just looking for interesting discussions. However, those new users out there would probably be scared away by what is talked about in the Farm...and isn't the important thing for DVDTalk to get new members in it? Chances are that they will go to the Farm, considering it is the most widely read forum. They walk in and see all these mature threads and what not and they may not want to come back...

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