Startide

It seems that the most clever legal way to crap all over a thread is to hijack it.

DavidH

Is there anyone way for the moderator to ban "trouble making" individuals from responding to a particular thread?

I bring this up as I was very interesting in the Star Wars bootleg thread review, but it was closed because of a few individuals. It's too bad the majority have to suffer - can't something be done to the few?

Static Cling

To answer your first question, no, there isn't a way to ban people from a particular thread. If someone is acting up to the point that they are affecting a thread negatively, they'll get warned, and then if they continue with their behavior, they'll get temporarily suspended from the entire forum. If they return, and they STILL act up, they can get permanently banned from the forum.

The Star Wars DVD Reviews threads were initially not going to continue because of more than a few people. There were many people who posted in the thread who either couldn't (or wouldn't) keep a cool head about things, or wanted to discuss where to buy bootlegs (which was never an acceptable topic of the thread since the first post of the Part I thread... but it kept happening anyway). While good information was shared, and good discussion was had, it got to be more trouble than it was worth.

It's sort of moot now, though, considering the forum's change of policy towards bootlegs: that no bootleg discussion at all will take place on the forum. Check out the Feedback Forum for more details.

Dr. Dean

what about banning trouble making mods?

And how about a little credit to the great artist (whoever that is) who made that excellent threadcrap smilie?

uteotw

I enjoy "camoflauged" threadcrapping. A perfect example [topic--dvds you've regretted buying:

Tricky! But still

Static Cling

Maybe you're seeing something I'm not... what about that post do you feel is a threadcrap?

The first paragraph is about a DVD he regretted buying, which is the topic of the thread.

The second paragraph is just a continuation of the off-topic discussion that's been going on in that thread. It's not necessarily a threadcrap... just a hijacked thread.

Bushdog

Mods can clean up a thread, too. If there are lots of posts that are killing a thread (like idiotic pictures, or innane irelevant comments), it is pretty easy for a Mod to come in and make it like they never existed.

Report a post to the Mods and request that they be deleted.

MarcusAurelius

Deleted threadcrap. How ironic. - Static

Aghama

If you're going to leave this thread up here, could you please rewrite this sentence so it doesn't lump hijacks in with threadcraps?

Static Cling

Done... check out the first post of the thread and tell me what you think.

El Scorcho

Well one thing is for sure -- there's not one person on this planet who would ever post "I loved Glitter - please recommend movies like it"

Bandoman

MarcusAurelius' comments, while perhaps somehwat abrasive, were neither threadcrapping nor vulgar IMO. He was directly discussing the issue of threadcrapping, taking a view contrary to the admin/mods. Annoying? Pehaps, but not over the line.

I'm not trying to second guess Static Cling, as I have a lot of respect for him and for the enormously difficult job he and the other mods have here. I'm just concerned about an environment in which a reasonable, if not well-reasoned, opinion is deleted because it dissents from DVD Talk policy.

Aghama

Not really, he was ranting uncontrollably about very little. The only constructive point he made has now been addressed.

J0kER

.?.

Static Cling

I deleted MA's comments so that people wouldn't reply to them, but I guess that's not enough anymore. Since people are interested in what he said, let me sum it up.

1. I don't care about threadcrapping rules.

He walks into a thread about threadcrapping and says "I don't care about this." This is a threadcrap.

2. Threadcrapping rules are too vague.

This was already addressed in my replies to MrVette99 in this thread. The job of the multiple moderators & administrators is to help each other interpret and apply the rules better. Some people may have a problem with the fact that mods and admins have the power to interpret and apply the rules... but that, by definition, is their job. In addition, there are ways to make your grievances known if you feel that something was incorrectly deleted as a threadcrap. (Posting in the same thread about it isn't one of the recommended ones.)

3. This thread has nothing to do with DVDs.

No, but it has to do with a frequently asked question that I've gotten tired of repeating the answer to. I felt that laying out moderator criteria for threadcraps in a thread would be a good way for people to know what we think threadcraps are. Also, I could've just locked the thread after creating it so that no one would be able to respond to it, but I agreed with others that leaving it open would be a good way for people to ask for clarification on the rules, which has happened.

4. Is hijacking against the rules, too?

No. I edited my first post to address this. Admittedly, it did take me a while to realize that this was what vapoRware was concerned about earlier in the thread, and it took Aghama asking me point blank about hijacks for me to realize that people were unaware that threadcraps and hijacks were treated differently.

5. *multiple personal attacks*

Against the rules of the forum, so deleted.

IMO, his "somewhat abrasive" (as you put it) comments were completely out of line, and that's why I dumped them. There's a large difference between respectfully disagreeing with me (which is basically what this thread consists of ) and MA's aggressive ravings.

Well, the next time you're trying not to second guess me about something I did , please e-mail me instead of posting in a thread, or e-mail another moderator or an administrator if you feel an e-mail to me will fall upon deaf ears. Er, eyes.

El Scorcho

I'm still wondering who the hell this person who loved Glitter is.

Aghama

Mariah Carey's therapist.

Aghama

I don't think it's ever been enough for most people. Especially in this case where his comments were directly related to the thread, "aggressive ranting" or no.

Blade

If you don't want to follow the rules, then you don't have to post in the forum.

And since I don't want Static Cling to waste any more time on someone who has so clearly stated he doesn't intend to follow the DVDTalk rules, your posting privileges have been permanently suspended.

As for your so called concerns...you haven't stated anything new here. Thread craps don't bother you? So? In our experience they interrupt forum discussion. They're going to be edited out. Get over it. This thread is about discussing what is and isn't a thread crap and questions about how the policy is applied, not whether it will exist or not.

Freedom and Democracy? Hello? This is a membership required forum. You agreed to follow certain rules when you signed up. We want this to be a place where people can carry on useful and interesting discussions. if that cramps your style, seems more like it's your problem than ours. You want to insult our moderators in our forums? Ha! Give me a break. Not only are personal attacks forbidden against all members, but that applies to moderators too. Go exercise your freedom of speech and shout your insults out your window. But you agreed to not do that here when you signed up so don't do it here. Or were you lying when you agreed to the membership terms? Sounds like it to me.

This is volunteer work. We do it in our spare time. And we do it to make the forum more useful and enjoyable for everyone. If you don't like something, let us know and we'll be more than happy to listen and make adjustments if necessary and possible.

But if you start calling people names and saying the rules don't apply to you, don't seriously expect us to waste this much time on you.

Finally, I agree with Static that these comments are just going to throw this thread off topic. But seeing as how people always want to see the car crash, I'm going to split off the comments into Feedback and close the thread. Here's the link: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=216350

Again, this thread is not about whether or not we will be deleting thread craps. That is a given. Sorry for all the drama and let's please continue with the thread as intended.

Thank you.

joltaddict

The idiot moderators keep stealing my hall pass.

El Scorcho

That's it. I'm out of here.

RVN

Is it possible to Postcrap? You know where you say something and then put yourself down for saying it in the same post.

I've seen people post "crap" before, but that's different and if I point that out in response, then it's a threadcrap. Right?

Wow, that was a really stupid thing to say. What am I some kind of idiot? Besides, that sucks!

That does it, I'm going to report myself to a moderator and turn myself in.

Snowmaker

My cat once ate some thread and then crapped it out.

ctyankee

Let's work with some examples,

Example 1: Thread in "Other" Forum "Hey, for those that don't wear a motorcycle helmut when riding, what model/brand bad boy do you ride?

If my wife were to respond:

"Please consider my experiences - I work in the Brain Trauma Unit at a major hospital. About 35 percent of all patients are those involved in a motorcycle accident while not wearing a helmut. I am a speech pathologist who works with these folks helping them learn to speak again. For your consideration ..."

O.k. now as I understand it - no matter how polite or well intended - that is a threadcrap as the thread wasn't asking for a discussion on helmut use but wanted to know who/with what bikes did likewise. I understand, but I also disagree. Threads need to be more flexible than that.

Example 2. Thread: What excites you about the new release of The Game DVD? And the response post is: "not much as it looks like it is delayed and the specs have not been confirmed ...." Thread crap? Based on your definition, yes, but I think it is just an honest response that provides more information than any worries about losing the flow of the discussion.

Most people will agree that the "who cares that dvd/movie blows anyway" comments adds nothing to a thread that wasn't seeking opinions in the first place and the poster should be dealt with in a straight forward manner (much like a personal attack).

I think we start losing people when we draw the line too tightly beyond that. Example 3 - in the thread "Hey, who else thought the Spice World movie was cinematic genius? And someone commented back ... "You're kidding right?" I say fair game - fair comment without being mean-spirited. It is fair game to be incredulous and to express that incredulity.

Much like that book, All I really need to know, I learned in Kindergarten. Treat people with consideration, get along with others ... all good, common sense things we all can learn from. But if some kid is a cry baby in Kindergarten and kids call him a cry baby and the kid goes to the teacher to intervene - guess what? The teacher takes the kid aside and says "stop crying so much and your problem is solved." I think that is analogous to the previously mentioned Glitter reference. The more useful moderator approach is to have a "blind eye" to that discussion.

Blade

Are these real examples, or just made up examples?

I did a quick search, but I'm a little short on time and didn't really find any threads titled with your first two examples. So the following opinions are going to be based purely on what you posted in this thread.

As stated on the first page, a thread crap is something that ridicules an aspect of the thread topic or a post in it, and is usually not on topic either. Your first example is more of a thread hijack, and lacking any kind of excessively negative tone, would never be considered a thread crap. Your second example concerns a thread asking for opinions on a DVD, so that too wouldn't be a thread crap.

Your third example would be a borderline thread crap if the thread was about the release date or specs. But it's specifically asking for opinions of the movie, so negative comments are fair game. So, again, not a thread crap.

What we're most concerned with is just what you said..."Most people will agree that the "who cares that dvd/movie blows anyway" comments adds nothing to a thread that wasn't seeking opinions in the first place and the poster should be dealt with in a straight forward manner (much like a personal attack)." In addition, more than just not adding to a thread, they tend to take them off topic and start fights. That's our main concern here.

I think you believe we're being much more strict with this than we actually are. If you could provide links to these examples, I could probably give better responses. Thread crapping is all about context, so without being able to see the actual posts it's hard to give you a definite answer.