Replies to post #20492 on The Question and Answer Board (IHUB)

[greg s]

Bob,

These eDigital posters act like their board is the only one on iHub. I've seen the threats like:

1. If you don't get rid of the bashers, we will move en masse to Agora.

2. Leave us alone. Let our moderators censor the "bashers", else were going to leave.

This site has a great set of TOU's. That's all it needs. If the entire site were to bow to the "tyranny" of a set of posters on a single board, it will have a far-reaching and negative impact on the entire site, IMHO. I sent Matt a PM on this. Specific-stock boards should not be changed. I manage one of those boards and cringe to think what would happen if moderators were given free reign over the board to censor "bashers" outside the existing TOU's or competing stock-specific boards were allowed to be established. It would eliminate what sets iHub apart from the rest.

I ask that both you and Matt consider the huge impact setting such a precident would have on the site in general. Please focus on the forest, not the trees.

Thanks for listening.

[Mattu]

>>Matt? Did you understand his post and what do you think?

Not really.

But, what I'm proposing as a "test" doesn't cost us anything or you any programming time.

It's simply a new board with whomever starts (Tinroad, GoSilver) has total control over the Admin aspect of it. I completely back away. It can have the ticker EDIGPRIVATE, so it shows up. The current EDIG board remains and I'll be the 100% admin or continue to run it the way it is with help. Whatever works.

What results is a real-life example of what happens in a totally user-controlled environment. AT least then, we wouldn't have to argue or discuss. Will it fail? Will it succeed? Will it smell of a manip job so bad we can't stand it? At least we'll know.

We won't offer a ban feature. Instead, they can just delete posts like normal. Obviously, I'll take care of things on the back-end with multiple aliases and such. I have to do that everywhere.

What do you think?

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to try it and require that a link to the main board as well as an explanation on the test we are doing. Again, it'd just be a test.

Personally, I think it will fail miserably. I strongly believe based on experience that it takes positve and negative elements in one, single forum discussing civily to make a productive discussion and one that encourages participation. But, as mentioned before, I'm always open to change and suggestions, which is why I'm discussing this in an open forum.

MB