Managing forum toxicity and negativity

[Lemsta69]

On 11/13/2023 at 6:30 PM, farmerjo said:

Can i ask how you know a poster changed their name.

I asked the question on name changes months a go in a topic and was told only mods know.

 

Firstly, the poster 'bignok' didn't change his username. He simply stopped using the 'sparktrader' profile and created a new one for whatever reason.

 

It was very easy to spot - same abrupt, know-it-all style. Even Blind Freddy could see it.

 

Other posters have contacted support and asked to have their usernames changed. I forget which thread it was discussed in but apparently mods will do this upon request if you can make a valid case.

 

The only m instances I know of this happening are 'possum1931' changing to 'NoshowJones' and 'Bob Smith' to 'Bogs Smith' and back again.

 

The latter changes stood out because, IIRC, both users kept their old avatar. Also the old forum software used to show the reputation score so it was unusual to see a new username with an advanced score.

 

After that it was simply a matter of clicking on their profile and noting that both usernames appeared in the recent history.

[Bkk Brian]

5 hours ago, farmerjo said:

That's pretty harsh on our beloved Owl.

Nothing like being an eggspert on all matters.

Me and Owl have had many debates on this and we both agree to disagree on some. That is healthy and what a forum is about

[Mike Lister]

7 hours ago, bob smith said:

I think stopping banning them for 'trolling by emoticon' would be a good start.

 

That's the way things were done in the past.

 

Talk about petty!

It would be much simpler and better if people wouldn't troll by emoticon in the first place and instead, tried to articulate their thoughts rather than posting silly  childish faces! If this were a kindergarten and all the posters under age 8, I might see things differently. But one minute there are intelligent and in depth discussions about taxation, economics or politics and the next we're faced with a wall of sad emojis, posted by people who presumably don't understand the subject matter or can't be bothered to join in.

[Mike Lister]

On 11/13/2023 at 6:02 AM, Kinok Farang said:

This forum is really professional but no fun anymore.

15 years or so ago you could come here guaranteed a good laugh with the members banter and self deprecating stories but now with the moderators such miserable buggars everyone has to watch their p's and q's.This is a grown up forum for Christ's sake.  

But that's exactly the point isn't it, a forum is different things to different people. No matter what part of it you try to improve, restrict or grow, somebody somewhere will feel just as you do now.

[bob smith]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

It would be much simpler and better if people wouldn't troll by emoticon in the first place and instead, tried to articulate their thoughts rather than posting silly  childish faces! If this were a kindergarten and all the posters under age 8, I might see things differently. But one minute there are intelligent and in depth discussions about taxation, economics or politics and the next we're faced with a wall of sad emojis, posted by people who presumably don't understand the subject matter or can't be bothered to join in.

Like it or not the emojis are part and parcel of this forum.

 

write your congressman..

[Puccini]

It always puzzles me when a member, directed at another member, posts something like "I've put you on my ignore list" or "I've reported your post"

 

It's not the ignoring or reporting that puzzles me, I can understand that, but why post having done so? Do they get some weird, sadistic satisfaction out of it?

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

After that it was simply a matter of clicking on their profile and noting that both usernames appeared in the recent history.

Doesn't it change the history of posting to the new updated name?

[Kinok Farang]

59 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

But that's exactly the point isn't it, a forum is different things to different people. No matter what part of it you try to improve, restrict or grow, somebody somewhere will feel just as you do now.

Good point.I only joined this conversation because i think certain moderators on here bask in the power that they perceive they have.It looks like quite a few members agree with me.Cheers Mike.

[bob smith]

11 minutes ago, Puccini said:

It always puzzles me when a member, directed at another member, posts something like "I've put you on my ignore list" or "I've reported your post"

 

It's not the ignoring or reporting that puzzles me, I can understand that, but why post having done so? Do they get some weird, sadistic satisfaction out of it?

Exactly.

 

some members are really petty.

 

like really bloody petty!

[Mike Lister]

45 minutes ago, Kinok Farang said:

Good point.I only joined this conversation because i think certain moderators on here bask in the power that they perceive they have.It looks like quite a few members agree with me.Cheers Mike.

I think that was true in isolated cases in the past but as a general rule I don't think it is and I think steps have now been taken to resolve that particular issue. If we're honest and objective about it, being a mod is sh*t and very difficult job which few of us make any easier on a consistent basis. You can please some of the people some of the time.....etc.

[Mike Lister]

1 hour ago, Puccini said:

It always puzzles me when a member, directed at another member, posts something like "I've put you on my ignore list" or "I've reported your post"

 

It's not the ignoring or reporting that puzzles me, I can understand that, but why post having done so? Do they get some weird, sadistic satisfaction out of it?

I think it's about trying to influence poster behaviour, isn't it. When idiots troll others and nobody says anything, they think that behaviour is OK and that nobody minds so they continue. But by telling them they have voted with their feet and will not read anything they have to say on any subject in the future, that has potential impact which makes people think, it also sends the signal, don't waste your time on me again, I'm not interested.

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, bob smith said:

Exactly.

 

some members are really petty.

 

like really bloody petty!

Some are drunk.

[bob smith]

47 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

When idiots troll others and nobody says anything, they think that behaviour is OK and that nobody minds so they continue.

can you define trolling please?

 

Isn't that term itself wide open to interpretation? 

[bob smith]

54 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

I think that was true in isolated cases in the past but as a general rule I don't think it is

you only joined on 7th October.

 

What do you know about the way things were done in the past here?

[Mike Lister]

8 minutes ago, bob smith said:

you only joined on 7th October.

 

What do you know about the way things were done in the past here?

I joined in 2007 but not under my current name.

 

EDIT: sorry, 2006.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Mike Lister

[Mike Lister]

6 minutes ago, bob smith said:

can you define trolling please?

 

Isn't that term itself wide open to interpretation? 

If you have to ask that question, you're trolling!

[bob smith]

3 minutes ago, Mike Lister said:

If you have to ask that question, you're trolling!

No, I'm not.

 

It's a serious question and if you cannot give a serious answer then it's you that's trolling buddy!

[Mike Lister]

3 minutes ago, bob smith said:

No, I'm not.

 

It's a serious question and if you cannot give a serious answer then it's you that's trolling buddy!

It's amusing that you're such a prolific poster but  unable to use google to research a subject, nevertheless, I'll humor you, buddy!:

 

Trolling is when someone post or comments online to deliberately upset others. In short: Trolling is when someone deliberately tries to upset others online.

 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people/trolling#:~:text=Trolling is when someone post,likely to make things worse.

[save the frogs]

45 minutes ago, bob smith said:

can you define trolling please?

 

Isn't that term itself wide open to interpretation? 

so you don't know what a troll is?

 

what about a class clown? 

[bob smith]

5 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

so you don't know what a troll is?

 

what about a class clown? 

Can you define trolling for me then?

[Mike Lister]

4 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Can you define trolling for me then?

I rest my case!

[MrPancake]

11 hours ago, bob smith said:

dear oh dear.

 

25 pages of nothing but whinge whinge whinge.

worse than a table full of old women down the bingo hall!

 

it's an anonymous forum for god sake, it's a bit of fun to brighten up what would otherwise be a boring day in Thailand.

Stop taking yourselves so bleedin serious!!

 

Grow a pair fellas, aseannow is NOT the be all and end all!

 

True. Not nice to hear but true.

[save the frogs]

13 minutes ago, bob smith said:

Can you define trolling for me then?

I have no problem with it. 

People need to learn to discern which threads and comments to respond to and which ones are not worth responding to, which ones to take seriously and which ones to take less seriously. 

 

And people need to take themselves less seriously and stop taking everything so seriously, so "trolling" is actually helpful for that. 

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by save the frogs

[bob smith]

7 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

I have no problem with it. 

People need to learn to discern which threads and comments to respond to and which ones are not worth responding to. 

 

I honestly have yet to see what us internet nerds would define as a genuine troll on aseannow.

 

Having been a member of forums and bulletin boards since the late 80s I know what a real troll is.

 

Not a single person on here has yet qualified to hold that title.

 

The term trolling is used far too loosely here, and seems to be used as a catch all term by certain members to degrade others or draw the attention of the mods when they don't agree with a posters particular viewpoint.

Edited November 15, 2023 by bob smith

[EVENKEEL]

Just now, bob smith said:

I honestly have yet to meet what use internet nerds would define as a genuine troll.

 

Having been a member of forums and bulletin boards since the late 80s I know what a real troll is.

 

Not a single person on here has yet qualified to hold that title.

You don't give yourself enough credit.  

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/11/2023 at 11:46 AM, Lacessit said:

Moved the goalposts, haven't we?

Ia every post that asks an awkward question a baiting post?

Leave the personal baiting out of a question and I'll answer the question.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I honestly have yet to see what us internet nerds would define as a genuine troll on aseannow.

 

Having been a member of forums and bulletin boards since the late 80s I know what a real troll is.

 

Not a single person on here has yet qualified to hold that title.

 

The term trolling is used far too loosely here, and seems to be used as a catch all term by certain members to degrade others or draw the attention of the mods when they don't agree with a posters particular viewpoint.

I can't agree with that, but there have certainly been a great number of posts deleted by mods with the reason that it's "trolling".

I have more about that, but even on this thread I doubt I could say it.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 hours ago, bob smith said:

dear oh dear.

 

25 pages of nothing but whinge whinge whinge.

worse than a table full of old women down the bingo hall!

 

it's an anonymous forum for god sake, it's a bit of fun to brighten up what would otherwise be a boring day in Thailand.

Stop taking yourselves so bleedin serious!!

 

Grow a pair fellas, aseannow is NOT the be all and end all!

You don't appear to be a psychologist, else you might understand why posters winge. Winging is absolutely fine, and anyone doesn't like it is welcome to just not continue reading. Psychologists no doubt have a term to describe those people that like to read something they describe as winging and then winge about the winging.

 

[Mike Lister]

15 minutes ago, bob smith said:

I honestly have yet to see what us internet nerds would define as a genuine troll on aseannow.

 

Having been a member of forums and bulletin boards since the late 80s I know what a real troll is.

 

Not a single person on here has yet qualified to hold that title.

 

The term trolling is used far too loosely here, and seems to be used as a catch all term by certain members to degrade others or draw the attention of the mods when they don't agree with a posters particular viewpoint.

Just having your have your own unique definition of what is a troll, doesn't count for anything. What counts is what everyone else thinks it is and you have been given that definition. TBH Bob, if you are of the age you suggest you are and you really want to engage here, which I doubt very much, you probably need to go out, change your  name and come back in again. The fact that you don't do that speaks volumes and conforms why you are here.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

I have no problem with it. 

People need to learn to discern which threads and comments to respond to and which ones are not worth responding to, which ones to take seriously and which ones to take less seriously. 

 

And people need to take themselves less seriously and stop taking everything so seriously, so "trolling" is actually helpful for that. 

 

Even more, some posters need to find out how to ignore posters they have a problem with. It makes the posting experience so much more pleasant not to have to keep skipping posts. IMO most of us come on here to get away from real life for a while, and it's not enjoyable if all we do is respond to personal attack posts.