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This topic has moved here: Subject: Should we be able to Ignore Posts?
  • Subject: Should we be able to Ignore Posts?
Subject: Should we be able to Ignore Posts?

I just don't feel that the feature is worth it in the long run.

  • 08.21.2012 11:29 PM PDT

Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: Ockeghem
This is an inborn ability we already possess
Doesn't change the fact that the content is still on the screen (thus, it is seen) when it doesn't have to be.

I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.

  • 08.21.2012 11:40 PM PDT

Posted by: Synyster Ricz
Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: Ockeghem
This is an inborn ability we already possess
Doesn't change the fact that the content is still on the screen (thus, it is seen) when it doesn't have to be.

I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.
Only common members need sweep it under the rug, the Moderators deal with the crap. And to be honest, there are quite a number of people here that are just straight up annoying.

  • 08.21.2012 11:47 PM PDT

Average Joe l Youtube Channel l Twitter
Fools react, masters respond

~B.B.

Posted by: Grimaldus
Only common members need sweep it under the rug, the Moderators deal with the crap. And to be honest, there are quite a number of people here that are just straight up annoying.
Grimaldus is my favorite poster tonight.

~Hawk

  • 08.21.2012 11:49 PM PDT

Posted by: CrazzySnipe55
I just don't see what the point of it is, to be honest. It's like if you didn't like looking at the Most Saved threads on the right side or the Bungie.net Community Forum ad over there--> and then wanted a feature to disable stuff on the right side of the page, even though you could just not look at it. Honestly, it's not like it's school or work where you have to actually interact with people.
I don't think that's a good analogy, because the main focus of the page within a thread is on the posts (the post container), not the sidebars. When you look at a site like Wikipedia you see the same design. The focus is on the content on the right, not the sidebar on the left which has information [mostly] irrelevant to the content of article.

Posted by: CrazzySnipe55
A forum essentially works like school or work or real life, but you can only hear people if you were currently looking at and focusing on them, therefore making people you dislike effectively mute. Sure, you have to look at them standing there, but if you need to have an invisibility cloak to throw over people to supplement this amazing power you now possess to quiet whoever you want then you are beyond the help of this invisibility cloak you think you need.
Except when those people start talking in a loud voice, start saying ridiculous things, etc...


Posted by: Synyster Ricz
I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.
If a spammer spams a forum and all his posts are gone from my screen, has he spammed a forum?

  • 08.21.2012 11:57 PM PDT

Posted by: Great_Pretender
Case and point: don't worry about it. Girls start getting boobies pretty soon, and then you'll have plenty of other things to think about. Being an Inheritor is not a life goal.
-TGP-

There was a huge thread about this some time ago, but to sum up the entire thread:
Me saying yes
SK15 saying no
Dazarobbo saying yes and pretty much stomping people's arguments

Again I say yes this is a great idea that I wish would be added in the next update.

I guess I'll give some reasonings: I hate when I'm reading a thread and I have to scroll incredibly far down because a spammer filled all the characters that he could in with spaces and a single period. I dislike having to see a user posting the same stupid shock link in every thread I click on in the Flood.

And crap, I'm now a Mythic member.

[Edited on 08.22.2012 12:02 AM PDT]

  • 08.21.2012 11:59 PM PDT


Posted by: Grimaldus
Posted by: Synyster Ricz
Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: Ockeghem
This is an inborn ability we already possess
Doesn't change the fact that the content is still on the screen (thus, it is seen) when it doesn't have to be.

I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.
Only common members need sweep it under the rug, the Moderators deal with the crap. And to be honest, there are quite a number of people here that are just straight up annoying.


How do you expect to report someone you've blocked? How would blocking someone stop anything? You people say it yourself, it's that easy to create another account. I really don't see how ignoring posts that you find annoying is so impossible that you need a feature to remove the post/member from your sight entirely. in short.

[Edited on 08.22.2012 12:14 AM PDT]

  • 08.22.2012 12:00 AM PDT

EDIT: Meant to edit my post. -_-


Posted by: dazarobbo
If a spammer spams a forum and all his posts are gone from my screen, has he spammed a forum?


Yes, because...

Posted by: dazarobbo
The only "removal" will be for the user who has made the decision that they no longer wish to read a particular user's posts any more (for whatever reason that may be).

Everyone who is not you can still see the mess.

[Edited on 08.22.2012 12:04 AM PDT]

  • 08.22.2012 12:03 AM PDT

Posted by: Synyster Ricz

Posted by: Grimaldus
Posted by: Synyster Ricz
Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: Ockeghem
This is an inborn ability we already possess
Doesn't change the fact that the content is still on the screen (thus, it is seen) when it doesn't have to be.

I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.
Only common members need sweep it under the rug, the Moderators deal with the crap. And to be honest, there are quite a number of people here that are just straight up annoying.


How do you expect to report someone you've blocked? How would blocking someone stop anything. You people say it yourself, it's that easy to create another account. I really don't see how ignoring posts that you find annoying is so impossible that you need a feature to remove the post/member from your sight entirely. in short.
Like this...

>Click Report button
>Click ignore button
>Post is automatically collapsed
>Enjoy the rest of my day.

  • 08.22.2012 12:03 AM PDT

Posted by: Synyster RiczNow assume that my interpretation of "spam" is not the same as a moderator's. That is to say, the person I identify as a spammer is not considered a spammer by a moderator and is therefore not blacklisted. The so-called "mess" remains because the moderator has determined the user is still posting within the rules.

Also, if the problem you're getting at is of there not being enough (not anyone either, because if nobody reports a post then the assumption is that it's OK) people who have not blocked a user who are the only ones to report them, there could be something simple like prioritising or adding an "implicit report" for those who have been blocked. For instance, let's say it takes 5 reports for a post to get into a report queue. 3 reports have been made explicitly with the report button, and previously, the user who has made the post was blocked twice. 3 + 2 = 5 = queued.

  • 08.22.2012 12:28 AM PDT

Subject: If you saw a meteor coming toward Earth, what would you do?Posted by: juniorbandit96
Butter my ass, turn around, spread open my butt cheeks, and say "Right here mutha-blam!-a!!"

Join Planetary Annihilation and Speed Haven

Idea for spam responses at least.
Post is auto-hidden for you when you report it.

  • 08.22.2012 12:30 AM PDT

Owning Noobs Since 05

"I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror like his passengers."

Jim Harkins

I'm not really sure about this, I can see how it can be good and bad. I would probably say nay because I think its good for discussion if everybody can see everybody. This would only be good against spammers IMO.

These quotes should help, there are more just look further in the thread.

Posted by: Achronos
Specifically, he's talking about an idea I've tossed around a few times, where a user would be able to control his own view. Moderators would only exist to deal with global bans for stuff like shock site spam, and users would be given tools to "moderator" their view. For example, if you're being a jerk to me, I could click a button that says "ignore xecnalxes117 posts for a week". Nobody else would be able to tell this had happened, because they'd still see you. I just wouldn't have to read your stuff anymore.

Obviously, there are a lot of implementation details for this kind of thing, many of which have been pointed out. And then there is the matter if this is even a good idea or not. We're particularly concerned about how it could prevent users from becoming better users, as well as some users turning the forums into a sounding board that only echos their own opinion back to them. Although lots of you do that anyway without realizing it, so that may not be a concern.

While "spam" is the only thing you should ignore, what exactly is "spam"? Isn't it anything you don't want to see? Are political or religious threads spam? How about Brony threads? Armor Lock posts? Each of those threads could be spam, yet each of them aren't to others.

I don't know where this will take us, but I do appreciate the feedback. Your concerns are being noted. If we do decide to move ahead with something like this, it will be only after careful consideration of your feedback, both positive and negative.

Posted by: Achronos
Definately a concern. But playing devil's advocate to facilitate discussion:

This is a video game developer's board. A community formed around a shared form of entertainment. Shouldn't I be able to focus on the fun to the exclusion of the "divergent opinions" should I so choose? If I don't really care about learning or interacting or growing with the community, should I have to? Should the community drag me into the light so that it can grow as a whole, and is that growth positive? Or should it let me stay in darkness if I want, perhaps emphasizing the quality of those who do "stand in the light", so to speak?Posted by:Duck duck DEATH
It encourages ignorance by facilitating it.

A real component of your argument behind hiding posts is that it would enhance a users' experience. When you ignore a poster, you literally disconnect yourself not from a subject but rather from every subject raised by a specific person. People do not post about one subject only, so you're also disconnecting yourself from a wealth of posts that may be relevant to your interests.

The issue is that you don't address the difference between what you want to see and what you need to see. A truly enhanced experience would expose us to information which would challenge and broaden our views. If we simply ignored things we found disagreeable or tasteless, we often would never learn.

Posted by: Achronos
Have you considered it from the opposite side?

You in particular seem to have quite a following of people who don't like you, for whatever reason. More than a few harass you whenever you post. If they could ignore you, a number of them probably wouldn't harass you anymore.

The fact of the matter is that "more bans" simply isn't viable. We don't have the manpower to moderate this site as effectively as we want given its population, and even if we did, it is hard to have consistent enforcement with human moderators, as everybody's definitions of "spam" is different. So, this line of thinking is an effort to find a way so we don't need moderators to worry about the little things, and essentially only have them as a SWAT team for shock site spam and the like rather than worrying if someone isn't nice to you.

So far, my opinion is that if it were done, it couldn't be done in isolation, and would have to be very, very, very carefully implemented to avoid creating an "echo chamber" by default... basically to make it so it was a backup device for users, rather than the first thing they hit when annoyed by someone. As to how to do that... well... I guess if it were easy, we would have already done it.

Keep the discussion going, though, it is very helpful.Posted by: spartain ken 15
Well then those people should be banned, maybe a little time out will teach them a lesson. If they keep flamming, they need to be banned some more becuase they didn't learn to play nice


Posted by: Achronos
Catching up on the thread...

Lots of good points on both sides of the debate. To be clear, though - any type of ignore feature would be more about allowing you a filter for your view that is easily removed. And also, nobody is developing such a system or even designing one at the present time (so no limitations on the type of feedback).

I'm personally still undecided, although I know I do want something that eliminates a lot of stupid things the moderators have to care about. It would be great if they only ever had to truely ban people for posting shock sites and the lock, because you guys could ignore for all the minor infractions. That's probably a fantasy, though.

I do think that some of you calling such a feature the "death of the community" are being a bit melodramatic. Lots of forums have ignore features, and their communities are just fine. Sure, some people use ignore buttons to silence those they don't agree with, but those type of people want to live in the echo chamber anyway and aren't really part of the community - they just like hearing that they are right from other people. Most would use such a feature as a way to instantly deal with things without having to wait for the mods.

On the same token, those complaining that people should "just ignore" those they don't like... that's also not really relevant. In the first place, who are you telling others how they read the forums is "right" or "wrong"? Besides, adding an ignore feature doesn't remove this option. Those of us who don't ever ignore people can simply go on as usual. This is about adding a tool so that people (ironically) don't have to ignore someone, their posts just won't be there or be minimized.

Anyway, one question I thought of - quoting. Does it really matter that you can see an ignored user being quoted? I mean, you can see a banned user's quoted text right now. Quoting would have to be made programmatic than it is now in order for the system to know who you're quoting. This may have consequences elsewhere. Does that change your opinion of this theoretical feature?

Again, thanks for all the feedback. I still don't know yet if something like this is even worth having, let alone doing the design and implementation work of it.


[b">Posted by:[/b] Achronos
Abused... how?

An ignore button is per-user. You can't affect what other people see. If you ignore someone, they won't ever know. To them, you just decided to not reply to them... which can happen to any post for any reason right now.

The generic "it will be abused" is often thrown out when a new feature is up for discussion. But ANY type of user input can be abused (see: text-only forum posts). Does that mean your forum posts should only be comprised of symbols that represent pre-screened sentences?

Don't be that guy.
Posted by: spartain ken 15
I don't even know how one would implement this so it wouldn't get abused.


Posted by: Achronos
This feedback isn't helpful. You seem to be having trouble separating "ban" from "ignore".

1. If a user is banned, it is because a moderator judged they were in violation of the code of conduct.
2. If I ignore a user, I can do it for whatever reason I please. That's a feature, not a design flaw.

I don't know why you're trying to add the moderators doing anything or even talking about the Code of Conduct or bans to this discussion. I want the moderators to have to worry about less things, you seem to be going with the standard "septagon know-it-all approach" of "more bans would make everything better."

Again, that's not helpful feedback for any topic. I almost always dismiss it without even really reading it, because "more bans" are usually never the right answer. An ignore feature means less global bans, because you'd be able to enforce the "play nice" rule on your own view yourself. Nobody has yet been able to convince me that that primary gain doesn't completely offset the negatives (which so far seem very minor).



[Edited on 08.22.2012 12:53 AM PDT]

  • 08.22.2012 12:38 AM PDT

Posted by: catman6
Idea for spam responses at least.
Post is auto-hidden for you when you report it.
Is that for the individual user or will it affect everyone?

  • 08.22.2012 12:40 AM PDT
  • gamertag: ankerd
  • user homepage:

Bringing in Fikst. Bringing back lmao.
Inheritor # 475 world,

#6 In the Country.

Halocharts.com

Yes just don't click on it after the firs ttime?

  • 08.22.2012 12:40 AM PDT

feartehstickman...
Posted by: toxicpanther615
the only problem i have with mine is that it's unstable,[very shakey],so you'd need a tripod for it.

Posted by: CJ Olvaid 360
Just drink a beer and everything will be ok

I think this topic has been debated ad nausea. If people could come up with some slightly different arguements, that'd be great. It's just the same misconceptions over and over again.

  • 08.22.2012 1:10 AM PDT

The Forerunner, the Great Journey, and Heaven Theory

[Announcement Trailer] Halo: Forerunner

Posted by: Agustus
I lol'd at the absurd miscommunication that occurs whenever dibbs post something. Perhaps his brain is so highly evolved that he can no longer clearly communicate with lesser life forms, even among his own species.

Posted by: dazarobbo
I disagree with you. I hate to rely on anecdotal evidence and assumptions here but I don't think users manually ignore posts on B.net; even if they want to (which would have to be done by identifying the username first and deciding they don't want to read it). People oftentimes wish they could have ignored a post but that's only after reading the content and making an assessment.

The problems with filtering content so that it becomes simply a reinforcemnt of already held beliefs was addressed as early as 1997 and I agree completely with it. People should be able to tailor their experience to an extent, but they should not be able to filter out content. Viewing ideas we disagree with, or even things that bring negative emotions to the forefront, is necessary. It forces us to take in information, reexamine why we believe the things we believe, and either strengthen our convictions or change them for the better.

Despite many times wishing this feature was a reality, I will never agree with or promote it becoming a feature of this or any other website. Censorship (even self imposed) only serves to make a person worse off.

  • 08.22.2012 1:27 AM PDT

"Only a fool dismisses something outside of his realm of experience as an impossibility"

Find me at
Youtube
Halo: Reach
Xbox Live
Xfire

Straight 50/50, Well this one could go either way.

  • 08.22.2012 1:40 AM PDT
  •  | 
  • Fabled Mythic Member

R.I.P. DeathPimp. Never Ending Respect.

"Posted by: Kickimanjaro
I'm trying to become an '04, but it's not working too well."

As said a few times before, you already can.

You can ignore them by scrolling past them.

  • 08.22.2012 1:49 AM PDT

Condoms aren't always safe, my friend was wearing one and got hit by a bus.

I ignored every post in this thread, and it wasn't even that hard. Then I went back and read them.

Seriously, scroll past it. I mean, if its a really long post and you really don't want to read it, just type "groups" into the page search (command + f on macs), and click next. you're set.

  • 08.22.2012 1:57 AM PDT
  •  | 
  • Exalted Mythic Member
  • gamertag: Kalriq
  • user homepage:

Twitter.
WyIdfyre: 'lol, who the hell would even wear those?'
AuSam: 'lol, who the hell would even have sex with dogs?'

-K-

Posted by: Verachi
Achronos Quotes
Thanks for that. It helps to know the actual application if the feature were to be implemented by the big daddy.
To be honest, it isn't a feature I would find myself using often. I'm not of the mindset to block someone just because they're stupid, or because I don't like them, because however much of a reputation someone can make for themselves, there's always the chance that something of value might come out of them, and I'll miss it - but then, the feature isn't intended for that.
Of course, I'd happily use it to eliminate threads and users spamming shock sites, or blatant troll topics. But this is where the idea inevitably could fall flat; this community's fixation with replying to the topics in question.
It's not smart or funny to reply to a topic like that, and in the ideal world, everyone would press that ignore/report button on the thread in question. But we don't live in the ideal world, and every time I see a hot topic of 'HAHAHAIJUSTHADSEXWITHMYSISTER' or 'HAHAYOUAREALLAUTISTIC' a part of me dies, as the population of this site have failed me again. Sure, I wouldn't have to see the problem any more, but it would only be sweeping it under the mat, while other people carry on senselessly feeding trolls or bumping rule breaking threads.

By all means implement the feature, I'm sure it would see plenty of use, both of the intentional, or as Achronos approximated to ignoring anyone you don't agree with. But inevitably, the community of this site will carry on letting us down.

Sorry for being so cynical.

  • 08.22.2012 2:23 AM PDT
  •  | 
  • Exalted Mythic Member
  • gamertag: Kalriq
  • user homepage:

Twitter.
WyIdfyre: 'lol, who the hell would even wear those?'
AuSam: 'lol, who the hell would even have sex with dogs?'

-K-

Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: Synyster Ricz
I don't see how sweeping it under the rug could help.
If a spammer spams a forum and all his posts are gone from my screen, has he spammed a forum?
Sadly, yes. Because his posts might still be on someone else's screen, who is intent on replying to every single on his posts to say 'OH MY GOD WHY ARE YOU SPAMMING THE FORUM?'
For as many users who utilise the feature to its full potential, there will be just as many who don't, and carry out service as normal.

  • 08.22.2012 2:29 AM PDT

Perpetual Ninja in training.

"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

DMH

Los Paranoias

I think the only real implementation would be to duel function the report button. By reporting someone, you are given the option to also collapse their posts. This would probably make it so that the report button is abused some, but in the end, it could be edited in some way to make it work.


I just don't like the idea that if I see a spammer, and I want to ignore him, I can't. He gets his win because I now have to scroll all the way through the posts. And before you say "Just leave the forum if someone is spamming," I have to ask you why must I leave the very place I want to stay because of one guy? That seems a little counterintuitive, if you ask me. If anything, I should have some way to clean it up, and be allowed to continue to posts and relax.


Of course, there is the idea that the hide function would only be suitable for spammers, and even then, we're talking about one guy who comes here every so often, and just spams up a page of links. A very mild and specific case, and the solution at hand can be used in a much broader field of ideas.


In the end, it comes down to some sort of innovative medium by the WebTeam that will allow us to hide a spammer if need be, and still not be abusive of the hiding function, enough so that we are basically only seeing the posts by those who we agree with, and only them.


If someone wants that sort of forum, then by all means, let them. They have no bearing on my soul, because I'm here to experience new ideas and beliefs. I'm here to discuss things with people that are different than me, and think differently. If someone wants to blind themselves of the wonderful world of interesting and different views, so be it, I don't care for them anyway.

  • 08.22.2012 5:10 AM PDT

<3

this isnt facebook

  • 08.22.2012 5:38 AM PDT

Wheres Meh Sniper?

Youtube page

It would be cool.

  • 08.22.2012 6:09 AM PDT

I spend too much time here.. too much time indeed.

I tweet?

Posted by: Xplode441
There was a huge thread about this some time ago, but to sum up the entire thread:
Me saying yes
SK15 saying no
Dazarobbo saying yes and pretty much stomping people's arguments

Again I say yes this is a great idea that I wish would be added in the next update.

I guess I'll give some reasonings: I hate when I'm reading a thread and I have to scroll incredibly far down because a spammer filled all the characters that he could in with spaces and a single period. I dislike having to see a user posting the same stupid shock link in every thread I click on in the Flood.

And crap, I'm now a Mythic member.

Pretty much this.

The main argument of "ignore and/or report move on" is a selfish one, why not give someone who may find it harder than you do to ignore something another way out. One that would prevent them from getting ban from either replying to spam or flaming a user for their "stupid" post. Of course some of you are heartless individuals who'd rather seem them banned of course, but I'd rather see them get a little something to help.

Besides that, perhaps it would cut down on the moaning and groaning in regards to the mods not being around or quick enough to swoop in and take care of a bad thread or post. Everyone could moderate on their own until a moderator does take care of it.

Hell, why does everyone act like it's a death sentence for those who would be ignored by someone? No one's suggesting that it'd be permanent or effect the view of anyone else but the person who decided to ignore the user. I mean I'm in support of merely collapsing all of the ignored user's post so they're an indication of where their post is and that you could view it if you so desired. Perhaps after realizing you ignored them for a one time lapse of judgement and you remove them from the ignore list.

Okay, done.

  • 08.22.2012 6:26 AM PDT