Quarantine/Triage = Guests

Subject: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 25 May 02 - 11:09 AM

Although a lot of guest postings piss me off, it lays us open to charges of elitism, if we ban them totally. Could Max institute a system whereby posts from guests, or other unregistered contributors, are only listed after 24 hours and/or perusal by a Joe Clone. If a guest is asking for info of a bona fide nature, waiting for an answer will do no harm. Whereas a troller/flamer is most likely to go away, as the inbuilt delay would often render their snide comments irrelevant, and deprive them of some of their twisted enjoyment. They could even be listed in their own perma thread after perusal, and not in the thread for which they were intended. This again would rob them of any relevance they may or may not have.
The floor is open for your thoughts....Giok
[I bet this one attracts the cowards, IGNORE THEM]

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: DMcG
Date: 25 May 02 - 11:26 AM

I don't think this would work. It would stop Guests starting new threads, but unless you stopped them posting into existing threads as well, all that would happen is that they would put flames in there instead. And if you stop them posting to threads entirely, it would stop valid members who cannot set up accounts at work, and so on, making entries. And it would give Joe much more work.

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 02 - 11:30 AM

Hi, Giok - that's one of the ideas we've had under consideration. Some of our guests make a great contribution, but I'm afraid that a number of them are downright obnoxious.
It would be a lot of work to review all our Guest posts, so we'd like to avoid that if we can.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: DMcG
Date: 25 May 02 - 11:32 AM

(by 'stopped' in the above I mean delayed-for-24-hours, etc, etc)

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From:
Date: 25 May 02 - 12:46 PM

On balance I can see more disadvantages than advantages to doing it this way. I try to avoid any threads started by GUESTS without labels, because from experience they almost always spin away into futile squabbles. ("Almost always" doesn't mean "absolutely always".)

The posts that open threads tend to set the tone though, and I think posts later on that try to derail things are much less damaging than initial posts which set out to skew a discussion about some important topic in a trolling way. In spite of which I don't favour stopping GUESTs starting posts.

But I would like to see it become necessary to put something in the "From Box" on a post. All right, it'd be possible to put a different name or number in each time they post, but at least it would make it easier for other people to post a comment or reply to it. It is possible to copy the date and time of the post, but doingthat is a nuisance, and it's also a nuisance for any reader who would like to find the post that is being referred to.

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 May 02 - 12:49 PM

And that was from me - quite how I managed not just to lose my name, but even lose the GUEST label is beyond me.

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 25 May 02 - 02:16 PM

sometimes immediacy is quite important when the writer is replying to other messages
and remember not everyone is writing from their own cookie-holding computer and members sometimes use other computers (that could be got around by having a login system rather than cookies)

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 25 May 02 - 02:54 PM

Hmmm - I like the GUESTS. There are one or two who tend to stimulate a response in some of us for varying reasons. But I think controversy is what Mudcat is about - it is certainly what Folk Music is about I believe - and support it in all of its craziness. I have iterated, and reiterated, that my love of this place comes not just from the friends I've made, and the songs I've found, but the heated debates at times also. It all goes back to choices and whether I choose to participate in the nasty ones or not.

Just my opinion though

Steve

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 May 02 - 03:19 PM

During the days of DOS, I knew what was going on and could make a computer jump through hoops, but things have got so messy within recent years that I don't know what happens inside the box anymore (thanks a helluvalot, Bill!!), so I don't really know what's possible.

But I understand that an anonymous e-mail or post does come in with an identifiable return address. If so, would it be possible to do this? When a GUEST turns out to be a troll, flamer, or generally obnoxious and disruptive, screen their address out and dump the message, the same way you can set your e-mail program to screen out and dump spam.

Sort of a jerk filter.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: Bill D
Date: 25 May 02 - 04:14 PM

"..an identifiable return address"

only 'sort of', Don...IP addresses are visible to Max, but these can be faked...and actually tracing them, excerpt to general areas, is VERY difficult in most cases. It might be possible to block an entire domain...but that could block the innocent, also.

in an 'open' forum like Mudcat, putting up with the more obnoxious posters is one of the trade-offs. The larger and more popular we get, the greater the odds we'll get some posters who spend an inordinate amount of time complaining and 'trolling'....

we can either yell at them, tolerate them, or ignore them....and in a large group, there are those among us who will do some of each. I try to ignore, but I get sucked in....

Joe and the clones delete the really egregious posts..(racist, personal attacks..etc..)...so it may be that we have about as close to a decent system as we can without going to a totally moderated forum...

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: DonD
Date: 25 May 02 - 07:28 PM

I'd start a song challenge if I knew how -- but the constantly recurring GUEST question prompted this:

Last night I had the strangest dream

I never had before

I dreamed that Guests had all agreed

That they would troll no more.

And 'Catters all, heard the call

And decided to agree

And thread and posts forever more

Showed perfect harmony.

And ethnic slurs and racial slurs

Were no more to be found

Posts they were all rational

And good will did abound.

Last night I had the strangest dream

But sadly I awoke,

Found trolls and flamers at their 'post'

It was a cosmic joke.

But still I live in hopes I'll see

That idyllic Mudcat day

When all can post in amity

And trollers will fade away.

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 May 02 - 07:52 PM

Amen.

Subject: RE: Quarantine/Triage = Guests
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 May 02 - 08:12 PM

"And ethnic slurs and racial slurs were no more to be found." Many of the older songs in the DT and the threads about them contain material that may be obnoxious to some. Are you suggesting that they be expunged?