Hi everyone,

In the last few months I've noticed lots of discussion threads that get very chatty, or threads that start out on-topic and then veer off to completely unrelated things...like razzing someone about their favorite football team. Or replies that are nothing more than a smilie or a "Me too".

It seems like this is getting out of hand and beginning to diminishes the value of some discussion threads. This stuff also takes up valuable storage space on the server and adds to the monthly bandwidth cost of the BB. It also means that over time, I will have to do a whole lot more cleanup and deleting of threads.

So please do your best to keep discussions focused and on-topic, and try to minimize the extreme chattiness of posts.

Thank you,
Chris

extra megabytes of text will reduce search function performance and results quality as well ...

Does your request apply to the Just Conversation forum as well?

Would it be helpful if us chatty members used search, reviewed and cleaned up our own posts?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Shawn W,

My request applies to all the forums. I also want to be clear that I was not targeting any one individual, these are general comments I'm making.

I don't expect that folks will go back and delete their own posts, but if you want to, that's OK with me, and you won't lose any karma points causing your member status to be demoted.

Not trying to make a big fuss here, just want people to be aware of my concerns and a little more thoughful when posting, that's all.

Regards,
Chris

No sooner do I post this than a couple of you post meaningless messages for laughs that I end up deleting.

I'm a pretty patient person, but I'm now starting to get a little pissed off.

Please resist the temptation to click the "Reply" button for no good reason. And keep the football discussion to the football thread in the Just Conversation Forum. If I see that stuff interspersed in other threads, I will delete it, and if people keep doing it, I will suspend their posting privilege.

Regards,
Chris

Chris,
Not sure how internet/hosting services are paid for, but if you pay for storage, why don't you delete some old stuff; especially in the Just Conversation forum?

quote:

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Originally posted by Jerry N.:
...why don't you delete some old stuff; especially in the Just Conversation forum?

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The situation is this: I pay a monthly fee that allows a certain number of posts to be stored (up to a certain disk space limit) and allows a certain amount of download bandwidth. So, the more off-topic and chatty stuff that's posted, the closer I get to exceeding the post limit and the bandwidth limit each month. Right now, we're not really getting too close to those limits, but it's something I have to monitor.

I am in the process of deleting old message threads, but the challenge is that I don't want to do a mass delete; I want to keep threads that have lasting value and delete the rest. That means I have to scan each post and make a determination: Do I delete the entire post, or just part of it, or leave it intact? The more off-topic and chatty discussion that is posted, the more difficult this job becomes.

But the bigger issue for me has to do with keeping this bulletin board relevant and useful. My feeling is that all the off-topic and chatty discussion diminishes the value of the bulletin board. In recent weeks, I've found it much more difficult to keep up with all the posts, and what I started noticing was that lots of what was being posted was not very meaningful.

For example, I was cleaning up some posts in the Just Conversation Forum last night. I was reading a message thread about something-or-other that was really good for the first 15 posts or so...and then someone made an off-hand remark about his wife, and the next 25 posts were a bunch of chatty reactions. That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. It's a waste of the reader's time, a waste of storage space, a waste of download bandwidth, and a waste of my time having to delete it at some point in the future.

So, the bottom line is this:

• Keep your posts concise.
  
• Keep your replies on-topic.
  
• If reading a message thread causes you to come up with an unrelated question, start another message thread.
  
• Resist the temptation to hit the "Reply" button unless you've got something meaningful to add.
  
• Remember, the bulletin board is basically about posting questions and answers. It is not a chat forum.

A member pointed out to me that perhaps the increase in chatty posts is related to the loss of the Private Messaging e-mail function we used to have in the old bulletin board software. It is also clear that the chat area I recently activated doesn't work so well because you can't see how many members are in the room before entering it, and there's no way to invite another member to join you in the chat room.

These problems may be fixed by Infopop (the bulletin board software provider) at some point down the road, which may help resolve much of this issue...but regardless, I would ask that people abide by the posting guidelines I've listed above.

I also want to acknowledge that over the past few days, things have gotten a lot better in this regard. There seems to be fewer posts, and they are more on-topic. So thank you to all for your efforts in this area.

Regards,
Chris

Great post Chris. Bravo!

I like football too, but folks should use a little discipline concerning when it is appropriate as far as a bbq discussion. I am glad you said to stay on topic, be concise and if reading a thread causes you to come up with an unrelated question, start another thread. That will save us all some time.

Glenn

Hi everyone,

I was looking at some bulletin board stats for October vs. November, and I wanted to thank all of you for doing your part to keep conversations on-topic and chat to a minimum.

In October, the top poster (who shall remain anonymous) posted 512 messages! The next four people posted 273, 239, 238, and 234 messages.

In November, the top poster posted 217 messages, followed by 131, 123, 122, and 112.

So thanks for "turning down the volume" a bit when it comes to post count. I appreciate it.

Regards,
Chris

I truly hope this is not taken as meaningless chatter.

I've always thought the Karma rating (forgot what it was called in the previous service) motivated some folks to post more to see their status go up. I may be cynical about that, but, it could be true for some.

Enuff said. I will be sure only to post on topic and when it adds to BBQ knowledge.

What is the guideline in the Conversation area. I was under the impression that as long as it wasn't dealing in politics or religion it was ok.

I was censored 2 days ago and wasn't sure why! It was not controversial or shocking post in any way and was in the "Conversation" section. I agree staying on topic is a good thing, but, where is the line drawn in the "Conversation" arena?

quote:

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Originally posted by Greg Rempe:
What is the guideline in the Conversation area. I was under the impression that as long as it wasn't dealing in politics or religion it was ok.

I was censored 2 days ago and wasn't sure why! It was not controversial or shocking post in any way and was in the "Conversation" section. I agree staying on topic is a good thing, but, where is the line drawn in the "Conversation" arena?

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Basically Chris doesn't want to pay for anyones "yeah me too" posts that adds nothing to the discussion.

A good rule of thumb would be. When you write up a post and before you hit the "post now button" ask yourself. "Would I want to be charged $.03 for this contribution"? In most cases if you don't want to pay for your crap reply neither does Chris in the form of storage and or bandwidth of such posts.

Greg, I am not talking about you or your posts in particular just using your question as a point of reference.

Regards

The guidelines I wrote in my Nov. 10, 2004 post (scroll up to read in its entirety) apply to all forums, including the Just Conversation Forum, especially these points:

• Keep your posts concise.
  
• Keep your replies on-topic.
  
• If reading a message thread causes you to come up with an unrelated question, start another message thread.
  
• Resist the temptation to hit the "Reply" button unless you've got something meaningful to add.
  
• Remember, the bulletin board is basically about posting questions and answers. It is not a chat forum.

I don't tend to delete entire message threads unless I see that it has served its purpose. For example, when a person posts asking for someone's e-mail address, and it's given and acknowledged, I will delete that post. Another example is the "Angel Wing Begonia" thread that was posted today in the Just Conversation Forum. After a few days, I may delete that thread because I don't think it's of general interest, and because it has been asked and answered.

More typically, I delete replies in message threads that are off-topic. The most aggregious example I can think of recently was the "What should be my first WSM cook" thread where it evolved into which small towns someone had driven through recently and what was Bobby Flay's astrological sign. That kind of stuff drives me nuts. That's chat, not asking and answering questions, which is the primary function of this board.

As far as what topics are appropriate for the Just Conversation Forum, pretty much any topic is valid within the parameters spelled out in the Terms of Service page. However, after some period of time I will delete posts that do not have lasting value and that I do not want to archive.

Regards,
Chris

Well, that pretty much does it for me. I've shared the little I know about bbq and while I'd like to continue to browse the comings and goings here, the season's too short for me to be able to contribute anymore here. I do appreciate what Chris has provided here ~ don't get me wrong

Y'all take care!

Bill *On a delete mission*

Well I kinda feel the finger has been indirectly pointed at me. Due to the comments across the board about the number of posts I was making for awhile, made by a number of members. It had nothing to do with the Karma rating, "DALE"!!! What it had to do with was me being able to enjoy sharing what I knew and learning from what others new about BBQ or just having a conversation the folks here on the board. Conversation tends to mean "to talk" to me! What benefit would I get out of having a higher Karma rating than "John Doe"??? Does it make my food taste any better?? NO!! Does it make me a better cook?? NO!! I am really truly missing your point, "DALE"? I could care less about the Karma ratings and I think that is probably true for a majority of the folks here on the board! If this was such an issue why couldn't the "individual/individuals" who were making the large amount of posts be notified by the moderator of the problem before it got out of hand?

I have really enjoyed talking with everyone here on the board and have learned a tremendous amount from alot of people here. There are alot of very generous people here that are willing share their abundant amount knowledge with whomever asks for it without hesitation! There is so much knowledge being shared here, it is unbelieveable. If you can't learn it here, you can't learn it anywhere. I hope that I have been able to help others as well. I have made several personal friends thanks to TVWBB and am grateful for that. However, I have much more important things in life other than worrying about how many posts I make on a BBQ web site/forum. Or to worry about upsetting someone because I have more posts than they do. WHO CARES!

Chris,
Thanks for putting the TVWBB together it is a wonderful place. I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused you or anyone else here on the board. I will not cause any problems from here on out!

Bye everyone!


BrockinFLA, you said it perfectly! Now pay your .03!

quote:

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In most cases if you don't want to pay for your crap reply neither does Chris in the form of storage and or bandwidth of such posts.

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Larry Wolfe,

I feel thats its unfortunate that Bill and Larry feel that way. This forum will be less enjoyable without them. Bill, you have one of the most complex WSM "systems" I have ever seen. So both of you reconsider.

That said, I believe the rules Chris has instituted are on target. We all have limited time to surf and the more concise threads are, the better. "Me too" posts bother me too. For the record, I feel that some folks post here to increase their Karma rating - though not Larry or Bill or even some of the other top posters.
However, if the cost of the site caused Chris to shut it down, we all lose.

Happy Holidays

Glenn

I value everyone who visits TVWBB and posts good information here. I'm not saying that everytime you post, you must share some unique piece of information that's never been posted before. (Bill, this is directed at your comment about having shared everything you know.) I appreciate people who answer other people's questions, or point them to relevant information in other message threads or in Web site articles. That's what being a member of an online community is all about.

I want this bulletin board to continue to be a valuable resource that people visit frequently. Some people have been telling me privately that the bulletin board seems less relevant lately, and that as a result they are less likely to continue to visit on a regular basis. That's why I want to make sure the board stays focused on the things that made it great in the first place.

I want to keep the discussion focused on asking and answering questions, sharing news and information, recipes, cooking techniques, successes and failures, the excitement of receiving your new WSM, helping you figure out how to cook your first brisket, helping you decide whether the Guru is right for you. You get the idea. That's all I'm asking.

Regarding the post count, I agree with Larry that I don't think many people post a lot of messages just to "roll the odometer" on their post count or Karma title...although there is the occasional post consisting only of "Hey, this post makes me a TVWBB Member!", but those are few and far between.

However, I don't feel I'm out of line in thinking that it's excessive for someone to post 512 messages in a month, an average of 17 messages per day. It's like having someone totally dominate the conversation. Even though we're online and there's nothing stopping anyone from posting if they want to, there is a phenomenon that happens where a handful of people can dominate the online discussion, which discourages others from participating.

Maybe I should deal with situations like that on an individual basis...but I felt the bulletin board would be better served by letting everyone know that there was a general problem with excessive posting so that everyone could do their part to help solve it.

Anyway, I'm not trying to piss anyone off here or give anyone the boot. I've tried to be very clear about what I'm asking people to do and why, but maybe I've failed in communicating it, I don't know. Anyone who is ticked at me about this or thinks I'm off-base can send me an e-mail, and I promise I will listen carefully.

Regards,
Chris

Wow! I also think that Bill and Larry should reconsider. I don't feel that Chris is pointing the finger at anyone in particular, I completely understand where he is coming from.

I have been a member here since 2001. My posting status to date is still under 150. I took an incredible amount of time off from this board, and recently realized how much I enjoy all of you, your posts, and the incredible amount of information we share together. I'm sure I can take credit for some of the 'irrelvant' postings on this board, and the Moderator calling my attention to it will not change my attitude to still share. It just makes me a little more aware of how I should and should not post here.

Yes, I was wondering how so many recently joined members as of just this year could acquire over 1,000 posts, and I just think that being aware of the cost involved is helpful to the running of this board, that's all. I certainly wasn't aware of this fact, and I'm sure many others weren't either. Just my two cents, and I really don't think ANYONE here should take this personally. I sure don't.

So do all of your holiday shopping at Amazon this year like I just did and help support this board.

Well this bulletin board feels more and more like my family all the time. We all love eachother just not all at the same time.


Bill and Larry I'll miss you guys if you go away but as you know that's your choice.

Speaking as an enthusiastic novice I've learned a lot from both ouf you and would not have come this far this fast without your help.


That being said we're guests here and we've got to share. I had fun "chatting it up" with you guys this summer but some folks found it rude. From Chris' standpoint it was expensive in terms of $$$ and his time.

Chris asked us to tone it down and out of respect for everyone else on the forum I can live with that.

Hope you guys can too if not I respect your choice. If not you guys know how to find me hope you'll stay in touch.

To Larry Wolfe and Bill Hayes

I apologize if you felt I was pointing a finger at either of you. I do not know either of you nor have I been monitoring yours or anyones posts.

As Chris said, over the years, several members have jokingly (or seruously) announced they reached a certain Karma level. I was simply referring to those comments.

Again, I apologize and hope you reconsider your decision.

I, too, made a comment about my karma level after I reached 100 posts here not too long ago. I have to add, that my karma rating on this board does not reflect my abilities as a BBQ'n afficiando, personal chef, and I certainly am not in competition to achieve any sort of level here.

Please scroll up and read the original post by Chris, as this entire thread has not been directed at anyone personally. If those who took it that way hadn't posted you had felt singled out, we all certainly wouldn't have known who you were!! I certainly didn't single anyone out here in conjunction with this post, except myself because I know I have made frivilous remarks in the past.

The personal chef organization that I belong to has a UBB board almost exactly like this one. I pay $145 a year for use of that board, as does every single other member. This covers the administrative costs associated with running it. So please, all of you, take the request as it is and stop insinuating that this is directed at you personally. It's only a small request from the moderator, and it was done to help us all.

I promise, no more posts on this subject~!