# Does What Exit's heavy-handed moderation in the Ukraine war thread improve it or degrade it? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 30, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368 "2023-04-30T13:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/41 "2023-07-04T20:01:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The convo about the rifle types is what I shutdown in the thread. > > I thought it was done and then another post came in on it, so I cut it off. As I said in the post, it can always spin off to its own thread. How is discussing the use of old equipment in a thread about a war not relevant? It couldn’t be more relevant. It’s about a current situation where Russians are using antiquated weapons. It’s not like somebody pointed out the extruder on an AK47 differs from an AK74 because… People who are knowledgeable about the weapons can explain questions asked such as do they use the same ammunition? How long have they been out of use in the Russian army etc… It really degrades the ability to keep up on something if every new thought is forced into a new thread. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/42 "2023-07-04T20:08:10Z")
I disagree, the rifle discussion was pretty well done for the needs of the thread. It was threatening to become a hijack. That is what I’ve been stopping in the that thread. Note, nothing was hidden or split off. But nothing more needed to be said on that minor news bit. ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/43 "2023-07-04T22:03:06Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Do we really want the board inundated with spinoff threads, though? Do you really think the board would be inundated with spin-off threads? In any case, it wouldn’t be a problem for me. It allows me to be more selective about what I spend my time reading. I’d rather pick and choose between threads than have to scroll through a series of off-topic comments that are not pertinent to the OP and of which I have no interest. Personally, I think the mods are doing a great job. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2023, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/44 "2023-07-04T23:15:46Z")
Agreed. The breaking news threads should be little more than a list of contemporaneous cites to articles about [whatever], in this case the Russian war on Ukraine. Little or no “original research” as the Wikipedia busybodies put it. If you want to talk about an issue raised by a particular article posted to the main thread, cite the article in the top post of a new thread _dedicated to that issue and no other_. Those who are interested in Donbas atrocities, or Ukrainian cyberwarfare, or Russian conscription, can bloody well follow the link here to that new thread and comment there. IMO the Russo-Ukrainian war breaking news thread should be spawning 3 or 4 new threads every _day_ about specific aspects of what’s going on. _Those_ threads will carry the heavy lifting of Doper commentary and opinionating. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/45 "2023-07-05T02:18:07Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I disagree, the rifle discussion was pretty well done for the needs of the thread. It was threatening to become a hijack. That is what I’ve been stopping in the that thread. It was just getting started. I’m not sure why you think the topic was done. This could be a really big deal in the war if Russia can’t supply basic firearms. There are a lot of knowledgeable people who could add to subject it if allowed. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/46 "2023-07-05T02:21:20Z")
Sure, in a new thread. The discussion you’re describing is not breaking news, it is IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/47 "2023-07-05T02:27:25Z")
> [@Latimera](#): > > Do you really think the board would be inundated with spin-off threads? Yes > [@What\_Exit](#): > > Sure, in a new thread. The discussion you’re describing is not breaking news, it is IMHO. Why would factual information regarding the war go into IMHO? And was this thread originally in “Breaking News” or did a Mod upgrade it? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/48 "2023-07-05T02:32:30Z")
It was always breaking news. It is the second thread in the long running breaking news thread for Russia invades Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/49 "2023-07-05T03:02:48Z")
As soon as posters start talking about the relative merits of types of ammunition, the Garand ve the Lee-Enfield, that the AK47 is not the same as the AK47M, etc, it will become a gun thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/50 "2023-07-05T03:15:46Z")
Well yes, I agree. But Mods can step in and nudge an idea back into current news. Questions like: what is the standard issue firearm and what other guns use compatible ammunition? I’d be interested in knowing if this is a sign Russia is running out of equipment and to what extent. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/51 "2023-07-05T03:18:14Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > But Mods can step in and nudge an idea back into current news. Which is what What\_Exit? did. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/52 "2023-07-05T03:19:19Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Which is what What\_Exit? did. the issue was shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/53 "2023-07-05T03:25:35Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Little or no “original research” as the Wikipedia busybodies put it. Hey now, 15 year Wikipedia admin here. 😡 But yes, “busybody” is pretty accurate. 😆 I agree that “no original research” is a good policy in such a thread, and the related prohibition against [synthesis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Synthesis_of_published_material) as well. ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/54 "2023-07-05T03:40:27Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IMO the Russo-Ukrainian war breaking news thread should be spawning 3 or 4 new threads every _day_ about specific aspects of what’s going on. _Those_ threads will carry the heavy lifting of Doper commentary and opinionating. Exactly. That sort of “inundation” would be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/55 "2023-07-05T06:57:02Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That is what I’ve been stopping in the that thread. It’s more your random choices of what a hijack is. As far as I know, you have never declared a discussion of weapons in that thread a hijack. There are any number of discussions about weapons and especially their range and usage. Range and usage is a big difference with that rifle compared to an AK. Why shut down this one? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/56 "2023-07-05T09:59:38Z")
Its a judgement call. The subject mattered little, the number of posts and directions it was going is why I shut it down. The staff notices were because of the many complaints someone posted as they didn’t see the modnote. That thread is at times like herding cats. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/57 "2023-07-05T15:55:23Z")
Speaking as one of those moderated, I have no problem with it. We answered the question and were poised to take the thread into the weeds. Gentle prodding was the correct response. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/58 "2023-07-05T16:07:41Z")
Has anybody considered the practical issues of lots of spinoff threads? Some of us are non-paying members, and so we can only click on a limited number of threads each day. When mods “randomly” dictate what us and isn’t a potential hijack, those of us wh- Hold on, I’m being informed that I can click on as many threads as I want. Well now I don’t know **what** to think. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/59 "2023-07-05T16:14:05Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > the issue was shut down. The issue is seldom shut down. All we’re asking is that you talk about non-relevant things (as determined by the mod) in separate threads. You can talk about nearly anything you like as much as you like. What we’re trying to stop is tangential discussion in existing threads, so posters who prefer to read their information “clean” are accommodated, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368/60 "2023-07-05T16:55:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Speaking as one of those moderated, I have no problem with it. We answered the question and were poised to take the thread into the weeds. Gentle prodding was the correct response. Same here, I wasn’t planning on adding any more really. Question asked and answered. Also immediately after we had that brief exchange on comparisons, I half expected What\_Exit to come barreling in. Breathed a sigh of relief we had gotten away free and clear, but then Gorsnak poked the bear with a stick one last time to just to make sure he was still sleeping… [![](https://preview.redd.it/1gbvuyjzy0iy.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=0d770eeea4fc3d266ea3bb81e4fc53d14f70f476) ](https://preview.redd.it/1gbvuyjzy0iy.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=0d770eeea4fc3d266ea3bb81e4fc53d14f70f476) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-what-exits-heavy-handed-moderation-in-the-ukraine-war-thread-improve-it-or-degrade-it/983368.md?page=4)