Seems like they all, particularly bibliophage, are extremely quick to close or move threads. I’ve been around here for a little while (mostly in the GQ,) and it seems that the amount of closed/moved threads keeps rising, thus resulting in a dull GQ forum. Is there a particular reason for this? Has Straightdope been the target of recent legal action or anything like that? Are the moderators just too uptight?
I have to agree on this one…on a regular basis. you have commentary in the thread about whether or not the thread will be moved…I think the mods are a bit uptight
incredibly, of course. i am bigneck, of course.
General Questions is the front porch of the Straight Dope. Is that right? In more dignified terms, the proscenium, or forecourt. It’s the first (and possibly only) forum visitors are likely to visit and GQ moderators, no doubt, want to create a good impression. That’s why Basil calls himself Manhattan. It sounds so sophisticated and…cultural.
GQ is supposed to be a forum for factual answers to valid questions. You want to display your wit in the process of providing a well-thought out, factually sound answer? That seems to be acceptable. However, the purpose of the forum remains the alleviation of ignorance, not the entertainment of the peanut gallery.
And what the heck’s dull about GQ? Fascinating information free for the taking, more often than not from people qualified to give it.
I certainly see lots of closed and moved threads in GQ, but I agree with the reason for almost all of the ones I’ve looked at. In general, they are not questions of a factual nature. This does seem to be happening more often.
This is getting close to asking for something that could get your thread moved to the Pit, but may I request an example? What sort of thread has received mod action in GQ that you thought should have stayed there?
At least two of mine have been closed. I asked if it was possible to bequeath my body to a website like Rotten.com or Fleshpage and that didn’t last long. I also asked why pantyhose remain acceptable consumer products when they have such a breathtakingly short life expectancy. That was shut down straight away. I’m pretty sure there have been others - I just can’t remember them.
GQ is still good, but the fast-acting moderators have contributed to a more dull forum. There are many threads that remain open that are not based solely on “hard facts.” This is evident at any time. I’ve seen several that should have, IMHO, remained open. Here are two that I can come up with on the spot…
There are SO MANY “tips” threads that remain open. For example, mechanic/medical advice or tips, most “help!” posts, etc…
A legal discussion based on facts was beginning to develop.
Do a search on keyword “this thread is closed.” You’ll find many.
Something really funny about this thread being posted in the wrong forum…
We move em because some people don’t read the descriptions of the forums (fora, okay). We move em because posters will more likely get appropriate responses to their questions/comments in the appropriate forum. That’s why we have several different areas on our site.
There are usually rational reasons why we close threads. If you wonder why, just email the moderator in question and ask. We’re usually happy to explain our rationale.
We get tons of posts in GQ every day. No reason to keep filler that doesn’t fit.
Cheerfully yours,
Jill
Moderator
General Questions
You call it “dull”… they call it “orderly”. If you think of MPSIMS, IMHO, and Cafe Society to be like casual living rooms where people guzzle booze and romp around naked, thn consider GQ and the two Comments forums to be something akin to a formal, black tie ball, where you say “How do you do?” to everyone you meet.
Sometimes I like wearing a tuxedo.
I think it has something to do with the fact that people are not posting in the correct forum. No really, it’s true.
Think about it a while.
The OP is really just a lame pit rant. The OP is upset because he asked a dumb question and it was closed.
I for one enjoy GQ immensely. And the quality of the mods therein is a big reason for it’s quality.
General Questions isn’t dull. But it is for questions of a factual nature. That is, you could find the same answers across various other sources: reference texts, for example.
It seems to me that a thread stands a much better chance of not being locked if it is put in the correct forum to begin with. Although I could be wrong, it occasionally seems that it is sometimes easier to lock a thread rather than move it, especially if the board is busy.
Looking at an example on a single topic across all forums (or fora, if you prefer), I think of them as breaking down like this:
GQ–Facts: “What ingredients are in beer?”
GD–Debates: “Beer is better than whisky. Prove me wrong.”
Cafe Society–The arts: “What beer did they drink in the movie Animal House?”
IMHO–Opinions: “What do you think is the best beer?”
MPSIMS–Just stuff you want to say: “So I had this beer the other night…”
BBQ Pit–Insults and personal attacks: “So-and-so, if you like Brand X beer, you’re an idiot.”
(Just as an aside, do I recall something similar being posted once upon a time?)
Given the examples you posted, bigneck, I would have posted them IMHO (“What do you think would be a good negotiating strategy with ticket scalpers?” and “Do you think this is a good idea for preventing hijackings?”). The key words in each are do you think, which require opinions. Thus, IMHO would have been the correct forum.
I think the mods are doing a great job, and GQ remains the place to ask questions that require factual answers that can be confirmed, while IMHO is the place for answers that while valid, may vary from person to person.
I never liked General Questions and Great Debates too much. They seem too proper stiff.
Is an “answer my question” forum supposed to be entertaining? Or are questions supposed to be answered?
You want entertaining go to the pit.
Hi Jill…
yes
no
Justwannano and samclem…
I appreciate y’all clearing this up…
Moderator’s note:
This really is more a Pit discussion, i.e. about the administration of the board. After consideration, it solicits opinions but the Pit is the designated place for the topic. I’m movin’ it on over.
TVeblen for IMHO
Yeah, and I think those bossy old librarians have made the public library incredibly dull too. They won’t let you play music or watch a little TV or have a pizza delivered or get together with your friends and have a party or anything.