# Modding for content **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 11, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187 "2011-01-11T03:22:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/1 "2011-01-11T03:22:20Z")
Why do it? Mods–why close down a thread or admonish posters for a post simply because you don’t like the content of the thread or post? Here’s the latest example: [Which Of These Points of Divergences Would Have Produced The Best World - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=592565) Yes, I think it’s fairly ridiculous to have 75 options, and I have no idea how anyone could meaningfully choose one and defend the choice. But I simply would not have participated in the thread. There’s no need for Czarcasm to close the damn ugly-ass thing. In generally, I think the mods here just do way too much. I think they should ban the spammers, remind people to be nice outside the pit, and otherwise just STFU. Why is it necessary to close a thread just because you think it’s stupid? And why is it necessary to tell people not to discuss certain topics in a thread because you think it could lead to a hijack? Just . . . get a life. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/2 "2011-01-11T03:26:23Z")
I guess we have a difference of opinion as to what moderating on this board should entail. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/3 "2011-01-11T04:34:18Z")
What a garbage decision. So let the fucking thread die on its own. If you’re right, it sinks like a stone. If you’re wrong, it turns into a decent discussion. What the hell do you have to lose by shutting it down? The kid obviously put a ton of time into making that poll - cutting him down at the knees is pretty heartless for a gut decision based on nothing but your psychic abilities. Unlock it. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/4 "2011-01-11T04:47:59Z")
Oh jesus fuck. That was a mean thing to do. Let the kid have his thread. 75 poll options isn’t going to break the board. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/5 "2011-01-11T04:53:20Z")
Bad call. Please reopen that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/6 "2011-01-11T04:53:47Z")
Mods routinely close threads that are too stupid to live (which I think is a fair assessment of that one), so I don’t see **Czarcasm** ’s decision as inconsistent with the way the board is usually moderated. If **Qin Shi Huangdi** wants to open new threads each with only some of these choices, so that they can actually be meaningfully compared, he’s free to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/7 "2011-01-11T04:58:15Z")
Yeah, and it’s a bullshit call every time they do it. Threads that are too stupid to live will, bear with me here, die on their own. If people are posting to it, it is not, by definition too stupid to live and does not need a mod-assisted euthanasia. The moderators should concern themselves with actual problems and not this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/8 "2011-01-11T05:00:41Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yeah, and it’s a bullshit call every time they do it. Threads that are too stupid to live will, bear with me here, die on their own. If people are posting to it, it is not, by definition too stupid to live and does not need a mod-assisted euthanasia. The moderators should concern themselves with actual problems and not this shit. i believe I answered this in post #2. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/9 "2011-01-11T05:07:33Z")
I believe I don’t really care how you’re spinning it. It was a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/10 "2011-01-11T06:03:02Z")
Closing a thread you don’t like is not “moderating”. **Czarcasm** would you you please explain the harm of at least giving that thread a chance? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/11 "2011-01-11T06:47:47Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Closing a thread you don’t like is not “moderating”. **Czarcasm** would you you please explain the harm of at least giving that thread a chance? Qin Shi Huangdi has posted numerous “What If” threads the last couple of years(I believe there’s one running in Great Debates right now). If he wishes to continue posting these "What If’ scenarios more power to him, but that “poll” was 75 of his scenarios at the same time encompassing pretty much the entire history of the world, and I couldn’t see anything of substance coming from a net cast that wide. If he wishes to narrow the time frame involved and/or the number of events we can give it another shot. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/12 "2011-01-11T06:51:56Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Oh jesus fuck. That was a mean thing to do. Let the kid have his thread. 75 poll options isn’t going to break the board. Let him have his thread? He posts an asinine thread in IMHO at least once a day. I don’t really mind the modding. I’ve seen the posting styles on youtube vids and IMDb boards. It isn’t pretty. If this is how the Dope keeps out the more…emoticon inclined element, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/13 "2011-01-11T06:52:20Z")
So? Or are you claiming psychic abilities? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/14 "2011-01-11T06:55:14Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Let him have his thread? He posts an asinine thread in IMHO at least once a day. > > I don’t really mind the modding. I’ve seen the posting styles on youtube vids and IMDb boards. It isn’t pretty. If this is how the Dope keeps out the more…emoticon inclined element, so be it. He’s 15 and posts significantly more intelligently than 3/4ths of the commenters on youtube and IMDB. He’s here because he wants something meatier and I am glad that he is posting here because there’s a good chance he’ll learn something. But if he is continally constrained like this, well, it’s disheartening to see a messageboard that claims to promote knowledge attempting to beat that instinct out of someone. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/15 "2011-01-11T06:56:56Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > He’s 15 and posts significantly more intelligently than 3/4ths of the commenters on youtube and IMDB. He’s here because he wants something meatier and I am glad that he is posting here because there’s a good chance he’ll learn something. But if he is continally constrained like this, well, it’s disheartening to see a messageboard that claims to promote knowledge attempting to beat that instinct out of someone. Except he rarely returns to discuss his threads. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on his posting style. I don’t find it all that different from IMDb or youtube comments except in terms of content… ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/16 "2011-01-11T07:07:17Z")
Extremely bad modding decision. [QUOTE=Czarcasm] I couldn’t see anything of substance coming from a net cast that wide. [/QUOTE] So f\*\*\*ing what? Since when do IMHO threads have to lead to “something of substance”? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/17 "2011-01-11T07:13:40Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yeah, and it’s a bullshit call every time they do it. Threads that are too stupid to live will, bear with me here, die on their own. I’d like to think that were true, but the comments section on YouTube, once again, crushes my hopes. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/18 "2011-01-11T07:27:38Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’d like to think that were true, but the comments section on YouTube, once again, crushes my hopes. Are you equating SDMB posters with Youtube commenters? Because the discussions that flourish here vs there are different, and it’s not only due to mod intervention. It also has to do with the type of people who hang out in these places. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/19 "2011-01-11T07:37:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Qin Shi Huangdi has posted numerous “What If” threads the last couple of years(I believe there’s one running in Great Debates right now). If he wishes to continue posting these "What If’ scenarios more power to him, but that “poll” was 75 of his scenarios at the same time encompassing pretty much the entire history of the world, and I couldn’t see anything of substance coming from a net cast that wide. If he wishes to narrow the time frame involved and/or the number of events we can give it another shot. Thank you for responding. I’m not a huge fan of the OP and he does start some questionable threads. But surely you’ve seen innumerable questionable threads that derail in a good way. IMO, this thread had that possibility. Why not just let it run a page to see where it goes. I understand that you don’t like it and you are making the assumption that it won’t turn out good (for which you have no proof) but you didn’t answer my question of what the harm would be to give it that much of a chance? Being a moderator doesn’t mean you need make rulings everyday. Let us do what this board was created for, discourse. The world won’t come to an end if the thread doesn’t work out. I promise to be the first to admit I’m wrong if it doesn’t. C’mon, open it back up and let’s see. ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187/20 "2011-01-11T07:45:28Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Because the discussions that flourish here vs there are different, and it’s not only due to mod intervention. It also has to do with the type of people who hang out in these places. Are you sure that the type of people who hang out here is not influenced by the existence of mods that help create a constructive atmosphere? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modding-for-content/567187.md?page=2)