# Suggestion of Junior Moderating vs Request to Members **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 8, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672 "2021-05-08T17:25:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/81 "2021-05-23T19:15:00Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > OK, no need to argue, I think we can all come to some form of agreement here 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/82 "2021-05-23T19:56:47Z")
Looking at other thread titles I would expect to see often in GQ, I was suprised that “What is this insect?” has been used _only_ twice–and that both times (13 years apart) the answer was “crane fly.” > [@What Is This Insect?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-insect/297507): > > I’ve seen these insects around here in Northern California for several years. One is flying around here as I speak, but I can’t swat the bugger or get it on film to post a pic to help in IDing it. Ok, it looks like a mosquito, but it is GIANT. We’re talking a half-dollar size wing-span. Also the wings are slightly different. I have never seen one bite anyone either. We’ve had a bunch get in our house recently, and yet to have a bite. I was told by a friend it was a “mosquito hawk” and it looks… > [@What is this insect?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-insect/819360): > > Sorry, no photo. My daughter took a video of it. It looks a lot like a mosquito eater: spindly legs and all, and the same size, but the legs have what I would describe as pads at the ends, which I haven’t seen before. Any ideas? So maybe there needs to be a pop-up if someone attempts to reuse that title that says **Are you sure this isn’t a crane fly?** ---
**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:** [May 23, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/83 "2021-05-23T21:14:13Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So maybe there needs to be a pop-up if someone attempts to reuse that title that says **Are you sure this isn’t a crane fly?** I don’t understand your point here. Why would you want it to do that? The point of a discussion board is to discuss things with people. Even General Questions wants discussion about the question, it doesn’t shut down a thread when the question is answered. That’s why someone saying “just google it” is frowned upon. On reddit I read a board called what is this thing? It has I don’t know how many thousands of posts, yet none of them are titled simply what is this thing? It’s what is this thing that looks like a paint can I found in the forest? (it was a paint can) or what is this metal thing I found magnet fishing in Brazil? (no one knew) or what is this thing that looks like a mortar round I found buried in a battlefield in France? (it was a mortar round). If it’s something that gets posted every other week, you’ll get a link to their FAQ that explains where to find the answer. So post away, just use descriptive titles, like you already are supposed to on the Dope, and everything works just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/84 "2021-05-23T21:24:38Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > I don’t understand your point here. Why would you want it to do that? That is something that is known as a “joke.” ---
**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:** [May 23, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/85 "2021-05-23T21:28:40Z")
No it wasn’t. Jokes are funny. Way to ignore the whole rest of the post though. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/86 "2021-05-23T21:43:37Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > Way to ignore the whole rest of the post though Okay, I think that the rest of your post is wrong. I think “What insect is this?” is a perfectly valid thread topic to determine if you wish to read a post, and anyone with two brain cells to rub together would know that the body of the post almost certainly will contain description and possibly photos and/or videos of said insect. I think that being never allowed again to use the same topic _even 20 years later_ is deeply stupid. It isn’t just the “absolutely no duplicate thread titles evah”, it is the “your title must have _x_ number of characters” and “your post must have _x_ number of characters” and “your post must be a complete sentence” and the various other ways this software _acts as a junior mod itself._ It is adults being forced to use the internet with training wheels on in an attempt to forcibly socialize them into one person’s idea of what web fora are “supposed” to be like. And it is software designed to maximize automatization of moderation and to “optimize search engine results”–it is a product aimed at pleasing site owners, not at providing ease of use for posters. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/87 "2021-05-23T22:11:47Z")
I suppose no one else is interested in a rule that all thread titles must be duplicates. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/88 "2021-05-24T00:06:03Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > That is something that is known as a “joke.” I chuckled for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/89 "2021-05-24T01:47:33Z")
Also, for bonus points, all of the words must be search stopwords – that is, all topic titles must be duplicates, _and_ consist only of words in the top 50 most common English words! > **[Language & Language Arts Articles - dummies](https://www.dummies.com/category/articles/language-language-arts-33687/)** > > Language — it's a human thing. Learn or teach a new language, beef up your writing skills, or study the science of language. That’ll fix things up real good. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/90 "2021-05-24T02:28:45Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I also think it’s an issue of very minor importance. I have to stay, i don’t like the “no duplicates” rule, but it is an incredibly minor issue. And I’m surprised to see this topic get so salty. > [@mordecaiB](#): > > Exactly right. It’s just weird to demand a change for something that hasn’t happened yet. Well, it has happened. I’ve now seen a thread title that complains about not being the title the poster wanted at least twice. I don’t recall what the topics were about, just noticed that the software seems to nudge people to post things like “some ordinary topic title – I’m adding extra words because Discourse won’t let me re-use that title” and "yay! plus extra characters because Discourse thinks my post is too short" Neither seems great to me, but I can’t say that I think it’s a huge deal. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/91 "2021-05-24T05:04:09Z")
Yes, heaven forbid people not be able to do exactly as they please at all times. Ah, the tragedy of the commons. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/92 "2021-05-24T06:27:34Z")
All that I’m saying is that I hate (parts) of Discord with the firey hate of one sun. (Other parts I’m okay with.) ---
**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:** [May 24, 2021, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/93 "2021-05-24T06:36:12Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Well, it has happened. I’ve now seen a thread title that complains about not being the title the poster wanted at least twice. I don’t recall what the topics were about, just noticed that the software seems to nudge people to post things like > > “some ordinary topic title – I’m adding extra words because Discourse won’t let me re-use that title” And it worked, right? The thread got posted, people were able to read and comment on it. It probably took the OP all of 5 seconds to add a extra word. No harm, no foul. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > And I’m surprised to see this topic get so salty. It’s just one poster that’s over the top on this non-problem. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > "yay! > > plus extra characters because Discourse thinks my post is too short" What’s the minimum character count for a post? All this poster would have had to do is post “yay!!!” or add any smiley and they would be fine. Heck, you don’t need to post any words at all just post almost any smiley and you are fine. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Okay, I think that the rest of your post is wrong. I think “What insect is this?” is a perfectly valid thread topic to determine if you wish to read a post, and anyone with two brain cells to rub together would know that the body of the post almost certainly will contain description and possibly photos and/or videos of said insect. I think that being never allowed again to use the same topic _even 20 years later_ is deeply stupid. Just because you are an insect guy and run around taking photos of insects all the time doesn’t mean everyone does. In case you didn’t notice in your two gotcha links, neither one of the OPs were able to get a picture of the insect. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > It isn’t just the “absolutely no duplicate thread titles evah”, it is the “your title must have _x_ number of characters” and “your post must have _x_ number of characters” and “your post must be a complete sentence” and the various other ways this software _acts as a junior mod itself._ It is adults being forced to use the internet with training wheels on in an attempt to forcibly socialize them into one person’s idea of what web fora are “supposed” to be like. And it is software designed to maximize automatization of moderation and to “optimize search engine results”–it is a product aimed at pleasing site owners, not at providing ease of use for posters This is why I said you are ranting about a non-problem. This is approaching Qanon territory. Of course it’s someone’s idea of what “web fora” should be like. Were they supposed to design something specifically with you in mind? Honestly, if you think this platform is making it hard for people to post maybe the internets aren’t for you. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/94 "2021-05-24T08:00:41Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > This is why I said you are ranting about a non-problem. See, here, again, you are doing what you told me not to do–“posting your imaginings about what I post.” You are using propaganda language against me, saying that I am “ranting”, implying that I am in a spittle-flecked apoplexy as I pound away with rage on the keyboard. But it was nothing more to me than one casual conversation out of many casual conversations I’m having on this board. You are the one getting highly emotional, making personal attacks against me, and making false accusations against me. You claim that I demand that codinghorror change this in all of the Discord sites, yet I haven’t a single time demanded, asked politely, or even whispered towards asking him to change it anywhere at all. I have _critisized_ features of Discord, yes. I think that Discord is marketed more at the convinence of the web site owners than that of the end users, yes. But the claim here by you that I am “demanding” changes is untrue, just as the same claim about me on “that other board” is untrue. It seems to be my sarcastic remark to codinghorror that set you off (that, and the termnity to imbed a small jpeg in the post.) And I do (somewhat) apoligize to @codinghorror for that–he doesn’t seem to be a terrible person. But the “I’m forcing you to do things my way because it is the right way” attitude often expressed just seems almost Steve Jobsian at times. > [@mordecaiB](#): > > In case you didn’t notice in your two gotcha links, neither one of the OPs were able to get a picture of the insect. Those were not two “gotcha” links. I was curious about past instances of duplicate thread titles, tried to think of instances, and knew GQ bug ID questions come up fairly often, so I searched for that. When I saw that two identically-titled posts bad tbe same answer, _I thought it was interesting._ I pointed it out _in what was a joke post about it, and nothing more._ I already explained that it was a joke but you are still enraged by it. Trust me, that post was not directed at you. Trust me, I am not likely to ever intentionally direct a post at you again. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/95 "2021-05-24T13:39:54Z")
This board is using **Discourse** , not **Discord**. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/96 "2021-05-24T13:41:55Z")
Well that was just a poor choice then, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/97 "2021-05-24T13:58:48Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > On reddit I read a board called what is this thing? It has I don’t know how many thousands of posts, yet none of them are titled simply what is this thing? I’ve posted to that subreddit. Choice of title can be difficult. If you did post “what is this thing” your submission would be declined due to nonspecific title. I’ve submitted a post three or four times before the auto-moderator allowed it to be posted and reviewed by a human. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/98 "2021-05-24T15:32:14Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > No it wasn’t. Jokes are funny. Way to ignore the whole rest of the post though. I agree with you that @Darren_Garrison is a bit off target with the Discourse criticism, but that was an A+ joke, and the rest of your post was completely irrelevant because it was based on taking that obvious joke seriously. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/99 "2021-05-24T15:52:10Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > “I’m forcing you to do things my way because it is the right way” attitude often expressed just seems almost Steve Jobsian at times. 😆 I suspect that Codinghorror will take that as a compliment. Steve Jobs has actually done an excellent job of predicting what people will want better than the customers themselves have. He wasn’t always right. And sometimes he was right for a majority of customers, but not for a minority, which might sometimes include both Darren\_Garrison and me. But you have to admit, on a macro level, Jobs did a pretty good job of picking features. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672/100 "2021-05-24T16:42:19Z")
I was thinking more of the Steve Jobs who–when faced with complaints of a poorly designed iPhone model that kept dropping signals–told everyone that they were holding their phones wrong… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-of-junior-moderating-vs-request-to-members/941672.md?page=6)