What's wrong with LJ style posting on the SDMB?

[Lobsang]

This is meant to be a debate, but not exactly a ‘great’ debate, more of a mundane little one, which is why I’ve put it in this forum.

I’ve been criticised in the past for often posting the kind of stuff that some people think would be better off in a blog or LJ.

I don’t deny that a lot of my posts are of that style. But I don’t think they (I mean that type of post/thread in general, not mine specifically) should necesarily be off-limits here. I think the ‘system’ allows them.

What I mean by that is that the point about a thread being LJ-material is that it’s about the person’s life, and often something mundane, therefore it might be boring for most people to read. And if that’s the case then it will, quite rightly, fall off the page and suffer thread-death.

You’re not forced to read them. I tend to ignore/skim over other people’s LJ posts myself, unless something about them is relevant, interesting, or catches my attention.

And there are not so many that they impede your ability to read the Dope. The dope caters for a wide range of tastes and some people’s tastes are bound to get in the way of other’s.

If a person is known for LJ posting and you generally don’t like it then what is the hardship in looking past their name to the thread below (or above if you scan bottom-up)
If you’re honest, and you’re not unusually lacking in ego, you’ll admit that you want an audience for your posts.
What are the reasons to post?

Seeking information.
Providing information.
Sharing with an audience.
Any others?

Unless you’re already a bit known, or well known, posting to an LJ or blog is almost futile because who in the hell are you doing it for? yourself? Then why are you broadcasting it to the internet at all? Get a diary.

No, I think you blog because you are either lucky, and have an audience, or you hope to one day have an audience. The sdmb (or other MBs) are a ready-made audience. Even better if your name is known there.
So, having got my defence of it out of the way I’ll re-ask the question: What is wrong with LJ posting? And is it wrong/bad enough that it should be off-limits here? If so make your case for that.

[Polycarp]

A message board is for interaction between its members. A blog is for one to post his opinions, life events, recipes, or whatever floats his boat – and to allow comments on it at his discretion.

If you want to tell about some event in your life, some issue on which yoiu have an opinion, etc., for the purpose of getting responses to it from others, then it belongs here, in the proper forum for what category of writing it is, of course. If you simply want to inform that part of the world who is willing to read it what is going on in your life, or what you think about the new pub regulations in Douglas, with no interest in getting responses and no concern for the potential readers (and I’m not being accusatory – it’s a general ‘you’ not in direct address to you specifically or anyone), then that doesn’t want to take up database space on a message board but belongs on a LJ or blog site.

[Lobsang]

Ah. Now you raise a good point there. In my case I nearly always do post to get feedback. I can’t think of any of my own posts where I’ve simply thrown a bit of mundane information out there with no regard for the readers (I’m sure someone can find examples or disagree)

I often post something because I think it is worth reading to at least some people. They may get a chuckle out of it. They may be informed by it. They may have something to add, or some advice to share.

If none of that happens, then the thread dies.
How big of an issue is database space? I know that bandwitdh is an issue but that’s decided more by the rate of posts than their existence. If there’s a high percentage of the sustained bandwidth taken up by useless posts then I can see how they would be frowned upon, but I suspect that’s not the case. I suspect it’s a very low amount - because if it’s rubbish it will quickly die and become not a part of the bandwidth at all. If a thread is taking up bandwidth for a long time, then the thread must be popular for people to keep requesting it from the server. And if it’s popular its existence is justified isn’t it?

So that leaves the space it takes up. Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t that a very insignificant reason for a post to be better off not existing? Or do the servers have limited space?

[Czarcasm]

Moving thread from IMHO to ATMB.

[Captain_Carrot]

I don’t know how much this means to you, Lobsang, but I always felt that you were trying to get help from people here, not being an attention whore.

[Hypnagogic_Jerk]

Well, we do have a “Monday Morning Post”, which I’ve never read but I understand is a bunch of people writing stream of consciousness posts about their day. That’s kind of LiveJournal stuff, and it’s acceptable on the SDMB (in MPSIMS).

On the other hand, some of your threads didn’t really give much opportunity for discussion, [thread=492804]this one[/thread] for example. I don’t really understand how this thread is in keeping with the “spirit of the SDMB”, whatever that is. Maybe it was a game thread, but… a pretty stupid game I’d say. (And if so it should have been started in the Game Room.)

ETA: still, it’s too bad that WhyNot didn’t have time to post in the linked thread.

[Lobsang]

The ‘Why’ thread was a stupid thread.

I (the now me, not the then me) would expect most people to give it a passing ‘meh’ or ‘that’s dumb’ and move on. People that is, who may spend enough time on the internet to know of its subculture of, well, not making much sense.

If anyone is incredulous about the thread, then I suspect that person of being not your typical internet user. Like a person who watches an unusually subversive or whacky TV show and is having trouble understanding the point. The ‘point’ is there is no point. It’s just an expression of… well the desire to express oneself.

Not that the thread was subversive or whacky. It was stupid and it failed if it was an attempt to be original.
In fairness, you did manage to find possibly my most pointless thread of the last twelve months. (THAT’S NOT A CHALLENGE PEOPLE!!)

[flyboy]

I think you average about one thread every 1.5 days*, which is why I do not agree with Captain Carrot’s assessment. Most of those threads get less than 20 responses. Many get less than 10.

You start some interesting threads, but there’s too much chaff. And a lot of your specific questions can be answered with a quick google search. So, while I appreciate your reasoning, I still usually see your threads and think, “WTF is this guy on?” That you seem ok with this sentiment (directed at you) makes me scratch my head. I think a little mental firewalling before hitting the Submit New Thread button would go a long way. There’s nothing particularly wrong with what you’re asking, but if you abuse it (as I’d offer that you certainly do), then, well, it just looks bad.

750 threads as of around beginning of 2006. No clue what was going on with your thread-generating machine before then.

[CarnalK]

If the SDMB ever decided to implement the vBulletin Blog plugin then we could have the best of both worlds. Unless Lobsang needs the completely captive audience of the MPSIMS front page.

And fyi, flyboy, I believe that 750 hits is the cutoff for the search function. So he probably has more than that.

[twickster]

Polycarp got it in one.

@Polycarp

A message board is for interaction between its members. A blog is for one to post his opinions, life events, recipes, or whatever floats his boat – and to allow comments on it at his discretion.

If you want to tell about some event in your life, some issue on which yoiu have an opinion, etc., for the purpose of getting responses to it from others, then it belongs here, in the proper forum for what category of writing it is, of course. If you simply want to inform that part of the world who is willing to read it what is going on in your life, or what you think about the new pub regulations in Douglas, with no interest in getting responses and no concern for the potential readers (and I’m not being accusatory – it’s a general ‘you’ not in direct address to you specifically or anyone), then that doesn’t want to take up database space on a message board but belongs on a LJ or blog site.

The issue isn’t “database space” – it’s about appropriateness for the venue. It’s like you went to a party and stood in a corner talking loudly to yourself – that’s not what the point of the event is.

You way too often start threads that don’t allow a way in for someone else to comment. What we do here is give advice, commiserate, share stories, etc. – none of that is possible in way too many of your threads, which makes them LJ fodder. If you want to write about stuff that doesn’t invite conversation, go do so in a venue designed for it.

[Marley23]

@Lobsang

If a person is known for LJ posting and you generally don’t like it then what is the hardship in looking past their name to the thread below (or above if you scan bottom-up)

I think about it in terms of space on the front page of the forum: if somebody monopolizes a large chunk of it with stuff that’s pointless and uninteresting, there’s less room for everything else. So we do have a (very low) minimum standard in MPSIMS. Can people scroll by? Yes, that’s always an option. But it’s a discussion forum, not one person’s blog, and I think a little bit of pruning keeps it more diverse and leads to more interesting topics.

Unless you’re already a bit known, or well known, posting to an LJ or blog is almost futile because who in the hell are you doing it for? yourself? Then why are you broadcasting it to the internet at all? Get a diary.

This isn’t that complicated. I have a blog to share things with a small number of people, most of whom I know very well. It’s not the same thing as a message board. On a blog, generally one person talks and asks for feedback. This is more of a conversation with many voices.

The sdmb (or other MBs) are a ready-made audience. Even better if your name is known there.

It’s a message board and you’re welcome to share your opinions on it. However it’s not intended to be the “ready-made audience” for everything that crosses any one poster’s mind. We at least ask that people try to be interesting.

[Lobsang]

I’ll heed the comments given in this thread next time I think about posting something typically unimportant. It’s useful to be given honest opinions about the way I post. So I’ll do something (or rather do nothing when I would otherwise post) about it. Thanks guys.

[twickster]

@Lobsang

I’ll heed the comments given in this thread next time I think about posting something typically unimportant. It’s useful to be given honest opinions about the way I post. So I’ll do something (or rather do nothing when I would otherwise post) about it. Thanks guys.

Thank you for actually considering the feedback we have given you.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

FWIW, I like most of your threads and I personally don’t have a problem with your “posting style”.

I wouldn’t call something a LiveJournal post unless… well, unless it was posted on LiveJournal.

[Guinastasia]

Do you HAVE a Live Journal, Lobsang? They’re free, and people can offer comments.

[BigT]

My own opinion is that if the people who run the board can’t be bothered to make a rule about it, then you can do it if you want to. But, then again, I hate unwritten rules.

On the other hand, if something you are doing causes others to be offended (even if it isn’t against the rules) that doesn’t mean you can’t do it out of the kindness of your heart. But I don’t think you should feel obligated to do so.

[Mr.Frink]

I’ll also mention that I enjoy your posts, Lobsang. The series on the girl at work was actually pretty interesting if you read them all in one sitting, like I did when I was bored a few months ago…

[Lobsang]

@Guinastasia

Do you HAVE a Live Journal, Lobsang? They’re free, and people can offer comments.

I do have an LJ. I used it a bit but I just didn’t have the enthusiasm for it. I kept deleting entries because a week later they’d be lame or embarrassing to look at.
Mr. Frink Thanks

I don’t think I’d be able to read those posts myself - Too embarrasing.

[Marley23]

@BigT

My own opinion is that if the people who run the board can’t be bothered to make a rule about it, then you can do it if you want to.

We do have a rule about it. While we don’t formalize everything by design, this attitude isn’t really the way to win friends and influence people.

From the registration agreement, speaking generally:

This message board is intended as a medium for public discussion.

Since these kinds of threads usually go in MPSIMS or the Pit, here are the rules from those forums:

Even this forum—with its spectacular name—has its limits for truly pointless threads. We will be closing threads which cross that line, or exist merely for post-padding reasons. This includes any post count parties.

We understand that determining what is or isn’t pointless is a subjective process, but we reserve the right to make the final decision. We will, however, be as consistent as possible, with the caveat that as human beings with families, jobs and other distractions, we’ll probably foul up once or twice.

The Pit is not your personal diary

The Pit isn’t Cranks’ Corner or group therapy. Posters who glut the forum with threads or consistently hijack the threads of others may be subject to moderator action. No, there isn’t a magic number of threads or posts per day that are acceptable. (And if you’re even asking, you probably need a LiveJournal.)