"Why Don't They" Board - add to SDMBs?

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

originally posted by Jally:
Also, (DUCK, ARE YOU LISTENING?) in order to root out & discourage spammy ideas/suggestions, I’d advocate a different type of ratings system:

(1) No negative ratings (only positive, on a scale of 1-5, perhaps a bit like Deja or Epinions)

(2) Members would get to rate these criteria:

Feasibility, Desirability, Well-thought-out, Unique (& perhaps more)

(3) The first 5 people who rate ideas would be “double-blinded”. I.E. they’d only know what their own vote is, thus not being biased by anyone else’s prior vote.

(4) ONLY those ideas which have amassed, say, a minimum of 5 votes with a high median score, would be eligible “to-be-discussed” via “respond-to-this-post”.

Yeah, okay, I’m listening. First of all, I’d like to suggest to Tuba that maybe it’s time to move this thread out of her forum and over into GQ or something. I feel bad taking up space over here talking about furniture.

Okay. So what you’re saying is, you’re going to have people submit ideas to the MB, and then the other members will get to vote on whether it’s a good idea or a dumb idea. If at least 5 people say, “Yeah, that’s a good idea, let’s talk about that,” then the idea will be granted thread space and will be open to discussion.

What if 5 people decide they want to talk about a 200 mpg carburetor, or sex androids that really experience orgasm? How long before the moderator has a nervous breakdown and absconds with the keys to the executive washroom? Would the moderator have some kind of absolute veto power? That doesn’t sound like a Fun Place to Hang Out to me. “We can only talk about what Jally wants to talk about, and Jally doesn’t want to talk about sex androids.”

Or are you going to have some kind of Flippancy Detector set up when people ask to join, so as to keep out the riffraff that have a perverted sense of humor?

[Arnold_Winkelried]

*Originally posted by jally *
As a response, I’ll repeat myself. Change your above comment to read: "Does anyone know of a BOARD [WITH MY FOREMENTIONED RATING SYSTEM AND A USER-FRIENDLY SCRIPT] where I can post, not only about stackable etc. furniture, but also other needs & ideas for products, sites, & so on.

I suppose that my examples above were not clear enough. The question you have above is a question that would have a factual answer, so I personally would ask that question in the GQ forum. If I didn’t receive an answer, I would NOT post the question over and over again, or “bump” the thread myself to make sure it remains near the top.

P.S. I’m about ready to give up, because it’s hard to tilt at windmills (toward a better world) against all naysayers. But here’s a thought: Let’s assume that Epinions or Deja wouldn’t exist yet, & I’d have proposed such a site on this very board, how would you, Arnold, have responded? And to anyone else who happens to be reading this, I might ask the same thing.

I’m not sure what those sites are. In the absence of a link or an explanation by you, I’m going to guess that Epinions, for example, refers to the site http://www.epinions.com. The description at that site says “What We’re All About: Epinions.com offers unbiased advice on over 100,000 products and services to help you make better buying decisions.” It sounds similar to Consumer Reports. If someone suggested to me that the Straight Dope Message Board should start publishing product reviews, I personally would say “hell no.” I don’t see how that has anything to do with the Straight Dope newspaper column. If I went over to the Epinions site and asked them to host a message board for the purpose of discussing the Straight Dope newspaper column, I can imagine what their response would be.
If you’re saying “how about a forum dedicated to new ideas for products”, I would also reply in the negative. I don’t see enough interest on this board in the subject to warrant a whole new forum devoted to it.

[Edited by Arnold Winkelried on 07-25-2000 at 10:10 AM]

[jally]

*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose *
**

originally posted by Jally:
Also, (DUCK, ARE YOU LISTENING?) in order to root out & discourage spammy ideas/suggestions, I’d advocate a different type of ratings system:

Feasibility, Desirability, Well-thought-out, Unique (& perhaps more)

(3) The first 5 people who rate ideas would be “double-blinded”. I.E. they’d only know what their own vote is, thus not being biased by anyone else’s prior vote.

(4) ONLY those ideas which have amassed, say, a minimum of 5 votes with a high median score, would be eligible “to-be-discussed” via “respond-to-this-post”.

Yeah, okay, I’m listening. First of all, I’d like to suggest to Tuba that maybe it’s time to move this thread out of her forum and over into GQ or something.
I feel bad taking up space over here talking about furniture. [EMPHASIS BY MALLY: YOU KNOW FULL WELL “FURNITURE, FRIDGES & OVENS” IS NOT THE MAIN ISSUE HERE, BUT RATHER EXAMPLES I GAVE!]

Forget about Tuba transferring me, if just you & Arnold wouldn’t respond further, then I wouldn’t feel compelled to out of courtesy. Furthermore, if you notice one of my previous responses to you above, you’ll see I already suggested that I just might transfer to GQ. Except it would probably be sometime in the future, after recuperating from the buffeting on this board (which style ought to be trademarked - i.e. SDMB the “buffeting :eek: boards”). Then again, it’s not just SDMB, but the world in general. Maybe 1/2 percent of the populace have both knowledge and decency, which fact is merely reflected on the Net.

Okay. So what you’re saying is, you’re going to have people submit ideas to the MB, and then the other members will get to vote on whether it’s a good idea or a dumb idea. If at least 5 people say, “Yeah, that’s a good idea, let’s talk about that,” then the idea will be granted thread space and will be open to discussion.

What if 5 people decide they want to talk about a 200 mpg carburetor… How long before the moderator has a nervous breakdown …? Would the moderator have some kind of absolute veto power?

you got a point, and here’s a solution:

As soon as 5 positive votes are up, the moderator, rather than VETO, gets to tack on his/her separate Feasibility and Well-Thought-Out votes. Thus, if the moderator would see the idea about a sideways oven door, or another idea, for ahttp://www.ireadfaces.com website, he/she could vote them to be feasible and well thought out. On the other hand, if the moderator sees an idea about androids, he/she could vote them as 0 feasibility and 0 well-thought out.

That doesn’t sound like a Fun Place to Hang Out to me. “We can only talk about what Jally wants to talk about, and Jally doesn’t want to talk about sex androids.”

??What do apples & oranges have to do with the price of tea in China?? - mandarin apple spice perhaps? :rolleyes:

Or are you going to have some kind of Flippancy Detector set up when people ask to join, so as to keep out the riffraff that have a perverted sense of humor? **

You took the words out of my mouth. I’m DEAD serious, that it’s both healthier & preferable for me to interact with less-brilliant, yet decent souls, than with the sharpest mudslinger.

[jally]

OK, Arnold, first let me say, that you don’t have to feel compelled to respond, since I think we all agree that it’s time to tie up this thread, which is getting to be monotonous. Now for my [hopefully last] response:

I heard you Straight & clear. And indeed, I never DID receive a really good solution to my question on GQ.
I wonder whether, if I post it again (except leaving out the furniture/other ideas, & instead suggesting my forementioned type of rating system), manhattan might not lock it. I wouldn’t be surprised, but it would be reminiscent of totalitarianism. Ever hear of a moderate moderator with a temperate temper?

All kidding aside, if such a post would get locked, I’ll try & remember to keep you posted, wherever you might be at that time.

I’m also left wondering

(1) approximately how many posters who ask questions on SDMB are left unsatisfied?

(2) approximately how many people in the world who have needs that have feasible solutions, remain with their needs unaddressed, due to the lack of a coordinating body?

Yes, yes, I know, you may tell me to ask the above 2 questions on GQ, or some other cryptically-acronymed board, and so the agitating cycle would then begin anew! :rolleyes:

[Kat]

I wonder whether, if I post it again (except leaving out the furniture/other ideas, & instead suggesting my forementioned type of rating system), manhattan might not lock it.

If you’re talking about posting a thread in GQ suggesting that a post rating system be implemented on this MB, of course manny will close or move the thread. MB suggestions belong in ATMB.

If you’re talking about posting a thread in GQ asking about the existance of a message board that uses a rating system (whether you decide to ask for any message board or a “consumer idea” message board such as you appear to want), it may or may not get closed or moved (probably to MPSIMS if it’s moved), depending on what kind of answers* get posted and whether you start gratuitous bumping of the thread.

*Note: The odds are in favor of this type on inquiry in GQ receiving a “Have you tried a search engine” response and/or a link to a search engine within the first few replies.

[Arnold_Winkelried]

Our friend Kat has given you pretty good answers.

*Originally posted by jally *
I heard you Straight & clear. And indeed, I never DID receive a really good solution to my question on GQ.
I wonder whether, if I post it again (except leaving out the furniture/other ideas, & instead suggesting my forementioned type of rating system), manhattan might not lock it.

I don’t speak for manhattan so I can’t see what he will or will not do. I would guess that a post asking about the existence of a message board with a rating system would be appropriate to the General Questions Forum (which is what I was referring to when I used the acronym GQ.) Of course, you must be aware that just because you ask a question, it does not necessarily follow that you will get the desired answer.

All kidding aside, if such a post would get locked, I’ll try & remember to keep you posted, wherever you might be at that time.

You may if you want to, but my powers do not extend beyond my own forum (in which, by the way, a question such as you have stated would not be appropriate.)

approximately how many posters who ask questions on SDMB are left unsatisfied?

That would be a question for the “In My Humble Opinion” forum. I personally couldn’t guess.

approximately how many people in the world who have needs that have feasible solutions, remain with their needs unaddressed, due to the lack of a coordinating body?

I’m sure the numbers would be mind-boggling. That’s probably another question for “In My Humble Opinion.”

Yes, yes, I know, you may tell me to ask the above 2 questions on GQ, or some other cryptically-acronymed board, and so the agitating cycle would then begin anew!

You must by psychic.

By the way, you shouldn’t feel the need to respond to my posts out of courtesy. If everyone did that, none of our threads would ever end.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Gee, somehow I keep getting the feeling that Jally doesn’t really want to talk to me.

…if just you & Arnold wouldn’t respond further, then I wouldn’t feel compelled to out of courtesy.

Can’t speak for Arnold, babe, but I surely will be happy to oblige you and not post to this thread anymore.

And somehow I keep getting the feeling that Jally isn’t really having a good time here at the SDMB.

…after recuperating from the buffeting on this board (which style ought to be trademarked - i.e. SDMB the “buffeting boards”).

I am truly sorry you aren’t enjoying yourself, but I can’t help wondering–if it isn’t fun, why do it? (barring a serious case of clinical masochism). If you really think that “it’s both healthier & preferable for [you] to interact with less-brilliant, yet decent souls, than with the sharpest mudslinger”, then golly Moses, why the heck are you here? The Straight Dope Message Board is practically wall-to-wall mudslingers, both sharp and dull. For heaven’s sakes, whyncha go on over to marthastewart.com, where mudslingers are conspicuous by their absence.

You’re wondering “approximately how many posters who ask questions on SDMB are left unsatisfied”? I think the answer to that is, “Lots and lots”. At any given moment, probably 10% of the SDMB population is suffering from questionus interruptus. I myself can think of a bunch of GQ threads that I never really got good answers to (Black Marias, ultrasonic deer alarms, the Swedish junk gadget veto, and a few tech questions).

And look at all the GQ threads that are shoved back to pages 3 through Last Page, that all have only about 3 posts to them. You can’t tell me that the people who started those threads are happy with those responses, but that’s just the breaks. They can’t all be 5 page permanent floating party threads.

But hey, the SDMB isn’t some kind of question-answering robot. It’s just a message board. People leave messages for each other. Other people read them. If you want to leave a message saying, “I sure wish you could buy a microwave that had a reversible door,” that’s fine, but don’t get upset if nobody scribbles an answering message onto a corner of your index card. And if you have some ideas about a better way to organize the bulletin board, that’s fine, too, but don’t get upset if nobody is particularly interested in hearing them. Maybe we LIKE the way the cards curl up at the corners and have coffee stains all over them, and the ink is all blurred so you can’t read half the messages. Maybe if you want things more tidy, you should just not look. Maybe if you don’t like the way the assistant manager organizes the index cards according to what color ink they’re written in, and arbitrarily throws out the ones that are trying to give away more than four kittens per litter, you should patronize another bulletin board.

…approximately how many people in the world who have needs that have feasible solutions, remain with their needs unaddressed, due to the lack of a coordinating body?

I believe there are coordinating bodies for this. They’re known as churches, Social Services, the YMCA, the YWCA, Alcoholics Anonymous, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc. etc. etc.

Oh, you’re talking about “major appliance” needs. Well, then, I guess you got me there. AFAIK, there is no coordinating body specifically geared to take suggestions from the general public on the subject of furniture and appliance design and pass them along to the manufacturers. Maybe you’re looking at a market niche here, Jally. Best of luck, babe, but, sorry, don’t look to me for any venture capital.

[jally]

ENUF SAID ALL AROUND & SUBJECT CLOSED as far as jally’s concerned & JALLY HEREBY LEARNED HER LESSON THAT MUDSLINGING SDMB’ERS COULD CARE LESS IF IN FUTURE, JALLY ONLY BOTHERS RESPONDING TO SWEET YAMMERERS

[sdimbert]

Why do I always show up for the party after they’ve started to clean up the mess?

*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose *
Oh, you’re talking about “major appliance” needs. Well, then, I guess you got me there. AFAIK, there is no coordinating body specifically geared to take suggestions from the general public on the subject of furniture and appliance design and pass them along to the manufacturers.

There is such a body - the manufacturers themselves. Do you really think that “Fat-Cat” manufacturing companies want to make what they want and forget what consumers want?

Jally, I work in the Marketing Research industry (which someone, I think DDG already mentioned) and spend most of my time helping manufacturers figure out what people like you want.

You want to propose a project to consider the feasibilty of a new type of furniture design? Send me an email… I let you see some costs.

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(Or, just go out to your garage and build the damn mousetrap yourself.)

[UncleBeer]

What in the tarnation is a goin’ on in here?

I’d like to cast my vote against the voting scheme being “Feasible and Well-Thought-Out.” I’ve only got 6 or 10 hours a day to babysit. And how the hell would anything get posted in MPSIMS. The entire forum is in place for unreasonable and poorly formulated ideas.