# Why nothing's going to change (from the "Bad Precedent" thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 11, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733 "2010-04-11T14:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/81 "2010-04-17T04:34:03Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Look, once upon a time, GD was **NOT** a vast political wasteland. Back in DavidB’s tenure (and I’m using him to fix the time, not to compare mods), it was much more of a James Randi/Skeptics forum–there were politics, but there was a lot more skeptical stuff, and the forum was wildly more diverse. I’m skeptical of this. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/82 "2010-04-17T06:48:31Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I really think a “Current Events” forum is needed. GD is supposed to be about big, timeless issues: “Should people have the right to defend themselves?” and not piddly little daily stuff (“House bill 19473.3, regarding the regulation of 23-grain bullets violates the 2nd Amendment”). On a purely conceptual level, this is pretty compelling. ---
**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:** [April 17, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/83 "2010-04-17T16:50:26Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > On a purely conceptual level, this is pretty compelling. Not really, since "“House bill 19473.3, regarding the regulation of 23-grain bullets violates the 2nd Amendment” would turn into another gun control/gun ban/2nd Amendment melee, guaranteed. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/84 "2010-04-17T19:15:08Z")
Perhaps a compromise? vBulletin can use Thread Prefixes, which are short phrases automatically added to the beginning of a post. For example, if I start a new thread in GD, I might find a drop-box there with: **Election 2012** **World Politics** **Religion** I’d select **Election 2012** , then title my thread _Is Palin Forked?_ The whole thread title would appear as \*\*_Election 2012: Is Palin Forked?_ The thing is that these prefixes can be filtered. If you’re interested in seeing only the **Election 2012** threads, those are all that you have to see. If you don’t want any of these hot topics cluttering your screen, then you don’t have to even see them. On any of the forum listings (say [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=2), for example), way down at the bottom is the Display Options section. Once Thread Prefixes is turned on, another box will appear in the space to the left of the Show Threads button. With that box, you’ll be able to list the threads you want to see. If you _only_ want to see threads about the election, select **Election 2012** and click the button. If you don’t want to see _any_ of the prefixed threads, select **No Prefix**. To keep things the way they are now, select **Any Prefix**. Now, you can’t filter OUT particular prefixes (“Show me everything except **Religion** ”), and you can’t combine them (“Show me just the unprefixed threads, but add **World Politics** ”)–you can see one specific prefix, no prefixes, or all threads. On the plus side, there would be no need to create a new forum or for new moderators. Since each forum’s prefixes can be tailored specially for that forum, the system is flexible. On the minus side, the look and feel of the forums would change some. Also, as with any additional feature, there would be a slight increase in the Mods’ workload from people who forget to select a prefix. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/85 "2010-04-17T20:40:10Z")
Hey, **Fenris**? You see that little wheel thingie on your mouse? Or that scroll bar on the right of the window? Did you know you can use\* either one\* to breeze right by threads you don’t care to read? It’s amazing, this modern technology. More to the point: When’s the last time you posted _anything at all_ on this board other than “suggestions” about how it should be run? And why shouldn’t threads about this community by people _who choose not to participate in it_ be breezed right by as readily as any other “uninteresting” threads? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/86 "2010-04-17T21:51:06Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > More to the point: When’s the last time you posted _anything at all_ on this board other than “suggestions” about how it should be run? And why shouldn’t threads about this community by people _who choose not to participate in it_ be breezed right by as readily as any other “uninteresting” threads? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12341371#post12341371](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12341371#post12341371) There you go. Why would you even make such a jerky comment without a quick search? Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/87 "2010-04-17T22:13:42Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Hey, **Fenris**? You see that little wheel thingie on your mouse? Or that scroll bar on the right of the window? Did you know you can use\* either one\* to breeze right by threads you don’t care to read? It’s amazing, this modern technology. > > More to the point: When’s the last time you posted _anything at all_ on this board other than “suggestions” about how it should be run? And why shouldn’t threads about this community by people _who choose not to participate in it_ be breezed right by as readily as any other “uninteresting” threads? So much for toning down the level of aggression, the name calling and the “us vs. them” mentality. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/88 "2010-04-17T23:04:13Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > More to the point: When’s the last time you posted _anything at all_ on this board other than “suggestions” about how it should be run? > [@CarnalK](#): > > There you go. Why would you even make such a jerky comment without a quick search? Sheesh. [Moderator Note] Let’s avoid making personal jabs against other posters in ATMB. No warning issued. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/89 "2010-04-17T23:09:29Z")
Note: I was talking about the post, not the poster and you clearly agree with me as to its character. But whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/90 "2010-04-17T23:15:50Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Note: > I was talking about the post, not the poster and you clearly agree with me as to its character. But whatever. [Moderating] Please don’t put words in my mouth regarding what I “agree with.” The main point is to avoid having the discussion get personal. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/91 "2010-04-17T23:52:26Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12341371#post12341371](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12341371#post12341371) Oh, goody, there was one. Great. **Sapo** , doesn’t the “level of aggression” demonstrated by someone’s almost-pure stream of complaints about this board’s organization and operation concern you? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/92 "2010-04-18T01:40:38Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Oh, goody, there was one. Great. > > **Sapo** , doesn’t the “level of aggression” demonstrated by someone’s almost-pure stream of complaints about this board’s organization and operation concern you? **Moderator** **Elvis**. If you’re troubled by some of the posts on this board, just scroll on past. No warning issued. **samclem**. Moderator, GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733/93 "2010-04-18T17:45:20Z")
The following may be of interest: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12356157#post12356157](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12356157#post12356157) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-nothings-going-to-change-from-the-bad-precedent-thread/535733.md?page=4)