# Why was the "Your opinion of the language restrictions in the Pit" thread closed **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 12, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921 "2012-06-12T15:06:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/41 "2012-06-12T18:37:50Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > FYI, Rhythmdvl, that post was pretty incoherent. Thank you for your contribution. I will take it under advisement. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/42 "2012-06-12T18:42:27Z")
Asking questions is a terrible way to get answers. You only hear from the people who agree to answer! ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/43 "2012-06-12T18:46:45Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Well, then…I stand corrected. Carry on. Please note that the latest of those polls occurred before mid-June of 2010. I believe the rules as to which forums could have polls was made after date, but correct me if I’m wrong about that. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/44 "2012-06-12T18:49:47Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] POLLING is an automated feature available in three forums: In My Humble Opinion, Cafe Society, and the Game Room. It’s also enabled in About this Message Board, for testing.A poll is a feature attached to a regular thread; you can discuss your votes, your opinions, or the poll results using normal posts. You may vote in the poll without posting to the thread, or you may post to the thread without voting in the poll. [/quote] [From here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11650050&postcount=13) Dated 9/22/2009. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/45 "2012-06-12T18:52:15Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > [From here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11650050&postcount=13) Dated 9/22/2009. I stand corrected. They didn’t start cracking down on that rule until mid June of 2010, then. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/46 "2012-06-12T18:59:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Asking questions is a terrible way to get answers. You only hear from the people who agree to answer! Especially if the answer doesn’t mean anything. As mentioned, this is not run on majority opinion, and a poll that shows “99.842% of responders agree that we should be able to say ‘fuck you’ in the Pit” means exactly nothing. Therefore a poll on ATMB topics is not only wasted, it is a distraction. Maybe you hate the rule. Maybe I hate the rule. Maybe everyone loves the rule except you and me. Guess what? That changes not one thing. I suppose the reason for no polls in ATMB is the same as the reason for no polls in GD. You are supposed to prevail on the strength of your arguments, not the number of those on your side (or the other). Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/47 "2012-06-12T19:06:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I stand corrected. They didn’t start cracking down on that rule until mid June of 2010, then. No. They didn’t start cracking down on that rule until this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/48 "2012-06-12T19:13:16Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I suppose the reason for no polls in ATMB is the same as the reason for no polls in GD. You are supposed to prevail on the strength of your arguments, not the number of those on your side (or the other). No–that’s not it either. You don’t prevail on stuff like this, Ed just hands down rulings by fiat. (see the thread where Ed handed down the dictum that there would be No Avatars because they made _his_ “skin crawl”) What users want, what members argue is irrelevant. So why not have polls. It’s not like it’s going to make even the remotest difference in how the SDMB reacts to member input. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/49 "2012-06-12T19:15:21Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > No. > > Actually we give amazing leeway to people with protests, especially when you consider on a lot of other boards complaints get you banned. > > There is no polling in ATMB. > > The poll function is turned on so people can do test polls, to experiment with it. But no functional polls are allowed in ATMB. > > Let me say that again: Polling for its own sake is not allowed in ATMB. > > Since complaints about moderators and board policies are in ATMB and not in IMHO we couldn’t ship the thread over there. > > Not a lot of options left. When I tried something similar on my 10-year-old not that long ago (“Sorry! You have to eat at least one bite of vegetables at dinner! That’s the rules!”) he pointed out, accurately, that I’m the one who made the rule in the first place. “Good point, kid,” I said, “but I think it’s a good rule so we’re keeping it.” My point here being that since you guys are the ones who make the rules, it’s a little bit silly to sit here claiming that there’s absolutely no options for you to be able to keep a particular thread open. “Rules! Sorry!” Either change the rules to allow polls on ATMB topics to be posted somewhere on the boards, or just admit that you simply do not want such polls to be posted. (Which is pretty obviously the case, and which IMO is silly and counterproductive. So someone creates a poll asking if everyone thinks an admin action is dumb. 99% of users say, yes, it’s dumb. You can very easily just ignore this and let it sink to the bottom of IMHO. What do you care? Instead you got heavy-handed and decided this was a Verboten Topic and had to be locked. Come on.) Also, seriously, telling us we should all just be thankful we aren’t banned already does not foster goodwill or community spirit on this message board. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/50 "2012-06-12T19:18:43Z")
To be fair, if there’s one thing they’ve demonstrated it’s that they don’t care about fostering goodwill or community spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/51 "2012-06-12T19:42:40Z")
I actually agree with the no polls in ATMB. Their board, their rules. I just dislike the disingenuous bullshit. eta: Maybe not agree per se, but at least don’t object to. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/52 "2012-06-12T20:31:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Never claimed there was one. I’m just saying that a poll that will only be contributed to by those that: > > 1. Frequent that particular forum, > 2. Open that particular thread, and > 3. Are interested enough to reply > Is a very poor way to find out the boardwide opinion of anything. You could dismiss parliamentary elections - or indeed any kind of publically influenced decision making process - using exactly the same argument: "I’m just saying that an election that will only be contributed to by those who - 1. Attend a polling booth, 2. Pay attention to that particular issue, and 3. Are interested enough to vote - is a very poor way to find out the voters’ opinion of anything." ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/53 "2012-06-12T20:39:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I stand corrected. They didn’t start cracking down on that rule until mid June of 2010, then. [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=598631) is one from Feb of 2011. Care to go for the trifecta? ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/54 "2012-06-12T20:44:43Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=598631) is one from Feb of 2011. Care to go for the trifecta? And the poll was closed with this note: > [@TubaDiva](#): > > Sorry Quasi, but we don’t use the poll function in ATMB except when people need to test out/figure out how to use it. > > I have closed your poll in this thread but the thread is still open for replies. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/55 "2012-06-12T20:48:22Z")
> [@Myrnalene](#): > > Lol for-fucking-ever. This _place_. I agree with **Myrnalene**. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/56 "2012-06-12T21:08:00Z")
> [@ntucker](#): > > I agree with **Myrnalene**. Are we allowed to keep track of how many people agree with this? ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/57 "2012-06-12T21:11:55Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And the poll was closed with this note: [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=584892) is one Nov of 2010. And yes it was noted that such polls aren’t allowed, however it was neither closed nor locked. > [@Should all complaints be private?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-all-complaints-be-private/560025/3): > > The only use of polls in ATMB is as a test – we don’t operate this place by popular vote and so we do not allow polling here as a general rule. Hardly what I’d call a “crack down”. Wouldn’t even register as a stern reminder. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/58 "2012-06-12T21:21:13Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Are we allowed to keep track of how many people agree with this? Not if you know what’s good for you. Just be happy you haven’t already been banned. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/59 "2012-06-12T21:44:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Especially if the answer doesn’t mean anything. > > As mentioned, this is not run on majority opinion, and a poll that shows “99.842% of responders agree that we should be able to say ‘fuck you’ in the Pit” means exactly nothing. Therefore a poll on ATMB topics is not only wasted, it is a distraction. > > Maybe you hate the rule. Maybe I hate the rule. Maybe everyone loves the rule except you and me. Guess what? That changes not one thing. > > I suppose the reason for no polls in ATMB is the same as the reason for no polls in GD. You are supposed to prevail on the strength of your arguments, not the number of those on your side (or the other). > > Regards, > Shodan Lots of companies use polls and focus groups to see how people like their product. Allowing polls doesn’t mean it’s a binding referendum. I surmise the reason they don’t allow them is because they don’t want to even give a hint that a majority feeling has any impact whatsoever. I would think the obvious reason that they don’t allow polls in GD is in it’s name itself. It’s for Debate. ATMB is for talking about this message board, which I would think includes seeing how the membership feels about various aspects of it. ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921/60 "2012-06-13T02:29:46Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Lots of companies use polls and focus groups to see how people like their product. Allowing polls doesn’t mean it’s a binding referendum. I surmise the reason they don’t allow them is because they don’t want to even give a hint that a majority feeling has any impact whatsoever. > > I would think the obvious reason that they don’t allow polls in GD is in it’s name itself. It’s for Debate. ATMB is for talking about this message board, which I would think includes seeing how the membership feels about various aspects of it. Man, looking at that poll I have to wonder: If the results had been diametrically opposite, would there have been a post from **Tuba** saying, essentially, “We don’t normally allow polls like this in ATMB, but I’ll go ahead and leave this open for now [so we can bask in **Zotti** ’s awesomeness].” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-the-your-opinion-of-the-language-restrictions-in-the-pit-thread-closed/624921.md?page=4)