Posted by Dinah on October 1, 2004, at 0:49:18
In reply to Re: limit of 3 consecutive posts, posted by Dr. Bob on September 30, 2004, at 23:53:13
Thank you for clarifying Dr. Bob.
> Posting more than 3 consecutive times to the same thread may discourage less confident posters from joining in. At that point, giving others a chance allows them also to help -- and to feel good about doing so.
Why would this particular posting style discourage less confident posters from joining in more than any other prolific posting style? In your laudable quest to encourage less confident posters to post more frequently, can we expect to see other rules designed to give them more space? If I understood why you are singling out this one particular aspect of prolific posters, I would have a greater understanding of your attitudes in general and potential future legislation. Not to mention a greater confidence in whether or not any particular posting behavior on my part is displeasing to you.
>
> Welcoming posters, answering questions, and responding to threads with few responses all make the board a better place, are appreciated by me -- and can I think be done without posting 4 consecutive times.
>
Yes, certainly. But how many times does this come up in that context? I would guess it would come up more often if people forget to put on posting names and add ^^^ above for... or need to clarify something that they think may have not come out the way they intended or technical issues like that. Then there are meltdowns. (I gave you an url for an example). What would you do in that situation? And then there are the diaries, like Ilene's diary or Mouse's journal about ??? what was that medication? Keppra? Those are very useful types of posts that may involve more than three consecutive posts without an answer. Yet Mouse's experience may serve many people through search engines in the archives. Would you have had Mouse stop with day 3, and lost all that information for posterity? Are you going to tell Ilene to stop posting her diary?And again, why the emphasis on this particular aspect of posting? And what other posting habits are held in disapprobation by you? This can't possibly be the only thing that you believe inhibits less confident posters from posting. I would prefer not to engage in behavior that I later discover you have disliked all along.
> > Is it possible to have a computer enforced limit of some sort so as to avoid public humiliation of being told you talk too much?
>
> That's an idea, but unfortunately isn't something I could do right away, sorry. Also, my intent is not to humiliate anyone, and I apologize if I have.I'm not saying you've humiliated anyone *yet*, if only because you haven't been all that specific. I'd actually like you to be more specific, although of course, I'd prefer you do it without humiliating anyone. I'm saying you could humiliate someone. What better way to drive off a new exuberant poster than telling them, in effect, that they talk too much and to shut up. They haven't been offensive in any way, insulted anyone, used foul language. How would this work? Would it be worded as a Please Be Civil? It hardly seems like a Please Be Civil violation. There is nothing inherently uncivil about it. Will it be reserved for your judgement only, or would deputies be enforcing it? Are you really going to be searching every post for "reply to"'s?
>
> > Of course, if I had my druthers, Dr. Bob's program would also scan posts for naughty words and put up reminders before you hit confirm so that nobody receives a PBC for inadvertanly forgetting to replace a letter with a *.
> >
> > Dinah
>
> That has come up before:
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20031120/msgs/298131.html
>
> and is already on my to-do list...
>
> BobGood. If you could add the other to your to do list too, I'd be appreciative.
Also, a suggestion. Before making a new rule, perhaps it would be wise to get input *first* rather than making the rule, then watching the comments flare up. Who knows, posters might have good ideas that you could incorporate into the rule, or you might discover it's a bad idea without having to appear to back down, if that's an issue for you. I'm not saying it is. I have no idea of your issues, of course.
poster:Dinah
thread:394224
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040927/msgs/397713.html