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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Fred23 on September 1, 2004, at 18:12:14
In an online community such as this, where there are conversations taking place between participants who at least know each other by handle, the sudden disappearance of a participant without others being aware is not a good thing.
E.g., suppose I was engaged in a thread with "chemist" where he was behaving himself, then he suddenly stops participating. My first thought was that he is being rude, or lost interest in the discussion.
There ought to be some other mechanism to alert me that he is not able to participate due to something out if his control than my having to scour the Administration board.
E.g., having a list of blocked posters and their periods would let me know if anybody I'm expecting to hear from is blocked.
That way I won't waste an hour composing a reply for the blocked party, that he'll never see.
I've been through this type of thing 10 years ago, which usually got *me* in trouble with the administrators, for questioning how they ran their operation.
Also, it seems that the blocking itself tends to generate a lot of traffic, which then makes the admin(s) even busier.
Posted by sb417 on September 1, 2004, at 23:29:25
In reply to Better way of alerting us of blocked posters, posted by Fred23 on September 1, 2004, at 18:12:14
> > E.g., suppose I was engaged in a thread with "chemist" where he was behaving himself, then he suddenly stops participating. My first thought was that he is being rude, or lost interest in the discussion.>
> That way I won't waste an hour composing a reply for the blocked party, that he'll never see.
>
__________________________________________________
Hello Fred. Regarding your first point, there are many reason for not receiving a reply or a prompt reply. I don't think we should assume that someone is being rude or has lost interest if we don't get a response. People come and go on this board. That is the nature of communication on message boards. Some posters seem to have a lot of time on their hands and spend hours here each day; others may stop by once or twice a week or less frequently.As for your next point that I quoted above, I believe that blocked posters are still able to read the board, but they are not allowed to post. If you spend time composing a reply, blocked posters should still be able to read your message. Of course, if they're angry enough about the block, maybe they'll want to use the block as an opportunity to take a break from PB.
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 2:43:21
In reply to Better way of alerting us of blocked posters, posted by Fred23 on September 1, 2004, at 18:12:14
> having a list of blocked posters and their periods would let me know if anybody I'm expecting to hear from is blocked.
It would, but it would also broadcast blocks, which the blocked posters themselves might not want. Also, posters who are aware of blocks often let others know in threads involving them. Also, I agree with the points that sb417 made.
Bob
Posted by Fred23 on September 2, 2004, at 18:35:19
In reply to Re: Better way of alerting us of blocked posters » Fred23, posted by sb417 on September 1, 2004, at 23:29:25
____________________________________________
> As for your next point that I quoted above, I believe that blocked posters are still able to read the board, but they are not allowed to post. If you spend time composing a reply, blocked posters should still be able to read your message.Would they be able to reach us via Babblemail, if we have it enabled? (In other words, they could see my post, then reply to me directly via Babblemail?)
The way that posts scroll off the board make it hard for someone to resume threads weeks later.
Posted by Fred23 on September 2, 2004, at 18:43:13
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters, posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 2:43:21
> > having a list of blocked posters and their periods would let me know if anybody I'm expecting to hear from is blocked.
>
> It would, but it would also broadcast blocks, which the blocked posters themselves might not want. Also, posters who are aware of blocks often let others know in threads involving them. Also, I agree with the points that sb417 made.I guess being seen in an official "electronic pillory" would be embarrassing. But isn't it even worse watching everyone discuss the block, which let even more people know about it, worse? Especially since the person can only watch, and not join those discussions?
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 21:41:04
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters » Dr. Bob, posted by Fred23 on September 2, 2004, at 18:43:13
> Would they be able to reach us via Babblemail, if we have it enabled?
No, when people are blocked, they can't babblemail, either.
> The way that posts scroll off the board make it hard for someone to resume threads weeks later.
Harder, yes, but they can bookmark them...
> I guess being seen in an official "electronic pillory" would be embarrassing. But isn't it even worse watching everyone discuss the block, which let even more people know about it, worse? Especially since the person can only watch, and not join those discussions?
Well, at least that way there are some people that know what happened. Plus, IMO:
> posting offers the advantages of clarifying the limits for others, modeling conflict resolution, diminishing any paranoia about activity “behind the scenes,” and allowing others to contribute to the process.
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/download/CP_3_6_p935-950.pdf
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/research.htmlBob
Posted by Fred23 on September 2, 2004, at 23:52:04
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters, posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 21:41:04
> > Would they be able to reach us via Babblemail, if we have it enabled?
>
> No, when people are blocked, they can't babblemail, either.A technical point I noticed about Babblemail, but haven't taken the time to see if it was discussed in those discussions, is that if a person before had allowed their e-mail to be displayed in a post, that allowing Babblemail now "only" gives a Babblemail link.
In other words, before the inception of Babblemail, parties displaying their e-mail addressess could still keep in touch via direct e-mail, even if blocked. But now only a Babblemail link is shown, even if a person is willing to have their e-mail address shown, so they are effectively cut off.
(I'm babbling now, but do you see what I mean?)
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 3, 2004, at 10:28:42
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters » Dr. Bob, posted by Fred23 on September 2, 2004, at 23:52:04
> before the inception of Babblemail, parties displaying their e-mail addressess could still keep in touch via direct e-mail, even if blocked. But now only a Babblemail link is shown, even if a person is willing to have their e-mail address shown, so they are effectively cut off.
That's true. The idea is that it's better overall not to have so many email addresses on display, but that's the downside. But once they're no longer blocked, they can just post it if they want.
Also, you might be able to get it from someone else (but it shouldn't be posted it without that person's permission).
Bob
Posted by alexandra_k on January 20, 2005, at 18:50:32
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters, posted by Dr. Bob on September 3, 2004, at 10:28:42
I think that it would be good to have a list somewhere of posters who are currently blocked.
I don't see how making that info easy to find is any worse than being blocked in the first place :-(
When someone who posts frequently suddenly stops posting then I worry about them and whether they are ok.
While it doesn't follow that they are ok just because they have been blocked it is at least some sort of explanation.
But I guess it doesn't really matter to me too much...
Posted by alexandra_k on January 20, 2005, at 18:53:04
In reply to Re: alerting us of blocked posters, posted by alexandra_k on January 20, 2005, at 18:50:32
Whopsie. I was looking through the archives for something (which I couldn't find) then went to have coffee... When I came back I thought I was in the current admin board instead of the archives. Thought I was responding to a current topic.
Don't mind me :-)
This is the end of the thread.
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