Welcoming New Users

Redundolita

Just come across this, and wanted to let you know how I felt as a recent newbie.

I liken some posters to vultures. Seemingly, they can sniff out a newbie and swoop to have a good old peck. They seem to operate in packs, attacking newbie posters they have appraised as not agreeing exactly with their own world view. It really is rather concerning how petty, shouty, poisonous, judgemental some veteran posters can be. That the forum then labels these very same individuals "Delicious" is laughable.

I can take care of myself. If some ignorant conjecturing bigot wants to label me a fraud - well go ahead. However I know from my work that there may very well be some incredibly fragile people approaching the forum for help who are doubtless devastated by the carpet bombing of hate spewed at them by these damaging posters.

Removing such posts ( as appears happened with my own queries ) may be too late for some. If posters are constantly getting their posts edited or removed by moderators, isn't it time a 3 strikes and you're out type of policy be introduced, for those fragile newbies such as I've described who may have turned to MSE in utter desperation ?

Mythuan

Redundolita wrote: »

Just come across this, and wanted to let you know how I felt as a recent newbie.

I liken some posters to vultures. Seemingly, they can sniff out a newbie and swoop to have a good old peck. They seem to operate in packs, attacking newbie posters they have appraised as not agreeing exactly with their own world view. It really is rather concerning how petty, shouty, poisonous, judgemental some veteran posters can be. That the forum then labels these very same individuals "Delicious" is laughable.

I can take care of myself. If some ignorant conjecturing bigot wants to label me a fraud - well go ahead. However I know from my work that there may very well be some incredibly fragile people approaching the forum for help who are doubtless devastated by the carpet bombing of hate spewed at them by these damaging posters.

Removing such posts ( as appears happened with my own queries ) may be too late for some. If posters are constantly getting their posts edited or removed by moderators, isn't it time a 3 strikes and you're out type of policy be introduced, for those fragile newbies such as I've described who may have turned to MSE in utter desperation ?

I didn't realise there was such an issue on the forum, but I completely agree with this. From my own experience (albeit a lot more extreme than I think would happen here) on a different website, once the abuse is received the damage is done.

Sometimes posters may not realise the harshness of their message - all the more reason for some sort of warning system (i.e. 3 strikes as mentioned above)

Otherwise I think this forum does a very good job - I hope harmful comments don't cause too much disruption.

Mythuan

Redundolita wrote: »

Just come across this, and wanted to let you know how I felt as a recent newbie.

I liken some posters to vultures. Seemingly, they can sniff out a newbie and swoop to have a good old peck. They seem to operate in packs, attacking newbie posters they have appraised as not agreeing exactly with their own world view. It really is rather concerning how petty, shouty, poisonous, judgemental some veteran posters can be. That the forum then labels these very same individuals "Delicious" is laughable.

I can take care of myself. If some ignorant conjecturing bigot wants to label me a fraud - well go ahead. However I know from my work that there may very well be some incredibly fragile people approaching the forum for help who are doubtless devastated by the carpet bombing of hate spewed at them by these damaging posters.

Removing such posts ( as appears happened with my own queries ) may be too late for some. If posters are constantly getting their posts edited or removed by moderators, isn't it time a 3 strikes and you're out type of policy be introduced, for those fragile newbies such as I've described who may have turned to MSE in utter desperation ?

I didn't realise there was such an issue on the forum, but I completely agree with this. From my own experience (albeit a lot more extreme than I think would happen here) on a different website, once the abuse is received the damage is done.

Sometimes posters may not realise the harshness of their message - all the more reason for some sort of warning system (i.e. 3 strikes as mentioned above)

Otherwise I think this forum does a very good job - I hope harmful comments don't cause too much disruption.

Mythuan

Oops - how do I delete my post?!

grintricha

the alert newbie sign is like sending your kid to school with a don't bully me sticker on

worst message board idea ever

Richard

poppy10_2

malentra wrote: »

waiting for new jobs. Thank you for unshared.

OK, so what should we be doing with posts like this? A blatant automated spambot, but should we avoid pointing that out because of the sticker that says "Alert Newbie, MSE requests you give new posters a chance, please be especially nice"?

spherelance

poppy10 wrote: »

OK, so what should we be doing with posts like this? A blatant automated spambot, but should we avoid pointing that out because of the sticker that says "Alert Newbie, MSE requests you give new posters a chance, please be especially nice"?

No you should click the nice button labelled report and state your case as to why you feel it is a spambot. That way you've made your concerns known to the people who look after this place and not potentially upset a newbie. It's not rocket science.

Edit: Or you could be a vigilante and arrange a lynching.

Outpost

spherelance wrote: »

It's not rocket science.

Or you could be a vigilante and arrange a lynching.

Tut tut. That isn't very nice. Please be nice to all moneysavers.

T_T_2

poppy10 wrote: »

OK, so what should we be doing with posts like this? A blatant automated spambot, but should we avoid pointing that out because of the sticker that says "Alert Newbie, MSE requests you give new posters a chance, please be especially nice"?

Not that it matters much but these spammers aren't generally 'bots'. They are just extremely busy spammers with generally poor english language skills :rotfl:

spherelance

Outpost wrote: »

Tut tut. That isn't very nice. Please be nice to all moneysavers.

Well the post I responded to was calling another member a spammer, not exactly being nice to another poster is it?

Perhaps I should have stuck a smiley after those comments as they were meant more in jest than ridicule.