Discussion time is dead. Please Discuss.

seven-day-weekend

j.e.j. wrote: »

I'm not usually good at spotting AEs, but there are one or two who have a very distinctive posting style and it's obvious it's the same person. (I won't name them on here, or it'll start another bun-fight!). One, I am sure, keeps a spare user-name for when his other one gets PPRed, which seems to happen quite frequently due to his offensive posts.

There is another one who is on at least his third 'incarnation' on MSE.

It's like Ames says, the PPR system is ineffective. If someone is determined to start another account and disrupt the boards, there doesn't seem to be a way of stopping them.

I'm no good at spotting AEs either, but even I suspect one currently on DT debating (against) the Monarchy/Royal Family. I have come across this poster on other forums and there is always someone they are being vile about.

Some people come back time and time again, under different names, purely in order to see how long it takes before they get banned. I read this on another forum, from someone who does it.

seven-day-weekend

trollopscarletwoman wrote: »

To have any real credibility you need to name the posters you refer too.

One poster on the DT royal thread did just that hoping that said posters would be banned. Misguided but honest. So I have some respect for that.

I named them too on that thread. Not particularly so that they would get banned (at least one of them is an AE so will get banned soon enough), but just to absolutely clarify who I was talking about.

trollopscarletwoman

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I named them too on that thread. Not particularly so that they would get banned (at least one of them is an AE so will get banned soon enough), but just to absolutely clarify who I was talking about.

Got time for that.

System

trollopscarletwoman wrote: »

I'm not a big opener of threads.

But I get the feeling that the posters in DT are getting fewer and fewer.

Reasons-who knows?

What's happening?

I think DT is on its way out.

Woodbine-a couple of weeks ago suggested the same in that this site is now owned by money supermarket.com and that there is no need for DT. So why have it-more trouble than its worth.

Hope I got my facts right on that one.

He might be right.

I cannot find any actual statistics on the site for how many users (or user-names!) are using Discussion Time at any one time, but speaking generally I notice that a few posters I used to chat to are no longer around.

I am not a prolific poster on DT, but occasionally an interesting topic pops up and it's interesting to get others' views and to engage in a discussion. However, contributors on this thread are not wrong in saying that there are some prickly characters over there, meaning it's often best avoided if you don't want to either inadvertently offend someone, or end up on the receiving end of others' unfriendliness yourself!

trollopscarletwoman

avogadro wrote: »

I cannot find any actual statistics on the site for how many users (or user-names!) are using Discussion Time at any one time, but speaking generally I notice that a few posters I used to chat to are no longer around.

I am not a prolific poster on DT, but occasionally an interesting topic pops up and it's interesting to get others' views and to engage in a discussion. However, contributors on this thread are not wrong in saying that there are some prickly characters over there, meaning it's often best avoided if you don't want to either inadvertently offend someone, or end up on the receiving end of others' unfriendliness yourself!

I doubt stats on user names are available. Not to us anyway.

On the basis of revenue stream.

Recently I asked for my username to be removed-not allowed.

On the general abuse issue though I really do think some posters have thin skins. How they manage in daily life I don't know.

Scared of their own shadow perhaps.

Gingernutty

I rarely go to Discussion Time.

Threads are started by tub thumpers, axe grinders and out and out nutters (Meftep, anyone?) and degenerate into insults and nit picking very quickly.

There's no point posting anyway.

InvestInPoker

Gingernutty wrote: »

Threads are started by tub thumpers, axe grinders and out and out nutters...........and degenerate into insults and nit picking very quickly.

Exactly (I fit right in).


What I find hilarious is that the amount of people that have changed how they will vote due to reading a post in discussion time is pretty much exactly 0 - yet it doesn't stop people starting 20 threads a day. It's a good outlet to vent through though and you have to take it for what it is. Don't bother going there unless you have a very thick skin and can see things for exactly what they are. If you can handle that it can be entertaining.

stephen77

InvestInPoker wrote: »

Exactly (I fit right in).


What I find hilarious is that the amount of people that have changed how they will vote due to reading a post in discussion time is pretty much exactly 0 - yet it doesn't stop people starting 20 threads a day. It's a good outlet to vent through though and you have to take it for what it is. Don't bother going there unless you have a very thick skin and can see things for exactly what they are. If you can handle that it can be entertaining.

I think it makes some voters more resolute in there views, normally the opposite effect of what the OP wants.

itsanne

InvestInPoker wrote: »

Exactly (I fit right in).


What I find hilarious is that the amount of people that have changed how they will vote due to reading a post in discussion time is pretty much exactly 0 - yet it doesn't stop people starting 20 threads a day. It's a good outlet to vent through though and you have to take it for what it is. Don't bother going there unless you have a very thick skin and can see things for exactly what they are. If you can handle that it can be entertaining.

No, it makes it boring. It's awful at present. I hardly go on just now and end up skim reading a couple of threads and giving up in disgust when I do. There's no incentive to engage.

Former_MSE_Megan

Hi everyone,

We're not getting rid of DT or the 'agony column' (Great name for it btw), everyone needs a place to go off topic! The forum has never been about making money, it's about being a friendly community and supporting each other.

We've noticed some really nasty stuff in DT recently though and we're doing our best to get rid of it as soon as it's reported to us. I have a long list to get through this morning, so that's what I'll be doing today!

Please, please keep reporting this stuff when you see it. It really helps us to get rid of the less than savoury stuff, and gives you guys space to have actual discussions, which is what the board was designed for!