Event Moving forward. Please read.

[Autoshite Admin]

 

 

It's clear there needs to be a little more logic to the layout of AS and how people find their way around; not this, but a bit more order than the current two big catchall buckets of 'main' and 'off-topic', plus the much smaller and less traffic'd modern section.

 

Of course, these suggestions are open to constructive debate and consideration of alternative ideas, but we thought it might help to reduce the churn of posts on the main section and stop the perennial complaint of 'my thread keeps getting pushed off the 1st page due to irrelevant noise'.

 

Below are the mod thoughts, we don't see five sections as being excessive & hope you'll agree, with a bit of helpful blurb about what each section is for which would probably go a long way to helping signpost people on where best to put stuff:

 

- Autoshite main board - Keep your fellow shiters up to date with whats going on with your shite, grins and grumps

- Autoshite non-motoring - Want to share your hobbies outside of shite? Bung it here

- Autoshite For sale - Selling vehicles or parts? - Put it here, it's better than Fleabay or Scumtree

- Technical questions - Got a question you want answered? You know where you can stick it m8

- Modern Shite - Made this millennium-ish? Shite of the future and bangernomics

 

-A separate politics/Brexit/'potentially sensitive' sub forum that WILL be part of Autoshite but hidden away and can only be accessed by asking to join. No current member of AS will be refused and as long as folk are tolerant of opposing views and no nastiness starts, it'll be left alone. Suggest minimum post count/length of membership (ooh err matron) before access is allowed. We propose a vote on this and will honour the result

 

We'll run the vote for one week to see if people want this and simple yes or no options for the poll ref.

 

Reiteration of rules on main page, attempt to make clear when any post is hidden by moderators and person/s involved messaged. None of us are perfect we may forget from time to time but will do our best. Please just be nice to people though on any part of the forum or use the ignore facility. The report option will remain for now for everybodys sake.

 

Thank you.

[beko1987]

Can't see a vote but it's a yes from me

[egg]

I'm perfectly happy with the current format, but would not object to the proposed changes.

 

To clarify, is the for sale section for both motoring and non-motoring?

 

Thanks for putting the time in to think about this.

[Pillock]

Poll added, I've turned over my 7 day egg timer

[forddeliveryboy]

I think the suggestions to write over blanked-out posts by a Mod suggesting why it was made invisible, with the option of the poster amending said post to allow it to reappear made huge sense. This is a tried and trusted approach on many other forums, it works really well.

 

A lot of the disquiet has been along the lines of too much moderator interference and questionable decisions which are invisible, with no explanation offered even when requested. The method above would have made the current mess less likely, in my opinion.

[Cavcraft]

I think the suggestions to write over blanked-out posts by a Mod suggesting why it was made invisible, with the option of the poster amending said post to allow it to reappear made huge sense. This is a tried and trusted approach on many other forums, it works really well.

 

A lot of the disquiet has been along the lines of too much moderator interference and questionable decisions which are invisible, with no explanation offered even when requested. The method above would have made the current mess less likely, in my opinion.

 

I agree, we fell foul of not having thought of that, to be frank. 

 

Onwards and upwards.

[Pillock]

I'm perfectly happy with the current format, but would not object to the proposed changes.

 

To clarify, is the for sale section for both motoring and non-motoring?

 

Thanks for putting the time in to think about this.

 

Motoring will have its own for sale subforum.

 

Non-motoring will continue in the single "for sale/wanted" thread so we don't become a beige flea market and continue with a primarily automotive themed purpose in life.

[Craig the Princess]

I'd say just have the politics/religion on the of topic section, members only but no other limit.

 

I'd rather not have it, but on the whole the other changes get my vote.

[egg]

Motoring will have its own for sale subforum.

 

Non-motoring will continue in the single "for sale/wanted" thread so we don't become a beige flea market and continue with a primarily automotive themed purpose in life.

 

Point taken and agreed, I guess it will work out through custom and practice - but I guess clarifying where model-shite sales should take place would be helpful as they are a regular occurrence currently on the main board.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I'm amazed that the mods have allowed comments on this. Here's hoping that no-one starts moaning on this one.

There is no perfect solution and the changes seem a best fit solution in light of everything. Time to move forwards.

[forddeliveryboy]

Shouldn't some form of truce be called if the Mods genuinely want to move forwards in the spirit of Autoshite?

 

When (lots) more than a dozen people are really, really pissed off and there are such gentle folk as Louise2cv included in this group then I'd suggest this would be a good thing. Even Bo11ox admitted surprise at how things had been going, of late.

 

The other place and this one may yet develop to complement each other in a really beneficial way, but allowing ill-feeling to continue isn't healthy or good for the success of Autoshite.

 

You've (Mods) sort of fessed up to things not going quite right, a bit like I almost said sorry in a convoluted explanation to the headteacher for making the French teacher upset. I know my life would have been made much easier if I'd looked him in the eye, and said "it wasn't all my doing Sir, but I very much regret what I said when tired and distracted".

[Pillock]

Point taken and agreed, I guess it will work out through custom and practice - but I guess clarifying where model-shite sales should take place would be helpful as they are a regular occurrence currently on the main board.

 

That can be certainly worked out in due course - that's not to say that we couldn't have a modelshite sale thread and everything non-car MUST be in the one thread. Stuff like Datsuncog's model thread worked really well.

[Pillock]

I'm amazed that the mods have allowed comments on this. Here's hoping that no-one starts moaning on this one.

 

I've got so many bits of my anatomy crossed, I can't even piss straight.

[SiC]

A couple of questions.

 

- Modern Shite - Made this millennium-ish? Shite of the future and bangernomics

I don't think it would be a good idea to fix it to one particular era like RR do. Part of the charm of this forum is that people can participate with all sorts of cars, affordable or not. Unfortantly old cars are becoming a rich persons game. Even a Vauxhall Nova is worth quite a lot of money now.

 

Could we have a vote on this date? E.g. 10 years old, 15 years, 20 years, etc.

 

 

-A separate politics/Brexit/'potentially sensitive' sub forum that WILL be part of Autoshite but hidden away and can only be accessed by asking to join. No current member of AS will be refused and as long as folk are tolerant of opposing views and no nastiness starts, it'll be left alone. Suggest minimum post count/length of membership (ooh err matron) before access is allowed. We propose a vote on this and will honour the result

Again it would be good if we could have a vote on the minimum post count/period. I don't think it should be invitation only otherwise it'll just become an "exclusive" club. Also can't be immediate entry as often people post sensitive topics to them (e.g. depression, relationships, etc).

 

 

It's clear there needs to be a little more logic to the layout of AS and how people find their way around; not this, but a bit more order than the current two big catchall buckets of 'main' and 'off-topic', plus the much smaller and less traffic'd modern section.

If the majority of the forum vote A to Exit the current situation (ExShite?) rather than voting B to Remain in the current state, how are you going to manage the transition phase?

There are over 33000 threads on this forum, which will be almost impossible to go through one by one to put them in the correct sections.

[Eddie Honda]

There are over 33000 threads on this forum, which will be almost impossible to go through one by one to put them in the correct sections.

Easy, just chuck them in an attic section and they can get pulled out as required. Also, everytime Billy posts a "joke" he has to sort another 20 from the attic.

[loserone]

I'd have thought the required new sections can be created empty and as existing threads are posted in they can be sorted.

 

Not quite sure how for sale posts will work where members have a thread already for the car / their cars. But probably just a link back to the threads and a token post?

[dollywobbler]

Oh gawd...

[forddeliveryboy]

What sort of action is going to be taken to sort out the problems which resulted in the moderating confusion and lack of logic over compromised member accounts?

 

After all, that's the reason all this is happening isn't it?

[N Dentressangle]

[Stanky]

Firmly in favour of this idea as I believe it will help to ensure that relevant content can easily be found for new users, and there will be less displacement of threads - keeping things broadly on-topic in the main sections which I imagine will remain the main forum and the off-topic one.

 

I would like to suggest that at day 1 of this change, no existing topics be moved - it would be a mammoth job to do and doesn't really help much. However I would hope that a month down the line the two 'new' pages - Technical Questions and For Sale will have naturally started filling up with content with would otherwise go into the main page or off-topic.

[Junkman]

A couple of questions.

 

 

I don't think it would be a good idea to fix it to one particular era like RR do. Part of the charm of this forum is that people can participate with all sorts of cars, affordable or not. Unfortantly old cars are becoming a rich persons game. Even a Vauxhall Nova is worth quite a lot of money now.

 

Could we have a vote on this date? E.g. 10 years old, 15 years, 20 years, etc.

 

1986.

[HMC]

Oh gawd...

What is your opinion on this?

[Pillock]

Organising threads won't be so hard, primarily modern and open will remain as is. We can filter the most recent for sale threads and move them. I don't think anyone will care if threads about cars that are long since sold stay miles down the main forum where no man dares go.

 

Questions is a good one but again, if we draw a line in the sand and everything suitable goes in there from next week, in a few weeks you'll have to scroll down quite a way. Threads that reappear can be moved as and when that happens with a link left.

[brownnova]

Firstly, thanks mods for this. I think it goes a long way to helping Autoshite evolve to its new larger membership and changed clientele.

 

My only concern with having a specific for sale thread might be that some people would come here just to sell more often than they do now. Could I suggest that a minimum post count to sell could apply so that only established shiters sell here?

[HMC]

I don’t see how this is contributing to the debate, nor do I feel assured the spirit of the thread and the dialogue between mods and members is being held by all mods if one of them “ likes” this post.

[HMC]

What sort of action is going to be taken to sort out the problems which resulted in the moderating confusion and lack of logic over compromised member accounts?

After all, that's the reason all this is happening isn't it?

This. This is the point of it all.

[Pillock]

Part of the reason for making the "difficult" thread (we're really struggling with how to classify this!) hidden at first is to help new members feel at home without a lot of heavyweight, potentially heated threads bouncing around.

 

It would be advertised in the stickies and people can ask to join.

 

That's initial thoughts anyway - really appreciate the constructive comments and suggestions as to how this would be as workable as possible.

 

Maybe the opposite could happen - we can move people as requested to a group that can't see that forum.

[loserone]

I *think* that addresses the moderating confusion part to be honest; the idea being that anything goes, except *-ism and personal attacks? I.e. there should be less moderation?

 

Not sure what the current situation is with premoderation though. Does it fix that?

[Cavcraft]

I don’t see how this is contributing to the debate, nor do I feel assured the spirit of the thread and the dialogue between mods and members is being held by all mods if one of them “ likes” this post.

 

I assumed he meant redirecting old threads was like herding cats.

[Jim Bell]

I vote for the opposite of what everyone else wants and think I speak for the community when I say that I should be in charge.