It's time to re-instate the 5-sentence/valid topic rule for GD

[StopTheMorans]

GD has turned into a trash heap in the past few weeks. Go ahead, look at some of the topics out there. Many of them are simply boring assertions ("Cheney is out as VP, really") and many others are flame-bait with no real subject to back them up. I know that people disliked the impediment to completely free speech that the old rules represented to some people. All I'm asking is this: can we regulate this "free market" a bit before it turns into complete anarchy? There is so much garbage in GD right lately (speaking about the last few weeks or so) without any real info. that it's becoming almost a waste of time to have to click on 10 threads you think will be informative (and turn out to be nothing but broad assertions not backed up by nothing or flame-bait) just to find one thread that's worth reading. Does anyone else feel the same, or is this merely flame-bait:)? I'd appreciate any opinions, thanks.

[goobergunch]

1. Seconded. (n/t)

[StopTheMorans]

2. thanks:)

I don't want to start copying thread titles (it would piss people off) but all you have to do is look in GD right now to see it.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. Oh, but where will newsguy post?

:eyes:

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

4. I just joined so

I can't confirm or deny or statement

[StopTheMorans]

6. thanks for stopping by tho

what do you think the sox chances are for first round opponent in the playoffs?

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

11. We will have to wait and see

If the sox can clinch soon, then I think they are good. You can rest Pedro and others who might be slumping and hurting. But if it takes them until the last series, things might not be so fun for them. As soon as they clinch I want Pedro to go back to the D.R. and chill out so he can be rested.

[FlashHarry]

7. Welcome to DU!

Great name, by the way! :hi:

[BigMcLargehuge]

5. I am uncomfortable with any restrictions

but I did appreciate the quality of content, and rather low conflagration potential, when the temp rules were in effect.

Still, I prefer debate in all it's short sighted, unresearched, poorly worded, ugliness.

I also find that there are several posters in GD who's thought I will definitely read, and those who I will not based on their penchant for posting meaningful stuff. It's takes a little longer (and a fireproof suit) to get to the useful/meaningful information, but I think it's worth it.

[StopTheMorans]

9. I agree with you on the last part of your post

"I also find that there are several posters in GD who's thought I will definitely read, and those who I will not based on their penchant for posting meaningful stuff." It seems like a few posters have the habit of repeatedly posting horrible threads that are meaningless, and a few people doing this a few times a day creates a lot of useless clutter and flame-bait, which is why I'd like A LITTLE regulation:) but it's just an opinion thing more than anything, I hear ya.

[BigMcLargehuge]

12. Glad we share the same opinion

Always nice to know I'm not alone. Still, I assert that restrictions of five sentences seem arbitrary (though I know they are not) and unduly harsh. I think it also turns everyone into a Mod-Spy, who, rather than looking for meaningful information, spent much of their time criticizing the length of the post rather than the content.

:)

[StopTheMorans]

13. maybe some new rules

not the 5-sentence rule, would be good (on second thought, CRAP, this now leaves me open to "well if you don't like the old rules why don't YOU come up with something better:) hehe, anyways, I do think there has got to be a better way than all the crap that's going on now, I mean, hell, i'm cluttering up GD with this thing right now, and its perfectly ok for me to do so:)

[WillyT]

8. Thirded, Or Wherever I Land Here !!! --- Can You Imagine...

What would happen if we moved all political campaign threads to the Campaigns\Politics Forum???

We might be able to get back to some intelligent, thought provoking subjects.

Or.... Maybe I'm just smokin too much!!!

:smoke:

[StopTheMorans]

10. I'm not even saying we have to move all the politics and campaigns

threads to that forum. Just the ones that are completely unfounded or flame-bait. examples:

"Dean will nominated Kissinger as VP"

"Clark is a war criminal, I had to say it"

etc...

Unfounded garbage, with no facts to substantiate it, that leads to no constructive discussion IMHO.

[WillyT]

14. Oh I Agree With You, It's Just Getting To A Point Where...

it's akin to what they had to consider with the Isreali\Palestinian threads. Mostly heat, with little light shed. Give 'em there own sand box, and let them beat the crap out of one another.

The threads that are actually enlightening here, get flushed down the pages so quickly because we have all this "so's your mother" shit getting posted ad nauseum!!!

:grr:

[StopTheMorans]

16. exactly!

and I completely agree with your last line. I've seen a lot of great, well-thought out posts fall like rocks b/c so many people are flaming back on forth on a few useless threads.

[BeFree]

20. Don't bogart that idea my friend..

Pass it on down the line...

All candidiate threads, until we have a nominee, should be in a separate forum.

This being the first time DU has ever confronted this ssue, it behooves DU to separate the stink from the think. Otherwise, it all will become, as this thread has announced, smelly.

[Ramsey]

15. I loved that rule

Bring it back! GD is uselss 99% of the time and the good threads get buried and most people use it to rant or flame each other.

Just my 2 dinars.

[papau]

23. I agree - political topics die in GD - so one must post to special topic

forum - where there is a much reduced response.

Perhaps special candidates formum with 10 sub-groups -- one for each - as we did with IP - so as to remove the bashing from GD?

[Dookus]

17. I agree....

I get ticked off to click on a thread and find only a link or a single sentence fragment.

While 5 sentences is rather arbitrary, I WOULD like to see a requirement that the poster actually post a coherent thought.

[searchingforlight]

18. I am unfamiliar with the rule but it does bother me when posts that

have real merit and offer good discussion topics end up at the end up on P2 (which is like the circular file) before they can be explored because of these "trash" posts.

[StopTheMorans]

22. it was basically a rule that Skinner imposed

a few months back because there was a lot of flaming and useless crap being posted in GD (a lot of it dealing with religious flame wars if I remember correctly). It was only a 3 or 5 day trial, and I loved what it did. However, people felt the distinctions were "arbitrary" and impeded the "free speech" on the board. I think the 5-sentence (threads must be posted with at least 5 sentences and a relevant link) was a bit arbitrary, but in practice, it worked well enough. It could be honed to make GD a better place I think with a little bit of work.

[gristy]

19. I like the 5 sentence rule too.

[Scaramouche]

21. I move that the General Disscussion Forum...

Be just about Gen. Wesley Clark...

Hyuk, snerf, hee-hee...

Sometimes, I just crack myself up...

[WillyT]

26. LOL... Yeah Scaramouche... But... Can You Do The Fandango ???

:shrug::evilgrin::shrug:

[Scaramouche]

27. Mais Oui, Bien sur...

[kentuck]

24. GD is General Discussion ??

I take that to mean discussion on general topics of political interest...not necessarily related to the LBN (Late Breaking News)... If it is more personal, trivial, or entertaining in nature, we do have the Lounge. Someone has different perceptions?

[StopTheMorans]

25. kick

register an opinion, one way or another, even if it's yes/no. If you'd like to, that is:)

[mountebank]

28. GD as a commons >> needs regulation... Newbies impression.

I'm pretty new here - in fact the 5 sentence rule was newly instated right when I registered. So I thought it was maybe just me when I noticed that the discussion in the last two weeks has been pretty worthless and the good threads have been hard to find and often posted under unclear subject headings.

I personally come here to discuss or listen to very concrete topics - am not interested at all in flame threads - so I haven't found much of use lately.

And all my threads go down the memory hole pretty fast - of course, that could be because no one's interested!!

This discussion board is a commons - and every liberal knows that you MUST regulate a commons or it will eventually be destroyed. Why is this? Read Garrett Hardin's article from Science magazine 1968 entitled "The Tragedy of the Commons." <http://dieoff.com/page95.htm> It is classic in Conservation Biology among other fields.

If there is no cost to using a commons, it will be misused - according to Hardin.

[kentuck]

29. GD is a very competitive forum....

You'd better have something good to say or it will drop like a rock...I know...many of mine disappear. :) It is open discussion so long as it relevant to politics or current news events. It is also open to DU opinions, as far as I know. Of course, editorials from newspapers have their own forum. It has been my experience that there is a lot of leeway given to the posters in GD. However, if you wish to talk about J-Lo or your cute little puppy, GD is not the best forum.

[pmbryant]

30. Locking

If you have questions or comments about DU policies, please ask them in the 'Ask the Administrators' forum.

Thanks!

pmbryant
DU Moderator