We just unveiled an important upgrade to the ignore function that lets you block other members.

[Skinner]

Read these threads for all the details:

THREAD #1 - 500 Responses (Now locked)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3076551

THREAD #2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3086082

[Original Jack]

1. Oh... just what we need

Another way to stuff up our ears.

[onenote]

2. my problem with this (and maybe my concern is unfounded)

It allows someone to start a new thread in response to another's thread, but block that person from responding (unless of course they start their own thread).

Not sure that's a good situation.

[snowbear]

3. I haven't used that function, but KUDOS to DU for continually upgrading this site !!!

~~ You guys ROCK!! ~~

[AZBlue]

4. I'm not sure about it. It's up to us to make it work.

I see the value of it for those members who post nothing but nasty, irrelevant remarks, those who want to argue just for the sake of arguing. But aside from the way it could easily be abused is it limiting speech in a way? Not sure.

I guess the onus is actually on DU'ers now, to not use the option too often and limit it to those who only want to instigate and insult. Knee-jerk use of it, over one topic only, could limit useful conversation over another issue - I can think of several DU'ers with whom I vehemently disagree over one certain topic and couldn't be more like-minded over another. We need to all remember that just because we don't agree with someone doesn't mean they don't have something valuable to say - something maybe we didn't know before - and therefore only use this in rare, but necessary, situations.

[fooj]

5. Dissent is patriotic.

Have we become THEM? Hmmmmmm...

So much for all of the work we did to FINALLY have our voices heard. The Dems FINALLY gain the majority and Democratic Underground takes a walk on the "Right" side. Just my two cents...that is, as long as I'm not blocked from this thread.

[fuzzyball]

6. ALtho I never use the ignore function, overall this is the best forum

as far as design, ease of posting, subject sorting etc.
Whoever designed this format deserves kudos.

[Awsi Dooger]

7. This is a significant downgrade, IMO

I just found about it tonight and have already witnessed the predictable abuse.

The poster named autorank, Michael Collins, is a flagrant weakling who thrills to put dissenters on ignore and brag about it. In Election Reform tonight I noticed a thread he posted with asinine and misleading claims regarding the NC 08 House race, comparing it to FL 13, which had undeniable loss of thousands of votes.

I attempted to respond but the box says, "Cannot Reply." What a farce. That means autorank is allowed to spew his inaccurate crap without correction or discussion. Sure enough, the thread has received a dozen recommendations when I checked, even though it could not be more misleading, or flat out wrong. No one pointed out the flubs in that thread. I guarantee autorank has blocked them also, because no way basic errors like he made could go unchallenged.

A different poster took it upon himself to start a separate thread identifying all the false claims and mistakes by autorank. Kudos to him. There was no way I was going to do it, as opposed to a simple response in the original thread.

Is that really what DU wants? It's a panacea for the blinders-on petrified posters who want to magnetize a segment who will bow to anything. In terms of interesting, productive and balanced discussion in one convenient and logical place, there couldn't be a more masochistic modification. Let's hope it's short lived.