Would it be possible for off topic threads to not be shown in the New Posts section at the top. I belong to anther board with an identical format and it was decided off topic threads would not shown there. I have read several posts and I did this at one point as well, that when you click on the new post section, you don't really know what forum its in. Its obvious most are comfortable having the Rants and Raves section and have turned this board into a general board instead of a support tool. For the newbies looking for support, I think it would be a great idea for them to see only the on topic things when they check out new posts and if they want to verture further, they can. Imagine the suprise on many newbies logging in and click on new posts only to see topics on abortion, boy love, religion, etc. Just a thought

To participate in a poll, click the link:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=34851

abortion, politics, religion, and pedophilia is not tosmething that people come to a lap band forum to read about. These things may not be offensive to you, but i know a LOT of people that expressly do not come to this forum any longer because they are reminded of these topics and threads everytime they do come here.

Well, you can tell them that they are free to come back, since they do have the option of not seeing those threads anymore.

Why should I have to remove an entire forum in order to view LBT?

 

What makes your needs/wants more important than mine?

 

And I'm sitting here thinking the same thing. Why is what you want more important then what I want? I like having these threads show up in "new posts", that's pretty much how I read all the forums, from New Posts.

 

So, what I see are two options. One requires those who don't want to see it to do a one-time thing, if I'm understanding correctly, and remove the RNR. The other will affect me every time I come here. Granted, it's not the end of the world, but I keep hearing about "fixing" something I don't see as broken. Yes, other people do see a problem, I get that. All I'm doing is stating how I view this, Alex will do what he thinks is best for the forum.

If I do not agree with your political stance, and you have been fairly bullish or rude in your delivery, there is no way in hell I am going to accept commentary or suggestions from you on the support side.

 

That's kind of sad. Sometimes support comes from the most unexpected places. It seems a shame to miss out on it.

And I do have to ask, if you can remove those threads from your listing, why subject others to having to go search for them?

So your whole stance is one of laziness. you have decided that you enjoy posting in a forum that is off topic and out of the ordinary on this site. yet, because it is an area YOU wish to post and read in, you want everyone else to have to deal with it so your life is easier?

I was under the impression that when you wanted to do something that was out of the ordinary, you needed to take extra steps to do so, not force everyone else to deal with your likings so that life can be easier for you.

that is really what this boils down to. Those who want to keep it in the top 5 and new posts just don't want to have to take the extra step to participate in something that is completely out of the ordinary on this site. that seems extremely selfish to me, personally. and i participate in these forums as well. I would not find it offensive in the least to see it removed from these areas. I am completely fine with taking the time to go into a different screen to look at the posts in these forums. For me, it is a matter of not wanting to inconvinience those who are coming here expressly for lap band help, not hot button political and religious topics.

You are so right. There will be no shortage of advertisers due to the content in R&R. We might like to think that corporate America is deeply vested in good taste, but it just ain't so.

On the other hand, I don't visit my other WLS boards nearly as often as I did before, simply because of all the off-topic threads on LBT. After two years, I'm ready to talk about something other than the Lap Band once in a while. And I like the diversity - everything from Jerry Falwell to boy-love to Mormon underwear to abortion to wedding planning. Where else can you get a smörgåsbord of topics like that?

I like the fact that if life is pissing me off, band or not band related, I have a place where I can come and vent, scream, swear, or do anything else I want. I can wear one personality for R&R and another for band issues. Sometimes it spreads over from one area to another but it depends on my mood. But the point is, I CAN vent to people who understand. Even if it isn't band related people still understand. They may not agree but at least they get it.

I have learned so much here. It's one thing to read studies and stats, it is a different world to talk to people with band issues and ask questions. Better yet, they are happy to respond.

I like toning my debate technique, I like discussing religion and politics. I like the variety of people here. I like that I can disagree with someone yet aside from agreeing to disagree I really like the person. I like communicating with other atheists. I like the way this board is run, suffice it to say it is the exact opposite of OH. That's what makes it great. I like that there is verrrry little drama and BS here, just real people doing their daily thing. Other than software issues that I'm sure are short lived, there really isn't anything I don't like about LBT.

BTW, my doc asked me about advertising here a while back and my suggestion was HELL YES! So, now he is. He's pulling some of his advertising from OH (another of my suggestions) and he moved it over here. I wouldn't have given him those opinions if they were not how I actually feel.

That's kind of sad. Sometimes support comes from the most unexpected places. It seems a shame to miss out on it.

Carlene, it might be sad, but if I have witnessed that someone is esp venomous in one thread, should i trust them completely, and the support they give in another? Call me silly, but i love all, trust few. My grandmother taught me that, and it is true for me to this day. If I have seen nothing but good from people they have given me no reason to distrust them. but when i see venom from someone, even once, that completely removes them from my "circle of trust" (thank you focker). Its just the way I live my life, and it has helped me more than you can imagine.

So your whole stance is one of laziness. you have decided that you enjoy posting in a forum that is off topic and out of the ordinary on this site. yet, because it is an area YOU wish to post and read in, you want everyone else to have to deal with it so your life is easier?

I was under the impression that when you wanted to do something that was out of the ordinary, you needed to take extra steps to do so, not force everyone else to deal with your likings so that life can be easier for you.

that is really what this boils down to. Those who want to keep it in the top 5 and new posts just don't want to have to take the extra step to participate in something that is completely out of the ordinary on this site. that seems extremely selfish to me, personally. and i participate in these forums as well. I would not find it offensive in the least to see it removed from these areas. I am completely fine with taking the time to go into a different screen to look at the posts in these forums. For me, it is a matter of not wanting to inconvinience those who are coming here expressly for lap band help, not hot button political and religious topics.

I think you have hit on a basic difference those of us on different sides of this issue have. I don't see those threads as "out of the ordinary" for the site. They are part of it, and I agree with Carlene they are one reason I use this site a lot more then other Lap-band sites. And I am on a lot of threads that are about the lap-band, answering questions, asking them, still learning. It's not one or the other.

I hope that, as wel all accept the way things are right now, that it would also be accepted if he took the opinions from this thread and those of his advertisers and got rid of the RnR section, or changed things around.

Huh? Do you have some information about advertisers' opinions? And as far as the opinions from this thread go, that's exactly what prompted the change that was made.

Now if someone clicks on a thread with an obvious title, that is their own issue. that is not what i have a problem with. And i am not saying the forum should be removed. I am simply stating that having these offensive titles listed in the new posts section or the top 5 is a turn off to those who do not wish to read that section. Esp for newbies who do not understand that you can keep that section from being seen. Just because you and i know how to do that does not mean that others will understand. Its off topic, not relevant to the site, but still a part of the site. Where is the damage in removing it from the list, and letting those that wish to read and respond to these threads go directly to that forum to do so? There is no censorship here. It should not be offensive to you to remove these threads from the lists. unless you have some other motive as to why you want them to stay there.

Bolding mine. It's also completely possible that there are just as many people who are drawn to the site by the fact of this lively debate section. Don't you think? There are lots of banding support sites, after all; perhaps the existence and personality of the R&R section is precisely one of the things that makes LBT special.

Just sayin'.

I like the fact that if life is pissing me off, band or not band related, I have a place where I can come and vent, scream, swear, or do anything else I want. I can wear one personality for R&R and another for band issues. Sometimes it spreads over from one area to another but it depends on my mood. But the point is, I CAN vent to people who understand. Even if it isn't band related people still understand. They may not agree but at least they get it.

I have learned so much here. It's one thing to read studies and stats, it is a different world to talk to people with band issues and ask questions. Better yet, they are happy to respond.

I like toning my debate technique, I like discussing religion and politics. I like the variety of people here. I like that I can disagree with someone yet aside from agreeing to disagree I really like the person. I like communicating with other atheists. I like the way this board is run, suffice it to say it is the exact opposite of OH. That's what makes it great. I like that there is verrrry little drama and BS here, just real people doing their daily thing. Other than software issues that I'm sure are short lived, there really isn't anything I don't like about LBT.

BTW, my doc asked me about advertising here a while back and my suggestion was HELL YES! So, now he is. He's pulling some of his advertising from OH (another of my suggestions) and he moved it over here. I wouldn't have given him those opinions if they were not how I actually feel.

no one is debating whether or not you should be allowed to debate here. This is more a discussion as to whether we should all subject others to seeing our debates while they are looking for "on topic" discussion on the lap band.

I think you have hit on a basic difference those of us on different sides of this issue have. I don't see those threads as "out of the ordinary" for the site. They are part of it, and I agree with Carlene they are one reason I use this site a lot more then other Lap-band sites. And I am on a lot of threads that are about the lap-band, answering questions, asking them, still learning. It's not one or the other.

this is a Lap Ban discussion and support forum. Most topics in the off topic section and the rants and raves section are jsut that....off topic, therefore out of the ordinary.

So your whole stance is one of laziness. you have decided that you enjoy posting in a forum that is off topic and out of the ordinary on this site. yet, because it is an area YOU wish to post and read in, you want everyone else to have to deal with it so your life is easier?

I could say the same about your stance. YOU have decided that YOU don't want to be subjected to seeing even the title of a thread, but YOU don't want to take 5 seconds, once, to go change your settings. Instead, YOU want to remove the option from EVERYONE ELSE, simply because YOU don't like what you're seeing. YOU want EVERYONE ELSE to have to deal with going out of their way every single time THEY want to see a thread in RnR because YOU don't want to see a few titles. Seems more like YOU are the lazy one. YOU would only have to make one trip to your control panel, and make a few clicks. WE would have to go out of our way every single time we visit LBT.

no one is debating whether or not you should be allowed to debate here. This is more a discussion as to whether we should all subject others to seeing our debates while they are looking for "on topic" discussion on the lap band.

That's exactly the point, I agree. They aren't being subjected to it. Since there is the option of removing those off-topic threads from their sight, they CHOOSE to see the debate. If they don't want to see it, they have that option.

inline:

Huh? Do you have some information about advertisers' opinions? And as far as the opinions from this thread go, that's exactly what prompted the change that was made.

I do not know the mind of the individual advertiser. But i do know business, and as advertising goes, the financial supporters of this site are advertsing here because of the lap band discussion, not because of hot topic debates over abortion and boy-love. Alex would have a better pull of advertisers if things were focused mainly on lapband talk, and the off topic debates and discussions were not so prominently displayed.

Bolding mine. It's also completely possible that there are just as many people who are drawn to the site by the fact of this lively debate section. Don't you think? There are lots of banding support sites, after all; perhaps the existence and personality of the R&R section is precisely one of the things that makes LBT special.

Just sayin'.

I am sure that people are drawn to this site because they can express their opinions openly, and get involved in hot topics. but why does that mean that it has to be displayed with everything else? Again, this is not a discussion over the value of having an rants and raves section, but more over the exposure of it, and the pull of the site to those who do not wish to see such discussions. in business, and society, we find that it is better to attract bees with honey. if this site is to start drawing income, which it is being setup to do, wouldn't it be best to draw in as many people as possible, in order to raise the membership count, rather than protect the wants of a few that end up offending many? It just doesn't seem like good business sense to me.

if this site is to start drawing income, which it is being setup to do, wouldn't it be best to draw in as many people as possible, in order to raise the membership count, rather than protect the wants of a few that end up offending many? It just doesn't seem like good business sense to me.

Well, it will be interesting to see if the owner of LBT finds this to be true. I think it's a HUGELY open question as to whether the current configuration in any way detracts from the main focus of the site. All we have is our personal opinions, which vary widely.

I could say the same about your stance. YOU have decided that YOU don't want to be subjected to seeing even the title of a thread, but YOU don't want to take 5 seconds, once, to go change your settings. Instead, YOU want to remove the option from EVERYONE ELSE, simply because YOU don't like what you're seeing. YOU want EVERYONE ELSE to have to deal with going out of their way every single time THEY want to see a thread in RnR because YOU don't want to see a few titles. Seems more like YOU are the lazy one. YOU would only have to make one trip to your control panel, and make a few clicks. WE would have to go out of our way every single time we visit LBT.

this is not an issue for ME. I am speaking on behalf of the newbs that have been turned away from this site before even finding out about the way to change the settings, and the advertisers who are not going to spend their money with the site because of how the top 5 and new post section is set up.

Again, and this cannot be stressed enough, this is a lap band site. while off topic sections are important to any board, they should remain in the background. a majority of people come here for lap band talk. not off topic talk. if someone comes here and sees that the posts that are more important to people and being discussed more are off topic issues, they will not feel that they are going to get much support here.