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

I guess the adult thing would be to leave completely and give up on the support I give and receive from the rest of the site. That really does seem like the adult thing to do right?

No, the adult thing would be to not read a thread that you don't want to read. Or, the adult thing would be to go to your control panel and remove the Rants and Raves forum from the New Posts page. You can do that, you know. You don't want to look at RnR threads? You don't have to.

I'm sorry that you think that I'm not an adult about things. I just get very sick of people not taking responsibility for their own actions. I don't "attack" until I've been attacked. To me, it's childish to blame other people for "forcing" you to read a thread. Unless someone is standing over you with a whip, don't talk to me about being "forced" to read a thread on the internet. Your curiosity got the best of you? Fine, then admit that. Just stop blaming other people. No one here "forces" anyone to read anything that they don't choose to read.

Well, Funny, you're absolutely right about one thing: the decision on how this site presents to the public is Alex's. And I know he reads and considers these sorts of threads when making such decisions, so please don't think this discussion has been ignored.

What I don't understand is why people can't let other people make the decision for themselves? Why do they feel the need to make it for them? If someone doesn't want to be exposed to off-topic threads, they aren't forced to be. Let the members make that decision for themselves. If they don't want to see it, they can change the setting for the new posts page in their control panel. But there are those of us who DO want to see those posts on our "New Posts" pages. Alex has given us the ability to make that choice as individuals.

If those threads offend people so much, change the setting in your control panel. It won't keep you from going to Rants and Raves and opening threads there, but it will keep those threads from appearing on your "New Posts" page and on the "Top 5." Problem solved.

Oh I do not at all Alexandra. I am very aware of how Alex runs the site, as I watched how other issues were handled. this is his site completely, and his word is law. Of course threads like this help him to know how the members of his board feel, but i would in no way say he MUST do something. Its not my place. These are just my opinions, and the fact that Alex owns this board and makes the decisions is left out quite often. That is why I have brought it up. and 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.

Lauren, I am not calling you immature. You are the one calling others immature. and when a thread title is in a list of other titles, it gets read. no matter what forum it is in. you have to read what the thread title is in order to determine whether or not you wish to read on. and when the thread titles themselves can be offensive, it does force people to be subjected to it by default. it is not a weak or strong thing. You are an educated woman I am guessing so this should not be a hard thing for you to understand what I am saying.

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.

For those that don't know how to remove an entire forum from the "New Posts" page, here's how:

Click on "User CP" at the top of the page. Click on the "Edit Options" link at the left of the page. Go down to "Miscellaneous Options" at the bottom of the page. At the bottom of that section is an option called "Exclude Forums from 'Get New Posts'". It displays all the forums on the board. Click on the forums that you don't want displayed. Click "Save Changes." There, you've successfully excluded your forum(s) of choice from your "New Posts" page.

Lauren, I am not calling you immature. You are the one calling others immature. and when a thread title is in a list of other titles, it gets read. no matter what forum it is in. you have to read what the thread title is in order to determine whether or not you wish to read on. and when the thread titles themselves can be offensive, it does force people to be subjected to it by default. it is not a weak or strong thing. You are an educated woman I am guessing so this should not be a hard thing for you to understand what I am saying.

I'm not calling them immature for reading those threads. I just think it is immature to blame other people for them reading the threads. Especially when there is a method to remove those threads from that list entirely.

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.

I have no problem with them removing those threads/forums from THEIR pages. I don't want it removed from MINE. That's my entire objection. If people don't want to be exposed to those threads on the "new posts" page or the "top 5," they have the ability to keep them from being shown. Why keep everyone else from seeing them, though?

so we should make the majority deal with something for the good of a minority group? I was always under the assumption that the right thing to do in a group setting was to pander to the greater of the whole.

For those that don't know how to remove an entire forum from the "New Posts" page, here's how:

Click on "User CP" at the top of the page. Click on the "Edit Options" link at the left of the page. Go down to "Miscellaneous Options" at the bottom of the page. At the bottom of that section is an option called "Exclude Forums from 'Get New Posts'". It displays all the forums on the board. Click on the forums that you don't want displayed. Click "Save Changes." There, you've successfully excluded your forum(s) of choice from your "New Posts" page.

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

What makes your needs/wants more important than mine?

I'm not calling them immature for reading those threads. I just think it is immature to blame other people for them reading the threads. Especially when there is a method to remove those threads from that list entirely.

I have no problem with them removing those threads/forums from THEIR pages. I don't want it removed from MINE. That's my entire objection. If people don't want to be exposed to those threads on the "new posts" page or the "top 5," they have the ability to keep them from being shown. Why keep everyone else from seeing them, though?

again...no one is forcing them to read the threads, but the titles being in the list forces them to read the titles, which are (to most) offensive.

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

You don't. You can still view LBT, whether or not there are threads from RnR visible. It just makes a lot more sense for you to remove threads that you don't want to see, especially when that option is available to you, than for you to take that choice away from everyone else.

 

What makes your needs/wants more important than mine?

Why is your wish to not see RnR threads more important than my wish to see them? Especially if there is a way where you can restrict them from your view? Why make it so that everyone else's view is restricted as well?

 

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

And by the way, choosing to remove that thread from "new posts" doesn't remove it from the entire board. You can still view them, if you wish. Those threads just aren't displayed on the "new posts" page or in the "top 5." Which is what you are after, correct?

again...no one is forcing them to read the threads, but the titles being in the list forces them to read the titles, which are (to most) offensive.

There are very few threads in RnR that have offensive titles. I can see the "boylove" title being offensive, but the rest? Not even remotely, for the most part.

Why is your wish to not see RnR threads more important than my wish to see them? Especially if there is a way where you can restrict them from your view? Why make it so that everyone else's view is restricted as well?

This didn't answer my question. I honestly want to know why you feel your needs and wants are more important than mine and those that have expressed disgust in seeing offensive thread titles on their screens.

And by the way, choosing to remove that thread from "new posts" doesn't remove it from the entire board. You can still view them, if you wish. Those threads just aren't displayed on the "new posts" page or in the "top 5." Which is what you are after, correct?

Well if this is ok by you, why the discussion? If you can just go in and read it when you want to, why subject others to view post titles to threads they do not wish to even see on a Lap Band Forum?

There are very few threads in RnR that have offensive titles. I can see the "boylove" title being offensive, but the rest? Not even remotely, for the most part.

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 if this is ok by you, why the discussion? If you can just go in and read it when you want to, why subject others to view post titles to threads they do not wish to even see on a Lap Band Forum?

I'm not trying to subject others to view titles. I believe I have said several times in this thread and in the poll thread that I personally think that people should have the right to make the choice for themselves. I just hate that everyone seems to be favoring the removal of the threads from those pages entirely and not giving people the option. I just don't understand why people are fighting over it. They already have the option of removing those threads from their sight. Why favor more extensive change?

 

To be honest, I don't want to be inconvenienced by other people, especially when they already have the ability to make the change they want on their own account. I don't want to have to go to every individual forum to read a thread. I use "new posts" almost exclusively. If they want to remove RnR from their own "new posts" listings, they can feel free. But I will get pissed if they try and remove it from mine.

 

If you can just go in and read it when you want to, why subject others to view post titles to threads they do not wish to even see on a Lap Band Forum?

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?

 

My bottom line is to leave the decision up to the individual. If they don't want to see the RnR threads, they don't have to. If they want to see the RnR threads in "New Posts," they can.