I have been on this board for quiet a while now. I have gone through all the stages of the board. I have finally reached the acceptance stage and now I have decided that maybe we can do something about it.

We all have a common thread, we all enjoy the mythbusters and are mythbusters fans. I think that we want them to succeed and continue the great work they are doing. A part of that is these boards. The members of the show for the most part abandoned the boards due to the harsh reality of the site. For the most part, people are not very nice here.

So what I am hoping for is that we all work together to change that and maybe, we might be able to get the show members back and also it would just be a lot nice place to be if people were actually civil to each other.

As I see it these are the reasons for the hostility;
1. The same posts day after day, after day, after day.
2. Post that seem to have no basis in reality.
3. People advertising.

So what can we do. A quote from the movie Roadhouse; "I want you to be nice. Ask him to walk. Be nice. If he won't walk, walk him. But be nice. If you can't walk him, one of the others will help you, and you'll both be nice. I want you to remember that it's a job. It's nothing personal."

When a person posts something that has been posted for the 12 million-th time. Do a quick find and post the find link along with a POLITE explanation of using the FIND button and the SEARCH. Also if you have time a quick summation of the previous results of the discussion.

For posts that don't seem to fit reality, just explain the science of why it is the way it is, with external links if possible. The quickest way to get rid of the uneducated is to educate them. But remember not to be condescending.

The final one is the advertisers. I think less is more. Just let the community know it is another advertiser and quick reason why it doesn't work.

Now comes the fun part, hotly contested debates. Examples could be evolution vs. creationism, political, PoaT, etc. On these everyone wants to get their points in and that is complete understandable. But what we should do is first respect the other members of the board, and second respect their right to have a different view, even if you don't believe there is anything to back it up. We are all individuals with our own backgrounds, morals and beliefs, instead of bashing people for theirs lets see what we can learn from them.

So that is my idea. I would like to try to get people to be civil to each other. Discus the ideas posted and leave the insults somewhere else. If you have to result to attacking the poster then the argument is already lost. Let's all work together to make these boards all they can be, but it will take a HUGE effort from all of us.

If you are up for the challenge, just sign below and lets get this started.

Signed: theTroll

Troll, I agree completely. I went through a period where many of my replies to posted-to-death or already done myths was a rude version of "use find" or "try watching the show more often". I've done my best in recent months to be a bit more polite, when warrented.

The only two comments I'd make are: 1) a great deal of the hostility comes from first time posters being told that their idea has already been suggested/done/won't work/whatever, and to use "find". They are part of that group that, for whatever reason, equates "no" with rudeness, and they immediately turn hostile. 2) I think the main thing that keeps the Mythbusters away (at least the ones that DID used to post regularly - Grant, Lt. Normandy, She-Whose-Name-Is-A-Trigger-Word) is the hostility directed at THEM by drive-by critics.

Changing the attitude and posting style of the regulars is noble, and something I agree with, but it won't alter the "you did it wrong, you morons! - you should have asked me first!" type of posts that drove them away.

Troll and I have gone around a little on this in the past but I think he brings up some really valid points. I don't mind the repeating myths (cell phones, refrigerated batteries, etc) as much as the really dumb ones like "will I really explode if I pee on molten lava". As I stated in the past, I think part of the problem is visitors are not allowed to use the FIND button to search the boards. They have to jump through hoops and register first.

But I've committed to try to stick to Troll's recommendations. And if I get out of line, someone just give me a slap or two.

I agree with "the Troll" 100%

It might not change those, but it will change the board members' responses. Hopefully, those first time rude posters will realize that the attitude isn't welcome here and will either adjust, leave or be modqueue'd.

This is a step in the right direction.

MythMod

I agree, MM.

Troll, I didn't mean to imply that it's a waste of time - far from it.

Don't know how you can argue with any of that. I know that I am sometimes guilty of being more abrasive with stupid questions than I probably should be. One thing I try to do is to remember that a LOT of the posters here are very young and really do want to learn.

On the other hand, I have to say that there are some (you know the type--the ones that DON'T want to learn!) that seem to just beg for ridicule and a harsh slap-down. In some of those cases it is just SOOOOOOO hard to resist giving them exactly what they have asked for!

But, I promise to try to do better.

Well, I'll be the first to admit that as time has passed my replies have gone somewhat downhill, with some increased snark.

But I'll also admit that I've tried a more civil and helpful response, and it was rather painless.

Each step gets you there that much sooner.

rethought

quote:

On the other hand, I have to say that there are some (you know the type--the ones that DON'T want to learn!) that seem to just beg for ridicule and a harsh slap-down. In some of those cases it is just SOOOOOOO hard to resist giving them exactly what they have asked for!

d0n... those are the threads you just walk away from. I just take a deep breath and swear at my monitor lol.

MythMod

As I mentioned the other day, there are no cookies left in the water cooler, no one there to have a beer and a chat with and very few posts which I never answered, but learned a lot from. It is sad that the young'uns join just to make noise about how the MBs mess up everything they do, and it is hard to not chide them for their attitude. Think I'll just go back and hide in the woodwork and observe for awhile longer!

quote:

Originally posted by mythmod:
d0n... those are the threads you just walk away from. I just take a deep breath and swear at my monitor lol.

Yeah, there's always a voice inside of me that says, just walk away. But then there is often another voice that says, some kid is going to come along and read this and be SERIOUSLY mislead by the stupidity of this post, and so for his sake maybe I should respond.

Theres times were I've gotten crazy or posted stupid discussions. So for now on, I'll act smart.


Americanman

quote:

roofingguy wrote: Well, I'll be the first to admit that as time has passed my replies have gone somewhat downhill, with some increased snark.

This is exactly what has happened to me - I know my replies have shown that I'm getting frustrated and angry. That attitude isn't conductive to learning or to proper discourse, so I will also try to keep my responses on an even keel.

Thanks for the thread, Troll.

I've seen bad things too.
I agree with Thetroll 100%.

I'm in.

----Chowderhead46----

It's good to see some people try to be more civil. I have seen quite a bit of unneeded posts during my time here.

I just don't understand why some people feel the need to go into a topic that's been made before and say something like "use the find button". Whenever I see a topic like "mentos and coke", I just ignore it. I don't feel the need to go into the topic and tell the person to use the find button.

I don't know how long some of you have used forums, but you should know that most of the time when someone makes a topic on this board, they never come back to it, so "use the find button" isn't getting anything done. It's not helping you, the OP (in most cases), the mods, nor fellow posters. It's just wasting your time. These types of people are seen all over different forums, whether it's science/mythbusters like this one, gaming forums, health forums, etc. I've been using forums for a long time now and I've gotten used to just ignoring topics that I know have been repeated, or are useless.

Now, if the topic title is misleading like "SEE HERE!!!", then I could understand having to go in to check just incase.

Just ignore the repeated topics. This is where I see most of the hostility. It's towards the people making topics about a plane on a treadmill, perpetual motion, etc. You're not a teacher, so you're not required to correct them, and you'll accomplish nothing by doing so. Plus, it's the mods job to delete inappropriate topics. You don't have to go in and say "This topic is inappropriate and is being reported."... just report it without saying anything. Again, nothing is being done except bumping the topic to the top of the page, making it visible for everyone else to see.

These boards move fast, and by saying "use the find button", you're just bumping the topic up making it prone for more spam.

I have to say Troll although I like the sentiment behind it I don't agree at all.

By using find for someone who doesn't and providing a link you merely reinforce the fact that if they want something all they have to do is go against the posted etiqutte for the forum and repost myths without using find and someone will find it for them. So why should they bother.


To qoute a sensei from my group, "Do not punch to the side when teaching someone to block, punch them and teach them how to block real strikes. Or else all you teach them is lazyness and the road to their own destruction."



I know it is a bit presumtuous for me to come in and disagree after vanishing for so long, but well.

I am relatively new to the forum and I have to admit I find more harsh replies than I had hoped. I also would support a moratorium on the "use the find button" replies, when I read that reply, it sounds rude. Maybe the writer does not intend it to sound that way, but that's how it sounds to me. I try to ignore posts that I don't believe were made in good faith, i.e. someone not really interested in an answer. I also try to remember we have very young members who may ask seemingly obvious questions and because of their age may not have the discipline to use the find button to its full capabilities.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain cool and unruffled under all circumstances. -Thomas Jefferson

quote:

Originally posted by galaktia:
By using find for someone who doesn't and providing a link you merely reinforce the fact that if they want something all they have to do is go against the posted etiqutte for the forum and repost myths without using find and someone will find it for them. So why should they bother.

Why assume they were too lazy to use the find button, that is a pretty negative view when you don't know anything about the person. I do understand they view, after reading the same post for the 20th time that day and the millionth time that month it gets that way.

It may not be laziness but instead just a lack of understanding. When I first logged on, I was looking for for some specific ideas and used the search function like you would in most boards. Didn't find a darn thing. Then I learned about the FIND button.

galaktia I think your post sort of hit the problem on the head. Assumptions. We assume the person is "a troll" (I thought it was funny to add that), a shrill, a lazy person, a moron, etc. But in reality for the most part we know nothing about them. So how about we give them the benefit of the doubt and try to help them learn. Educated them about using the board and about science and see what happens?

And in reality how much harder is it to post a link and explain how to use then find in a polite way then it is to berate them?

theTroll

quote:

And in reality how much harder is it to post a link and explain how to use then find in a polite way then it is to berate them?

I will have to side with Galaktia here. Troll, from your first post, you basically suggested that you say find button, give them the link, show the results and then explain the results to them. that is very different than a quick, polite link to a "Find" tutorial.

You initially recommended that you do all the work for the poster. That is a lot of typing of the behalf of the replier and what does the OP learn? Nothing good. They learn that they can post something with little to no thought or research and the will have someone else do everything for them. That does not encourage them learn to use the features of this system. it just means next time they will come back and do the same thing and let someone else do all the leg work for them.

While I can understand your reasoning and frustration, I don't think that handing out answers on a silver platter will help things at all.

Things I think would be helpful are more stickies on common topics. Like Bernieb90's thread on .50 BMG myths in the weapons board. I'm working on writing up one for common gas myths that I'll post when it's ready. That way we can point them not only to the find but to already running discussions with lots of good info.