New Thread Restrictions?

[notdeadyet]

Has SDN ever had or considered a policy of restricting users from creating new threads until they've been here a cerain length of time? Maybe 30 or 60 days?

It seems that if we did that, it would:

1. Stop users from starting "funny" threads that are done monthly if not weekly (If they're on SDN for a month or two, they'll see it's been done to death and not all that amusing).

2. Reduce the questions that get answered constantly.

3. Encourage folks to read the stickies (since they can't start a thread, they may actually read the things)

4. Force new users to use the search engine (see #3)

We were all new once, but it seems that a good portion of repetitive/annoying threads on SDN come from folks that are new to the site. Force them to hang around/use the place for a while before they start new threads and we'd have a meaner and leaner SDN...

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[Droopy Snoopy]

I agree with all of the above. New threads by new users (especially on pre-allo) push down the more legitimate ones from established users. It gives them a chance to catch onto the etiquette (ex-na on the "SO ARE U XCITED ABOUT BEING A DOKTOR"-type crap), and probably cut down on trolls, or at least from people thinking someone's a troll.

 

[Nevadanteater]

good god yes. do it.

you could set it up by post count or time since joined.

the real question is what time line exactly is fair or not.

 

[notdeadyet]

you could set it up by post count or time since joined.

I'd say by time since joined. Post count would encourage post padding.

the real question is what time line exactly is fair or not.

Very good question...

 

[NickRiviera]

Has SDN ever had or considered a policy of restricting users from creating new threads until they've been here a cerain length of time? Maybe 30 or 60 days?

It seems that if we did that, it would:

1. Stop users from starting "funny" threads that are done monthly if not weekly (If they're on SDN for a month or two, they'll see it's been done to death and not all that amusing).

2. Reduce the questions that get answered constantly.

3. Encourage folks to read the stickies (since they can't start a thread, they may actually read the things)

4. Force new users to use the search engine (see #3)

We were all new once, but it seems that a good portion of repetitive/annoying threads on SDN come from folks that are new to the site. Force them to hang around/use the place for a while before they start new threads and we'd have a meaner and leaner SDN...

Although these are good ideas I think there are probably issues with them. I think the best solution would be for other uses to report bad threads to moderator and to reply to commonly asked questions without answers but by pointing to stickies, other threads, or the search engine.

Still, users can post their horribly important questions in all caps because that makes everyone happy. Users can also create new email addresses and hop on new IP addresses so banning isn't absolute. There are lots of limitations to an online forum like this but the best solution, I think, is for the current members to work together to help the new ones by guiding them in the right direction.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Personally, I agree with NotDeadYet's idea 100%. In the mean time however I think if more people took my approach of simply mocking the newbies, it would serve a dual purpose:
1. Weeding out the weak, stupid and easily offended amongst us.
2. Providing hours of amusement and a constructive means of stress release for the rest of us.

 

[notdeadyet]

Still, users can post their horribly important questions in all caps because that makes everyone happy. Users can also create new email addresses and hop on new IP addresses so banning isn't absolute.

I think that the big majority of the problem is not caused by vindictive users (which, you're right, would be hard to prevent), but by ignorance. A waiting period will make much of that ignorance go away.

There are lots of limitations to an online forum like this but the best solution, I think, is for the current members to work together to help the new ones by guiding them in the right direction.

We can do that all we want, but it will not have any result. The issue is new users, so correcting/guiding them one at a time will have no actual effect on the threads, since it is the new users creating them.

 

[alwaysaangel]

I am all for this!! A waiting period for noobs would be awesome. Should we have a poll and show the mods what the people want?!

 

[theDOCTORINATOR]

I am all for this!! A waiting period for noobs would be awesome. Should we have a poll and show the mods what the people want?!

Blah Blah Blah...yak-i-tee.....yak....yak

 

[NickRiviera]

What's a fair waiting period? I'd think a time would be more useful than post # as new users could post junk all over DrsLounge. Would this prevent people who have honest questions from getting answers to them in time? Is there really a huge problem right now that this would need to be addressed? I'm not sure how a time-limit would fix ignorance; if someone won't read posts before posting, they'll create an account and wait a few days before posting in all caps.

Another option might be to force users to read an agreement. The best one of these I've seen is when you delete a myspace account. You have to read a paragraph and then answer questions. If you get them wrong, you have to read a new paragraph and so on until you get the questions right. A new user could be forced to do this sort of quiz before posting so they at least know what sort of things are expected and where to search for threads.

 

[spicedmanna]

I'm all for this idea, too. Frankly, I'm tired of senseless threads that edge on trolling. I can at least tolerate the ignorance, but the trolling, no way. I think 60 days may be a little much. There are legitimate reasons to start new threads and good questions that need to be asked. You don't want to make the probation period so long that people simply give up and move on. I'm thinking two full weeks ought to be sufficient, and at the most a month. Perhaps you should start a poll on this, notdeadyet?

 

[notdeadyet]

What's a fair waiting period?

I'd say 30-60 days.

Would this prevent people who have honest questions from getting answers to them in time?

No. It would just force them to proactively look for the answers.

Also, I think it's important to remember that no one would be stopped from posting, only from starting a new thread.

I'm not sure how a time-limit would fix ignorance; if someone won't read posts before posting, they'll create an account and wait a few days before posting in all caps.

I think folks that are inherently lazy enough to not look for the info if they're forced to would not have the patience to set up and account and wait. If they did, they'd be in the minority.

And it would eliminate the lame joke threads. I don't think people are intentionally unfunny. They just haven't seen what's repeated weekly. They would if they had to hang around a while on SDN before starting a new thread.

 

[lilold3chordme]

what about caps on how many threads you can start? i haven't thought this through, but it would go something like this:

for the first 30 days, you can only start 2 threads. each additional month, you can start an additional thread (meaning 3 total for that month). the longer you've been a member, the more you can start threads. that way, if you're new and you don't want to waste a new thread, you may be inclined to search through the archives first to see if your question has already been answered. and the numbers don't carry over, this isn't cell phone minutes. to make it easier, maybe it can go by months instead of 30 day increments, which could get confusing. also, this might be a deterrent for those posters who get banned and then start a new account and flood more comical/offensive threads. i wouldn't know how to set this up though, as it would probably require some sort of programming or other software development.

any thoughts?

 

[notdeadyet]

Perhaps you should start a poll on this, notdeadyet?

Done, spicedmanna...

 

[bodhisattva]

I don't suppose there's a way to keep new users from voting. We certainly don't want their noob influence.

 

[Stolenspatulas]

you'd kill the site if you don't let people post right away. by proposing a pseudo-membership policy (have to wait a while before you can start posting) you're probably going to lose a huge chunk of potential future SDNers

 

[notdeadyet]

you'd kill the site if you don't let people post right away. by proposing a pseudo-membership policy (have to wait a while before you can start posting) you're probably going to lose a huge chunk of potential future SDNers

Again (I'm probably not stressing this enough), this is not a restriction that prohibits new users from posting, it only stops them from making new threads.

I don't think anyone would support not allowing new users to post. There's a lot of very reasonable questions, comments, and participation from new users.

But the creation of a new thread (to me at least) is an acknowledgement that you are going to say/ask something that hasn't been said/asked on SDN. I think by restricting new users from doing this until they're familiar with SDN would encourage them to read the FAQs and stickies and use the search function.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Again (I'm probably not stressing this enough), this is not a restriction that prohibits new users from posting, it only stops them from making new threads.

I don't think anyone would support not allowing new users to post. There's a lot of very reasonable questions, comments, and participation from new users.

But the creation of a new thread (to me at least) is an acknowledgement that you are going to say/ask something that hasn't been said/asked on SDN. I think by restricting new users from doing this until they're familiar with SDN would encourage them to read the FAQs and stickies and use the search function.

Yes, and once they search and find a related thread - then they can post their specific question in that related thread, if they wish.

The main problem I see with it is that some people really just suck at searching for things. They genuinely cannot figure out what terms to search to find what they want, and the search function on this site aren't exactly easy.

I still think we should do it - maybe they'll learn to search.

 

[lord_jeebus]

If you ban new threads for new users they'll just post the same questions on random existing threads.

If you ban posting for new users they won't bother to join SDN.

If you don't like a thread, ignore it. If a thread is inappropriate, tell a mod.

 

[MChitty]

I guess as a 'new user' I find this a little discriminatory and feels that it undermines the point of this forum, which is supposed to be for every person who's interested in some type of health professional field. Though I've joined only recently, I can already see how irritating it must be to have the same questions beaten to death. At the same time, though I can't speak for all new users, it took me a little while to get the hang of it and to use all the features that frequent users see as second nature. At times, it may seem the same topics are brought up over and over again, but that may occur because even after searching through old threads, the information may not be exact, or the date of that old thread means the information may be outdated.

My point is, I think this is a valuable resource that I wish I had discovered sooner. I feel that I wouldn't have joined if there were so many restrictions to the point where I had to feel that I had to prove myself to the established members. That's just my $0.02...

 

[Robizzle]

Should have included that they can't vote on polls, and the oldbies would probably be winning.

 

[Flopotomist]

I guess it depends on what you think SDN should be all about. I think it should be a helpful resource in which people dialogue with each other. Dialogue requires a two way street. People should be allowed to ask a question if they want, and if you are tired of hearing the same question asked over and over again - don't click on it.

IF you want SDN to devolve into a clickish circle of the same 100 people posting - then create such limits. New people wouldn't stick around if we treat them like 2nd class citizens.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Should have included that they can't vote on polls, and the oldbies would probably be winning.

We are winning......remember to add all the "yes" categories together.

 

[braluk]

We've talked about this a couple times in the advisor/mod forums. I suggested that we cap PMs allowed per day or week and capping the amount of posting allowed until either a week after registration has passed (or first post) or until user reaches a certain amount of posts. and then slowly the lift on resitrctions goes away until they become a full member of the SDN society. Its still in the works, and right now the only thing they have to do is post in the new users forum before being allowed to openly post/PM here. Reason why we havnt yet done it is because most of us (mods/advisors/smods/admins) have done a good job of moderating the forums well enough where we dont need to wrry about trolls and also because it may limit the number of new users that join and continue using SDN because the restrictions may be too severe. But dont worry, talks are still going on

 

[ExtremeUnderdog]

The original concept appears to be quite innocuous and well-intentioned, but elitism seems to be fermenting in the corners and the rank odor is beginning to waft up.

Since the day Internet got its umbilical cord cut and began excreting mustard-colored cache into its diapers, it has been generally understood that It (Internet) and totalitarianism do not belong on the same side of any equation. I was under the distinct impression that SDN was on the internet and was neither exclusive, nor totalitarian...

 

[maestro1625]

I actually suggested this a few months ago in the forum feedback forum or whatever it was. Sites like Fark.com have a 24 hour rule.

 

[jbrice1639]

Also, I think it's important to remember that no one would be stopped from posting, only from starting a new thread.

I can picture dozens of posts daily on marginally related threads starting off something like "Because I'm new, and can't start my own thread, I figured I'd just ask __________ on this thread."

And it would eliminate the lame joke threads. I don't think people are intentionally unfunny. They just haven't seen what's repeated weekly. They would if they had to hang around a while on SDN before starting a new thread.

There are a whole lot of lame joke threads started by people who have been around for a while too. Some people just aren't funny...even if you make them wait 30 days.

 

[MChitty]

I actually suggested this a few months ago in the forum feedback forum or whatever it was. Sites like Fark.com have a 24 hour rule.

I think 24 hours or some other shorter period of time is appropriate. But a month? That seems a bit excessive.

 

[Doctor~Detroit]

I think 24 hours or some other shorter period of time is appropriate. But a month? That seems a bit excessive.

but people aren't really going to learn about etiquette or existing threads in 24 hours. they'll just log back on in 24 hours. it would need to be at least a week, imo.

the ideal solution would be some combination of # posts and amount of log-in time, rather than just absolute time. this forces noobs to actually spend time participating on sdn before starting threads, rather than just logging back in after x days.

 

[sunnyjohn]

I say we just mock the newbies!

MOCK NEWBIES! MOCK NEWBIES!

 

[HumbleMD]

I say we just mock the newbies!

MOCK NEWBIES! MOCK NEWBIES!

I think we should also build in a filter that doesn't allow the word HELP!! to be the first in a thread title. Ever.

 

[sunnyjohn]

I think we should also build in a filter that doesn't allow the word HELP!! to be the first in a thread title. Ever.

"Help", "rank", "vs", "versus", "retake MCAT with 33, 34, 35, etc", "My chances"





MERIDETH IS DEAD! WOOT!

 

[sunnyjohn]

"Dermatology", "Gunner", "McDreamy", "UC Anything", "I-banking", "lifestyle"

 

[jbrice1639]

"Help", "rank", "vs", "versus", "retake MCAT with 33, 34, 35, etc", "My chances"

others for the list "california resident" "salaries" "parental info on fafsa" and any excessive use of punctuation "!!!!!!!!!!!!" "??????????"