***TST's Official "Whatever" Thread***

[~Brian~]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

every thread starts off relevant... then falls further and further down the page till its never discussed again. Only so much can be said on a topic here... and usually topics fuel other topics... it a conversation naturally flows from one thing to another... where is the harm in letting it go?

As long as no one is getting hurt, there shouldn't be a reason to pass out infraction points like candy and for a mod to waste their time cleaning something up.

I don't know about other people on here... but i've got a fairly thick skin... it doesn't bother me one bit if a thread evolves... or is just downright taken off topic... but most of the off topic threads evolve from one topic to another... something gets said, and a new conversation is started around that.

Exactly.

I have never seen a forum so strict about their off topic as this one is. If people are being disrespectful to to other members, I can see the need to step in. But if everybody is just having a good old time, why ruin it?

Personally (and I can say this because I am a moderator on another car forum), I think some of the mods(and def the admin) enjoy having such control over the site and its members. Yes, they have a responsibility to keep the place clean and I will not argue with them on that, but there are times when they act out against people for no apparent, legitimate reason. It just seems like a power trip sometimes if you ask me.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by MyCarIsFTL

I obviously have gone off topic before, as I'm sure we all have. But if a topic keeps getting really off topic, why not just refer to the Whatever thread? Lol or just post a sentence underneath relevant to the topic. I mean, I'm not saying topics will always stay on topic, but if it's really getting to the point of irrelevancy to the OP, and you KNOW infractions/warnings/deleting will come.. why not just go to this thread?

if its really getting off topic then it should go to the whatever thread, thats what its there for... but i'm talking about an evolution of the thread... not just a "omg snow" thread turning into... something completely unrelated all of a sudden.

a lot of the **** that gets blown up and causes infractions are simple moves from one topic to another based on something someone said

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by Snowboy459

Exactly.

I have never seen a forum so strict about their off topic as this one is. If people are being disrespectful to to other members, I can see the need to step in. But if everybody is just having a good old time, why ruin it?

Personally (and I can say this because I am a moderator on another car forum), I think some of the mods(and def the admin) enjoy having such control over the site and its members. Yes, they have a responsibility to keep the place clean and I will not argue with them on that, but there are times when they act out against people for no apparent, legitimate reason. It just seems like a power trip sometimes if you ask me.

pee pee lololol

[Oakes]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

i

simple moves from one topic to another based on something someone said

Which is how everyday conversation works.

[~Brian~]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

pee pee lololol

Hey, stay on topic please. We are complaining about the rules here.

hahaha

[97TurboDSM]

.lulz.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by Oakes

Which is how everyday conversation works.

except on tst... b/c there is some kind of godly hierarchy that MUST be followed... or god damn you!!!!

[Snoozie]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

pee pee lololol

hahahahahahahahaha! its NEVER going to get old.

[mrchariybrown]

this forum is the most overly moderated forum I've ever been on

[TROLL]

Although you're disrespecting the site, the moderators, and myself... I'll respond to your 'concerns' here, once. I don't want you to feel like you're being censored here but I would ask that any further concerns be pursued the proper way by contacting me or another moderator directly via PM, as posting in a thread is not going to get you the help that you want.

Mike, after we exchanged a dozen or so PMs a week or two ago and I spent A LOT of time trying to work directly with you and explain to you some of the reasons why we have to run the site we do, now you seem confused as to why when you break the rules you get an infraction? I thought we ended on a good note and you said you'd make an effort, but maybe not?

Its very simple and I'm sure we've covered it... nothing is taken personally here, but it is the moderator's job to make sure that the rules are followed. You know the rules and you choose to break them, you shouldn't be surprised at the moderator reaction to that. You say that the site has changed? Sorry, but the newest thing about this site is you.

Its not uncommon for a member to feel like they're being singled out, but that is never the case. I repeat, nothing is taken personally here at all, we are just executing the rules as they are written. The reason people may feel singled out is because the only infractions you know about are your own... I understand and there's not much I can do about that. However I'd ask that you give the moderating team the benefit of the doubt that we respond as fairly as possible and if multiple people are doing something wrong, multiple people will receive the appropriate infractions.

We've been doing this for a long time now, and as part of the team that WORKS so everyone else can PLAY, there is a lot more that goes into it than just saying whatever lets let people go off topic whenever they want.
Why do we insist on keeping thread on topic? Because when you have a forum with over 10k members, over 500k threads, and so on... organization is key. Down the road if someone wants to read a thread about "Twas' ballsack" and they click on it but it ends up being discussion about a meet or what you had for lunch, don't you think they're going to be a little disappointed? Its important to keep things organized so that people can get the information that they want quickly and easily.
We do allow for a few off comments here and there, but when a thread is intentionally being taken in a different direction, that's where the problem is and where you'll see a moderator step in.

There are plenty of times where I want to make a comment about something, but I realize its not on topic, or that it doesn't contribute to the thread, so I just dont post it. It takes a little SELF MODERATION from everyone to keep things running smoothly, so I'd ask everyone to try and help out with that. I know its your playground and thats fine, but if there's one thing I'd ask of members it would be to recognize that you're part of something great here, and that the forum as a whole is a reflection of each of its members... and with that said try to keep the quality of the content of your own posts up for the good of what we have here.

TST isnt for everyone... that would be impossible and its not something I'm trying to achieve. If its not for you then thats ok, I'm sure there's something out there that is. This is an automotive based forum for the tri-state area and my priorities are keeping things respectful and friendly, making everyone feel welcome, and contributing to a positive image of auto enthusiasts.
If you think TST is strict you must not spend much time on some of the other big forums out there like NASIOC, SupraForums, and Honda-Tech to name a few. I know that nobody likes rules placed on them but we really have the bare necessities here which are all in an effort to keep the overall quality of the forum as high as it can be.

And we enjoy moderating... power trip... its fun? No, definitely not at all. What we enjoy is hanging out on the forum like everyone else does. Moderating requires more concentration and effort than we probably want to give at 2am when we're checking things out, as does typing up this book of a response. The rules are the rules are the rules. It is a moderators responsibility to make sure they are followed. Hell, its a users responsibility to follow them in the first place. We WANT you to just follow the rules, post in the correct sections, and so on... that would make life soooo easy for us. But someone has got to care enough to take the responsibility to make sure things are kept in line, and thats why I suckered these moderators into their positions somehow .

So again, I wont remove any of the posts until now, but this is not the place to discuss this... I would ask that any further concerns be pursued the proper way by contacting me or another moderator directly via PM, as posting in a thread is not going to get you the help that you want.

[twastheglow]

Originally Posted by Snowboy459

Exactly.

I have never seen a forum so strict about their off topic as this one is. If people are being disrespectful to to other members, I can see the need to step in. But if everybody is just having a good old time, why ruin it?

Personally (and I can say this because I am a moderator on another car forum), I think some of the mods(and def the admin) enjoy having such control over the site and its members. Yes, they have a responsibility to keep the place clean and I will not argue with them on that, but there are times when they act out against people for no apparent, legitimate reason. It just seems like a power trip sometimes if you ask me.

x2. I agree.

[Oakes]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

except on tst... b/c there is some kind of godly hierarchy that MUST be followed... or god damn you!!!!

no, DAMN YOU MAN!!

[twastheglow]

Originally Posted by TROLL

Although you're disrespecting the site, the moderators, and myself... I'll respond to your 'concerns' here, once. I don't want you to feel like you're being censored here but I would ask that any further concerns be pursued the proper way by contacting me or another moderator directly via PM, as posting in a thread is not going to get you the help that you want.

Mike, after we exchanged a dozen or so PMs a week or two ago and I spent A LOT of time trying to work directly with you and explain to you some of the reasons why we have to run the site we do, now you seem confused as to why when you break the rules you get an infraction? I thought we ended on a good note and you said you'd make an effort, but maybe not?

Its very simple and I'm sure we've covered it... nothing is taken personally here, but it is the moderator's job to make sure that the rules are followed. You know the rules and you choose to break them, you shouldn't be surprised at the moderator reaction to that. You say that the site has changed? Sorry, but the newest thing about this site is you.

Its not uncommon for a member to feel like they're being singled out, but that is never the case. I repeat, nothing is taken personally here at all, we are just executing the rules as they are written. The reason people may feel singled out is because the only infractions you know about are your own... I understand and there's not much I can do about that. However I'd ask that you give the moderating team the benefit of the doubt that we respond as fairly as possible and if multiple people are doing something wrong, multiple people will receive the appropriate infractions.

We've been doing this for a long time now, and as part of the team that WORKS so everyone else can PLAY, there is a lot more that goes into it than just saying whatever lets let people go off topic whenever they want.
Why do we insist on keeping thread on topic? Because when you have a forum with over 10k members, over 500k threads, and so on... organization is key. Down the road if someone wants to read a thread about "Twas' ballsack" and they click on it but it ends up being discussion about a meet or what you had for lunch, don't you think they're going to be a little disappointed? Its important to keep things organized so that people can get the information that they want quickly and easily.

There are plenty of times where I want to make a comment about something, but I realize its not on topic, or that it doesn't contribute to the thread, so I just dont post it. It takes a little SELF MODERATION from everyone to keep things running smoothly, so I'd ask everyone to try and help out with that. I know its your playground and thats fine, but if there's one thing I'd ask of members it would be to recognize that you're part of something great here, and that the forum as a whole is a reflection of each of its members... and with that said try to keep the quality of the content of your own posts up for the good of what we have here.

So again, I wont remove any of the posts until now, but this is not the place to discuss this... I would ask that any further concerns be pursued the proper way by contacting me or another moderator directly via PM, as posting in a thread is not going to get you the help that you want.

So the only way to vent about issues we have with this site it to contact a mod?

[~Brian~]

Originally Posted by TROLL

So again, I wont remove any of the posts until now, but this is not the place to discuss this... I would ask that any further concerns be pursued the proper way by contacting me or another moderator directly via PM, as posting in a thread is not going to get you the help that you want.

We are simply voicing our opinions about some of the rules on the site as members because this is a discussion forum.

I think that every member in this thread knows that if we had a serious problem with the way things are run or had an issue that affected us directly, we would contact you or a moderator privately.

Saying that we can not openly discuss this or any other type of subject (within reason of course) negates the whole point of an online forum.

[Oakes]

There is one thing I want changed with this forum. Seriously.

Get rid of the damn "Official" before every freaking thread title (exaggeration), with so many "official" threads, it's becoming hard to think what is "unofficial" anymore. Seriously. It's a problem, and people everywhere are suffering for it. (me)

[mrchariybrown]

I wasn't even complaining. I was just stating a fact.

the moderators run the forum and they can run it however they want because members are just guests to the forum anyway.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by Oakes

There is one thing I want changed with this forum. Seriously.

Get rid of the damn "Official" before every freaking thread title (exaggeration), with so many "official" threads, it's becoming hard to think what is "unofficial" anymore. Seriously. It's a problem, and people everywhere are suffering for it. (me)

you should realize... people make threads "official" just because it ****s with your head

[~Brian~]

Originally Posted by mrchariybrown

I wasn't even complaining. I was just stating a fact.

the moderators run the forum and they can run it however they want because members are just guests to the forum anyway.

But its not right.

And it's that kind of dominating mentality that pushes members away to other sites. Without members, the forum is nothing but a waste of bandwidth.

[Oakes]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

you should realize... people make threads "official" just because it ****s with your head

AHHHHHHH!! GTFO! it all makes sense now! everything!


*BOOM!*


f'real tho, it's gotta go.

[mrchariybrown]

Originally Posted by Snowboy459

But its not right.

And it's that kind of dominating mentality that pushes members away to other sites. Without members, the forum is nothing but a waste of bandwidth.

yeah I somewhat agree.. but in the end I just feel "hey, whatever.. if it starts getting on my nerves I'll go somewhere else and this forum will lose out on my awesomeness"