Forum improvements?

[Mono no aware]

Would it be possible to have a guideline in the forum rules about long copy-&-paste dumps? 

I can see the utility of quoting an article or an essay in its entirety when starting a thread, or on the odd occasion where it's warranted, but a constant repetition of long copy-&-paste dumps clogs up threads and seems like spamming.  Perhaps there could be a guideline that long copy-&-paste dumps should 1. use the quote function and 2. be infrequent.  A simple hyperlink can suffice otherwise.

[The Curt Jester]

On a forum I used to run, new posters were not permitted to upload images or use avatars until reaching a certain post count.  It allowed me and the mods a chance to determine if the person was there for the purpose of the forum or to cause trouble.  I think having such an implementation would be beneficial here considering recent events.

[Mono no aware]

On a forum I used to run, new posters were not permitted to upload images or use avatars until reaching a certain post count.

Maybe they could be permitted avatars from an approved menu.  There is already an avatar gallery on this forum; unfortunately they're only available in a minuscule size, and are of celebrities from the late 1990s.  I don't know if the administrator is able to change and customize the selections.

[The Curt Jester]

Maybe they could be permitted avatars from an approved menu.  There is already an avatar gallery on this forum; unfortunately they're only available in a minuscule size, and are of celebrities from the late 1990s.  I don't know if the administrator is able to change and customize the selections.

That would work, too, but I think it would be easier to just leave it blank.  Picking from a pool of pre-selected avatars doesn't really say much about the person posting.

Also, to add to my above post, new users could be prohibited from posting links since that can be a problem as well.

[Mono no aware]

Picking from a pool of pre-selected avatars doesn't really say much about the person posting.

That's true, but it's still better, aesthetically, than the plain user name just sitting there by its sad self.  A Bouguereau Madonna or Carravaggio's St. Matthew and the angel would give a new user a basic and attractive expression of their Catholicism, even if it's not expressive of them uniquely.

[diaduit]

Actually think a blank will stand out more as a newbie which can work two ways : put you on alert that there is a newbie if they are here to cause trouble or thread gently to someone who doesn't know the faith and is here with good intentions.

[Melkor]

On a forum I used to run, new posters were not permitted to upload images or use avatars until reaching a certain post count.  It allowed me and the mods a chance to determine if the person was there for the purpose of the forum or to cause trouble.  I think having such an implementation would be beneficial here considering recent events.

That would be great if implemented here. Also another thing I've liked on another forum I use: the first 20 or so posts have to be approved by moderation before they are posted to the forum.

[Goldfinch]

Picking from a pool of pre-selected avatars doesn't really say much about the person posting.

That's true, but it's still better, aesthetically, than the plain user name just sitting there by its sad self.  A Bouguereau Madonna or Carravaggio's St. Matthew and the angel would give a new user a basic and attractive expression of their Catholicism, even if it's not expressive of them uniquely.

Is that a quote from Nabokov in your signature, Pon?

[Kaesekopf]

On a forum I used to run, new posters were not permitted to upload images or use avatars until reaching a certain post count.

Maybe they could be permitted avatars from an approved menu.  There is already an avatar gallery on this forum; unfortunately they're only available in a minuscule size, and are of celebrities from the late 1990s.  I don't know if the administrator is able to change and customize the selections.

I am, I think.

[Kaesekopf]

On a forum I used to run, new posters were not permitted to upload images or use avatars until reaching a certain post count.  It allowed me and the mods a chance to determine if the person was there for the purpose of the forum or to cause trouble.  I think having such an implementation would be beneficial here considering recent events.

I manually approve each new registration ever since The Incident years ago with A Different Forum.  It's helped to avoid obvious spam bots and such, but this was a new situation. 

I can look into it.  Once I get the Forum upgraded, I'll see if they have such triggers.  They probably do, the upgrade added a lot of functions, last I saw. 

[Mono no aware]

Is that a quote from Nabokov in your signature, Pon?

It is.

[Mono no aware]

Other forums have up-votes and down-votes.  There's a "say thanks" function on this forum.  Is it possible for a "dislike" function to be added?

[Goldfinch]

Other forums have up-votes and down-votes.  There's a "say thanks" function on this forum.  Is it possible for a "dislike" function to be added?

We only up-vote here. We're inclusive.

[Michael Wilson]

A company that one of my sisters worked for came up with the not so brilliant idea of giving a "Makerel Award", for that employee that screwed up the most during the past week. The boss attempted to give this award to my sister; there was no Makerel award given after that.....

[Miriam_M]

I think down-votes invite displays of animosity beyond the content of the post itself.  This is what I've seen elsewhere.  If a member wants to object to the message and not the messenger, it is better done directly, i.m.o.  Dislike of a more personal nature is thus forced to be aired, and therefore has a tendency to restrain the responder because it's within public view.