Political Signatures

Hello,

The Backroom is an opt-in for some months, so people who want just gaming content don't have to see this. Signatures can still contain Backroom material and are visible in every forum.

There are two solutions for this:
-ban Backroom content from signatures.
-have a Backroom only signature.

The code for a Backroom only signature already works, be it that it's still pretty basic. Not 100% sure it shows in all skins now, but the default, Guild, Dojo and RTW work already. There's room for ~500 characters (spaces count too). I do not know yet whether it can become more flexible.

Which option do you like more? Ban Backroom content from the signature and keep displaying the classic signature in the Backroom, or a Backroom only signature that can contain Backroom material?

I was never one for doing things with duplicity or cared to include vulgar or ethically questionable material, not that all backroom material is such. I therefore would opt for not including backroom content in my signature. A signature should reflect something of one's personality or character.

This is just MHO of course. I am, however, in the spirit of democracy, willing to abide by the wishes of the greater whole.

Why complicating things?

We have forum rules already. If a sig violates the forum rules, it has to be changed, if not, it can be shown everywhere. Why making life more difficult by having different rules for different subfora?

Before you know it, people will ask for priviliges concerning their sig in other subfora, like for instance the MP sections where more competitive people tend to post.

I prefer the simplicity of one set of rules being applicable on every part of these forums.

Just my :2cents:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andres

Why complicating things?

We have forum rules already. If a sig violates the forum rules, it has to be changed, if not, it can be shown everywhere. Why making life more difficult by having different rules for different subfora?

Before you know it, people will ask for priviliges concerning their sig in other subfora, like for instance the MP sections where more competitive people tend to post.

I prefer the simplicity of one set of rules being applicable on every part of these forums.

Just my :2cents:

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I agree with andres, one set of rules for sigs for all forums.

Something you won't see me type often I suspect:

I agree with Odin.

:jester:

The full version of "The Lord of the Sigs" by request from Seamus. (blame him)


Three sigs for the Orgah kings sundered awry
Seven for the Dork Lords in their halls alone
Nine for the Tavern Regs doomed to fry
One for the Dutch Lord on his Org throne
In the land of Forums where the Backroom lies.

One sig to rule them all,
One sig to find them,
One sig to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them
In the land of Forums where the Backroom lies.

Translated: I agree with doc - and so on...

I concur with Andres and the others.

@ Greg':

Put it in Mordor script you lazy oaf...:devilish:

EDIT: Well, not Mordor speak, but a sprightly full version. Good parody sir.

Something is wrong with me. I can't see any signatures, and I don't know why.

Hello Lorenzo_H,

They are disabled for a while to show the alternative. The Backroom sig is displayed, that's empty for most people.
Post #1 shows it.

Thanks for the feedback so far, this topic will stay open for a bit so others can comment too.

See my post above for the full verions of "The Lord of the Sigs".

~:)

I'm going to agree with the others here - we have forum rules regarding our actions. If a sig follows those rules, even if it includes some political related stuff, than why is it bad depending on what forum it's seen in?

I understand some people choose not to enter the backroom, but I guess I don't see the harm from having to briefly glimpse a signature that may contain politics in another forum.

CR

I agree with Crazed Rabbit on his view of the signature. As long as it doesn't break the rules of decency and decorum set out plainly by the Org. than it should be allowed, wether meant for the backroom or not.

@ Seamus: I suspect you are a Led Zeppelin Fan?

"Say hey mamma say the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groo-oove."

Of course.

Prefer Tull and Floyd, but Zep was always worth a listen.

Like many of my generation, I did have fun unraveling the allegories of Stairway, American Pie and Raphsody....

Actually, looking back at my music preferences, I'm rather surprised that I didn't end up a pothead. Lord knows quite a number of my friends were.

Tosa, I don't see your Backroom signature, nor do I see the one I created. I didn't see any options in the User CP to turn it on or off either. Is there a problem or am I doing something wrong?

Hello Gregoshi,

Which skin were you using?

I'm using the (default?) RTW skin.

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Originally Posted by TosaInu

-have a Backroom only signature.

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My votes with that. Those that don't want to use it just could copy and paste it to the other.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

I understand some people choose not to enter the backroom, but I guess I don't see the harm from having to briefly glimpse a signature that may contain politics in another forum.

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Seconded.

When it is a sensitive time like it was during Israel's occupation in Lebanon, there were many members polarized, eventually some members had gone missing no matter what. No, no way; neither an Israeli flag nor a Palestinian/Jordan one should be that much important to create such unfortunate conflicts.

I strongly disagree with anything political in sigs, 'cause some flag, figure or whatsoever may be within the Org's rules but its political meaning for the related time can be irritating to another.

Seriously I don't even have an idea wtf a political attitude presented in a sig has to do with this forum.

My burnin' two cents.

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Originally Posted by Gregoshi

I'm using the (default?) RTW skin.

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I see.

Edit: thanks for flagging Gregoshi, that was an odd glitch.

Could we not just leave it to common sense and the mods? You are responsible for your sig along with your posts, and if its inappropriate for the forum in question you take the rap?

It works! I see the Backroom sigs...zero point for imagination though Tosa. ~;) Thank you. You da Dutchman! :bow:

I'm using the RTW/default skin, and I just copied my old sig into the backroom sig. Doesn't look like it processes the tags properly. Is the BR sig straight text-only at this point?

It works in the Preview Post page, but not when viewing the thread.

Yes Drone,

at this point it only understands plain text.

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Originally Posted by Gregoshi

It works! I see the Backroom sigs...zero point for imagination though Tosa. ~;) Thank you. You da Dutchman! :bow:

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I think Tosa doesn't put anything else in just to save our lives, for reference, look at that old Frontroom thread about him.:sweatdrop:

Hello,

Post #20 describes a problem. While the Backroom has the same forumrules, it's quite different from the other forums.

The choice is:
-no Backroom content in signatures.
-a Backroom only signature.

At this moment, the sentiment seems to be against a Backroom only sig, and that's fine. But that means that a signature can not contain a political message (no matter how right, left or wrong). I'm sorry.

I'll check this topic again tomorrow, night.

How can I have my own Backroom sig?

I think that I could fill another sig with my witty comments....
Wait.
Never mind.

Just as long as I gotta sig.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TosaInu

Hello,

Post #20 describes a problem. While the Backroom has the same forumrules, it's quite different from the other forums.

The choice is:
-no Backroom content in signatures.
-a Backroom only signature.

At this moment, the sentiment seems to be against a Backroom only sig, and that's fine. But that means that a signature can not contain a political message (no matter how right, left or wrong). I'm sorry.

I'll check this topic again tomorrow, night.

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In that case I'd settle for a backromm sig. Even the EA quote in my sig could be seen as being political...

Hello,

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts about this. Conclusion seems to be that displaying an extra Backroom only signature is not wanted. If the opinion about this changes: open a topic in the Watchtower/Backroom please.

Backroom content can no longer be part of the signature, please update.

Excuse me Tosa, but I think the sigs are personal and everyone can do what he/she want with it (unless it brokes the .Org rules).

Sigs are personal.Or am I going to change yours because i dont like it?

Thats my point of view.

What do you define as political? For example my two quotes could be defined as such.

Wow I never noticed your sig Seamus. Thick as a Brick? I love Tull. :laugh4: I remember Anderson passed around a tale that a 9 year old had written it or something like that.

I don't know if those are political or not.
I say they aren't because it's a quote, a philosophical qip about life that can illuminate your day.

Gah! What is the big deal, or was. And what does it matter? This is beyond silly.

Simple really.

A lot of people don't want politic threads shoved down their throats while at the Org so we restrict it to the backroom. However some people would like to have political signatures, as such we are seeing if it is worthwhile having the means for people to have a political backroom sig and a more other user friendly sig for outside.

Likewise not all members what to see scantly clad nubile women posted throughout the forums. Hence the place of posting of such is the Babe Thread.

It simply allows members the choice to a) smoke be political and b) not have to breath smoke bother with politics.

I don't see why the options listed in the original post should be the only options.

What I have been doing is having political signatures but being extra vigilant to not use them on boards that are not the Backroom. I don't see why that method can't work for everybody. It's way better than censoring all signatures for no good reason, given that there are workarounds like this to completely bypass the problem listed in the original post. If a Backroom signature is posted in a board other than the Backroom, then warn for it and that's that, instead of changing to this new censorship policy.

Indeed a Backroom only signature would be good. Certainly a much better solution than censoring signature content in the Backroom as seems to be the "new rule". :no:

Another thing that just occurred to me is that there are many political signatures still present that the owner may not perceive as being a political signature even though it is. This open's a pandora's box. This will fall to staff to try to determine what is political and what is not. Due to it not being an exact science and having to be based on personal opinion of the staff member at hand, this will inevitably result in some signatures being censored whereas some other political signatures that should also be censored get off scott-free. Which is totally inequitable.

Hm I don't know if the feature works yet. My signature here isn't the backroom signature but the normal one.

Censorship, by any other words is still censorship.

The idea that a word or phrase may harm someone is misguided at best.

As presented it is a bogus proposition that asks that all accept a narrow -either or choice - and gives no reason. Except that within someone's "signiture" maybe something someone disagrees with and/ergo finds offensive.

It is censorship at a level I believed beneath the .orgs consideration.
Wrong again, I suppose. Not surprising.

Isnt this all a bit of a fuss over nothing...so someone has a 'political' signature and they post in the arena or whatever...

What are we worried about here? That someone in the arena for example may see it and take offence? As long as it isnt a violation of the forum rules in general then I really wouldnt care if it offended someone or not.

People in the arena are supposedly reading the posts- not the signatures. Granted signatures are there to be read but you know what I mean...

Hello Navaros,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Navaros

I don't see why the options listed in the original post should be the only options.

What I have been doing is having political signatures but being extra vigilant to not use them on boards that are not the Backroom. I don't see why that method can't work for everybody. It's way better than censoring all signatures for no good reason, given that there are workarounds like this to completely bypass the problem listed in the original post. If a Backroom signature is posted in a board other than the Backroom, then warn for it and that's that, instead of changing to this new censorship policy.

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That would imply that we expect anyone to correctly set the toggle for each post. How easy is it to make an error there. True, I'm sadistic, but to warn good people for a mistake like that is too easy. A one time update of a Backroom sig would be more convenient.

Quote:

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Indeed a Backroom only signature would be good. Certainly a much better solution than censoring signature content in the Backroom as seems to be the "new rule". :no:

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That was an option too, the majority said no to it. After stating again what would happen then, there still was no big counter response. The code bits are still there, it can be activated within a minute (see post 31, but you can of course change mind here and now).

Hello lancelot,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lancelot

Isnt this all a bit of a fuss over nothing...so someone has a 'political' signature and they post in the arena or whatever...

What are we worried about here? That someone in the arena for example may see it and take offence? As long as it isnt a violation of the forum rules in general then I really wouldnt care if it offended someone or not.

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Yes, that's the worry. It's not a hypothetical worry, it happens. A signature can be fine with the forumrules, but still itch.

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Originally Posted by LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix

Hm I don't know if the feature works yet. My signature here isn't the backroom signature but the normal one.

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Hello LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix,

It's deactivated.

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Originally Posted by KafirChobee

Censorship, by any other words is still censorship.

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Hello KafirChobee,

This is a gamingboard, for some visitors that means an escape from reality (no, I'm not talking about myself and yes I've violated that myself too). To enforce political/misery/controversial content on those people is also censorship (someone else decides what you read).

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The idea that a word or phrase may harm someone is misguided at best.

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I've to meet the first man/woman on this earth who is never offended by anything. All you need to know are the right spots and keep pouncing.

Phew.. I was worried about my loverly sig. This doesnt seem like a big deal either way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TosaInu

I've to meet the first man/woman on this earth who is never offended by anything. All you need to know are the right spots and keep pouncing.

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But words are words I did not yet hear,
that the heart was pierced through the ear.

Sorry I just had to use that quote when I read that sentence.

Anyway, what I'd really want to ask is, do you think I should edit out the quote in my signature? Or is it okay to you?

Also I understand the reasons why you wouldn't like political signatures, but there's anotyer small problem I see. This forum is about totalwar. And well the total war games do have something to do with politics, no? So some quotes which even have soemthing to do with a TW game can be political. Also notice that alot of the ingame quotes are too. Now most of these are about so many years in the past, but some actually still have meaning this day. Well, it's not really a problem, but it's just something that occured to me.

anyway, I'll edit me sig if you find it unnappropriate.

Hello Moros,

I don't see a quote in your sig? You mean the link to another forum and the EBM graphic? I don't see a problem with that.

I haven't really seen any signatures that would be only appropriate in the backroom. I see hilarious quotes and deep, poetic quotes, some sigs for a TW game or specific mod, the occasional smilie, LEN's Ataturk Sig, and that is it.

Nothing wrong with that. I haven't found a borderline racy sig yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TosaInu

Hello Moros,

I don't see a quote in your sig? You mean the link to another forum and the EBM graphic? I don't see a problem with that.

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Hmmm? Now, you say it. I forgot I removed it already to make place for something else. :dizzy2:
Sorry to bug you.

It is a shame that there is no backroom-exclusive signature for the Backroom only. If only there was a way that would allow the implementation of such a thing. :2thumbsup:

Hello UltraWar,

There was, and there still is. It's basic, very basic, at the moment. It's disabled again as users seemed to vote against it.