Removing Certain Junior Member Posting Restrictions in the Gameroom

[pevergreen]

Harder to implement methinks.

I find no fault in the current system.

[Csargo]

I think it would be a good idea to allow JM to post in the Gameroom, but still have to make positive contributions to the forum before they are promoted.

[caravel]

A lot of members will still be put off by being treated in this fashion. There are better ways to reward members for their contributions such as the HoF, Senior Member rank and staff promotions etc, etc. Labelling every new member as a potential troublemaker right from the start is simply asking for trouble.

A possible compromise solution would be to keep the rank but give unfettered access to all areas. The only restrictions could be the mailbox size and posting flood control. The edit button being a necessity. The fact that Junior Members don't have an edit facility and demoted troublemakers often have their edit facility removed, implies that Junior Members are all treated as potential spammers and troublemakers from the start.

Give someone enough rope and they'll hang themselves, this is a better way to sort out the idiots than the current system.

As to being "noticed", why should one need to be noticed in order to be allowed to post in all areas? This come across as extremely pompous. I expect that a lot of potentially good members have been put off in the past through not being able to post in a particular thread. I doubt they sat there and thought "oh I need to prove myself worthy of the .org", it is more likely that they upped and left never to be heard from again. A lot of people don't have 24 hours per day to sit in front of a forum posting away at length in order to prove themselves, they just want to get straight into i.e. the backroom or the Monastery and make their first post about a subject they may be well versed in.

I've lost count of how many times I've been browsing an interesting thread in another forum and aimed to register there just to post a technical solution or a bit of info that would solve the problem, only to be hit by "you do not have permission blah blah blah...". Do I hang around there and post in other threads where I do have permission? No.

Unfortunately we will miss out on this because we're so scared of the "riff raff" getting in here and spoiling things.

[Geoffrey S]

I don't think it's a matter of fearing 'riff raff'. More of allowing potential members to find out if they fit in and prove that they have something to contribute. As an example, any (meaningful) student organization I can think of works with such systems: it gives both potential and current members the time to find out if someone fits in and get to know the faces they will be seeing more regularly.

[Ludens]

I've lost count of how many times I've been browsing an interesting thread in another forum and aimed to register there just to post a technical solution or a bit of info that would solve the problem, only to be hit by "you do not have permission blah blah blah...". Do I hang around there and post in other threads where I do have permission? No.

Unfortunately we will miss out on this because we're so scared of the "riff raff" getting in here and spoiling things.

I also think you are exaggerating the problem. For one, junior members have access to 26 of the 30 forums on the forum index, and many of those 26 have several subforums. Only the miscellaneous forums (minus the Watchtower) are off-limits, and since those are not TW-oriented they are not the first place where new members will go (excepting perhaps the Monastery).

[The Wandering Scholar]

I know i'm not but JM's could get fustrated with a large post count but having to wait untill the HOF is over to be promoted. How long will that be going on for?

[Caius]

I know i'm not but JM's could get fustrated with a large post count but having to wait untill the HOF is over to be promoted. How long will that be going on for?

When votations are gone.

[caravel]

I also think you are exaggerating the problem. For one, junior members have access to 26 of the 30 forums on the forum index, and many of those 26 have several subforums. Only the miscellaneous forums (minus the Watchtower) are off-limits, and since those are not TW-oriented they are not the first place where new members will go (excepting perhaps the Monastery).

Fair enough, I'll admit that it's not as restrictive as it was, but that's my point: Considering that JMs are no longer restricted to the watchtower is the JM rank still worthwhile? If you think it's still worthwhile for the posting restrictions then I would have to disagree on that for the reasons mentioned above. I still stick to my original argument. Most forums don't need this kind of system and survive very well, thrive even, without it.

[Ludens]

Fair enough, I'll admit that it's not as restrictive as it was, but that's my point: Considering that JMs are no longer restricted to the watchtower is the JM rank still worthwhile? If you think it's still worthwhile for the posting restrictions then I would have to disagree on that for the reasons mentioned above. I still stick to my original argument. Most forums don't need this kind of system and survive very well, thrive even, without it.

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean we have to adopt it as well.

A reason for this system is that the non-accesible forums contain material that is more likely to cause trouble, for example heated discussions about certain countries in the Monastery and Backroom. By having new members get used to the friendly atmosphere here before allowing them access to those topics, we reduce the chance of flame-wars. It also prevents the forums from getting flooded with aggressive lobbyists (which has happened before, and in fact was the reason for the institution of the membership system).

Also, the junior-member rank makes new members have to wait longer in between posts, which is useful to deter spambots and other rapid posters.

[Quirinus]

A lot of members will still be put off by being treated in this fashion. There are better ways to reward members for their contributions such as the HoF, Senior Member rank and staff promotions etc, etc. Labelling every new member as a potential troublemaker right from the start is simply asking for trouble.

Here I disagree with you. Starting off new members as junior members, IMO, doesn't mean labelling every new member as a potential troublemaker, any more than having a moderator for a forum labels that particular forum as being spam-prone.

I do agree with the rest of your post though.