Thread: Town Hall Discussion: Separate adult, almost anything goes, forum

Town Hall Discussion: Separate adult, almost anything goes, forum

The advisory board twice discussed the pros and cons of a forum of this type. It would be a forum where there would be more freedom in terms of language and joking. It is not possible for vBulletin to selectively censor/filter forums, so the word filter would exist even in this forum.

So the forum might:

• Not allow nudity or sexually graphic images (images of people having sex), but most other images could be allowed.
  
• Jokes and phrases that would be censored or considered off color in other forums, would be allowed.
  
• Going around the language filter by intentionally misspelling a word, for instance, might be allowed in this forum.
  
• While hard core sexually explicit material would still not be allowed (ala stuff in alt.sex… usenet groups), there would be far more leeway in terms of allowing leeway to make sexual references and jokes, but still stop short of allowing porn novellas.
  
• Where the other forums are currently being held to an “allowed on Primetime Network TV” standard, this forum could be more along the lines of an “R” rated forum (with the exception of no nudity).
  
• Personal attacks and flame wars would still be moderated, but there would be a less of a ‘hair trigger’ in determining what is an attack vs. what is just ‘messing’ with someone or jokes/smack talk amongst friends.
  
• People would be required to take some proactive step to ‘join’ this forum/subforum, and in doing so, they would be agreeing they are over 18 and may find some material offensive (this will be determined by what can reasonably be setup in vBulletin and not take any, or much, manual involvement on my part or any others).
  
• People that abuse the forum (whether by overt complaining about the looser rules, or by taking the ‘you gave me an inch, so I am going to take a mile’ attitude), would be removed from being access that particular forum.
  
• Everyone would need to have the discipline to ONLY post with the looser standards in this member’s only forum, and understand that saying, “oops, I thought I was in the _____ forum where it was allowed” will not be an excuse for breaking the rules in other forums.

Ok, so that is something that we had been bouncing around. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of this, and if it is going to be done, what the limitations should be on such a forum.

One potential problem of a forum like this is that it could draw a lot of traffic away from "what's on your mind" and this new forum would be come the main chit/chat area for most people.

I wonder if there is a way to not allow 'guests' or those traveling the board incognito to get into the forum. I think it is a fair solution to the "problems" but for the sake of the mods only those signed in with visible names should be allowed to enter.

I think this is an excellent idea. As long as the rules actually start being enforced in the rest of the forum this would give all those that want to cuss a place to do it and no excuses to do it other places.

Originally Posted by schnooks1

I wonder if there is a way to not allow 'guests' or those traveling the board incognito to get into the forum. I think it is a fair solution to the "problems" but for the sake of the mods only those signed in with visible names should be allowed to enter.

This would definately keep out the 'guests'... but I don't see why the 'invisible' members wouldn't be allowed.

I think it will eliminate most the traffic in the "What's On Your Mind" forum.

It doesn't matter to me. I'll conform to anything.

Originally Posted by schnooks1

I wonder if there is a way to not allow 'guests' or those traveling the board incognito to get into the forum. I think it is a fair solution to the "problems" but for the sake of the mods only those signed in with visible names should be allowed to enter.

The forum would be setup so that you had to be signed in to see it, and you had to have taken a proactive action to gain access to that forum.

I am going to work on the mechanics of it today, and once I do, will create a demo forum to show hoe the 'join' would work. But essentially, it will be something like:

When you try and view that forum, it will say, "only members of 'over 18 user group' can view this forum. Would you like to join this user group?" or something like that. And only after you join that "over 18 group" (or whatever it winds up being called) will you be able to view the new forum

Anyone can choose not to join that group, and as I understand it (I have to test this), no posts from that forum will show up on new posts (for those that didn't join the group), and they will not be able to enter the forum without joining the group (possibly not even see the forum, without joining the group).

It is also possilbe (not sure if it's possible or if we would want it) that there could be a requirement of x posts by a poster before s/he can join the 'adult' user group.

Originally Posted by LordTrychon

This would definately keep out the 'guests'... but I don't see why the 'invisible' members wouldn't be allowed.

Well I just meant to stop those that are under 18 from getting in by traveling invisible. No other reason.

Originally Posted by tnedator

One potential problem of a forum like this is that it could draw a lot of traffic away from "what's on your mind" and this new forum would be come the main chit/chat area for most people.

It would divide the members into the ones that want looser rules and ones that wouldn't... *shrug*

Originally Posted by tnedator

Town Hall Discussion: Separate adult, almost anything goes, forum

The advisory board twice discussed the pros and cons of a forum of this type. It would be a forum where there would be more freedom in terms of language and joking. It is not possible for vBulletin to selectively censor/filter forums, so the word filter would exist even in this forum.

So the forum might:

• Not allow nudity or sexually graphic images (images of people having sex), but most other images could be allowed.
  
• Jokes and phrases that would be censored or considered off color in other forums, would be allowed.
  
• Going around the language filter by intentionally misspelling a word, for instance, might be allowed in this forum.
  
• While hard core sexually explicit material would still not be allowed (ala stuff in alt.sex… usenet groups), there would be far more leeway in terms of allowing leeway to make sexual references and jokes, but still stop short of allowing porn novellas.
  
• Where the other forums are currently being held to an “allowed on Primetime Network TV” standard, this forum (with the exception of nudity) could be more along the lines of an “R” rated forum.
  
• Personal attacks and flame wars would still be moderated, but there would be a less of a ‘hair trigger’ in determining what is an attack vs. what is just ‘messing’ with someone or jokes/smack talk amongst friends.
  
• People would be required to take some proactive step to ‘join’ this forum/subforum, and in doing so, they would be agreeing they are over 18 and may find some material offensive (this will be determined by what can reasonably be setup in vBulletin and not take any, or much, manual involvement on my part or any others).
  
• People that abuse the forum (whether by overt complaining about the looser rules, or by taking the ‘you gave me an inch, so I am going to take a mile’ attitude), would be removed from being access that particular forum.
  
• Everyone would need to have the discipline to ONLY post with the looser standards in this member’s only forum, and understand that saying, “oops, I thought I was in the _____ forum where it was allowed” will not be an excuse for breaking the rules in other forums.

Ok, so that is something that we had been bouncing around. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of this, and if it is going to be done, what the limitations should be on such a forum.

Images of people having sex...dang Tned...what do you have going on here

I want to be able to gain access to this...I may learn something new!

Originally Posted by tnedator

It is also possilbe (not sure if it's possible or if we would want it) that there could be a requirement of x posts by a poster before s/he can join the 'adult' user group.

If this forum were to come to fruition, I think that would be a good idea.

Originally Posted by tnedator

The forum would be setup so that you had to be signed in to see it, and you had to have taken a proactive action to gain access to that forum.

I am going to work on the mechanics of it today, and once I do, will create a demo forum to show hoe the 'join' would work. But essentially, it will be something like:

When you try and view that forum, it will say, "only members of 'over 18 user group' can view this forum. Would you like to join this user group?" or something like that. And only after you join that "over 18 group" (or whatever it winds up being called) will you be able to view the new forum

Anyone can choose not to join that group, and as I understand it (I have to test this), no posts from that forum will show up on new posts (for those that didn't join the group), and they will not be able to enter the forum without joining the group (possibly not even see the forum, without joining the group).

It is also possilbe (not sure if it's possible or if we would want it) that there could be a requirement of x posts by a poster before s/he can join the 'adult' user group.

Geeze my head hurts thinking about all the stuff you must have in your head!! If you can work all of this out, I think it should please those that need to have that kind of forum for sure!! You are very cool trying to please so many!!

I personally won't use the forum.. but I will be happy when all of this gets settled for your sake!

Oh by the way.. Thanks Tned for all that you do!

Originally Posted by LordTrychon

It would divide the members into the ones that want looser rules and ones that wouldn't... *shrug*

This already exists. There is only one forum "area" to post in though.

Originally Posted by LordTrychon

It would divide the members into the ones that want looser rules and ones that wouldn't... *shrug*

The divide already exists, but will allow both groups to have a 'chit/chat' aread they are happy with, rather than having a middle ground that displeases many.

Originally Posted by schnooks1

Well I just meant to stop those that are under 18 from getting in by traveling invisible. No other reason.

One, I don't think that will be a setting that is possible. I think the only option would be to turn off invisiblity completely (I will check though). Also, I don't think it will stop any under age people. Since this is the internet, without doing some type of age verification (which are flawed, not to mention manually intensive -- faxed in copies of drivers licenses for instance), there is no way to keep children from certain areas. If we knew that xxxx member was under 18 and don't allow him/her, all that person has to do is create a new forum account, join the 'adult' user group, pretend to be an adult and start viewing the forum.

However, the forum cannot be such a free-for-all that it would be considered a pornagraphic or adult site that would require age checks, because I want no part of running such a forum.

Originally Posted by LordTrychon

If this forum were to come to fruition, I think that would be a good idea.

DAMN...I best get to posting!