Red Diamond Threads

[Birdjaguar]

Thank you!

Will reports of posts/posters be more stringently enforced in these threads or is it entirely at the discretion of the moderators to determine which posts violate the ♦ thread rules?

Yes. Our goal is to improve the discussions measurably. We encourage posters to report posts in those threads to draw our attention to them.

 

[innonimatu]

Comments? If the idea is just to have different standards of moderation on a few threads, fine, it's a way to try those.
But if one of the new standards is not going off-topic in those threads, I don't think it's a good idea. Single-purpose threads tend to die quickly or just become a repetition of the same arguments over and over. Allowing for drift often brings in more interesting, and still related, stuff to discuss.

 

[Camikaze]

But if one of the new standards is not going off-topic in those threads, I don't think it's a good idea. Single-purpose threads tend to die quickly or just become a repetition of the same arguments over and over. Allowing for drift often brings in more interesting, and still related, stuff to discuss.

There's a difference between off-topic drift and off-topic drag. Off-topic drift is fine, and the idea here isn't to prevent that natural flow. It's largely to prevent thread pollution.

 

[Birdjaguar]

How is it freedom to be constantly watched and punished if your discussion isn't 'serious' enough in the eyes of the few with power? I just have to think of the time of the Bozo and Red Stranger and see how things are restricted now. There is no more spontaneous fun. Only order and seriousness. Forever and ever.

Oh and what did you have for breakfast. Stellar stuff that.

I haven't had breakfast yet. I think that this effort will reduce moderation overall. Moderation in the RD threads may initially rise as poster test the limits of what is acceptable, but we hope it will fall off once folks get the concept. Reduced moderation overall benefits the community,

If, at the individual level, you are a poster who will not or cannot participate in a civil discussion, then we will be restraining your freedom to muck things up for everyone else. The thread separation between RD and not RD should allow a less repressive moderation in the non RD threads.

 

[azzaman333]

So does this mean that non-RD threads will be less strictly moderated than recently, or are you just adding a new level of restrictions for srs threads?

 

[Camikaze]

So does this mean that non-RD threads will be less strictly moderated than recently, or are you just adding a new level of restrictions for srs threads?

Flaming, trolling and inappropriate content, as examples, are still not acceptable. You still aren't allowed to post complete spam in such threads either; this is still a discussion forum. However, the different designation allows for a differentiation in the standard to be applied. And the general idea is to have less strict moderation in non-RD threads, allowing for non-rule-breaking fun.

 

[Birdjaguar]

There are some of us, and I certainly fall into the category, that enjoy one line, less than substantial, witty responses. I hope that his differentiation among the OT threads will clearly mark where I will be able to get away with them and where I will not.

 

[Mathilda]

Nice solution to a long discussed issue. Good job guys, hope it works out.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

There is no more spontaneous fun. Only order and seriousness. Forever and ever.

That would happen if you posted only in Red Diamond threads. Forever and ever.

 

[shadowplay]

I like this idea, I hope it works.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

This sounds like a solid idea. I heartily approve!

 

[Birdjaguar]

Thanks all.

We need a couple of threads to to practice on. Get crackin' thread starters!!

 

[Thoughtful Thug]

I nominate two threads I can think of that belong in here. Ask a Theologian and Ask a Red. Quite obvious there. There are other existing threads that can maybe be relocated in here too.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Thread starters can request we add the designation.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Can I start an old style OT discussion thread that does not have all these new restrictions?
For now you can. Soon though we will require that all “serious” discussion threads (determined by the mods) fall under the Red Diamond moniker and those who start a political discussion or economics discussion etc without it, will find that the thread is closed or we have added the designation and moderated it to the higher standards. We do not know how long that transition will take.

I don't really like this. First, having to receive an approval to an OP will cause problems. Let's take the death of Osama bin Laden as an example: the Off-Topic thread about it had some serious discussion in it, but due to the nature of the event there wouldn't have been enough time and/or knowledge about the event to get the OP RedDiamonded. Secondly, we should be able to discuss serious subject in a not-so-serious way. IMO there should be nothing in this world that is too serious or sacred to be ridiculed or discussed in a more relaxed manner.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I don't really like this. First, having to receive an approval to an OP will cause problems. Let's take the death of Osama bin Laden as an example: the Off-Topic thread about it had some serious discussion in it, but due to the nature of the event there wouldn't have been enough time and/or knowledge about the event to get the OP RedDiamonded. Secondly, we should be able to discuss serious subject in a not-so-serious way. IMO there should be nothing in this world that is too serious or sacred to be ridiculed or discussed in a more relaxed manner.

The approval process is temporary and approval can come from any OT mod. The idea isn't to restrict topics, but to limit how many we have to moderate as we begin this.

The RD designation doesn't mean a discussion can't be relaxed, it just has to be civil and about the topic. It is our way of letting you know that your thread will have extra protection from the forces that often destroy discussions.

Serious =/= dull, boring and stuffy. Serious means that people are there to talk about the subject in a congenial way that promotes further discussion.

 

[Thoughtful Thug]

I guess it is all about the thread starter's true intention of making the thread a serious discussion. I don't know that the rule can still apply the same when other members wanting the thread to be RedDiamonded if the thread starter wasn't really serious about the topic in the first place.

 

[classical_hero]

The diamond standard. So I am assuming RD means real discussion.

 

[Turner]

Red Diamond, actually, but that's a nice fit too.

 

[Thoughtful Thug]

Yeah, the change from Red Diamond to Real Discussion fit a lot better. Who came up with that in the first place? lol