[Moderated Topic] A few more heavily moderated threads? Maybe. Please comment.

[Horton]

In addition to the Advanced Topics 2.0 idea, I am playing with the idea that when a thread is started that is particularly interesting that I would flag it and moderate it more heavily. The idea is to simply keep it on topic and keep Caption Sarcasm or and the army of MS fans from derailing the topic. I am not proposing to do this for more than a small fraction of all the threads on the forum. I am NOT suggesting that I would become the Enemy of Fun for more than a few threads.

 

Maybe this is instead of Advanced Topics. It is really two different approaches. I might try both and see what fosters the best content.

 

Comments?

 

[The_MS]

Sounds like your trying to handcuff my fans.

[Horton]

@MS not handcuffing. Just keeping them in line.

[skier2788]

Like it. Felt the advanced topics carried too much stigma of we are better than you because you dont run X number of balls. This is much better

[Horton]

@skier2788 please also see that the proposed Advanced Topics 2.0 lets anyone post as long as they are willing to say supply their name, skiing level and basic info.

 

I really like the idea that 15 off skiers listen to 28 off skiers and 32 off skiers listen to 38 off skiers. Knowing who you are listening to gives a lot of credibility to advise.

 

When I hear advise that I do not understand I will work to understand it if the skiers is way better than me. If they know less then me I may consider the comment to be noise.

 

I guess some feel this is a class system. I hate to hear that. I see it as a filter to get the best info.

[Wish]

I think I like this idea better. And when you say "flag", do you mean like a symbol or statement then attached to the title that allows readers and contributors to recognize that the thread is to stay on topic?. And contributors need to have constructive things to say? Seems like a better way then Advanced topic. I'm sure there is a struggle between entertainment and constructive information. I think the sites unparalleled success is do to having both. I have felt there is a good balance so far. Never felt it was heavy one way or the other. Bitch fests need to be calmed at times but I suppose that will happen. And even those have been dealt with very well. Those that do not post do to all the "noise" is unfortunate. Not sure how "noise" is defined.

[skier2788]

@Horton have seen that and like that much better than the original. I am more than willing to share name and even tournament scores. As someone on the edge of making the cutoff. Best tournament score of 99 in men's 2 puts me mid 35off at 36 mph. Just felt left out of the original. Understand your reasonings and was fine with it. Just think this is an improvement

[eleeski]

This site IS heavily moderated already. The lack of anonymity and your policing and banning of improper posters is a feature of the site. Overall the result is quite good but I think you are very close to limiting content already. More restrictions could be detrimental.

 

@MS rocks! Especially when he is a bit off topic.

 

It's OK to pee in @Horton's lake but not mine. That is my test of off topic distractions. I'll see if this response gets deleted.

 

Eric

[The_MS]

@Elee rock

[OTF]

@horton just start a thread called "The @MS fan ban starts here" and move all off topic chatter into it. The thread would be to quote @wish "epic" and provide hours and hours of entertaining reading. It would also allow us to find all of the fun in one section instead of looking for it amongst real conversations.

 

@eleeski is right!

[Wish]

That would be epic.

[Zman]

I do see Horton's point. The other day I saw a thread where someone was arguing sort of bull headed like with good comments made by Big Dawg level skiers. I checked a little and the argument was coming from a 15 off skier.

If I am a 15 off skier (I am a little better) - I am totally in ask questions, listen, comment to test my understanding mode. I am certainly not arguing with someone who skis with about 25 feet less rope than I do. In my opinion the "arguer's" comments diffused an otherwise good thread for learning.

[ToddL]

The issue becomes the subjective assessment of whether comments are an argument or a debate or a vetting out of differing perspectives. The same conversation could be viewed differently by different people.

 

Also, an eye and mind for coaching is a separate skill from the ability to perform. The best coaches can do both. There are, however, some skiers with immense skill to perform and a complete inability to coach or express how they do what they do or how a different skier needs to change to improve. There are also a few skiers who can't perform at the level they are able to coach. They just have an eye for it and the ability to convey what they see in a way that connects for the student.

 

FWIW, I think @Horton get's it right most of the time. When he makes a mistake, the user can simply message him and explain.

[SkiJay]

Like it or not, there are situations in life that function best under the rule of a dictator. BOS would be a mess without its benevolent dictator. Will @Horton's judgement be perfect? Nope. Will his influence over a few purposeful threads raise the bar on quality information sharing? Oh yeah!

[Horton]

@eleeski I give you a lot of crap because we are friends. Besides that the forum mostly runs it self. I am very proud of the fact that I have fostered a internet culture that is basically polite and borders on professional. You guys generally self police. So I am not really sure what you are talking about when you say you think I over moderate.

 

I am not interested in a site with a lot of bickering, pointless arguing or other ugliness. Sites that thrive on that burn hot and burn out. Over the years I have weeded out the guys who argue for sport. I believe that BallOfSpray is successful largely because I weeded those guys out years ago. For the record, I can count banned skiers on one hand - maybe I have forgotten a few there have not been 10 in five years.

 

One of my high level goals is to make this site a resource for the 99.x % of the readers who never post. That means the forum needs to be MOSTLY about skiing and GENERALLY on topic. I think the current amount of BS is about right but I would like to foster more high quality conversations. I would like the site to increase its value as a resource without losing its value as entertainment.

 

That is not what this thread is about.

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

What I am proposing in this thread is => when there is a thread that looks to be of extra value to the greater readership we simply mark is as "Heavily Moderated*" and keep it on topic. This will apply to less than 10% of the threads.

 

As an example: the current thread about Water Chemistry => if someone started posting in there about the positive health benefits of "Shiner Bock" and the thread was derailed I think that would suck. That thread has real value to lake owners world wide. If there are a few posts that are wacky that is fine but as soon as the thread goes way off topic that diminishes the overall value.

 

* the flag title "Heavily Moderated" is not going to stick. I am thinking maybe "Key Topic" or "Hot Topic" or something else?

 

NOTE: This is a different concept from Advanced Topics 2.0. Please comment in that thread if that is what you are talking about.

[eleeski]

@Horton , I never claimed that you over moderate. I actually believe that you have struck a nice balance to keep the content relevant, civil and fun.

 

I honestly come to this site for entertainment. Real unbiased assessments of a product happens on the water - not on the internet. And internet tutoring does not compare to on the water coaching (even from me). Getting too serious about an internet site is a poor path to take. Obviously, you want a site that has useful and relevant content but first it has to be fun. After all, we are talking about a recreational sport aren't we?

 

Do I get GNAR points for peeing in Horton's dry lake?

 

Eric

[Horton]

How about the tag "Moderated Topic" instead of "Heavily Moderated"? I think that gets the point across without being heavy handed.

[Horton]

Well that was a surprise. I looked and the top 4 topics on the forum right now are topics I would like to keep on track. I marked then as [Moderated Topics]. We will see how it goes.

[ral]

I think that the role of moderators is to moderate whenever something goes really out of whack. In a heavily moderated topic or in a regular one. I like sarcasm, even a highly technical topic benefits from an dose of it.

 

I do not like stupidity, ignorant advice, politics (non WS related), personal attacks. In this specific site, I think that ingnorant advise is as damaging as personal attacks.

 

 

I like the way @Horton moderates, and if the site keeps growing, maybe more of the members can become moderators and help.

[Horton]

@ral it is a fine line. If I make every thread too narrow and discourage fun that sucks too.

 

I plan to simply ID the threads that have more value and keep them on track. In the end that is all I am doing.

 

I hope that simply adding the text [Moderated Topic] to the title of the thread will be enough to keep most of those threads on track. I do not want to really have to police those threads. If I have to actually intervene that is when users get grumpy.

 

Stuff like this is always and experiment. It may work and it may generate all kinds of backlash. I can never tell.

[6balls]

@horton "moderated topic" sounds about right, though just because it's moderated wouldn't convey to those "not in the know" that the intent is to keep the thread on-topic.

Should it say "moderated thread--topic related content only"

Maybe a better way to say it.

Do agree overall with the idea. The advanced topics restrictions could cause some heartburn. I thought @skidawg asking for help on the vids of his skiing was fantastic. A trained eye or a skier who really understands ski theory may not be able to make his own body do it but provide insight to a skier more advanced. Not many skiers on the site far ahead of skidawg but he took almost all advice to heart on that thread and then posted a PB.

@wish is a heckuva skier...but also terribly perceptive from the boat. I believe he could advise the guys who ski shorter by providing great insight.

Great direction from the webmaster as always...an improving work in progress.