Tweet
I've hardly had the time to visit both my regular forums ('poly and CFC) since the second year of my engineering degree has started, but I do make a few posts here or there.
On this issue, there are just a few general observations I wish to make. I'm taking time out for this because I think this is important.
When I joined 'poly and CFC way back in 2001 (for almost a third of my life now, I've been registered on these two sites), I was welcomed on both sites.
At that time, both sites were great sources of news on Civ, and just great places to hang out.
CFC has traditionally had a much stricter moderation system than 'poly. They enforce civility. They're probably more draconian about it now than they were earlier.
Today, when a new poster registers on CFC, when he posts for the first time, he is usually greeted with a genuinely helpful reply, and, every single time, with a number of people who make it a point to post, "Welcome to CFC!". Another thing is that you don't need to be an old-timer to be respected there - the content of your posts is what people judge you on.
This has done wonders in attracting people to CFC, and the transition from the On-T forums to the OT forums is painless for people there, as the same standards of civility and decency are upheld everywhere.
When a Settler first posts on the 'poly OT, he is greeted with derision, contempt, and the DL dance. When an On-T poster tries to make the same transition (as many do when a new version of the game comes out), he is treated practically the same way.
I've seen CFC OT grow and prosper to where it is today, and the 'poly OT reduced to..... this.
I remember a time when 'poly wasn't so insular and inbred. People were more civil back then. There was a regular infusion of fresh blood into the OT with each new release of the game.
This is not meant to compare 'poly with CFC, or to pass judgement upon it - it is simply meant to illustrate the principle that actions have consequences.
It is the actions taken (or not taken) by the people at 'poly and CFC that have led to the situation as it is today. Other actions, when taken, will have a different or corrective effect.
Many people fear that by changing policy, it may affect the community already built up. They fear that old-timers may leave.
It is in connection with this that I must say that in the long run, it doesn't really matter if EVERY poster here leaves - as long as the site can attract enough new people to make up the losses, and keep the community vibrant.
As Loriazel posted above, some people tried to harass me some time back. That didn't make me leave the site then, because I had seen what it was like in better times. But had I come to the site at that time for the first time, I'd probably have never come back. I don't know how many people there were like that who never joined because they didn't like what they saw.
What is the solution - I'd say it is to enforce a stricter moderation policy, reduce the spam, maintain civility even if it is at the expense of the so-called "old culture" of the site (the real old culture was very different, and much better), and in general get things in order.
Just my thoughts on this.
On this issue, there are just a few general observations I wish to make. I'm taking time out for this because I think this is important.
When I joined 'poly and CFC way back in 2001 (for almost a third of my life now, I've been registered on these two sites), I was welcomed on both sites.
At that time, both sites were great sources of news on Civ, and just great places to hang out.
CFC has traditionally had a much stricter moderation system than 'poly. They enforce civility. They're probably more draconian about it now than they were earlier.
Today, when a new poster registers on CFC, when he posts for the first time, he is usually greeted with a genuinely helpful reply, and, every single time, with a number of people who make it a point to post, "Welcome to CFC!". Another thing is that you don't need to be an old-timer to be respected there - the content of your posts is what people judge you on.
This has done wonders in attracting people to CFC, and the transition from the On-T forums to the OT forums is painless for people there, as the same standards of civility and decency are upheld everywhere.
When a Settler first posts on the 'poly OT, he is greeted with derision, contempt, and the DL dance. When an On-T poster tries to make the same transition (as many do when a new version of the game comes out), he is treated practically the same way.
I've seen CFC OT grow and prosper to where it is today, and the 'poly OT reduced to..... this.
I remember a time when 'poly wasn't so insular and inbred. People were more civil back then. There was a regular infusion of fresh blood into the OT with each new release of the game.
This is not meant to compare 'poly with CFC, or to pass judgement upon it - it is simply meant to illustrate the principle that actions have consequences.
It is the actions taken (or not taken) by the people at 'poly and CFC that have led to the situation as it is today. Other actions, when taken, will have a different or corrective effect.
Many people fear that by changing policy, it may affect the community already built up. They fear that old-timers may leave.
It is in connection with this that I must say that in the long run, it doesn't really matter if EVERY poster here leaves - as long as the site can attract enough new people to make up the losses, and keep the community vibrant.
As Loriazel posted above, some people tried to harass me some time back. That didn't make me leave the site then, because I had seen what it was like in better times. But had I come to the site at that time for the first time, I'd probably have never come back. I don't know how many people there were like that who never joined because they didn't like what they saw.
What is the solution - I'd say it is to enforce a stricter moderation policy, reduce the spam, maintain civility even if it is at the expense of the so-called "old culture" of the site (the real old culture was very different, and much better), and in general get things in order.
Just my thoughts on this.
Comment