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[heinrich]

As stated in the XboxHacker thread in general chat, one thing this forum is really lacking is somewhere for intelligent conversation about the xbox.  When "General Hardware/Technical Chat" was added, it seemed like a step in the right direction, but what it is at the present time it is Newbie Chat2.  The Development forum has been kept pretty clean, so I think it IS possible to have a forum where the newbs just stay out.  Basically... it would be nice have to have at least 1 forum for serious discussion of the xbox hardware, to sit along side the Software Development forum.

Also, just to nit pick, can "XBOX BACKUP FORUM" be changed to "Xbox Backup Forum", "MS Dashboard hacks" to "MS Dashboard Hacks", "XBOX GAME REVIEW" to "Xbox Game Review", etc.  I just like conformity =)

[HSDEMONZ]

Rename those forums.

As for a second forum.. no.  If posts are not suposed to be in a forum.. the mods should be moving them.  It's a moderation issue. I'll work on that.

[shanafan]

"Game Hacking" was a nice addition at first, until people started to post about how to put games on their HDs, and how come HD games reboot to EvolutionX after starting.

No matter what the board is called, people will ask questions that do not even pertain to the board's name. Stuff like that happens when such a board has a lot of visitors.

[heinrich]

Yes, as we discussed on IRC, I can see how a forum where people are told they cant ask 'newbie questions' wouldnt go over so well, I understand that completely.

QUOTE

"Game Hacking" was a nice addition at first, until people started to post about how to put games on their HDs, and how come HD games reboot to EvolutionX after starting.

Exactly, as well as 75% of the posts in "Xbox Utils" being about "Xbox homebrew" and people asking how to configure evox in the hardware forum, etc, etc.

QUOTE

It's a moderation issue. I'll work on that.

Ya, with more than 75000 members, and a handful of mods, it is hard to keep up with each of the thousands of posts a day.  As pointed out to me by someone, as long as there are people willing to help them in X forum, no reason to get worked up over it.

QUOTE

Rename those forums.

[chefelf]

I just noticed that there are 43 separate forums on this site (Wow!) and only 38 moderators (8 globals, 30 forum).  With less than one moderator per forum it has to very tough to police the site.

I, for one, would love to see a lot more on-topic discussion and less needless threads but it seems like it would be very difficult with everyone being spread so thin.

[XanTium]

If we want more technical forum ... we will need much more moderating on those.

Infact it would require something like a certain 'user level' (not based on #posts) before people can post there ... else it would get nuked with 1000s of 'newbie' questions.

[HSDEMONZ]

Agreed.. but who wants to be the one to tell some people they can't post there cause we don't deem them worthy.

I'd rather not have that.

[brahm2]

QUOTE (XanTium @ Nov 28 2003, 04:35 PM)

If we want more technical forum ... we will need much more moderating on those. Infact it would require something like a certain 'user level' (not based on #posts) before people can post there ... else it would get nuked with 1000s of 'newbie' questions.

Is it possible to configure a section of the forums that is read only to all but you need to recieve password to post? I have seen sections like this on IBP boards.

It would be like a screening system --> Experienced users send a PM to [insert mod(s) here] for the password, and based on their participation/repuation for advanced projects or thoughtful and helpful they would get access. It would definatley not be a "FTP Problems!!!" or "Error 16!!!" section.

edit: didnt see HSD's post. its either turning people away once in a while or "letting the flood in".

hmm what to do..

[chefelf]

It seems like it would be difficult if you had to have a screening process to allow people to post in a certain forum.  While it would be nice to have a serious technical discussion it would be tough to guage who gets to post and who doesn't short of issuing some sort of test.

I'm all in favor of serious discussion (even though I probably am not at a technical level such that I could participate in such a forum ).

I guess one option would be to set the forum mask such that only admins and moderators could start threads.  Anyone could reply to them (but newbies wouldn't be very likely to especially if they didn't understand the technical aspects of the discussion).

You could also simply create a new member group (i.e. "Techies") that had the ability to post threads in said forum without giving them moderator privleges.

Just my two cents!  

EDIT: Okay I just realized that I'm the only non-moderator on this thread.  Feel free to smack me around if you wish.

[vidgms4me]

QUOTE (chefelf @ Nov 29 2003, 10:16 AM)

I guess one option would be to set the forum mask such that only admins and moderators could start threads.  Anyone could reply to them (but newbies wouldn't be very likely to especially if they didn't understand the technical aspects of the discussion).

People have a tendency to reply in the wrong places - ie. in the Evox.ini guide Thread, I got about 20 people asking about completely unrelated evox questions.

QUOTE

You could also simply create a new member group (i.e. "Techies") that had the ability to post threads in said forum without giving them moderator privleges. Just my two cents!

As HSD said, how are you supposed to choose without offending certain members?  I guess you ccould apply to take a quiz or something, but who knows.  You can't really pick and choose who is going to be in the "Techie" group.

QUOTE

EDIT: Okay I just realized that I'm the only non-moderator on this thread.  Feel free to smack me around if you wish.

Not anymore.

[HSDEMONZ]

I'm not a fan of any idea that takes regular members.. and separates them based on preceived criteria.

X is smarter than y.. so x get to post.  Y gets to reply =bad idea

we like x better than y. y gets to be part of level "extra" = bad idea

x and y write a test, based on criteria the  a, b, c think are important and relevant. x passes, y fails, x gets post privs, y get read pirvs only. = bad idea

-------------------------------------------------

In the end.. it all comes down to class systems.  Something I don't want to encourage here.  Sometimes it's that "dumbass newb" who lights the spark of a good idea.. by saying something we think is stupid or off-topic.

Anyways that pretty much ends the discussion of unique or special classes of users.

Now.. if anyone has any suggestions on Forums we could add.. I'm all ears.

[vidgms4me]

QUOTE (HSDEMONZ @ Nov 29 2003, 04:57 PM)

Now.. if anyone has any suggestions on Forums we could add.. I'm all ears.

Coding forums (Code snippets, debugging, testing, etc.) as possible sub-forums of the development forums

^^How many more technical discussions can you have than that that wouldn't get heavily flooded with newbie posts?  I think the above forums would "Scare-off" most of the non-technical discussions.  Any other technical forums would have to be HEAVILY moderated, getting rid of the newbie posts.

Other than that, the 41 forums on this board have pretty much got it all covered

[heinrich]

I agree that having a special member level wouldnt be the best thing.  I think it is possible to have a forum where newbs just dont post, such as the current development forum.  I would think that having a sepate "category" with that forum, as well as 1 or 2 others would work fine.  I dont see why it couldn't be tried for a while (a week or 2), and if it didnt work out, just move all those posts to the 'general hardware/technical chat' forum.  
As for more moderation on the forums... some of the current mods having more "powers" elsewhere would be nice.  IE: the newbie forum, and general hardware.  Right now, shanafan, brahm2 and I have seperate forums that we moderate, but whenever I see a topic that needs to merged/moved/canned in one of their forums, they are more than happy to do so, and I do the same for them.  It works, but in my opinion, isnt the most effective use of everyones time.  Of course, more mods could be added, but I dont feel that is really my place to go there.
Just my .02 cents of course, take it for whats its worth
All I know is, if I see one more "wut is this locking the hd thing?!?! wtf!!!1!" post in general hardware/technical chat, someone gets the axe!  

[HSDEMONZ]

VID - definelty something to consider.

-------------------

Well.. Heiny.. your forum IDEA still sucks.

However.. I was going to give you a xmas present. (or at least wait til the transition to the new site soft is complete)

SHANAFAN
BRAHM2
HEINRICH are now MODERATORS (account level)

It'l take 10 or 20 minutes for me to handle the details. This will give you basic mod privs in ALL forum, and access to the MODERATOR forum.  Congrats.