45 replies to this topic

[J cobbers]

I've been in the NIC (That's the Nerf Internet Community) for 5 years now, and I understand that there will always be new people. Some of these people are great, they make good posts, inspire new ideas and so on. Forsaken_Angel24 is a great example. He caught on right away how to behave.

However, there are always those new people who are well just plain dumb. They don't apply the code of conduct and get banned before too much time passes, and are quickly replaced by new morons who do the exact same thing. I don't know if anyone has noticed, but in the past, I've taken their repetitive posts, lack of topic searching, and bring back dead threads, as enthusiastic ignorance rather than outright stupidity. On occasion I think I've been helpful, and gotten some people to see the mistakes that they have made.

I know I'm not the forum babysitter, or an admin or anything like that. Any advice I've given has been because I have to share this site with everyone here and I want it to be a place were people can share ideas and get help. That's the point of Nerfhaven (Cxwq please correct me if that is not your vision). The advice I give to new guys is often to calm down, pay attention to details, and read the forum back logs. I know that wading through topics is time consuming and it is often easier to ask questions that have been answered many times over. I get that new guys (and gals?) want to dive right into the forum and have attention paid to their posts, as they feel their issues are pressing concerns.

I think it is this tendancy that has as of late finally gotten to me. I'm spending less and less time on NH because I see the same thing over and over. I'm sick of holding hands. I sent a PM today to some n00b called minta, who is all over the trading forum right now, acting like an idiot. By all indications, he just doesn't understand proper netiquette and won't be here much longer. Which is sad becuase he seems really enthusiastic if misguided. You know what? #UCK EM. That's right I really don't care anymore. If they don't understand the Code of conduct from the get go, boot their @sses over to the fine people at NHQ. I really do mean that the guys over there are alright. I've met a number of them in person and generally think NHQ is an ok place, but I much prefer NH.

Maybe it's that I'll be 25 in a couple months and will be finishing Law school in May, but I've seen this 5hit for too long. But I'm tired of holding hands, providing sage advice, and seeing others like The Infinite Shindig having to do the same. Generally I'm just venting, but so help me God, I'm going to go off on the next newbie who acts like a retard. If you are new here, you've been warned, If you are a moderator this is just a heads up. When I see a dumbass I'm not going to be nice and I am going to refer n00bish conduct to moderators with the power to ban and ask that they not be kind. Likely as not this is just something I need to get out of my system and in a month I'll be my friendly helpful old self. If not, I'll proably start coming off like a jerk, and for now I'm ok with that.

Thank you, goodnight and watch your @ss.
J_cobbers

Edited by J_cobbers, 19 December 2005 - 07:08 PM.

[cxwq]

I checked this place after a few days of ignoring it and the entire recent posts list was people I'd never seen before. Four or five of them too, not just one overeager bitch.

Conclusion? Shit, I dunno.

[Sqiggs89]

I think it is this tendancy that has as of late finally gotten to me. I'm spending less and less time on NH because I see the same thing over and over.

I know I'm not the most punctuated guy here. But I try my hardest to not look like a complete moron. But this is the reason I started to part from the forums. I know I wasn't contributing anyway, but it's why I started to leave. Sorry to have wasted your time with my problems but. Oh well.

Edited by Sqiggs89, 19 December 2005 - 07:46 PM.

[J cobbers]

I know I'm not the most punctuated guy here. But I try my hardest to not look like a complete moron. But this is the reason I started to part from the forums. I know I wasn't contributing anyway, but it's why I started to leave. Sorry to have wasted your time with my problems but. Oh well.

Squiggs you are ok, see at least you try. Heck your reply here is entirely on point. That's all I really want, is for people to put some reasonable thought and effort into their posts...that and to see the real morons smited promptly and mightily with an account suspension.

Yes a good smiting is good for the soul.

[DTReaper]

I find that most noobs post in things they have no idea about or are totally useless. That is why my motto is if you don't have anything important to say then don't say anything at all. Thats mainly why I only have like 100 posts in like 4 months. That is all I have to say.

-DTR

[Renegade]

That's still one post per day. I don't post unless I have to. Look at all my post's and most of mine are mod writeups, and help toward other's. (No anger or anything toward you.)

Anyway's, To all new members. Try and make at least ONE contribution to the NIC. So you're not just some n00b, instead you have something to call your own, to be remember'd and identified by. Think before you post, and the search function is your friend.

To the below post.
Same thing here, had lots of mods, and stuff but no digital camera. After I got mine, all hell broke loose.

Edited by Renegade, 19 December 2005 - 08:42 PM.

[DTReaper]

That's still one post per day. I don't post unless I have to. Look at all my post's and most of mine are mod writeups, and help toward other's. (No anger or anything toward you.)

Anyway's, To all new members. Try and make at least ONE contribution to the NIC. So you're not just some n00b, instead you have something to call your own, to be remember'd and identified by. Think before you post, and the search function is your friend.

Yeah I know that haven't made any real mod writeups, but the reason for that is due to the fact that I lack a digital camera and I really haven't come up with anything origanal.

-DTR

[Pineapple]

I checked this place after a few days of ignoring it and the entire recent posts list was people I'd never seen before. Four or five of them too, not just one overeager bitch.

Conclusion? Shit, I dunno.

Ah, is it Christmas holiday break for the young 'uns already?

It's seasonal. Like the common cold, it's a bitch, full of boogers 'n snot, but with time and some patience, it goes away. It just takes some endurance, some clean up, and a beer or three.

That said, I stopped drinking. Again.

...if you don't have anything important to say then don't say anything at all.  Thats mainly why I only have like 100 posts in like 4 months.

Yeah, that's why I only have like 300-something posts in about 3 years. Yeah.



-Piney-

[Maverick Master]

i just joined afew days ago and i havent really been posting that much just reding and trying to find out good stuff for my nerf guns. And if im posting stupid things then im sorry but im trying to post to find info not be stupid.

[footemps]

I usually don't post a lot on NH or anywhere in the NIC but I'd just like to give some insights to the situation...

NH, unlike NHQ or many other forums, has much less posting activity due to the nature of the forum, posters and rules. Many people who come here from other forums don't realize that NH is different and figure that posting once a day is nothing like on most forums. One post a day is usually nothing on other forums like [h]ardforums or pbnation or SA or any other large internet community. I figure that a fairly large percentile of the people who join NH post on other forums (since people usually post on multiple forums these days), and this means that they'll be in the mentality of spamming (in NH's mindset) the forums with questions or stupid ideas.

Of course, I could be wrong and everyone who joins is just an idiot.

[m15399]

NH, unlike NHQ or many other forums, has much less posting activity

I am a member of three super soaker forums, and the amount of posts NH gets per day is about twice as much as all the posts the three super soaker forums got combined per day around July/August. Within the genre (Toy Guns), NH is very active.

[koolsteve]

Maybe it's that I'll be 25 in a couple months and will be finishing Law school in May, but [b]I've seen this 5hit for too long.

maybe its juts because you suck and you have your head up your ass and have no tolerence for people who dont understand the nerf forum. just a suggestion.

[LordoftheRing434]

maybe its juts because you suck and you have your head up your ass and have no tolerence for people who dont understand the nerf forum. just a suggestion.

Has he been banned yet? This is one of the most aimless guys I have seen in a long time. 13 posts in a day, with shit like that? Could that be a record?

I know exactly what you're pointing at J_cobbers. In the past week, I've checked NH two, maybe 3 times and I've noticed revived questions here and there. I tend to answer quite a few of them depending on a.) if the question was asked in a civilized, well-punctuated manner... b.) if the question is ancient and is worth re-stating...c.) if i just plain feel like it.

There's been a lot that misses my criteria by a long shot. I know it's easy to complain over the 'flood', but in all honesty, CX and Shinny and Talio have done excellent as far as moderation goes. NH has a clear CoC, and if new members choose to ignore it, they deserve the boot. The guys have done well weeding them out too.

Perhaps topics like this will increase awareness among newcomers, with the exception of koolsteve. But there have been attempts in the past that haven't really done much. At most, this will kinda be a temporary WARNING sign. As a concerned member, I second the opinion, but will it do much?

~Rings

[ace mx]

Well I've been here for almost a year now and haven't said much. I've tryed to only post if its realy needed. I wasn't even sure if I should bother posting this. As far as contributions go most of the stuff I've thought of have already been done but I do have two mods comeing up. All I have to do first is clean out my workshop and get to work.

[NerfMonkey]

maybe its juts because you suck and you have your head up your ass and have no tolerence for people who dont understand the nerf forum. just a suggestion.

Maybe you would understand the Nerf forum if you'd READ the board rules, asshole.

[LukeTheZombie]

I got a few posts in a few days, but I was reading the forums for a good two to three weeks beforehand, and I had a few things to say. Talio already took a bite out of me, hehe.

[J cobbers]

I got a few posts in a few days, but I was reading the forums for a good two to three weeks beforehand, and I had a few things to say. Talio already took a bite out of me, hehe.

Which is why you didn't get any shit from me. You sir are an example of what I like to see in new members. Koolsteve, on the otherhand not so much. I totally understand that he is pissed at me, likely from this. But I reserve the right to not apologize. I'm not sorry for a single thing I said to him. He doesnt' have to like me. I think I finally understand VACC and Talio. Now that's some scary shit.

[koolsteve]

I got a few posts in a few days, but I was reading the forums for a good two to three weeks beforehand, and I had a few things to say. Talio already took a bite out of me, hehe.

Exactly, i have read these forums for a good while now, and that is why i posted the questions that I did, i already searched, and immideantly I had like 5 people on my ass. Was i confused? Yes.

In regards to old posts being revived, cant the moderators just delete posts that no one had visited for a month? This seems like a good idea to me.

Oh no J_cobbers, I do like you, your fine, i was just slightly adjetated that on my FIRST post you decided to hit me with the shit stick if it was my FOURTH or FITH i can definintly understand. But seriously, your fine. I dont want you to be mislead.

Edited by koolsteve, 20 December 2005 - 03:22 PM.

[DTReaper]

No moderators don't deleate topic that haven't been posted in for a month because some actually help people. They are there for history and help. So that way people can look a mod up before they say anything and if all topics over a month old were deleted the amount of people asking for mds would at least double. It would be a mess.

-DTR

[Meaker VI]

I think he means like locking the old topics, that way you can't post in them again after a certain amount of inactivity. They would still be viewable. You just wouldn't be able to revive them anymore; which I've seen happen a couple of times and I've been here what, like 4 weeks?

[duce]

Right on Cobbers, I feel you (Gross). I couldn't agree with you more and to be honest, the extremely large wave of whiney new guys is revolting. Just like cx said, I don't recognize half the people of the boards these days and they keep on posting the same stuff over and over. I think that what this forum needs is a good ol' batch of tough love.
I haven't been a member for the longest time but I've been lurking around since the close of NO. It seems that the harsh initiation that many new members went through would weed out the useless ones and whip the keepers into shape. Abour a year ago, I remember someone suggesting that we try and be more noob friendly. We reluctantly accepted the idea and over time things only got worse. I say, we start bakc up with the fierce punishment of ignoarnt noobs. At the rate that the forums are dying, I think it migh be our only hope.



~Duce

[DX-Robert]

I've been and/or still am a member at over 14 super soaker forums and 5 other, general forums, and NH is very unique in comparison. Here, n00bs are a severe problem, while at other places the issue is almost a moot point or even non-existent. One thing I have noticed at NH is that when some n00b posts something stupid, other members tend to initiate a flame war. That causes the new person to reciprocate and suddenly it gets out of control. The interaction with "Koolsteve" earlier in this topic is nearly a case study of what I'm talking about!

The better, more effective way of handling a new member whom is full of himself/herself is to totally ignore their comments and even their existence if necessary. Let a moderator ban their ass silently, rather than bringing attention to the matter, which will 99.9% of the time make things worse. The community attitude toward n00bs really sets the atmosphere of a forum. This is only a major problem because the membership has made it a major problem. If idiots made their comments in peace, then disappeared, drawing no attention whatsoever, we might be discussing nerf, rather than n00bs.

Another method would be to simply delete flame posts, both by n00bs and by other members. In a flame war, nobody wins. Excessively flaming n00bs has shaped this forum's atmosphere and defined how it will evolve at this point. In all my months here, the one thing I remember most about NH is the n00b problem. Not the homemades, the mods, or the discussion, the n00b issues. That shouldn't be. It really shouldn't. However, since the vast majority of people will react in the established way when someone posts something stupid, don't expect this to get resolved. If the general attitude doesn't experience some sort of change, then the problem will not go away and talking about it won't do any good.

My 2 cents.

[Jakethesnake]

I would have to respectfully disagree duxburian, when I was new I made a couple of stupid posts and had some grammar issues at first, but after being crapped all over by the other members, I realized that I better straighten up my act, get out or get banned. If a new guy doesn't recognize that he better behave, then he deserves to get banned. Flaming helped me become a better member.

[DX-Robert]

Well, I guess that's the .01% of flames that actually help. I've seen some very nasty flame wars in my time, just simple things like a comment on one's spelling resulted in bans of multiple members 3 pages later.

At this one forum, we haven't had n00b issues in way over 6 months, maybe even a year, because members know better than to get into flame wars with n00bs. The staff will simply take care of any problems, and we try not to make a big deal of it.

[Jakethesnake]

I agree, a simple one post flaming is helpful to a point, but when it continues on for pages, that's just wasting everyone's time. If I was a moderator, and a newb got flamed for doing something obviously wrong and the newb can't admit he was wrong, I would ban him immediately. Tolerating stuff like that will not ever help.

edit I love seeing idiots get banned if you haven't guessed.

Edited by Jakethesnake, 22 December 2005 - 10:44 PM.