Already noticed? Our dear moderators have infinite much work with
* deleting useless threads,
* closing new threads about topics we have already in other threads or
* moving threads into other sections.

So if you are not sure if your new thread-idea
* is far too off-topic,
* is already in another thread,
* is about a "forbidden" topic (for example: "what are you eating now" / "PEEL-parodies" / erc.),
* should be in which of those several sections or
* what ever else ...
you may announce it here and ask for advice.

This way we can help to prevent another crash of the Off-Topic-Section. 

Random note: Please do not spam this! Otherwise someone will send a british prime-minister with a gun to your place ...   

That may be true dear Gocad, but still too much useless threads aren't good for the ... how do you call that? bandwith? ... anyway, "too much threads" lead to "crash" and I still remember the last big crash in 2002.
Probably most non-caring-people won't use this thread, but if at least a few people announce their ideas here before opening threads - this thread was usefull.

Gocad is right, but we also have to consider that some thread names are overly clever and do not instantly indicate the content of the thread.  How would an aspiring neophyte know that the gun-control thread is actually called "Phallic-shaped weapons" or that the drug-control thread is called "Keep the grass off"?

One also needs to take into consideration that many people may be used to unmoderated forums wherein a person who wants to post about a topic creates a new thread even if there are fifty previous threads.  PEEL is fairly unique in the sense that it is not only moderated but self-policed as well.  Examples of this are the frequent spamming of clearly doomed threads.  Very few crappy threads are only one post long.  Everyone and their Aunt Sally seems to think it's proper to post "This thread is doomed," or "Mods close this thread," or some such nonsense (do mods really need to be told when to close threads?)  Frankly, I find this behavior is worse than the opening of worthless threads.  I admit, I used to be a mod-wannabe like so many current space popes and above, but even on a dork message board it helps to have principles.

The third reason for so many closed threads is that they are either too specific or void for vagueness.  Why is one website worthy of its own thread while another is relegated to the "Link" thread?  Could a thread about flag-burning exist if there were a thread about freedom of speech?  And how many religious threads do we need?

At any rate, unless we quit accepting new PEELers or create a system where PEEL's general population has to petition the management for a new topic and only mods can create threads, this problem is not going away.

I want to ask a question: are obscene words like f*&k completely forbidden on PEEL? I have found a webpage with some very funny but indecent poetry but I don't know if I could post that link on PEEL.
Of course, I don't want to post these rhymes here, I'm only asking about posting a link. 

I like that policy. My brother got banned from a telnet server once because he wrote a Danish word that just happens to be a certain offensive three-letter English word. They had a stupid policy.

Fuck and other swearwords are fine, just used in moderation and appropriately, the poem form you mention sounds fine. I might add that to the PEELers' FAQ: Can i swear?

 

Originally posted by Teral:
I go by mArc's definition: if you feel a particular link need a warning (for minors/work, etc), it doesn't belong on PEEL. Basically use your own good judgement.

Ok, I got it. I won't post it on PEEL. If anyone want to know what I was talking about, he could say me and I will send him that link by e-mail. 

Implied and mild nudity is okay, but that really as far as it can get. Stupid conservitive European server!

Sorry, Teral, but when I try to send a e-mail, I get something like "adress not exists or blocked" (that's the translation of message I get)
Edit: forget about that post, I understood the problem: I used copy and paste and got not needed "." in the end of e-mali adress.   

Reality check time - no-one's going to use this thread or any other to ask permission to open a thread.  Most n00bs won't even realise this thread exists or what it's purpose is.  Spammers will open whatever threads they feel like and ignore any advice to the contrary.  And the PEELers who've been here long enough know to use the search feature by now, although I also agree with Dr. Thunder that thread titles should give a clearer indication of what the thread's about.

The PEEL crash of 2002 was maily due to excess spamming in Off-Topic.  Right now the main problem's in On-Topic.  n00bs cry for attention by opening a string of inane threads, and existing members (mainly other n00bs, but including several PEELers who really ought to know better by now) spamming the thread to death with cries of "This thread's doomed!"  Not to mention that damn Pharoah to Remember "Close this thread!" .gif that's turned up recently.

Personally I'd fix things so n00bs CAN'T start threads until they've been here a month or two.  Also I'd advise eliminating the ranking system.

 

Originally posted by PCC Fred:
Personally I'd fix things so n00bs CAN'T start threads until they've been here a month or two.  Also I'd advise eliminating the ranking system.

Says Mr. I'm a DOOP Secretay 

In all seriousness, i agree with the noobs should not be able to start a new thread, but maybe for the first week or so. That'll stop the noobs that sign up, ask several daft questions we've already dealt with and then bugger off again.

The ranking system is good. I've been here more than 2 years and I'm still a Starship Captain. You don't see me complaining (or spamming).

The ranking system is fine.  Nobody takes it too seriously, so I think its fine.  People who spam just to raise that rank generally have problems from the mArxter.

I like the not being able to make new threads for a short while after joining idea, but I wonder how easy it would be for marc to implement.  I thought another idea might be that the register page has a list of rules attached before you join and maybe a mulitiple choice test where you have to make a certain score before you can join.  That may sound crazy for a second, but you might be able to eliminate a few questions that tend to pop up over and over if someone was forced to have looked at it at least once.  Also a link to some of the PEELers FAQs and guides would be a nice addition if it was in a relative noticeable location.  Just some ideas 

How about a quiz on the rules before people sign up? It'll force those who ignore the countless PEEL FAQ posts to actually read it. Many of the spammers aren't trolls, they're just n00bs who don't know the rules.

 

Originally posted by Margarita:
for example, calling other PEELer a fucktard is not acceptable.

What? Really? I've done that several times...

 

Originally posted by Dr. Morberg:
How about a quiz on the rules before people sign up? It'll force those who ignore the countless PEEL FAQ posts to actually read it. Many of the spammers aren't trolls, they're just n00bs who don't know the rules.

Did I not just say that? 

As a n00b I probably shouldn't reply here, but here is my opinion:

First to get really on topic:

Good idea TLL, but n00bs will never see this thread.
They aren't interesed in offtopic discussion when they sign up at Peel. They come to talk about Futurama in first place.

Here is a little story I made from my observation. I think there is some thruth in it. In my case the fact that I made avys and other pics (metioned later in this post) speeded up getting me to the offtopic.

a n00b's way to PEEL:

 

Somebody is really impressed by Futurama, maybe he/she already got the DVD's, VHS, Comics, etc. .
He/She searches the web for Futurama-Sites and finds CGEF in first place on Google.
Even more impressed of the huge database of knowledge, he/she finds the link to PEEL, clicks it and gets here.

First reaction: "Wow a Futurama community! Nerds like me who I can talk to!"

He/She looks around in the ON-topic boards (the Off-topic doesn't intereset him/her, it's not related to what he/she is looking for).
He/she takes a look at the big threads, mostly gaming threads, favorite quotes threads or reviews that are bumped to the first page of the list.

He/She signs up, but has no idea how to start a conversation. He/She opens a thread, either with a question of something that he/she obviously doesn't know, but has already been answered in threads long ago, or he/she opens a thread saying "Hello, I'm new! What's up!"
If nobody answers him/her in the following 5 mins, he/she will do a double posting to "emphasize" his/her intention.
Now the first Peeler answers him/her, giving him/her the Peeler's faq. Some Peelers answer in a harsh manner, some try to be friendly (like I claim to be).

Now you can observe three different types n00b's:

1. He/She's pissed, and leaves Peel imeadiadly, and if he/she returns this will be after a long time, when nobody remembers.
2. He/She's sorry, reads the faq, appologizes, becomes a good Peeler.
3. He/She's pissed, doesn't really care about the damn rules and posts the hell out of Peel. Later, after he/she is warned many times, he/she will be banned. (mostly male persons are of this type      )

In case of type 2.:
He/She will stay ontopic for at least 2 weeks, getting in touch with other Peelers, then he/she is going to be bored by only futurama-talk, and takes a look at the offtopic threads.

You see, n00bs won't see this thread if it is in the offtopic board. And if somebody is going to move it to the "General Disscussion" board it will also be forgotten, because no experienced Peeler will use it (They know what has been done before and what not, also they know how to use the search button) and n00bs open their threads anyway.

Topic - registration test:

The registration test is a good idea, in case of n00b type 1 and 2, as mentioned in my story, it'll prevent them of double postings and opening dumb threads.
In case of type 3: good luck. They will read the faq once and do the test (Cheating should be easy if can look up only the answers to the given qustions), and still post like they would without the test, I  think.

Topic - n00b posting previleges:

Might work, but would establish a "two class society" on Peel. I don't think this is a good idea, because it can lead to n00bs complaining in every thread that they can't discuss their ideas.

Topic - ranking model:

I think it should stay! It doesn't really cause any trouble, and spammers would also spam without them. I'm pretty sure they would!
Rankings combined of postnumber and regristration date could be hard to implement in UBB (I don't know), and maybe it'll be more confusing than the rankings we have now.

Topic - my close thread pictures:

I've said it in a doomed ontopic thread before, there all three of them were posted in a row:

I'm not using them anymore! They will stay online as long as the admins or mods don't tell me to take them down.
And I also told these Peelers not to use them in every doomed topic, just to add something spammy to these threads.
I think the whole thing is close to get out of control. If I take these off the net, some would still show up, because many Peelers have uploaded them to imageshack or aslates Filehost. Even more have them saved on their computer.
I'm also feeling guilty for nurdy's "Ze thread is our! End this topic" Berlin pic. I made it for him! Sorry!

My ideas:

• n00bs should get the Peel-faq e-mailed. Not only the link, the whole faq in plain text! And their registration password in the same e-mail integrated in the text on the bottom, or in the middle. So that they are forced to read the main part of the faq, because they can't see it by fast scrolling.
• The faqs should get extra links on the Peel main site, on top prefered.

wow, this was really long! If someone wants to he/she can count my spelling/grammar mistakes (I'm editing some out)
Edit2: I edited the layout a bit, should be easier to follow now

I feel awful because I made a useless thread FIRST thing when I joined and thus fufilled all the dumb newbie stereotype.
I was thinking maybe add the FAQ link in the registration page? Or put the FAQ as part of the registration page, you know the one you hit 'accept' on when you first click on the register link?

 

Wow, after reading that "n00b's way to PEEL" i see so many patterns in so many n00bs here at PEEL. Who ever wrote that is dead on.

I dont think that i was bad when i first started, but thats just my point of view. I might have been as bad as some other n00bs...

Couldn't that be discussed in the "where are you from" thread?  I mean, after all, climate and location are pretty well related.