Why we deleted Ferguson thread

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Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 4, 2014 - 10:29am PT
We recently deleted the Fergusson thread for a few reasons:

1) The thread had very little to do with mission of the SuperTopo forum which is intended to be a "friendly and informative resource for climbers of all skill levels and experience to get information about climbing and climbing destinations.”

2) The thread was devolving into personal attacks. While we constantly wrestle with our comfort of having a climbing forum be occasionally overrun with heated political debate, we are very clear that we never want the forum to become a platform for personal attacks. Please help us to keep personal attacks off the forum by emailing me.

Your help in keeping your contributions to the climber's forum consistent with our posting policy is appreciated.

Regards,

Chris McNamara
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:32am PT
Good call. While you're at it, you could nuke just about any of the other polititard threads and it would be just fine with me, as they almost always devolve into 'personal attacks', sometimes outside the boundaries of ST threads.

Better yet...consider nuking the most prolific OP's of such OT threads. Nip that sh#t in the bud, once & for all.

Keep up the good work.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:33am PT
Good Call. I got sucked in too.
Shame on me.
Time for penance.

Susan
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:38am PT
1) The thread had very little to do with mission of the SuperTopo forum which is intended to be a "friendly and informative resource for climbers of all skill levels and experience to get information about climbing and climbing destinations.”


If this is truly the mission it's going to take more than nuking one of 1,000s dumb threads, for starters maybe don't delete climbing content when ppl get deactivated.

Delete offensive posts that cause banning, deactivate account and move on.

No need to remove great content.

An OT tab would be appreciated by many and I'm sure more ppl would contribute to the climbing side if it wasn't constantly get filtered by OT threads which probably comprise close to 50% of content on this forum.

My $0.02





Norton

Social climber
quitcherbellyachin
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:40am PT
Please help us to keep personal attacks off the forum by emailing me.


10b4me

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:41am PT
Good call. While you're at it, you could nuke just about any of the other polititard threads

+1

it sure would be nice if Supertopo got back to its' original concept.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:46am PT
Justin attacked Jingy on the Soccer thread and impugned his appraisal of Alexis Sanchez. Jess sayin'...
this just in

climber
north fork
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:49am PT
HA Reilly! Sorry, you god damn Goon!
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:00am PT
You give me far too much credit, Russ. But thanks for paying attention enough to keep track of percentages!
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:03am PT
Haha this thread is gonna have to be nuked
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:11am PT
Burn this bitch down!!!
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:28am PT
Please take all the personal attacks to Facebook. You might as well be truthful about your real personalities.
The Call Of K2 Lou

Mountain climber
North Shore, BC
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:29am PT
Let's nuke Vitaliy and Donini, too. They're makin' the rest of us look bad.
Same goes for Big Mike. Way too much positive vibes and good cheer for the internet.

(Oh crap! Personal attacks. I just nuked myself!) ->I<-
couchmaster

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:35am PT


Thanks Chris!
rick sumner

Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
Dec 4, 2014 - 11:55am PT
Glad I could do my small part , with help from the Insults of BobDa, in helping to get the Ferguson thread nuked.

This rascism in america crap is totally overblown and used as a smokescreen to obscure far more damaging machinations by the Feds.

guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:02pm PT
Dangerous precipice there Chris and while I agree with the premise I see no end to your future monitoring. Who will monitor the monitors? While you are at it, why not knock off "Watch the Liar?" And................................ .........................................................................
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:04pm PT
Thx Chris!
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:36pm PT
And yet this

Why Are Republicans WRONG about EVERYTHING?

reamins on the front page...
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:38pm PT
How does one do a search for the OP's of all ST threads?

Who is the king/queen OP of all OT/polititard thread starters?

Nip that sh#t in the bud.
stevep

Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:46pm PT
I didn't visit the thread in question, but generally agree with the idea of getting rid of anything that involves personal attacks. Pretty sure that the number of teenagers on this forum is limited, so we ought to be able to avoid that.

However, there is some pretty decent OT discussion that goes on here, same as it might around a climbers campfire or at a dinner party. It would be a shame to lose that.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 12:48pm PT
Thanks for letting us know your reasons, Chris, but I have to agree with Guido. I, too, see no end to your future monitoring. I would add that personal attacks exist on plenty of climbing-related threads, too. We even have our own four-letter words, e.g. bolt, trad, that almost always result in insult-fests.

I rather suspect that most here view resort to ad hominem attacks as a sign of a lost argument.

John
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:05pm PT
Ron Anderson

Mr CMAC, where in the guidelines , does calling someone a chicken f*cker fall? Or how about trailer trash? Or calling someone a liar, like a few did here to Mr John Long yesterday?

Ill be happy to e mail you whenever this happens. BUt it could be pages worth.


lololol

Dolomite

climber
Anchorage
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:16pm PT
Never opened that thread, or most other politard threads. Am indifferent to it and its deletion. Either way it won't change my ST experience.
ground_up

Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:20pm PT
I would be fine if you nuked all the non climbing crap .
I can get all that elsewhere but ya' can't get the climbing
content , the gems of ST anywhere else.

I'm fine with all the OT stuff also as some of it has entertainment
value .

I just don't understand how people get so geeked over politics
and religion .

Either way ... I control the buttons on MY cornputer
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:22pm PT
Thanks for the explanation Chris. I don't blame you. Personal online attacks between strangers is just creepy and unhealthy all the way around.. You created this place, it's yours to clean up as you see fit.


Scott
RP3

Big Wall climber
Twain Harte
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:30pm PT
Bravo. Keep it up.

That whole genre of posts is useless in my opinion. Nobody will ever change their political opinions based on a shouting match over the internet. Doing so is a waste of perfectly good electrons.

If what you seek is ranting over the internet, there are approximately 9 trillion other venues in which to do so.
anita514

Gym climber
Great White North
Dec 4, 2014 - 01:58pm PT
Ron, this dude doesn't like to be called a chicken f*#ker either

[Click to View YouTube Video]
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:00pm PT
Personal online atacks shouldvbe limited to people you know and like.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:02pm PT
Any thread that gets Russ to post is a good thread.

I'm glad the thread was nuked (even though I never read it). Why in the world that people start off topic threads that they KNOW are going to get the opposing factions spewing hatred at each other, if beyond me.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:06pm PT
"Why in the world that people start off topic threads that they KNOW are going to get the opposing factions spewing hatred at each other, if beyond me."

+100

Latest case in point (of dozens and dozens and dozens):

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2539317/watch-the-liar

anita514

Gym climber
Great White North
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:11pm PT
So don't take the bait. Don't reply.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:14pm PT
Yes Apogee, I don't understand why Ron starts a thread like that, although I quite like Ron. But folks from "the other side" start inflammatory threads too.
Grippa

Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:29pm PT
I second what RyanD said. Get an OT tab on this bitch, and let the politards bicker in solitude while the real climbers get their own section.
WBraun

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:37pm PT
I suggested the same thing many times.

Put a tab on the top for these girly men poltarded loons to bitch and moan all day with their loon talk.

Make it the "Loon" tab. :-)

Go get em loons!!!!

Fuk what a bunch a babies crying all day posting stupid sh!t.

These jackasses couldn't think themselves out of paper bag.

But they know all the answers to every cop problem and political problem.

This why America has no real problems because these loons are here solve them all, rolls eyes ......

apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:43pm PT
Fine, perfect advice, anita....but it doesn't work.

The more prolific OT OP's throw 'em up there, due to their own attention-seeking psychosis, and off it goes....

See, some people find those threads annoying, and follow that advice...others kinda like to discuss OT topics, and use them as a means to do so....and others really don't give a shite about the OT topic, but just love to feed the troll and set him on fire for sheer entertainment.

It's this last group that proves that self restraint alone won't stop ST's most peripatetic OT Troll Threads.
Bob D'A

Trad climber
Taos, NM
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:45pm PT
Nuke Werner! Every other sentence he writes is an insult at somebody. :-)
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:47pm PT



apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy

Dec 4, 2014 - 12:38pm PT
How does one do a search for the OP's of all ST threads?

Who is the king/queen OP of all OT/polititard thread starters?

Nip that sh#t in the bud.


Apogee, check it out. Just enter anyone's name in the search for topic by nickname & select search topics only. I did ur name so u can see how it works but enter anyone's avatar/screen name and be amazed. This is a good way to find awesome climbing content too.

http://www.supertopo.com/forumsearch.php?v=0&cur=0&ftr1=&ftr2=&ftr3=&ftr4=Apogee&scope=topics

You've started 188 threads!!!

apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:51pm PT
Thanks for the tip, Ryan...I'll put it to work shortly & report back...

It'll take a little while to count 'em all...
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Dec 4, 2014 - 02:53pm PT
Another political thread.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 03:18pm PT
Fair enough...but I'm gonna start with the most prolific OP's of polititard threads...I'll gladly include my own...ideologies will be disregarded.
ground_up

Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
Dec 4, 2014 - 03:45pm PT
Is that OT tab up yet ?
TwistedCrank

climber
Released into general population, Idaho
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:05pm PT
There was a Ferguson thread?
reach

Trad climber
Palo Alto, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:23pm PT
Another tab would be great! No censoring, just put the garbage in there and away from real content.

Call the tab "Off The Wall".
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Oregon
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:28pm PT
This thread is getting longer than the Feruson thread.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:29pm PT
Fair enough, Ron. I appreciate your giving your rationale.


Phyl
SOE team member
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:29pm PT
OK, I started the Ferguson thread.


Good work! Now delete every dipshit that posted more than 2 times in that thread and you will really be onto something.

And I posted to it more than two times.


Who is the king/queen OP of all OT/polititard thread starters?

Nip that sh#t in the bud.


Apogee, if you don't like them, then why have you posted to them so many times?


Never opened that thread, or most other politard threads. Am indifferent to it and its deletion. Either way it won't change my ST experience.

Just sayin'


I'm glad the thread was nuked (even though I never read it). Why in the world that people start off topic threads that they KNOW are going to get the opposing factions spewing hatred at each other, if beyond me.


Get an OT tab on this bitch, and let the politards bicker in solitude while the real climbers get their own section.



If it matters, here's my take.


I started the thread for a couple of reasons:

    The three pictures I posted in the OP were amazing shots.
    I believe the use of militarized force as used in Ferguson is a turning point in our history. Tanks in the streets, it is a very important event.


I started the thread not as a "political" thread, but more as an ode to the state of affairs with regards to the militarization of the police. The folks who spew their political vitriol saw the thread as an opportunity to do what they like to do best, and hence went the thread.


I also started the Climate Change thread, and I have mixed feelings about where that thread has gone. The good: we have real scientists posting an amazing amount information and it makes that thread a true treasure. The bad: there's a group of people who think it's OK to be thuggish on this forum, and they thrive in threads like these.


We've opened the idea of having an OT tab, much like the TR tab. Upon examination, it's an artificial fence put around the ideas that people what to discuss. For an interesting exercise, look through the current leading page see which topics you'd put on an OT tab. How far do you get before you realize that this forum is a group of climbers who like to talk about all sorts of things.

The environment, friends, music and guitars, sushi, Christmas presents, and oh yes. Climbing.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:33pm PT
Not really referring to you, kman. I doubt seriously you are in the upper echelon of polititard thread OP's.
rmuir

Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:33pm PT
Another tab would be great! No censoring, just put the garbage in there and away from real content.

"Off the wall." Stellar idea. It has the advantage of allowing the management to easily migrate the less savory threads to separate sandbox, thereby removing it from the Forum—which is deemed to be mission-critical. It simplifies the editorial role and removes criticism of potential heavy-handed censorship by merely moving the offending garbage to its own loony bin. Management can pull the trigger whenever it is necessary, and the Forum can be a bit more climbing centric.
rlf

Trad climber
Josh, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:36pm PT
Good move Chris.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:48pm PT
Right on cue The Chief.
Bill Mc Kirgan

Trad climber
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Dec 4, 2014 - 04:51pm PT
tanks = military equipment inappropriate for policing civilians
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 4, 2014 - 05:32pm PT
Which threads get the most traffic to the site?

How do the advertisers feel about all this?

Someone was going to graph the flow. I would love to see a graph theoretic presentation of who attacks whom and how often.

Lorenzo

Trad climber
Oregon
Dec 4, 2014 - 05:45pm PT

Dec 4, 2014 - 04:56pm PT
First off, maybe if people would just stick to the reality and truth.

Not one PD in this United States of America owns nor operates a "real" Tank. Not one nor will they ever.

So, with that said, I reiterate the irony in all this.


Can you explain what isn't real about these?









WBraun

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 05:53pm PT
I can't wait till we get a tank here in Yosemite.

Park your car in the wrong place and then crush it.

No more towing just crusher,

Need a flame thrower on it too. What for? Beats me but it will be cooool.

Big ass PA on it loud enough to knock over trees.

What else?

Heh heh heh HO Mannnn ....
Delhi Dog

climber
Good Question...
Dec 4, 2014 - 05:53pm PT
And it's only December...
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 4, 2014 - 05:55pm PT
climbing content is just the same stuff re-hashed over and over

Yeah scrubbing bubbles we'd all way rather talk about re-hashed foreskin with you!!

Maybe there's a fore-ummm that you'd be better suited for if climbing is not interesting to you.

QFPI!!!!




jgill

Boulder climber
Colorado
Dec 4, 2014 - 06:13pm PT
"Off the wall." Stellar idea. It has the advantage of allowing the management to easily migrate the less savory threads to separate sandbox, thereby removing it from the Forum—which is deemed to be mission-critical

Excellent idea. Then ST will become as exciting as rockclimbing.com
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Oregon
Dec 4, 2014 - 06:32pm PT

Dec 4, 2014 - 05:53pm PT
I can't wait till we get a tank here in Yosemite.

Park your car in the wrong place and then crush it.

No more towing just crusher,

Need a flame thrower on it too. What for? Beats me but it will be cooool.

Big ass PA on it loud enough to knock over trees.

What else?

Heh heh heh HO Mannnn ....

Quick way to take care of those folks who overstay their camp sites....
RJ Spurrier

SuperTopo staff member
Dec 4, 2014 - 06:43pm PT
How do the advertisers feel about all this?

I'm quite certain that we don't know.

But, past experiments suggest that the forum is not very advertiser friendly.

In prior years we tried directly approaching climbing-related advertisers, but we found the cost of selling ads was higher than the resulting revenues. And in some cases we found the forum audience was not necessarily "advertiser friendly". Does anyone remember the sarcasm our one-time advertiser da brim had to suffer through?

Today, we don't sell ads directly.

Instead we exclusively rely on google adsense to figure out how to place relevant ads for each individual person on the site. That strategy provides enough revenue to pay for the hosting on a fairly high-performance server configuration (but not much more). We feel like that works well enough. We are psyched to have the funds to provide a high performance site with professional backup. Those who think the SuperTopo forum is a big business are delusional. The forum is sometimes the place where real jewels are placed, and we hope to preserve those jewels for the long-term, but just so you know, it is not a big business by a wide margin.

rj
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Oregon
Dec 4, 2014 - 06:51pm PT


WOW?
Both those units (the one on the trailer is actually a Vietnam era M109 155MM Howitzer piece of mobile artillery with a top speed of 25-35 mph and not a "tanK") are totally inactive and are strictly static displays in front of the respective PD's.



C'mon.....

C'mon yourself with the semantic bullsh#t. They work.

Merriam Webster, now a Britanica company, defines a tank like this:


: an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on tracks


Boom! It's a tank.

I suppose you can argue these vehicles from the Chico police department don't qualify by virtue of the wheels, but your argument would still be technical bullsh#t.



These aren't community policing vehicles. They were designed for war. Are local governments at war with their citizens?

If they are, why is that?
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 06:52pm PT
"Those who think the SuperTopo forum is a big business are delusional."

Not thinking this little reality tidbit is gonna resonate very far, but it's appreciated, nonetheless.
RJ Spurrier

SuperTopo staff member
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:28pm PT
WTF, I know that the intention of google's algorithms is to find the most relevant ad for each individual.

I'm sorry that they may have failed you, but it does sound like ads for what you describe as "Old Russian Hag Wives for order" may have been the most relevant ads google could find for you at this time.

:)

rj

drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:36pm PT
Hey RyanD-
thanks for the tip on searching threads by poster.
Thinkin' about doing some shameless self bumps!
Ricky D

Trad climber
Sierra Westside
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:37pm PT
I propose that we delete the "Why we deleted Ferguson thread".`
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:41pm PT
Someone will just start a "Son Of Why we deleted Ferguson thread".
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:54pm PT
Yeah, thanks Ryan...but no thanks.

This is a big job!
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Dec 4, 2014 - 07:54pm PT
Chris & RJ: No problems here. I believe you folks are cleaning up what needs to be cleaned up. Lest some forget: It's your website. Fine with me, for you to do some more cleaning up.

Please let me share a couple Sheridan Anderson cartoons that apply to our current sh#t-u-nation.

Best Wishes!
Fritz



and for the ever-present ST Whinners.

jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:02pm PT
The forum is sometimes the place where real jewels are placed, and we hope to preserve those jewels for the long-term,
RJS

Huh?

Just a day or so ago we reached the consensus that posting is only a mental exercise. Posts are about as valuable as a pot of beans burned in an experiment. No one likes beans, so literally everyone awaits their loss with bated breath.
RJ Spurrier

SuperTopo staff member
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:08pm PT
Sorry for the confusion, jstan, I wasn't referring to that post. But, for the record, I'm quite fond of beans. Jewels too. Just saying.
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:12pm PT
Now you are hurting my feewings. And only truly evil perverts like beans,

Now that I have your number, things are not going to go well.
rlf

Trad climber
Josh, CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:15pm PT
If they are smart, they will delete this thread as well.
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:17pm PT
Ban...bi....ban
Nambi....Banbi

Bump

Just can't get that tune out of my head.

Oh GOD NO!
I won't meditate. Won't meditate. No. Definitely not.
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:24pm PT
Moose:
Oh you are evil all right. Now that the doctor has me on five ounces of marijuana a day, you told me I was getting fat. Mary Queen of Scots had it easy compared to what you are going to get.
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:27pm PT
Shit! Now I have drawn the attention of the bad boys.
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:29pm PT
The why another thread was deleted thread, eh.

I can think of a few others.

How about just one?

The Paul Ryan thread.

Say no more. I can say more.

Whoops. Did Paul tank?

Tanks for. All
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:43pm PT
Poor Da Brim :(
MH2

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:55pm PT
I've seen a few thread hijackings, or what were called that, but very seldom a jstan caper.
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 08:56pm PT
RJ!

RJ!

Did you see that?
jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 09:05pm PT
I appreciate your concern Ron. Not to worry though. They are using an IV drip.

Edit:

Shall we all adjourn to the G spot thread? Now where the hell did I put my reading glasses? Never spot that sucker without my glasses.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Dec 4, 2014 - 09:15pm PT
In the majority of these cases you see people either blatantly resisting the police, or doing other stupid stuff
(e.g. pointing fake gun).
I have broken the law a time or two, but I never never got into it with the cops.
Everybody knows they are working on quotas to generate revenue etc corruption.


jstan

climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 09:17pm PT
What camp fires have you been around?

Jus askin.

( Love that passive aggressive phrase.)
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
moving thru
Dec 4, 2014 - 09:24pm PT
I love it too. Sums up stuff right well. :)
crankster

Trad climber
Dec 4, 2014 - 09:33pm PT
I'd vote to ditch the "What is Mind" and "Science v Religion" threads, too. Those sciencetards and bibletards really get nasty at least 31.4% of the time. Not much climbing content there. Just picking scabs off of Darwin's butt cheeks.

Delete everyone who posted more than 2 times in those threads and you'd really be on to something. That whole genre of posts is useless in my opinion. Nobody will ever change their scientific or religious opinions based on a shouting match over the internet. Doing so is a waste of perfectly good electrons.

I suggested the same thing many times. Put a tab on the top for these sciencetards to bitch and moan all day with their science and mind talk. These folks couldn't think themselves out of a paper bag. But they know all the answers to every science problem and religious problem.

Now, just calm down and look at the mountains. They aren't in your mind. They are real. Go climb one. Better than looking at a tank.



JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:27pm PT
Call the tab "Off The Wall"

I'll admit it. I would visit that tab.

Me, too, Dave. The fact that jgill likes it, too, adds even more weight to the idea. This thread, in its own way, shows the value of OT threads, and particularly meta-threads like this one. I find it quite an interesting study to see how many people posting here are, like me, rather prolific posters on political threads, and yet those same posters seem to be calling for the elimination of those same threads.

In my 47 years of climbing, I've found climbers almost as interesting as climbs. Almost.

John
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
Dec 4, 2014 - 10:46pm PT
This site doesn't seem so much like a campfire anymore; more like the lodge scarfateria. Just keep pushing it till the man gets on your ass.

Good one Rik!

BTW, I rapped off that single, crappy 1/4" bolt you and Rab placed at the top of the 5th pitch of A Mother's Lament. That was almost a life changing experience!
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Dec 5, 2014 - 02:58am PT
The forum is sometimes the place where real jewels are placed, and we hope to preserve those jewels for the long-term, but just so you know, it is not a big business by a wide margin.

RJ, do you realize how many jewels you lost when you enacted this new "delete everything the person's ever posted after they've been banned code?? "

To my understanding this code is still in place. The historical 300 post idea is a good one, but i don't think it goes far enough to protect all the Jewels. The loss of Coz's posts is particularly troublesome for the historical record.



You are endeavouring to make Supertopo more than a forum. I applaud you for that. Please continue down that road.
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
Nevada City
Dec 5, 2014 - 09:00am PT
this thread made me laugh a lot this morning. thanks fellas.
'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
Dec 5, 2014 - 09:11am PT
RJ - I have been asking for YEARS that you divide the forum:

Climbing stuff

Non-climbing stuff

How hard would that be? I will volunteer to help. I hate seeing a great climbing forum cluttered with all the crap that this place seems to attract.
rbord

Boulder climber
atlanta
Dec 5, 2014 - 10:42am PT
For me, the value of a thread on this forum is that it allows us to see how our community feels and thinks about things as a measure of our community. To see our viewpoint on race relations or climate change as valuable in itself because of the awesome informational resource they provide to others .. well we have to believe something. Nuke it don't nuke it, either way it's all about us all the time.

Seeing this result, I'm betting Fergu and his son were black :-)
Leggs

Sport climber
Made in California
Dec 5, 2014 - 10:47am PT
^^^

Ohhh, God... that's funny.
Bob D'A

Trad climber
Taos, NM
Dec 5, 2014 - 11:17am PT
Those threads are just a reflection of a divided populous. No different than the divide in the different climbing camps.
paul roehl

Boulder climber
california
Dec 5, 2014 - 12:26pm PT
I enjoy some of the off topic threads as much as the trs and on topic ones.

I've really enjoyed the religion vs. science thread, a great place to test your ideas... don't think people are on that thread just to change the minds of other folks. I think many are exploring some of the really fascinating ideas presented there. Some very bright people on that thread.

There are always going to be rude folks... really doesn't bother me. The super topo is the venue of significant egos after all. Want to encourage civility? Have people use their real names. Anonymity breeds a certain crude license in people.
jgill

Boulder climber
Colorado
Dec 5, 2014 - 01:32pm PT
Except that this is a climbing site

A climbers' site? More than one dimension.
Bob D'A

Trad climber
Taos, NM
Dec 5, 2014 - 01:48pm PT
"Except that this is a climbing site. Save those debates for the CNN/FoxNews/MSNBC comment sections."


A climbing site where 70 percent of the posts are non-climbing related.
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
Dec 5, 2014 - 01:58pm PT
All the segregated and moderated forums I've ever seen are as about as interesting as watching paint dry.

Keep it a virtual campfire.

(even if every once in a while a fist fight breaks out or someone gets too drunk and falls in.)
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
Dec 5, 2014 - 02:00pm PT
Only noobs and dimwits would want to talk about climbing all the time.

I would rather read about more important issues that effect
the bigger world from climbers that are experts in their fields.

We are lucky we have Chiloe here for the climate talk,
BASE104 to teach us the inside scoop on fracking,
Hartouni for physics and Locker on buttplugs.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 5, 2014 - 02:04pm PT
I tend to agree with TGT on this one, but would sure like to see a better way to maintain a better balance of OT threads against the primary purpose of ST.

Ohhhh ggaaaawwwddd....I just agreed with TGT. I think I just had an aneurysm.
jstan

climber
Dec 5, 2014 - 02:49pm PT
After he had climbed for eight hours I once saw a guy start arguing ratings. His brain locked up and the ambulance did not get there in time. Wasn't pretty.
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 5, 2014 - 03:49pm PT
It woiuld be nice to be able to search, for example for a phrase like "half dome cables" and have the resulting set consist of just the (first or last) entry in the thread that contained the phrase. Still want to be able to search and get all the details as happens now.

The greatest hits tab would be just that, a list of great threads (note I did not say threats - with the first or most recent post). Figuring out how to get in the hall of fame would be Chris's job, which he could designate.

johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
Dec 5, 2014 - 04:00pm PT
No need to explain anything Chris.

Make it the way you want it.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Dec 5, 2014 - 06:26pm PT
Yes.

And no.

crankster

Trad climber
Dec 5, 2014 - 06:34pm PT
I have learned WAY too many things about certain folks on this forum...disturbing; wish I didn't know.
A topical political thread or two, sure, I like them...but there are WAY too many OT threads on the forum.
Bob D'A

Trad climber
Taos, NM
Dec 5, 2014 - 07:04pm PT
There is a current thread on the great Bob Murray...amazing climber and somewhat mysterious loner...in four years, 45 posts.

Most political threads get that in the first hour of being started.
Larry Nelson

Social climber
Dec 5, 2014 - 07:18pm PT
paul roehl wrote:
I enjoy some of the off topic threads as much as the trs and on topic ones.

The super topo is the venue of significant egos after all. Want to encourage civility? Have people use their real names. Anonymity breeds a certain crude license in people.

Ron Anderson wrote:
These ot threads are where we learn what people do in life, which can even be a resource of sorts- and wouldn't be known if not for the OT threads. Interesting traits, careers, likes and dislikes all discussed via OT threads.

Amen to both comments. We control what forums we view or post on.
(Oh no, the menu is so large and even has things I don't like. I'm stressed out!!!)

jstan wrote:
Now that the doctor has me on five ounces of marijuana a day

LMAO

RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 5, 2014 - 09:39pm PT
Perhaps a climbing tab would rock the boat a lot less than an OT tab.

The junk food could stay next to the counter.

k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Dec 6, 2014 - 08:05am PT
What Russ said.


Wow, you'd see most of the forum disappear overnight if everybody who posted to OT threads were nuked.



Government shutdown closes Yosemite. OT, or not?

I suppose as long as posters stuck to whinging about their broken climbing plans, we'd be OK.
But the first poster who navigated into the waters of why the shutdown occurred, Bam! Nuke 'em!!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Dec 6, 2014 - 11:12am PT
I don't always agree with Ron but at least he has the stones to use his real name. I think we all should. If there was a way to change my avatar but keep the same account with all my photos etc i would...
Bob D'A

Trad climber
Taos, NM
Dec 6, 2014 - 02:48pm PT
"What Russ said."


Name calling?
MH2

Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
Dec 6, 2014 - 02:55pm PT
Anyone who wants to make their name available can edit their profile to make it show. Just put your name in the 'From' box. That is part of your public profile and is shown to those who click on your avatar icon.



edit

And in all your subsequent posts your name will show below your favorite type of climbing.
MH2

Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
Dec 7, 2014 - 09:55am PT
posted by: A. Cairns



Locker posted: Oh, how clever...



posted by: A. Cairns



Yes, I quite surprised myself. And once started I couldn't stop being clever.



posted by: A. Cairns



this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Dec 7, 2014 - 10:20am PT
That's a stupid idea moose, must be a Canadian thing. Only idiots would do that.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Dec 7, 2014 - 03:15pm PT
You know what is crazy about the one-time da brim direct ads?

They probably sold a boat load down the road. I know I bought one later on. Wouldn't have know about it but for all the banter + the ad. The ad by itself was ignorable. Add the banter, and viola, instant tension and interest.

Btw, it's pretty fricking amazing for wearing a helmet in the heat waves on El Cap.

Chris Cunningham

Trad climber
San Francisco
Dec 7, 2014 - 04:24pm PT
I am happy to say I never looked at that thread anyway.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2014 - 06:29pm PT
Just flew on Virgin America and they have this disclaimer in their chat feature. Seems applicable here.

zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 10, 2014 - 06:42pm PT
Door number 1, 2, or 3?

apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Dec 10, 2014 - 06:46pm PT
So, if 'conversations are un-moderated', then how can they prohibit 'profane language, heckling, harassment'?

Seems like someone would have to be paying attention to those chats in order to enforce that 'prohibition'.

Edit: I'm down with the idea of low/no moderation, just don't know how to ensure stoooopid sh#t doesn't happen on your Forum.

zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 10, 2014 - 07:06pm PT
Sheeit or shit! or shit% - take your pick Frankie Boy.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
Dec 10, 2014 - 07:17pm PT
conversations in this area are with real people

Food for thought about cross over applicability.


Susan
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 4, 2015 - 03:12pm PT
More info about Forum Moderation
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2574027/Forum-Threads-About-Forum-Moderation
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