Paddock Subforum - Index it or not?

Should the Paddock subforum be indexed on "New Posts"?

  • Yes, the Paddock should be indexed.

    Votes: 33 70.2%
  • No, the Paddock should not be indexed.

    Votes: 14 29.8%

  • Total voters
    47

Ron Earp

Admin
Because I get PMs on this topic more or less two or three times a week....a poll about indexing or not indexing the Paddock.

Some people claim that indexing the paddock on "Today's Post" detracts from the overall focus and quality of the site.

Some claim that not indexing the paddock reduces the level of community on the forum.

What say you? Votes are confidential.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
If it's not too much of a bother - I know as a moderator it would help me to stay on top of new posts across the entire board.. It's not a show-stopper though...

-edit-

So I voted Yes...
 

Ron Earp

Admin
I tend to agree with you Randy. But on the other hand you're not getting all the PMs, emails, and "reported posts" where someone complains about some political thread in the paddock and equates the existence of such a thread to "the political stance" of GT40s.com.

I didn't know we had a political stance until someone told me we did.
 
Political stance? I guess you are serious but again, you are the moderator. Should it be necessary to succumb to this, so be it. Shame though.
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Again Ron - 'out' who ever it is. What a total prat.
Is it a cost issue that deems it necessary to change this,
just a whim of fancy, or is it really giving you grief ?
I think the Paddock is one of the first ports of call on this site,
sometimes for a bit of humour, sometimes a bit of rancour, and
oft times for a dose of venom. Look at the number of visits in the various
sections in the paddock - some of them are the record breakers IMHO.
 
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Ron Earp

Admin
I'm really kind of neutral on it, index it or not we'll do what the poll says. If folks want it indexed then it gets index because this forum is for you, the users.

I don't read the paddock too much to be honest. But I do get tired of various peoples that contact me from time to time asking "why do we have a paddock" or "why does this stuff appear on the front page". My response has always been "nobody is holding a gun to your head to read it".

Definitely no cost involved with it at all.

I do like the famous "Jokes" thread, now that one I do read from time to time. The political threads I generally stay out of for various reasons - I'm socially liberal (abortion, gay rights), fiscally conservative (less government is better in my book, don't tax me bro), all for indivdual freedoms (speech, firearms, and so on) so I don't fit too well into one political basket or the other.

I think I'll vote to index it.
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Hi Ron, being a simple boy from the bush, I'm not sure what you mean by Index it. Do you mean creating sub catorgories like "Politics and religion"
"Jokes" etc.?
 

Keith

Moderator
I take on board the critique that it could possibly detract from the true objectives of the site, but to be honest those who object do not have to click on anything Paddock unless the title attracts them to do so. It is very difficult to argue politics across the world as things are so different and yet the same.

If anything, some of the political comments from across the world has certainly taught me more about international situations and feelings than any biased news program could ever do, and I'll tell you this: whatever colour of skin or language spoken, we are more alike under the skin as World citizens than a host of politicians of every hue would have us believe and we share very common problems.

I learned that only from this Paddock so I voted YES.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Hi Ron, being a simple boy from the bush, I'm not sure what you mean by Index it. Do you mean creating sub catorgories like "Politics and religion"
"Jokes" etc.?

No, it means:

Index it = paddock threads shows up on New Posts of the day

Not index it = nothing from the paddock will show up in New Posts of the day
 
Well I voted for it to be indexed as well.

If I see a thread I'm not interested in, or think I'll get heated or annoyed about, I'll just avoid it.... Self control

And as for the 'Famous' Jokes thread - Keep em coming - well on its way to 100K views..
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I tend to agree with you Randy. But on the other hand you're not getting all the PMs, emails, and "reported posts" where someone complains about some political thread in the paddock and equates the existence of such a thread to "the political stance" of GT40s.com.

I didn't know we had a political stance until someone told me we did.

Gosh - I had no idea!!!!

That's just not nice at all... I've not gotten involved to any great degree in any of the political threads. I'm not happy with our current government administration, but then again I didn't think much of the last one either.. Never been a "party" man I guess...

Still - The paddock is basically a free zone with little moderation needed..

You know - back in the FidoNet days, we had a couple of Rules that all had to live by;

Do not be excessively annoying.
-and-
Do not be too easily annoyed.

I wish this were the case in all electronic forums...
 

Dimi Terleckyj

Lifetime Supporter
Hi Ron

As with all things in various media if you think you will be offended dont read or watch.

The one thing guaranteed to get my blood boiling is people who have nothing better to do than complain about an article they read or a show they watched and want it banned for everyone because of their narrow minded attitudes.

As adults we can make our own decisions about what we injest by however means.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Dimi
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
No, it means:

Index it = paddock threads shows up on New Posts of the day

Not index it = nothing from the paddock will show up in New Posts of the day

Thanks, then I vote to index it.
And I agree with Dimi, if people don't like something in the paddock they don't have to open it, rather than annoying you with complaining mail.
 
I have found the paddock to be fun but sometimes it gets a bit trying.
My only reservation to voting yes to indexing happens when an opinion turns into a multi-thread barrage.
Without the constant stream we've had recently I would have no reservation at all.

A far as political stance goes I find the forum to be fairly right wing. Most of the time I find the extreme stuff funny but occasionally it does get a bit sad.
There are times when I've found a political issue too big (or perhaps I've had one too many) to stay quiet about so I get where the comments come from.

Some of the light-hearted paddock threads are a great way to cheer up an otherwise dull day and there are some really informative threads there as well.

Maybe all that is needed is somewhere that a moderator can move stuff to if it gets too noisy - the argument/discussion could keep going there but not be quite so in-your-face. It could be added to the bottom of the index as a permanent item with sub-threads - it could be called "Hot Topics" perhaps.

FWIW I have made one PM to Ron on this subject and from memory I suggested a similar thing.
I sent it in response to a suggestion Ron made to resolve an in-thread situation, not as a complaint.
I am absolutely against censorship. Any document that supports it should be burned immediately. ;)

Tim.
 
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Keith

Moderator
Would really like to hear from a member with a different viewpoint - there are many thousands of members but only about 28 have replied/voted.

I think Ron must be a bit puzzled by this as he gets regular 'comments' by PM on this issue?
 

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
Want another view point....well here's my 2 cents. The indexing is simply about whether posts within the 'Paddock' will appear in the list of 'new or updated posts' each time a member visits GT40s.com. It has no bearing on the content of the Paddock posts, so that is not up for discussion at this point.

Personally when I return to GT40s.com I always use the indexing function to see a list of all new posts laid out for me, not to have to search through sub forums to find out what has happened since I was away.

Look at it like this....Would you be happy if your mailman only delivered some of your mail and took what he thought (based on color, style or weight of envelope) you might not want to read back to the Post Office, where you had to go collect it? Sure, when he delivers everything you get junk mail you don't want, but knowing its junk mail you can trash it without ever opening it. Same with forum indexing, it's just an informative list for you to pick the most recent posts that you choose to read, don't like the title, then don't open it.

The index list may contain posts in any of the manufacturer specific areas that I won't read also as I don't own that particular brand of GT40, but they are still all indexed because we are a community of people who visit for a multitude of different reasons, sometimes to get technical information, other times just to gas and shoot the breeze. I say lighten up and keep the indexing of the Paddock.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
I like the Paddock. Most, if not all, of the forums I frequent have a place for OT banter. Some of them, like the Porsche Spyder forum I visit, even warn one not to enter without his flamesuit. Others just rely on members to manage themselves.

I, too, would like to know who equates the views expressed in the Paddock with the forum's "political stance".....really, David Morton has it right again, this individual is a total prat!!!!

My vote was to index it into the New Posts, too.......I find it quite easy to just ignore threads that don't interest me, can't figure out why those who are PM'ing you, Ron, can't do the same, much less bother you about the issue!!

Doug
 
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