What is wrong here on NAM
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,054
Likes: 0
From: As far away from Florida as I can get.
The review system is by the same people who wrote the gallery software. With that in mind you click "Upload Product", select the proper category, and fill out the information requested (you do the same for a Vendor although the wording is off). I get a notification that a new review/product/etc. has been added, I give it a quick check to make sure that if any HTML-like stuff is in the post that its working (ie - including URLs, pictures, etc.) and it gets approved and is visible to all. Only when we see multiple reviews that appear to be a form of social engineering (ie - they are posting multiple negatives to drive down the ranking of the vendor or product) will look into the review content further. This type of review prevents an unfair bias from forming.
Regardless I need to update the FAQs we have for the review system since they are outdated based on the current version of software we are running.
Now to address your unbiased and independent question... My feeling is, and always been, that people are free to express their opinions on the site as long as they do it constructively (ie - cleanly, maturely, with the intent to improve a situation, etc. using the site guidelines for guidance.). If you post a review of your favorite vendor, M7, it will go in as long as you keep in clean and constructive.
What you and I have butted heads on in the past is your pattern of constantly harassing members of the site relative to them buying an R56, a product from M7, etc. My impression has been that you do it more for entertainment than the supposed purpose of "educating" the new user to the ills of world. Based on this approach it feels like social engineering...watching new owners of the R56 bite back at your negative comments about how "stupid" they were to buy this model, taking digs at everything M7 in an attempt to drive them from the market, is both entertainment and an opportunity to sway the public perceptions of other people, companies, etc.. In the end the "fun" you've had only alienates members from the site, the community as whole, and from the MINI. Perhaps that is your goal. If so, then we will continue to have issues in what you think should be allowed versus what I feel your intent is.
Regardless I need to update the FAQs we have for the review system since they are outdated based on the current version of software we are running.
Now to address your unbiased and independent question... My feeling is, and always been, that people are free to express their opinions on the site as long as they do it constructively (ie - cleanly, maturely, with the intent to improve a situation, etc. using the site guidelines for guidance.). If you post a review of your favorite vendor, M7, it will go in as long as you keep in clean and constructive.
What you and I have butted heads on in the past is your pattern of constantly harassing members of the site relative to them buying an R56, a product from M7, etc. My impression has been that you do it more for entertainment than the supposed purpose of "educating" the new user to the ills of world. Based on this approach it feels like social engineering...watching new owners of the R56 bite back at your negative comments about how "stupid" they were to buy this model, taking digs at everything M7 in an attempt to drive them from the market, is both entertainment and an opportunity to sway the public perceptions of other people, companies, etc.. In the end the "fun" you've had only alienates members from the site, the community as whole, and from the MINI. Perhaps that is your goal. If so, then we will continue to have issues in what you think should be allowed versus what I feel your intent is.
There has been a lot of requests for NAM to stop being big brother. I think that applies here as well...you aren't the big brother of fellow members, they can form their own opinions and their own purchase decisions. They vote with their wallets just like you do.
Regardless I have an olive branch for you to consider. How would you feel if you could post what you want (within the site posting guidelines) but we start emphasizing how people can make use of the Ignore feature so they don't have to see you if they get tired of you and your posts on whatever rant of the day might be? It would be their decision on whether they want to see what you (and other members) have to say.
If your game for this I'm open to it as well. This would be something that we would encourage all the members to make use of for anything that they don't really like to hear, find offensive, etc. (all those gray areas that are hard to moderate). All I ask is that posting stay within the guidelines of the site (some of which may be changed, removed, updated) because of the feedback from this very thread.
Mark
Regardless I have an olive branch for you to consider. How would you feel if you could post what you want (within the site posting guidelines) but we start emphasizing how people can make use of the Ignore feature so they don't have to see you if they get tired of you and your posts on whatever rant of the day might be? It would be their decision on whether they want to see what you (and other members) have to say.
If your game for this I'm open to it as well. This would be something that we would encourage all the members to make use of for anything that they don't really like to hear, find offensive, etc. (all those gray areas that are hard to moderate). All I ask is that posting stay within the guidelines of the site (some of which may be changed, removed, updated) because of the feedback from this very thread.
Mark
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,354
Likes: 0
From: Overthemountain, AL
Yes one board I post on gives you the option to click on an iggy's post to read it but I don't like that because I am too nosey & often tempted to click when I shouldn't.The only bad thing around here is when people quote someone you have on iggy. That kinda forces you to read what they wrote but I dunno if there is a way around that.
Last edited by bamatt; Oct 18, 2007 at 02:18 PM.
Yes that is how NAM is now right? What I am talking about is even more severe than that. The post is literally skipped & you never see it or know that it was there. No space, hints, or anything. I like that way the best but as I said it's really no biggie around NAM for me as my iggy list is pretty small
"Bamatt is on your ignore list. Click here to view the post anyway" :nananana:
view the member's profile, then it's there at the top right
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/profile. php?do=addlist&userlist=ignore&u=16244 (don't click! this puts you on ignore
)
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/profile. php?do=addlist&userlist=ignore&u=16244 (don't click! this puts you on ignore
)
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,054
Likes: 0
From: As far away from Florida as I can get.
view the member's profile, then it's there at the top right
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/profile. php?do=addlist&userlist=ignore&u=16244 (don't click! this puts you on ignore)
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/profile. php?do=addlist&userlist=ignore&u=16244 (don't click! this puts you on ignore
)
Double nice. Just how I like it.
North American Motoring :: Founder
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,070
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I just added another option to the drop-down list when you click on the user's name in their post. You can select "Add so-and-so to my Ignore List". Ignore away...
Mark
Mark
North American Motoring :: Founder
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,070
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Mark
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,354
Likes: 0
From: Overthemountain, AL
I know you weren't telling everybody how to iggy me because why would anybody wanna do that 
unless they have a smiley phobia...
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,966
Likes: 1
Actually, this is wrong. Racing and speeding are two different things. You most certainly can get a ticket for racing another vehicle, even if you do not speed. The reason is obvious: A racing driver's interest to get off the line first is a safety problem.
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 0
No need for a PM goaljnky
(besides, I never issued an infraction for it)Yeah, yeah... I know, you were trying to make a joke... but with all of the tension this thread's had, can't we focus on other issues now?
How about world peace?
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,902
Likes: 2
From: SoCaL (Agoura Hills)
And yes, while you can get a ticket for speed contest, Law Enforcement can't do a damned thing about me talking about it on these forums. Unless they witnessed it first hand, it's a non-issue.
If you call 911 saying a driver passed you at 120 MPH, and give them the license plate of the car, description, and a cop car actually SPOTS the car driving after that incident, unless they're traveling at that speed when the police spot them, they can't do a thing.
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,054
Likes: 0
From: As far away from Florida as I can get.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
On post merging? Old news. 
I admit being tired. Not defeated. I just want the thread to be constructive.
It's important that we clear any misperceptions, and I know there are some. That being said, there are also real issues (post merging being only one, I realize that), so it's important that we separate the wheat from the chaff...
...and shouting at each other is no way to achieve that. A lot of stuff has spilled over here that should have been handled in the Moderator Lounge, and I'm one of the people responsible for that too.
Mark F is looking to make changes to NAM, and it's his site. I'll support whatever decisions he makes. However I have been the target of many people for my actions... the majority of which were simply applying existing NAM policy. Instead of trying to focus on changing what I've been doing, let's focus on determining what policies need to change.
Once the policies change, I'll work towards applying those. It's that simple. I may not necessarily agree with all of the changes, but once they are in place, I'll follow suit.
I admit being tired. Not defeated. I just want the thread to be constructive.
It's important that we clear any misperceptions, and I know there are some. That being said, there are also real issues (post merging being only one, I realize that), so it's important that we separate the wheat from the chaff...
...and shouting at each other is no way to achieve that. A lot of stuff has spilled over here that should have been handled in the Moderator Lounge, and I'm one of the people responsible for that too.
Mark F is looking to make changes to NAM, and it's his site. I'll support whatever decisions he makes. However I have been the target of many people for my actions... the majority of which were simply applying existing NAM policy. Instead of trying to focus on changing what I've been doing, let's focus on determining what policies need to change.
Once the policies change, I'll work towards applying those. It's that simple. I may not necessarily agree with all of the changes, but once they are in place, I'll follow suit.