Blocking (open letter)

edited February 2012 in About this site
Dear Stroud Green overlords,<div><br></div><div>There are some posters I find annoying. I'm sure there are also some posters who find me annoying. </div><div><br></div><div>This is probably true of many other sg.org-ers. </div><div><br></div><div>Sometimes it's good to read views from people with whom you disagree, but sometimes it goes a little beyond disagreement and then it's less good. I wonder if one way to improve things would be to have a 'blocking' feature so that people who, for example, find me annoying could just see a blank space instead of my blatherings on.</div><div><br></div><div>I appreciate that you run this website for free and that I'm asking you to do some more work for free.</div><div><br></div><div>Yours,</div><div><br></div><div>Mirandola</div>
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Comments

  • I think I know who you are ACTUALLY referring to here.<div>I agree! </div><div>I have witnessed it on other sites, but the downside is that, in a thread with others, their remarks ofgten do not make sense if they reference a post by someone who you have blocked, making it hard to follow the whole story.</div><div>Sometimes it's just best to skip over the post of those people whose opinions you don't care for and never read them.</div><div>That's what I have begun to do, and my will power only very occasionally slips!</div>
  • I agree with BBQ - my experience of Facebook blocking is that it can get very confusing both for the people who have blocked others, and for others - who can be left reading a disjointed thread in which two people who can't stand each other still sometimes end up repeating much the same points...<br>
  • <P>I don't agree with blocking.Because I think it creates an intolerant mentality...</P> <P>Because people can gang up and write "I block this person" and try and get a bully gang mentality going where they all agree to block one person.Then that person leaves as they feel excluded.</P> <P>Many places in N4 are classed as the innercity so naturally you will have lots of different personalities on a discussion forum with clashing outlooks on life.So some people will write things that others find rude or offensive.But you have just got to try and be tolerant of others ways of expressing themselves.</P> <P>Otherwise you are just in a more tea vicar cucumber sandwhiches nicey nicey discussion forum which is lame...</P> <P>A tolerant approach is to simply just tolerate people with different view points and styles of writing and engage with their discussions if you want to.</P>
  • Much as some people both in real life and in the virtual world drive me absolutely bonkers and make me despair at the future of the human race, I don't think that I'd use a blocking mechanism. A very hard stare often works in real life, I would like a virtual version of that. Failing that I shall just try harder to rise above.
  • edited February 2012
    As Chris and Miss Annie have said, it would be more responsible and mature to try to get along with each other despite everyone's differences, rather than expect Andy to spend time, unpaid, implementing a feature which should not be necessary. <br><br>I've used many forums in the past but have never come across one until this one where dislike, hostility and aggression have been so rampant. Although it's only a few people who are responsible for this unpleasantness, it means that few newbies become active members (except for @stella), and even others probably feel discouraged from posting more regularly. <br><br>This forum is a wonderful resource for people living in the area, with lots of useful news and information, and surely we should all remember that even though many of us are anonymous on here, we're still each other's neighbours, likely to meet at some point, so we should all make more of an effort to be civil towards each other. And other people's enjoyment of this forum should not be at the mercy of a select few. <br><br>Failing that, a more useful feature would be a "report this post" link so that at least the more vicious abuse towards others ( @kreuzkav & @ChangN4N6 ) can be tackled. <br>
  • <p>Let the wankers act like wankers, we know who they are, and if they call my other half a cunt again they will find out how far a human can get a size 14 foot up their arse.</p>
  • And I think I only reach tosser I have a way to go to attain the status of wanker.
  • <P>political parties try and make you think they welcome free speech but really they want to control and cut out criticism of their views so they will block people and try and shut people up by smearing them ie if people make politically incorrect comments a political party can claim you have broken rules then they will try and silence you if they think you are off message and not bleating out some right on political mantra . by calling for a blocking thing on a forum that is going down the route of blocking out views or styles of communicating that you dont like or agree with - its a bit like the thought police - ie block out anything that doesnt fit your way of thinking - its an anti diversity mentality...</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>
  • As Voltaire may have said  'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,'
  • The thread has become ironic within 2-3 hours. Didn't see that coming at all. <div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div>
  • <P>well said Mr D.</P> <P>what is "fair comment" on a forum and what is illegal comments on a forum? Perhaps a lawyer could explain? as stan collymore has told his lawyers on twitter to take legal action about people who tweet comments to him.And the Mike Parry/Stan Collymore/Jon Gaunt exchanges on twitter looked not too good - not sure of legality of that... </P> <P>However there has to be some censorship;and that's where this argument breaks down somewhat as who decides what is acceptable or unacceptable?For example if someone does a sustained smear campaign against a local person in n4,perhaps someone who doesn't even take part in this forum.I don't mean a few complaints about a local business I mean an ongoing smear campaign on a local person who doesn't even comment on sg.org.Or someone who makes illegal comments or an ongoing attack on a local business.Then it's fair if censorship takes place perhaps.It's difficult because this argument undermines my points about freedom of speech because how do you decide what is "fair comment" and what is illegal comments?</P> <P>if you write "this person is a murderer" that is illegal perhaps ... but if you write this person is xxxx that is classes as fair comment...i am unsure     </P>
  • How did stag do go Mr B?
  • edited February 2012
    There is no block user feature within the set of vanilla 2 extensions (http://vanillaforums.org/addons).<div><br></div><div>For what it's worth, I think the quality of this forum, in tone, content and contribution has seriously declined in recent months. Nighttime closing has made a bit of an improvement, but not much.</div>
  • Andy - why not tell Chang to stop bumping so many threads and to stop bumping threads that are old - its annoying.Also if Chang is going to call miss annie the c word then he needs to apologise or stay in lorne rd and put up with the smell without telling us about it everyday.Personally I hope that David Cameron's proposed ban on cheap booze will have a positive effect on this forum,but I wouldn't hold my breath.Banning overnight posting is a very good thing...  Perhaps a whisper to Chang will send him a message to stop disrupting this forum with 2many bumps...
  • <P>@andy, do you think there might be a solution to the quality issues you mention?</P> <P>@Detritus, surely Voltaire added "...provided it is well-written, grammatically accurate and appropriately punctuated"?!</P>
  • <p> </p><p>There are idiots on here I am one of them, but the world would be a horrible place if we all acted and thought the same, and as for banning people no. Let people say what they want, I do and if I offend someone then so be it but I will defend my comment or say sorry if I am in the wrong.</p><p>I don't like the fact you can edit what you say, nor do I like the fact you cant post after midnight I understand the necessity but don't like it.</p><p>Maybe I am wrong and I know its a petty, small thing but it has pissed me off. Chang threatening and called Miss Annie (and 2 others) the C word and then being able to edit it and not have to say sorry is just wrong. </p><p>If you say something on a public forum it should stay said, regardless of what it was be it good or bad. </p><p>I have used the edit many times as frankly I cant spell and Miss Annie is not here to proof read this, but that's vanity not cowardice.</p><p>I am probably out of line saying this, but I really do feel that if something need to be said then it should be.</p><p>I would not let someone get away with it on a street or in a pub so why should I here?</p><p>You live and learn.<br></p>
  • I just deal with it all in the same way as in real life - if I don't like it, I ignore it till it goes away. <br><br>As for dealing with the issues, if you wouldn't say something to someone in real life, don't say it online, and treat others with the respect you deserve. <br>
  • The problem is that there are a few members (or, as some have speculated, one individual with several accounts) who appear to be trolling the forum as some sort of performance art.  Even when largely ignored they do not seem to go away - one has been here in various incarnations for years.  Others repeat the same passive-agressive bullying tactics then cry woah-is-me to garner sympathy when they're picked up on it.<br><br>Without a blocking feature or interventionist moderation (and that's a very tough call) forums can be run into the ground quite quickly.  Even the most patient of us can't help but react sometimes, and that lowers the tone further.  As someone said above, it discourages new participants, and slowly the old members drift away in disgust.  Hard to know what to do, but I agree with Andy that things have been on a steep decline recently.<br><br>There was a time when I valued the free-for-all aspect here, and thought it made it better than more regulated neighbours such as Harringay Online. Now I'm not so sure.  The signal:white noise ratio is not as it was.<br>
  • <P>talking about yourself again are you arkady...not everything you write is a work of genius and im being kind there...oh yes and you never shut up as well...its like reading a students dissertation sometimes - as  steve coogan might say "students bag o shite".... as one of the most prolific posters on this forum u r a bit full of it to be honest sometimes...</P> <P>however i agree there does have to be some kind of quality control,for example,chang bumps many threads and just writes one quick sentence;so you open the thread and scroll down then there is not much quality to read,or you think it's a new thread and start reading it and find and it's about 5 years old that chang has bumped up after a trip to the pub...if change didnt call women a c--- then perhaps i wouldnt criticise him and would just let it go...</P>
  • <P>the existence of an internet forum is morally dubious.Because people can criticise a local business or a local person without good reason and then others join in.and that can damage a person or a business.</P> <P>perhaps the morality of this can be considered...</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>
  • can we have a graphic thumbs-up and thumbs-down voting system to rate each post please?
  • I was just looking <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20050408230625/http://www.stroudgreen.org/">back in time</a> to Spring 2006 when this board seems to have <a href="http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussion/6/welcome-fordy">sprung up</a>. My my, people communicated differently with each other back then - though admittedly there were only a couple of them/you...<br><br>I sense some of the old guard feel as if on a downward trajectory. Don't be dispirited. New energy arrives <a href="http://www.stroudgreen.org/profile/3/andy">by the hour</a>.<br><br>Of course it's disappointing and frustrating and unfair to have this utopian rockpool of the tinterweb disturbed, but in only a very little time these little annoyances will be as tiny fish nibbling the corns off your weary feet...<br>
  • <P>detritus - if you cant spell,dont worry about it just stick your comments on the forum and if people are interested in discussing them they will do...some people are dyslexic and cant spell...nobody cares about spelling if what they write is good...some snobs want to criticise people for bad spelling or lack of good grammar...but noone cares;and everyone can see how petty minded it is...like the snobs who want to come over all big brother and do some sort of jumped up thought police job;like in orwells novels.orwells novels were a satire on stalinism...yet some people want to boss everyone around like control freaks.and arkady comes across as a bit of a control freak sometimes an all</P> <P>arkady likes to say lets ignore this person or that person - its a control freak mentality and most unfriendly i think...</P> <P>mr d - your thread about earworm music got people commenting because its interesting - noone cares about spelling</P> <P>carry on</P> <P>looking forward to buying my sun on sunday - the sun newspaper is great at exposing corruption and immorality in uk society - a great benefit to the community in my opinion and very good sports section on football...  </P>
  • <p>I agree there is probably one or two people on here who have been trolling using various ids for trolling.  I've found some of them actually creative and funny.  Others have used it in a very sinister way.  Maybe the same person switching mood.s</p><p>Moi.  I have kept to the same boring id.  Banging on about Sugar Lounge or class.  I know it's boring.  I'm even bored of it.  But I think some of you have had it lucky, through good looks, good chances, and hard work.  But I've tried. Really tried.  Worked hard.  Been a nice guy.  But you get to a stage where you just want to ......Anyway. I understand your hatred.  Life is made for the normal and conformists.  Otherwise don't give a shit and take what you can.  Go preserve your houses.  I'm reminded of that kinks track 'we're the ... preservation society'.  Make sure Stroud Green is non pvc window.  Actually I know people who got onto their housing group to have pvc windows because they couldn't afford to spend too much on heating.  I guess preservation and non-pvc windows are more important than people to you.  </p>
  • Is Tosscat ChrisN4? Where did Tosscat go? 
  • @ Arkady.  Nothing passive aggressive about this. I know we're not dueling on SGR darling but I've always been straight up on here.  By forum standards I'm aggressive and not passive and in real life I'm straight forward too.  You just come across as a know-it-all who isn't so know-it-all and hides behind all the pals you've picked up on here.  I imagine you're a sweet guy with a lot to say, but you do like to blow your own trumpet.  And you seem quite careerist about Stroud Green and all the committees.  I've seen it many times before.  You want some regen action.  I've been there.  How can I be a bully when it's just me on here.  A bully looks for the gang to fight with him.  And I know you're right, I've been through lots of shit times recently so have a lot of people.  I will be stoical like you are and show no emotion and be a robot and just get on with my life as a good boy that I should be and go out and do my 9 to 5.
  • @Kreuzkav. I don't think anyone hates you. I really don't. People can be snappy sometimes and there's always a risk that something comes across as more aggressive on t'internet than it would in real life. And then things escalate and it gets messy. <div><br></div><div>I also think you are a good person and your contributions are interesting and valid even though I don't always agree with them. Good night and sleep well. </div><div><br></div><div>Oh - and I don't think you're being fair on Arkady. If he were being careerist I suspect he'd find more useful things to be interested in than defunct railway lines. </div>
  • @ Mirandalo.  thanks and I really like your blog.  You capture that feeling that Hornsey road is more characterful than Stroud Green road.  Where have all the characters gone from SGR.  They've been killed by Batemanesque psychos/clockwork orange droogs roaming the streets killing anyone who doesn't like vintage knitting burlesque clubs or the bull pub in highgate.  they don't like anyone who uses bad grammar and looks like someone who doesn't know what's cool now.
  • edited February 2012
    And while I'm on a roll, not a swiss roll, my own roll, I'd like to state to Mirandalo that I don't hate Arkaday but he has abused me on here many times.  Called me all sorts of names. In some ways it's good and I like it.  As they say what doesn't kill you strengthens you.
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