What is appropriate content for DonationCoder?

[wraith808]

Actually the "Porn drives technology online" argument doesn't hold water for me

-Carol Haynes (January 05, 2008, 05:00 AM)

You obviously are in the minority. (only a very very little bit NSFW for a word or two, should be acceptable to most)

-tinjaw (January 05, 2008, 06:07 PM)

LOL... that was exactly what I was thinking about when that statement first came up...  If I could get to youtube from my client site, I would have posted it myself!

[Lashiec]

I'm far to the north

Whoo, the moderators are going crazy, unlocking threads and everything.

[J-Mac]

Hey...  It wasn't locked when I got here - honest!

Jim

[J-Mac]

My final comment here on the topic:

The question keeps coming up about exactly whom should determine what content is appropriate and what is not.  That's easy!  He who owns the ball makes the rules.  Determination in all cases can only be made by mouser, as it is his forum.  No one can truly be objective, but mouser doesn't need to be objective; any content filtering decisions should be his.

Other forums with which I am familiar publish fairly detailed rules for posting.  (And some have very vague rules also).  And then Moderators enforce those rules, usually only as to minor infractions with any serious or controversial posting problems being brought directly to the administrator for action.  Works at most forums!

mouser expressed the following in his first post in this thread:

...Let me say that i am very interested in the site being a friendly place for young kids to be able to hang out.  We had a poll recently of reader ages, and id say we have a definite demographic that skews older, we do have some younger people, and young coders...

-mouser (January 03, 2008, 05:18 PM)

If that is what he wants, he will probably be somewhat cautious in post content monitoring.  If he decides that this is not a forum where children should be, then he should decide to be much more lax with the rules.  He is ultimately responsible for the forums, but if he decides to leave it up to users - who will never really agree as to unacceptable content - then he might want to change the comment about the site being for "young kids".

Or create limited access forums for the content that he might find not suitable for those young kids.

Just some thoughts.

Jim

[mouser]

Let me make a last comment and then close this thread so we can continue spin-off discussions in spin-off threads.

I once started an academic discussion group and a professor i respect told me that most of these things fail and that you really need someone to take responsibility and basically make sure everything gets done -- that if you just hope that everyone will chip in, it won't work.

In many respects i've found that to be true, at least in the initial phases of a new endeavor.  It really does take one or two people to spearhead a project.  Things just don't get done otherwise -- most things require some concentrated effort and responsible coordinating that doesn't just spontaneously arise from a group.

On the other hand, as things develop, a project like DC grows and evolves.  This forum is now a self-sustaining enterprise and i do not view it as my job to decide the rules.  I do still think that ultimately sometimes decisions are best made by one or two people rather than putting every micro-level issue to a direct one-person, one-vote poll, not just for practical purposes, but to ensure some kind of consistency and avoid things becoming a constant campaign for influence.

But anyway i do want to emphasize that, especially with regard to this forum, it's purpose is mostly to be useful to the people who hang out here, and i view it as my goal to ensure that it continues to be so, rather than to impose my personal views about content and organization.  I do have strong opinions sometimes and i will advocate for them when i think it's important, but i think decisions about the forum should not be based on what I want but what's best for the community.

Of course it's impossible to be all things to all people, so sometimes we may have to make choices about where to focus our efforts and our attentions.

Unlocked for a little more - but please only post if you have have something useful to add

[zridling]

I like Ralf's idea, although my internal filter is geared toward the "adult" setting, not intended for 11-year olds. I don't want to live my life always wondering whether an pre-teen is reading my content, whether here or on my blog (thanks for the shout out, Veign, mouser!). I don't curse around kids or in public, nor do I show them "dirty pictures." But mouser pegged my intention, which runs from the start on my blog; that is, that tech invades and changes all parts of our lives.

CodeTRUCKER, you really only site one example, and when I reread the post, I thought the whole thing was funny. From my perspective, I'm surprised at your offense. I'm a moral and fair person, but I'd be curious to know if your feelings spring from god-belief, and how is it that you've managed to find so much where I see none? My contention (on my blog) is that the porn industry has always been at the leading edge of tech — from delivering content to how that content is viewed to how it is served and how it's paid for. Examining the code of some of their sites, you will find it quite elaborate.

While I don't see DonationCoder.com as synonymous with "profanity, coarse/sexually-oriented jokes and graphic content," it's because it's not the place — or audience — I think of when I discuss the subject. Take a second look at the post in question: there's nothing graphic there, no offensive photos, no cuss words, etc. All the links are to other sites, such as YouTube, and what you are claiming is not in that DonationCoder.com post.

One of the worst practices of humankind is that the one (exception) makes the rule for the many. I hope, CodeTRUCKER, you are not asking either us or mouser to seek your prior approval, or even to be sensitive to your personal morality, and end up censoring the site at the expense of the rest of us who haven't seen a problem here:
_______________________________
[from your letter, annotations mine]:
...I am a champion of that which is wholesome and good. (How were we to know we were offending you when we were not offended ourselves? We're sinning and don't know it?) I perceive that to allow people that have found a refuge here to continue in the same behavior that made them lonely in the first place is to forever entomb them to despair. (I'm neither lonely nor am I in despair. What makes you think that I am based on one post?) If someone suffers the pain of loneliness because they never take a bath, it is the purest of love and the kindest charity to make it plain to him that he stinks. (Again, I'm not 'painfully' lonely, nor am I dirty, nor do I stink. Are you saying that I do, and that I need your cleansing?) If someone is forever desparing because they always see themselves as a "victim," that one is forever doomed to their own personal dungeon. (More despair; I'm detecting a theme. Liberty of thought — about any tech issue and any issue that tech touches upon — can never be a "dungeon." However, it's apparent that you feel guilty for even reading the very words.)

CodeTRUCKER, please correct me if I'm exaggerating, but methinks you protest too much.

[Lashiec]

Uh, that blog link needs a HUGE NSFW alert

[wraith808]

I'm not sure that this was answered, but I think the problem with the thread in question wasn't the original post.  It was technology related, and very much to the point.  I think it was the somewhat 'blue' discussion that followed.  Look at the trail of comments- they get worse as time goes on, to the last one which, while not explicit, will set off filters.

But I think this discussion is pretty much done, and there's another on tagging that is aimed at solving the problem...

[Tekzel]

I'm not sure if this is the sort of response that Mouser was looking for, but what the heck, its here anyway.

Personally, I don't see a problem with the forum as it is.  That is not to say it can't actually go down hill and become a cess pit, but of all the forums I have seen this place is the best self policed forum I have ever seen.  I can't imagine anyone actually being offended here.  Of course, I am almost impossible to offend so maybe im not a good judge.  Either way, this whole thread just appears to me as attempting to solve an non-existent problem.  Do we need some sort of censor mechanism?  Not trying to offend CodeTrucker of course, but he seems to be super sensitive if this site has in any way offended him, and if that is the case, the internet just may not be the place for him to be.  Just my opinion. 

[CodeTRUCKER]

I should subtitle this thread... "The MONSTER THREAD that would not die! "    

@Zaine - The truth is that I failed to edit that letter to mouser properly before presenting it on the thread.  I was musing some personal thoughts.  Have you ever mused your thoughts like that before posting the final, edited version?  In short, a lot of the content of that letter should have remained private.  My bad, but as I was the only one taking the heat and it gave folks some window on who I am, I chose to let it ride, but I NEVER expected the maelstrom it provoked.   Oddly, as a Navy man, corporate employee and a truck driver for the last 30 years, I have had these types of discussions before with numerous people from all walks, but did not receive the kinds of tones and suggestions that this thread produced.  Perhaps it was the non-verbal communications that helped those interchanges?  On the boards we don't have that benefit, except via smileys, but that can't compare to one-on-one dialog.  I would be happy to dialog your thoughts via PM.  Contact me if interested, but please see below....

@Tekzel - No offense taken, but see below, too... 

For any other passers-by...

 As mouser stated above, this thread is just about threadbare (pun fully intended ) and the discussion on "Tagging" has been moved to this thread.  Over there it appears that Tinjaw has chosen to offer some oversight to that project and I would invite anyone to follow the thread and offer him some feedback.  If anyone has questions that are more focused on CodeTRUCKER (myself) rather than the subject matter of this thread, please feel free to Private Message me direct.  I have already been involved with some dialogs with other members that have done so.

[mouser]

ok that seems a good note to close on, let's lock this thread and continue discussions in different threads.