Two-tiered system

[Mike]

This suggestion has been prompted by comments about the quality of posters. Should we make a distinction between the posting ability of posters and have a two-tiered system which separates good posters from lesser quality posters. This may reduce the frustration felt by some posters when silly or poor-reasoned replies are posted. Or should we maintain the current melting-pot of all posting abilities? This is an anonymous poll.

[Occasional Fan]

Mike - this is a non-anonymous reply. I vote NO.

Two reasons:

1. Only by participating in debate do people improve their skills in debate. If you shut out The Duffers - and maybe I am one of the targets - they will never get better overall. Moreover the occasional valuable opinion which The Duffers offer will be missed by The Quality who will either not think to visit the lower class's forum or will deliberately avoid it.

2. This place should be like Speakers' Corner. Anyone with a pair of steps and an opinion should be able to speak within the rules of the forum - which, as I understand, basically require us to stick broadly on the subject and refrain from abusive language and disrespectful behaviour. If you don't want to listen, you don't have to: click on the "Ignore" option and mark my name and you'll never hear from me again.

Once upon a time in this country which I now call home, certain people were not allowed to speak in public. Thankfully they did: they went to prison for it, and one of them became our President. Please consign this idea to the bin.

[Mike]

Hi OF, your reply doesn't suggest you would be a candidate for Duffers Corner - in fact, go to the top of the class.

If we agree that the melting pot should stay then I believe the more proficient posters should show reasonable tolerance toward the so-called "duffers" and not take them to task for poorly reasoned arguments. My worry is that by criticizing who we might perceive as duffers we may discourage people from joining and posting. I've seen many forums where the guests outnumber members by far and there are far more readers than posters. Let's not let that happen to our site. I would like people of all abilities who visit our site to be encouraged to post by the tolerance and pleasantness shown by the existing members.

[Occasional Fan]

Well, we seem to agree on that then.

Thanks for putting me at the top of the class - of one! Turnout in this poll seems to be a bit lower than the UK is expecting for next week's European election. As no-one else is here at the moment and we have a chance to go entirely off piste, shall we use this as a chance to debate the desirability of Mr Tony Blair's much vaunted new voting techniques? (Only joking: I'm calling it a day now.)

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Mike

If we agree that the melting pot should stay then I believe the more proficient posters should show reasonable tolerance toward the so-called "duffers" and not take them to task for poorly reasoned arguments.

Hi Mike

I am with OF on this one,who is to say someone is a duffer,a new member who might not have the skills to articulate themselves,might be classed as duffers.
so long as it does not get like the BBC board,with racists comments by prominent members,and nasty posts are posted,then leave well alone,If you are a looker on it can be daunting,and can you remember writing your first post.

A lack of knowlage would not be a reason,as peoples knowlage will be enhanced by using these boards.

So long as people treat other people and their opinions with respect,then it aint broke,so need to mend it.

You will get the odd scrap on a board,that is human nature.No let the young ones be taught,and the novices be tolerated until they have learned to post properly.

[R W S]

By all means create a new area where people can be exclusive. I am enjoying the boards as they but I'm all for adding new facilities, even if they strike me as unecessary! The moderation has been fair and swift when required - thanks.

[Scott-Wozniak]

Originally Posted by Mike

This suggestion has been prompted by comments about the quality of posters. Should we make a distinction between the posting ability of posters and have a two-tiered system which separates good posters from lesser quality posters. This may reduce the frustration felt by some posters when silly or poor-reasoned replies are posted. Or should we maintain the current melting-pot of all posting abilities? This is an anonymous poll.

Mike

Why not just create this extra area and allow access to those people you feel would benefit from this kind of area, and allow the success or not of this area rest on whether people actually use it.

If this has been prompted by some of the comments I made in one of the threads, please bear in mind that those comments were being directed at the BBC site, and not this one. My postings here are quite different to the ones I post to the BBC board for that reason, I find on the whole the quality of discussion here (and moderation) to be at a much higher level than that of the BBC site and for that reason I don't feel you need to create such an area.

Scott

[flanflinger]

The suggestion that we have some form of elite group is terrible. That someone should be relegated because they are new to the game, new to this board, or not able to articulate as well as someone else is appauling. A big NO from me, and from what I can tell so far - from everyone else who has voted.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Big no from me as well. As you have the "quote " facility and the ability to send private messages so you can actually reply to who you want to so whats the point of trying an two tiere system ? I've certainly seen alot of conversations dotted around other ones and it works ok. Lord knows I've written some tripe on here - most of us have, but I'd go to the "top tiere" still thinking I'm knowledgable enough, and unless it was password protected most people will stick their oar in anyway, in fact it may end up becoming a beacon to folk whose only mission is to make life difficult for those more highbrow (?).

As RWS has said, moderation has been swift, fair, and by the look of it mercifully rare.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Scott-Wozniak

Mike

If this has been prompted by some of the comments I made in one of the threads, please bear in mind that those comments were being directed at the BBC site, and not this one.

Scott

Scott, the idea for the poll came to me after reading the thread: Another exile.... In that thread, reference was made to a fellow who posted a poorly constructed argument "that Vaughan should continue to open with Trescothick and Strauss shouldn't open" in post #7694.

I haven't seen that BBC thread so can't comment but you apparently replied to his post and, disturbingly, he didn't reply back. Without having seen the thread I can't draw any conclusion.

I thought this issue was relevant to this board, or any board which allows a melting-pot of different posting abilities. I thought it was worth discussing how novice posters should be treated on this board since posters of varying ability are bound to register with us.

To my mind, if a novice poster has posted a poorly constructed argument done in a pleasant manner I believe, should we decide to post a reply, we should word our reply in a pleasant manner, as well. A pleasant post deserves a pleasant reply. I believe, with every reply we make, our goal should be to encourage others to stay on the board and keep posting. If you think a post will offend or hurt feelings is it worth posting? I'm not sure this "softly, softly" approach will suit those who prefer robust, frank discussions, but the risk is people may give up posting. I am willing to create other forums to accomodate levels of ability or posting style if there is enough demand for it. If not, then the only alternative is to modify our attitudes and responses to maintain a pleasant atmosphere that encourages posting of all levels of ability.