About all the bars:

IF they consist of a story that is being continued by the people posting, following the RULES set up by the person that started it AND the forum guidelines, and IF it doesn't degenerate into stupid drinking/killing only posts, then they are fine with me. I would recommend adding to a story that is already in progress (after reading the entire string) rather than starting a new one, since too many bars can clutter up the board. If you feel you must start a new story, make sure you put something in the subject heading that says story so people who would rather not be bothered can easily avoid it, and people looking for stories can find it easily. Any stories that consist mostly of posts that are not EV/O story-related will be closed ot deleted, and posters who insult others, swear, or spam up a story post will be dropped a karma point.

About the "search first then post" movement:

I really think it is killing the boards. Part of the fun of posting on these boards has been being able to answer people's questions, after spending time asking your own. Also, just because you find an answer of sorts after searching doesn't mean someone else wouldn't have given a more complete answer or added some advice or comments. So when someone asks a question, if you don't want to answer, fine, don't. But do not flame or otherwise insult the person for asking (or you will be dropped a karma point), and do not answer "search first" if you do not also answer at least some of the questions asked in that post.

Jude

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The Mac Gaming Bboard:
(url="http://"http://www.gamers.com/messages/overview.asp?board_id=10420")http://www.gamers.co...?board_id=10420(/url)

I have a question: what counts as an EV/O related story (in a bar)?

P.S. I agree with you 100% about that search-then-ask crap.

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...When Soulblighter confronted the Trow, demanding their continued servitude, they replied,"Set iron to rest and choose you one from our number. Ask of his name and what he owes you."

I agree that there are an awful lot of bar strings (generally I just try to ignore them), but it seems like for the most part they're just harmless fun (except when they degenerate to pointless flaming and spamming... nothing ruins a good ongoing story like a bunch of spam/flames). One possible way you could cut down on the number of bar strings is to delete the ones that have become inactive... say maybe if they haven't been added to for more than a week. That way the old bars that occasionally jump to the top of the screen as they are sporadically posted in would be eliminated, leaving only those that become favorites. And that will leave room for a new bar post every now and then, giving newbies a chance to get in on it from the start, while eliminating much of the clutter.

And I also agree with you on the "search then ask" movement. Everyone should feel free to post whatever questions they have without the threat of people yelling at them to search before asking. It makes the boards more welcoming to newbies and keeps things going. I mean, it may get annoying when three different people post asking "where do the Igadzra missions start" all in one week, but if all of these posts were eliminated, then it would really get rid of a large portion of the posts on the board. And as long as things don't get too active around here, then these posts will help sustain the board and keep discussion going. After all, that's what the board is all about, right?

-Thunder

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I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair,
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires...

I like thunder's view on bars.

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...When Soulblighter confronted the Trow, demanding their continued servitude, they replied,"Set iron to rest and choose you one from our number. Ask of his name and what he owes you."

well said

Horace thinks that bars are the best thing since sliced bread. Horace thinks you should search then ask. Horace wants to know if Jude is some sort of "chief moderator" of this board. Horace sees that she seems to say things as if everyone will enforce her rules. Horace does not mean to insult Jude. Horace respects moderators.

Quote

Originally posted by Horace:
**Horace thinks that bars are the best thing since sliced bread. Horace thinks you should search then ask. Horace wants to know if Jude is some sort of "chief moderator" of this board. Horace sees that she seems to say things as if everyone will enforce her rules. Horace does not mean to insult Jude. Horace respects moderators.

**

No insult taken. Nope, not a chief moderator. As you can see from the list of moderators here, there are four of us. You should probably read the guidelines, (the ones you must agree to when you register), since you haven't registered yet, and may not have seen them. I am here to enforce them. In addition, the comments about bars/stories and "search then ask" are, I think, fair guidelines to make sure the boards stay friendly and interesting to everyone who visits them. Other choices would be to not allow people to ask anything that has been answered before, and to ban bars. Or to allow the boards to get completely spammed up with flames/insults/porn/whatever.
Jude

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The Mac Gaming Bboard:
(url="http://"http://www.gamers.com/messages/overview.asp?board_id=10420")http://www.gamers.co...?board_id=10420(/url)

(This message has been edited by Jude (edited 01-30-2001).)

I think your way is reasonable Jude

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We will succeed, it will
be done
The UE must pay for
their insolence

Quote

Originally posted by Horace:
Horace thinks that bars are the best thing since sliced bread. Horace thinks you should search then ask. Horace wants to know if Jude is some sort of "chief moderator" of this board. Horace sees that she seems to say things as if everyone will enforce her rules. Horace does not mean to insult Jude. Horace respects moderators.

Jude just happens to be right about this, the search then ask thing defeats the whole purpose of a webboard, and the bars are spamming it to death. Red Faction and Council station can stay open as they are only two threads, more than that, it looks like the board is full of bars (don't forget to duck ;)).

Chamrin

Actually, I think the board can support a bit more than 2 story strings, so long as they actually ARE story strings and not just spam or flames. But it is still better if people could add to one that was already started rather than start a new one. Also, remember that it should be obvious by the title that it is a story string. Also, when a story starts to run down, then the moderators should close it. I also close strings (although I tell the posters to start a new one continuing the story) if there are so many posts in it that it takes a long time to load.
Jude

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The Mac Gaming Bboard:
(url="http://"http://www.gamers.com/messages/overview.asp?board_id=10420")http://www.gamers.co...?board_id=10420(/url)

(This message has been edited by Jude (edited 01-30-2001).)

Quote

Originally posted by Jude:
**About the "search first then post" movement: I really think it is killing the boards.
**

The thing did go too far, but it is over, as far as I can see. I think that people new to the board should know that there IS a search-feature (and that it is FUN to use it), that means one should tell them. As I read from this posts you have to accept the guidelines when you register. So maybe add a hint there (not just mentioning the FAQ)?.
My point is, while searching for a problem or the other I found a lot of topics I didn't really search for but were interesting/funny/useful. Doesn't mean people shouldn't be allowed to ask "where does that mission-string start" anymore ('cause running a search on "Igadzra mission" brings you 200 hits, so you better ask before reading all the topics!; - btw., a search on "Igadzra mission start" still brings 35hits -) but that they use the search-feature as alternative. The knowledge one collects reading "old" posts makes the board even more interesting. And, when you learn, you can help others.
So maybe it should be called "search and post".

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I still love Thunderstorms. Don't you?

Horace sees the logic in what the others ave said. Horace sees now that search then ask is bad. Horace agrees with Jude. Horace respects moderators.

Quote

Originally posted by Horace:
Horace sees the logic in what the others ave said. Horace sees now that search then ask is bad. Horace agrees with Jude. Horace respects moderators.

S+e+a+r+c+h t+h+e+n a+s+k just went too far. It ***** me off (see post from Nov. 2000 - edited, since otherwise Jude would have had to do it again and it would have been bad for my karma) that some people wouldn't let me ask some "silly" questions, silly because they had been asked a hundred times before. That means there are hundreds of posts regarding that question if you run a search. And you get bored reading through all of them. (See above.)
Why I'm mailing right now is because I am sad that Flatulence isn't on the EV:O board(s) anymore, saw him appear as Flatty's Ghost (last: 12/31/00). What happened? Haven't been on the board then when they started the karma-thing and banned Flatty. Anybody tells me?
And I HATE sarcasm.

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I still love Thunderstorms. Don't you?

::: scrolls up :::

Thunder! Word
Ask Tom how he likes the Mizzou Cats, will ya?

::: scrolls down a bit :::

Pat on the Back issued to fellow third-person-speaking Horace.

::: scurries off to work more on Frosty's plotline...or think about it, anyway... :::

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Jude, the search than post movement is dead.

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"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all into the darkness and bind them, in the land of mordor where the shadows lie."
Check out the upcomming Lord of the Rings Movies at (url="http://"http://www.lordoftherings.net/home.html")http://www.lordofthe...s.net/home.html(/url)

Quote

Originally posted by Titan:
**Jude, the search than post movement is dead.

**

Wow, did i just see Titan post that?

I remember sommmme guy (hint hint) who was yelling quite alot of people when i came here

But really, i havent seen any S.T.A on the boards for a long time, seems like things are better

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I don't yell at people anymore, I killed the search than ask movement when I yelled at pipeline to search than ask, I was a newbie then.

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"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all into the darkness and bind them, in the land of mordor where the shadows lie."
Check out the upcomming Lord of the Rings Movies at (url="http://"http://www.lordoftherings.net/home.html")http://www.lordofthe...s.net/home.html(/url)

I know you dont yell at people anymore. I said the boards were getting better, didn´t i?

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Quote

Originally posted by Titan:
**I don't yell at people anymore, I killed the search than ask movement when I yelled at pipeline to search than ask, I was a newbie then.

**

No, the "Search then ask" movement died when Flatty changed the "USE ME!" poster.

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(url="http://"http://pub29.ezboard.com/b20")Don't click here.(/url)
Do radioactive cats have 18 half-lives?
The Person who misspells "Voinian" knows not of the 50 gigaton nuke coming at their cranium.

Here I stand, guilty as charged. One of the prime search-then-askers of 'em all....

Till one of the moderators idle whistling sat me down and told me exactly what my propaganda was doing to the board. I quit then and there, and my sig finally reflects me. :D. I say down with that damn search function! The board has been a tad bit hyper lately, and the search function is a little out of whack because of it.. As Lightning said if you aren't exact.. WHAM!! 200 topics come up! And how many did you manage to get it down to Lightning? 30? That's still a load of reading... So I agree, ask away.

sets fire to the "SEARCH THEN ASK!!!" billboard..

Someone got some marshmellows?

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Hi! I'm Alien the Hinwar and I'm a stuiped jerk!
I'm big, mad, strong, and Hinwar! I yell 'LONG LIVE THE UE!', but I smash vikimadegie lovers every chance I get!
Cause I'm Alien the Hinwar and I'm a stuiped jerk!
I'm always making the mods mad doing something or another, but I'll never learn! I'll never turn! Look at my karma!