Hide Poster (again!)

[UltraBOF]

Hide me, hide me!

I think that it's time to revisit the arguments for this again: the site is much bigger and full of wankers than it used to be, and there is a lot of unnecessary conflict. Given that civilian moderators have been discounted, and that the community team's workload is practically Dickensian, don't you think that anything which will reduce personal attacks and thus the need for deletions would be a good thing?

I understand that Justine is worried that threads "won't make sense", but given that a) people mostly talk shite anyway and fly off-topic (eg Larkers in the face of Po-some OPs etc); and b) the hide button would be individually activated by choice and not compulsory, I don't think this argument really holds water.

There are many posters mature enough to never need to shield themselves from the profoundly irritating, and some folk are naturally imbued with a zen-like calm in the face of fucknuggetry, but for the rest of us, please please please give us the option to simply never have to read the posts of people we know invariably get on our last nerve.

I am convinced that spats will reduce; people will participate more widely and constructively in threads, instead of having to hide them once their nemesis appears; goading will become much less sustained; and the bill to MNHQ for gin at weekends will be slashed to pre-2005 levels.

What's not to like?

[CagneyNLacey]

WereTricks, I'm glad you posted that because I often kill threads with a single post and then worry that I've had a Hell Ban for being so rubbish.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

I'm for it.

[HoopDePoop]

I just think I must be using a different MN to some of you! I have never been so wound up by another poster that I have held a grudge against them. Which is what a 'hide poster' button would be, a grudge button.

And sometimes if I have got into a gunfight or I know I have been a dick, I namechange. It's like a whole new chance. And sometimes I magically become erudite and witty. Usually fades quickly, but I like the risk-free posting iyswim - I say what I really think on here in eg FWR or whatever, because I know if it all goes tits up I can nc. Is that such a bad thing?

I am talking about nc-ing because I think it's an important facility for many users of MN, although I recognise most posters on this thread as people who only nominally nc to maintain their persona. If you hid a poster, I'd assume you'd want it to cover namechanges the poster made too.

[UltraBOF]

Excellent points, Dooin.

Meditrina, I think you are perhaps being a bit over-sensitive. There is a huge difference between just disagreeing with people and actively and persistently offending and upsetting them, which I'm sure you don't do. Some of the louder types deliberately use the site like that and relish pissing people off.

I wouldn't even hide all of them, to be honest, as I'm sure it would rule them more if I were to occasionally acknowledge them with a studiously polite reply...

Which probably makes me the kind of wanker they should hide

[WidescreenGoat]

It would be great for AIBU.

I could start a thread being as unreasonable as fuck.

Then hide everyone who tells me I am unreasonable.

The only posts remaining would be my agree-ers.

I would be supreme and never be unreasonable ever in my head

I like this

[UltraBOF]

Oh, and of people are worried that there would be a lot of childish threats made to hide posters, that could be reportable, and their ability to do so suspended. It falls under the definition of goading, anyway, doesn't it? So it would get deleted.

See? There are ways to make this work.

[TunipTheVegemal]

I do think it would be awful & damage the site if people used 'I'm ignoring you!' as a weapon, but it could easily become MN Etiquette that people don't. Likewise, if 'Who have you got hidden?' threads were started, they would need to be deleted pronto.

[CagneyNLacey]

I actually cant think of anyone who is deliberately vile lately. There used to be 2 in aibu on every. single. thread. but one stopped posting and the other suddenly became quite reasonable about things.

[Hullygully]

WHO D'YWANNA HIDE BOFFY?

[Hullygully]

I can't see why not have it.

I don't care about it poissonally, but them what do could use it, them what don't not.

Loads of threads don't make sense with deletions anyway

[UltraBOF]

Hoop- we do use a different MN, every single one of us.

There are already a range of customisable options which individuals use, including hiding threads and topics.

And people want different things from it, and use it in different ways.

The diversity is part of its appeal.

So why can't I use it in a way that makes it more pleasurable for me? Why do I have to do as you do, not look at posters' names, regularly change my own, etc?

Nobody is forcing you to make use of a Hide Poster button, as it wouldn't be useful to you. But if several people say that they would like it, that doesn't make them wrong. It just means they want to continue to use MN in a way which suits their preference rather than yours.

[BlameItOnTheCuervForHumanBlood]

I've always been vocally against the hide poster. However, now I'd love it. I don't want to have to hide whole topics to avoid certain posters, and it would reduce the amount of work for mnhq.

Some posters are cunts. And I try to ignore them, but eventually I bite, and get a rap on the knuckles.

Some people can't be educated. Some people won't. And some people start disingeneous threads purely to stir up bad feeling.

[TunipTheVegemal]

Anyone who hides and then talks about it could have their hiding privileges suspended.

[scurryfunge]

I'm on the fence. I think we should have a trial.

[OhDeerHauntingFENTON]

Ha, I do recall seeing one or two 'who here really pisses you off?" threads over the years - they don't last long at all. Even the 'who's your favourite MNetter' ones have been known to go a bit sour.

[mumnosGOLDisbest]

for me it would be pointless. curiosity killed the cat and all that. my sensible head would hide a poster but i'm gemini and have a feisty side i think i'd have to peek to see what i was missing. also if everyone else could see the hidden posts you could end up looking silly or missing a point. you can't debate/talk and only hear what you want to hear or whats the point. also you'll get sarci comments from the 'hidden' - oh she couldnt take any criticism, she's hidden me... and you wont know. some very sensible person said in a 'bullying culture' thread she doesn't get involved in topics close to her heart unless she's on a serious trusted forum. good advice i think :)

[Hullygully]

[whistlestopcafe]

Why would you want such a facility?

In what way would it enhance MN?

As someone once said - keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.

I can't see the point of such a facility and you just know it will lead to even more cries of cliques etc. Just mentally ignore them if they annoy you so much.

[greenhill]

...and no one would need a spreadsheet for repeat offenders: who by deliberately missing the point of a discussion, attack for the sake of attack, or who are downright insensitive after someone has just shared some particularly harrowing personal story that is relevant to the discussion in hand and manage to offend so many people on the thread that it kills it.

[Hullygully]

OH THAT ONE...fair dos.

[BlameItOnTheCuervForHumanBlood]

I would enjoy minute more. You could link it to report poster, so that you can't just hide willy nilly.

[UltraBOF]

Whistle, I think I've explained why I believe it would enhance MN, especially in my OP, and I've added further to it throughout the thread.

[TunipTheVegemal]

Hey I've had an idea. Instead of hiding people you could SHRINK them, so their writing went really tiny. And the more times you hit 'shrink' the smaller they would go. It would be deeply satisfying.