Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post

wmmartin · 12-24-2000, 06:47 AM

Merry Christmas!

There are a few thoughts about the future of this discussion board that I would like to discuss with you, and I'd be most happy if all of you could give me your opinion.

This website contains two types of content:
-) static
-) dynamic

All information about Gordon Lightfoot's songs, press articles etc. are static content, which means it doesn't change over time and I have complete control over what is displayed on this website.

The guestbook and the discussion forum are dynamic content, it gets changed/renewed constantly as it is submitted by the visitors of this website.

Given the nature of dynamic content, no postings cannot be edited or approved before they go online. For more than a year now, the guestbook as well as the discussion board have been working as intended.

We - as Gordon Lightfoot fans - can look back at a total of almost 5000 postings.

Speaking personally, almost all postings except very few have been a pleasure to read and respond to. Like most of you, I am happy to get in touch with other fans and being able to share our common love for Gordon Lightfoot.

The discussion board is set up in a way that all visitors can post new topics and reply to new ones. Registration is not complimentary. The reason why I made it not complimentary is that I wanted to keep the procedure of posting and responding as simple as possible, and to prevent that someone who is not very skilled with computers or the internet is being left out. I made this decision albeit knowing that this bears the risk of getting unwanted and distasteful postings once in a while.

Recent developments has proven that reality has catched up with this discussion board. In every other usenet discussion, or on every other internet board you get unwanted / distateful posts once in a while.

I want to make it clear that I am not the advocate of free speach above all. This is a discussion board dedicated to the Gordon Lightfoot fan community. We come here in our spare time, it is a hobby for us. There is no need for unwanted / distateful postings. The subjects might be controversial and opinions can/should be different - that's what a discussion is all about. However, there is a fine line that should not be stepped over.

A bunch of postings have clearly violated the consensus of this community. (the outrageous insult against Lams for example.)

(Lams - I will send you an email about that as well, but let me publicly express that I am very sorry that you have been insulted on my website in such a way.)

What can we do about the situation?

A few suggestions come to my mind and I kindly ask you for your comments:

a. Close the dynamic sections of this website alltogether.

The most radical approach. I could either delete the guestbook and the discussion forum or make both sections read only.

b. Make registration complimentary

Only registered users can post to this discussion board. I need to go into a few technical details here, to explain all of the options available. The registration process can have several levels of control. For example, the email address of a user could be checked before registration is allowed, thereby preventing someone from registering with a "phoney" email address. The most strict for of registering is that every new registration has to be approved by the administrator manually.

c. Only allow moderators/administrators to start topics

Using this options, no one would be enabled to post new topics. Thereby, the topics discussed would be laid out / though out by the moderators/administrator of the discussion board alone.

The above suggestions are ad hoc thought of, maybe I will come up with some more in future. I am very upset and enraged about persons coming onto our discussion board, trying to ruin our pleasure. Let me assure you, I am very determend to do something about it, but before I take any measures, I'd like to get all of your opinions about the subject.

12-24-2000, 06:47 AM	#1
wmmartin Junior Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: wichester, ky Posts: 12	Merry Christmas! There are a few thoughts about the future of this discussion board that I would like to discuss with you, and I'd be most happy if all of you could give me your opinion. This website contains two types of content: -) static -) dynamic All information about Gordon Lightfoot's songs, press articles etc. are static content, which means it doesn't change over time and I have complete control over what is displayed on this website. The guestbook and the discussion forum are dynamic content, it gets changed/renewed constantly as it is submitted by the visitors of this website. Given the nature of dynamic content, no postings cannot be edited or approved before they go online. For more than a year now, the guestbook as well as the discussion board have been working as intended. We - as Gordon Lightfoot fans - can look back at a total of almost 5000 postings. Speaking personally, almost all postings except very few have been a pleasure to read and respond to. Like most of you, I am happy to get in touch with other fans and being able to share our common love for Gordon Lightfoot. The discussion board is set up in a way that all visitors can post new topics and reply to new ones. Registration is not complimentary. The reason why I made it not complimentary is that I wanted to keep the procedure of posting and responding as simple as possible, and to prevent that someone who is not very skilled with computers or the internet is being left out. I made this decision albeit knowing that this bears the risk of getting unwanted and distasteful postings once in a while. Recent developments has proven that reality has catched up with this discussion board. In every other usenet discussion, or on every other internet board you get unwanted / distateful posts once in a while. I want to make it clear that I am not the advocate of free speach above all. This is a discussion board dedicated to the Gordon Lightfoot fan community. We come here in our spare time, it is a hobby for us. There is no need for unwanted / distateful postings. The subjects might be controversial and opinions can/should be different - that's what a discussion is all about. However, there is a fine line that should not be stepped over. A bunch of postings have clearly violated the consensus of this community. (the outrageous insult against Lams for example.) (Lams - I will send you an email about that as well, but let me publicly express that I am very sorry that you have been insulted on my website in such a way.) What can we do about the situation? A few suggestions come to my mind and I kindly ask you for your comments: a. Close the dynamic sections of this website alltogether. The most radical approach. I could either delete the guestbook and the discussion forum or make both sections read only. b. Make registration complimentary Only registered users can post to this discussion board. I need to go into a few technical details here, to explain all of the options available. The registration process can have several levels of control. For example, the email address of a user could be checked before registration is allowed, thereby preventing someone from registering with a "phoney" email address. The most strict for of registering is that every new registration has to be approved by the administrator manually. c. Only allow moderators/administrators to start topics Using this options, no one would be enabled to post new topics. Thereby, the topics discussed would be laid out / though out by the moderators/administrator of the discussion board alone. The above suggestions are ad hoc thought of, maybe I will come up with some more in future. I am very upset and enraged about persons coming onto our discussion board, trying to ruin our pleasure. Let me assure you, I am very determend to do something about it, but before I take any measures, I'd like to get all of your opinions about the subject.