New sub forum for younger members

[Danke42]

My take on this site is that by the membership, the content, and by any other measurement it's an adult themed site.

Still like moths to a flame they come, more during school breaks as expected.

I'm suggesting a sub forum where they can post moderated by a few of the more patient scout leader types and a beyond the norm mind your P & Q s rule for any other member who wishes to act like a mentor.

That would include stripping all email, Skype, and other visible addresses and methods that could be used communicate beyond this site. That could be a deal breaker with the inbuilt messaging there's probably a workaround.

 

[marcinek]

And we verify ages how?

 

[Esav Benyamin]

At the bottom of the page, see:

BladeForums.com is an adult website with adult discussions.*
In accordance with the COPPA, no one under the age of 13 may join BladeForums.com

 

[B.F.U]

I say keep a quick hand on the banhammer. If kids want to read, and not post, in the family friendly forums till they can join then more power to them.

 

[Morrow]

We could do a better job of policing the General forum and stomping on those who seem determined to be disruptive at every turn. This is however an adult-oriented site and younger knife enthusiasts (or potential enthusiasts) should spend a little more time getting a feel for the site before posting. This would certainly help to avoid to "garden hose" approach to questions we tend to get.

 

[marcinek]

At the bottom of the page, see:

BladeForums.com is an adult website with adult discussions.*
In accordance with the COPPA, no one under the age of 13 may join BladeForums.com

Yes, but how do we insure that the people partaking in the "younger members" forum are, in fact, younger members?

 

[Morrow]

Yes, but how do we insure that the people partaking in the "younger members" forum are, in fact, younger members?

We currently have no way to do this.

 

[marcinek]

We currently have no way to do this.

That's precisely my point. As much as I'd love to send certain members off to the kids table, it doesn't seem feasible to determine age. Great example is a younger member who passed himself off as an adult in a duplicate account, even going so far as to request crowd funding for his "nephew's" (i.e. his) Sebenza, I believe.

I hate to be jaded and cynical, but a "youngsters" forum could get problematic just from a "creepy" standpoint, even with some sort of parental verified release.

Heck, we have had a younger member in here looking for knife info in direct violation of the "knife banning" their parents had given them.

The whole thing's a mine field.

 

[Danke42]

I forgot to mention for the wading pool you don't let the posts show when members click the "new posts" button. Then the annoyance of 20 new threads by the same poster; I want a bali but I'm too young, etc. aren't the first thing everyone sees.

So obviously posting in that area would be completely voluntary and it would most likely need mod action to move some posts.

 

[marcinek]

Of course it would have to voluntary. There are quite a few younger teen members out there that you don't even notice. You couldn't just corral them in there too.

As for moving threads and posts there? How do you even begin to judge. "Immature" goes there and "trolling" goes to W&C? Too arbitrary.

We had a "Teen" thread in General not too long ago, that seemed to work nicely for younger member who wanted to chat knives with other younger members, but it just petered out eventually.

 

[Danke42]

I think the mods have a pretty good handle on what would be a W&C and what wouldn't be.

I don't have any objection to the status quo of sink or swim but for members that feel kid gloves are called for this would be an option.

 

[marcinek]

I think the mods have a pretty good handle on what would be a W&C and what wouldn't be.

I don't have any objection to the status quo of sink or swim but for members that feel kid gloves are called for this would be an option.

Because kids never would act like jerks to each other.

 

[Morrow]

We were all new here once.

 

[Danke42]

Because kids never would act like jerks to each other.

There would be no sparing of the rod. I think Karda would be the mod best suited to the task. Very black and white, not a hint of grey.

We were all new here once.

Close but not ideal. A big part of the problem is that the young posters don't understand the unwritten rules of online discourse. Every sight has written and unwritten rules and an accepted standard of behavior. This place is rough and ready as it should be. After a week of butting heads a juvenile won't suddenly have a light go on; they'll just ragequit. So that is the end of a minor annoyance but in the bigger picture it hasn't helped that person progress to a level where they can join in and contribute.

 

[Morrow]

There would be no sparing of the rod. I think Karda would be the mod best suited to the task. Very black and white, not a hint of grey.

Close but not ideal. A big part of the problem is that the young posters don't understand the unwritten rules of online discourse. Every sight has written and unwritten rules and an accepted standard of behavior. This place is rough and ready as it should be. After a week of butting heads a juvenile won't suddenly have a light go on; they'll just ragequit. So that is the end of a minor annoyance but in the bigger picture it hasn't helped that person progress to a level where they can join in and contribute.

We have no way to determine age which makes having a separate sub-forum based solely on age nearly impossible. It doesn't take long (lurking) to figure out how to get along here. I have little sympathy for those who don't know the written rules that every member agrees to upon registration. So many problems could be avoided by having even a cursory understanding of the written rules. A short amount of time spent observing will take care of the rest. The problem we have with a lot of the new younger members is their willingness to jump head first in to the shallow end of the pool. Bang goes the head. We can't teach maturity or a willingness to accept opinions that conflict with preconceived notions. I do believe we should be welcoming, patient and understanding to all new members (regardless of age).

 

[Karda]

There would be no sparing of the rod. I think Karda would be the mod best suited to the task. Very black and white, not a hint of grey.

Close but not ideal. A big part of the problem is that the young posters don't understand the unwritten rules of online discourse. Every sight has written and unwritten rules and an accepted standard of behavior. This place is rough and ready as it should be. After a week of butting heads a juvenile won't suddenly have a light go on; they'll just ragequit. So that is the end of a minor annoyance but in the bigger picture it hasn't helped that person progress to a level where they can join in and contribute.

I have plenty of grey, but a low tolerance for internet jerks.
By your response HERE, you would be the first person inducted into such a forum.... if I was the least bit interested in moderating the forum or in your idea. Which, IMHO, is a poorly thought out one. The last thing we need is another way to alienate newcomers.

 

[Danke42]

I have plenty of grey, but a low tolerance for internet jerks.
By your response HERE, you would be the first person inducted into such a forum.... if I was the least bit interested in moderating the forum or in your idea. Which, IMHO, is a poorly thought out one. The last thing we need is another way to alienate newcomers.

I honestly don't understand how you can post you don't like jerks and then make every single post you write look like it was written by a jerk.

OK Karda's nomination withdrawn.

We have no way to determine age which makes having a separate sub-forum based solely on age nearly impossible. It doesn't take long (lurking) to figure out how to get along here. I have little sympathy for those who don't know the written rules that every member agrees to upon registration. So many problems could be avoided by having even a cursory understanding of the written rules. A short amount of time spent observing will take care of the rest. The problem we have with a lot of the new younger members is their willingness to jump head first in to the shallow end of the pool. Bang goes the head. We can't teach maturity or a willingness to accept opinions that conflict with preconceived notions. I do believe we should be welcoming, patient and understanding to all new members (regardless of age).

Noted; I'll continue with the current flow. I still think the topic has benefit for the admins to debate and maybe test drive come December and the Christmas break.

 

[Karda]

I honestly don't understand how you can post you don't like jerks and then make every single post you write look like it was written by a jerk.

OK Karda's nomination withdrawn.

Because I choose to confront the mouthy, instead of keeping silent....it makes me a jerk? I'm fine with that.

 

[Danke42]

Because I choose to confront the mouthy, instead of keeping silent....it makes me a jerk? I'm fine with that.

You may not have noticed this but this thread is not about me, how I post, or how I respond to lippy people.

This post relates to how to make this site a more positive experience for new and younger members. I've only been here a short time but I've been on the net for quite some time and as on here the curve that the young know it all's follow is so predictable you could put it in the FAQs.

Being as you've posted your likes and dislikes many times and that you feel there are sections of this site run as too loose a ship I presumed that your personality would suit a more rigid sub forum where the "acceptable" roasting would earn an infraction. That was my mistake and it's one I won't make again.

 

[Karda]

I think your forum idea would only serve to segregate people more. To make them feel more singled out and alienated, thus not fostering a sense of community.
It's not so much that areas are run as a "loose ship" as it is that certain members are allowed to troll and post as they please while others are repeatedly hammered for posting in the same manner. Myself, I have no further interest in moderating another subforum beyond the one I do now.