A Suggestion:Topic Moderation History

[SiLo]

It seems like you're creating solutions to problems that nobody really has a problem with. Yes the car threads are long but I really don't have the time to go through the W05 intercooler topic, the W05 diffuser topic, the W05 nose topic; for every single car. Especially as there is an abundance of users who simply keep asking the same "When are the updates coming and how much money should I bet on Ferrari for the next race?", not to mention the 50 same pics of a front wing.

I think there should be a discussion topic and then a locked update topic where after every race/test the changes to the car are logged along with brief descriptions and a link to the point in the main topic where people discussed it. That way you have a nice small thread for users to browse all of the updates and new tech, and an actual discussion topic for that thread.

I'm willing to do the locked threads for the car updates although I would suggest splitting the work load between a few members.

I would easily vote for this. Keeps discussion but also gives us a nice little thread to check up on the updates in a formal manner. Good idea!

[thomin]

How about a third option - tagging individual posts within a thread and the ability to filter your view of the thread based on those tags.

That way those that want to follow the natural ebb and flow of a discussion with posts that could very easily be on one or more threads can do so without having to play 'hunt the thread'. Those that want to limit their search would also be able to do so.

That's kinda what I was thinking: A technological solution. Have all the detailed sub-threads, but allow a view where all of them are combined into a general thread. Though I have no idea how easy/difficult that would be to implement.

Alternatively, I also like the idea of Owen.C93 about a less strictly moderated car thread and locked sub-threads which present the basic facts.

[astracrazy]

I do think something needs to happen in terms of re-structuring the forum in some way to suit what the mods are looking for. It is getting a little bit annoying now where you either go back to follow a discussion and you can no longer find it because its been deleted or moved, or you get a warning for posting something somewhere which seemed logical

For example. Instead of having one topic for each car then the mods moving things out of them when the discussion doesn't suit, can't it be made simple by having a W05 topic in the Aerodynamics, chassis and tyres and another in the Engine, transmission and controls?

Because at the moment the water is a bit murky about what is or isn't allowed. I just got a warning for replying to someone who asked about merc holding back updates on the w05. I replied back with why I don't think they would do it. To me that is about the W05 and should be in the W05 thread.....where else would it belong? In the team thread? Maybe but then to me that was about the team not the car (hence the two areas). In the race thread? I thought that was about the race.

So with out a logical place where it is allowed its almost as if your not allowed to discuss it.

[bhall]

One needn't look any further than the beginning of this thread to see how conversations can easily become a little disjointed.



I tend to think this whole thing works best if conversations are allowed to flow organically. Try as you might, the car threads will never be an archival-quality account of a car's dissection.

[turbof1]

But how is this different from the past? This was long in effect when I joined the forums. Granted there was a period were people seemly could post such things in the W05. Why? Because of a shortage of manpower to keep things moderated. Since me and flyboy got assigned we picked up with the normal policy.

You are speaking of strategic use of parts. Strategy is a team matter, not a technical matter. The previous time we tolerated this, in the hope that the discussion would get back to the technical matter, it spun out of control, with 3 pages filled with what is essentially a managerial issue. Back then I was forced to close the thread for 24h to break the cycle.

I feel a lot of members could be a bit more considerate. If everybody asked themselve the question "is this a technical matter specific to the car?" then we would have to intervene a lot less.

This is about safeguarding the quality of the discussion. These cars are technical wonders, and it speaks for itself we expect the members to post something decent about it. The endless question "are they holding back upgrades" is pure speculation, which will never get answered, especially not in a car thread.

[zonk]

If its ain't broken don't fix it!
System and forum works fine.
I support mods all the way!

For most people, a site like this is about socialising around their interest in F1

This site newer was about socialising. If You looking for friends go to face book or somewhere else. It is about sharing info about F1

Because at the moment the water is a bit murky about what is or isn't allowed. I just got a warning for replying to someone who asked about merc holding back updates on the w05. I replied back with why I don't think they would do it. To me that is about the W05 and should be in the W05 thread.....where else would it belong? In the team thread? Maybe but then to me that was about the team not the car (hence the two areas). In the race thread? I thought that was about the race

Before posting in car thread ask Yourself a question: Is(was) it on(in) the car? if no don't post. Some people seems to have a problem with logic.

Who and what? in team Tread
When? You Know...

[astracrazy]

@turbof1

I understand where you are coming from

Would it not be worth then moving away from subforums in general chat all together and listing race and team under the f1 group as you have done with the cars so then you can clarify further about each one and what should be discussed in each?

@zonk

I can assure you i have no problem with logic. I was just replying to someone else. What am i meant to do, reply back to them in another thread and hope they realise and that other people some how know what i'm talking about?

[zonk]

Just don't reply. Report it as out of topic. Wait for mods action. If moved to another one, replay there.

[turbof1]

Essentially the report system is a god's gift to us moderators. Many people don't realise it, but it's the first line of defense a moderator has to safeguard the forums from issues, and allows him to act swift and fast, as he gets to see the report fairly easy. It's why we encourage members to use it. I have deep respect for members who consistently do this; they essentially help with the moderating through this way.

It's like Zonk said: report it. If you want to reply on something, but feel it's off topic, then use the message box at the report page to specifically note you want to reply on it. This essentially ensures we don't remove the discussion, but move it to somewhere more appropiate (sometimes we remove, sometimes we move. It's about the moment how we judge the discussion, but once asked we'll keep it). We'll personally PM the person who reported it with a link to the discussion's new place. Moving discussions has been a big succes actually. Once the discussion is at its right place, members are and feel much less restricted to answer on it. We had this with the intercooler and with the wing vibrations. Both became a high quality discussion.

Would it not be worth then moving away from subforums in general chat all together and listing race and team under the f1 group as you have done with the cars so then you can clarify further about each one and what should be discussed in each?

I'll bring it up for discussion with the other mods.

Also a note to everybody that we'll keep splitting topics to a bare minimum for now. We were a bit overwhelmed with how it went down with the members, so we'll be considerate and put the plan on the background for now, while we look for better solutions. We humbly ask that you in return try to be a bit considerate with staying on topic.

[astracrazy]

i just think you'll have less problem with people posting in the wrong place if you direct them better. removing the subforum thing might help a little bit (so everything has a description)

[astracrazy]

perhaps in addition if you want to keep speculation away from fact create a sort of free for all speculation/Rumour board. People can create threads and discuss speculation or rumours without it getting mixed up in topics where people are after facts only

just an idea

[donskar]

Why not create an informal thread for the cars which you will not moderate?

Sometimes people want to discuss the general merits of a car, e.g. good or bad in slow corners, or "this car doesn't have enough rear df for vettel", etc. - but this discussion is banned because "it has to be ON the car" for it to be in the thread. I've seen such discussions also moved into the team thread, which also is not the right place for this subject.

The pre-season speculation threads were perfect in this regard as you could post anything and not have discussion deleted.
Sometimes we like to converse in an informal and non-technical way, but still about a directed topic like a particular car.

Actually once we get a good division of threads we'll thread the car threads way less strictly. You are right - we need a thread that is way less strict. I think I'll take a note of this too and discuss with the other mods how informal we'll go with the car threads once discussion is channeled correct in the side threads.

The difference with the speculation threads sits in the title: it's speculating. Nobody can verify what will get on the car until the launch, at which point we switch to the official thread. It speaks for itself we don't touch the informal talk, the topic title basicilly states it is informal!

Keep this line up guys; less complaining, and more suggesting things!

I support this line of thought 100%. F1 Technical is a wonderful source of technical info. But some of us love ALL of F1, not just the purely technical aspects. It's only normal that the "human" factor creep into a technical discussion. The mods do a VERY difficult job very well, but I'd ask them to be as lenient as possible. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have a smattering of formal AND hands-on experience, enough to understand much of the technical discussions here, but I do miss some of the spirited discussions that took place in the "old days."

[hollus]

Mercedes W05 informal discussion thread? Ferrari F14T informal discussion thread?
Might work. So each "car" would have three threads: a technical car thread, a team thread and an informal chat thread. Maybe only for the most popular and needed cars.
That should work for most users! And there would be a place to move all off topic car comments to, which might help redirect the less considerate users to it in order to find their own comments much better than just erasing the posts.
.... that .... might .... just .... work ....

[donskar]

Mercedes W05 informal discussion thread? Ferrari F14T informal discussion thread?
Might work. So each "car" would have three threads: a technical car thread, a team thread and an informal chat thread. Maybe only for the most popular and needed cars.
That should work for most users! And there would be a place to move all off topic car comments to, which might help redirect the less considerate users to it in order to find their own comments much better than just erasing the posts.
.... that .... might .... just .... work ....

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Interesting idea.

[SiLo]

Mercedes W05 informal discussion thread? Ferrari F14T informal discussion thread?
Might work. So each "car" would have three threads: a technical car thread, a team thread and an informal chat thread. Maybe only for the most popular and needed cars.
That should work for most users! And there would be a place to move all off topic car comments to, which might help redirect the less considerate users to it in order to find their own comments much better than just erasing the posts.
.... that .... might .... just .... work ....

I could easily get behind this. One of the reasons I come here is because there is usually good discussion to read through between people and I like to join in every now and then.