META: Bring Back Actual Voting
I addressed this in Thorin's YouTube thread.
I absolutely hate this system of voting on posts in a thread. Half the fun of MGoBoard used to be, finding a post in a thread that was +42 or -29 ( the negative posts were always more fun IMHE).
Lets bring this back, there has to be a way to get it done. I'd be willing to chip in some cash if its a matter of monies. WE CAN DO IT>
UPDATE: I emailed Mr. Cook with a link to this thread. I don't know how often he checks the board but we'll see if this can get done.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^
COSIGN.
October 9th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^
COTANGENT. /s
October 9th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^
Kickstarter!
October 9th, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^
I want to see how high (or low) some posts get. Limiting it to 5 up or -1 down kinda sucks.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:34 AM ^
As Michigan fans, we demand the right to know exactly how good or bad something is.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^
It's not even that. Being able to neg someone to Bolivia without being a mod is half the fun
October 9th, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^
I remember Brian mentioning sometime a couple months ago that he was going to change the voting system. I wouldn't expect any changes to be made until the off-season though, when he has more free time.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
I don't know if its a matter of coding or what but I know for a fact there is a lot of mgousers out there who are Competent programmers who could get the job done for Brian. I don't know if thats an option but it should be.
October 9th, 2012 at 2:10 PM ^
Everybody wins. The intern gets experience, Brian gets free labor, we get actual votes. Maybe we can get the EECS department to fund this as some sort of work-study project.
October 9th, 2012 at 4:14 PM ^
Por ejemplo:
there is a lot of mgousers out there
That right there would have been worth at least a -5 in the olden days.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^
The man is married now. He doesn't have "free time" without first being given permission in writing by She Who Must Be Obeyed.
I've been married for 17 years now. I know how these things work (or thought I did, but the rules keep changing).
October 9th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
cosign
October 9th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^
You fools. You must accept this "democracy" that is given to you...or you will be crushed. Resistance is futile.
But, yeah, I like reading the unpopular comments too. The semi-censorship now in place really accomplishes nothing. Most of us have pretty thick skin and are comfortable with the internet and it's nearly-anything-goes ethos.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^
I totally agree and I'd be willing to pitch in if necessary to change it back.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:42 AM ^
I agree. It's almost election time. Let's start practicing.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^
Your guy sucks, my guy rules!
/how most people sound/act when politics come up
October 9th, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^
Agreed. I hate this moderate button.
October 9th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
(rhetorical)
October 9th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^
The one you can't see...
October 9th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^
100% agree. I'll donate $500 to help pay for the reprogramming costs.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:03 AM ^
October 9th, 2012 at 4:10 PM ^
Jimmy Johns would have had it there before you hit "save" on your comment.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^
I absolutely agree. And to tack on a rider to this proposal, I'm of course going to throw in a request for higher minimums to post. Most threads that get negged to bolivia are usually started by guys who have just crossed 100 and aren't aware of board rules (spoken and unspoken) and the general way things work here. If we bring back real voting, a point threshold of 200, 250 or even 500 would be much more attainable by someone who is actually contributing likeable material to the board, yet more difficult to attain for the undeserving guys.
A quality newbie could theoritcally get to that higher point threshold and contribute more good content faster than the way it is now. On the other hand, trolls that have been here for many years, or guys that annoyingly over-comment right off the bat to get to 100/500 pts, would not just default their way to the needed point total like they're able to now. The board will make damn sure of that.
In general, allowing voting (and raising thresholds for starting threads) gives this board more of a ability to police themselves (which is a positive thing and something we've always done a decent job of) and it also makes the mods lives a bit easier.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:34 AM ^
I agree on the threshold bit, but the ability to neg someone will help take care of that problem too.
With negs that actually bring down your point total, it will take longer for people to get to 100 points because they will with a doubt say some stupid things in their first hundred points, meaning they'd really be at 150 or so of today's points before they were able to post.
Also - if people know that if they make a dumb post they'll get lots and lots of negative points, they'll think twice once they hit that 100 number, knowing a bad post might bring them back to 50 in a hurry.
The big problem now is that if you make a bad post or start a bad thread, there will be no ramification outside of getting ribbed, unless it's terribly offensive. Having a point threshold plus consequencs might be enough.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:50 AM ^
One of the great, self-policing aspects of this board was the ability to neg troll-like comments into bolivian, and to upvote those that were truly great or funny.
I expect that the reason that Brian removed the old system was because of the level of acrimony during the latter part of the RR era. Those that wanted RR gone were often negged heavily for expressing their negative views by those that defended RR. The result of this was a point system that led to negging (or upvoting) based entirely on the view expressed.
The discord and split in the fanbase that characterized 2008-10 is gone, however. Sure, we don't all agree on everything, but the differences of opinion (i.e. Fitz should be benched in favor or Rawls vs. Fitz will be fine) are ordinary for any fanbase, and there is no real acrimony. So, I personally see no reason not to go back to the old system that we all liked.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:16 AM ^
I think you are spot on here man. Too many wildly negative or positive posts revolving about the RR debate. Very nasty business that, I hope to not see that ever again.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^
Its the gift that keeps on giving all year-round. I still have people that neg me on sight for my "performance" during that time. My (and I think jHackney's) position was that the vitriol was ridiculous, regardless of opinions. We blew up every argument about it, regardless of the position. And I think we learned that even trying to do that was bad. I think everyone learned a lot from that era - not just as fans but as participants on this blog. I know I did. And my one take from it as a moderator now is to make sure that everyone respects each other.
So, from my standpoint, the accumulating point system helps weed out an punish the trolls. And the moderators can simply provide back-up in the event they don't get the message rather than how it works now.
October 9th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
In a previous thread (i can't find) someone suggested unlimited upvoting but limited negging so someone can't be sent to Bolivia in one fell swoop by an angry mob. Seems fairly rationale.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:17 AM ^
but I'm pretty sure Brian stated it was lost in the hack bombing of a few years ago. Had to go with different "thingies" (the extent of my website knowledge) in the rebuild and that awesome points system was not a possibility at that time.
October 9th, 2012 at 1:08 PM ^
You are correct. Brian had to change it after the site got attacked. I think all or some of the codes were turned malicious, but I'm sure someone with actual programming knowledge can be more specific.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^
I like the Neg aspect of it, but it used to be a thousand GIFs and funny pictures in most threads getting upvoted like crazy, but those images kinda bogs down real discussion that takes place around it.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^
We can regulate that kind of stuff. I won't lie - having a true, accumulating voting system was tremendous - both entertaining and less pressure on moderators to regulate rogue users - but I will be the first to admit that I have no idea what goes into programming (cost, time, labor, etc.). No idea.
October 9th, 2012 at 2:04 PM ^
Oh corporate firewall, why do you block thee?
October 9th, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
hilarity are 66.66(repeating of course) percent of why I come here. The other 33.33 is the UM info. Don't be bagging on the total awesomeness that is this site. UM football is only part of it.
October 9th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^
I actually read the beginning of Brian's "That 70s Game" entry to my wife yesterday with the commentary that it was a perfect example of why I love this site. The writing (not just Brian's, but also many MGoContributors) is some of the best on the internet. That this site just happens to be about Michigan athletics is a worthy bonus, but it would be exceptional without it, too.
October 9th, 2012 at 12:52 PM ^
This is the problem with Reddit now, where discussion gets derailed because the jokes get upvotes. Maybe having the option to filter out posts that are moderated as funny would help.
October 9th, 2012 at 1:53 PM ^
But if the jokes are getting upvotes, doesn't that mean that people like them? If a joke is derailing a discussion and you don't like that, couldn't you just downvote to show your displeasure?
October 9th, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
Sounds like he and Herm sit together at home games.
October 9th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
You got a problem bruh?
October 9th, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^
and pluses. Also, hiding sucks. Too often, any idiot can come through and shut down a post--let everyone read them and decide for themselves--plusses and negs help give an idea of how people see them.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
Agreed on the hiding aspect.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:11 AM ^
Just change your comment threshold settings right below the main content of the forum post to -1 and save. This automatically unhides all hidden posts that were voted negative.
October 9th, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^
Is the bug that makes it impossible to read page 2 (and beyond) without opening a new tab ever going to be resolved? That'd be nice.
October 9th, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
^^^ This I care about.
Points, not so much.
October 9th, 2012 at 12:19 PM ^
It's not impossible if you use bookmarks.
mgoblog, p.2
mgoboard, p.2
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard?page=1
Increment the page number for next page. (I.e., put "2" for p. 3, etc. Imagine the page count starting at "0".)
October 9th, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^