Concerned over the direction the site is taking.

[flasyb]

I agree.  The minimum number of posts creates unnecessary comments.

LOL  Like this one, or mine, but than again I am way above that requirement.  I think the 5 post thing should go away.

Exactly, its getting quite frustrating, and especially the stupid thank you comments in the lesson plan sections that create needless posts to wade through to actually find the materials. I mean its for me a more and more common occurrence for me to read a stupid or needless post and go wt... and then look and see the users post count is at 5.... 

What annoys me is that some people thank others for the material before they've had the chance to download it. You click on someone's profile and they have 5 posts but 3 of them just say "thanks a lot, this is great!  " That means they were posting thanks before they were able to download. It's the worst kind of filler and, like KingKrang says, you sometimes have to wade through dozens of pre-emptive thanks on the longer threads - often the best - to find actual contributions, updates, improvements etc. I'm all for people expressing gratitude but maybe a PM would be more appropriate and clean up a lot of the site's clutter.

Every time I see someone with the post to download minimum of 5 next to their name and I see the "thanks a lot, this is great!" post, I always think, "You little leech. You couldn't even take the time to reply to 5 different things in the general discussion and now you're cluttering the boards with this crap."

The 5 posts rule has failed because it isn't strictly enforced. People just post 5 "thanks" posts, say what book they're reading and then download all they want - at least saying what book you're reading is some level of contribution. If you want to force people to contribute before they download then you have to decide what actually constitutes as a contribution. Frankly, I think we should go back to permitting a downloading free for all because, if we don't, we'll soon be past our necks in useless posts.

[justanotherwaygook]

I'd pay for waygook.  How about $20/year?

[flasyb]

I'd pay for waygook.  How about $20/year?

I bet they'd get loads from existing users but would struggle to attract new ones. With the NET turnover the way it is in Korea, user levels would soon go down year on year. Good or bad thing? Depends on what Arsalan wants from the site.

I contributed before the new payment system came in. Do you know how I can get my boxes to turn green? Tired of looking like a cheapskate.

[Frozencat99]

A membership fee would make sense if there would be any way to stop another forum from propping up, likely based off of the newer waygooks (and others that just don't want to pay), that would just be able to use the massive amount of content available now (and already downloaded).

[kyndo]

The 5 posts rule has failed because it isn't strictly enforced. People just post 5 "thanks" posts, say what book they're reading and then download all they want - at least saying what book you're reading is some level of contribution. If you want to force people to contribute before they download then you have to decide what actually constitutes as a contribution. Frankly, I think we should go back to permitting a downloading free for all because, if we don't, we'll soon be past our necks in useless posts.

I, of course, completely agree that pointless, contentless posts are annoying and clutter up the site. But... wasn't the 5 post rule put in place to curb the huge increase in bandwidth taken up by random downloaders? In my understanding, putting in the 5 post requirement was done to make it harder for casual browsers to come in, download a Tb and run off again.

Ideally, it would be nice for every comment to be intelligent, insightful, considerate, and thought provoking, but we all know that that will never happen. I know that mine never manage to make it past the "barely intelligible" mark...

However, it might be nice to have a "YouTube"esque type system in place to vote comments up or down, and any spam comments with enough downvotes automatically become hidden. This would go a long way towards neutering trolls as well. 

[justanotherwaygook]

However, it might be nice to have a "YouTube"esque type system in place to vote comments up or down, and any spam comments with enough downvotes automatically become hidden. This would go a long way towards neutering trolls as well. 

They tried a system similar to that (though it was for the user, not the individual post).  Either way, that can also turn into trolling and picking on people.

I suggested earlier that one should be given permission before being able to download.  Basically, you make 5 posts, then a request is sent to the moderator for review, then the moderator enables download ability.

[mrbobrm]

I wouldn't get rid of general forum, but rather make everything a bit more clear on the rules involved.

Create a mandatory user agreement?

[MiWonTeacher]

Posts have a "keep" button.

Any post that doesn't merit a certain number of keeps per time period are expired or hidden from view.

[MiWonTeacher]

Or alternatively, a 'hide' button, which will hide a post which enough members deem as clutter.

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

^^

 That leads to ganging up against anyone that has a subversive voice.  That's called group censorship.

It's better to just stick to clearly defined rules, but have a forum where diversity can breed and people with varying perspectives can still have their voices heard even if they are not the mainstream / popular opinion - as long as they express themselves within the boundries of the rules.

Yay democracy!

[hilarity ensues]

Okay, here's something that's been irritating: people who keep calling other people trolls.

Seriously, a guy posts about how he's having a hard time in Korea and wants to quit and he's a troll. A guy posts about how his friend is dying of liver failure and he's a troll (that one was really awful-- I was actually really angry when I saw that… even if he did end up to be a troll, when it's something as serious as that and your first reaction is to call him a troll, then you should really start questioning your own humanity).

And you know it's been taken to the next level when people feel the need to carefully dissect pieces of posts and analyze the personalities of people they've never spoken to or met in person, just to prove their point. I mean, the world does have more than 6 different people in it… it's not like people can't make weird grammar mistakes or whatever.

Can we just trust that the mods are capable of making rational decisions about these things and that there's no need for people to turn internet crusader to protect waygook from the dangerous saboteurs in our midst? If you feel like it's a troll, just ignore it and don't make drama about it. Definitely don't start dreaming up twisted plots about Anti-English Spectrum, Korean Sentry, bitter gyopos, etc… you'll be happy you didn't.

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

. A guy posts about how his friend is dying of liver failure and he's a troll (that one was really awful-- I was actually really angry when I saw that… even if he did end up to be a troll, when it's something as serious as that and your first reaction is to call him a troll, then you should really start questioning your own humanity).

He did?  The campaign is still advertised at the top of the webpage.

[hilarity ensues]

^^I meant hypothetically.

I suppose I should have phrased it differently.

That guy is real... which makes it even worse. 

[Frozencat99]

Okay, here's something that's been irritating: people who keep calling other people trolls.

Seriously, a guy posts about how he's having a hard time in Korea and wants to quit and he's a troll. A guy posts about how his friend is dying of liver failure and he's a troll (that one was really awful-- I was actually really angry when I saw that… even if he did end up to be a troll, when it's something as serious as that and your first reaction is to call him a troll, then you should really start questioning your own humanity).

And you know it's been taken to the next level when people feel the need to carefully dissect pieces of posts and analyze the personalities of people they've never spoken to or met in person, just to prove their point. I mean, the world does have more than 6 different people in it… it's not like people can't make weird grammar mistakes or whatever.

Can we just trust that the mods are capable of making rational decisions about these things and that there's no need for people to turn internet crusader to protect waygook from the dangerous saboteurs in our midst? If you feel like it's a troll, just ignore it and don't make drama about it. Definitely don't start dreaming up twisted plots about Anti-English Spectrum, Korean Sentry, bitter gyopos, etc… you'll be happy you didn't.

Or hit the report post button and type it there, which will directly go to a mod to handle. If you feel its that bad, that is.

Dissenting points of view exist and they're bound to show up with the multiplicity of people we have. Its a shame that people think trolling means disagreeing, here and elsewhere on the Internet.

[hilarity ensues]

Its a shame that people think trolling means disagreeing, here and elsewhere on the Internet.

Well, sometimes it's the way that someone disagrees, but okay.
I'm mostly thinking about the people who aren't being jerks but who might be a little naive or who might have a serious problem.

[Frozencat99]

Its a shame that people think trolling means disagreeing, here and elsewhere on the Internet.

Well, sometimes it's the way that someone disagrees, but okay.
I'm mostly thinking about the people who aren't being jerks but who might be a little naive or who might have a serious problem.

Oh, I agree. I try to be respectful (unless someone hasn't shown me the same courtesy :3) when I disagree with people. I just think it'd be nice to solidify a definition of trolling. Depending on how loose someone's definition is, Waygook is either relatively problem free or a troll haven.

Though disagreeing for the sake of an argument, or disagreeing in a way to provoke a flame war/useless discussion, absolutely.

[Harpoinseoul]

DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP ~My sentiments exactly. I couldn't have said it better.

Being a Mod is a thankless job, and I just want to say thank you!!

On a positive note: I really like the way the Mods come down hard on anyone who is attacking another poster. I think that is awesome and makes this an excellent board where people can feel safe to share what's on their mind. I see this board as a place for Waegookin can organise and get to know one another~share teaching resources, find support in a foreign environment. Keep up the good work!

No offense, but it seems painfuly obvious to me that a 'GENERAL discussion' section is for GENERAL DISCUSSION!

If you want lesson plans, or to talk about lesson planing, classroom management or how to make resources, then go to those forums.

Every site I am a member of (martial arts, e-cigs, foriegn language, guitar forums, body building etc) all have a forum where you can talk about anything (off topic) or general discussion related to the main theme which for this board would be living and teaching in South Korea as an ESL instructor!

If some people are upet by the things in general discussion - don't go to general discussion forum.  Problem solved.

Why shouldn;t we be ale to discuss things like how we del with stress, datin in the workplace etc?  They are after all related to who we are and what we do for a living. 

Also most of us or a lot of us are the only waeygooks we see or talk to all day, no surprise really we want people to talk to here.  And whomever suggested facebook - my friends back home can't realte to the stuff I post here!!!  Also they are in bed whils I want to post!!

I don't know, that is just so painfully obvious and a non issue to me that I kind of feel kind of bad at having just written the above.

No offense Brian....  If I only came here for lesson planning ec, I wouldn't ever come here as I don't need help with things like that.

I just don't see why genral discussion shouldn't take place.  Noone has to read it if they don't like it.  Aren't we all grown ups?  Can't we tolerate a little bit of what we don't agree with?  Isn't this a key to a REAL ADULT democracy and an open society rather than censorship and facism, stamping out anything we don;t like or agree with?  The fact that that is what Dave's has become is exactly why we all migrated here in fact!

[hilarity ensues]

What if the other poster is a moron?  Or a troll?  Are we free to share what's on our minds then?

If you ask me, this is the attitude that made the 'other' site such a hole-- it wasn't the 'stupidity' or the 'Korea is the same as the West' people (well, it was kind of them), it was the fact that everyone had to attack everyone else or call them stupid and put them down when they said something 'dumb'.

Why wouldn't you just report and then ignore them and leave it to the mods to decide what happens?

And if you seriously think that it's up to you personally to decide who is a 'moron', then you're part of the problem.
Sorry to say that, but it's true.

[Frozencat99]

Generally, if a post resounds 'stupidity' to you, it'll come across like that to other people -- you don't really have to state what other people are thinking, especially when it'll just derail a topic and start a troll/flame war.

I mean, if you absolutely need to flaunt your hammer of judgment around, PM each other and have an argument where no one else cares (so long as you stay within the ToS of course).

[bobrocket]

Being a Mod is a thankless job, and I just want to say thank you!!

It is also voluntary.  Oh, and unaccountable.

On a positive note: I really like the way the Mods come down hard on anyone who is attacking another poster.

What if the other poster is a moron?  Or a troll?  Are we free to share what's on our minds then?

Perhaps this site should focus only on sharing lesson plans and ideas, and leave the rampant idiocy to the 'other' site.

Nothing wrong with stupid questions,it may be moronic but some people just arn't good at figuring s**t out.
Sure there the absolute WTF? but at some stage everyone had green horns.

This isn't Dave's, it's not yet about protein shakes, dui's and what not. it's it out of place then the mods are on to it, otherwise carry on.