No Thanks Make Introduce Yourself! a non-post-count area

I propose changing the Introduce Yourself! section so that posts do not count.

I make this suggestion because:

• Members spam in there, using copypasta introductions in order to increase their post count. This would remove the incentive to spam that section.
• Idle chit-chat is not allowed in post-count areas, and as members wish to converse with the newcomers, instead of giving a single-post responses, the forum is best suited to not count posts.
• Holding a conversation is more beneficial to the newcomers in the long run than the initial +1 to their post count.
• The mods are required to delete the off-topic conversations, which wastes valuable moderator time.
• Deletion of conversations also irritates the members of the forum.
• I think it's a good idea. B|

 

I agree with this.

I know there's a rule against copypasta (is there?) but people do it anyway and just change a few words or reuse old ones.

 

No from me. So what if someone gets some posts from it. No big deal.

 

It's not the getting of the posts that causes the problems. It's the consequences that stem from that. It encourages people to spam the section for easy posts, instead of posting for the sake of greeting the members. Also, the mods dislike the idle chit-chat that goes on in the threads, so they delete them. Presumably the mods would be more laid back about conversation there if posts didn't count. Conversation should be encouraged in the introduction threads, because it allows newer members to forge connections, which will ultimately make them stay longer.

 

Or they could be more laid back when it comes to post count?

 

That'd work too, but suggestions that directly criticise staff practice aren't as likely to get accepted. :lolface:

 

Like Kubo said, I don't like this. I've always thought of the Introduction Section as a place where new member can get their first post or even first couple of posts. It's the first place they (should) visit and I believe they should get that first post for it. Not so much for returning members ("Welcome back, here's a post!" isn't as nice as "Welcome to the forum, here's a post to get you started!"), especially since returning members are less likely to care about posts.

But instead of:

I think staff should come down harder/stricter to people holding idle chit chat, using the same generic "welcome" post, etc.
Like reword the rules

into something more strict, I guess? I mean, the rules are titled "READ HERE BEFORE POSTING" and I don't know if there's a better way to reword that, but rewording the rules themselves might help.

 

I still support this.

Even though the Intro section is for saying high, unless we're allowed to do so, that's all there is. The repeating of saying "read the rules" and whatnot gets boring.

Why not allow a little idle chit-chat for a bit and then closing the thread a day later?

 

Connections are more important than +1 to the post count. Connections are more likely to be forged if conversation is allowed. Conversation is more likely to be allowed if posts don't count.

In my experience, idle chit-chat is already strictly handled. This suggestion is to allow idle chit-chat, at the cost of post-count.

 

I have to agree with Kubo's standpoint; who really cares? I personally feel more lenient in Introduce Yourself because it's just there to get people started. Newcomers, if given a warm welcome, are more likely to stick around imo. If it segues into some sort of random conversation then yes, we will take action, but hey, that's our job, isn't it?

Post count is just a number, really. It is unfair for someone to bolster theirs with copy+pasta intros and we do try to prevent that. Perhaps we can be a bit harder on it, but I think completely eliminating post count in that section is a bit far.

 

The threads tend to do this fairly often, and the conversations get deleted. I think the conversations should be allowed. I was under the impression that the mods were deleting the conversations/spam because it was post-counting, strictly on-topic area. The problem with such an on-topic area is that there are very few ways to actually welcome someone without going off topic. When people introduces themselves, they tend to then have a brief conversation, as opposed to saying "Pleased to meet you" and walking off. To have an entire forum devoted to such a practice seems unnecessary and superfluous.

When I suggest removing post count, I'm also suggesting that the Introduce Yourself! forum becomes significantly less rigid, and allows for more conversation, similar to the other forums in which posts don't count, such as the Usual Spot.

 

Well a few posts are (in my opinion) completely okay, but if you want to go farther than that, I do have to suggest that you just go to VM/PM/IM.

I do get where you're coming from though, I'm not entirelyopposed to the idea.

 

I dislike this idea for the following reasons:

-Many people post there to introduce members for the sole reason of getting post count.. If the post count gets removed less people will post and the newbies will feel less welcome
-Many people post genuine, non-copypasta posts to welcome the members and I think it's unfair that those don't count, even if some people post copypasta
-The newbies will probably feel a little bit put off by their first post not counting