A question (primarily for the mods, but open to all)

[aurelemsrealm]

I was reading in the site news through the thread about the post button, and it triggered a question that is only incidentally related. This is something I've wondered about before, but never asked for whatever reason. So, I'll ask now.

We have the Fratching board to use for controversial topics like religion and politics. I'm assuming this is to keep heated debates from spilling into unrelated threads. However, here at CS, we have different sections like Sucky Customers, Cursing Out Coworkers, Praising Customers, Morons in Management, Off Topic, etc. A lot of members cross back and forth between the boards.

Why are the controversial topics taken to an entirely separate board rather than being subdivided into a separate section within CS?

(Again, I'm assuming that I've already answered this question with the statement in bold, however, I've always been curious about having two separate boards.)

[Plaidman]

Simple answer is this.

Title of this board, and website is customers and how horrible they can be. This is for stress relief.

Adding stuff like religion, or politics, or even something as asine as a wording of children can increase stress and cause personal attacks on others. In other words, coming here would make one to be on guard, rather then being able to relax and not have to stress out because they are republican instead of a democrat, or that they had an abortion, or that they are Satanist, and people are going to not only look at them differently, but treat them differently in the boards. A satanist and a christian could have the exact same customer experence, right down to how they're converstation went down, and people will reply completely differently based on that alone.

This board is for fun, relaxation on customers and customer service, not a board on how a law screwed the land up, or how people are going to go to hell because they don't follow X god.

[Mytical]

What Plaidman said. I will also throw my own 2c worth in as a moderator on another forum.

It is a forum for a game, but has a place for 'real' topics such as religion and politics. I wish it didn't though. Some of the biggest EW's post there. If a moderator punishes them for HOW they say something, they break out the 'bias' card. "You are only doing that because you are a <insert atheist if the poster is religious, religious person if the poster is atheiest, etc>" Crying persecution regardless.

Moderators DO have opinions, they are human after all. Most, especially the good ones, can set aside those opinions when Moderating. Now while we all think that the posters on this forum (customers suck, not the other one I am a moderator on) won't turn into EW's or SC's..when their ideas are attacked or questioned..you never know.

Two of the biggest EW's on the forum I moderate I would have NEVER thought would be that way. Since I knew both of them from other forums and they were very excellent posters..but as soon as they went up against each other...*shrugs*

[Rapscallion]

Back when Mr Slugger ran this place, he used to have a subsection for debates within the forum itself. The rules were much looser there, but the overriding one I remember is that what happened in there was to stay in there.

It didn't.

Stuff spilled out and ended up continued on the main part of the site - rather than being a way for people to get stuff off their chests, it became a problem of its own. The solution back then was to come up with aviewon.com for contentious issues, same sort of idea as Fratching. There's far more separation with a different domain and different skin, and it allows people to retain some distance and perspective between the sites.

Costs me an extra board licence, but I think it's worth it.

Rapscallion

[ArcticChicken]

what happened in there was to stay in there.

It didn't.

This is what I would have guessed.

As well, sometimes (OK, a lot of the time, I'm and opinionated bitch with an overinflated sense of the value of her own opinions) someone will say something on Fratching (not that I'm there, much) that desperately makes my want the ability to force choke them. If it was a subforum on CS, that would effect the way I viewed them in the rest of the forums. As a separate website, I can easily isolate my opinion of someone's viewpoint from my opinion of them as a person and as a poster, and it does not effect the way I interact with them here.

[aurelemsrealm]

Okay, so my guess was right, then. I was just curious about the reasoning, but had it figured out when I thought about it. I've always thought it would be interesting to start my own discussion board. I have a few ideas based on some of my own personal interests, but I don't have a lot of time to devote to it. I've thought about asking this question a few times before.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

C'mon ArcticChicken, tell us how you really feel!
Yeah, I second what all else has been said in this thread-- let me tell you, I'm glad it's like this-- even though I've slipped up a few times and strayed over the line. I hate being picked on, and considering some of my beliefs are often picked on... yeah. Furthermore, when other people are being picked on, I'm often at a loss of how to help, and, since the need is short-circuited, there's no problem!
What we can all agree on with Customers Suck is that there are jerks, there are crazies, and there are decent folk-- and that for those people who stress us out, we have this place to vent. Oh, and that anyone not jerks (well, jerks are on a case-by basis...) deserve some modicum of respect.
I think I'll mosey on over to the other thread that's floating right now...
(the "Thank you" one)

[ArcticChicken]

C'mon ArcticChicken, tell us how you really feel!

Well I can't do that here!

[MoonCat]

I have to say that I really appreciate fratching being kept separate. I came over here from a different site that I used to really like, but it started to get nasty....people were attacking others over the smallest things, calling each other names and so on. I don't always agree with the mods' decision to close something down, but I accept it, because it's so much nicer to be on a board where that nasty crap isn't tolerated.

[telecom_goddess]

Back when Mr Slugger ran this place, he used to have a subsection for debates within the forum itself.

Speaking of which whatever happened to the previous owner? I don't recall exactly when this changed hands since I was reading on and off for a lot of years, instead of the fierce devotee I am now

[Rapscallion]

He's still a member, but the last I heard his retail concerns were taking up huge swathes of his time.

Hmm, I bought the domain shortly after Christmas of 2005 or so, if memory serves, and we got it back up and running as of about February 2006.

Rapscallion

[telecom_goddess]

He's still a member, but the last I heard his retail concerns were taking up huge swathes of his time.

Hmm, I bought the domain shortly after Christmas of 2005 or so, if memory serves, and we got it back up and running as of about February 2006.

Rapscallion

Hmmmm don't recall EVER seeing him on here to be honest. OH well whatever

[BookstoreEscapee]

I have to say that I really appreciate fratching being kept separate. I came over here from a different site that I used to really like, but it started to get nasty....people were attacking others over the smallest things, calling each other names and so on. I don't always agree with the mods' decision to close something down, but I accept it, because it's so much nicer to be on a board where that nasty crap isn't tolerated.

I agree...I'm generally hesitant to sign up for boards because of some of the stuff I've seen in posts. Most of the places I have signed up on I rarely, if ever post at. I signed up here to answer a specific post that had to do with my company (and it was a good post )...didn't really expect to still be around 4 years later!

[Plaidman]

Hmmmm don't recall EVER seeing him on here to be honest. OH well whatever

I have plenty of times. We've even PM'ed a few times.

Just life gets in his way is alll. Doesn't mean he doesn't come here and read. I come here to read, even if I don't post anything.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I agree with having a separate board for contentious issues. I've been on message boards where things have gotten extremely ugly over discussions (the worst subjects being religion and abortion) with people not discussing said issues in a mature manner, but just flaming nonstop. At least on a separate forum, hopefully the flamers won't be bothered signing up... and if they do, they can be quickly dealt with if their only intention is to cause trouble.