Do you think the "awesome features" of gold...

...need to be better than they actually are?

Three of them are pretty much pointless.

1. Being able to see posts awaiting moderation;
2. Having your posts moderated first (which was never of much use, since all it did was trigger moderation process of other 20 - 30 stories right after and would kick your brand new post to the second or third page, after the 5 day-old posts; although the idea and change over a year ago was interesting it left most users frustrated)
3. Instant chatroom access, considering that if you are an old-timer and have good karma you are allowed in there anyway. (Not to mention that it has been empty most of the time after many users left the community.

So, you get PMs, highlighting of new comments (which is a great feature) and a dozen color options to pick from.

In short, it's not looking so awesome.

Yes	20
No	3

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Comments ( 24 )

charli.m

9 years ago | pl

Seems like more and more features that used to be gold only are now for everyone. While I can't complain about that (as I refuse to buy gold now, for anyone), I think it's really bad business management. I also think that the one featurethat shoulf be all users and not gold only, is the fucking PM system.

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- [Old Memory]
  
  9 years ago
  
  Yes. I read...and re-read the "adjustments to how moderation works..."
  
  ...and I'm beyond frustrated. We're expected to self moderate, but we might be held accountable if others don't agree. Seems like an invitation to sit back and refuse participation...leaving the site a chaotic mess.
  
  Two wolves and a sheep are expected to vote on what's for dinner...
  
  I do understand the point that Udi is trying to make: as much as we complain about moderation, then fine...do it yourselves. But instead of addressing the issues we have, he throws it at a community, under duress of peer pressure, ignoring the fact that many of us have valid points that won't fit the norm.
  
  ...leaving many of us who don't fit the IIN mould...voiceless.
  
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  - charli.m
    
    9 years ago
    
    Yup. Seems his solution to the modeators being fucking shit is not to straighten shit up, but to fuck it off all together.
    
    He's pissing off many people...
    
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    - [Old Memory]
      
      9 years ago
      
      Icing on the cake Mel.
      
      It's a shame. I've met a lot of great people here. People I couldn't disagree with more...but respected and admired.
      
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      - charli.m
        
        9 years ago
        
        Straw that broke the camel's back, methinks.
        
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  - TheManagement
    STAFF
    
    9 years ago
    
    These are very fair criticisms. I just want to add a couple small notes...
    
    There is a reputation system being used as part of the moderation system, but it's just behind the scenes to help us prioritize content for moderation and has no consequences to you as a user. Your ability to post and comment will not be affected unless you're a real bad actor and do nothing but make trouble (you have to be really, really bad for this to happen).
    
    If you happen to report a post now and then that our mods think is ok, it won't really affect you at all. Your reputation score takes into account many factors, including how long you've been a member, your posts, your comments and more. This is just another piece of that puzzle. I assure you that good members like yourself have nothing to fear from this.
    
    Also, just because someone else might not like your post because it "doesn't fit the norm" and reports it only means that that particular post may end up being treated just like every post was treated under the old system. It will be looked at by our moderator who will make a judgement call, the same way things used to be.
    
    All that this new system does is speed up the process for the 80+ percent of posts that our moderators would have approved anyway and that aren't controversial. The content on the site now can only be less restricted than before, not more.
    
    I hope this alleviates a few concerns. I'm happy to answer any questions or further explain anything that isn't clear.
    
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    - [Old Memory]
      
      9 years ago
      
      Thanks for the reply.
      
      I've given it time, but I still think this system litters the site with an overabundance of repetitive, nonsensical, and downright stupid posts. Of course your second to last paragraph made a point...you approved 80% of those before, which led many of us to complain to begin with.
      
      I do understand your point that it makes the site less restricted, but now we have to wade through so much garbage, and few posts get the number of, or quality responses they did before...which I think really exemplifies the biggest victim of the new system: look at the number of answers a thread receives now. It's anemic, and by the time someone takes the effort to post a reply...it's buried three pages down and few people read it.
      
      Then...you have people like me who will seldom, if ever, report any submission, because I don't believe it's my place to judge what the community is interested in responding to.
      
      Would you consider creating a separate "awaiting moderation" page that would allow the community to review before sending to the main page? It could be like it was for Gold members before, but instead of the final decision made by you...it'd be made by us.
      
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    - charli.m
      
      9 years ago
      
      Are the spell caster posts going to be auto approved now, too, like the one selling handbags or whatever it was selling that I've already reported?
      
      Also, other than PMs and colours, now that unmod is just the shit that gets reported, what exactly is the point of Gold?
      
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      - TheManagement
        STAFF
        
        9 years ago
        
        I have some automatic filters that try to catch those. So annoying. If one happens to get through, please just report it. Thanks.
        
        As for the handbag style spam, I'm also going to keep adjusting my filters to catch stuff like that as I see new types, so that situation should improve over time.
        
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        charli.m
        
        9 years ago
        
        Also, I've been told your changes have messed up emails/notifications. Something about replies to comments don't register.
        
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anti-hero

9 years ago

As of last night the mod system has changed as well. Seems unmod is just the ones that get reported.

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TheManagement
STAFF

9 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I understand the frustration, I do, but I think this new mod system is an experiment worth trying. Give it a fair shot and I think you'll like it, and the site will become more vibrant and more helpful for people as well. If it doesn't work out I may revert to the old way, but I want to give it some time and see how things go.

Also, I'm very open to new suggestions for additional Gold features if anyone has any. You can reply here or send ideas via the feedback form.

Thanks!

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  9 years ago
  
  Thank you, I appreciate your comment. However, I wasn't questioning the new moderation system in my original post, just the set of "awesome features" IIN Gold is offering me. I've always been open to changes that would make the site better and never complained much but, to be completely honest, it has been quite messy recently.
  
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- Shrunk
  
  9 years ago
  
  I've been one to say "you might as well not moderate stories at all" but more what i meant was you ought to hire new/more admins to keep out the junk and work harder. Why don't you accept volunteers from the trusted members of the userbase? but if you're going for a more yahoo answers/reddit kind of feel, then i guess youre doing alright, good luck with that.. it's not terrible it's just.. not as original as it used to be..
  
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- [Old Memory]
  
  9 years ago
  
  I'm curious why the moderation has been bypassed. I don't see a problem with most posts, but this will allow people to do multiple posting of the same things as well as questions that simply take up space and drown out the good questions.
  
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  - TheManagement
    STAFF
    
    9 years ago
    
    The moderation system isn't gone, but it's changed. Now posts are allowed through by default and people like yourself are empowered to send the ones you think don't belong to moderation.
    
    Click the "Report" link underneath any post that you think should get moderated and we'll take a look at it.
    
    This new system allows people that post questions (most of which are fine as you said) to get answers much more quickly, and also lets the community have a greater say in what types of content should be allowed or removed rather than just leaving it up to our moderators.
    
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dinz

9 years ago

I still waiting for my key to the executive bathrooms on the top floor. Highly disappointed.

Oh a serious note, the only thing of gold I use is mostly access to the unmoderated section.

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kingofcarrotflowers

9 years ago

Personally I think it's worth it just for pm but then, for a website partly about giving advice I remember being really surprised you had to pay to message when I first joined

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handsignals

9 years ago

I still want avatars.

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- TheManagement
  STAFF
  
  9 years ago
  
  Anyone else?
  
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  - Riddler
    
    9 years ago
    
    I agree about the PM system. It also is inconvenient if you are having a conversation in PM and than are cut off because gold ran out.
    
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