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View Full Version : Can we bring back the backyard or loosen up the rules on this forum?



RichardLinx
July 8th, 2014, 11:56 AM
I used to really enjoy the religious, philosophical and political banter on this forum. It encouraged educated discussion and attracted more conversation between the various members of this website, alongside no small amount of spontaneous and horribly bad (Yet somehow... also good) Ubuntu/Linux jokes. I think removing the backyard and restricting previously allowed topics of conversation has caused the community here to stagnate as a result of decreased hostile, but simultaneously honest conversation between users. So while the forum has become relatively tame, it's also become somewhat of a hivemind or sheeplike in its nature.

I don't expect immediate agreement with this, but I'd like it if you'd at least take this suggestion under consideration.

Also, does handy still post around here?

buzzingrobot
July 8th, 2014, 12:50 PM
Plenty of other places on the web for "religious, philosophical and political banter", where it almost always devolves into something less than "educated".

I doubt Canonical wants that here or wants Ubuntu to be associated with it. Pretty sure the moderators would not want to start policing those kinds of food fights, either.

Such things would clutter up the forums, making it more difficult to search and find relevant info. That diffusion of useful content might easily impact the site's Google ranking, as well.

slickymaster
July 8th, 2014, 12:56 PM
Plenty of other places on the web for "religious, philosophical and political banter", where it almost always devolves into something less than "educated".

I doubt Canonical wants that here or wants Ubuntu to be associated with it. Pretty sure the moderators would not want to start policing those kinds of food fights, either.

Such things would clutter up the forums, making it more difficult to search and find relevant info. That diffusion of useful content might easily impact the site's Google ranking, as well.

This ^^^

From the Ubuntu Forums Rules:

The purpose of the Ubuntu Forums is to provide support for Ubuntu. We also want this to be a place where community can develop and we can enjoy one another's company. To achieve this, we strive to maintain an atmosphere that can be enjoyed by all and we ask all members of the community to be respectful at all times.

Politics: This topic has caused serious problems in the past, and as such is subject to tight control. Discussion of the politics of open source is permissible within the Ubuntu/Linux and Other OS forum, no other political posting is permitted in any form in any other area of the forum.
Religion: This is a forbidden topic forum wide. Please find another venue to exercise your freedom of speech on this topic.

RichardLinx
July 8th, 2014, 01:58 PM
I suppose that's fair enough.

pretty_whistle
July 8th, 2014, 08:14 PM
Personally I like the forums as it is.

Discussions of politics and religion are always a non-ending debate with no winners. I dont go other places for it because of this.

Just my taste on the matter.

Buntu Bunny
July 9th, 2014, 02:57 AM
Personally I like the forums as it is.

+1

sammiev
July 9th, 2014, 03:02 AM
Personally I like the forums as it is.

Discussions of politics and religion are always a non-ending debate with no winners. I dont go other places for it because of this.

Just my taste on the matter.

+1

Bucky Ball
July 9th, 2014, 03:27 AM
This is not the correct place to post this. If you are wanting changes to the forum you should inform the admins directly by posting in Forum Feedback & Help. Thanks.

Either way, The Backyard is gone, unlikely to return, and along with them conversations regarding religion or politics.

mastablasta
July 9th, 2014, 07:21 AM
Discussions of politics and religion are always a non-ending debate with no winners..

actually the one with "stronger argument" wins. :P

i am glad we do not have these discussions here.

Warren Hill
July 9th, 2014, 07:31 AM
actually the one with "stronger argument" wins. :P

i am glad we do not have these discussions here.

Are you sure about this? My experience is that most people just continue to believe what they believe but now you have a reason not to like someone because you disagree on some matter.

Keep the forum as it is. If our political and religious views match fine, if they don't it's not relevant to helping each other use Ubuntu better.

bapoumba
July 9th, 2014, 07:55 AM
One thing to consider : off topic backyard discussions often spilled over the general help areas. People who had been arguing and disagreeing on politics/religion/whatever else continued their sour arguments when recommending a command or a fix.

I rarely went to the BY anyway, only to follow reports and spend much time untangling threads and discussions to understand who said what and what to do, what to keep, what to remove, just so it could be started all over again the next day. Was a real pain and waste of time. At least imho.

The gain for the community was minimal, if not negative. The pressure on Staff was high. We needed strongly opinionated people which would in turn create very different moderation habits. Other times :)

pretty_whistle
July 9th, 2014, 08:00 AM
One thing to consider : off topic backyard discussions often spilled over the general help areas. People who had been arguing and disagreeing on politics/religion/whatever else continued their sour arguments when recommending a command or a fix.

I rarely went to the BY anyway, only to follow reports and spend much time untangling threads and discussions to understand who said what and what to do, what to keep, what to remove, just so it could be started all over again the next day. Was a real pain and waste of time. At least imho.

The gain for the community was minimal, if not negative. The pressure on Staff was high. We needed strongly opinionated people which would in turn create very different moderation habits. Other times :)

Very true. This is an added reason that I think it's just not worth it.

stalkingwolf
July 9th, 2014, 02:49 PM
I also like a good religious discussion. That said you can rarely find a discussion about religion be it comparitive religion or religious history that does no after 2-3 posts devolve into an arguement and/or flame war.

I also do not think this is the venue for such discussions. We use enough band width just supporting the users of these OS's.

mastablasta
July 9th, 2014, 02:52 PM
Are you sure about this? My experience is that most people just continue to believe what they believe but now you have a reason not to like someone because you disagree on some matter..

yes i am quite sure - "stronger argument" as in stronger muscles, stronger voice, stronger position, stronger weapons... :)

and if you can't reason with people you need a stronger argument in your hand :D

sipirilin
July 11th, 2014, 03:44 AM
Neh, that would involve people having free speech. That could cause all kinds of crazy things and people might not always agree with each other. Better that we all get babysat by the admins and a strict set of rules. If someone speaks out of turn they should be given an infraction or their post sent to a graveyard forum like "recurring discussions". That's the best way we can keep these forums positive and Ubuntu friendly.

Keep it as it is. We can't have people breaking the rules, they must be enforced and enforced firmly. Otherwise this forum will descend into chaos and the terrorists will win.

Bucky Ball
July 11th, 2014, 05:13 AM
And with that:

Thread closed.

@sipirilin: Thanks for sharing in your first post on these forums. The reason we don't allow discussion of politics or religion has nothing to do with what you have outlined. It is clearly and concisely explained in the forum Code of Conduct, which you would have read when you joined.


Politics: This topic has caused serious problems in the past, and as such is subject to tight control. Discussion of the politics of open source is permissible within the Ubuntu/Linux and Other OS forum, no other political posting is permitted in any form in any other area of the forum.

Religion: This is a forbidden topic forum wide. Please find another venue to exercise your freedom of speech on this topic.

This is a Ubuntu support forum. There are plenty of other places to talk about religion and politics if you wish to.

To the OP: If you want to suggest reopening the Backyard, please do so in a thread in Forum Feedback & Help. Thanks and good luck.