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comment by kleinbl00
kleinbl00  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Ignore users newer than X days Part Deux: The Reckoning

There's a reason I chose to put it in #bugski: the likelihood of new users following that tag is negligible. Which means new users are either:

A) finding it by seeing it in their feeds because it was shared by an oldster that follows me

B) Cruising "global" and seeing intense amounts of discussion about the subject.

Eight of the top twelve posts in "global", as of this writing, are newbie-related. Two of the top ten posts are mine, opining that maybe there ought to be a way to give people a choice. One of those posts, in a mere seven hours, has generated more comments than the other eleven posts combined.

It's also worth noting that of those twelve posts, two of them are fresh content, by site admins, welcoming new users and aiding them in navigating the site.

So while I can understand why someone new to the site might be offended that their comments are not universally welcome, I think it's fair to say the site response overall is a lot closer to "welcome, please stay out of my hair" than "FUCK OFF N00BZ".





swedishbadgergirl  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

"Welcome, please stay out of my hair" Still feels pretty, well unwelcoming. I get that it is a really, really valid opinion and that having several waves of new users with the same kinds of posts must be annoying.

And i think that most newts are on global to find tags to follow and check out posts.

Anyway, the thing I wanted to say is that this isn't a bad thing. I do feel a tiny bit insulted, but I know that that is irrational. Having this option would be good. It would make it so that the new people gets a friendly welcome since only those that wants to see them sees them and it would make the old users get some peace.

kleinbl00  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's completely rational. I'm stating the desire to make y'all get out of my face. If the preference existed, I could simply make y'all get out of my face without you knowing it and nobody's feelings would be hurt. Instead, we're having this lovely conversation about social obligations and the makeup of online networks.

I'd be offended... but I'd also be lurking.

swedishbadgergirl  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You have been very nice about your desire to make us all get out of your face, and I think it's very nice that you aspire to not hurt anyone's feelings. Thank you for that.

user-inactivated  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What do you think about some other kind of filter? I do see your point that an influx of users can pollute the site sometimes, and I know that earlier users like you have had to deal with this issue much more than newer users like me. I think I just have a strong reaction against something that would hide new users' activity for anyone simply because they are new.

What about a filter that only shows users who have received a circle'ing, or users who have at least one follower? There's got to be a way to encourage active, contributing new users while discouraging spammers and useless posts.

kleinbl00  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You keep missing this: I'm all about letting new users do whatever they want on the site. I'm not suggesting their activity should be hidden from anyone but me. I'm not even suggesting they'd stay hidden permanently - I'm saying that global becomes useless for anyone but Reddit refugees when the Reddit refugees show up, and that I would like to continue to be able to use global until they settle down without impacting their experience one iota.

What you're suggesting is that a popularity contest is the way to handle it. It would work like this:

USER 1: DAE Reddit?

USER 2: LOLZ

Suddenly, User 1 and User 2 are both "circled" because their circlejerk was successful. They both pop into my feed. Meanwhile, if I have someone ignored, I still see their comments. They're just struck out. If they have anything useful to say I'll see it. If instead they're responding with memes (been there, done that), I can rest assured that they'll either be (a) gone (b) mature before I really have to interact with them.

swedishbadgergirl  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The thing is, you assume everyone who is new here has nothing worthwhile to say. New users don't only come from reddit when reddit behaves in a way its users don't like. They might stumble upon hubski another way. And global has been far from useless. I have found many thing that are not new user or reddit related there.

It's not an inherently bad idea, but it has its problems.. And having a feature that make new users invisible to old ones will have an effect on the new users experience. They won't get to interact with those who have ignored all new users - even if they have something worthwhile to say.

kleinbl00  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    The thing is, you assume everyone who is new here has nothing worthwhile to say.

No, I assume that I don't want to hear them until they've settled in. You (and everyone else new) keeps assuming that you'll be globally silenced, rather than selectively ignored. You do understand the difference, correct?

    New users don't only come from reddit when reddit behaves in a way its users don't like.

This is a largely false statement, user-for-nineteen-hours. New users come almost entirely from Reddit. They always have. And they always come when Redditors are mad. Thus, the influx of mad Redditors.

    They might stumble upon hubski another way.

That happened exactly once. We gained about 50 people.

    And global has been far from useless. I have found many thing that are not new user or reddit related there.

Usually, however, that's all there is. Besides, what do you care what I ignore? I'm not forcing my tastes on you in any way, shape or form.

    It's not an inherently bad idea, but it has its problems.

You have enumerated none.

    And having a feature that make new users invisible to old ones will have an effect on the new users experience.

How?

    They won't get to interact with those who have ignored all new users - even if they have something worthwhile to say.

Try this:

1) Ignore me.

2) Click on a few posts.

3) Find me.

4) Interact with me.

5) Report back for science as to how difficult it actually is to interact with someone ignored.

swedishbadgergirl  ·  3570 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I understand the difference and I'm trying to make some points about how it could affect new users and that while this might be good it might also have some bad side effects.The reason that I care what you ignore is that you want a new site feature for you ignoring and a new way of ignoring. I am completely fine with you ignoring me as a user, I'm completely fine with you ignoring all new users, That's your choice.

And I think it is unusual that you think it very insulting to refer someone as OP but seem it fine to delegate someone to their hours as a member. And note that my statement was that people don't only come from reddit. The fact that most do does not invalidate that.

And no matter how hard you argue that it won't impact new users experience it will. The simple fact that such an option to ignore all new users for a week exist sends a message. It tells the new users that people don't want to deal with them and it might lead to people not staying.

And I've said what I think the faults are. It sends a non-welcoming message, it limits the hubski community that new users are exposed to which makes integration for new users harder an it fosters a culture in which time on the site is the prime measure of value to the community.

And the fault with your experiment is that I would be searching to interact with you while you would be actively avoiding new users. that is not the same thing.

kleinbl00  ·  3569 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I asked you to do a very specific thing for a very specific reason. I did this in order to broaden your base of experience about the subject you are committed to arguing because we all benefit if you actually know what you're talking about. The fact that you have chosen not to do this pretty much makes my point: you don't know what you're talking about and you don't want to.

That's likely to change in a week or so. Once you've put down the flag of combat and walked around getting to know the place, you may gain an understanding of what "ignore" actually accomplishes. You might understand why, exactly, referring to someone as "OP" is so offensive - this is a place of names, of relationships, of personalities, and of connections. By calling someone "OP" you are saying "that person up there whose name I can read but won't repeat because my time is too important and they don't deserve the respect."

Likewise, I asked you to do a very specific thing. You have not. You seem to be of the opinion that if you repeat your discredited arguments they will somehow gain weight. They won't.

So. Evidence indicates that you are a new user I wish to mute. You may have something to say in a week, but in the meantime you're annoying me and we're coming to blows. So I'm going to ignore you. The downside of doing it manually is I have to remember to undo it in a week's time...

...because you won't be able to remind me.