This post has been good food for thought, and the more that I reflect on it, the less I feel that invites address the problem. However, this idea is an attempt to address a problem, and that problem is a lack of expectation and an abundance of assumption on the part of new users. What I want to impress upon new users up front, is that Hubski, and their interactions on it, might be worth consideration that they aren't accustom to. As I have mentioned, I don't see a problem with enabling the filtering new users as kleinbl00 has previously requested. But, the notion upsets people, and that aspect does give me pause. For my part, I am now thinking that a good solution to the problem as I see it, is that Hubski is read-only for a short time after you sign up. My inclination is that Hubski is read-only for 48-96 hours, after which time you can comment. Also you get an email notifying you when commenting is enabled. I'd probably even make the time variable within that range, so that influxes over the course of one day don't translate to all the commenting being enabled within one day later.
Worthy of note: I created mass outrage by suggesting the ability to personally ignore new users for a few days without impacting their ability to post one iota. I further stated that Hubski should emphasize personal content curation and eschew top-down moderation and editorial control. Your response is to automatically enforce a site-wide mute for all new users, the thing I turned blue in the face telling Tidders I wasn't asking for. What you're effectively advocating is that very "notion" that "upsets people" and "gives you pause." What I asked for was a whole lot less than you suggest, but people got all torch'n'pitchforky because they thought I was asking for what you suggest. But you're hesitant to go with my solution because people got mad mistaking it for what you suggest. Food for thought.
More than enough time for the passion that might have pushed an excited outsider to register and get involved to fade away.I am now thinking that a good solution to the problem as I see it, is that Hubski is read-only for a short time after you sign up. My inclination is that Hubski is read-only for 48-96 hours, after which time you can comment.
Seems odd to me personally, but I guess I can see it. Whenever I join a site, it's usually after some time lurking and checking it out. If a site struck my fancy, there's little chance that I wouldn't come back after I got an email saying that I could now post.
I think that cgod made a good point, at least I think it was cgod, that people come because they have something to say right now. It's not always necessary that this person have time to figure out what Hubski is in order to provide valuable content, discussion and conversation. Imagine this, a thought leader in a particular industry stops by Hubski to comment in a discussion regarding an article they wrote but cannot. There are any number of scenarios like this that would occur. I think your proposal throws the baby out with the bathwater. Edit: if you're really concerned with people knowing that Hubski is a different place, and let them know upon signing up.
this would require moderation, which is something we're not exactly big on here, but what if all new users have a 48 hour period where their comments are moderated, and need approval? I mean, i'm not sold on the idea, but it could be a possible way to implement the above solution and still cater to authors of content.
Blows scalability to shit. There's currently zero moderation, but your solution creates a chaperone situation where somebody gets blessed with the task of reading (and approving) every. Single. Newb comment. Which, during the last tidder invasion, would have been a thousand comments a day whining about vote counts. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, and above a certain traffic level it just becomes mk's 24-hour mute through inertia.