What does "family friendly" mean in the context of VJ?

[SMOKE 1,426]

A solution for that would be to have pinned topics that are regional specific without dedicating a whole forum. Most of the threads in the Philippines subforum, for example, could easily go under the K-1 forums, or under Off Topic.

i think a former mod tried that before. regional flame wars erupted first, then he was personally flamed by the PI forum aswell as the OT forum. he has since left VJ & the PI forum in particular has suffered greatly....next idea?

Edited March 30, 2011 by SMOKE

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...for you

If there are truly helpful threads in the Regional subforums that couldn't be pinned topics and wouldn't fit under the many different forums on immigrations specific matters, I'd like to see an example. It is understandable that familiarity is comfortable. However, what has made this country great, is that we are one big melting pot. Foreign spouses immigrating here will need to integrate and assimilate to living in America. This site can help facilitate that transition where they'll have opportunities to engage or interact with other Americans other than their spouse, as well as immigrants from other countries.

[rsn 135]

If there are truly helpful threads in the Regional subforums that couldn't be pinned topics and wouldn't fit under the many different forums on immigrations specific matters, I'd like to see an example. It is understandable that familiarity is comfortable. However, what has made this country great, is that we are one big melting pot. Foreign spouses immigrating here will need to integrate and assimilate to living in America. This site can help facilitate that transition where they'll have opportunities to engage or interact with other Americans other than their spouse, as well as immigrants from other countries.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

i think a former mod tried that before. regional flame wars erupted first, then he was personally flamed by the PI forum aswell as the OT forum. he has since left VJ & the PI forum in particular has suffered greatly....next idea?

That's why I'm saying get rid of the Regional subforums altogether. Whatever useful information there is, can be made into pinned topics and organized by regions, but starting new threads could be disabled. All of this done on the administrative level, not through moderating.

ETA: The PI subforum already has pinned topics, so it's just a matter of disabling new thread creation.

Edited March 30, 2011 by 8TBVBN

[B_J 2,752]

That's why I'm saying get rid of the Regional subforums altogether. Whatever useful information there is, can be made into pinned topics and organized by regions, but starting new threads could be disabled. All of this done on the administrative level, not through moderating.

ETA: The PI subforum already has pinned topics, so it's just a matter of disabling new thread creation.

It sounds reasonable. PI topics about CFO, for example, would go under K-1 in a pinned thread; and vacation pics would go into OT?

And you think this could build a sense of community? I hope you're right.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It sounds reasonable. PI topics about CFO, for example, would go under K-1 in a pinned thread; and vacation pics would go into OT?

And you think this could build a sense of community? I hope you're right.

Brian, right? That's how this site originally was structured. It was much more streamlined - way less forums. It was changed with the best of intentions, and with a lot of support from many members here, but I think we've given it enough time to see that dedicating conversation-driven forums regionally, has done more harm than good.

[B_J 2,752]

Brian, right? That's how this site originally was structured. It was much more streamlined - way less forums. It was changed with the best of intentions, and with a lot of support from many members here, but I think we've given it enough time to see that dedicating conversation-driven forums regionally, has done more harm than good.

Benny. But Brian was close. At least you didn't call me Jessa.

I can't say how things were before; but there are many, many great things about this site, the changes that should be made are very few.

I also think the site is very hard for a newcomer to understand at the beginning. The guides and forums are hard to figure out. I would complain, but I really can't see any way to make things easier.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Benny. But Brian was close. At least you didn't call me Jessa.

I can't say how things were before; but there are many, many great things about this site, the changes that should be made are very few.

I also think the site is very hard for a newcomer to understand at the beginning. The guides and forums are hard to figure out. I would complain, but I really can't see any way to make things easier.

Sorry, Benny. B-B-B-Benny and the jets.

[B_J 2,752]

Sorry, Benny. B-B-B-Benny and the jets.

Growing up, I heard that all the time. Or else Benny Hill references.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Brian, right? That's how this site originally was structured. It was much more streamlined - way less forums. It was changed with the best of intentions, and with a lot of support from many members here, but I think we've given it enough time to see that dedicating conversation-driven forums regionally, has done more harm than good.

The regionals were created to shield certain groups from racist trolling. If you want to go back to the old format, you need to address the underlying issue first.

[Jenn! 918]

The regionals were created to shield certain groups from racist trolling. If you want to go back to the old format, you need to address the underlying issue first.

+1

But even aside from that IMO there is so much consulate and country specific stuff, at least in MENA, that I don't think a few pinned threads could handle. Is the suggestion to have a single pinned thread in the Embassy forum for each region? What a mess to try to sort through.

[SMOKE 1,426]

That's why I'm saying get rid of the Regional subforums altogether. Whatever useful information there is, can be made into pinned topics and organized by regions, but starting new threads could be disabled. All of this done on the administrative level, not through moderating.

ETA: The PI subforum already has pinned topics, so it's just a matter of disabling new thread creation.

idk there is a certain 'comfort zone' people feel within the regionals...language barriers & cultural differences are less of an issue. doing away with the regionals could cause people to either participate less or not at all out of fear of ridicule. i understand everyone trying to make things better for everyone. but, lets not over look the the reason VJ was created...to help people thru the process & we're dealing with multiple languages & cultures here. i don't like the idea of cutting the regionals because of the 'comfort zone' they provide.

eta: damn it. i was on the phone w/ a customer while posting.. what rob & jenn said

Edited March 30, 2011 by SMOKE

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

i think a former mod tried that before. regional flame wars erupted first, then he was personally flamed by the PI forum aswell as the OT forum. he has since left VJ & the PI forum in particular has suffered greatly....next idea?

I wasn't impressed. Marshall law does not inspire a sense of community.

That's why I'm saying get rid of the Regional subforums altogether. Whatever useful information there is, can be made into pinned topics and organized by regions, but starting new threads could be disabled. All of this done on the administrative level, not through moderating.

ETA: The PI subforum already has pinned topics, so it's just a matter of disabling new thread creation.

And those pinned topics cause more problems than they solve, because they are not maintained.

[SMOKE 1,426]

I wasn't impressed. Marshall law does not inspire a sense of community.

a lot of people were not impressed.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

+1

But even aside from that IMO there is so much consulate and country specific stuff, at least in MENA, that I don't think a few pinned threads could handle. Is the suggestion to have a single pinned thread in the Embassy forum for each region? What a mess to try to sort through.

Then keeping the Regional subforums for pinned topics, but disabling the ability for any member to start a thread would be one solution. I don't venture into the other subforums, but consistently, nearly all of the threads started in the Philippines subforum could fit under the K-1 forums or in Off Topic.

I understand that a lot of why they were created in the first place was for organizational purposes, but the unintended consequences is the type of tribalism and lack of community that exists now on this site. Also, since anyone can venture into any Regional subforum (and they do), the temptation to instigate and troll those subforums is high, which is why we've since needed so many more Moderators. And that has created it's own set of problems.