Ban the chat!

[arthurstace]

Ed - Can there not be a more rigorous moderating of the chat on this site? It is, surely, a knowledge exhange.

Yet is seems to be swamped with nonsense posts along the lines of "What's your favourite film/advert/song", "Pity me, my boyfriend's left me/hates my cat" and "I think such-and-such. What do you think?".

Frankly, I don't come here to read people's opinions and personal problems. I want hard facts. Let's return this site to the purpose for which it was created.

Thanks.

[Greedyfly]

I think this question comes up every other day and ends up in a slanging match between users and eds and it is getting rather tedious.  Some people think its chat some people thinks its a bit of fun and some people think it is just being friendly. Personally I think I am sick of hearing/reading about it and its getting to the stage where I don't come on here for days because It pees me off.

[Greedyfly]

And - 'What is your fave song' is indeed a question and this is a question/answer site.

[justpassing]

The subject of 'chat', debate, banning, deletion and moderation has been done to death recently and I'm sick of it!!

 

Answerbank is "where users can ask genuine questions and receive helpful answers, and, on occasion to provide a forum for debate on issues of general interest" to quote!! 

If this means some people post personal questions or  'nonsense posts', so be it. It is inevitable that there will also be debates, exchanges of views and opinions throughout the site. You don't have to read the posts if you don't want to, just skip them and move on.

 

The Editor is doing his/her best to keep everyone happy and unfortunately can't please all the people all the time, so has to please some of the people some of the time!!!

 

[arthurstace]

Greedyfly - that is indeed a question.

However, it is not the sort of one that should be asked on a site designed to exchange facts. Perhaps you misunderstand the purpose of AB: to "ask genuine questions and receive helpful answers".

Knowing a stranger's favourite song isn't going to broaden anyone's general knowledge.

[Hgrove]

I myself prefer the hard fact questions but the rules do say "debate on issues of general interest" which is broad and general enough, I feel, to encompass what is your favourite song etc. etc.  Also, pinkninja, the rules say "genuine questions and helpful answers" and this, too, encompasses "my b/f has left me" type questions.  The rules do not actually say factual only questions are allowed.  I repeat, whilst I prefer the hard fact questions, I think the other questions are also legitimate.

[Shipstabber]

Somebody call a whaaaaaambulance for pinkninja.

 

*** Rating

[splodge24]

Knowing strangers movie tastes may be off importance to some people who need to know. Just don't read the questions you are not interested in, instead of moaning to the AB Ed. Everyone keeps moaning about chat/discussion etc just don't get involved if you don't like it...simple!

Personally i like to come on here and ask/answer/read  the 'hard fact' questions but i also like the more 'discussion/chat' threads because it is a way of expressing opinions in a fun way.

[arthurstace]

Shipstabber's above post - which is not at all cliched, dull-witted and pointless - is of the sort that makes this site so worthwhile, don't you think?

Also, more user names that are puns on bigotted terms for minorities, please!

[Shipstabber]

Thank you, I try.

 

And my name is a reference to an act which I don't believe is practised soley by any particular minority group, unless you can think of one?  Actually I don't like it either but people complained about my last one.

 

*** Rating

[j2buttonsw]

Stabber, I love that self rating. Let me have a go

 

*********Rating

[j2buttonsw]

Ha Ha Ha

 

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[Didwot]

AnswerBank is not meant to be used as a chat room, but the preamble to the terms of use says
"The aim of the site is to create an online community where you can exchange personal views and opinions with other users, on subjects that interest you."
The line is a fine one, and we should respect the editors decision as to where it lies.

[AB Editor]

Thanks, Didwot. We actually try to make the site as good as possible for all concerned, despite what some people might think!

[smudge]

Mmmmm!

[bernardo]

Am I to understand that the term "Shipstabber" is a derogatory term for something?  I've never heard it before.  Does it mean iceberg?  Icebergs have had a bad media image ever since "Titanic".  A bit like sharks after "Jaws".

******************************************** Rating

[Greedyfly]

And of course there is no chatting going on here?

[smudge]

The chatty replies are bound to be banned this morning!

[BigDogsWang]

The 'chatty' element is what brings me back to this site time and again. I enjoy reading people's opinion on things even if they are irrelevant. As has already been said, if you don�t like them, ignore them. Stick to answering the Bran Flakes question. If the site ever stops the chat, I will not bother with it anymore. I think I am right in saying a number of other users would follow suit.

[smudge]

My sentiments entirely BigDogsWang - to me, it is what makes this site so much more interesting.