Mod Lecture Series- Freeper Community Update

[Admin Moderator]

This is a public service announcement from your friendly neighborhood Admin Moderators (Sidebar gave us some attitude so we shoved him in the closet for a while. He never recovered from the Yacht incident) For a while, we have noticed some things happening that we need your help with. The Free Republic community is strong; we are almost a family, albeit very dysfunctional at times. Like any community, we have new members joining us daily. Unfortunately, the air of suspicion and the desire to keep things “the way they are” has fostered a feeling of distrust with new members. Almost every day, we see new members join, then, because of comments of suspicion, they often don’t return. For any community to thrive, it must grow. Because of this, we are asking for your help. Here are some important things you should know:

The Internet has changed greatly since Free Republic first started. When we formed, few people had their own websites, now, everyone has their own blog. With this, there is an attitude change where someone who doesn’t understand how our community works may be more interested in self-promotion than we have been used to in the past. We don’t want to change the overall feel of this site- it is about our shared values, not about self promotion, however, we don’t want to drive people away simply because they link to their own blog. There are blog “pimps” who want nothing more than to promote their own sites, but for most people, it is simply how they start out sharing their thoughts on a matter. Encourage these members to take part in existing discussions.

Many new members may not communicate well what they believe and it gives the appearance they are not 100% kosher in their Conservative beliefs. This may have nothing to do with their Conservative credentials but simply how they are communicating their beliefs or how the media/pop culture has told them what to think. Be an example and discuss what you think is wrong. A liberal troll’s true colors will reveal themselves while a new member who is honest, but may not communicate well, may learn from the conversation.

Remember, how you respond to a topic not only reflects your thoughts, but also is a reflection of the community and Conservative values. We need to be an example of positive conservative values when responding to members, especially new ones. As mods, we make a strong attempt to screen all new members. Every new sign-up goes through a period where their posts are reviewed. This helps us eliminate most trolls, porn and commercial spammers, and those who don’t fit in with our Conservative values. This isn’t a perfect system, but it does help us make sure that by the time a new member reaches the community, there is a greater chance this person is the type we want around. Some slip through, yes, and you can always help us by hitting the abuse button. (of course, we do let some world class morons through every once in a while as “Live Chow”- after all, the kitties have to have toys.)

_____________________________________________

With all that said, we need to grow. We need to be far more welcoming to new members and guide them into how to use our community best. With this said, we are issuing a challenge to our long time Freeper family. We would like to start up a ‘welcome wagon’ type of ping list or group whose job it is to welcome new members, show them the ropes, and guide them through our community. This could be as simply as giving new members a kind welcome, guiding them to how to post topics or replies, or just making the experience pleasant.

As this is your community, we would like your thoughts, ideas, and most importantly, for some of you to step up and help us with this.

We are passing the ball to you. What do you think?

[Religion Moderator]

LOL! They are, ahem, entertaining.

[Just A Nobody]

LOL! Clearly!!!

[Pan_Yan]

Just for argument sake lets suppose that, and I'm being hypothetical, there were groups on opposite sides of certain topics, no topic in particular of course, that actually went out of their way, I'm just sayin, to post threads, make comments and ping their friends for the sole purpose of getting into fights, as an example.

Then some poor n00b walks into the thread and says “I saw candidate X on TV and he seemed pretty smart.”

Poor kid would be dead before his lollipop hit the ground. I mean the only thing left would be a pair of scorched Keds.

Maybe these fictional, hypothetical, just for example FReepers should put their selector switches on semi auto, or at least three shot burst before they mow down everyone that strays into the killing field.

Or maybe they should just get a hobby that doesn't involve explosives, power tools, open flames or hazardous chemicals and spend a little time on it rather than here.

I'm just sayin.

[Windflier]

I had written earlier in the thread that I've seen hundreds of other forums and did not like their set up as well as here. So - I am confused that it is considered ‘bare bones’.

Ahh..... I'm tracking with you now. I know exactly what you're talking about. I hate the style of most other forums, as well.

Here's the deal.... I came here from the Delphi forum network, which uses a Rich Text Editor for posting. Their forum program is the best I've seen anywhere. It's easy to use, intuitive, flexible, and infinitely navigable. It was the first forum network that I was a part of, and I became very accustomed to the great layout of the threads, the interface, and the way the posting notifications worked.

At Delphi, you can choose to receive notifications of "posts to you" in your email inbox, or you can check in at the forums you frequent and click on the "new posts to me" tab, and every thread with a post to you will be listed.

You can have a customized signature there, with a photograph or graphic, with rich text, if you like. You can easily link in photographs from anywhere with just a couple of clicks, and of course, you can do anything you like with your posting text. It makes for a very lively experience.

There are other features there, such as "Ignore", where you can automatically have a designated member's posts not show on your screen.

When I first came to FR, the only thing that impressed me was the high quality of posting by the members. The site itself seemed dull and lifeless, compared to where I'd come from.

Fr looked more like a newspaper to me, where the Delphi forums looked more like a big screen TV. In time, I got used to the look and feel of this place, and it's now become something of a comfy old chair to me. But, I wouldn't mind a bit more ease with the posting window.

[STARWISE]

Glad to see this posted. Thank you!

Yes .. we have all sorts of new visitors .. some lurkers, some snarly libs who come just to disrupt, and some genuine searching conservatives .. whom we do not want to offend and send away.

It is difficult to discern the difference at times, and folks are really frustrated and short-tempered .. sitting on a short fuse with all the 0-pression and garbage that's being thrown at us.

Restraint and a little dollop of patience would be good for all of us to exercise and I include myself .. going lightly on the kneejerk reactionary posts .. until time has shown the poster's true stripes or offering a reminder about courtesy and civility.

There's so much solid content here that those who are sincere in coming here will stick around, but there obviously are some who make it very uncomfortable for folks who aren't interested in confrontational dialogue .. and some have unfortunately left.

I do appreciate all you Mods do .. and especially the restraint in zotting the abusive/vulgar/obscene/ objectionable and offensive posts. It just makes us look so bad, and no one wants that.

Remember to hit abuse on an unacceptable/offensive post .. it helps everyone.

Maybe there could be a standing request at the top of the Forum page reminding folks that it's appreciated.

This is our community .. we 'live here,' and we love it .. and the world is watching us, especially you know who.

Jim and John, thank you for FR and for the great Mods and for all you all do.

FReep on !

[Spunky]

"Friday nights just are not the same without A+Bert . . ."

"Whatever happened to him? Here one night, and gone the next.

I think he lost his +.

[BP2]

LoL! I am pinging bp2, he uses the blink command to this day. It works on my phone I swear!

As a graduate of the HTML Bootcamp, I use the html commands without prejudice.

When I rarely use the BLINK command, it's to highlight something I think is very important — OR just to annoy the TROLLs that use a Mozilla product (I think the only browser that displays the blink).

I apologize if there's any collateral damage ...

[MEG33]

“We’ll be sure to leave you plenty of toys”

Oh, good..I love to see the creative zots!

[potlatch]

I'll have to look at the Delphi forum. I know I've seen it before but don't recall the layout.

This is what I believe to be true. we all ‘start out’ at some forum and become used to it. When we go to others it is a change and I admit to not liking a lot of change.

[lol, shades of Obama...]

I am a graphic poster so that is one of the most important things to me, and many do not allow large graphics.

Yes, I've seen the Sigs and Avatars at other forums. They are neat for identifying posters as you scroll through.

Thanks for explaining your point of view. Actually that is what I was wanting in my first post to you but must not have worded it right. That ‘question mark’ didn't explain it, lol, sorry.

[Windflier]

I have seen people change since Obama was elected, the hate runneth over...

Well, it's understandable. Imagine what Americans said about King George III in the mid to late 1700's. It was probably a lot worse than what we're hearing about Obama today.

It's right and proper to be mad as hell about some things - and some people. Obama is one of those. Because I know what I know about this monster, I wouldn't fault anyone who foamed at the mouth over him. He's literally trying to destroy our entire way of life, and the bedrock under our feet. People are supposed to be mad about that. To be anything else, is to be reasonable, which is nothing more than appeasing a wannabe dictator who would have you exterminated, if he could.

Obama is causing all of this vitriol, not the posters at FR. We'd all be having the usual political discussions, and arguing with liberals like always, if this Marxist usurper weren't attempting to destroy the very fabric of our nation. No - put the responsibility squarely where it belongs - on Obama.

[Petruchio]

If this new policy works, the Viking Kitties might get fat & lazy. Here is a suggestion to help keep them fit & trim . . .

You Tube LINK

[melancholy]

Hey Boss! We are getting close!

Hey n00b,

WE? What do you mean by WE???

Nope. I'm the only one who has the power to promote you, got it?

Ten years it is. Discussing this would be a "distraction!"

Five hugh and series years already. WE have been no n00bs after a couple of posts, thank GOD!

Your previous boss!

[MHGinTN]

So, you plan on handing out secret decoder rings to just any Tom, Dick, or Myrtle? ... Cad

.

. And what will we do for code now?

[Petruchio]

[grin]

[Candor7]

Progressive Freepers, UNTIE! LOL.

[MinorityRepublican]

I love Barack Hussein Obama and I think he is the Greatest American President ever so I want to crown him as Emperor.

[rabscuttle385]

I love Barack Hussein Obama and I think he is the Greatest American President ever so I want to crown him as Emperor.

You forgot the /sarc tag.

[Winstons Julia]

This is a great and needed post. Even saying so I feel like some people here would pile on like everything was fine and I’m an idiot.

To tell a true story, I lost my father in 1998. I moved to Illinois and got to know my father’s brother much better than I ever had. (We moved away from Illinois home when I was 13).

My father was a Republican, I am a Republican...there’s a history, but that’s beside the point.

My uncle was a Freeper. He had a hardware store and religiously listened to Rush and talked about Free Republic. We went together one night to see Alan Keyes speak at a location nearby. It was before 9/11 and Keyes was going to give one speech and instead decided to talk about terrorism and said that America was in danger. It was a great speech. The surprising thing, I guess...was that the Mennonites showed up for Alan Keyes’ speech...and the Bible bunheads...you know the ones. We were kind of surprised.

A couple of months after that...my uncle died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 52. My grandma (who is almost 102 now) lost her second son in the space of two years. My oldest uncle is the only one left and we look at him odd if he says he doesn’t feel well.)

Anyway...I had heard of Free Republic...but I was working alot of hours. I went places online and made friends.

But then politics would rear its ugly head...and even if someone had posted with you for six months and thought you were the funniest person in the land...once they found out you were a Republican...it was over.

I learned the hard way. I was embraced then ostracized when I stood up as a Republican...

....but that’s ok...because, frankly, we don’t really need this online thing anyway. I mean, I’m going to be who I am. I’ll vote the way I want to.

I don’t need the approval of online people...I have the approval and support of my family and a network of friends...and some of that network of friends vote Democrat.

We can talk politics over a table without dissolving into insults...why can’t people who share common values talk online without dissolving into pettiness and insults?

My first thread here was awesome. A bird vanity. And some posted kitties to eat the bird.

I read quite awhile before I joined. I have been in some tussles with folks here.

I just don’t post that much anymore. I promised and will send a donation to Jim within the next couple of days. ( I have had the flu for around 16 days and didn’t want to send it through the mail...even though I don’t know if it can live on paper.) Maybe I’ll just spray the check with Lysol.

Frankly, if a person isn’t welcomed and is piled on, gets in tussles, is doubted...etc....

Why should they feel like they should send money? Don’t get me wrong...I am going to send a donation...but think about it.

Why would anyone who is maligned here or has a problem with posters doubting them or being snarky...why would they send money?

If you have an online family...if you feel valued...you send money. If people are nasty...you might read out of curiosity..but why would you donate?

This is a time when people who thought change was good are finding out that FUNDAMENTAL change is not what they voted for. They are looking for a place to go. They are looking for like-minded people. They are looking for acceptance.

They are not looking to be belittled because they aren’t “enough”.

In short, good post mod. I wrote a book.

[SouthTexas]

I didn’t do it, well, not this time anyway.

[potlatch]

When I said ‘the hate runneth over’, I was not meaning just in respect to Obama and his allies.

I meant that it has brought out a meanness in people that runs over into how they deal with other people in their daily lives and even here on the forum.

Some will say to avoid anyone who doesn't feel as you do, and they are including family and friends!

I reiterate, I despise Obama and those who are trying to ruin our country, but I won't despise a longtime friend who disagrees with my viewpoints. Just me.