About the Power of Ten.

[Kalamos]

Ok, we all know this is a great community, an awesome forum, a marvelous plethora of quasi-humanoid beings. Enough back-patting, already.


Let's talk about this Power of 10 Rule: I rarely complain about things that don't directly affect me. I rarely post at all, at the present moment.

The 10-post rule is basically meant to prevent people from spamming the forum with unsolicited links, through posts, signatures and PMs.
In practice, it actually leads new users into deliberate spamming, so they can be full members straight away.


Otherwise sullen surfers are turned into rabid repliers, so they can safely and serenely PM their pals to their heart's content.
Ok, we all want to have a great, ever growing site, but *IN MY HUMBLE OPINION* some people are not meant to post... much anyway. 😀

What's worse is, we expect new users to say something MEANINGFUL, as if we, "established" members, routinely posted gems of pure wisdom. 😉

One-liners are not enough for the poor concise sods. We want them to be VERBOSE, as if they had to pass a paper before being able to post that great link... we all perfectly know of, anyway.
Failure in to do so means seeing one's posts mercilessly deleted. Back to the drawing board, chum.


Perversely, not only the 10-post rule actually fosters spam, but it can generate confusion and frustration, and turn new users away.
How?
Figure this:
"Is my computer acting on me, or is my TTC level not high enough?"
And...
"Oh goodness, they want me to say something, what now? I was only there for the clips..."
And again...
"What? I can't post a link... aw, get lost! I'll post it on TMF already."


My point?
Let the sleeping dogs lie, and *PLEASE* let the newbies gain full membership when they first join. 😉

Or... please lower the req's a bit. I mean... 10 posts are a lot, even if you have something important to say. 😀

...

Or... please delete my older threads, so I won't see people trying to resurrect the rotten carcass of my older posts, and have other people complain since they EXPECT every thread to hold something valuable, sensible and of course free of charge, just for them. 😀 😀 😀


Reg's.

 

[jrubicante]

Even though this issue doesn't affect me personally either, I agree with you Kalamos, and I believe your points in favor of revising the Power of 10 system are all valid ones. It's astounding how many newbs still have no idea why they aren't allowed to post links or have a custom avatar.
I express my regrets in advance to any flaming you may receive as a result of this post.

 

[MistressValerie1]

I agree completely with Kalamos and Jrubicante. The spam problem is becoming intolerable because of attempts to circumvent the 10-post rule.

 

[Kalamos]

Well, I hope my point was well expressed enoigh to prevent needless flaming.
Anyway, I don't usually shy away from arguments. 🙂

Once, a wise person told me:
"Young Kalamos, don't feed the trolls".

I rised my dreamy eyes, and burping loudly, I replied:
"I don't feed them. I feed ON them!"

😉


Reg's.

 

[MistressValerie1]

Once, a wise person told me:
"Young Kalamos, don't feed the trolls".

I rised my dreamy eyes, and burping loudly, I replied:
"I don't feed them. I feed ON them!"

😉


Reg's.

LMCLRAOACOMRW 😀

 

[cosquillero1]

I'm in accord with Kalamos too, Power of Ten rule, seems a good idea in the beginning, but in a real context this doesn't turn to any user a good poster or regular poster, include, some members only posting 10 times and after, never more or some a bit amount and same they enjoy all benefits, so this rule really don't solve the trouble, although was a good initiative.

 

[mart]

I'm fairly new and don't even know if I have ten posts already. But certainly I experienced problems with posting and downloading in the beginning, and asked questions accordingly. One person offered to help me if I sent him a personal message. I could not access the facility and did not know why. I tried to send a personal message to a monitor, with a similar result. Then I e-mailed the contact number, and finally found out why, but no help was offered or any way around the problem suggested.

I thought, well fine, I'll just wait until I qualify, and I have since found ways to help myself. I also like this place and will post when I feel I have something to say. but a slightly more welcoming gesture towards newcomers who don't know their way around would certainly help them understand. I mean, even just a message at the PM box saying WHY I was not authorised would help. At least I would not wonder and waste my time finding other ways to solve my problem, which end up not working anyway.

I don't wish to complain or make anyone feel bad becuase I really believe this is a well-run site and people are doing the best they can, but seeing the subject came up, I thought to add my two bits

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

I was against this power of 10 thing from the very beginning, but I knew alot of people were convinced it would work in theory at the time, even though I knew it wouldn't. The problem is we offer free material. So we will always be plagued with this problem no matter what we do. We're not necessarily even seen as a community to people who come here only for the material. Thats like asking the ants to come to the picnic. This site, for alot of people, isn't so much about the community or brotherhood, its about downloading as many freebees as you can and then making off like a bandit and only coming back when something new has been added and only posting when you want something.

We have to accept that as the reality and dettach ourselves emotionally when we're slighted with spam and trolling thats clearly only an attempt to reach the required level and not because they want to be a contributing site member. The answer is in simply dealing with the spam and trolling and moderating it head on. Its clear they do not have the same sense of commitment that we do and may not want to, so we should not expect them to be like us or hold them to it in some way.

Spamming and trolling is going to happen whether we have the power of 10 rule or not.

So its better we be rid of it now and just continue enforcing the rules as we have been. We'll have one less thing to worry about.

The focus should not be put on what ifs and could bes. We need to work with what is practical and self-sufficient, not worry and fret over this unpredictable tangent that SOME (not all) lurkers and new members present.

Those that want to post and be a part of the community are most welcome to do so. As for the others, here only for the free stuff, well, that should just go to show how generous this site is to the tickling community at large, regardless. 🙂

If the power of 10 stays however, I agree with ericmartin that we need to be meeting new members more than half way so that they can understand what they can and cannot do, what is acceptable. We can no longer simply have them figure it out on their own and cause trouble, friction create "why can't I...?" threads, or in this case, frustration, in the process.

I therefore suggest that all new users be e-mailed an automated messege explaining the power of 10 and what is acceptable posting towards that required 10 posts.

Personally, I think the power of 10 is pointless.

People will either post of their own free will and make it count, or they won't post at all. We have to accept this and give them the freedom to choose what they want to do here. Those that spam and troll, well, they would have been handled anyway regardless of this stipulation.

 

[nessonite1]

Pardon me while I die of shock at Kalmos and Vlad agreeing on something...
😛
I'm basically going to echo what has been said above. A lot of people are trying to post links as perfectly valid non-spam contributions and can not. I think it would be much less hassle for us to just go after spammers individually rather than punish others for what spammers might do.
Either way I think restricting PMs is unecessary...

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

Its not like him and I haven't gotten along before, are not capable of that, or have never agreed on things in the past. 😛

Perhaps it seems like a surprize because most of what we would agree on is done so in silence as things like this rarely come up. This is one of those opportunities, however rare to prove that people are often on the same page more so than people think.

Besides, I thought this was a matter of common sense, and I'd imagine, like you, alot more people would be agreeing with him and I, at least to some extent.

Yes, to repeat again what I said and what you said yourself, we should just go after rule-breakers and continue doing what we're doing. Because as a unit, as a site, we're doing a good job. We needn't add one more trouble to our concerns and try and enforce that. Rule breakage is rule breakage, and if they would have been punished or warned or cautioned for it anyway, it might as well apply as is.

And restricting PMs is silly, I agree. Its also a bad move I think. Its not like its some special service anyway that you can't get anywhere else or that theres some reason you should have to earn something so mundane and default. Restricting even the basic options to a user is a turn off, and they could easily go elsewhere, like the TMF or what have you. Thats not what we want, of course. The power of 10 is actually working against our aim of appealing to new members to join the fold and community.

Everybody here has their own level of commitment to this site, a level thats comfortable and works for them. I think we need to respect that, even if those of us that are regulars and contributors have a deeper appriciation for the site because of our service to it and others.

The others don't have to experience that sense of community and togetherness if they don't want to. Although, I must say, they're missing out on some good times. Its important we don't make it seem like we're pushing anything on anyone or are working some angle. Because, in a way, isn't that a form of spam and trolling as well? Surely well intentioned, but understandable as spam nonetheless. 🙂

Furthermore, I suggest we get rid of the power of 10 ASAP. Its a liability.

 

[pvas]

This power of 10 rule is pointless; Let the forum be accessable for meaningful thoughts. Even when you get 10 posts, there still seems to be difficulty.

 

[Duke Diablo]

What's worse is, we expect new users to say something MEANINGFUL, as if we, "established" members, routinely posted gems of pure wisdom.

True. I have 200+ posts, and not one makes any sense.

It seems that good intention has backfired. But, I agree, if you give them limits, people will:
1) Post ANYTHING just to fill up the quote.
2) Leave
3) Do something else 😀

If they want to post, they will post. If they don't, well, they won't, and there is no rule that will change it.

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

I'm glad my providing the link to this thread has fostered additional concern and posting on the matter. Hopefully if it didn't catch TT's attention before, it will now. Although to be professional as possible about it, I think its even better if it's brought to his attention personally. And I feel thats something only a moderator should do when it has something to do with site policy, which in fact this does, as the power of 10 is an ammendment to that policy.

 

[mart]

A new member with a site based in Poland has introduced it to the forum a few days ago. I advised him not to forget including a link to his site in his posts, but now realise that he probably could not because he does not yet have 10 posts.

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

Its oversights like this that are the most troublesome.

 

[footweargoblin]

As a long time visitor who has just recently taken an interest in posting, I'd like to weigh in on this particular topic.
I'll be the first to admit that from time to time I visit and bring nothing to the table, walking away with free clips and free pics while doing so. Most of the reasoning was simple: I had been a member of TMF and usually came to this site because it had been linked for media downloads. Over the last few months I began to realize that the forums across the road at TMF consist of little more than people bickering and demeaning each other. I found that not only is that absent here, but the conversations are actually friendly and open to all. I rarely ever read about someone who is complaining about a certain tickling media producer, something I can't say about TMF.
Last week I read a post from last fall where someone was asking for recommendations on Magic Touch videos. I finally pushed aside my posting shyness and offered my two cents. And the result was this: I felt better because I was now contributing. I have since swore off TMF and am looking forward to a more open relationship with my tickling-minded peers.
My point in this long-winded commentary? I wanted to offer a link to a pay-site that featured clips from around the net (extremetickling), and I couldn't do it because I hadn't yet earned the status necessary to do so. And then when I tried to post a more basic recommendation, minus the link, I was continually given warnings about a URL in my post - though none existed. It was a little troubling at first, especially when I've come to a place that openly welcomes people with our "unique fetishes", only to be turned away from contributing because of a posting quota. After much research I found the reason and was forced to find things to comment on just so I could reach 10.
I love visiting this site, and I especially love reading all that its fine members have to say, and I apologize for not contributing in the past. Now I must go and do research for my newly earned avatar and signature.

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

Well, hopefully for your sake and others who have yet to go through this, something will be done, and soon.