Feature requests

* Numbering of posts, so that yours would read "1" and mine would read "2"
* Adding scripts, with the thought that we could put something like "modbot" together
* Colorcoded names

I understand that all requests may be denied, in the end. But it never hurts to ask, as you say.

Oh --

*shoutbox

if possible. Tho the scripts thing might be able to take care of that too

In 'All Discussions', it doesn't show which discussion has come from which category. I'd like that to be added.

Reply to Sapientia When you hover over the discussion title the tooltip shows you the category. But I agree it would be nice to see it right next to the title without having to do that, so I've added it to the list.

Reply to Moliere Not sure about those Mol. I'll come back to them.

Oh and I added a quasi-shoutbox in The Lounge: http://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/28/the-shoutbox

Reply to jamalrob Ah. It doesn't seem to work on my mobile or PlayStation 4. I haven't tried it on the laptop.

Reply to Sapientia Yeah it won't work on mobile. Yet more reason to ask for the feature.

Possible something for 'bug report'... which me might need.

I cannot seem to delete a post if I wish to.

The 'cancel' doesn't seem to delete.

Is there a trick to this?

Meow!

GREG

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton I guess we're going to have to be more careful about posting, which is no bad thing. As a workaround you could edit the post to leave just a single character or the word 'delete' or whatever, and PM me a link to the post (which you can get from the post's timestamp) and I can then delete it (or another mod).

But okay, I'll add it to the list. I suspect it's an opinionated software decision, meaning they'll say no. I respect that attitude as it happens.

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton

I know you can at least edit your posts. Just hover your cursor over your post, and an "Edit" link appears at the bottom of your post.

The 'edit' seems to work with no problem.

What happened in my case was that I wanted to quote something and it didn't take. So after posting it, I wanted to add in the quote, but this was not possible. So I tried to delete the post and that was not possible.

So I simply edited the post to the bone and reposted what I intended to post in the first place.

It seems to be once posted it is there (basta) and if you missed the quote, you can't really get that back in either.

I'm sure with time and trial and error (in my case lots of error) it'll be no problem. I'm usually good at tricking systems.

(I just had an idea! I'll try it out.)

Meow!

GREG

Update...

Indeed my trick worked.

Now I have what looks like a double post in the http://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/33/things-at-the-old-place-have-changed#Item_8 .

I did a 'cut and paste' of what I did wrong in the first post from what I did correct in the second post.

Now all I need to have is an ad or mod delete one of the posts.

Meow!

GREG

btw... did anyone understand what I just said? Sometimes I manage to confuse myself with myself.

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton Not sure what you mean when you say you can't add a quote when you edit.

Quoting Mayor of Simpleton

ad or mod delete one

That's an edit

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton No, I don't understand your trick.

What I did... (I'll try to get this to make sense)

... was mark a line to quote.

For some reason the line did not take, but only the little arrow and the user I was quoting made it on the post I was trying to post.

I wanted to edit and add the line quote back in, but I could not find anyway to do that.

My figuring was to delete and write a 'do over'.

The delete did not work, so I was stuck with a sort of empty post followed with what I wanted to post.

Now I just had the brainfart to open the correctly written post and copy/paste the quote into the first post where I made the mistake and it took.

I have more or less found a 'long way around' to fix adding a quote if you didn't get it right the first time.

All I'd have to do is quote it again if I was going to post it again. Write it all correctly, then copy/paste that correctly written bit into the post that was incorrect in the edit function. Then, I'd simply cancel the second attempt and there'd be no double post.

(welcome to the world Mayor of Simpleton's guide to computer trickery)

Does that sort of make any sense?

Meow!

GREG

I can actually demonstrate what I accidentally found out if you'd like me to.

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton Greg, you're making me dizzy

I'll use that in the next post and here I'll edit in what it is I just did.

This might be fun, if not just plain confusing as hell.

Meow!

GREG

Quoting jamalrob

Greg, you're making me dizzy

Here's your previous post without any content in the quote.

Just fixed it!

Meow!

GREG

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton Are you okay?

Here's the magic...

... I'm going to remark the quote, as if I'm going to post again. I will copy the correct bit in this new attempt into the old attempt. and add in the missing bits.

Meow!

GREG

Reply to Mayor of Simpleton

Hahah. Yeah, that actually made sense. :D

You know, you can mark up the text a bit, too.

For instance, I didn't click quote, but typed this in:

[quote=Aristotle]
All men are mortal
Socrates is a man

Therefore, Socrates is Mortal
[/quote]


I just used (left bracket)quote(equal sign)Aristotle(rightbracket)(text)(leftbracket)(slash)quote(rightbracket)

I'm really slow at these things, but I can usually find a way to trick the computers to do my will even if they think they are dictating my life.

I have to get to the rowing machine now.

My old bones hurt, but it has to be done.

There's no app for that...

Meow!

GREG

Is there a way to make the All Discussions threads show which subforum each thread comes from?

Reply to discoii Hover over the discussion title to see the category. But that's not great, I know, so it's already been added to the list of feature requests.

I sent an email with all the feature requests. They said:

"Thank you for your feedback. We always consider new options for our roadmap."

And when I pressed...

"We have a major release planned for November, after which we will consider feature requests. Minor feature development depends on demand, and it's too early to assess at this point."

So presumably they've been added to their feature request list and might or might not be included in a release following next month's release. I don't know when that would be.

The features we asked for would certainly be nice to have--especially being able to see the categories at a glance in "All discussions"--but I think the forum's still a pleasure to use without them, so I'm not too disappointed at the slow pace of development.

Would it be too difficult to implement an ignore function?

Reply to Pneumenon A simple function in principle, but whether the developers are willing, and when they'd get around to it, I don't know. I can ask.

Ok, now I am really messed up. I cannot remember which threads I have been posting in. I miss the "MY THREADS" function.

While I am here, what is the Lounge all about? It just seems to display random threads.

Reply to Sir2u I've asked the developers for 'my threads' already (see the list in the OP). In the meantime just bookmark the discussions you take part in. The Lounge is like PF's Community / Off-topic. It's for social, not-remotely-philosophical stuff. At the moment there's a lot in there about PF, of course.

Quoting Moliere

* Numbering of posts, so that yours would read "1" and mine would read "2"

Added to the OP for the next round of requests.

http://thephilosophyforum.com/following

^ The following page, this one is personally big for me. I would be happy if all the following posts were grouped into numbered pages like the forum and thread pages instead of one page where you have to repeatedly click "more following" to see the posts from the past. Paul was able to easily do this for me back in the old forum. If I'm out for a few weeks and want to scan through what people have been saying, this method is much easier + some other conveniences.

Please tell me if my request didn't make much sense.

Reply to Saphsin This is the proper thread for feature requests so I deleted your second comment.

Thanks for the feedback. I've added it to the list in the OP.

It would be nice if we could retain the formatting when quoting highlighted text.

Reply to Sir2u You can access your threads via your Discussions tab on your Personal About page.

Reply to darthbarracuda That's just the ones you've started. The idea of a "my threads" feature is to show you the discussions you've participated in.

Quoting Postmodern Beatnik

It would be nice if we could retain the formatting when quoting highlighted text.

Good one, I've added it to the list.

These are the changes and new features:

• Localisation support. Plush can now work in any language.
• MailChimp integration. You can now send newsletters and email digests to your members.
• Q&A mode. Ideal for customer service or building a knowledge base.
• Option to email an Admin on each new discussion or applicant
• Content flagging, available to normal members with 20+ posts
• Recurring billing support for Paid Subscriptions
• New styling options, including round avatars and separate divider/border colours
• Automatically generate Category images
• Option to completely disable the reputation system
• MathJax integration, plus subscript and superscript tags
• One-tap photo uploading on mobile
• Optional DDoS protection for $25/mo, SSL for $15/mo
• A new searchable FAQ to answer your common questions
• Many more performance fixes and improvements

Woah, cool!

$$\int_{a}^{b} x^2 dx$$

Reply to Moliere It wasn't working at first because I had to enable it. I enabled it just for you.

• Content flagging, available to normal members with 20+ posts

Interestingly the "flag" option appears for moderators, too.

Reply to Michael I've been looking for the flagging thing. Where is it?

Reply to jamalrob You can access all of your threads by Comments.

Reply to darthbarracuda With "my threads", you would see the threads with the latest action at the top, even if you hadn't personally contributed for a long time. It's a convenient feature only indirectly covered by other features, but I don't think it's a big deal.

Reply to jamalrob

Maybe it doesn't show for administrators?

Reply to Michael Strange, I'm not seeing that. Maybe because I'm an admin. (Just noticed you said that yourself)

I don't see it either: whether on my mobile or on my PS4. I assumed that this was became it says that it's available to normal members, and a moderator doesn't count as a normal member.

Reply to jamalrob I can't see it now so it must be due to the aforementioned permissions issue. I'm guessing if the group can't edit and/or delete then they can flag instead.

Is there a reason why one cannot delete their entire posts?

Reply to schopenhauer1 Yes. The regretted writings of philosophers are a valuable source of insight into the philosopher. Don't you wish Plato, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche had not been able to throw away their regretted lines?

Reply to schopenhauer1 For what it's worth, Schop, I've found many of your posts to be most illuminating.

Reply to schopenhauer1 It's just the way the software works, and I don't know the reasons for that design decision. I am glad of it though. I can recall a few times on PF when self-deletions caused a mess. People would even sometimes completely destroy a long discussion by removing their half of the posts.

Just PM a moderator if you want a post deleted.

Hrmm.. how does one re-up?

I checked my profile real quick to make a dig at myself, and I saw that aside "Subscription" the word "Cancelled" appeared. Understandable enough for not having done my monthly, but I had honestly forgotten -- and I don't see the same membership link that I did when I first subscribed?

I suppose this is just asking for help if it's actually quite obvious and I'm just being particularly dense. Otherwise, it might help to make the re-up option density-compatible ;).

Yeah, it's a pity the system says "cancelled" instead of "expired". Makes us all look bad :). Anyway, I'll let @jamalrob take care of this one.

Reply to Moliere Since the software upgrade the subscription system has changed. Previously you would just manually make one-off payments, but now it sets up a monthly PayPal subscription. Go here to set it up and you shouldn't have to remember again:

http://thephilosophyforum.com/user/upgrade

I'll have to make an announcement about this.

I would really like the agree or (l) button to be put back up. I find myself agreeing with SO much that ssu is saying that it would be repetitive to say what he has already said.

Maybe we can keep the likes/agree off but make it a notification instead?

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Reply to darthbarracuda I do miss likes, for some reason. But most people don't want member reputation scores, and like I said in the dedicated thread, it's currently impossible to have one without the other.

Reply to jamalrob Yeah, I miss the like system but I don't miss the reputation system. Too bad they are linked.

From my experiences on both the old and the new PF (and in life in general it seems), many arguments become heated and persist simply because neither side is willing to endorse the Principle of Charity; they will hide behind this wall of "nah-nah you can't touch me here!" or try to snipe someone's argument apart by aiming at a weakness that amounts little more to moving the goalposts. This leads to an attrition that ends up spiraling out of control.

If you are on PF or any other debate forum just to argue for the sake of arguing, you are detracting from the overall quality of the forum(s).

I cannot see how this could possible be enforced (since someone could easily just feign ignorance on the matter), but we could see if we at least put up a reminder in the text box before typing that says "remember the Principle of Charity...good luck, have fun." It might help keep the amount of silly tug-of-wars to a minimum.

The moderator icon should be able to differ from the site icon. And as an extension to this, perhaps each user group should be able to have its own custom icon (or none at all).

Quoting Baden

Yeah, it's a pity the system says "cancelled" instead of "expired". Makes us all look bad :).

You know, that's the kind of point that the developers might actually be sympathetic to. It might be worth asking them to change it (or even suggesting it as being in their own interest to do so since it makes sites running on their software look better).

If we could put together a list of peoples Birthdays, it would make wishing everyone a happy year older a bit easier! :D
I am willing to keep track of peoples birthdays and let folks know. Or I could track back to our old sand box, write down and cross reference all 100 members listed birthdates. :D
So what's the date?

• Baden: 01/01
• Tiff: 03/01

This is hopelessly unclear. Some will think you were born March 1 and others the 3rd day of January.

Also, the actual list would have to be located elsewhere, as it'd be off-topic here.

Reply to Hanover "Hopelessly?" Really? Have a little faith in me!
Okay Hanover when is your birthday?
I believe it is standard to be mm/dd, suggesting that it is month/date and if you wanted to include year it would be mm/dd/yy.
Oh look when I do cross reference both you and Sapientia have no birthdate listed.
Come on now, fess up, just how old are you? :D

[quote=ArguingWAristotleTiff]I believe it is standard to be mm/dd, suggesting that it is month/date and if you wanted to include year it would be mm/dd/yy.[/quote]

Only in Belize, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, and the United States. Almost everywhere else it's dd/mm/yyyy.

See here.

The 'sign in'/'sign out' button should be clearer, and in a better location. Also, the 'quote' button should be larger. It's a pain in the arse on a mobile, because it's easy to tap the screen and miss the little button, resulting in the highlighted text no longer being highlighted, and then having to start from scratch. And highlighting text on the touchscreen of an average-sized smart phone can be tricky too, which makes it more annoying. But at least I can highlight text on my mobile, which I can't do on my PlayStation 4, except text which I can edit, like when composing a message.

Also, though this may have already been mentioned, an option for a poll that is not anonymous.

This also might have been mentioned already: the option to create a poll in which one can cast multiple votes (but obviously only one vote per option).

The interlining within the message paragraphs seem cramped to me. I am usure if this is related to paragraph style or the default font, but the interlining seems to be just a bit too narrow for confortable reading, and it is also unaesthetic to my eyes -- the text doesn't breathe. I am unsure if this can easily be fixed. It is a rather minor complaint, though. (I also notice that the interlining is fine in the edit box, though not in the preview window box, where it appears to be the same as in the posted messages.)

Reply to Pierre-Normand The kerning of characters in the edit box (or composition box... whatever you call it) is slightly greater than in the posted area. The space between lines appears to be the same. For instance, when I retype your first sentence in the edit box and then drag it up to your post for comparison, the kerning is enough to put "to me." beyond the end of your posted sentence.

You are right that the appearance is not the same -- whether it is better or worse is an aesthetic judgement. It's like the debate over serif and sans serif fonts. Reading experts supposedly think serif fonts are easier to read (because the serifs give letters and words more distinctive shapes), but on large signs, sans serif fonts (like Helvetica) tend to look better -- again, this is an aesthetic judgement.

The interlining in the preview box is not the same as the edit box, but it appears to be the same as the posted area. I don't like the appearance of the preview.

I would be surprised if kerning and interlining were editable.

Appearance may differ depending on platform and monitor.

Has probably been mentioned, but the posts are not dated. Impossible to search for where one might have left off, and I'm never sure if I'm responding to a years-old thread.

Edit: OK, it looks different. I see 6-months ago... That's a date I guess.

When a post is flagged a reason should be given. I don't know why most (any?) of them have been reported.

Might just be miss-clicks, but then forcing them to enter a reason would prevent this as well.

Is there a way to block certain users?

Reply to Thorongil So far, no. I'm asking again for the "ignore list" function the next time I send a list of feature requests to the developers.

Reply to jamalrob OK, cool.

I can't separate bullet pointed paragraphs with a space between them, nor can I quote them.

This is very annoying.

• I want to be able to put a space between this point.
• And this point.
• And this one too.
• And so on.

• Like
• This?

Like
This?

I don't know if this is a request for a feature tweak or a request for an explanation how to use a feature:

The number next to "YOU" on the menu bar is handy--you click on it and it tells you where people have responded to you, mentioned you, etc.

However, let's say I've got the number 10 next to "YOU"--people have responded to me etc. 10 times.

After I click on the first one to look at it, the number disappears, and I can't get back to the list of responses I received. I can't find the rest of them. It seems like if it was 10, then I clicked on one, now it should say 9, then I can click on the number again, click on the next response, etc.

Quoting Terrapin Station

and I can't get back to the list of responses I received

Click on "Mentions" in the top left under your name and profile picture.

Reply to Michael Did you do something differently? Because I separated them with a space - which you should be able to see if you go to edit my post - and it didn't work. What kind of wizardry is this?

Reply to Sapientia Yeah, you need to use two new lines between them (sorry, thought that was clear with the code example).

Reply to Michael

• Oh
• Yeah
• Thanks

Reply to Michael Ah, thanks. I had barely even looked at the menu on that page.

Is there some way to know which discussions I have taken part in, and even how recently? I'm too old and alcoholic, so I keep forgetting where I am active, can't remember what I did the day before. I guess I can just keep refreshing the "mentions" to find out if I've inspired a reply from anyone.

You can click on "You" in the top menu and then "Comments" to view your most recent comments.

So I guess this is my first post here. I am just an occasional lurker at this point. But I come bearing gifts :)

For myself and those few of you who use Firefox I made add-on that implements an ignore list feature.


https://postimg.org/image/ej2g76sp9/


https://postimg.org/image/8jjah9xal/

Limitations:

• Firefox only (I might try and make a Chrome version at some point, if I have the time).
• The list is stored locally with your bookmarks and other browser data. This means that if you log in at another computer or device, you'll have to install the add-on there and maintain a separate list.
• You can't view, edit or export the list.

Installation:

See message below with an updated version.

Hello Sophisticat. It's great to see you here. I had been hoping you'd turn up. I have missed your posts and particularly your scientific expertise.

Update for the Ignore extension (5/19/2018):

Chrome:

Chrome now allows installing extensions only from its web store, and since I am not a registered and payed-up developer, I cannot publish there. If you really want it and know what you are doing, you can install an unpacked extension as described here: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-install-chrome-extensions-manually/

Zipped Chrome extension

Firefox 45 or later (this update is functionally identical to the old version):

Download the XPI file, double-click and allow the browser to install the extension.

Reply to SophistiCat Chrome too? This is super cool. I'll try it later.

Works nicely, although I'm still hoping the PlushForums devs will build it into the software. That way we could achieve what I'm presuming is the optimal functionality, namely for ignored members to completely disappear for the ignorer, with a list of ignored members in the ignorer's profile that allows them to stop ignoring people.

I'm not sure how it worked on the old PF, as I never used it.

Thanks @SophistiCat

Quoting mosesquine

This site does not allow to edit the options in the poll.

Putting this here as a reminder for the next time I send feature requests to PlushForums.

A reply to your own post buttons, so you can hyperlink things you have already wrote?

Reply to m-theory You can already do that. It's the "Share" link. Or you can highlight the comment/paragraph and click the Quote button that shows up.

Editing PMs (at least before they've been read) would be great. Bloody typos.

Reply to Michael ah
thanks

http://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/43104

Just for @Banno, add super- and subscript to the button list above the comment box.

Cool, sub- and super-script are supported.

Watery stuff: H[sub]2[/sub]O
Squarey stuff: x[sup]2[/sup]

Watery stuff: H[sub]2[/sub]O

Squarey stuff: x[sup]2[/sup]

Quoting Michael

Just for @Banno, add super- and subscript to the button list above the comment box.

How do you add them?

Quoting jorndoe

How do you add them?

You don't, the Admins have to add them.

Reply to jorndoe It's a feature request for jamalrob to pass to the PlushForums team.

Seems you can't display videos or pictures where the URL begins with https://. Don't know if this is a bug, a feature, or a limitation.

Reply to Wayfarer





Works for me. If you paste in the URLs you tried I can check to see what's up.

Reply to jamalrob thanks! Strange. I had been wanting to post a Youtube vid in Phil of Religion, I'll try again. (Wasn't the first time I had observed it.)

Blogs?

Reply to Mongrel

http://articles.thephilosophyforum.com/

Or enter your personal blog address in the Website field of your bio.

Reply to Michael Hmm. Not really what I had in mind. Maybe the software doesn't allow that much freedom? If so.. that's kind of wonky isn't it?

Quoting Mongrel

Hmm. Not really what I had in mind. Maybe the software doesn't allow that much freedom? If so.. that's kind of wonky isn't it?

Was the software ever intended to cater to those who want to write a blog? If not, then no. What we have here is a forum, a place to publish articles, and the option to link to your blog if you have one. It's not an all singing, all dancing website. I'm content with that.

Quoting Sapientia

I'm content with that.

Oh dear, have you become a conservative overnight? :-O

I'd like a feature that allows the rank and file to ban other members from this site. My feeling is that if the general public can be trusted not to pull the emergency brake in the subway, not to pull the fire alarm in public places, and not to play with publically available defibrillators, then we can be trusted not to misuse our power here.

Quoting Agustino

Oh dear, have you become a conservative overnight? :-O

:D

Virtually [i]everyone[/I] is a conservative in at least [i]some[/I] respect. I have always tended to be a conservative about the forum. I even joined the establishment.

Quoting Sapientia

Was the software ever intended to cater to those who want to write a blog? If not, then no. What we have here is a forum, a place to publish articles, and the option to link to your blog if you have one. It's not an all singing, all dancing website. I'm content with that.

Jesus, dude. A long time ago I was on a forum that had a little blog section. It ended up being a discussion generator. I was thinking of ways to improve the content of this forum.

You just hurt my fucking feelings, by the way. Where's unenlightened? I need a champion.

Wah!

Quoting Mongrel

I was thinking of ways to improve the content of this forum.

Okay. I'll let you off just this once. But don't do it again. ;)

The idea's not that bad. I was just basically saying don't blame the cat if it doesn't bark.

Reply to Sapientia Oh. Did I sound blaming? It would just involve a little column (maybe to the right) with names and a little signal about whether they have a new entry. If you click on the name, you can read their latest philosophy ramblings.

Reply to Mongrel I think their issue is that they don't have control over how the forum looks or what features it has that much? It's not like it's their forum - it's hosted and designed by Plush, and they merely "rent" it. I don't think they can change it in absolutely infinite ways, like old PF which was simply Paul's website, hosted by him and programmed from the ground up by him.

Quoting Mongrel

Oh. Did I sound blaming?

It sounded to me like you were blaming the software, or perhaps by implication its creator, because it doesn't allow you to do what you want to be allowed to do.

Quoting Mongrel

It would just involve a little column (maybe to the right) with names and a little signal about whether they have a new entry. If you click on the name, you can read their latest philosophy ramblings.

Sure. Worthy of consideration. I was just stating my personal feelings on the matter: I'm content without that feature.

If it was subtle enough, and didn't stand out too much, like maybe a "blogs" addition to the menu where you have "articles" and such, or in the list of categories, then I wouldn't mind at all, and might even be tempted to start a blog or check out the blogs of others.

It'd be down to PlushForums to come up with something like that. But even if they did, perhaps it'd come at an extra cost. Who knows?

Reply to Sapientia So we really have no control over the format? I'm just surprised. And I didn't particularly want to start a blog. As I said... it was a thought about making the content of the forum more interesting. It was partly inspired by something Jute said about TGW and partly past experience.

Quoting Mongrel

So we really have no control over the format?

Well, we can request new features but there's no guarantee our requests will be granted by the software designers.

Quoting Mongrel

So we really have no control over the format?

Installing software on my own server and then customizing it would have been too much work. PlushForums doesn't allow much customization because it's a hosted service; and as such it is much easier to run.

Reply to jamalrob Ok. But the more I think about, the more I'm convinced that readers would benefit from a user-based presentation. Package all of SLX's op's, for instance.

Oh, and a couple of us are going to work out some sort of "Ask the philosopher" deal. Are you cool with that?

Quoting Mongrel

Ok. But the more I think about, the more I'm convinced that readers would benefit from a user-based presentation. Package all of SLX's op's, for instance.

Oh, and a couple of us are going to work out some sort of "Ask the philosopher" deal. Are you cool with that?

He can't make a blog section.

Reply to Michael Ok. Packaging is undoable as well? It looks like the categories are package like.

Reply to Mongrel The software can only do what it currently does.

Reply to Michael Fine. Should that change at some point, I hope you keep my suggestion in mind.

Reply to Mongrel I think there's some misunderstanding here. jamlrob has no control over what the software can do. It's like Facebook, only we pay to use it. So there's nothing for us to keep in mind. Any functionality requests need to be sent to PlushForums.

Reply to Michael Packaging wouldn't be a function change. I'm not sure why you're stuck on that.

Reply to Mongrel There's no such thing as "packaging". What we do is define a list of categories and then when a user posts a discussion they select which category to publish it to.

Reply to Michael So it is doable, there just isn't anybody who has the time to do it. Thus I said keep it in mind in case that changes and someone wants to experiment with making the forum more attractive to readers.

Quoting Mongrel

So it is doable, there just isn't anybody who has the time to do it. Thus I said keep it in mind in case that changes and someone wants to experiment with making the forum more attractive to reade

I'm not an expert on this so I don't fully understand the changes you're talking about, but we can change the categories in which discussions are placed; we can add new ones or add sub-categories or combine categories etc. and that doesn't take long to do.

Quoting Mongrel

Oh, and a couple of us are going to work out some sort of "Ask the philosopher" deal. Are you cool with that?

If this means add a category called "Ask the philosopher" somewhere and you can explain more about it, it might be doable.

Quoting Mongrel

Oh, and a couple of us are going to work out some sort of "Ask the philosopher" deal. Are you cool with that?

What is it and what does it involve? Sounds fine though.

Reply to Baden I'm getting a "Resistance is futile" vibe from Yaha. The Ask the Philosopher will just be some threads. No bother.

Quoting Mongrel

So it is doable, there just isn't anybody who has the time to do it. Thus I said keep it in mind in case that changes and someone wants to experiment with making the forum more attractive to readers.

No - it actually isn't doable. They have no direct control as far as I understand on what js scripts are running on the forums, what php code, or the forum's css, and they can only affect html structure in ways which are permitted by the software. Maybe the software allows them to select a series of "themes" as well, I have no clue as I never used Plush.

Reply to Mongrel Just take yo ass and google PlushForums on google :P , and then go to images - you'll see they all have the same structure. We technically have a blog as well - it's in the "Articles" section. That one is actually built like a blog.

https://www.cmscritic.com/plushforums-review/

Reply to Agustino Looking at that @jamalrob, why did you go for the separate Articles site rather than the integrated blog?

Quoting Michael

why did you go for the separate Articles site rather than the integrated blog?

It is a blog, but he disabled features of it, such as who can post articles, etc. I think. If you go to the articles, on the left hand corner you have a menu which opens up, which is a blog menu.

Jamalrob has undertaken state control of the means of production for fuck's sake! >:O

Reply to Agustino I'm not sure what you mean there, but this articles site uses Silvrback.

Reply to Agustino Don't you have some camels to feed?

Quoting Mongrel

I'm getting a "Resistance is futile" vibe from Yaha. The Ask the Philosopher will just be some threads. No bother.

I think there may have been some crossed wires there. Your idea sounds interesting. Just lay it out and we may be able to implement it.

Quoting Mongrel

Don't you have some camels to feed?

Camels?! No, I'm busy with straw dogs... do you want one? I can send you an authentic Mongolian straw hot dog :D

Reply to Baden Ok. I'm actually confused about how much energy to put into it. I'll write out something like a pitch. Couple of paragraphs.

Reply to Agustino I'll take one with mustard. Now go practice your I Ching.

Quoting Michael

Looking at that jamalrob, why did you go for the separate Articles site rather than the integrated blog?

In the beginning we had big plans to publish a lot of high-quality articles in a nice format--that was one of @Hanover's ideas, I think--and an independent platform seemed like good decision. I expected more article submissions than we got. As it turned out, we only got three, only one of them was any good--and they were all mine anyway.

Reply to Mongrel (Y)

Quoting Agustino

No - it actually isn't doable. They have no direct control as far as I understand on what js scripts are running on the forums, what php code, or the forum's css, and they can only affect html structure in ways which are permitted by the software. Maybe the software allows them to select a series of "themes" as well, I have no clue as I never used Plush.

You may be interested to learn that Plush is based on a fork of Vanilla Forums.

Quoting Agustino

Jamalrob has undertaken state control of the means of production for fuck's sake!

I and the rest of the staff are but servants of you, the people.

Reply to Baden I see from looking at other plush forums that there is blog capability. I don't really like it though.

I don't believe they can do what I had in mind.

Reply to Mongrel

Well, at least the conversation does give me some food for thought. It may be time to consider getting some published philosophers to contribute. I think we have the profile for it now.

Reply to Baden Sure. Go for it. My thought was put together specific questions, email them off, and then publish the answers in a thread.

In a thread a while back, I emailed Chalmers, Soames, and some random professor in Canada in order to get views on a conflict between myself and another poster. Chalmers answered with one sentence. Soames gave a paragraph and direction to an online essay he wrote (which was very helpful). The random professor spent more time explaining the complexities. I thought it might be cool to do something like that again with an issue like semantic atomism/molecularism/holism, knowledge internalism/externalism, and other such.

Plus any questions to David Lewis would interest me. I can't afford his book. :(

Quoting Mongrel

Chalmers answered with one sentence. Soames gave a paragraph and direction to an online essay he wrote (which was very helpful). The random professor spent more time explaining the complexities.

Priest would have told you to go buy his book. :P

Not sure if this has been suggested, but there should be the ability to preview PMs before sending them.

Reply to Thorongil Thanks, I've just sent that feature request to PlushForums support along with the other things. See the OP in this discussion for the latest list.

Reply to jamalrob Thanks.

Also, there's no ability to delete posts you've made? Just now for example, I made a brief comment but then saw that someone else basically said the same thing, and I saw there was no option to delete.

Reply to Thorongil

There's not as it stands, which is odd, we know. Anyway, if you blank your post content then write "delete @[any mod name] we'll get rid of it.

One thing I totally hate about the interface of this forum is that there's no adequate text editor. I can't centre text, can't wrap text around images, use different fonts, change font size, etc. It would make communicating stuff more interesting if we had a Word document kind of interface which gave you full flexibility.

Reply to Agustino I'd be against that. This place looks better when it's more uniform.

Quoting Agustino

It would make communicating stuff more interesting

More likely it would make the place a mess, which we'd then have to clean up. You do enough damage to the aesthetics of the place with your overuse of smilies. You're not getting any more toys to play with. >:O

One more vote against a word-like editor, which they wouldn't do anyway.

"We are the Mod. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."

Quoting Sapientia

This place looks better when it's more uniform.

Quoting Baden

it would make the place a mess

Reply to Agustino

I doubt you look as good in shorts 'Tino. Anyway, you poor oppressed minions can bypass me and Sap as @jamalrob is the one who ultimately decides what to put on the feature request list. Maybe he'll listen to your desperate cries.

Quoting Agustino

One thing I totally hate about the interface of this forum is that there's no adequate text editor. I can't centre text, can't wrap text around images, use different fonts, change font size, etc. It would make communicating stuff more interesting if we had a Word document kind of interface which gave you full flexibility.

I abhor WYSIWYG and so-called word processors and think their invention was a terrible mistake. Formatting and style is not the writer's concern. I think the editor is fine as it is and I will not be requesting that feature. I wouldn't mind seeing Markdown support, though.

Quoting jamalrob

Formatting and style is not the writer's concern.

Ok, understood. Formatting and style though is a means of communication too, and as such, it is a writer's concern. One of the things that I think has brought philosophy down in the past is that the content is there, but the FORM isn't used to reflect and support it as effectively as possible.

Reply to Agustino

Just italicize everything, like me. :P

Quoting Agustino

Ok, understood. Formatting and style though is a means of communication too, and as such, it is a writer's concern. One of the things that I think has brought philosophy down in the past is that the content is there, but the FORM isn't used to reflect and support it as effectively as possible.

I don't see how. And I can't get over the fact that you work in web development and yet you think it's cool for users to be able to change the font and text colour. That's insane.

Quoting jamalrob

And I can't get over the fact that you work in web development and yet you think it's cool for users to be able to change the font and text colour

Why not? You are aware that most forums have word processors for posts right (at least the other non-philosophy forums I've been on do, and I remember you could change colors, etc. in old PF too)? Of course on a random web page you don't want people to change the font, etc. of what's already on the page, that would be insane and mess the layout. But a post would live in its own div, you should be able to play with the layout inside as much as you want.

A lot of developers don't pay adequate attention to graphic + typographic design, but I don't understand why not. These are essential elements that should be incorporated and thought out in each design. Most people just stick Montserrat or Roboto with 2 lines of code and then forget about fonts, but that's the wrong approach. The right font + the right graphic design significantly increases conversions, and most clients don't want websites just to look cool, or work cool - they want them to sell for them.

Quoting Agustino

A lot of developers don't pay adequate attention to graphic + typographic design, but I don't understand why not. These are essential elements that should be incorporated and thought out in each design. Most people just stick Montserrat or Roboto with 2 lines of code and then forget about fonts, but that's the wrong approach. The right font + the right graphic design significantly increases conversions, and most clients don't want websites just to look cool, or work cool - they want them to sell for them.

This goes against your case, because it's an argument for good design, under the control of a web designer, which is the opposite of what you're asking for.

Quoting jamalrob

This goes against your case, because it's an argument for good design, under the control of a web designer, which is the opposite of what you're asking for.

For web pages, not for the content inside posts. If I post something I should be able to decide if it's green or yellow, or whatever. Maybe I want to make this WORD red, for emphasis. Maybe I want it to be centred:

BAM - THIS IS A BIG CENTRED HEADLINE
This is so great you just can't refuse it!

See? I can't even centre that (and it looks disgusting as left-aligned). Maybe I want my post to have multiple chapters - someone can skim read through all my ideas and read only what they're interested in, etc. etc.

I mean most forums do this.

Reply to Agustino No, that would be terrible. I'm baffled that anyone thinks it would be good.

Quoting jamalrob

No, that would be terrible. I'm baffled that anyone thinks it would be good.

Okay, I get it you don't like it, but my question is why not, and what does that have to do with web development?

Reply to Agustino Honestly Agustino, if you're the kind of person who thinks user-defined fonts and text colours are a good thing, then I doubt we have enough in common for a rational discussion about it. Several reasons have been given in the thread already. It would be messy, and communication depends on common standards, especially common standards of presentation. You say that one of the problems with philosophy is the form in which it's published. Are you saying that, e.g., the World as Will and Representation would have been better if Schopenhauer had been able to get it printed in his favourite purple Comic Sans?

Are you trolling?

Quoting jamalrob

It would be messy, and communication depends on common standards, especially common standards of presentation.

Right - you can check out other forums then. I don't remember old PF being messy, or somehow being affected by the "lack of common standards of presentation". I used colors and headlines several times there, and it was very successful, no one said anything. I remember several people, including 180 Proof, using colors and different font sizes too!

Quoting jamalrob

Are you saying that, e.g., the World as Will and Representation would have been better if Schopenhauer had been able to get it printed in his favourite purple Comic Sans?

Books aren't the only way of presenting philosophical ideas, and forum posts are nothing like books, so the comparison you're making is besides the point. If I present the ideas of WWR as a poster for example, do you think I'll fill it up with text like a book? Of course not. I will differentiate with shocking images, different font sizes, colors, etc. the important ideas, so that they can be understood at a single glance. And above all that, Comic Sans isn't even a good choice for presenting something like WWR - so if someone chose that, tough luck, he'd most likely be ignored.

Those who are skilled can make effective use of styling elements. It seems you think it's trolling, but there's absolutely no reason to take that stand. You should simply be aware that many forums are doing this, and they're not having problems because of it. There's nothing messy about centring text, using colors, etc.

As for your insinuations that I'm trolling, or somehow these ideas don't deserve respect - that's bullshit. And you know it, or at least you should know it.

Quoting Agustino

I remember several people, including 180 Proof, using colors and different font sizes too!

It made his posts unreadable.

Quoting Agustino

BAM - THIS IS A BIG CENTRED HEADLINE
This is so great you just can't refuse it!

Are you here to advertise?

Reply to jamalrob Dunno, he might have a point. ;)

Reply to Michael :-O

Quoting jamalrob

It made his posts unreadable.

For you, which is fine. You are free to disagree and have your own opinion. But there's a long way from having your own opinion, and thinking that other opinions aren't even worth hearing.

I, for example, loved 180 Proof's posts precisely because he made effective use of fonts, styles, colors, etc. to emphasise the important ideas - someone could get it almost at a single glance.

Reply to Agustino I'm confident you're in a minority, but if you manage to get several more members together and form a movement for change, I'll consider asking the devs to implement it--unless there's a strong counter-movement, as I suspect there would be.

I reckon Being and Time would be easier to understand in WIngdings.

But in all seriousness, WYSIWYG editors suck, and font/colour/positioning additions will just make this place messy.

Quoting Agustino

I, for example, loved 180 Proof's posts precisely because he made effective use of fonts, styles, colors, etc. to emphasise the important ideas - someone could get it almost at a single glance.

You like skimming the text, reading only what the author presents as the important ideas. How do you know that your idea of what is important is the same as the author's?

Quoting Metaphysician Undercover

You like skimming the text, reading only what the author presents as the important ideas.

At first. If there's anything important there, I will read everything.

Quoting Metaphysician Undercover

How do you know that your idea of what is important is the same as the author's?

If the author is worth reading, he should at least be aware of what his message is, otherwise how can he attempt to convey it? If he's aware of his message, then I'll get an idea of it from his main points. Then if that idea is sufficiently convincing, I will read what follows.

So my idea of what's important doesn't matter. All I care is what is this author trying to communicate - and is it important?

Reply to Agustino
Most these discussions involve argumentation. In my opinion, what is important is not the assertion but the argument which supports the assertion. To put the assertions in bold is just an annoyance, like someone shouting at you.

Quoting Metaphysician Undercover

Most these discussions involve argumentation. In my opinion, what is important is not the assertion but the argument which supports the assertion. To put the assertions in bold is just an annoyance, like someone shouting at you.

I think this is one of the things that's wrong with modern philosophy. It's not the argument - but the insight that counts. Argumentation is merely a form of presentation - maybe a way of convincing someone by tying a conclusion with other beliefs that someone already has - thus convincing them how the new belief (conclusion) fits in the environment of what he already knows about the world (premises).

It's insight that makes you a great philosopher - not the ability to be argumentative. I'm scouring for insights, arguments are secondary.

Reply to jamalrob I don't know what's come over me, but on this occasion I agree with Agustino. I liked 180 Proof's quirkiness. The triumph of Facebook over MySpace, for example, is partly a triumph of a melancholy uniformity over lively self-styling. I think some user control over font, colour and so forth is an enhancement. Mess is not always A Bad Thing..

I may have to go and lie down.

Reply to Agustino
The lunatic can go around shouting out great insight, but it's the ability to justify what you claim which makes you a respectable philosopher. That's because it's when you're within the process of justifying your assumptions, that you realize which intuitions are guiding you in the correct direction. Without this act of justifying, the insight you shout out is just random nonsense; which, by the way, constitutes a large portion of many posts. And there is no reason to provide the poster with the means to attract ones attention to such nonsense. Insight, without the capacity to express oneself appears as drivel.

Can't you center somehow with the "code" option? And do other stuff?

EDIT: I just tried but couldn't manage.

Quoting mcdoodle

I don't know what's come over me, but on this occasion I agree with Agustino

:o

Reply to Benkei Only a few of the BBCode tags are recognised, and the rest will just appear in the post as written in the editor.

Quoting Agustino

You should simply be aware that many forums are doing this, and they're not having problems because of it. There's nothing messy about centring text, using colors, etc.

I'm aware that other forums are doing that. They look messy and unprofessional. If this was just a forum for casual chitchat, then maybe. But it's not.

Reply to Sapientia Au contraire! If this was a forum just for casual chitchat, then you should have simplified things as much as possible - like now. For simple chitchat people wouldn't need additional features (think Facebook). But because this isn't such a forum, you should give users more possibilities.

Reply to Agustino No, you've got that the wrong way around. It would definitely make more sense having that option if this were just a forum for casual chitchat. Then looking professional wouldn't be such a concern.

Urgh. Look at this crap. It's awful.

Along with reply, share, and flag, posts should have a link button, so you can refer to specific posts.

Reply to Srap Tasmaner They do. If you click on the "4 hours ago" or whatever time it is, the link will appear in the URL, and you can copy it.

Quoting Srap Tasmaner

Along with reply, share, and flag, posts should have a link button, so you can refer to specific posts.

That's exactly what the "Share" link does.

Quoting mcdoodle

I liked 180 Proof's quirkiness.

180 proof was legendary but he was to the point and had concise, almost perfect oneliners. Augustino is legendary with his own quirkiness now, as he is, but to further inflict us with essays of rainbow vomit where we would need to wear ultraviolet sunglasses just to read his posts, it would probably get him banned and I wouldn't want that.

I think the site looks perfect as is. All this place needs is the palm-face and rolly-eye emoticons. I miss them.

Reply to TimeLine I'm an old arty-fart, I quite agree the forum looks ok as it is, and it won't put me out if nothing changes, but I dislike this Facebook-like conformity.

Quoting mcdoodle

I'm an old arty-fart, I quite agree the forum looks ok as it is, and it won't put me out if nothing changes, but I dislike this Facebook-like conformity.

I cannot see how considering that the former addition of 'likes' is gone and indeed there are no personal picture posting. It is nice to indulge in some aesthetic pleasure, but alas some here would take it to another level that it may reduce the quality of posts into scintillating ad hominems.

Reply to Michael
Mind. Blown.

Actually I just assumed that "Share" would bring up a selection of social media buttons like it does on loads of other sites, so I avoided clicking it.

Thanks also @Agustino. I guess that amounts to a sort of "back to the top of this post" function. Odd.

Thanks guys!

A lot is not so good here, but anything is better than nothing.

1. Citations should be in grey body to distinguish them better from the answer.
2. We should get a set of basic logical and mathematical symbols, and some more smilies.
3. We should be able to mark words ot sentences and color them differently.

All that would help serious argumentation.

Quoting Pippen

3. We should be able to mark words ot sentences and color them differently.

I've pointed out this before:

Quoting Agustino

One thing I totally hate about the interface of this forum is that there's no adequate text editor. I can't centre text, can't wrap text around images, use different fonts, change font size, etc. It would make communicating stuff more interesting if we had a Word document kind of interface which gave you full flexibility.

Quoting Agustino

Right - you can check out other forums then. I don't remember old PF being messy, or somehow being affected by the "lack of common standards of presentation". I used colors and headlines several times there, and it was very successful, no one said anything. I remember several people, including 180 Proof, using colors and different font sizes too!

Quoting Pippen

2. We should get a set of basic logical and mathematical symbols, and some more smilies.

Agreed :D

Quoting Pippen

We should get a set of basic logical and mathematical symbols

We have MathJax.

$$\int_{a}^{b} x^2 dx$$

Quoting Pippen

A lot is not so good here, but anything is better than nothing.

1. Citations should be in grey body to distinguish them better from the answer.
2. We should get a set of basic logical and mathematical symbols, and some more smilies.
3. We should be able to mark words ot sentences and color them differently.

1. Quotations are indented and surrounded by big quotation marks and are sufficiently distinguishable from the rest of a post, at least to me and I suspect most others.
2. As Michael said, we have MathJax.
3. I don't see at all how colours would help, and I don't know what you mean by "mark words or sentences".

So your three complaints--two of which are eccentric and one of which is already a feature--don't seem to add up to "a lot is not so good here".

In the biography section, it asks you to state your "Favourite philosophers."

Can we Americanize (i.e. improve) this to read "Favorite philosophers"?

Reply to Hanover Done.

In the biography section, it asks you to state your "Favorite philosophers".

Can we Englishize (i.e. correct) this to read "Favourite philosophers"?

Reply to Michael No. But I've left "Favourite quotations" in the interests of fairness.

Reply to jamalrob Fine. Then you might as well change "Favourite quotations" to "Favorite quotations".

Reply to Michael You're too fast. See my edit.

Reply to jamalrob Touch choice. Fairness or consistency...

How about add a "Fave books" or some such just to make it a complete mess?

Reply to Michael I know. I think I'll leave it like that because the inconsistency is a bit annoying, like a grain of sand in an oyster.

Quoting Michael

How about add a "Fave books" or some such just to make it a complete mess?

>:O Favorite philosophy book would be an interesting one. Not sure what I'd put there...

Quoting jamalrob

Done

Noooooooooo!

Quoting Michael

Englishize

Englishise.

Reply to Sapientia http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2011/03/ize-or-ise/

Reply to Michael I'm with Gowers rather than Oxford on that one, although I'm all in favour of the Oxford comma.

I changed it back to "Favourite". I was too eager to please Hanover.

We really need a dump sub-forum, like in the old place. When I come to the forum and see 7 (seven) threads started by TheMadFool just on the front page, that really is depressing. The whole place looks like a dump. If I were a first-time visitor, I would have left immediately without giving the site much consideration.

Reply to SophistiCat LOL, I was just writing the below yesterday but hadn't posted:

"Can we have an "UnModerated" category like old PF? It would be sort of like the Feedback section is at the moment. It only appears to logged in users, and the posts wouldn't appear in the main feed. "

Reply to SophistiCat

Noted, but we can solve that problem most effectively by being more diligent about checking OP quality.

Reply to Baden I don't like the idea of deleting ("disappearing") posts. Moreover, I think that, faced with the choice of deleting a shitty post and leaving it alone, a reasonable moderator will err on the side of leniency. Which brings us to the present situation, where the board is, frankly, drowning in idiocy. A special not-quite-up-to-standards area would be a less authoritarian solution, IMHO.

Another solution for serial shit-posters would be to merge all their threads into one (I know one board that practices that).

Could we have the ability to privately annotate posters' profiles with a line or two of comment, so their perceived predispositions and characters can take shape more easily within the mind? Or is it just me that finds it hard to remember much about some virtual identities, despite their sometimes lengthy posts?

Reply to Baden Reply to Michael Reply to jamalrob

Are we still unable to block or ignore a user so that their posts don't automatically show up as being visible?

Reply to Buxtebuddha

There's no way to do that with the forum software. Though somewhere in this discussion Sophisticat provided a Chrome plugin that works as far as I know.

Reply to Buxtebuddha Yeah, SophistiCat created Firefox and Chrome plugins:

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/28211

Reply to Baden Reply to jamalrob Great, thanks guys (Y)

Did somebody say something?

Quoting Mayor of Simpleton

I cannot seem to delete a post if I wish to.

Though it would be good to be able to delete a post, you now could just edit it, changing its text to "Deleted by poster".

Michael Ossipoff

Reply to Michael Ossipoff You are correct in that it would be good to be able to delete a post. Like you I just make a dot or ask for deletion but either way the moderators are usually on it fairly quick.

We need a chatroom. I have things I need to say in real time, not in the form of posts to sit there waiting to be heard, but things that need to be heard here and now.

Quoting Hanover

We need a chatroom. I have things I need to say in real time, not in the form of posts to sit there waiting to be heard, but things that need to be heard here and now.

I agree. Seven days later but I agree.

I miss debates. What about a facility for debates?

Reply to Banno
You want a debate, Banno? (I'm asking in general)

Reply to Banno We have that. You can propose one here. @creativesoul proposed one a month ago, but there weren't any takers.

Quoting Banno

I miss debates. What about a facility for debates?

Why? You miss losing so much? :rofl:

An ignore function compatible with smartphones. [I]Please[/I].

(Apparently a slight change in design and a few more smilies is higher up on their list of priorities).

I still would like (+) votes for posts.

Reply to Maw https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/2686/please-allow-upvoting-and-downvoting/p1

Reply to Sapientia I hate the new design. I keep flagging posts when I mean to press the "Share" button. Bring back the bloody words and screw the icons!

Quoting Michael

I keep flagging posts when I mean to press the "Share" button

You're old school bro. Just left-click the timestamp, copy the URL link and there's your shared post. Or right click timestamp, copy link address.

Reply to Agustino Oh.

Thanks. :)

No worries.

Is there way to impose a 5 or 10 minute no-post delay for users posting new threads? It would help alot with spam bots without impacting regular users too much (I ask having deleted 10 posts in a row of advertising).

Reply to StreetlightX We can't impose a delay, but there are two things we can do. There is a setting to require staff approval of all new users, and we can enable two anti-spam plugins. I've just enabled the plugins to see how they work for us, so I'm not going to implement the signup approval just yet.

EDIT: Actually, three things: I've also turned on reCAPTCHA to prevent automated signups.

Quoting Agustino

Why? You miss losing so much

Dunno. Never 'appened.

Quoting Banno

Dunno. Never 'appened.

:smirk: Love that bravado!

Users' comments (i.e. here) and discussions should be paginated. Just having "More comments" to go forward a page is annoying,

Reply to Michael

Yes, the lack of convenient access to historical comments is a major weakness of the set-up here.

I seem to have lost spell check on my system. Is anyone else losing it or is it just me?

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiffMaybe you now spell all words correctly. Have you recently been hit on the head?

I actually get spell check on my home and work computers, but not my phone. Not sure why.

Quoting Hanover

I actually get spell check on my home and work computers, but not my phone. Not sure why.

It's a browser feature, not a feature of the forum, so I assume whatever browser you use on your phone doesn't have a spellchecker.

I use DOS 1.3

Quoting Hanover

Maybe you now spell all words correctly.

I thought maybe I had become a perfect speller till I tried to spellllll spell wrong and it let me.

Quoting Hanover

I use DOS 1.3

5 was the best version. Get actualized once in a while will you.

MMMMmmm no spell check is still not functioning.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff What browser are you using?

Reply to Michael Internet Explorer

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff That's your problem.

Reply to Michael What do you mean? Spell check has always worked on EI.
And NicK agrees with you whole heartedly that I should be on Fire Fox or Chrome, both of which are options on my desktop. My problem with both of those are they block too much content for my searches.

Trying Chrome
Hmmm it works. Thank you. I am still curious as to why Internet Explorer doesn't support it all of a sudden.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Open IE, press ALT, then go to Tools > Manage add-ons. On the left there might be a "Spelling Correction" option. Click it and make sure "Enable spelling correction" is ticked in the bottom left.

Reply to Michael You should do this for a living! Thank you!

I request a feature to disable spam, like the following, which I've seen littered across the forum, and which presumably comes from some sort of bot:

Your response has been posted on The Philosophy Forum Facebook page. Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution!

Reply to Sapientia Sounds like you're just hatin cuz none of your posts are worthy.

Tapatalk?

Quoting Hanover

Sounds like you're just hatin cuz none of your posts are worthy.

Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution!

Our Facebook page is one of the few bright spots on an otherwise trivia-littered, over-commercialized, insipid, vanity-driven, dopamine-inspired landscape.

Quoting Baden

Our Facebook page is one of the few bright spots on an otherwise trivia-littered, over-commercialized, insipid, vanity-driven, dopamine-inspired landscape.

Your response has been posted on The Philosophy Forum Facebook page. Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution!

Oh, cool...

Reply to Baden Yes, I'm sure it's wonderful. :heart: :hearts: :sparkle: :party:

But the spam...? :eyes:

Reply to Sapientia

Come on, dude. We've had this since old PF. It is loved by the masses and shall remain.

Reply to Baden Boo...

Quoting Baden

Your response has been posted on The Philosophy Forum Facebook page. Congratulations and Thank you for your contribution!

Baden, I know you know that I am not a bot and I am the one that posts the Facebook posts as of right now and I am sure if that needs to change, I will be informed by you or jamalrob, administrators of TPF or Facebook.

If I had been asked, I would have gratefully explained that there is a reason, that I use the phrase that I do.

When I post a picture on a platform such as Facebook and it is a Watermarked picture or a trademarked image, I obtain written permission to use the image from the artist. I had obtained permission of use from four photographers at PF and I notified them when PF was sold and that I would honor our agreement and let the new owners know that they are not authorized to keep the photos posted but they choose not to delete the pictures. I have obtained the same permission for use at TPF Facebook page which is why their image, when posted, is linked back to their Facebook page. It is a win win and an awesome networking exchange.

I have tried to do the same with notifying any TPF member that a quote of theirs has been posted on a social networking platform. I have done this, which is a change from what I originally started with at PF, which was to quote with no notification. I was approached by Paul, as a PF member was using his real name for his user name and had no idea that his words had even been posted on Facebook until he logged on. I directly apologized to him, I told him I would implement the change and did so.

I remediated the situation with that member in particular, by offering either the total removal of the quote or the removal of his user name and the link back to the thread in PF. I respected his choice and made the changes necessary to not have anyone feel imposed upon with giving them credit due.

It is a fine line to walk and I do the best that I can with what I know. Until I am told of another way, I will continue to do as I have for the last two years.

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

I have tried to do the same with notifying any TPF member that a quote of theirs has been posted on a social networking platform.

And that must be done publicly?

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

It is a fine line to walk and I do the best that I can with what I know. Until I am told of another way, I will continue to do as I have for the last two years.

Notification by private message?

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

When I post a picture

You better be careful, Sappy is deathly afraid of pictures. He hates them. They try to turn him toward the dark side.

Reply to Buxtebuddha Yes. But I'm like Luke Skywalker, only with a beefburger instead of a lightsaber.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff

You're doing a great job. Keep doing what you're doing.

Reply to Baden Yearp. I agree.

What happened to our ability to note why we are flagging a post?

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff That's never been a thing.

I contacted the developers and discovered I wouldn't have direct access to the data, and that killed the sale for me. Still, I do like this forum software quite a bit, so thumbs up for the interface.

Quoting Michael

That's never been a thing.

Are you sure?

Is there a simple way to know what category a discussion has been posted in? I normally display "All Discussions" and then click on the discussions that interest me. When a discussion is displayed, I can't see anywhere what category this discussion has been posted in, other than trying to find it trough selecting sequentially all the plausible categories in which it might have been posted. It's strange that discussions and individual posts are seemingly displayed without a category tag visible anywhere in them.

Reply to Pierre-Normand If you locate your mouse over the topic on the landing page, you should see the category appear.

Reply to Pierre-Normand As BC says, hover over the discussion title to see the category. Also, when you're in a discussion the category in the left menu is emphasized in bold (though not on mobile).

All members should be replaced with cute red headed college coeds who think I'm a genius. I can't believe this feature STILL hasn't been implemented, even though I asked for it an entire sentence ago!!!

Quoting Jake

All members should be replaced with cute red headed college coeds who think I'm a genius. I can't believe this feature STILL hasn't been implemented, even though I asked for it an entire sentence ago!!!

A forum full of S.E. Cupps! @Maw would probably go with the idea! :joke:

@Bitter Crank, @jamalrob,

Thanks, thanks!

I'm too old for college girls

Reply to Maw

I could live for a million years and I wouldn't be too old for college girls.

Quoting Maw

I'm too old for college girls

Ahh the moments of youth slip away.... :meh:
Need my readers yet? :razz:

Now that you guys have figured out how to make a subsection less visible, I would suggest adding another one besides The Lounge. Right now The Lounge doubles as a place for relaxed and off-topic discussion, as well as a dump for threads that don't fit moderators' standards in other forums, which makes for a weird mix. I would rather see a dedicated "dump" subsection (you could give it a more polite name, like "Not quite philosophy" or something).


Quoting Terrapin Station

I could live for a million years and I wouldn't be too old for college girls.

Only if those girls study paleontology in college. Then you would be quite a find!

Quoting SophistiCat

Right now The Lounge doubles as a place for relaxed and off-topic discussion, as well as a dump for threads that don't fit moderators' standards in other forums, which makes for a weird mix. I would rather see a dedicated "dump" subsection (you could give it a more polite name, like "Not quite philosophy" or something).

This could be a good idea.

In the coming forum utopia, all members you experience will be fully customizable digital entities. Seriously.

Each of us has our preferences of what topics we want to explore, and how we want to explore them. And none of us can perfectly meet the needs of our fellow members, and most of us probably can't come close. And so here we are stuck with each other's limitations, and we put up with that because the only other option is the real world where getting what one wants in a philosophical experience is even more problematic and inconvenient.

Point being, none of us are capable of meeting your discussion needs as well as the coming digital entities, so we human members will be phased out, ignored, dismissed and discarded, having failed to compete successfully with conversation partners who can be anything you want.

One problem that will have to be overcome is that we don't yet really even know what we want, given that getting exactly what we want has never been an option. As example, see my demand for redheads above, how primitive of a 1950's Playboy pinup fantasy request, but the best my imagination can do in a world characterized by imperfection, limitation and compromise.

We're already half way there. As today's forum users we've already happily given up faces, names, voices, gender, age and so much of what makes us human so that we can do philosophy in the most convenient manner possible. We want what we want, and we'll discard anything that gets in the way of us obtaining it.

We've got a way to go yet technically, but smart people are working in that direction. As example, check out CleverBot.

Another example is CrazyTalk, very affordable software for Windows and Mac which allows you to take a face photo like the redhead above, and make her say anything you want.

So, in the coming forum utopia, instead of reading this post you'd be talking with a video of the redhead above, at which point you will completely lose all interest in anything me, a mere human, might have to say. But I won't care, because I'll be talking to the redhead too.

Quoting SophistiCat

. Right now The Lounge doubles as a place for relaxed and off-topic discussion, as well as a dump for threads that don't fit moderators' standards in other forums, which makes for a weird mix. I would rather see a dedicated "dump" subsection (you could give it a more polite name, like "Not quite philosophy" or something).

Yes, I for one am noticing I'm increasingly doing this and it does make the lounge messier than it ought to be.

Reply to Jake Chicken wing. No meat.

To all: So is there a way to block a user? So that their posts do not appear in threads?

Reply to Banno Unfortunately there is no such feature in the software we're using, but SophistiCat created browser plugins that do the job: https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/28211

Reply to jamalrob Cheers. I use Safari, so no go.

Quoting Banno

To all: So is there a way to block a user?

You have tilt your head back so that your nose is very much in the air; then when you look down it at people, you will still be able to overlook them completely. We Brits are well used to the contortion, which we call 'condescension'. It does require sturdy boots though as one cannot see what or who one is treading on.

Reply to unenlightened I can do that. Easy.

Quoting unenlightened

You have tilt your head back so that your nose is very much in the air; then when you look down it at people, you will still be able to overlook them completely. We Brits are well used to the contortion, which we call 'condescension'. It does require sturdy boots though as one cannot see what or who one is treading on.

:rofl:

I've just stumbled across this thread (procrastinating). Are you still taking requests? If so, could you please ask for an italics button on the mobile version. I use italics all the time and it's a pain to have to write it out in code.

Not so much a request as a bug, but again on the mobile version every time I try to enter text at some other place in my post, it scrolls right up to the top, only scrolling back down again when I start to write.

Lastly, coming back to a thread after posting, I often find my last posted text is still in the text editor. It's been posted to the thread correctly, but a copy remains which I have to delete before posting a new comment.

Thanks.

Threading forward.

A feature at the bottom of a post that links to quotes from that post made in other posts. So I don't have to scan through pages of rubbish to find the good stuff.

I request a feature to stop people from ignoring you. And no, I'm not going to stop being a gadfly. The horses should learn to appreciate my sting. It's for their own damn good.

Quoting S

I request a feature to stop people from ignoring you. And no, I'm not going to stop being a gadfly. The horses should learn to appreciate my sting. It's for their own damn good.

Come on S, everyone who's been here for more than a year remembers the old S. You're just a little teddy bear now. We just want to snuggle with you.

Quoting T Clark

Come on S, everyone who's been here for more than a year remembers the old S. You're just a little teddy bear now. We just want to snuggle with you.

I think that some people don't see me as a little teddy bear. They see me as a bear trap. You wouldn't want to snuggle with a bear trap, would you? Anyway, it's their loss, right?

Quoting S

I think that some people don't see me as a little teddy bear. They see me as a bear trap. You wouldn't want to snuggle with a bear trap, would you? Anyway, it's their loss, right?

You're just a metaphorical bear trap, which is ok, since we only want to metaphorically snuggle with you.

Quoting T Clark

You're just a metaphorical bear trap, which is ok, since we only want to metaphorically snuggle with you.

I don't think that others do. They might see me as a corrupting force now, but I know that I'm in the right and that I'll be the stuff of legends. Tales of my brilliance will outlive them all by hundreds of years. So I'll drink my hemlock with good cheer.

Quoting S

I request a feature to stop people from ignoring you.

I request the opposite feature, the ignore a particular member feature offered in pretty much every forum software. Such a feature can help reduce the typical ego shoot outs which so plague the forum realm.

Quoting Jake

I request the opposite feature, the ignore a particular member feature offered in pretty much every forum software. Such a feature can help reduce the typical ego shoot outs which so plague the forum realm.

Yeah, well, we've already had that request about a million times. Be more original, Jakey Cakey.

Also, can we have a spam filter setting for terms like "nuclear weapons"? Or can that particular term be added to it? Thanks in advance.

When deleting posts, maybe some sort of private message quoting the post with feedback from moderation as part of the deletion process (so we know why they were deleted and can correct the original writing) would save time and improve discussions.

I've spent over an hour typing and retyping a post that was on topic, non inflammatory and as constructive and properly written as I could make it, only to have it deleted twice within seconds and without feedback. Meanwhile, expletive-laden flame wars remain standing.
I think I'll stick to lurking from now on.

Reply to Necrofantasia

It wasn't deleted. It was a spam filter false positive and has been restored.

Reply to Baden Oh.... well, I feel silly now.
Sorry for the fuming, and thank you for the clarification.

Reply to Necrofantasia

It's alright. You weren't to know.

Reply to Baden Maybe scrap the spam filter? How effective is it anyway? It seems to cause more problems than it solves.

(But then, we're not likely to see the problems it actually solves.)

Reply to S I remember there being a lot of spam before the filter was in use. Scrapping it would mean more janitorial work for moderators, all of whom I believe are unpaid.

Reply to S

I quite like it. It's much easier to have a pre-filter to inform mod action than to have us scanning the boards for the worst drivel all the time. It catches the bottom of the barrel and real spam and bots.

Reply to fdrake Does it? It makes sense in theory, but how often are you getting the real deal, and how often are you getting false positives?

Quoting Purple Pond

I remember there being a lot of spam before the filter was in use.

I don't. And you know how much time I spent on here around that period. And spam never seemed to be a problem throughout my duration as a moderator.

Reply to S

It's of questionable utility for sure but I suppose I hate spam more than having to restore false positives.

There are two features useful in editing posts that are not, as far as I know, available for private messages. 1) Preview and 2) If I move out of a thread when I've started a post, it's waiting for me when I come back. If I do that in the Inbox, my PM is erased.

Is there any way these features can be added for PMs?

Reply to T Clark And the ability to edit.

Quoting S

And the ability to edit.

Yes, good point.

The 2015/17 requests included Muted discussions and Ignore list.

Are those now active functions? If yes, how does one use them?

All the hyperlinks on this site are appearing in red for me, on multiple browsers and devices, so I don't think it's my end. Not a real problem but noteworthy.

Reply to Wayfarer Me too. Used to be blue, now red - it's like there's been a change of government...

Minor makeover to try to address this: https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/6780/night-mode

I don't like it. It's too dull. Change it back.

Oh boy, Green.

Can we change the color every day? I think that would be fun.

The options for customization are very limited, and it's only customizable in admin, not by regular members.

The green is better. :up:

Quoting StreetlightX

Can we change the color every day? I think that would be fun.

I vote for this.

I LOVE the purple!

For lack of a better place, I'll just stick this here. I'm normally not a fan of Grammarly but they've recently added a tone checker to their browser extension that measures how friendly you're being when you write something (currently, it's rating me as friendly). Now, there's a good chance the tool is as inaccurate as Grammarly's severely overhyped grammar checker, in which case forget it, but if not, it may be of some use in the interpersonal sphere.

@Baden
My Dearest friend Baden,
May I please inquire as to what you are speaking of?
If you could be so kind to expound further on your thoughts, deepening the meaning, it would be of great assistance to me and my understanding of you.
You are an amazing administrator and a fabulous person who I look forward to hearing from soon.
Yours in Best Health,
Tiffany

Something like that Jack? :razz:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff

Hey Tiff, yeah, don't want to be advertising Grammarly (especially since their pro version is such a rip-off), buuut if you add their free extension to Chrome, they have a smiley face tone checker thing that checks your writing, which is kind of an interesting idea. It's giving me a neutral tone right now... Um, just changed: see the screenshot.

Not bad... ?

Could someone be so kind as to explain to me how to upload an image?

Currently I have to go to an outside site, upload it there, choose a link, copy and paste it here to load an image.

Maybe? :pray:

Quoting Baden

Not bad... ?

Meh... it's pretty easy for me and definitely a choice tool to use.
My Mom taught me the best response to someone who makes you upset is to kill them with kindness. Couple that with working for a Doctor putting together financial demand packages that needed the "right" language to obtain the desired result, AM a Mama Bear AND a Spiritual Warrior?
If (and it's a big IF) I have that all in balance? There are few situations I am unable to solve. Have one faction out of calaberation? Good Lord I hope you have chocolate. :monkey:

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

Could someone be so kind as to explain to me how to upload an image?

@Baden maybe?
I know you love being the popular man around these parts..... :strong:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff

The "upload files" thing in the response box, on the top right. Think you need to be a mod or a subscriber to embed images in posts. If not, a work around is to upload it to an image hosting site and use the [ url = (link)] (text to hyperlink) [/ url] functionality. Remove the spaces from the square bracketed bits.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff

Yeah, uploads are subscriber-only because we have to pay for the space. So... give us some money?

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

Could someone be so kind as to explain to me how to upload an image?

Quoting Baden

Yeah, uploads are subscriber-only because we have to pay for the space. So... give us some money?

Ha! Turns out your lights aren't turning on because you didn't pay the power bill. :wink:

Reply to fdrake Thank you kindly fdrake :flower:

Reply to Hanover

She gives the taxman 11 grand and what do we get? Chopped liver?

Quoting Baden

Yeah, uploads are subscriber-only because we have to pay for the space. So... give us some money?

Willing and able to pay my share! I just need "A' physical address to mail a payment to. :100:
Now, who is willing to trust me with their physical address?
Let's see ... @Paul trusted me for years with his address. Ask him how it went and what time it was when I showed up at his place.... NOT!
And @Benkei trusted me with his physical address as well. Ask him if I am a stalker! :eyes:
And then there is @Hanover with whom I have bet and settled up with at the old forum was the beneficiary of my errors.
How hard is it to get you people to take money?
Look, we can act like we are back in school and "I will show you mine if you show me yours." :razz:
Anyone game?

Quoting Baden

She gives the taxman 11 grand and what do we get? Chopped liver?

Buahaha! Someone would get my corporate cookies which I have been told to sell retail for years. But......

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff

I think there's an easier way to do that. I've forgotten what it is though. Excuse me while I snail mail a cheque to Jeff Bezos for a copy of https://www.amazon.co.uk/Luddite-Rebellion-Brian-J-Bailey/dp/0750913533.

Reply to Baden Oh my Lord Byron does bring back thoughts~ swooning~
Rereading some of his words.....
:fire:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff The simplest way to do this is to go to Western Union and wire the money to any anonymous password account, then PM me that information, and then I'll pick up the sack of cash and take it to post office, where I'll transfer it into a money order. I'll then send the money order to my bank via regular mail and wait for it to clear. Once it's in my account, I'll withdraw it from an ATM and then I'll ask @Baden for a physical address so that I can mail a check to him so that he can hand it to @jamalrob who works one cubicle over in the underwriting department. Then you'll be able to upload whatever shit you need to. Western Union, the post office, and my ATM charge transaction fees, so send a lot more than you think you need to.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff True that. I think it was for a phone that I couldn't use in Europe after all. :rofl:

Quoting Hanover

The simplest way to do this is to go to Western Union and wire the money to any anonymous password account, then PM me that information, and then I'll pick up the sack of cash and take it to post office, where I'll transfer it into a money order. I'll then send the money order to my bank via regular mail and wait for it to clear. Once it's in my account, I'll withdraw it from an ATM and then I'll ask Baden for a physical address so that I can mail a check to him so that he can hand it to @jamalrob who works one cubicle over in the underwriting department. Then you'll be able to upload whatever shit you need to. Western Union, the post office, and my ATM charge transaction fees, so send a lot more than you think you need to.

See @Baden how hard was that to explain? Hmm?
So @Hanover how much extra grease are we talking about?

Quoting Benkei

True that. I think it was for a phone that I couldn't use in Europe after all. :rofl:

I am honest to a fault, I swear. :100:

How about a sub forum or archive for closed threads?

Feedback hnnmmm....
Could you please tell me if having experience with a mental health crisis is still being stigmitized from your part the world?
If so, why do you think that is?

@jamalrob
Notifications aren't working in the way I'd expect them to, I understand it might be a forum software thing, so I wonder if you could look into it.

I'm consistently not getting notifications from one member, and inconsistently not getting notifications from some others. I've also had some of my posts left without replies in conversations where I would have expected the person I've been talking to to have responded. Although in those cases I could have just stopped being interesting, of course (or started being right, it has the same effect)!

I seem to remember reading about this problem before, I may have even mentioned it, so apologies if this is a repeat, but the problem just seems to have gotten worse recently.

Reply to Isaac

If someone edits in a tag or reply it doesn't result in a notification for some reason. If the tag is there in the original post it does. As far as I know.

Reply to Baden

I had a vague memory of someone mentioning that before, but just the last few days I've had four replies from @Janus, only one of which I was notified of, at least a couple more from other people (I wish I'd kept track of them now, that would have been helpful). It could just be a spate of people tagging me as an afterthought, but it just seemed odd.

Reply to Isaac

I can't rule out other reasons, but that's the only relevant bug I know of anyhow.

I'm not sure if this is possible, but is there a way to divide the screen into two sections- a bigger pane and smaller one.. The bigger pane would have the actual debate between two participants, and then a running commentary from the audience can be had in the smaller pane?

Reply to SophistiCat Download link for Firefox is broken now, got a newer one?

What I would really, really like is to block myself from seeing the threads of a particular category entirely. Some of the active threads there are full of the kind of hateful bullying that does nothing but anger me, yet as long as they're right there one click away on the All Discussions page, I can't seem to help myself.

Improving my self control would, of course, be another option.

And actually, before pressing Post Comment I did get a browser extension to inject this on the whole site:

a[title="Politics and Current Affairs"],

a[title="Politics and Current Affairs"] + div {

    transform: scale(0);

}

...which kind of works but not perfectly, so the aforementioned would still be a handy feature to have. Or if moderators' tools allow blocking a person from seeing a specific category, then perhaps they could do so on request?

Reply to SophistiCat Download link for Firefox is broken now, got a newer one?

Reply to zookeeper

He who does not seek to understand and tolerate the system will never change it and so will remain a ward to it.

Reply to Pfhorrest

No. You must face what is not desired to be faced if you wish to overcome what has not yet been.

It's all very philosophical.

Anyway. Kind of dumb but maybe some basic thinking game you can play with others here? Like Chess, Scrabble, What Am I Describing?, or something. Where you can initiate a session and people can see and maybe join .. think itd be a fun and much needed relief from the nonstop.. everything. While still being somewhat productive. I dunno.

Reply to Pfhorrest Use the one in this thread: https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/5738/ignore-list-browser-extension/p1

What about a link for reporting issues directly to Mods -

How do I share an abusive PM so that the perp can be dealt with?

There's also somewhat urgent Mod attention needed, here.

Quoting Banno

How do I share an abusive PM so that the perp can be dealt with?

I’m pretty sure you can add a moderator to that conversation. I’m not sure if the moderators want you doing that though.

Reply to Wheatley ah - might work. I'll try it.

No mods online now. :lol:

Reply to Wheatley Noticed that. @jamalrob was the most recent, so i've included him.

Straight to god!

In the event of an emergency, log out and dial 911.

Reply to Hanover Depends where you are. It' "000" here.

Can we get a drinking coffee emoji?

Tea works too.

Can a feature be integrated where any thread that doesn't fit ones personal conception of what real philosophy is gets moved to The Lounge? Based on personal preference parameters that one sets when one joins?

Quoting Banno

There's also somewhat urgent Mod attention needed, here.

Seeing how that’s deleted already, I’m curious what was so urgent there.

Reply to Pfhorrest If you donate I'll tell you.

Quoting darthbarracuda

Can we get a drinking coffee emoji?

It's implicit. ;)

Quoting Pfhorrest

Seeing how that’s deleted already, I’m curious what was so urgent there.

SO - it was dealt with, and you want to know why it was dealt with?

It was a child revealing personal information on a public forum.

Reply to Banno Yeah I was just curious what the big deal was. Thanks.

Mods could maybe correct spelling mistakes in thread titles?

Or might it ailenate people?

Reply to bongo fury I always do when I see them.

:grin: :cool:

Was going to make a thread about this as far as the idea as it really wouldn't be a "feature" that could carry over to other forums generally or otherwise have a purpose beyond deep logical discussion but my idea was.

Basically different view modes when in a discussion thread. Different from "sort by ratings" because it is defined by the poster. I'm sure we've all ran into threads like this. Interesting enough premise, replies even, and not to say thread drift as that implies low quality or random elements perhaps even the OP begins to change their question to something different as a result of insightful posts.

Basically, imagine a thread like that. A question thread. There would be a single entry for what that specific question is, perhaps refined from the broad thoughts of an eager and somewhat rambling OP.

Then and for discussions too "key points" or otherwise if it is a question only "possible answers" but only permitted by the OP.

Basically turning a 50 page somewhat emotional discussion that ends up going half way around the world for some reason into an easily navigable page that people can see actually WTF is being discussed/addressed/solved/unsolved etc. I know I've asked this in many threads.

It would be good to be able to see a list of all posts by a single author in one thread.

Reply to Banno You know you can see all their posts in date order from most recent?

Reply to bongo fury Sure; but not within a specific thread.

Ah.

There needs to be some way to impel and encourage commenters to focus on the discussion topic at hand.

Reply to dimension72

Mods can- and often- split discussions into two separate threads when one avenue of thought seems to warrant (or would otherwise encapsulate an existing OP without) an independent discussion. Kind of like a thread baby. They don't happen too often. But when they do, it's always fun to be a part of.

Reply to Banno There's sort of a way to do that. Go to Search, enter the "Posted by" username, enter the "Discussion Title", and enter a full stop (or some other character you think will almost always be used) in the "Search" box.

If a dedicated category cannot be made, under which category should I put discussions about philosophy of technology?

Reply to darthbarracuda

Maybe general philosophy?

I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this before, but it would be helpful if every post were accompanied by the date of its occurrence.

Oh, my bad: I see it kind of is at the bottom.

Reply to Todd Martin And if you hover over the "an hour ago", "a day ago" or whatever, it displays the date and time in a tooltip.

@jamalrob what does “hover over” mean, and how do you do it? and what is a “tooltip”? (Sorry; I’m old, and not very familiar with things digital and virtual).

Reply to Todd Martin No problem Todd. Assuming you're on a desktop computer or laptop rather than a mobile device, to "hover over" is to position your on-screen mouse pointer over something, without clicking. I've indicated this in the image below:



The date and time isn't shown in this image, but if you position your pointer as shown, over the grey text that says "14 minutes ago" (or whatever), you'll see it.

It would help if the flag/report function would allow for some explanation for why the post is being flagged, in order to make moderation easier (such as a number of preset options to choose from).


For example, a while back, I flagged an OP post because a significant portion of it was a direct copy-paste from Wikipedia, but the post contains no reference to it, no link. It's plagiarism.
Nothing happened.

So you'll have an interesting enough topic, one that's essentially answered several times over in the first page or two- then someone finds an off-example that just ever so barely meets the standard of technically being on topic (I've done this many times myself), and two or more (usually just two) people will debate on that point endlessly, leading to an 800+ post nearly 30 page topic, which isn't bad in and of itself. But eventually.. the OP is just ignored and people reading it for the first time are just bamboozled, if not from simply the offshoot argument (that is still technically on topic mind you) being nowhere to be found.

There should be a "linear" or "simplified" view of topics that link ONLY to A.) answers to the original OP and B.) off-shoot arguments brought up that cast doubt on the majority of answers that seem sufficient and C.) reasonable arguments to those resulting off-shoot answers/sub-questions/resulting topics..... that would be great :grin:

Reply to Outlander Yeah, people ought to tag their responses with tags like "derail," "derail, but worth reading," "crap post in every respect, don't bother reading," etc. so that we can quickly filter out what we don't want to read :D

Reply to SophistiCat

Lol. No not like that just perhaps a small consensus vote of "key argument" etc. perhaps including counter-arguments and sub-arguments, etc... basically where the posts (ideas or assertions rather) that the as I claimed "endless posts" come from are derived from in the thread, is all.

Reply to Outlander Sounds complex. A default view based on up and down votes works well for the question and answer format, as implemented on Stack Exchange, but here I can't see how it would work, even without the added difficulty of subtle judgments on relevance, "key argument", etc. Unless I'm missing something.

In any case, nothing like that can happen with the software we're currently using. I'm thinking of moving to Discourse, which will give us a lot of flexibility. As it happens, Discourse was developed by the guy who made Stack Exchange, so maybe it'll have some of that functionality too.

Quoting jamalrob

I'm thinking of moving to Discourse

Ew, no. I revoke my suggestion. Wholeheartedly.

Comment section in reports for when a report needs detail/ context.

Dark mode

Users should be required to show their age in their 'About' section, not wasting my time arguing with someone if they are under 23 years old, which I think is the case half the time.

Reply to Maw Let's just ban anyone under 30... reserve the forum for those who have graduated from the ag?g?.

Quoting Banno

reserve the forum for those who have graduated from the ag?g?.

My goodness, don’t you flatter yourself.

Quoting Maw

wasting my time arguing with someone if they are under 23 years old

Ha! So, It’s OK wasting your time arguing with someone if they’re over 23 years old. You are so cute, I just want to pinch your cheek.

Quoting T Clark

So, It’s OK wasting your time arguing with someone if they’re over 23 years old

That's right

Reply to Maw
Age has no meaning in creating philosophy/debate.
If the argument/philosophy is valid then its just that. valid.

Sounds like a you problem if you can't find logical/biased flaws in a under 23 year olds argument. . .
If you have stated the flaws and they fail to acknowledge it, quote the fallacies and move on.
Because its illogiocal to continue a debate with someone who is illogical.

Banning someone because of their age is an elitist ideology with a "argument from age" and/or "appeal to tradition" fallacy.
If you want to debate, do so with a cool head otherwise your post is an "appeal to authority" fallacy.

If I were you guys and I reinterpreted someone talking about age verification, which couldn't even be accurately enforced, to "we should ban anyone under 23 years old", I'd be very embarrassed.

No, in practice I could look at an insane post like this, look at their bio, and if they were, say, 17 years old I could happily move on and ignore them entirely.

Reply to Maw
My reply was to add on top of what is said so far.
There was mention of:
Quoting Banno

Let's just ban anyone under 30... reserve the forum for those who have graduated from the ag?g?.

and:
Quoting Maw

not wasting my time arguing with someone if they are under 23 years old

Sorry if you came to the conclusion of:
Quoting Maw

If I were you guys and I reinterpreted someone talking about age verification, which couldn't even be accurately enforced, to "we should ban anyone under 23 years old", I'd be very embarrassed.

But thats not what was interpreted.

Quoting Maw

No, in practice I could look at an insane post like this, look at their bio, and if they were, say, 17 years old I could happily move on and ignore them entirely.

You wish to remove or rather have ignorant youth excluded from your experience here, yet, what does a simple selection or option in choice do for anything? Perhaps what you wish to avoid is in fact closer and more part of you than you wish to accept. Young one.

Actually this is a great alternative example. Rather than showing his age in his bio, he says Roger Scruton is his favorite philosopher. Can easily ignore him :up:

Reply to Maw

Actually, it says favorite philosopher(s), in the plural sense. Simply one of my favorite that I chose to mention, perhaps considering his passing. You can ignore who you wish whenever you wish, but the actions and ripples they create in the lives of others will assuredly continue to define a life as malleable as yours, it need not restrict, this is your own choice.

Reply to Maw
You and @ssu could have the world's longest-standing political debate, but why should this entire forum be suited for only that purpose?

Personally, I think that this place could use some more young people.

Quoting thewonder

Personally, I think that this place could use some more young people.

I don't mind young people on the forum; I was I think either 19 or 20 when I first joined the original PF. What I mind is wasting time with a moronic interlocutor who turns out to be in college or a Roger Scruton fan. Easy heuristic to signal that they are not worth pressing keyboard buttons over, and I value my time very much.

I'm also only maybe 40% serious about this

Quoting Maw

No, in practice I could look at an insane post like this, look at their bio, and if they were, say, 17 years old I could happily move on and ignore them entirely.

Quoting Maw

What I mind is wasting time with a moronic interlocutor who turns out to be in college or a Roger Scruton fan.

So for you it's perfectly fine to waste your time on crazy or stupid people, as long as they are above 23. That's just bizarre. I judge people by their posts, not their age. If I see someone making consistently inane or insane posts, I start ignoring them, no matter how old they are.

Quoting SophistiCat

So for you it's perfectly fine to waste your time on crazy or stupid people, as long as they are above 23.

For adults it's initially amusing until it quickly devolves into repetition which it typically does when one side isn't capable of having a dialectical conversation. Not amusing if it's a kid. And unfortunately there are quite a few inane or outright insane posters on this site, so it's difficult to avoid.

Quoting Maw

And unfortunately there are quite a few inane or outright insane posters on this site, so it's difficult to avoid.

We only take you about 40% seriously so it all works out nice and tidy.

Reply to thewonder Yeah, I've read some of your posts. Nuh.

Quoting Maw

there are quite a few inane or outright insane posters on this site

Quoting praxis

We only take you about 40% seriously so it all works out nice and tidy.

Sounds like you just included yourself in that inane/insane posters group, so that does work out all nice and tidy.

Reply to Maw

You speak as though I were 100% serious. :lol:

Quoting Maw

there are quite a few inane or outright insane posters on this site

Are you inane? Never. Apparently mentally unsound? Usually.

I once used a politics forum that had a panel on the front page showing who's online now.

If we ban the kids, we could go back to reading texts rather than having to sit through tedious YouTube videos.

Reply to Banno But it is part of our vocation to corrupt the youth.

Reply to StreetlightX I do that in my day job.

I personally don’t have much in the way of complaints about this forum, but reading some of the complaints other members have gave me a couple ideas.

I think one of the more common issues is new members seemingly posting the first thing that comes to their mind, and not really taking the time to get a feel for the forum, etc. So, what if there was a mandatory waiting period for new members before they could post? I think that would encourage new members to spend some time on the forum before posting to at least see what type of posts are preferred, and which are not.

Another idea would be to create a thread that new members must post in before being allowed to post elsewhere. The thread could require them to post their favorite rule from the guidelines thread, or maybe the rule they think will be difficult to follow, need clarification on, etc. Really just anything that forces members to at least look at the guidelines. I dunno, just some ideas I thought I’d share…

Quoting Pinprick

I think one of the more common issues is new members seemingly posting the first thing that comes to their mind, and not really taking the time to get a feel for the forum, etc

For newcomers, rather than a 'Shoutbox' or a 'Symposium' as the first thing you see, I think it would foster a better sense of community and encourage participation if there was some kind of a big 'Welcome' mat hung out. With a clear explanation of how things work.

There are so many wonderful features and functions available but not everyone knows how to use them. Even some 'oldies' are still wrapping their heads around them.

Just look at the format menu along the top of message box you are writing in.
Some are self-explanatory but...
The Quote bubble, the links chain, the @ sign and whatever else is along there ?

It would be more user-friendly if a clear explanation could be given in one place: a 'Welcome' thread.

As things stand we have this:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/page/useful-hints-and-tips
which leads to this:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/6319/useful-hints-and-tips
It could be so much better...

Just my thoughts for what they are worth.
[s]Sometimes[/s] Mostly, admin and mods do listen and take action or not. Depending.
They do a great job - and this TPF is the only place I would recommend for any newcomers...
Even if there is a lot of harping on and comparisons with the 'old place'.
Still - after all these years... :roll:

Quoting Pinprick

I think one of the more common issues is new members seemingly posting the first thing that comes to their mind, and not really taking the time to get a feel for the forum, etc. So, what if there was a mandatory waiting period for new members before they could post? I think that would encourage new members to spend some time on the forum before posting to at least see what type of posts are preferred, and which are not.

In my experience, spending more time on the forum is not going to cure problem members of their problem posting, so I don't think it's worth it, and puts an annoying barrier in the way of good members.

Quoting Pinprick

Another idea would be to create a thread that new members must post in before being allowed to post elsewhere. The thread could require them to post their favorite rule from the guidelines thread, or maybe the rule they think will be difficult to follow, need clarification on, etc. Really just anything that forces members to at least look at the guidelines. I dunno, just some ideas I thought I’d share…

This in my opinion is even worse. Many potentially good members would just leave at that point. I know I would.

Quoting Amity

There are so many wonderful features and functions available but not everyone knows how to use them. Even some 'oldies' are still wrapping their heads around them.

Just look at the format menu along the top of message box you are writing in.
Some are self-explanatory but...
The Quote bubble, the links chain, the sign and whatever else is along there ?

It would be more user-friendly if a clear explanation could be given in one place: a 'Welcome' thread.

People do fine and there's no need for a manual. The functionality is either obvious or can be discovered by experimenting. Or members can ask if they're having trouble with anything.

On the other hand, maybe the Useful hints and tips could go at the top of the main discussion list instead of in the side menu where it is now. It's very far from a pressing need though.

Reply to jamalrob
Thanks for listening and quick response.
Nothing on here is a 'pressing need'.

Reply to jamalrob

Quoting jamalrob

This in my opinion is even worse. Many potentially good members would just leave at that point. I know I would.

Lol, that’s why you’re the boss! :grin:

Quoting Amity

Even if there is a lot of harping on and comparisons with the 'old place'.
Still - after all these years... :roll:

Yes it has a name: nostalgia and is a very important part of who we are and today for it is where we come from.

I personally like the idea of nostalgia in my bio in that we are all longing to go home, a place half invisioned and a place half remembered.

Have just discovered a forum feature re 'View Answer' - in use here:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/11057/what-is-your-understanding-of-reality/p1

Quoting Jack Cummins

Edit: I have changed title, to make it more a topic for philosophy reflection, because I was a bit surprised by how the topic was being explored. Of course, it may not alter any answer because the objective idea of reality may be the way you see it anyway.

View Answer

The Question and current title: ' What is your understanding of 'reality' ?

When you click on it, it takes you to an 'Accepted answer':
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/543738

Have never used this - so have no idea where it is.
Anyone help with further information ?

Quoting Amity

Anyone help with further information ?

Never mind. I got an answer from @Jack Cummins:

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/543923

I inserted the following post in the "Bannings" forum, as its subject is tightly bound to that topic area. I was asked nicely to post it here instead. So I did.

------------------------------------

Today I started a thread in the Lounge forum, and now I realize it ought to have been inserted here.

Here's the body of my original post for that thread in its entirety. I offer it for consideration to the executive body of the forum... that is, for the moderators to decide if this proposal should be used or not, in the way I wrote it or in some other forms with parameters changed.

-----------------------------------

There is no hard-and-fast rules for ousting members. Some guidelines are presented.

I suggest that a number be established within a time frame. The number be X, and the time frame, a period Y.

In this scheme, if any user can be shown clearly without a shadow of doubt that the user uttered greater than X number of logical fallacies within a time period of Y, then the moderators can be asked by users to exclude the offender from membership. Temporarily at first offence, for a longer period temporarily for the second offence, then permanently at the third offence.

I suggest, X to be 10, and Y to be a week (seven days duration). There would be a time period Z, the passing of which past the last day of Y would declare amnesty for the offender. That is, if no one brings a complaint against the offender by the end of Z, then a statute of limitations will apply after Z period, which could be a month (Z=30 days).

I really wish this to be made effective. It is a philosophy forum. Here the only "judge" should be reason and lack of ill or faulty reason. If someone keeps using faulty reasons, by way of using fallacies and other errors in arguments, then it must be punished, for they insult the judge itself.

Reply to god must be atheist
I have already replied in the lounge, but I am feeling so extremely irritated with your idea, and it seems that you are serious about trying to get implemented by placing it here.

I see the idea of setting up a system of counting the number of fallacies and trying to 'punish' people and even ban people as extremely worrying. Of course, the use of reason is important, but there is more to philosophy discourse than that, especially on a forum, because it is about people interacting with each other about ideas. That in itself is complex, involving power dynamics. I think that the forum would be ruined completely if exclusions and bannings were implemented too easily, especially on the basis of users' wishes for this to happen being met by moderators.

Reply to Jack Cummins Don't worry Jack, it won't happen. It's the worst idea I've ever heard.

Reply to jamalrob
I am glad to hear your reassurance because the whole idea got me really wound up when I saw it first thing today.

Reply to Jack Cummins

You are adorable. Is it an act?

Reply to bongo fury
I did get extremely wound up, so I am about to go out. I must have read too much John Bunyan, and I am saying that because I grew up fairly near to your location, Bedford.

:wink: :ok:

I'm really missing the IM function of the old days.
Cost containment?
Or not even an option within Plush?
Just curious :flower:

I thought there was an ignore list, such that posts from folk on the list became invisible.

I would like to try it, but can't find the option.

Is it still a feature?

Reply to Banno

:100: :up:

Reply to Banno Unfortunately there is no such feature, but @SophistiCat did make a browser extension a couple of years ago, as described here:

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/5738/ignore-list-browser-extension/p1

The Chrome extension is here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/thephilosophyforum-ignore/makbinojcaolplmpbneielaccnondnko

It's a genius idea. The great thing about logical fallacies is that they can be formalised, and that means automated. The site could be run by Modbot, and all the humans could be fired. Also, if all posters were limited in this way to 9 posts per week, They'd put a lot more care and thought into them.

we could place bets on who it is. :wink: (I have an idea, but not sayin'.)

//oh, and it seems to work.//

Reply to Wayfarer Oh, it's not just one. At least a half-dozen. If the Mods don't do their job, let's have modbot do it for them.

Remember to flag bad posts and PM the staff about serial offenders.

Reply to jamalrob Thanks!

The trouble is they still come up in the mentions section. There's so many crap replies I'm finding it hard to locate stuff I wanted to go back to.

Perhaps what I really want is better search capability.

And Chrome is for Real Life.

Also, after seeing how @SophistiCat's extension works, it is apparent that it's not just the posts of certain folk I'd like to hide, but the replies to those posts. If these could be avoided, whole pages of rubbish would be shortened to something manageable.

I'm reaching for a way to hold a discussion with, say, one or two other members who have written something worth reading, without having to scroll back and forward through pages of junk.

I'm not sure the constitutes a feature, but here goes:

There have been a few what I consider unnecessary bannings recently, in particular of fairly new members. Some of those were for people whose posts I found interesting. I am not here to relitigate those decisions, but I think the forum needs new voices. I think it is worth some effort to keep people here.

I think there should be an intermediate step before someone is banned, suspension. If someone runs afoul of the moderators, they can be suspended for two weeks or a month. That will give everyone a chance to cool off before things blow up and people get offended. In cases of particularly egregious behavior, the moderators can decide to go directly to banning. I know this has been suggested before. I've heard the arguments against it but never found them very convincing.

I’ve seen forums that employ suspensions and it doesn’t appear to be very effective. The suspendee typically never comes back and if they do the suspension only serves to further aggravate them, causing more grief and no benefit for all parties.

The only effective solution I’ve seen is to screen the posts of troublesome members before they are published. I doubt the moderators here would want to take on that workload however, even if it were a good solution.

Does anyone know why the numbers that indicate individuals' total numbers of posts have changed and now seem to show no rhyme or reason?

Reply to Janus We turned likes on, and that number is how many you’ve had.

Reply to Michael Thanks. That's a surprise! What prompted that decision?

Reply to Janus

Vodka, probably.

Reply to Baden A soundly founded move then I guess!

Quoting Baden

Vodka, probably

A six-pack of cheap ice-beer would have effected the same.

Just remember however: though the Persians decided their enactments of an evening in their cups, they didn’t ratify them until the following sober morning.

Reply to Baden So have any of you guys sobered up yet? I don't mind the like feature (it's almost invisible anyway), but I would much rather have the number of posts displayed under the member name than the number of likes. It's a more obvious and useful metric.

Reply to SophistiCat

It is a bit confusing the way it's implemented. But @jamalrob's the one to talk to re leaving it or reverting.

Quoting SophistiCat

I would much rather have the number of posts displayed under the member name than the number of likes. It's a more obvious and useful metric.

I agree.

Quoting Kenosha Kid

I agree.

Me too

Given that the mods want us to flag suspect posts, would it be possible to add to the flag a pop-up with an list of explanations for the flag? Use the guidelines, eg:

Language
Tone
Off-topic
Trolling

...and perhaps an "other" section that opened to a one-line dialogue box?

Other suggested pop-up flags:

In poor taste
Not funny enough
Posted by NOS

Reply to praxis

and...
repetative
no original material
pat old junk
same-old same old

...that'd be me done.

Quoting Banno

pat old junk

An Ausi term?

Reply to praxis "pat" as a term for "boring"? Interesting. Not sure. Might have to look it up.

Reply to praxis It's a clause in a Playboy bunny's contract

I'd like to download my threads & posts pleaassseee!

Reply to Banno

LOL

The internal voice I use when reading your posts is so nasal. Amazing.

Quoting Banno

and...
repetative
no original material
pat old junk
same-old same old

Quoting Banno

Language
Tone
Off-topic
Trolling

I feel the noose tightening around my neck... :chin: :fear: :cry:

Quoting Noble Dust

The internal voice I use when reading your posts is so nasal. Amazing.

That's odd; the internal voice I use when reading your posts is a falsetto.

Reply to Banno

That's so weird, as I was about to read this, there were two electrical bursts outside my window (during a rainstorm). And a third. I shit you not.

=Quoting Noble Dust

That's so weird, as I was about to read this, there were two electrical bursts outside my window (during a rainstorm). And a third. I shit you not.

I know...

Reply to Banno

Nah bro I'm not fucking joking.

Reply to Banno We can't customize this software. It'll be possible when we move on to something else, something self-hosted.

Reply to SophistiCat It's all or nothing. Maybe we'll just turn off likes again.

Reply to jamalrob Understood. Just ruminating.

Reply to Kenosha Kid :lol:

I request, not likes, or dislikes, but durations:

• of composition,

and if software allowed it,

• of views.

The first is easy enough. It might start and end in the following solitary gesture, wherein I record at the end of each post, as I shall for a while at least, the number of minutes spent (however wastefully) composing it.

Just possibly, though, it might catch on and create an etiquette. I will be precious enough to suggest one: don't spend less than a [s]third[/s] [s]fifth[/s] quarter of that time on your reply, if you make one?

Not asking for an essay, of course. To get the virtue, divide the minute count by the word count.

20

I would like to suggest a Green Room kind of place that you actually have to be a member of the forum AND log in to see.
Thoughts?
It was a great fund raiser

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

I would like to suggest a Green Room kind of place that you actually have to be a member of the forum AND log in to see.
Thoughts?
It was a great fund raiser

I feel like I am repeating myself ....
maybe?

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Seems His Majesty @jamalrob is not as keen on raising funds as previous owners. Do you think he makes his money from drugs or porn?

Quoting Banno

Seems His Majesty jamalrob is not as keen on raising funds as previous owners. Do you think he makes his money from drugs or porn?

Excellent question for a beautiful Sunday. I vote absolutely porn but Russian porn and more furry pelts to cover up their bits and pieces :cool:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Porn would be more acceptable than arms trading.

Quoting Banno

Porn would be more acceptable than arms trading.

Don't you think there is more than one country trading?
Would it be narrow focused to suggest as such?
So many questions...

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff I think I'd bet on cyber warfare.

Quoting Banno

I think I'd bet on cyber warfare.

rut roo....
we do have some really fresh graduates that specialize in a worldwide cyber warfare intelligence and the eventual attack or counterattack
I'm still betting on porn

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff You just like fury pelts.

Quoting Banno

You just like fury pelts.

Especially Chinchillas~~~

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Reply to Banno

Thanks to our several generous members, subscriptions usually cover the cost all right, and when they don't it's like you say: I channel my porn funds in this direction (it's good clean healthy porn btw).

I don't know what a Green Room is in this context, or how it would help raise funds. I remember seeing one on the old site but I didn't know what it was.

I guess you mean a subscriber-only section of the forum. Well, it's an idea. Not sure about it.

Quoting jamalrob

I guess you mean a subscriber-only section of the forum. Well, it's an idea. Not sure about it.

It's the allure of the unknown. The "Swear Thread" is what made me become a Sponsor and then I made donations as I lost bets to @Hanover

Ah, green as in dollars? Finally it makes sense.

Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff

The "Swear Thread" is what made me become a Sponsor and then I made donations as I lost bets to Hanover

This isn't helping your case. :grin:

We already have social areas, and we're not desperate for a new fundraising solution, so I guess I don't really see the point. What is it that makes you want to see the return of the Green Room? You haven't really made a case for it.

Quoting jamalrob

Ah, green as in dollars? Finally it makes sense.

Exactly!

Quoting jamalrob

This isn't helping your case.

It wasn't meant to help my case it was to say that in sponsoring people into the Green Room was a way to keep the goodwill going. I love betting but only when I know it is going for a good cause such as supporting this wonderful platform for us to gather and ponder.
(It's also a really satisfying way to rub in a loss to the opposer) I mean to settle bets with Hanover.

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Sorry Tiff, I don't get it. Sponsoring people? Betting?

Well unless someone can make a case for a subscriber-only area, I don't think it'll happen.

Quoting jamalrob

Sorry Tiff, I don't get it. Sponsoring people? Betting?

Well unless someone can make a case for a subscriber-only area, I don't think it'll happen.

It's okay, at least you entertained the idea this time. :up:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff I'm always totally willing to pretend to listen to the masses.

Quoting jamalrob

I'm always totally willing to pretend to listen to the masses.

Hey! It's a step up from being with one who doesn't even pretend to listen. :party:

Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff :up:

@jamalrob@baden@Michael

I had the thought that the site could be improved by subdividing "Interesting Stuff" into subcategories like psychology, sociology, history, current events, etc.

I know I'm not a top influencer around here but it seems to me that kind of sugar might draw more flies.

I see some of that has already been done.

Reply to ZzzoneiroCosm Yep.

Whether instead of Humanities and Social Sciences we should have psychology, sociology, history, and so on, as separate categories, I don’t know. Seems ok as it is.

Quoting Jamal

Whether instead of Humanities and Social Sciences we should have psychology, sociology, history, and so on, as separate categories, I don’t know. Seems ok as it is.

I don't generally pay attention to what categories posts are in. It all just shows up on my front page.

Reply to T Clark Same here, but … everything in its right place.

Reply to Jamal

:cool: Just a thought. :smile:

Reply to Jamal

I suppose what I secretly had in mind was a revamping or renaming of the site to make it more inclusive of psychologists, sociologists, etc, looking for a place to play. I've had a lot of trouble finding playmates out there. And psychologists, sociologists, etc, would have trouble finding their way to this "vibrant community." :cool:

This is by far the best site for intellectual play one can easily locate via Google. That's not flattery.

Reply to ZzzoneiroCosm You're welcome.

Reply to Michael Happy to say thank you... :smile:

Reply to ZzzoneiroCosm

This is by far the best site for intellectual play I can easily find via Google. That's not flattery.

Completely agree. This is, by far, the only serious site Iever found in internet. Previously, I was in a Neon Genesis Evangelion forum and I ended up with a trauma.

I want more emoticons! Please, pretty please!

I would appreciate if moderators, when they delete or move a thread, would notify the person who started it. Then if the poster wants an explanation, they can ask directly. I can't understand why moderators resist doing that, except in particularly egregious examples of abuse. It would only take a few seconds.

Quoting Clarky

I can't understand why moderators resist doing that, except in particularly egregious examples of abuse. It would only take a few seconds.

Because there are often a dozen posts in the moderation queue.

Quoting Michael

Because there are often a dozen posts in the moderation queue.

If you've got time to delete the thread, you've got time to post a one sentence PM.

Reply to Clarky

It's optional and not a bad idea in principle. But let's not pretend this is about writing a one sentence PM. The PM will almost certainly be responded to and very often instigate a debate.

Quoting Baden

It's optional and not a bad idea in principle. But let's not pretend this is about writing a one sentence PM. The PM will almost certainly be responded to and very often instigate a debate.

Once I started a thread that Jamal took offense with. Once I realized it had been moved to the lounge, I talked it over with him and he reinstated it to the main page. But it took me a while to figure out that it had even been moved.

Reply to Clarky

It's a fair point, I know.

Quoting Baden

But let's not pretend this is about writing a one sentence PM. The PM will almost certainly be responded to and very often instigate a debate.

As a solution, you might want to create a noreply PM:

Please do not reply to this PM. Replies to this PM are routed to a robot moderator with no pulse. Its alphabet consists only of CAPTCHA acronym which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

Reply to L'éléphant

Ooh... :naughty:

Quoting Baden

It's a fair point, I know.

I'm not expecting any change in policy. This is just intended as a request to each of you. No need for further discussion on my part.

Reply to Clarky

I'll make an effort anyhow.

Quoting Sir2u

Ok, now I am really messed up. I cannot remember which threads I have been posting in. I miss the "MY THREADS" function.

I would like to see a feature where the threads that you have already posted in are highlighted somehow.

Quoting Baden

Ooh... :naughty:

Not anymore. I lost the 666.

Probably these feature requests were already made by others, but it's worth reminding: I would like to filter out threads based on the category (e.g. short stories) and posts based on the author. These could be available setups in the user profile.

Reply to neomac You can block posts by certain members using SophistiCat’s browser extension:

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/5738/ignore-list-browser-extension/p1

But I’m afraid you’ll have to live with all the short stories popping up. It’s just once or twice a year.

Quoting Jamal

?neomac
You can block posts by certain members using SophistiCat’s browser extension:

:up:

I would like a way to blank out a profile picture of a member when it is super ugly.

Reply to Paine
The idea of blanking out a profile picture when it is perceived by you as 'ugly' seems odd because in real life we cannot cancel out the people we see in the street who we perceive as 'ugly'. Perhaps, you have become too enchanted with the glossy beauties of stylised selfies on the internet. I am not saying that I oppose your right to cancel out avatar pictures which you dislike, but It may be worth thinking about the nature of your request and aesthetic sensitivity on a philosophical level. Socrates was reputed to be ugly, and what does an ugly philosopher represent to you or in public opinion and esteem?

Reply to Jack Cummins
Socrates was stuck with his looks. I have spared the community by using a plant to stand in for me. Some images feel like an intentional assault. They certainly are not pictures of members.

Reply to Paine Is it a plant? I thought that your avatar was a mixture of a hairy nipple gone wrong and a landscape. So much for miniature art in avatars, the postmodern, and what is aesthetically pleasing...?

Reply to Jack Cummins
Here is some information about it.
My photo is one of them in their natural environment. They are very aesthetically pleasing. Almost hallucinogenic.

I sometimes upload picture files into my posts. Then, I often reuse those pictures by linking to their location in my Uploads section. That generally works fine on my computer, e.g:



I've noticed that when I look at the same post on my mobile phone, the picture isn't there, just the unlinked filename.

What's up with that? Any solutions?

Also, a question - does the picture show up on other people's mobile version of my posts?

Quoting T Clark

Also, a question - does the picture show up on other people's mobile version of my posts?

It'll probably be easier for you to buy a second phone and see how your uploads work than to get a straight answer out of me.

Reply to Hanover

In other words, you have a flip phone.

Quoting T Clark

Also, a question - does the picture show up on other people's mobile version of my posts?

Yes , your pictures show up in my mobile version!

Quoting javi2541997

Yes , your pictures show up in my mobile version!

Thank you.

Quoting Noble Dust

In other words, you have a flip phone.

I heard the flip phone is making a come back. There's nothing cooler than slouching back in your chair, flipping the phone so that it opens up, putting it to your ear, and saying "sup." Nothing. Height of coolness.

Quoting Hanover

It'll probably be easier for you to buy a second phone and see how your uploads work than to get a straight answer out of me.

Quoting Hanover

I heard the flip phone is making a come back. There's nothing cooler than slouching back in your chair, flipping the phone so that it opens up, putting it to your ear, and saying "sup." Nothing. Height of coolness.

I do enjoy your amusing, ironic fantasies about your own past or present coolness, but, as moderator, do you have anything more substantive to offer? Perhaps some of your brethren do.

Quoting T Clark

What's up with that? Any solutions?

That image shows ok on mobile for me and I don’t recall having trouble viewing images. I don’t know why your mobile browser wouldn’t show it. So … I can’t think how you could solve it.

A few questions to think about or confirm if you haven’t already:

1. Are you sure it happens to different images and not just your notorious thumb pic?
2. Are you sure it’s only when you link to one of your uploads?
3. Does the problem ever resolve itself or does the problem image forever remain broken on mobile?

I suppose I could try doing the same and see what happens. How do you do it again? :lol:

Quoting Jamal

So … I can’t think how you could solve it.

Thanks for the response. It's not a big deal, but I thought if there was a simple fix I could do it. Apparently the picture shows up for at least some people on their mobile phones.

I wasn't aware my thumbs up was notorious. I thought it was charming and idiosyncratic. But no, it happens for other images as well. At the same time, many images do show up on my mobile.

Anyway, we can leave it at that. Thanks again.

Quoting T Clark

I do enjoy your amusing, ironic fantasies about your own past or present coolness, but, as moderator, do you have anything more substantive to offer? Perhaps some of your brethren do.

Since you've chastised me, I'll respond:

The pictures you post post on my phone and on my computer, which points to the fact that the problem apparently is with your particular phone.

In order to really know what's going on, you'll need to do a little testing and see if there are other pictures from other users that post on your computer, but not on your phone.

If you are able to use a friend's phone and see that it has all sorts of photos on it that aren't on yours, then my first suggestion would be to go into your phone's browser settings and see if there is some sort of "load images" feature that you've got turned off or that is set to block, or maybe you have a hyperactive ad block software that's misreading things, but it seems like you've got a software issue.

What I'd suggest, as you seem pretty old, is to actually go to your local cell phone provider outlet and tell them your woes and let them look on their phone to see what your phone is doing wrong. My guess is that they'll end up selling you a new phone, which will likely solve this problem and you'll get all sorts of new features, like texting and maybe a calculator.

Reply to Hanover

Thank you. I appreciate the help.

If I'm doing a search and I want to look for a complete phrase rather than a single word, I normally "put quotes around the phrase" before I do the search. When I do that, it seems to highlight any post that has all the words, even if their not in order.

Is there a way of looking for the whole phrase?

Reply to T Clark Not using the built-in search unfortunately.

But there is a way. The Google crawler likes TPF and has indexed most of our content. So you can search Google like this:

site:thephilosophyforum.com "the being of beings"

Just put that in the Google search box.

EDIT: I just made a correction because I originally got it wrong. It should be site:, not in:

Quoting Jamal

Not using the built-in search unfortunately. But there is a way.

Tried. Works. Yay! Thanks.

Quoting Jamal

The Google crawler likes TPF and has indexed most of our content. So you can search Google like this:

site:thephilosophyforum.com "the being of beings"

I used this on another web site and it worked well there too. I'm so excited. Which, yes, is pretty pitiful.

Reply to T Clark :party:

Yeah I love those Google tricks. There are other ones here:

20 Google Search Tips to Use Google More Efficiently

Quoting Jamal

Yeah I love those Google tricks. There are other ones here:

20 Google Search Tips to Use Google More Efficiently

This is great! I'm even more excited. Which, yes, is even more pitiful.

Reply to T Clark That’s not so pitiful. I got excited by a small piece of pork on Saturday.

Enjoy.

Quoting Jamal

Enjoy.

Thanks again.

Quoting Jamal

I got excited by a small piece of pork on Saturday.

That's got to be worth a paragraph in @Hanover's Encyclopaedia of Fetishes.

In my Preferences I have set to receive notifications about private messages (INBOX) too. I don't. I only receive notifications about Mentions. Can this be fixed and how?

Reply to Alkis Piskas Just sent you a private message. Look out for an email.

Reply to Jamal
:up: OK, got it. Thanks.

Reply to Alkis Piskas Cool. Problems that fix themselves are my favourite kind.

Reply to Jamal
Well, at least thins thing has not been fixed. Your message was the only one about which I was notified. E.g. I just found a message from @javi2541997 dated 3 days ago. As with other messages in the past, I have never received a notification about it.
I believe you must certainly implement this facility. It is as important as the regular notifications.

BTW, I found out today from a TPF member that it is you who has set up this place. Congratulations! :up:

Reply to Alkis Piskas Well I don’t know why you’ve had problems receiving email notifications. If someone else confirms they’re having the same problem I’ll look into it and try to fix it, otherwise I’m thinking it’s something wrong on your side.

Quoting Alkis Piskas

BTW, I found out today from a TPF member that it is you who has set up this place. Congratulations!

Thanks AP :smile:

Quoting Jamal

Well I don’t know why you’ve had problems receiving email notifications. If someone else confirms they’re having the same problem I’ll look into it and try to fix it, otherwise I’m thinking it’s something wrong on your side.

Thank you for your reply.
I didn't say I have problems with notifications in general. I referred only to private messages.

I have asked @javi2541997 about the same thing today and he told me, I quote, "TPF didn't notify me about your reply either."

Quoting Alkis Piskas

I didn't say I have problems with notifications in general. I referred only to private messages.

Yes, I understand.

Quoting Alkis Piskas

I have asked javi2541997 about the same thing today and he told me, I quote, "TPF didn't notify me about your reply either."

So that’s at least two people. I guess I’ll need to have a look!

Reply to Jamal Reply to Alkis Piskas

As Alkis expressed, it seems that TPF does not notify when someone replies to a private message in the email notifications. The other notifications work good and I do not have problems in overall. :up:

Quoting Jamal

I guess I’ll need to have a look!

Yes, please do. Thanks. :up:

Quoting Jamal

I guess I’ll need to have a look!

Any luck?
On a second thought, the consequences of this problem are worse than what I thought: it results in a bad communication related to lack or response.
In fact, in all social media and the communities, people are notified for personal messages, together with mentions and other kind of notifications one selects in his profile. Thus one can reply in a relatively short time, since checking one's mail is a standard and frequent action for people involved in such online activites.

Adhering me to @Alkis Piskas’s inquiry.

It seems that when someone writes you a private message, it doesn't pop up in e-mail notifications. I do not want to sound tiresome, but please whenever you (I guess @Jamal can fix this) have free time or are not busy, could you check this out and see why it happens?

Reply to javi2541997 Sure.

Reply to Alkis Piskas
Reply to javi2541997

Can you folks please confirm the following:

1. You do not receive email notifications for private messages, but you do receive them for other things (mentions etc.)

2. You have checked the box in your preferences for "Email when I receive private messages"

Thanks

Reply to Jamal

1. Yes

2. Yes. I have already checked the box "Email when I receive personal messages" since a long time ago. I just verified it: all 4 boxes were checked.

Quoting Jamal

1. You do not receive email notifications for private messages, but you do receive them for other things (mentions etc.)

Exactly. I receive the notification in mentions, when it pops up a number 1 at "inbox", but it doesn't notify me on my email.

Quoting Jamal

2. You have checked the box in your preferences for "Email when I receive private messages"

Yes and I clicked accepting the preference of accepting notifications via email.

Reply to javi2541997 Reply to Alkis Piskas

Thanks.

To be extra certain I've sent you both PMs. Check your email inboxes. Then we can progress to the next step if necessary.

Reply to Jamal
I received a notification about the personal message you sent me. But I didn't receive one for @javi2541997, posted about the same time.
It seems that these notifications work only with you! :brow:

Reply to Alkis Piskas This is all very puzzling.

Quoting Jamal

This is all very puzzling.

Well, it must be for you, who knows the system. For me it's only frustrating! :grin:

Reply to Alkis Piskas I should point out that TPF runs on a hosted SaaS (software as a service) platform called PlushForums, which I signed up to when I started the site, so I don't have access to the code and I can't fix any bugs. What I'm doing right now is determining what I need to put in an email to PlushForums support, if indeed there is something wrong.

Reply to Jamal
I see. OK.
Quoting Jamal

if indeed there is something wrong.

There is indeed something wrong. At least in my case. Have you checked or do you know if this is also the case with other members?

It looks like the issue has to do with administrator "privileges" ...

Quoting Jamal

What I'm doing right now is determining what I need to put in an email to PlushForums support, if indeed there is something wrong.

Thank you for your effort of fixing this bug. I am sure that the problem will be solved soon. :up:

Reply to Alkis Piskas So far it's just you two I know about. I might start a thread to ask everyone.

Quoting javi2541997

Thank you for your effort of fixing this bug. I am sure that the problem will be solved soon.

Your optimism is like wind beneath my administrative wings.

Reply to Jamal
You are welcome.

BTW, I preferred the red color for links of members, URLs, etc. It --and any dark color-- stands out much better. (Well, ... obviously! :smile:)

Reply to Alkis Piskas I guess I could make the links a bit darker.

Reply to Jamal
I think this is a good idea. :up:

Reply to Alkis Piskas Tried it. It was too close to black so it just blended in with the other text.

Reply to Jamal
Why don't you leave it in red? It was just fine. Anyway, it's not important.

@Jamal, you've now got five threads fixed at the top of the main page. That's a lot of screen space. Perhaps it would be worth consolidating the Joining, Guidelines and Subscribe threads into one - an "About Us" thread or some such.

Reply to Banno I have long agonized over that issue, and you are to be commended for your suggestion, but I don't think those threads should be amalgamated. I often want to link to them separately, I want prospective members to quickly see how to join, members to get to the guidelines directly (and it's good conventional practice to have the guidelines in the form of a pinned thread), and to display the Subscribe thread prominently.

The Chomsky thread is only there temporarily, so it'll be down to four in a short while. If I were to move one of the other four it would probably be the "Joining" thread; maybe it could go under "Help". But I think that might reduce its visibility too much.

Reply to Jamal

:up:

Reply to Jamal Reply to Banno

Maybe a "Join and subscribe" amalgamation? E. g. "Joining/subscribing to TPF". Both are fairly short reads as stands and quite related.

Reply to Baden That’s a pretty good idea. If we’re going to do anything about this, that’s probably what we should do.

Reply to Jamal Or you could make it so that the Join discussion doesn't show if we're logged in, i.e. assigned to a category that only Guests can view?

Reply to Michael That’s even better than Baden’s idea. I should be able to achieve that by putting it in a new category with custom view permissions.

Reply to Michael I’ve done that, but I can still see it when logged in. This is either because the way permissions work makes it impossible to have a thread that only guests can see, or else it’s showing me everything because I’m an admin. If you or @Banno can no longer see the Joining thread, it has worked.

Reply to Jamal I can’t see it

Reply to Michael :party:

Reply to Michael Reply to Jamal

Nice. :up: I can't see it either btw even as an admin.

Reply to Jamal :up: .

I wanted to offer some observations as a new member who has a lot of familiarity with different forum softwares. Take them for what they are worth. I should begin by saying that I am pleasantly surprised with the forum software and the uniqueness of PlushForums' approach. Here are some feature ideas:

1. There should be the ability to search for all of a single user's posts within a thread. Technically you can do this but for some reason the search never returns any results. (PlushForums bug)

2. This UI feature is unintuitive because it is not symmetrical:

Quoting Jamal

Double-click on the left-hand side of the page to go back. Double-click on the right-hand side to move one page forward.

If double-clicking on the right-hand side takes me one page forward, then double-clicking on the left-hand side should take me one page back. All browsers have a back button; recreating it is redundant.

3. Posts should only be editable for X minutes.

4. BBCode for the

---

tag would be useful for this forum (horizontal rule). I often see folks responding to multiple users in a single post and separating each reply with an arbitrary number of dashes or underscores. An

---

tag is just a horizontal divider, and it would be helpful for formatting posts. Most of the forum software written in the last ten years includes this feature.

5. The BBCode "code" tag should not use code highlighting. All of the text within a code tag should be of the same color.

6. I have seen others suggest that there should be a limit on the number of a user's posts or threads per day. I agree, but often the easier solution is to provide a feature where, "Number of minutes between a user's posts/threads," can be specified. PlushForums might buy into that more easily.


My other suggestions have already been proposed, but do not yet exist:

Quoting Jamal

In "All discussions" it would be really nice to see the category each discussion belongs to (without having to hover over the title).

(And it would be nice to have an indicator on the thread page as well.)

Quoting Jamal

Distraction-free mode when writing a post. Imagine the preview modal but with editing facility.

(This is a standard feature nowadays. PlushForums should implement this to keep up with competition.)

Quoting Jamal

Normal paging in "Comments", "Following", etc., instead of the "More comments" functionality

Quoting Jamal

Likes for posts (but not reputations)

(Likes should be separable from the reputation system (Reply to Jamal ).)

Quoting Jamal

Retain the formatting when quoting highlighted text

Quoting Leontiskos

1. There should be the ability to search for all of a single user's posts within a thread. Technically you can do this but for some reason the search never returns any results.

Search for "." or something. I agree it would be nice if you could just leave that box empty, but this works like a charm.

Reply to Srap Tasmaner
Okay, thanks, I will do that. I had tried searching for a space, which didn't work. That's all the farther I got with hacky workarounds. :grin:

Quoting Leontiskos

3. Posts should only be editable for X minutes.

This would be unfair.

Reply to javi2541997
Unfair in what sense?

That was a minor suggestion, though. I realize the forum already fought just to get the ability to edit, so tinkering with that ability is probably not a high priority.

Reply to Leontiskos Don't you feel anxiety when you have limited time to do whatever or take any decision?

Quoting Leontiskos

That was a minor suggestion, though. I realize the forum already fought just to get the ability to edit, so tinkering with that ability is probably not a high priority.

Every so often I like to go through some of my old posts and correct the grammar. I also removed all of my statements from 2015 and 2016 where I said Donald Trump would be the best president ever.

Quoting T Clark

I also removed all of my statements from 2015 and 2016 where I said Donald Trump would be the best president ever.

But not before I archived them.

I accept PayPal and Venmo

Reply to T Clark

Archived that one too, so feel free to edit it.

I guess I'll just visit Srap if I need a more accurate record. :lol:

Hello mates,

I have a query. Do your posts go to the "drafts" even after posting them? I mean, when I post a comment in a discussion, it is also being kept in the drafts. I answered to Tom Storm in a discussion and curiously such reply went to the draft too. Like if I never posted it when I actually did. :chin:

What I am trying to explain is that there are two comments: the "original" that is kept in the draft and the copy that is posted.

Or maybe it is just my cellphone that is acting weirdly...

Quoting javi2541997

Do your posts go to the "drafts" even after posting them?

They shouldn't.

Quoting javi2541997

I mean, when I post a comment in a discussion, it is also being kept in the drafts. I answered to Tom Storm in a discussion and curiously such reply went to the draft too. Like if I never posted it when I actually did.

In the first sentence here, you imply that this has happened a lot. Is this true, or did it just happen in the one instance you then describe?

Sounds like a glitch, to do with an intermittent and interrupted connection.

Reply to Jamal
It happens to me more than one time. What I have discovered is that this only happens when I write long posts. If the reply is short, it doesn't appear in the drafts again.

On the other hand, I think you are right, and it is a glitch. But on my phone, because when I use TPF on a PC, nothing happens at all.

Reply to javi2541997 :up:

Something seems to have gone amiss with the post window. It neither grows nor scrolls, making it clumsy to navigate editing a post of more than a few lines.

Just my browser?

Quoting Banno

Just my browser?

Possibly. It’s working normally for me.

It is interesting that my remark was removed without comment.

So, it is like that.

Reply to Paine This is a thread for feature requests. If you want to ask or complain about moderator actions, start another thread in the Feedback category or send a private message to a member of staff.

okay

Tags inside link text terminate the link:

a link with formatted text like so

a link with formatted text like so

Room for improvement. :)

Having links to replies to posts would be nice, kinda like this at the end of the post:


Also, for some reason undo control Z does not work here sometimes.

As the bannings thread closed again, I'll continue here.

It's true that when there's couple of hot political topics that bring up emotions (George Floyd protests, US police violence, Israel-Hamas war, perhaps also the war in Ukraine), they indeed can overwhelm the front page and some actually interesting philosophical debate can easily drop down to the second page. And let's be frank: who goes to check discussion on the second or third page?

Now there is on the left side all the various forums, but it's difficult to know just where a certain interesting thread is, especially if it could be "general" or more specific philosophy.

So here's my suggestion:

In the frontpage (or at least in my view on the frontpage) there is above the threads (ALL DISCUSSIONS) continuing with the shoutbox, guidelines etc.

Could you have there next to it INTERESTING PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS or something like that and the mods/administrator could pick the more philosophical or philosophically interesting threads. People could click this and see an interesting assortment of what the mods have deemed good threads.

This because, as we know, there aren't a huge amount of participants in this forum, the All Discussion, is good to show just what and who has written something on any thread. Yet just with one simple click, you would a serene philosophical thread screen without the bickering and ranting of current topics (politics, environment, elections, wars...) Hence a Philosophy thread without a Trump / Ukraine crisis thread etc.

That's my 5 cents.

Quoting Hanover

The threads tend to create bad feeling, accentuate our closely held personal differences, do nothing to cause reconsideration of our views, and generally piss each other off. I can find animosity all around me. I don't need to come here for that.

Yep.

Quoting fdrake

By my estimation we're a group of people who either aren't doing philosophy or don't wish to be doing it.

Quoting Michael

I have a script that replaces the words "Israel", "Palestine", and "Hamas" with random words. Makes it easy.

I've always thought it would be good to restrict users to one post every 10 minutes. Provide an occasion for thought.

Reply to Leontiskos That is something that has been mentioned before, but I don’t know if this particular hosting platform provides the feature.

Reply to Wayfarer

I don't see it in mod/admin settings. Unless it's something Jamal has access to as the owner I don't think we have it.

Quoting Wayfarer

That is something that has been mentioned before, but I don’t know if this particular hosting platform provides the feature.

Yes, I figured that. The idea is more that there are simple things that could probably help, even if Plush Forums doesn't currently possess them.

When I sketched my own forum I envisioned a lot of things like this that would annoy the hell out of lots of people. :grin: The 10-minute rule was one. Another was a Medieval-style system, where reporting a post was effectively a wager, such that if someone reported a post that is not problematic then that someone takes the penalty that would have been applied to the poster they reported. It seems that this was a way to limit litigation in locales where judicial resources were scarce. I'm not sure if it would work, but I like the idea. It would certainly lighten moderation if it could be implemented.

Reply to fdrake It’s not there, but has been mentioned in discussion of alternative platforms.

Reply to Leontiskos The predecessor forum to this one had a lot of bells and whistles that had been added over the years by Paul Kneirem, the owner/admin. It was quite good but the interface had become somewhat crowded. When Jamal started this one on Plush the simplicity of the interface was a positive, but there are some features lacking.

Quoting Wayfarer

When Jamal started this one on Plush the simplicity of the interface was a positive, but there are some features lacking.

Ah, that makes sense. I do like the simplicity of Plush from the user's perspective.

Quoting Leontiskos

Another was a Medieval-style system, where reporting a post was effectively a wager, such that if someone reported a post that is not problematic then that someone takes the penalty that would have been applied to the poster they reported. It seems that this was a way to limit litigation in locales where judicial resources were scarce. I'm not sure if it would work, but I like the idea. It would certainly lighten moderation if it could be implemented.

I envisioned a hockey style penalty box where for the two minutes you were in lock down, your opponent was in a power play and could comment without allowing you a response. The difficulty I saw in it was in the expense of the box and finding personnel to monitor the person in the box so he wouldn't jump free.

I also don't have ice skates.

Reply to Hanover - Yes, good. Two minutes for minor penalties and five minutes for major penalties. But if the two posters are real aggressive, and it looks like it might make for a good fight, then we let them fight for a few minutes before giving them both five-minute majors (fighting posts are non-editable). This will require an extra box, but I think it will be worth it. Maybe run it by Plush?

Quoting Leontiskos

Maybe run it by Plush?

As discussed, they won't be adding new functionality and we'll have to move to another platform.

Did I just dream it?

Quoting Jamal

As discussed, they won't be adding new functionality and we'll have to move to another platform.

Oh yes, I remember, although I wasn't sure if it was public. I was just joking with @Hanover and his penalty box musings. :smile:

Quoting Jamal

As discussed, they won't be adding new functionality and we'll have to move to another platform.

Are there some other platforms that would consider adding a penalty box as described? I'd like to get that started, at least to have the foundation poured by the end of the month.

I still don't have ice skates though.

Reply to Hanover

Penalty box, you say? Sure, why not? Consider it done.

This user has been deleted and all their posts removed.

Reply to tim wood That would require all the members of the team to be on welfare.
I second the proposal.

Reply to tim wood

Lots of work.

Most posts aren't standalone, too. This post would be nonsensical, except as a reply. F for me.

C if the grading mod read your post too.

Why not let things as they are? The forum works well, and most of the threads are active.

It is true that there are often some bugs (for example, when the drafts keep appearing even after posting them. This bug used to appear more often, but not so much anymore. Ergo, I understand that it has been fixed.), but it is not a serious problem.

If one day we all have to move to another platform, I will have a huge emotional feeling of melancholia about this forum. :broken:

Quoting javi2541997

Why not let things as they are? The forum works well, and most of the threads are active.

:100:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I can no longer see the "Climate Change (General Discussion)" discussion on the main page.

The most recent post is 8 hours ago but the discussion is not visible at that time on the main page.

I can get to the "Climate Change (General Discussion)" discussion by finding one of my posts to this discussion and clicking on the title, so the discussion is available. It just doesn't show on the main page.

Reply to Agree-to-Disagree

My dear friend, I believe I can explain. As it so happens, the site owner, Jamal, being the humble and selfless (if not at times inconsiderate) person he is enjoys making use of the Shoutbox to announce site-wide changes as opposed to hogging up valuable discussion real estate space as would occur if done so in the form of a new announcement thread or "sticky", as it were.

I believe you will find the answers to all your questions in this Shoutbox post, here.

Or to be quaint, check the Lounge! :razz:

Reply to Agree-to-Disagree

It was moved to the Lounge. I gave the reasons here:

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/880144

Reply to Jamal

Maybe consider making an announcement in General or something, not everyone will go to the Shout Box and see that specific post. Which will save you repetition 25 times over.

Reply to Manuel

I did actually create a draft announcement but didn't follow through. Now that things seem to have calmed down, I'm not going to bother with the announcement—a decision I may regret when I have to repeat the response another 25 times.

It is kind of annoying that you cannot italicize on mobile. There is room for a tweet icon, but not italics?

Reply to hypericin

Yep, it’s annoying. The devs won’t change it.

Quoting hypericin

It is kind of annoying that you cannot italicize on mobile. There is room for a tweet icon, but not italics?

You can if you turn your mobile to landscape.

I wonder about the limits of direct personal insults. I recognize that I have not expressed the ideal of eschewing such behavior. In fact, I am part of the problem.

Some kind of consistent rule regarding the matter would be good.

Reply to Paine
That would be tough, to set the rule as to what qualifies as a punishable offence. What it I told you your mother wears army boots? Or what if I told you your interpretation of Aristotle is pure shit? Would one or both of these be subject to the rule?

Reply to Metaphysician Undercover
I was thinking more about Vashane denigrating people as a component of the argument.
I get a lot of the other kind of denigration at work.

If you are referring to our previous disagreements about Aristotle, I did not end up with judgement but a lack of understanding. I don't get it.

Reply to hypericin It can be done manually on mobile by entering the tags

Reply to Michael Reply to Wayfarer
:up:

Another thing to bug the devs about is that it's very slow and difficult to edit a post on mobile. Is anyone else getting that?

Reply to hypericin I have an iPhone 13 - it’s not slow but it’s always a bit fiddly due to the limitations of the iOS interface. Latency issues might be due to the network you’re on.

Reply to Wayfarer
On my (high end) android at least, it's like, tap the ellipses... nothing happens, tap it again... maybe in 5-10 seconds, the edit pencil will show up. Tap that... nothing happens, tap it again... if you are lucky, in another 5-10 seconds, you can edit.

This is consistent, independent of connection speed.

Another super annoying thing. I hate how when you quote, the quote goes wherever the cursor happens to be. 95% of the time this is in the middle of a sentence, and I have to fix it manually. Doubly annoying on mobile. I think it would be great if the quote always went on the bottom. Then, in the 5% of the cases where I actually want it somewhere else, I can move it.

Probably a "dev" thing, I know.

Reply to hypericin That's different to my experience on iPhone, or at any rate I haven't noticed any particular latency. But do agree about that annoying feature with quoting.

* Disclaimer: I realize PlushForums is in maintenance mode, and will not be adding any new features. This post is future-oriented.

I just wanted to jot out a quick note. I have noticed a trend towards very short and unthoughtful OPs and very short and unthoughtful replies. Some ideas I have to mitigate against such a thing are:

1. Forum culture. A thoughtful and contemplative culture will presumably perpetuate itself and mitigate against short, unthoughtful posting.

2. Character thresholds. Perhaps in the future it would be helpful to add character thresholds, at least to OPs. For example, OPs must be more than 500 characters.

3. Posting limits. Asynchronous forum software has led to instant messaging-style interactions, which are usually less than philosophical. Thread or post limits could be helpful, at a general level or applied in special cases (e.g. categories, threads, users, etc.). For example, maybe users start with one thread per week and one post per 15 minutes.

4. Limited editing. An unlimited ability to edit posts correlates to lower quality posts and lower quality submissions. Perhaps edits should only be allowed for a certain amount of time.

5. I am of the mind that things like <site layouts> and phone accessibility have an impact on post quality. Users accessing an instant message-style website through smartphones will produce lower quality content than users accessing a publication-style website through keyboards and screens with enough real estate for comfortable reading.

6. The ability to disincentivize users short of permanently banning them seems important. This could be done with things like temporary bans or posting limits.

Reply to Leontiskos

I've looked around the web and I've never found any philosophy forum as good as this one. I think there are a number of reasons for that - good moderating, a decent set of contributors, my personal contributions, etc. Maybe highest on the list is the level of participation. If you post something here, it generally gets responses and often a bunch. Those often turn into long, interesting discussions. I think your suggestions will lead to a reduction in participation. Sure we get some dog bones, but the moderators will step in if it's too bad. As Aristotle wrote - Good enough is good enough.

Quoting Leontiskos

OPs must be more than 500 characters.

I don't see any advantage in encouraging verbosity. Short is good.

Quoting T Clark

Maybe highest on the list is the level of participation.

Yep. And Reply to Leontiskos's suggestions would reduce participation.

Quoting T Clark

I've looked around the web and I've never found any philosophy forum as good as this one.

I agree.

Quoting T Clark

Good enough is good enough.

I disagree. I don't even know how this is supposed to be a real argument.

Quoting T Clark

I think your suggestions will lead to a reduction in participation.

If "participation" is defined as unthoughtful contributions, then that is precisely what my suggestions aim to do. Philosophy is more than random thought-sharing, and there are ways to make an environment more conducive to philosophical contributions.

Quoting Banno

Short is good.

Not according to the Site Guidelines and How to Write an OP.

Quoting Leontiskos

Short is good.
— Banno

Not according to the Site Guidelines and How to Write an OP.

Quoting Leontiskos

OPs must be more than 500 characters.

You made a clear and reasonable presentation of your position in 264 words.

Reply to Leontiskos Yeah, it does:

1) Language matters.
Forcing someone to rabbit on at length in order to meet an arbitrary word limit is not conducive to quality.

And
Quoting Baden

Good OPs are properly focused and relevant

Quoting T Clark

You made a clear and reasonable presentation of your position in 264 words.

There is a difference between characters and words. My post was 1,785 characters. I am only suggesting 500 characters for OPs, which at a minimum is about 70 words. Even your short reply was 597 characters.

Quoting Banno

an arbitrary word limit

It is a case in point that you and Clark were both too busy disagreeing with me to even notice that I gave a character limit, not a word limit. Your failure to read what I wrote would perhaps be remedied if you were not allowed to spit out posts one after another in quick succession. :wink:

Reply to Leontiskos Bah. You are obsessed with rules. Looks to be an attempt to avoid the sort of spotlight @TonesInDeepFreeze shines on your logical misunderstandings and errors, an extension on your bitching about him posting too much... :rofl:

But it's a non-starter, so not much of an issue.

Quoting Banno

Bah. You are obsessed with rules. Looks to be an attempt to avoid the sort of spotlight TonesInDeepFreeze shines on your logical misunderstandings and errors, an extension on your bitching about him posting too much... :rofl:

Have you found that your trolling has become better or worse as you approach your 90's?

In any case, I am flattered that you spend so much time reading my exchanges.

Edit: Since you invited Tones to join in your trolling, I should point out that the posts of his in question are neither overly short nor overly unthoughtful, but that to successively respond to someone a dozen times in a single thread without any intervening response is not conducive to philosophical dialogue. I have only rarely seen this sort of thing.