|
|
Re: Google groups
Posted:
Jul 25, 2011 11:00 AM
|
|
William Elliot <marsh@rdrop.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Jul 2011, fishfry wrote:
>
>> I've been trying to enjoy M.SE lately but it really is not a
>> discussion forum and frankly the software model is all wrong.
>>
> I agree. As often in this ultra commercial world,
> New and Improved is rarely as good.
How can you agree when you've never used the forum? Indeed
many of the remarks you've made about MSE are far from reality.
>> Here's what happened just this morning. I click on a question that looks
>> interesting. The question is literate, clear, a little naive maybe but
>> still a valid mathematical question.
>
> I suggest you visit the forums at at.yorku.ca/topology.
> It's much like Usenet and easier to use than Mathforum.
> It has very little trash and is moderated post de facto,
> ie posts are removed that aren't nice nor needed.
If at.yorku.ca has little trash that's only because it has very
little activity. E.g. the algebra subforum Ask an Algebraist now
averages about 1 new thread per day. Back in its heydayy a few
years ago it averaged over 10 new threads per day. Then it also had
much more noise than MSE, with numerous serious problems, e.g. many
personal attacks, many forgeries, sustained attacks by vandals hoping
to destroy the site, etc. It died because the software platform is so
primitive it cannot cope with such (no authentication, no filtering,
minimal moderation tools, etc). I was one of the most active users
then so I know these problems all too well.
>> The next half dozen comments are snarky attacks along the lines of "You
>> are so arrogant," and "nobody will like you if you ask questions like
>> that." On and on, a real turnoff -- especially since none of the
>> comments make any sense with respect to the question I've just read.
>>
>> Then I realize ... the question's been edited. So I have no way of
>> knowing what the original question was, why everyone was attacking it
>> ... but I still had to wade through all the attacks.
>>
> Oh yes, without getting a confirmation from OP, the editors, always
> correct in guessing what OP meant, change the problem into what they
> want it to be.
I'm not aware of any MSE "editors changing the problems into what they
want it to be". Please use the site for some nontrivial period of time
before posting wild unfounded speculations.
|
|
