I went to check it today, but I got a "you must log into www.yesonissue3.com to view this page" message. This is scary. Is it trying to steal information?

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,18676.0.html

Try it again and let me know if you get that. I'm pretty sure I fixed the post that triggered that.

 

What happened was someone posted an image that was directly linked to yesonissue3.com and once that site (pardon my lack of knowledge of technical terms) realized someone was trying to access that site's assets, it prompted the log-on dialog box.

Why was the 3C passenger rail thread locked? There was a lot of discussion, and, while passionate at times, never turned ugly.  The 3C funding announcement is one of the most significant announcements made since Urban Ohio was created, and certainly people are going to feel strongly about it, and have varying opinions on it.  It seems odd to me to lock a thread where no "rules" were broken, especially when there is obviously such interest in the topic.  What gives? :?

Why was the 3C passenger rail thread locked? There was a lot of discussion, and, while passionate at times, never turned ugly. The 3C funding announcement is one of the most significant announcements made since Urban Ohio was created, and certainly people are going to feel strongly about it, and have varying opinions on it. It seems odd to me to lock a thread where no "rules" were broken, especially when there is obviously such interest in the topic. What gives? :?

Yeah, it befuddles me too.

Unless there were some posts that have been deleted, I don't see why the thread is locked either. Darn-it, we behaved and still got put in time-out, it's just not fair! [/tantrum]

Why was the 3C passenger rail thread locked? There was a lot of discussion, and, while passionate at times, never turned ugly.  The 3C funding announcement is one of the most significant announcements made since Urban Ohio was created, and certainly people are going to feel strongly about it, and have varying opinions on it.  It seems odd to me to lock a thread where no "rules" were broken, especially when there is obviously such interest in the topic.  What gives? :?

 

Unless there were some posts that have been deleted, I don't see why the thread is locked either. Darn-it, we behaved and still got put in time-out, it's just not fair! [/tantrum]

 

Guys, there was some spillover from controversy in the 3C thread into personal interactions in other topics that I'm not going to re-hash here. I did delete one of those other-area posts because I deemed it to be a personal attack on a forumer.

 

The thread hadn't yet reached ignition temperature, but it was beginning to overheat enough that a cool-down period was necessary in order to restore perspective. It'll be back.

Rob covered it, but just so everyone knows - whenever you see that a thread has been locked, more than likely - offending posts have been deleted. Depending on the nature of what was deleted, we may not always be at liberty to disclose details. The Admins/Mods do their best to try to keep forumers in the loop, but when we have to take drastic steps (locking threads, suspending forumers), it's for the sake of the forum.

^Thanks for the answer.  Seems reasonable :-)

Yes. If it's a large amount of people arguing, there may be a general "knock it off!" post, but usually we'll send a PM or post something if we feel that'll get the message across.

If a thread is locked, can there at least be a general explanatory statement about why the thread was locked? I went to look at the latest for the Cleveland Sherwin Williams HQ and the thread is locked with no explanation. What is up?-it did not look like it was going off the rails...so why is it locked? A simple explanation besides 'this thread is locked" would be nice. 

 

I did not see that thread going off topic or going awry in any significant way?

I can't speak for the entire mod team vis-a-vis a policy on that, but in general, the most common reasons threads are locked are (a) overheating, or (b) uncontrollable off-topic digressions (derailing).

 

Overheating is more common on Current Events, Urbanbar, etc.

 

Derailing locks are more common in regional boards.

 

Derailing is considered more of an issue in the location- or development-specific threads like the SHW HQ thread because of the time-capsule effect: keeping the specific threads tightly on topic allows them to be decent timelines of events that roll out slowly, over time.  (I found myself going through multiple years' worth of posts following the Bridge Park development in Dublin recently, for example, just to catch up on how far it has come and how long it took, since there was a gap of multiple years in between when I was physically in that area--I was able to do that because the thread was consistently on topic and so I didn't stumble into pages of derailed clutter.)

 

We do have general-interest threads for general-interest discussions, both at the regional level in the regional boards, as well as even more general-purpose discussion than that.  The regional boards are seldom locked for getting derailed, though it can happen (IIRC it happened when the general Columbus thread somehow became an arena for locking horns between Cleveland and Cincinnati, of all things).  The general ones are even less likely to get locked for getting derailed.

24 minutes ago, Gramarye said:

I can't speak for the entire mod team vis-a-vis a policy on that, but in general, the most common reasons threads are locked are (a) overheating, or (b) uncontrollable off-topic digressions (derailing).

 

Overheating is more common on Current Events, Urbanbar, etc.

 

Derailing locks are more common in regional boards.

 

Derailing is considered more of an issue in the location- or development-specific threads like the SHW HQ thread because of the time-capsule effect: keeping the specific threads tightly on topic allows them to be decent timelines of events that roll out slowly, over time.  (I found myself going through multiple years' worth of posts following the Bridge Park development in Dublin recently, for example, just to catch up on how far it has come and how long it took, since there was a gap of multiple years in between when I was physically in that area--I was able to do that because the thread was consistently on topic and so I didn't stumble into pages of derailed clutter.)

 

We do have general-interest threads for general-interest discussions, both at the regional level in the regional boards, as well as even more general-purpose discussion than that.  The regional boards are seldom locked for getting derailed, though it can happen (IIRC it happened when the general Columbus thread somehow became an arena for locking horns between Cleveland and Cincinnati, of all things).  The general ones are even less likely to get locked for getting derailed.

I am not asking for the reason, I am asking for why the reason is not given when the thread is closed.  Like the Sherwin Williams thread. It just said it was closed. No reason was given. Why not "this thread is closed because of XYZ" instead of just "this thread is closed?  

 

If a thread is closed by a mod there must be a reason, I just don't get why the reason isn't given? Maybe it is given on some threads..I just wonder why it is not just a policy or something.

 

Examples..

 

This thread is now closed because of...

 

Rampant city vs city comments

Too many off topic discussions

Too much rampant speculation with no new news 

Too many personal attacks

 

etc. etc.  ???

 

I really was surprised the Sherwin Williams thread was closed, and I don't know why it was closed because it was not stated.

Edited November 13, 20195 yr by Toddguy

12 minutes ago, Toddguy said:

I am not asking for the reason, I am asking for why the reason is not given when the thread is closed.  Like the Sherwin Williams thread. It just said it was closed. No reason was given. Why not "this thread is closed because of XYZ" instead of just "this thread is closed?  

 

If a thread is closed by a mod there must be a reason, I just don't get why the reason isn't given? Maybe it is given on some threads..I just wonder why it is not just a policy or something.

 

Examples..

 

This thread is now closed because of...

 

Rampant city vs city comments

Too many off topic discussions

Too much rampant speculation with no new news 

Too many personal attacks

 

etc. etc.  ???

 

I really was surprised the Sherwin Williams thread was closed, and I don't know why it was closed because it was not stated.

Every single one of those potential explanations boils down to "thread has gotten off topic."  It doesn't seem necessary to post the specific reason because if a thread is locked you can just assume that discussion was off topic from the thread title.  Why does it matter what the specific off-topic discussion was about?

On 11/13/2019 at 11:02 AM, TH3BUDDHA said:

Every single one of those potential explanations boils down to "thread has gotten off topic."  It doesn't seem necessary to post the specific reason because if a thread is locked you can just assume that discussion was off topic from the thread title.  Why does it matter what the specific off-topic discussion was about?

Because sometimes it is not that apparent that "the thread has gotten off topic" ok? Especially if posts have been removed and that is not noted either. And If it matters to me I don't have to explain that to you, ok? Thanks. 

Quote

I really was surprised the Sherwin Williams thread was closed, and I don't know why it was closed because it was not stated.

If you had read what I had posted, you would see it is not always the case that it all boils down to one easy explanation. And if a specific reason is given, posters who are not familiar with what may have happened can be sure to NOT do the thing that got the thread closed.

 

I don't know why you felt the need to come in and jump all over my comment?  Especially since the comment was obviously directed for a MOD to respond to, which you are clearly not.

 

*edit* Hey I am just a member here it is not a democracy and if no mods want to provide any explanation I am fine with that, no problem..I don't mind them not answering if they don't mind my asking the question. It really is not that big of a deal to cause any friction with anyone.  It's all good between me and anyone else here at this point.

Edited November 15, 20195 yr by Toddguy

12 hours ago, Toddguy said:

Because sometimes it is not that apparent that "the thread has gotten off topic" ok? Especially if posts have been removed and that is not noted either. And If it matters to me I don't have to explain that to you, ok? Thanks. 

If you had read what I had posted, you would see it is not always the case that it all boils down to one easy explanation. And if a specific reason is given, posters who are not familiar with what may have happened can be sure to NOT do the thing that got the thread closed.

 

I don't know why you felt the need to come in and jump all over my comment?  Especially since the comment was obviously directed for a MOD to respond to, which you are clearly not.

 

*edit* Hey I am just a member here it is not a democracy and if no mods want to provide any explanation I am fine with that, no problem..I don't mind them not answering if they don't mind my asking the question. It really is not that big of a deal to cause any friction with anyone.  It's all good between me and anyone else here at this 

I never said I'm a mod.  But, am I not allowed an opinion?  Sorry if I was out of line commenting here.

1 minute ago, TH3BUDDHA said:

I never said I'm a mod.  But, am I not allowed an opinion?  Sorry if I was out of line commenting here.

It's all good..no problem. It was just a question that arose from one thread(which is open again)so it is not big deal for me.  *internet hand shake*

5 hours ago, Toddguy said:

It's all good..no problem. It was just a question that arose from one thread(which is open again)so it is not big deal for me.  *internet hand shake*

I actually agree with you and I was trying to lead into this point, albeit poorly:  I think the problem is less of a need to explain why the thread has been locked.  Once it escalates to that point, it's pretty much clear why the thread is locked, the thread got extremely off topic.  I wish they would do something to deter many of the toxic comments that many times lead to comments being removed and threads being locked.

 

5 hours ago, Toddguy said:

It was just a question that arose from one thread

Yea, I'm very aware of that thread and was in the middle of it being locked down once for asking a simple question.  I think you were actually involved in our discussion in the Capitol Square thread where we were discussing it. I'm a new member here, but have already experienced toxic comments and harassment multiple times.  There appears to be a pattern and history of this coming from forumers from a particular region.  It would nice to not have to deal with jabs from those users all the time.  In fact, that thread got closed this most recent time because the users started throwing random jabs at Columbus.

 

Once again, I didn't mean to seem like I was jumping on your post.  I apologize for that.

Edited November 15, 20195 yr by TH3BUDDHA

On 11/13/2019 at 7:52 AM, Toddguy said:

If a thread is locked, can there at least be a general explanatory statement about why the thread was locked? I went to look at the latest for the Cleveland Sherwin Williams HQ and the thread is locked with no explanation. What is up?-it did not look like it was going off the rails...so why is it locked? A simple explanation besides 'this thread is locked" would be nice. 

 

I did not see that thread going off topic or going awry in any significant way?

 

 

Like Gramarye, I can't speak for the entire mod team, either.  But let me give you my thoughts on this.

 

Like a couple of forumers have said here, by the time that a thread has gotten itself locked, it is usually apparent why that is, be it insults, off topic banter, etc.  I don't usually post why when I lock a thread because of that.  I, like all the mods, are volunteers, and generally speaking I'm trying to stop and fix a problem with the minimal time and energy.  You have a good point that reasons for thread closure could be communicated better, and I will try to make a note of why I'm closing a thread in the future, if it doesn't seem ragingly obviously why.  That can apply to when a thread gets locked and cleaned up, and not reopened as well.

 

Overall, the amount of way off-topic stuff has recently gotten worse in a number of development threads.  The S-W thread specifically has been difficult to moderate.  I wasn't the one to lock the thread this most recent time, but I have locked and cleaned it numerous times for off topic discussion, or completely baseless (usually panicked) speculation.  For a while it couldn't even make it more than a couple of hours unlocked without going off the rails.  At a few points we decided to leave it locked till actual news comes though.  My guess would be that this is why it was locked this time- it got cleaned, and was just waiting for another bit of actual news, instead of letting that thread devolve into pages of baseless speculation and pointless bickering that someone would have to clean up again.  Just a guess.

^^ Thanks for the reply. Usually it is very obvious why a thread was locked, but sometimes a thread seems ok and then you come back to it and it is locked and you are thinking wth happened? Maybe some cleanup of the thread has already occurred as you mentioned.

 

Also I am on different boards and they respond differently so part of the question was just that..some explain, some over explain and are like schoolmarms with rulers, others just act and the thread is closed. just wondering and all

 

Not a big deal and thanks for the response.

I actually came here to voice my feelings on locking threads for multiple days on end. It kind of feels pointless to lock a thread if there's a feature for Urban Ohio to have user Muting, but if we do have that feature can we just use that to censor off-topic arguments, and leave the thread open for those that do participate on the insider info. You don't have to close an entire thread to prune it, or is that necessary due to coding discrepancies. I understand that the development threads are strictly for development only, but if there's any kind of visual or work opinions it's considered off-topic, jokes included. But for me as a user on this website who comes for entertainment and community; like to see open conversations about these developments, have a laugh or two, maybe share a bit of criticism, there's almost no place to have an opinion. So having these threads locked for however long they are or will be is kind of unnecessary. That's no fault to the mods, I think the people of Urban Ohio would love to see some different operating procedures rather than log on to see their favorite thread very shamefully locked.

That's not how muting works.  Muting just means that you, tastybunns, don't see posts from a forumer you don't want to see.  It doesn't keep a thread on topic in any conceivable way.  I don't think anyone is stopping you from having an opinion on a development, but you need to keep it related to that development in question.  Threads get locked because they go in random directions, not because people don't like a project.

"You don't have to close an entire thread to prune it, or is that necessary due to coding discrepancies."

We don't? Maybe you have a life of leisure but for the Admins and Mods who volunteer here, sometimes we don't have time to sit and sift through off-topic posts and it's better to lock the thread until we can properly sort things out.

 

"But for me as a user on this website who comes for entertainment and community; like to see open conversations about these developments, have a laugh or two, maybe share a bit of criticism, there's almost no place to have an opinion. So having these threads locked for however long they are or will be is kind of unnecessary. That's no fault to the mods, I think the people of Urban Ohio would love to see some different operating procedures rather than log on to see their favorite thread very shamefully locked."

 

We allow a little "wiggle room" for comments and posts that may not be directly on-topic but they still contribute to the discussion. However, it never fails that someone will piggyback onto that one off-topic comment and derail the thread. Some perfect examples would be when MyTwoSense decides he has to needlessly question someone's opinion rather than send them a private message, or when Terdolph saw the financing overview for the Lumen and decided that was the place to declare that "we need to do something about our jobs and local economy!!!" (as though this was some profound and unique thought).

 

As far as "no place to have an opinion", as I have said so many times - if there's something forumers want to discuss but there's not an appropriate/existing thread - CREATE A NEW THREAD.

Is it possible to just lock those that are going off-topic instead of locking the thread?

18 minutes ago, MayDay said:

"You don't have to close an entire thread to prune it, or is that necessary due to coding discrepancies."

We don't? Maybe you have a life of leisure but for the Admins and Mods who volunteer here, sometimes we don't have time to sit and sift through off-topic posts and it's better to lock the thread until we can properly sort things out.

 

"But for me as a user on this website who comes for entertainment and community; like to see open conversations about these developments, have a laugh or two, maybe share a bit of criticism, there's almost no place to have an opinion. So having these threads locked for however long they are or will be is kind of unnecessary. That's no fault to the mods, I think the people of Urban Ohio would love to see some different operating procedures rather than log on to see their favorite thread very shamefully locked."

 

We allow a little "wiggle room" for comments and posts that may not be directly on-topic but they still contribute to the discussion. However, it never fails that someone will piggyback onto that one off-topic comment and derail the thread. Some perfect examples would be when MyTwoSense decides he has to needlessly question someone's opinion rather than send them a private message, or when Terdolph saw the financing overview for the Lumen and decided that was the place to declare that "we need to do something about our jobs and local economy!!!" (as though this was some profound and unique thought).

 

As far as "no place to have an opinion", as I have said so many times - if there's something forumers want to discuss but there's not an appropriate/existing thread - CREATE A NEW THREAD.

I have been on the forum for almost 15 years.  From the very beginning it always amazed me how often a poster would make an insightful on topic post and then end it with some irrelevant, needless throw away sentence, and it will be that comment everybody latches onto instead of the on topic portion of the post.  It will then go on for two pages, have nothing to do with the thread and even worst will develop even more off topic strains not even on point with the original throw away sentence.  Even more annoying is when the off topic discussion revolves around something that we have gone round and round about for years with people saying the same thing over and over (eg Burke Lakefront). Over the years the forum topic which has really amazed me in this regard is the Cincinnati Streetcar thread.  Unfortunately I know I have been a guilty party in the past but I really do try to control my urges.  That was less the case when I was a new member.

59 minutes ago, skiwest said:

Is it possible to just lock those that are going off-topic instead of locking the thread?

If you mean the forumer, yes - on occasion we will suspend account based on a variety of criteria (habitual offender or first time? history of contributing/adding value, etc.). We have the capability to completely ban (cannot view) or partially ban (can view but cannot post).

Thank you for the replies. What @skiwest said, made it so simple I have no idea how he did it, I just don't have a knack for explaining things in a short and to the point way. I appreciate your guys' volunteer work, and I especially love your guys' warning shots on each thread gone off-topic. Arguing on public forums designed for development specific discussion is intolerable, I understand those circumstances, and I'm glad those are locked for however long they are. I just don't understand why off-topic forums get locked for an unreasonably extensive period of time when de-escalation should only take a day. I enjoy your presence and you guys have given us a lot of great contributions. I would love to help out wherever I can as well.

12 hours ago, Htsguy said:

I have been on the forum for almost 15 years.  From the very beginning it always amazed me how often a poster would make an insightful on topic post and then end it with some irrelevant, needless throw away sentence, and it will be that comment everybody latches onto instead of the on topic portion of the post.  It will then go on for two pages, have nothing to do with the thread and even worst will develop even more off topic strains not even on point with the original throw away sentence.  Even more annoying is when the off topic discussion revolves around something that we have gone round and round about for years with people saying the same thing over and over (eg Burke Lakefront). Over the years the forum topic which has really amazed me in this regard is the Cincinnati Streetcar thread.  Unfortunately I know I have been a guilty party in the past but I really do try to control my urges.  That was less the case when I was a new member.

 

This also leads to another thing about forum moderators- we aren't bots.  We are real people who have been on this forum, some of us moderating it, for a long time.  I've been here as a mod for well over a decade now.  I've seen a thing or two!

 

We snap some off topic discussions REAL quick because we know that it isn't going anywhere productive for the discussion at hand.  There are also certain forumers who develop pet issues that they try to drag every thread towards- we cut them off real quick so you don't have to read angrypendanticdude567's one hundredth rant at the clouds about "why can't such and such be like it was in the good old days".  Now if you've got something new and interesting to say, you might get a little more leeway. 

 

And if you can relate it to the topic at hand, you're golden, friend!