Is Answerbank going to the dogs?

[Lindy Loo]

I hate to be a kill joy, but are there a few too many 'chat' threads on here lately?

 

I enjoy a good laugh and have in the past joined in with some of them, but there were also stern comments posted by the Editor reminding the users that this was not a chat room.

 

That said, 

• Why have there not been any AB Editor comments made on some of the current ones
• Has the Editor changed?
• Is he/she snowed under with work?
• Or has AnswerBank been changed to AnswerChat and the name hasn't been updated yet?  

Just interested in other peoples opinions....

 

[FP]

Hi Lindy:  I suppose with lots of regulars on the site it is bound to happen.  Most of the popular questions turn in chat anyway.  However, if you are referrring to the recent ones that turned into film scripts then I can see your point (even though I joined in occasionally).  As long as this doesn't happen too often then I think it's OK.  After all we can ignore them if we wish.

Luv FPx

[FP]

As long as they are good humoured, non abusive and not too frequent then I think it is bound to happen when you get a lot of regulars.  I suppose it's just best to ignore them if we don't want to join in.

[FP]

Whoops, strange things.  The first answer didn't work so I posted the second answer and then the first answer came up afterwards.  Right, I'm off now!

[NoGood Boyo]

I agree with FP.

[Cetti]

I always love your posts Lindy Loo but on this occasion I have to disagree.

In the past AB has had its share of bad tempered, foul mouthed and generally all round troubled times. Most of the quiz overloads have now disappeared, the trouble makers have been booted out,  the simmering tensions have gone and we are now in a time of calm - and it's lovely.The posters are articulate, kind and fun so what could be more natural than to have a bit of interaction here and there.

I think you may be referring to 2nd row's epistle - while I agree it wouldn't be right every day, in my opinion now and then makes a refreshing change. We all need a little silliness inour lives to lift our spirits from the mundane, and just be childlike for a few minutes before returning to the real world. 

[Wraith]

I have to agree with you Lindy Loo. When I started on AB there were lots of serious questions with the odd funny one thrown in. That worked well, because it was easy to ignore the odd funny one if you wanted to or join in to have a laugh. Now we are getting too many to ignore. You have to sift through several pages sometimes to find a reasonable question.

 

I know that 'What are you having for tea tonight?", "What star sign are you?", "What's your favourite colour?" are all questions, but is that what AnswerBank was set up for?

 

About The AnswerBank

The AnswerBank is a Community Question and Answer site. It was conceived as a central point where users can ask genuine questions and receive helpful answers, and, on occasion to provide a forum for debate on issues of general interest. It is not intended for use as a chat room. We reserve the right to remove postings that lead the site away from its intended purpose - to be a helpful and accurate service.

[2nd row]

  hello Lindy loo, respect your opinion, to differ is mine,and any one's too, if i wanted any  serious arguements/ fights all i have to do is go into the city tonight, or any night ! ..... but without any blood being shed, the pen can be mightier than the sword, you, and other a/b's do write in, to ask , to answer, without breaking any rules, be it strong, meek, or mild.... to be able to read a thread, decide FOR yourself to join in, or simply walk away, with no harm done to either party, if a certain religous group were holding a debate meeting i would NOTenter that building saying it all was a load of b************s !  i walk on by. ...... thanks to Cetti, and no good boyo, ( must be Welsh ? ) ... to Wraith i ask Whats the favourite colour this year ? rubbish ?? so if i asked Lindy loo what design,what colour outfit she was wearing to the wedding say, rubbish too? or just my friendly chat ?

[Wraith]

As you rightly point out 2nd row :-

If a certain religous group were holding a debate meeting i would NOTenter that building saying it all was a load of b************s !  i walk on by.

 

Yet when you pass a question and answer site you enter it and start using it as a chat site.

 

We made an informed choice and entered AB to post questions and answers as it was intended for, yet passers by keep on slipping in and trying to turn it into a chat site. Would you also enter a Christian church and start preaching from the Koran?

[NoGood Boyo]

I agree with Wraith also.

[2nd row]

   oh! oh! now different colour techniques too ? (q/mark)    no ,am not religous .(answer)  will you please return to your first one ?(q/m) what was yours,and n/go/boyos  question ? q/m/.....please read all... different colours ? q/m ...... l.o.l  me.

[Arthur55]

oh! oh! now lots of symbols too ? (q/mark)  no ,am not a fish .(answer)  will you please return to your magic cave ?(q/m) what was your question ? q/m/.....please read all... different symbols ? q/m ...... l.o.l (lots of love - how sweet) me.

[Weaza_cfc]

If you wish to receive serious answers remain only on the "Home and garden" pages. You would have thought questions about somebody's garden tools would be easily misinterpreted and joked about, but apparently not...

[justpassing]

2nd row, I begining to wonder why there are no responses to your question posted above this one. Now I know why!  

And is Arthur55 a friend of yours? Just wondering that's all.

[brawburd]

It's the inconsistency that annoys me.  A few weeks ago posters of anything other than straight Q&As were being challenged by ab-ed and posts were removed.  Now it's a free-for-all.  I also wonder if ed. has changed.  And I agree Lindyloo - it's putting me off coming to the site.  Yes, we can ignore what we don't like, but if you have to plough through pages to bypass the dross it becomes a chore.

 

[NoGood Boyo]

Needs a weekend editor / moderator in my opinion.

[Lindy Loo]

Thanks for your answers.

And I agree NoGoodBoyo..... we do need a weekend Editor/moderator.

 

I agree that the editing standards have deteriorated during the last few weeks. Trawling through pages of 'dross', as brawburd called it, is tedious and boring.

And to comment on Wraith's reminder about purpose of the Answerbook...  Isn't it about time AB Editor  exercised his right to 'remove postings that lead the site away from its intended purpose - to be a helpful and accurate service.' ?

[2nd row]

  lindy loo,totally agree with your 'red area '........justpassing, we meet again,still angry, and still trying so hard to cause arguements,? and  now on L/loos thread ?..... Nogood boyo, agree with you too, come the weekend and some fools always come out to play,   same as any city centre anywhere....

[cheyenne]

IF you would all look back at these threads-Please tell me-on p&p,Who do you look like,B&S.underage sex B&S.you will find we are all guilty of turning the Answerbank into a Chat site,including you Lindy Loo?

[Wraith]

Valid point vinny100, I hold my hands up along with everyone else, but I do think that there are limits. No one minds the odd one or two threads, but what has happened here recently is a complete turn around. Lots more chat with the odd question thrown in for good measure.

 

There is also a distinct difference between chat and discussion. "Who do you look like?" would definitely qualify as chat, whereas "What are your views on underage sex?" would qualify as discussion. A fine line I know in some cases, but AB does encourage some discussion like this thread.

 

(on occasion to provide a forum for debate on issues of general interest.)

 

I suppose we are being a little hypocritical by choosing which chat we want to involve ourselves and which chat to complain at. It's just the degree that bothers some of us. Perhaps it's a case of all or none?

[Lindy Loo]

Thank you all for your input on this 'Debate'

I have just found this in reply to another Q I asked a while ago,.... (an abbreviated quote... the rest of AB Editors answer only related to the other question)

        ......It's not a question of expecting other users to have a sense of humour or not. It's not a question of whether 'AB Editor' has a sense of humour. It's a question of answering questions!
 
AB Editor Mon 04/10/04

Perhaps this is the answer to my question!  Though new comments from AB Editor would be most welcome!