Banned Questions

[FP]

I have tried very hard to stay within the guidelines of AB with my (very few) questions.  I have just had one banned asking why people like Big Brother.  I really was interested to know.  However, the editor has recently stated that they want to restrict the site to 'hard facts' so I accepted the decision.

 

However, I have just found that this has stayed on:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Places/Question88952.html

With no disrespect intended to the person who posed the question, why or why is this site not edited along stricter guidelines?

[FP]

Sorry the link didn't work:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Places/Question88952.html

[Hgrove]

I agree, it is very irritating when a policy is not always enforced with the same level of strictness.  Something similar happened to me once. Someone posted a question at the end of a very old, very long thread of mine.  Hence I decided to post my reply as a new thread as the person who asked the q. would not get a prompt (because it was my old thread).  My reply got deleted because "I should have posted it as an answer to the question".  At the same time, other threads which were not questions were allowed to stand.  What can I say?  I'd like to think the Editor means well but is just too busy.

[FP]

It's such haphazard editing!  Surely there should be a set of rules that all editors should follow.  We would all then know where we stand.    Grouch over!

[QmunkE]

The volume of questions asked must make it a fairly difficult site to edit and manage. Not being certain of the number of editors currently in the employ of the site, I couldn't possibly comment of the efficiency of the editing process.

Also, it is difficult to make a distinction between a question that is "good" for the site, or detremental.

[AB Editor]

TheAnswerbank reserves the right to remove any post that we feel does not conform to the intended spirit of website's service.

However, some conversational-style questions are tolerated for being intelligent discussions.

While other more irrelevant ones go unbanned because they receive a flurry of wordy responses in a very short time. Removing such 'questions' would be unfair to the users who went to the time and effort to provide responses.

[BigDogsWang]

Cobblers! I asked a question some time ago about favourite cover versions, which received over 20 responses in a very short space of time. Then you removed it!!!

You are making the rules up as you go along.

[FP]

Agreed BDW.

[Corkyb]

Surely this statement from the Editor (relating to another 'banned' question) applies to the question highlighted by FP in this question, the only difference being the subject matter.

Aren't pet hates a similar idea to favourite adverts?  Both are very chatty subjects, so surely the question refered to by FP should be 'banned' also?

TheAnswerbank is intended as a knowledge exchange, not a chatroom. A "question" that encourages users to list their favourite adverts is not in the spirit of the site. Sorry! 
AB Editor Fri 14/01/05

[AB Editor]

BigDogsWang - Please note that: "some conversational-style questions are tolerated for being intelligent discussions". A list of users' favourite cover versions does not fall into this category. This is why your question was removed.

Corkyb - The "Pet Hates" question is not only a less common question than the often-posted variations on "favourite song/advert/etc", it raises interesting issues about people's views of modern society and what they consider to be important and/or trivial. This, we feel, falls into the "intelligent discussion" category.

Thanks for listening.

[FP]

You've an answer to everything eh, Ed!

[FP]

My question regarding Big Brother was intended to promote intelligent conversation as to why it was fascinating viewing and it involves 'interesting issues about peoples' views on modern society'.

[BigDogsWang]

OK Ed. So my cover version question wasn�t 'intelligent' enough. Surely the fact that it attracted over 20 replies before the plug was pulled, shows that it was at least conversational.
If someone posts a question (no matter how lame), which receives a large response, is that not better for you as a business? The fact that people keep logging on and returning to the post to see what else has been added, is surely preferable to questions which have been answered in one hit.
If you are going to be so discriminate, at least stop using the term 'banned', unless the question is in bad taste.

[AB Editor]

TheAnswerbank is designed as a knowledge exchange. That sum of knowledge is driven by the people who post to it. It is of worth to those who visit it, if the knowledge itself is of worth. As such, there aren't many alternatives online. There are many places on the Internet where you can 'meet' and 'make friends' and ask each other what people's favourite  cover versions are.

If you cannot see that as a 'chatty' question, if you regard the editing of this site as unprofessional, random, pathetic and arrogant, if you are fed up with it all, if you feel that the editors of this site aren't devoting enough time to dealing with your queries, that is a shame. We don't want to lose any users, regular or irregular, but we'd prefer not to lose sight of what TheAnswerbank is about either.

[BigDogsWang]

Well, at least we're keeping you busy!

[AB Editor]

BigDogsWang - I don't know about you, but I have better things to do than go round in circles on this issue.