Stop it! A note about polls

[Felonious Ntent]

No OT posts?
Are you serious?
The OT posts are the only ones I realy read anymore.
I'll read the ocasional DnD related thread but OT ones are where all the interesting reading is.

My 2 cp worth.

 

[Piratecat]

Look, the standard rules apply: use your best judgement before posting. That means try to keep OT posts down, but if you have something cool to share that isn't about D&D, that's probably okay.

The thing that isn't okay is posting lots of pointless OT stuff because you're just bored. That, and spam, should be avoided. I think most people have a really good sense of what is appropriate, so it's almost never a problem.

Earlier today, though, there were four or so totally OT polls, and that was inappropriate.

 

[Psionicist]

Look, the standard rules apply: use your best judgement before posting. That means try to keep OT posts down, but if you have something cool to share that isn't about D&D, that's probably okay.

The thing that isn't okay is posting lots of pointless OT stuff because you're just bored. That, and spam, should be avoided. I think most people have a really good sense of what is appropriate, so it's almost never a problem.

Earlier today, though, there were four or so totally OT polls, and that was inappropriate.

Yeah. Look at me for one. Yesterday I posted a thread about programming a serial port, because these devices are over 20 years old and not used anymore except for cheap modems so the question got ignored at some of my favorite computer forums. Therefor I posted it here as a shot in the dark.

I also posted a rather useless post about handball one week ago. The difference here is that my first port was (and still is) very important, while the handball thing was just something I did. I don't know why.

So, if you are out of your mind and just writes something then don't post it because it's probably useless anyway

 

[Berandor]

After taking a look at the General pages, please disable polls.

I know I like them, and I think there are a lot of situations where a poll can be helpful or warranted.

But at the moment, it is clearly not tolerable.

POLL: Do you allow fighters/druids/monks/any class/any race/detect spells in your game?

POLL: What to do with unruly players
POLL: Do you like playing in towns?
POLL: The cooloes thing about the ranger
POLL: Amount of DND tampering
POLL: Name for fighter/mage variant

Just page one: 11 polls. Perhaps one of them is truly useful, but it goes down with the rest then. The most useful i can see would be the name for a class variant, and this would be done best without a poll, and simple opinion-gathering.

I mean, do you allow FIGHTERS?

Urgh
Berandor

 

[CRGreathouse]

The more useless polls you create the bigger chance Piratecat or Morrus will turn them OFF for good.

Isn't that a good thing?

 

[reapersaurus]

I think polls can be used to very good effectiveness.

I think people are showing incredibly bad judgment recently in using them.

Just because people are exhibiting questionable behavior does not mean that a tool should be taken away.

 

[Berandor]

You're right. But I wanted to express my opinion, knowing that polls wouldn't be canceled anyway

Berandor

 

[Pielorinho]

I would cry and cry if polls went away.

Oh, wait. No I wouldn't. I would laugh and laugh. I hate the buggers, for reasons I don't entirely understand.'

Reaper, not that I'm doubting you, but could you provide an example of a good use of a poll that couldn't be just as easily accomplished through a regular post?

Mostly they seem to be ego-boosters for the posters, and they junk up the forums, as far as I'm concerned. I much prefer off-topic posts to vapid polls.

Daniel
Curmudgeon-in-training.

 

[graydoom]

Polls can be useful... it just seems the the novelty of polls has caused people to overuse them. With luck and good use of closing worthless polls, people will learn when a poll is appropriate and when it isn't. I really hope that polls don't have to be turned off just to stop the worthless ones.

 

[bondetamp]

I'm not entirely sure I understand the problem.

Why are polls so bad? They don't take up anymore room than the regular posts, do they?