Talking through the Ignore Feature
- Thread starter FrogReaver
- Start date
From before I was asked to help moderate here, I took a similar position, for similar reasons. I also feel that I’d rather know what someone who dislikes me or things, places & people I like are saying about all that. That knowledge gives me the option of engagement or not, and makes my chosen method an informed choice.
And truthfully, sometimes the people I don't want to hear are the ones I need to hear from the most...for my sake or theirs.
That doesn’t mean I always handled it well. Some things were sure to get me motivated to respond. It was negatively affecting my health. Then I saw this:
That’s when I started really learning the power of letting things go.
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rredmond
unseenservant.us for PbP
I don't personally use the Ignore feature, but as a Mod on a couple other forums I would definitely suggest it as a tool. Not necessarily a recommendation as a tool to make your experience on the boards what you want it to be. Some people have a lower tolerance for "rude" (or whatever) than others, if they just want to flat out ignore someone to make browsing the forums more enjoyable for them, have at it! It also decreases arguments between users honeslty. Pretty much as the Mods up-thread have said 
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
I commented in the "new features" thread that Ignore Other Poster is not, and should not become, a synonym for Banish Other Poster. Some of the complaints about Ignore being ineffective may be rooted in that misconception. Ignore works entirely on your end, it does not affect anybody else - neither third parties nor the Ignored person.
I've never used Ignore, because I can keep track on my own if somebody is generally contentious or non-constructive, and just not step into the inevitable arguments.
I've never used Ignore, because I can keep track on my own if somebody is generally contentious or non-constructive, and just not step into the inevitable arguments.
Asisreo
Patron Badass
Personally, I'm not too opposed to attacks on me because nobody here actually knows me.
If someone disagrees with me, I try to listen as best as I can and try to understand them. However, I usually don't change my mind on a subject until I'm wholly convinced, most likely from quantitative evidence. It can be difficult to convince me with how something feels or how someone thinks, but I'm willing to listen.
Even when things get heated, I try to actually get their point. If, for some reason, I feel things are getting way too negative, I'll usually stay off the site for a couple of days. If what is being discussed is still ongoing at the time, I'll weigh in again. If not, I'll let it pass.
I don't like to block/ignore anyone, though. It doesn't seem worth it until someone says "@Asisreo1 is an idiot and needs to burn." Or something really bonkers like that.
If someone disagrees with me, I try to listen as best as I can and try to understand them. However, I usually don't change my mind on a subject until I'm wholly convinced, most likely from quantitative evidence. It can be difficult to convince me with how something feels or how someone thinks, but I'm willing to listen.
Even when things get heated, I try to actually get their point. If, for some reason, I feel things are getting way too negative, I'll usually stay off the site for a couple of days. If what is being discussed is still ongoing at the time, I'll weigh in again. If not, I'll let it pass.
I don't like to block/ignore anyone, though. It doesn't seem worth it until someone says "@Asisreo1 is an idiot and needs to burn." Or something really bonkers like that.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Hell, now and then someone says "Lanefan is an idiot and needs to burn." or words to that effect; it's water off a duck's back, and there's times when I'm almost ready to admit they have a point...
FrogReaver
As long as i get to be the frog
Hell, now and then someone says "Lanefan is an idiot and needs to burn." or words to that effect; it's water off a duck's back, and there's times when I'm almost ready to admit they have a point...
If we burned all the idiots there wouldn't be any people left.
Xenonnonex
Hero
Good to use to ignore racists.
That's what I've been using if for lately too.
cbwjm
Legend
There's a small handful of people I've ignored. Their posts just seem to create so much drama and the attitude that comes across when reading their posts just seemed to keep getting to me so I ignored them. Can't recall if it is on the site or just the app but I can view the ignored content if I want to, and sometimes I do to see if maybe I should take them off ignore. I think I've only undone ignore for 1 person since I've started using it, everyone else I've kept ignored and my view of the forums has been far nicer because of it.
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Sadras
Legend
Not me.
I'll put up with the 99% just to get to that 1%; as everyone sooner or later has something useful to say and I want to hear it when it happens.
Thus, I never - and will never - block anyone. In fact, I'm a bit disappointed that the option even exists.
This is 100% my feelings on the issue and that is another reason why I also do not report posts. I'd rather thrash things out over discussion than have a thread or issue come to a grinding halt.
I find that good moderation makes the Ignore feature redundant. If a poster is so obnoxious, and their posts so devoid of interesting content, that I want to nuke them from orbit with a blanket Ignore, they usually run afoul of the mods in short order. (In unmoderated or poorly-moderated forums, I use Ignore very liberally.)
I wish that we had thread-specific Ignore, though. It's common for two posters to get into a fight about who said what 15 pages ago, and then we have 10 pages of "you said X" and "no, I said Y," and I. Do. Not. Care. Those same people often have plenty of interesting things to say in other threads, and I don't want to put them on blanket Ignore, but I would really really like to be able to filter out just that one exchange.
Likewise, in threads devoted to more sensitive topics, I want to be able to step away from certain folks that I'm happy to engage with in other areas. It's like the family member that you're happy to chat with but everyone knows to keep the conversation away from That One Topic.
I wish that we had thread-specific Ignore, though. It's common for two posters to get into a fight about who said what 15 pages ago, and then we have 10 pages of "you said X" and "no, I said Y," and I. Do. Not. Care. Those same people often have plenty of interesting things to say in other threads, and I don't want to put them on blanket Ignore, but I would really really like to be able to filter out just that one exchange.
Likewise, in threads devoted to more sensitive topics, I want to be able to step away from certain folks that I'm happy to engage with in other areas. It's like the family member that you're happy to chat with but everyone knows to keep the conversation away from That One Topic.
glass
(he, him)
If I find I am arguing with a poster and I feel myself getting angry with them, I put them on IL for a few days, to allow myself some time to calm down. This generally avoids issues escalating to far.
I not not have anyone on permanent ignore, and do not expect ever do so, but I would not judge anyone who does so.
_
glass.
I not not have anyone on permanent ignore, and do not expect ever do so, but I would not judge anyone who does so.
_
glass.
CapnZapp
Legend
I don't think it has been said (in this thread), but previously the ignore feature also made your posts invisible to the ignored party.
(That implementation also had it's fair share of bugs, notably that you were entirely shut out of any thread started by someone who you had ignored (or someone who had ignored you).
You didn't just not see their posts. The fact the very first post was hidden made the entire thread inaccessible.)
I also believe the current stance of the admin team is "our ignore feature works in a certain way because that's how it works in the underlying forum software", that is, the time for special site customizations has passed. (The previous implementation discussed above was such a custom mod).
(That implementation also had it's fair share of bugs, notably that you were entirely shut out of any thread started by someone who you had ignored (or someone who had ignored you).
You didn't just not see their posts. The fact the very first post was hidden made the entire thread inaccessible.)
I also believe the current stance of the admin team is "our ignore feature works in a certain way because that's how it works in the underlying forum software", that is, the time for special site customizations has passed. (The previous implementation discussed above was such a custom mod).
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CapnZapp
Legend
That said, there is real value in an Ignore feature that works both ways (not only are the ignored party's posts blocked for you, but your posts are also blocked for them).
It is no coincidence other major forums offer this form of Ignore/Block functionality.
Seeing how popular and well-used Xenforo is, it surprises me they don't offer two-way Ignore as an easily implemented official function.
Edit: I went back and checked the earlier thread. Apparently Xenforo does support two-way blocking. However, apparently there's a compatibility issue with the app (Tapatalk) that at least then prevented Morrus from enabling the feature.
Edit II: I accept that there's value in the current implementation as well, especially the way ignored people can't know they are being ignored. With two-way ignore, obviously the ignored party can find out they're being ignored (such as when a third party replies to a post you can't see). Allowing each user to choose how their personal ignore list works (switching between one-way and two-way ignores) is the best way to handle this.
It is no coincidence other major forums offer this form of Ignore/Block functionality.
Seeing how popular and well-used Xenforo is, it surprises me they don't offer two-way Ignore as an easily implemented official function.
Edit: I went back and checked the earlier thread. Apparently Xenforo does support two-way blocking. However, apparently there's a compatibility issue with the app (Tapatalk) that at least then prevented Morrus from enabling the feature.
Edit II: I accept that there's value in the current implementation as well, especially the way ignored people can't know they are being ignored. With two-way ignore, obviously the ignored party can find out they're being ignored (such as when a third party replies to a post you can't see). Allowing each user to choose how their personal ignore list works (switching between one-way and two-way ignores) is the best way to handle this.
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ART!
Deluxe Unhuman
Yeah, I use Ignore on users who as far as I can tell just want to fight, even if it's not with me. What I might miss in good content is not worth the anxiety of the bad content.
Sabathius42
Bree-Yark
I have been here a very long time (came here to learn about the soon to be released 3e everyone was buzzing about) and I don't believe I have ever ignored another poster. I would find it frustrating if they were a prolific contributor and I kept getting gaps in discussions that made them hard to follow.
That being said, I do have a 10-20 user ignore list in my head, and when one of those posters says something that I might engage in discussion about I just move along and don't interact with them by choice. This way I can properly follow the thread of discussion they are involved with but be choosy with who I reply to and discuss with.
I have a similar "Don't talk to PosterX about certain topic Y" list in my head for those that are good contributors to discussion but are just a little too strongly opinionated when it comes to certain topics.
That being said, I do have a 10-20 user ignore list in my head, and when one of those posters says something that I might engage in discussion about I just move along and don't interact with them by choice. This way I can properly follow the thread of discussion they are involved with but be choosy with who I reply to and discuss with.
I have a similar "Don't talk to PosterX about certain topic Y" list in my head for those that are good contributors to discussion but are just a little too strongly opinionated when it comes to certain topics.
CapnZapp
Legend
I should add that the Tapatalk app is already way behind in feature support.
To just take a single examples: it doesn't recognize polls. But this hasn't stopped EN World from allowing polls and generally adding new features (through Xenforo upgrades or otherwise). And rightly so - if I want to participate in a poll, I simply have to access the site in a browser.
So I'm curious: in what way doesn't the app handle two-way ignores?
If the app crashes, or threads become inaccessible, I understand the reluctance. But if two-way ignores are handled the way regular ignores are handled (=the app treats ignored posts like spoilers) or even aren't recognized at all (=the app displays posts from members who have ignored you like normal) then I'd say that's a price not unreasonable to pay.
To just take a single examples: it doesn't recognize polls. But this hasn't stopped EN World from allowing polls and generally adding new features (through Xenforo upgrades or otherwise). And rightly so - if I want to participate in a poll, I simply have to access the site in a browser.
So I'm curious: in what way doesn't the app handle two-way ignores?
If the app crashes, or threads become inaccessible, I understand the reluctance. But if two-way ignores are handled the way regular ignores are handled (=the app treats ignored posts like spoilers) or even aren't recognized at all (=the app displays posts from members who have ignored you like normal) then I'd say that's a price not unreasonable to pay.
Thomas Shey
Legend
I've very rarely uses Ignore functionality over the years (and I've been a forum user one place or another for a long, long time) but when I did do so I was very glad it was there. There are simply people who've demonstrated to me that either they're very unlikely to say something I feel I really need to hear, or alternatively just irritate me enough that the net benefit is to small for the aggravation.
Regarding the fact that people can still comment on what you've said--eh. That's a variation of not being able to stand other people having the last word, and while I'm not immune to that pathology, I recognize its a pathology, and if anything its something I strive to deal with (as I've commented to others a few times who accused me in threads of insisting on the last word "If I'm done talking I stop. If I'm not I don't. I don't expect other people to do it first.")
Regarding the fact that people can still comment on what you've said--eh. That's a variation of not being able to stand other people having the last word, and while I'm not immune to that pathology, I recognize its a pathology, and if anything its something I strive to deal with (as I've commented to others a few times who accused me in threads of insisting on the last word "If I'm done talking I stop. If I'm not I don't. I don't expect other people to do it first.")
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