I'm New and Cannot Post...why?

DirtyLeo · February 24, 2011, 09:50:29 AM

ADMIN EDIT NOTE: Welcome to HAF. Since we'd like to get to know you better before jumping into debates please introduce yourself. Users who comply with forum rules will graduate to full membership after 10 posts. Till that time your ability to post is limited to the "Getting to Know You" section of the forum. It is our hope that this small restriction increases the overall atmosphere of HAF.

Hi,

I registered yesterday and even sent an introductory message in the appropriate forum <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/cheesygrin.gif" alt="

" title="cheesy grin" />. But unless I'm missing something very obvious, I don't seem to be able to post (or create a new topic for that matter) in some of the forums. For instance, there's a thread that I'd like to contribute to in "Religion" but I don't get an option to post. Am I missing something? I read the rules and I cannot see anything about an incubation period or such.

Thanks,

Tank · February 24, 2011, 09:57:33 AM

Quote from: "DirtyLeo"Hi,

I registered yesterday and even sent an introductory message in the appropriate forum . But unless I'm missing something very obvious, I don't seem to be able to post (or create a new topic for that matter) in some of the forums. For instance, there's a thread that I'd like to contribute to in "Religion" but I don't get an option to post. Am I missing something? I read the rules and I cannot see anything about an incubation period or such.

Thanks,

You have to get to 50 posts before you get access to all areas of the forum. This is a relatively new rule brought about by a spate of trolls. Stick with it it'll be worth it.

DirtyLeo · February 24, 2011, 10:01:50 AM

Thanks for the prompt response

.

Well... Looks like I'm going to have to be patient then... and discover which ones are open to me at the moment.

Edit: typo

The Magic Pudding · February 24, 2011, 10:52:18 AM

Quote from: "DirtyLeo"Well... Looks like I'm going to have to be patient then... and discover which ones are open to me at the moment.

You have make 50 posts to post in areas outside of the Getting To Know You section, which pretty much comes down to The Laid Back Lounge . This is a relatively new rule brought about by a spate of trolls. Stick with it it'll be worth it.

It might be worth tossing in a paragraph like that into introduction threads as people seem to be having the same problem as Leo.
I did plagiarise and twist Tank's post a bit.

DirtyLeo · February 24, 2011, 10:56:04 AM

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"You're limited to the Getting To Know You section which pretty much comes down to The Laid Back Lounge.

Thanks

.

Whitney · February 24, 2011, 03:58:03 PM

this is on the board index as the intro description:

QuoteIntroductions
Welcome to HAF. Since we'd like to get to know you better before jumping into debates please introduce yourself. Users who comply with forum rules will graduate to full membership after 50 posts. Till that time your ability to post is limited to the "Getting to Know You" section of the forum. It is our hope that this small restriction increases the overall atmosphere of HAF.

Do we need a thread about it as well and if so, where would people see it...the help desk? I'm not so sure that will help because I've had a couple people send me a pm saying they can't post anywhere at all...one was a theist who assumed it was us being biased against him so I think my being offended by his comment offended him as he never came back.

Tank · February 24, 2011, 04:04:41 PM

Quote from: "Whitney"this is on the board index as the intro description:

QuoteIntroductions
Welcome to HAF. Since we'd like to get to know you better before jumping into debates please introduce yourself. Users who comply with forum rules will graduate to full membership after 50 posts. Till that time your ability to post is limited to the "Getting to Know You" section of the forum. It is our hope that this small restriction increases the overall atmosphere of HAF.

Do we need a thread about it as well and if so, where would people see it...the help desk? I'm not so sure that will help because I've had a couple people send me a pm saying they can't post anywhere at all...one was a theist who assumed it was us being biased against him so I think my being offended by his comment offended him as he never came back.

A thread would be a good idea. Can one automate a 'meet and greet' PM to all new members?

DirtyLeo · February 24, 2011, 04:12:41 PM

As a good citizen, I immediately checked the omnipresent "Forum rules" link

but it wasn't there so I would have seen it if it had been there.
Would it be wrong to add it there?

Whitney · February 25, 2011, 02:04:20 AM

Added to the forum rules: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1522

Also going to add "I'm new and" to the front of the OP and sticky it.

edit:

I also added the blurb to the registration form and made "I didn't read that...whatever" the default option. Users can choose to answer "yes, I understand" but it's not a required field (but admins and mods can see if they read it or not...in case some troll tries to complain about it).

DirtyLeo · February 25, 2011, 03:32:07 AM

Thanks!
IMHO this is going to help.

Gasturbine · March 29, 2011, 04:50:14 PM

I read the rules first and caught it. I thought it was a rather high count, but I would presume this site would be a magnet for the KK trolls.

Tank · March 29, 2011, 05:19:51 PM

Quote from: "Gasturbine"I read the rules first and caught it. I thought it was a rather high count, but I would presume this site would be a magnet for the KK trolls.

There are a lot of trivial 'get to know you threads' in the Laid Back Lounge where you can push your count up without straining to be all philosophical etc. The interesting thing is that this little 'apprenticeship' period really does appear to be working, the recent members who have made there 50 or are working towards it are a rally nice bunch of people. This place was already a good forum as Whitney et al put a lot of effort into keeping it that way, it appears to be getting even better now. So do your 50 and I expect you'll find it was very much worth the effort.

Ulver · March 29, 2011, 05:54:48 PM

I joined the forum mostly to learn, knowing I may not have much to contribute, so the restriction didn't bother me, but it does seem to be quite an effective tool. Trolls wait for no post count

YaarghMatey487 · March 31, 2011, 07:35:38 AM

I agree with the 50 limit. I do find myself rambling about things that are a little silly... I plan on saying "hello" to a few more new people and hopefully I'll cross the finish line tonight.

ThinkAnarchy · May 22, 2011, 08:49:55 AM

I'm glad I found this before asking. I was just wondering why I couldn't respond to a post on the politics board.

Serious question though.

Wouldn't this contribute to more trolling? Or I suppose the more appropriate term here would be spamming. Does this policy not cause a whole bunch of useless responses; responses that don't contribute much overall to the forum?

This is simply speculation, those who have been here longer, mod's in particular would know better. Half of my posting this was to increase my post count anyway.

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I'm New and Cannot Post...why?