It's time to close this forum.

[Rev. Rye]

At any rate, as long as there are at least some attempts toward interesting discussions on the forum, I'll still post. Sure, I'll be posting in other forums more regularly, but I'll not stop visiting here until the forums are closed down or I get banned (an unlikely occurrence unless one of the mods starts running Amok like on ND)

[Tootse]

http://atheistforums.org/

Save the url just in case.

The trolls would not last long over there as they are not as tolerant of them but it is still a place to hang out.

It seems not only trolls last very long.

I joined last Tuesday 12th Jan and have been browsing the forums to get a feel for the site. I went on there today and this message came up:-

Your forum account is currently banned. Ban Reason: Known Spammer
Ban will be lifted: Never

So how come I'm a known spammer? Can anyone who is a member of that site find out and let me know?

[Knight]

http://atheistforums.org/

Save the url just in case.

The trolls would not last long over there as they are not as tolerant of them but it is still a place to hang out.

It seems not only trolls last very long.

I joined last Tuesday 12th Jan and have been browsing the forums to get a feel for the site. I went on there today and this message came up:-

Your forum account is currently banned. Ban Reason: Known Spammer
Ban will be lifted: Never

So how come I'm a known spammer? Can anyone who is a member of that site find out and let me know?

Done. I just posted the message, and members on the forum are usually very quick to respond.

[Knight]

Ok Tootse, the ban has been lifted:

http://atheistforums.org/thread-2824.html

Your IP address matched a known spammer. Adrian removed your name from the list of known spammers. Leo-rcc removed the ban.

[sheling]

(Quick post, more as a place-holder / memo for a longer post later when I've got more time)

I'm cool with The Sneer being the new home. In many ways, it would be the perfect way to use the site that, I'm sorry to say, has fallen somewhat idle. I've been thinking a lot about it recently anyways, and I'll write some stuff there - and cross post it here later - about how The Sneer could / should be rearranged so that Green's wonderful entries are held intact and in their own archive, while a main board remains active for users. I'd also like to start using The Sneer as my own kind of blog and as a way of archiving my own online writing, and I'm sure such a use could be extended to anyone else who wishes to have such a facility.

I've been offline for a week and have someone coming around in about half an hour. I'll catch up on The Sneer, here and write that post later. But, in brief, knowing how passionate Green was about atheism and her jihad and how she always wanted The Sneer to be put to some kind of wider use, I'd ask everyone to really consider that noble little board before going elsewhere.

If Scented could make me an admin over there, I could do the legwork (at least the arranging of layouts) myself.

[Niels]

I'm cool with The Sneer being the new home.

I'd like that. I think we would integrate well with the small crowd of the Sneer. Perhaps we should discuss a facelift on that forum itself - but why not kick it off over here?
Just to get the ball rolling, I have some suggestions for sub-forums. I'm used to being ignored when I start babbling, so don't worry too much about my feelings.

- A lounge. Essential.
- "Ask Green" should stay. We could in turn channel Green and post her replies. I'm sure she would be delighted to be channeled by a bunch of strict unbelievers.
- An ADULTS ONLY section to discuss sex, religion, violence and drug abuse.
- A Christian section where (due to glitches in the software that the mods seem unable to resolve) no one can post. Ever.
- A "Richard Dawkins" section where ONLY Richard Dawkins himself can post.
- A "Rants" section - the name speaks for itself.
- A "Corsica" section where only pictures of Corsica may be posted. (Or, if that's too limited, an "art" section where anything of great beauty may be shared.)
- A "dogs versus cats" section, specifically for heated discussions about trivial subjects.
- A "serious" section, to discuss things that matter.

And the usual:
- Introductions & Goodbyes;
- Site discussion (to gather spam)
- Site discussion 2 (for site discussion)
- Flowerpot Speaks (administrative notifications, bans, commandments)
- Flowerpot Listens (alternative name for "site discussion 2")

[sheling]

I was thinking along these lines, amended a little to include some of your less zany stuff! :

The Sneer
a- Machinations.
ai- Green's Archives
aii-Adminny stuff
aiii- "Rules", guidelines, helpful FAQs and so on.

b- Discussion Boards (in general terms. Further structure can be arranged later)
bi-The Lounge! (With introductions section)
bii- Religion and philosophy (With sub-fora, perhaps? But I don't want to get too overloaded. While CVA is beautifully organised, much of it simply isn't used)
biii- Politics and current events
biv- Science and technology
bv- Humour and "netertainment"
bvi- Books, Movies etc (Green's book section would remain intact and go here)
bvii-Sex and sexuality (The Sneerites are a salty lot who have already demonstrated a love for the unusual, quirky and adventurous. An entire section to such pursuits and devotions would, I suspect, please them hugely)
biix- Links and media.

c- Site Discussion (Where the spam will go - actual site discussion will be in the adminny section)

d-Blog Land
di- My shit
dii- Corsica, Niels being odd etc...
diii onwards- Whoever else would like some space to rant. I'm already tempted to put a section for Knight here - he seems like a natural.

e- Creative Stuff
A single forum dedicated to the bits and bobs that we write from time to time, that we may want feedback from others for. Also a way to keep everything one writes in a single place - something I've been meaning to do for a long time.

I feel very strongly that Green's original posts should be moved to their own forum and presented at the top of the list. This would include everything posted up to and immediately after her death, with only a small note added to explain to people what The Sneer is and who Green was and so on. Nothing grand, just putting her on the proverbial map is all.

I will write to Mark (Green's other half) and Jart (her best friend) to let them know of the suggested changes to the layout and use of the Sneer, and invite them to comment or suggest if they wish. I'll also open a topic about the Sneer (I was planning to already, oddly enough), with the thoughts I had already come up with about how to get it ticking over again (I feel tremendously guilty that I've struggled so much to keep it going on my own) and then I'll cross-post and link to this thread.

The Sneer does have a couple of nifty functions that this forum lacks: the main one that springs to mind is the ability to embed youtube links so that they're instantly playable.

I'm also wondering...

Well, as something of a stuck-together-through-thick-and-thin nomadic community, we've tried a couple of methods of moderations now. The uber-super-dictator mod didn't work in spectacular fashion. And here, the super-democtratic, run-by-committee seems to be less than successful, too. So what I suggest is that we start with a small pack of mods that will be (and forgive me here) a bunch of the more regular posters who have kept our little gang together since the very start. This isn't to give any one person more privilege than anyone else or to offer the "old gang" and form of favouritism, but to spread the job of moderation over the shoulders of those people who really have been around for yonks and are, to put it bluntly, somewhat devoted to the people who use these (and those) boards. I would also offer the ability to moderate to any of the regular Sneerites, and here I must say a word.

The Sneer is a small and generally quiet place. People tend to read more than they post, and many of the readers are people who knew and loved Green in life. For them, the Sneer is more than just a forum: it's a collection of memories. While we were Green's collective online "gang", they were her real-life family and friends, and while the Sneer was (somehow) entrusted to me, I still feel very strongly that the forum - ultimately - belongs to them. I don't believe there will be any objections to the Sneer being put to such a use as this, but I am anxious to treat the small group of regulars that the Sneer has had for years now with courtesy.

Anyway! Back to moderation. As people post more regularly, show more interest or, quite simply, don't piss anyone off, they could always be added to the list whose functions will mainly include checking for spam and keeping the forums tidy.

In terms of rules and behaviour, I think we've all more than demonstrated over time that we're a fairly effective self-regulating bunch: though many of us are friends (and close friends, even), we're still able to poke each other and scold without causing outrage. It is this quality that I reckon will be enough to moderate whatever ends up happening. In terms of actual rules... do we need any? Purely selfishly, I'd like to see claims backed up with evidence a little more often, partly because it stops muppets posting bullshit off the tops of their heads and partly because I like to read more about stuff. But, then again, the people who value that sort of thing already post their sources. I'd just like to see it become a more widespread habit again is all

Ultimately, if we do adopt The Sneer (I still can't believe how perfect it would be), it will be a sort of confluence of various groups. There is no reason why such a diverse melting pot wouldn't work - many of my friends already check The Sneer from time to time, and I'm sure that anyone who already blogs could persuade their devoted readers to hop over, too. I close on that in the hope of pre-empting any objections that the plan I outlines isn't atheist enough or whatever. Discussion will be lively no matter who joins, but they may not be joining simply because they're atheists - we must convert!

Anyway. That's my gabble over - do let me know what you think.

Cheers.

[Knight]

diii onwards- Whoever else would like some space to rant. I'm already tempted to put a section for Knight here - he seems like a natural.

Actually, I'd love some ranting space, though I'm not entirely sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. I'll go with the former, otherwise you could give me something to rant about.

Seeing as how I have participated in my "Just need to rant..." thread the most out of all other threads (nearly 3%, or 55 posts), I could probably update it at least once or twice per week. There's a lot of shit I don't rant about simply because I don't want to waste people's time...but I shall use the space well.

I like the overall plan, Sheling.

[Niels]

Some thought about Shelings post:

- I'd opt for less sub-forums and topics. I think CVA (for instance) has way to many, with the little volume of posting going on.
- I'd opt for some rules. 99% of people don't need rules, but that 1% can make hell of your life or your forum if you're not prepared. Rules don't have to be too strict:

"If a majority of the moderators thinks this forum would be better off without you, then you may be banned at their discretion."

[sheling]

Always a compliment, Tim - you're a natural writer, and the only way to build upon what you already have is to write constantly. The trouble is, it's often hard to find such a space where you can write freely and know that you may also attract an audience.

I've posted about all this on The Sneer:
http://www.scentednectar.com/sneerfacto ... highlight=

I'd ask that, for the time being, people from here hold off on posting further on the matter, until the regulars have had time to consider and respond. This may, however, take a couple of weeks, though I can contact several of them on Facebook and Skype. Some, however, simply don't come around so much anymore. We'll give it a couple of weeks and see where we are then.

Thanks x