Making SabreSpace more friendly to new posters

[TrueBlueGED]

Think of our initial welcomes as a border fence, and the long time posters are the snipers positioned in the towers. Some approach the gates with their hands up, coming in leave, and are admitted with minimal fanfare. Others are smart, but shy, and tunnel under the fence, and transition smoothly into their new land. A few brave lads try to charge the gates and lob grenades at the snipers on their way, taking many bullets. And then you have what Hoss did...still not quite sure how he survived it. Stuff of legend, I tell ya.

 

Bottom line is we could probably do a better job of lowering the border fence a bit, but I think new posters also bear some responsibility to not start lobbing grenades the second they register.

[SDS]

And then you have what Hoss did...still not quite sure how he survived it. Stuff of legend, I tell ya.

 

He's either the Black Knight from Monty Python or the Terminator

[sabresith]

Shoot, now I'm intrigued. What did Hoss do when he first became a member?

[SwampD]

I think I'm about a hundred posts deep and I've enjoyed my time here. I'm actually a member of a college football site and constant fighting and negativity has made it were I probably won't watch my team this year(mostly because we are going to suck). To me this site is completely different. Here it's solid analytics, with little negativity. My only complaint is if I'm in the conversation please don't ignore me or my thoughts just because you perceive me as a noob. So all and all keep up the good work guys and girls.

This raises an interesting point. I think that noobs will think they are being ignored if nobody responds to a post of theirs. Believe me, if someone disagrees with a post, they will respond whether you are a noob or not. I find that if a post doesn't get a response, it's usually because everyone agrees with it and there is nothing else to add.

[shrader]

For a minute there, I thought you were talking about FIRE LINDY RUFF NOW. (there's an inside/years ago/obscure reference for everyone)

 

I love looking at my list of blocked posters.  It's nothing but 2 or 3 different user names he created.  The kid was dumb enough to always use a picture of himself as his avatar, so it was blatantly obvious that it was the same guy each time.

 

Edit: And for the new people who may be thinking he was banned because of his user name, that's not the case.  He would spew some of the most hateful garbage imaginable and he got a quick booting.

Edited June 3, 2015 by shrader

[dEnnis the Menace]

I lurked here for a while before I decided I wanted to start adding rather than just reading.  It helped since I already had an idea as to who people were and the mentality of the board.  

[inkman]

Shoot, now I'm intrigued. What did Hoss do when he first became a member?

Went all Governor from the walking dead, drove the tank (hehe) through the fence took out a couple of the sniper towers, most notably, me, Eleven and d4rk, treated the board like Hershel then settled in like Carol rejoining the group after Rick abandoned her.

[MattPie]

Went all Governor from the walking dead, drove the tank (hehe) through the fence took out a couple of the sniper towers, most notably, me, Eleven and d4rk, treated the board like Hershel then settled in like Carol rejoining the group after Rick abandoned her.

 

I now know it feels like when the newbies come here and have no clue what you're talking about.

[X. Benedict]

Went all Governor from the walking dead, drove the tank (hehe) through the fence took out a couple of the sniper towers, most notably, me, Eleven and d4rk, treated the board like Hershel then settled in like Carol rejoining the group after Rick abandoned her.

I have no idea what any of this means, but I'm glad I'll live to learn about it.

[Samson's Flow]

I'll also say that Josie has told me that trying to post on this forum is very similar to trying to hang out with me and my high school friends when we get together. It's tons of inside jokes, references to things that happened forever ago, and a hundred in-depth conversations happening all at once. It's disorienting to newcomers but there's nothing to be done about it except wait for opportunities to jump in.

I know that I spent a good 2 years lurking and reading before my first post back in 2006. I used to use this place for Sabres news and to get the pulse of the fanbase. Being around in the shadows for that long meant I already understood and knew the 'inside jokes' around here so it wasn't so intimidating.

 

Another point is that most of the major voices here are very knowledgeable and my uninformed opinion (back then) felt stupid to share when there were some highly detailed and in-depth points being made.

 

I don't post everyday now because most of the time by the time I have read the thread my point has been made by another poster with more time on their hands. I would say that is a strength rather than a weakness around here.

[nfreeman]

This raises an interesting point. I think that noobs will think they are being ignored if nobody responds to a post of theirs. Believe me, if someone disagrees with a post, they will respond whether you are a noob or not. I find that if a post doesn't get a response, it's usually because everyone agrees with it and there is nothing else to add.

 

Yes indeedly.

I've been a long time lurker and just recently started to post.

 

I was very passionate about the situation concerning the tank and was openly critical of GMTM and Pegula for not taking more overt action during the last month.

 

I was shocked at some of the accusations several posters threw my way -- for some reason they accused me of being another poster that reemerged under a different name, some called me a troll and others threatened to block me (obviously those that did that won't see this post) -- for some bizarre reason one poster kept posting pictures of bunnies ?? -- not sure what that was about, weird, but must be an inside joke

 

To be honest, it turned me off from posting and to certain extent from reading this forum.

 

I belong to a couple other forums, I've never been blocked, I've never been called a troll and along the way over past years I've been involved in some very controversial and heated discussions, so not sure why this forum was different ? ---

 

I think sabre space tends to be dominated by fewer voices than the other forums I'm on, which might simply be a membership issue or could be a result of the squeaky wheels drowning out everyone else thoughts ---

 

Either way, I applaud the OP for asking the question and for our opinions as silent members, reading the responses I plan to give the forum another shot and I'll try to temper my passion as well

 

Glad you didn't get discouraged.  I found those accusations about your alleged reincarnation to be a bit weird.  FWIW, the poster you were accused of masquerading for has assured me that you ain't him and vice-versa -- so I think we can put that canard to rest.

[sabresith]

Went all Governor from the walking dead, drove the tank (hehe) through the fence took out a couple of the sniper towers, most notably, me, Eleven and d4rk, treated the board like Hershel then settled in like Carol rejoining the group after Rick abandoned her.

Lol... thats quite the mental image. In all honesty I was lurking for about 2years. It was Hoss who ultimately got me to join up, with his battles with Sick about the tank. Felt like I had to get me some of that. Really there are about ten posters here that if they comment on a thread then I will read it.

[Samson's Flow]

Don't ever say that again! Ok, think happy thoughts GoPre. Just happy thoughts. Yeah, yeah, that's all you need. There was no Regier... There was no Regier....

 

 

And guys, I'm not a noob. Been w/ the board since 07'. Had 2,000 + posts, but when I attempted to change my e-mail it froze my SabreSpace account! Formerly known as.... Thanes16. I asked the Mod-Team to fix it, but they ignored me! Those sons of bitcchhes ignored me! Can you believe that?!  :lol:

I remember you! That's crazy. Also I really wish I could get back my 2k worth of posts that I lost in the great board crash. That was my posting heyday!

I think the avatar should remain a Sabres Player and one we ridicule. It takes about 10 seconds to go into your profile and change that avatar and if a new poster can't be bothered, I think that is on them. 

As long as it doesn't become Cody Hodgson. I've got that market cornered. ;)

[shrader]

Yes indeedly.

 

Glad you didn't get discouraged.  I found those accusations about your alleged reincarnation to be a bit weird.  FWIW, the poster you were accused of masquerading for has assured me that you ain't him and vice-versa -- so I think we can put that canard to rest.

 

I just went back and looked up what sparked all of that.  That whole thing is actually a very good lesson for new posters.  Don't inject politics into any thread.  It never ends well.  Looking back on it, that was the sole reason why my block list earned itself a new member that day.  I removed him earlier today thanks to this thread.

[Huckleberry]

That is a great photo.

 

One issue, though:  one of the reasons for the TC photo being the default avatar was to incentivize new posters to choose and upload their own avatars (on the theory that by then, TC was so loathed that no one would want him as an avatar).  If the default avatar oozes retro Sabres coolness, do we not risk them simply keeping #14 indefinitely?  And thus diluting the awesomeness of the photo?

 

Thing is I doubt anyone loaths TC anymore, Personally i just feel sad for the guy, he could have been a great player but got to many bad injuries.

[beerme1]

 Perhaps I deleted his account when removing a spam account?

 

 

If you do it again he'll really know who the boss is!

[Samson's Flow]

Thing is I doubt anyone loaths TC anymore, Personally i just feel sad for the guy, he could have been a great player but got to many bad injuries.

Should we change it Matt Ellis then? Nobody wants to see him up with the Sabres (save for maybe Andrew Peters)

[tom webster]

Maybe instead of hitting new posters in the head with our pens or forcing them to write in a more centrist tone because we didn't replace the centrist we lost we should create a minor league sabrespace rather then risk the chance of stunting their development and writing them off as busts before their time.

[beerme1]

I plan to give the forum another shot and I'll try to temper my passion as well

 

 

No please do not temper your passion. If you believe what you're saying don't be afraid to shout it.

[K8prisoner]

It's like Seuss meets Freud meets Nietzche. 

 

Gotta love when people bitch about losing their passion for buffalo sports to a message board dedicated to exactly that. 

...you misunderstood...i will never lose my love for buffalo sports like i did my passion for  the speeding ball... this translation should help

[Doohicksie]

Should we change it Matt Ellis then? Nobody wants to see him up with the Sabres (save for maybe Andrew Peters)

 

It should be grinning Nolan.

 

[beerme1]

I wonder if new posters get turned off by how long the pages are. I do.

[Doohicksie]

It's just your short

 

 

 

 

 

attention span.

[That Aud Smell]

Maybe instead of hitting new posters in the head with our pens or forcing them to write in a more centrist tone because we didn't replace the centrist we lost we should create a minor league sabrespace rather then risk the chance of stunting their development and writing them off as busts before their time.

 

oh, man - well done.

[ddaryl]

I wonder if new posters get turned off by how long the pages are. I do.

 

 

I'm not a fan of forcing multiple threads into one super thread. I don't mind having 3 separate threads on similar topic. In fact I prefer it

 

I know I won't bother back reading through a 10 page thread

One thing that can be intimidating to noobs is that some of the posters that are really smart will make sure everybody knows it. Even if they aren't that smart. So it's not always about the intellectual level you speak of, it's also the condescending remarks that follow making a casual fan want to leave. 

 

One thing I have noticed is most people here have an incredibly dry sense of humor. I love it, others might not catch it as quickly. 

 

Oh,  and the post merging.........  No other forum I'm on has post merging when there is no issues with post ######. Noobs that show up might think they're still stuck in 2003. 

 

 

I agree with all of these thoughts.