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Old October 3, 2006, 10:40 AM   #1
FirstFreedom
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Couple random ideas for improvement...

1. Make it a forum rule that (or even impose this rule via the software, if possible) that you only post your signature ONCE per thread, at your first reply in the thread, not with every post, or, at the most, once per PAGE on a given thread. I self-impose this rule already. Would this save bandwidth or no? Even if it doesn't, it cleans up the length / flow of the threads considerably, yet still allows folks to express themselves with sig line.

2. ELIMINATE the smiley altogether. Have the software disallow this smiley as a result of typing its shorthand. It seems that no good can come of it, since so many people take it as an affront (probably as they should) because rolleyes implies "you're a fruitcake that doesn't know what he's talking about" - for better or worse, right or wrong, a certain portion of the forum public will ALWAYS interpret that smiley as having that meaning. So it's always going to be ipso facto offensive to some people, which can only lead to *bad things*, discouraging civil, polite discourse. This smiley is antithetical to the forum rule of attack the argument, not the person, it seems to me. It's a copout shorthand way of not expressing a valid, cogent, polite argument, but rather just doing a drive-by personal attack.

OK, there's my .02. YMMV.
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Old October 3, 2006, 03:11 PM   #2
Mike Irwin
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(Yeah, I could have resisted, but that wouldn't have been early as much fun...)


Sorry, I believe that the rollyeyeguy serves a VERY useful function here.

"So it's always going to be ipso facto offensive to some people..."

Some people have a natural tendency to be offended. I'm not going to live in abject fear of those who are so inclined.
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Old October 3, 2006, 08:34 PM   #3
deadin
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Quote:
rolleyes implies "you're a fruitcake that doesn't know what he's talking about"
So how would one reply to a fruitcake that doesn't know what he's talking about?

Dean
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Old October 4, 2006, 03:20 PM   #4
FirstFreedom
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exactly as you did to me - with THAT one! yep, much less offensive.

Mike, shoulda known YOU'D not be for this good idea.
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Old October 4, 2006, 03:42 PM   #5
pax
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FirstFreedom ~

If reading sig lines annoys you too much, you can always disable that feature. It's an option somewhere in the User CP.

pax
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Old October 4, 2006, 03:45 PM   #6
Mike Irwin
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"Mike, shoulda known YOU'D not be for this good idea. "

THAT'S the spirit!


But, my original point remains.

My responses are a compilation of MY knowledge, experience, and yes, even feelings on not only the subject, but also occasionally the poster.

If that individual can't accept that someone might find him or his positions to be.... silly.... then perhaps he should investigate another activity with less intrapersonal contact.

This isn't a big kumbayah, bunny hug, wheat grass juice festival, and I'll be damned if I start thinking like a denizen thereof simply because I MIGHT offend someone who's being... silly.
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Old October 4, 2006, 03:53 PM   #7
pax
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It occurs to me that some of the most condescendingly supercilious and offensive posts I've seen, managed to be that way even without the smiley.

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Old October 4, 2006, 04:07 PM   #8
Mike Irwin
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"It occurs to me that some of the most condescendingly supercilious and offensive posts I've seen, managed to be that way even without the smiley."


I do try to mix it up....
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Old October 4, 2006, 04:37 PM   #9
MPanova
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I came up with a nice quote I think I need to add to my sig


I am in no way shape or form an expert! and I will never claim to be! My opinions are just that "MY OPINIONS" if at any time I wish to
make a statement that I feel is a fact I will add that at the end of my post. I am merely for lack of a better word "a sponge". I absorb
all the information I can on any given subject that interests me from every point of view whether It be for, against or undecided. I hold
that information inside as best I can until I am squeezed at which point I will spill out "MY OWN OPINION" formed souly on the information
I have absorbed in my quest to gain as much useless and other wise pointless information (in the grand scheme of things) before I leave
this earth. Further more if anything I have said in any of my posts and/or replies offend you please don’t hesitate to skip over any and
all of my future posts and/or replies on this board. Last but certainly not least. If you are offended by me, my posts, or this sig I could
really care less.
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Old October 4, 2006, 04:44 PM   #10
MPanova
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wow i typed that up as sort of a joke but im really thinking about using it in my sig now

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Old October 5, 2006, 08:50 AM   #11
FirstFreedom
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Quote:
THAT'S the spirit!


Quote:
If reading sig lines annoys you too much, you can always disable that feature. It's an option somewhere in the User CP.
Thanks, springmom, I did not know that. However, that doesn't solve the problem, unfortunately. I WANT to read other peeps' siglines - variety is the spice of life. I just don't want to read them over and over and over and....

Mike, at least YOU are not *unnecessarily* condescending and acerbic, unlike some people - *cough* (the-apparently-now-vanquished-thank-goodness) Handy *cough*. In your case Mike, they usually *got it comin'*.

Still my point is valid and my idea still good.

means "rolleyes-I-think-you're-full-of-it-get-with-the-program-please-it's-all-in-good-fun", so it accomplishes everything that rolleyes does and then some.

which means (to me) merely "dumkopf!" without taking the edge off.
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Old October 5, 2006, 02:54 PM   #12
Mike Irwin
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OK, you read THIS thread and tell me with a straight face that the rollyeyeguy doesn't have a place here!

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...=1#post2114827
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Old October 5, 2006, 04:38 PM   #13
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Thanks for the indirect heads-up, Mike.

Yes, that is a perfect example why Msr. Roulez-Yeux needs to hang around.
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Old October 5, 2006, 11:49 PM   #14
Mike Irwin
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You're indirectly welcome, Mal!
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Old October 7, 2006, 12:32 PM   #15
FirstFreedom
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Quote:
OK, you read THIS thread and tell me with a straight face that the rollyeyeguy doesn't have a place here!
Touche!
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