fed up with stupid blog posts & ebay listings.

[Steve F]

There's too much crap on this forum now, films, books, tv, pets, family, holidays, music; most of it without the slightest connection to the main focus of the board.

Here's a thought.

If it's do-able under the forum's underlying software, have a "do not display posts from this board" setting on the user profile (I think that TMP does this).  If the "latest mini received" thread was shifted out of Open Talk (I'm not sure where to), you could then simply block all Open Talk posts from bugging you.

Similarly, if you don't want to buy anything, you could permanently block Bazaar posts.  As a refinement, perhaps the Bazaar could be split into two boards, one only for sales made entirely through this forum, another which allows redirection to ebay or other sites.  You could then block the type that annoys you.

If technically practicable, this would avoid making the mods act as content police.

[Gibby]

Blog posts have been discussed ad infinitum on the moderators' board. I used to delete them on the boards I moderated because they annoyed me so much but this was apparently wrong so now I let them go.
Ebay posters are just scum, filthy leeching scum who should be banned.
There's too much crap on this forum now, films, books, tv, pets, family, holidays, music; most of it without the slightest connection to the main focus of the board.
I read LAF less and less now, the noise to content ratio is almost as bad as TMP which I don't visit at all anymore.

The Prof is against having rules about too much stuff and I agree with him but, when the people coming here refuse to use their common sense to keep within the subject boundaries of the forum or worse, blatantly use the place as nothing more than a big free shop window, I begin to wonder if more rules aren't actually a necessity.

Content free posts are spam.
Spammers should be choked to death on their own severed toes.

  Christ!

/endspam

[Captain Blood]

If it's do-able under the forum's underlying software, have a "do not display posts from this board" setting on the user profile (I think that TMP does this).  If the "latest mini received" thread was shifted out of Open Talk (I'm not sure where to), you could then simply block all Open Talk posts from bugging you.

Similarly, if you don't want to buy anything, you could permanently block Bazaar posts.  As a refinement, perhaps the Bazaar could be split into two boards, one only for sales made entirely through this forum, another which allows redirection to ebay or other sites.  You could then block the type that annoys you.

I recall the Prof mentioning that under the next release of forum software, this would be an option.

There's too much crap on this forum now... pets...

Didn't I see pictures of your cat here a while back?   

(I do agree with you though. Far too much chaff of late. Not enough wargaming and modelling...  )

[matakishi]

WTF? You calling my cat a pet?  

Seriously though, I have never started a thread about my cat which is my point. If other stuff gets mentioned during an ongoing discussion that's fine, it makes for a conversation. I fail to see why there's on 'off topic' board at all. If you want to talk about non gamey stuff go to another forum or email your friends about it.

Maybe I'm just anti social. I don't know.

[Centaur_Seducer]

There's too much crap on this forum now, films, books, tv, pets, family, holidays, music; most of it without the slightest connection to the main focus of the board.

I do agree with you, Paul. Can't really say that I'm the best contributer when it comes to pics or anything useful for other people to get inspired by. But I'm quite an uninspiring and useless bloke as it is anyway.
However, there's been occassions when I log on to LAF, just to find out that the majority of the new posts are either about something unrelated, new ebay listings and bazaar sellers who has made it as a personal crusade to fill page after page in the forum with their stuff.

[matakishi]

Feedback on others' stuff is just as valid as posting pics of your own. No one should feel excluded because they don't 'do' stuff otherwise how will newcomers ever join in.

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm late to the party but i thought it was just me who was naffed off with all the "ohh look at me Blog .." posts. I don't sell on ebay; only buy - when i want to buy i look on ebay 

I come here on to discuss gaming.

[Bugsda]

Yep! You've all convinced me, this place is a dump, I'm off to TMP to talk left wing politics 

[Captain Blood]

Seriously though, I have never started a thread about my cat

I take it all back. Can I still have cake next week? 

[Centaur_Seducer]

Feedback on others' stuff is just as valid as posting pics of your own. No one should feel excluded because they don't 'do' stuff otherwise how will newcomers ever join in.

Of course. My point was to be a bit funny, but northern european sarcasm rarely translates well.
On a serious note, I've been searching the whole LAF for a swingers thread, but my search-fu has failed me so far.
Or was it all a lie, Mr Viking?

[6milPhil]

Yes me too, I've always done that, can we have it clarified though?

[Roebeast45]

Now is the point in the conversation when I have to wonder at my own guilt in this matter. I often post links to my blog, almost always with a picture, because I want people to go to my blog to see other projects I've done and to hopefully get them interested in some of the other stuff that I'm doing, including the occasional miniatures and comics that I have for sale.

But by doing this I realize that I haven't actually added content directly to The LAF, I've only used it as a way to point people to my blog. When I think about the projects that drew me to The LAF, (Vikotnik's Symphony of Horror was what hooked me), I see how important it is to have content actually on the forum.

I cannot however, understand the level of anger that has risen from posting blog links. It seems like a very small issue in an otherwise enjoyable forum.

[6milPhil]

I think Red had a bad week... no visits to his blog and no bidders on his ebay auctions...

[Captain Blood]

When I think about the projects that drew me to The LAF, (Vikotnik's Symphony of Horror was what hooked me), I see how important it is to have content actually on the forum.

I think it is as simple as this

[Silent Invader]

I think it is as simple as this

It is!

In one other respect blog links are also self-defeating..... I usually browse on a mobile device and blogs  generally render so badly that even if I wanted to bother there wouldn't be any point.