POLL: Minimum limitations for posts

[LocoColt04]

You have ten days to get your opinion counted. As multiple-choice polls tend to throw the curve, there will be a few too many options on the poll for this thread, as I'm looking to find the best option that the majority can agree on.

If you end up voting against the majority, don't be butthurt about it.
Blame the rest of your community. Politely.

Please read your options carefully prior to voting.

If you have any additional feedback, I'd be interested to hear it.


* Select forums exempt from character limitations include, but are not limited to:
• Member Business
• Humor & Word Games
• Feedback, Suggestions, & Bug Reports
• If you want to add to this list, please include a comment.

[RamesesII]

Can I just add if you have a minimum characters post on H&W games then it may as well be shut down because that will never happen, and I suppose that goes for for member business as well that means everyone will have to pop out a 200 post just to welcome someone to the forum.

[Alpha]

I don't think there should be a limit, but I can live with anything smaller than 200 characters, that's too much.

I tend to write small posts when on a mobile device, which is generally what I'm on, as I don't visit the forums when I'm at uni (on a computer), and avoid my laptop when I don't _need_ it. A character limit would make be much less likely to post at all, but otherwise I'd be saying enough to not be bothered.

I think the length of a post is irrelevant in most cases. A sentence can often express more than a paragraph of irrelevant crap. 'Short and sharp' is also a golden rule of Internet humour.

I'm also not sure what the problem is. Can you provide examples of the types of posts you want to eliminate? (I.e ones that are short, but don't break any other rules.)

Getting rid of "Cloud pwns lolz" posts is cool, but I don't think anyone is really bothered by them, and a character limit is a blanket solution, and is therefore inappropriate.

[LocoColt04]

150 characters is easily covered by two sentences. It doesn't take any effort, even from a phone, to hit that number.

^ That up there was 119 characters. Would you like me to add a 100-character option to the poll? (Nevermind the question, I went ahead and did it anyway.)

[Alpha]

I'd be down for 100 -- I don't think I realised just how small that was. But I'd still prefer no limit/5 words.

[LocoColt04]

Well, this is why there's a poll. It's a lot easier to gauge the preferences this way than through that thread over in GC which evolved into something it wasn't meant to be in the first place.

As for what we're trying to avoid... well, I think it's the rampant trolling that got everyone on this kick to begin with. Personally, I don't mind if there's no limit at all, but I understand where it's useful and it's why I'll support reinstating one. While it's just as easy to troll "intelligently" with a few more words, that also requires two seconds of extra effort. I don't really know what specific fire got up everyone's butt. Nobody tells me anything when I'm off at work.

[RamesesII]

I don't mind a 200 or 150 character minimum in General chat but I think a 100 characters is alright for Member business but then you are making the poll to complicated an votes will be spread to far across the poll to amount to anything.

[LocoColt04]

Honestly, I don't really expect people to vote for the "no exemptions" options, so it's really just a question of whether the votes will fall toward the certain character limitations or into the realm of no requirements at all. Remember, gentlemen, there are ten days for this - I'd like to think we'd get over twenty votes in that time, and it should be a good representation of the active community by that point.

[loaf]

Make it so we have to write a journal entry in every post.

[01habbo]

I understand that you are trying to get rid of the spam, but i think this going a tad too far, 100 characters is about 5 sentences, so you want us to write 5 sentences in welcoming someone or saying goodbye to someone? Sometimes people don't have that much to say anyway, and get nervous on posting the forum, because they can't communicate thier thoughts in so much detail. I'm kind of vervous myself posting on the forum because of readjusting myself to a new forum and your own rules. I just think this will be counterproductive and put any new people off from posting. This is why I voted for the no limit except for 5 words.

[Alpha]

100 characters isn't five sentences. Characters =/= words, remember.

^The above is also an implicit argument for no limit. I don't need to say anything else; my point is complete. I could, but it would be absolutely superfluous.

[01habbo]

I know it isn't words, but it was pointed out earlier, that a post was 119 characters which was about 5 sentences. I'm only averaging, I'm not saying for certain it is 5 senteces but it is near enough, which is still quite alot if you are not used to communicating your thoughts and are nervous about posting.

[The_Dream_Recluse]

In my opinion, i think having a minimum five words per post is a fair enough goal. Sometimes, people just want to give short and sweet answers - we shouldn't deny them that right by enforcing a 100 character minimum.

On the other hand, anything smaller than five words isn't really an answer is it? Hence, they should get a warning. I'm all for short and sweet answers, but at least say something other than 'Lol, cool story bro.'

[Michael Swayne]

First off,

I know it isn't words, but it was pointed out earlier, that a post was 119 characters which was about 5 sentences.

I don't want to sound mean, but you should probably actually the post you are talking about. This is what was 119 characters...

150 characters is easily covered by two sentences. It doesn't take any effort, even from a phone, to hit that number.

This is only two complete sentences. LocoColt04 then goes on to say that this was 119 characters by saying the following...

^ That up there was 119 characters. Would you like me to add a 100-character option to the poll? (Nevermind the question, I went ahead and did it anyway.)

As for my opinion on the matter, I voted "200 characters with select forums exempt." I understand that in the stated exemptions, a few words really mean a lot. I just prefer to read the posts that have a little meat on its bones. It makes it more enjoyable.

Also, I tend to write a lot more than 200 characters in a majority of my posts. I guess I just have a lot to say.

[Judge Magistrate]

I went with the third choice, 100 characters with select forums exempt. I'm not a long winded writer, but I'm not by any stretch one who can't ellaborate. So to be fair to myself and hopefully the community I went with 100 character, choice number three.

[RamesesII]

I vote we make this poll un-anonymous so we can totally manhandle the people that vote against us, wait can I make a separate poll for that?

[loaf]

I voted for 200 Characters No Exceptions.

[Elise]

I voted 150 characters with select forums exempt. I was the second person who voted for that earlier today. 150 is not that much, I would have voted for less if there was no exemptions.


^ 185 characters (with spaces), 151 characters (no spaces)

[Yoko]

Lets be totally honest with yourselves. If the goal is to cut down Trolling, we can do exactly that with a 100 char limit with select forums exempt. You can still get a decent point across in about 1-2 sentences, with spaces. It depends on your writing style.

Forum Exemptions should be the ones stated in the OP. It makes sense that way. You don't need to write a journal for every post. Just get your thoughts down and post. 100 chars really isn't that much.

Grammar seems to be a whole other issue, but I'll bring it up here. Most of us, including myself, don't really care about grammar. A lot of my commas are in the wrong place, some people forget to use a period. It doesn't mean you should have to troll the shit out of them. People tend to type fast and not check what the heck they just said. I often go over my posts multiple times, but some things can be overlooked. It happens.

[Imposter]

So if any character limitation option when the populace vote will their be a counter instilled? So I know how many characters I'm typing. I mean I don't post a whole lot of short posts to begin with but I'm not going to count. There has got to be some app for the forums that will do that for me...us....the whole forum.

Currently the option I voted for has the most votes! Go team!!

[Elise]

I agree with Kyra, but I don't think 150 and 100 are very different, 200 might seem a lot for some people though, even with exemptions.

As for grammar, everyone makes mistakes all the time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone is that perfectionist to the extent of adjusting the position of every comma, even if they do it; it won't be for every single time. I do go over my posts, especially since English is not my first language, but I don't really bother doing it every time. Personally, I'm fine with all grammar and spelling mistakes people make in their posts, as long as thy dunt tuk lyk dis lol

[Furore]

I voted 200 characters with exemptions, but then I feel it may make people more likely to expand on the point or opinion they're bringing up. For me personally, that would certainly beat several of the same opinion with nothing unique - it may encourage some to show the reasoning behind their opinion.

^ Two sentences, over 200 characters I believe.

[Pug]

Just remember whatevers decided play it safe because people having to constantly ramble in their post after making their point would cause endless annoyance 100 charecters isnt as much as people would guess so im pritty sure most people would be down with that. 200 is a bit overkill though. Either way I voted for 5 words (dont worry now ive got all the excitement out of my system I wont be spamming posts everywhere anymore)

This paragraph is 100 chars long. I dont think anyone would have a problem writing this in most forums.

[Ryu-Kentoshii Hirokima]

I Went With No Limitations, But With A Five-Word Minimum...Really Doesn't Bother Me Whichever One Goes, Cause I Don't Have To Worry About It, Since I Tend To Post Stuff With A Little More Content Than Spammers Might Try To Pull Off. But Sometimes I Might Just Post A Few Words To Summarize What I Wanna Say, In A Simpler Form, I Guess You Can Say. Just Filter Out The Average Character Or Word Count That Spammers Mostly Tend To Use, Like 2-4 Worded Posts. Although, In Some Cases They Use A Minimum Of 1-2 Sentences...So, Really Configure A Nice Limit So That Everyone Is Happy And The Spammers And Trolls...Well, They Can Go And Rot In Hell For All I Care, As Long As They Don't Come Anywhere Near Our Circle Of Friends And Family Here At TFF, I'm Good.

[LocoColt04]

The one downside to a word-based minimum is that there's no way to make the forum enforce that automatically.

(That one single sentence above was 110 characters, by the way.)

[Rowan]

I voted five word minimum.

[LocoColt04]

Just a heads up, we're already into the final 14 hours of the poll. (It closes automatically at 8AM GMT on the 20th.) If you haven't already gotten your two cents in, you're running out of time to do so. I'd like to get a lot of votes from some of these new members as well, since this will directly affect every member of the forums.

[Halie]

At least 100 characters might give the trolls a bit of a challenge...

Barely, but hey ho.

[Rocky]

In any case, I am happy to see that the decision was based on popular vote amongst all the members of the forums instead of having it (at times) forcefully changed and with out the majority consent. Power to the people!

[loaf]

At least 100 characters might give the trolls a bit of a challenge...

Barely, but hey ho.

the more a troll needs to write, the more trouble you'll be in.

I say 200+ no exceptions. still.