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SYM's always been a mix of pure spam, serious, and semi-serious threads over the years. But every now and then, when the mix of posters changes, it'll move strongly in one direction. When I moderated the forum, I'd regularly get complaints that it had too many serious topics, or too much spam.

When I came in this morning, I found that every serious or semi-serious topic had been moved to the second or third page, and the first page was entirely spam conversation. So the question is: do we need to split SYM? Do we need one forum for spam conversation threads--the kind where people say nothing at length, but have fun--with serious/semi-serious threads in another? That way, everybody could have threads on the first page, and not grumble about being crowded out. On the other hand, SYM's a tradition. So what do you think?

no!! the one thing that makes SYM fun is spam, but it could be more spam on topic than now.. some threads, such as the citadel, is "spamming" threads. but on other threads about real things, the spam should only be on topic...

Definatly not.
It would totally kill SYM.

It's a place that combines seriousness of debade threads with sillyness of spam topics.
I'd say members are perfectly capable of determing which topic fits in which catagory.

I'm not so sure about that But I like it the way it is now. Maybe spam should be reduced for the sake of more serious discussions, dunno. I like both parts of it

but think about it. what would SYM be without spam?? is there somone that dont like it? i do not love spam, but i dont hate it either, and think this site would be far less interesting without spam!

Indeed, you'd have one part that is very boring because it's only seriousness, and there's enough seriousness IRL, and there would be one part that's very boring because it's only non-sense.

I have no doubt that this mix is healthy.

but think about it. what would SYM be without spam??

I didn't say SYM should cease to have spam. I suggested 2 SYMs, one for spam, one for serious topics. Please, guys, before you vote, at least, read the opening post.

[QUOTE=fable]but think about it. what would SYM be without spam??

I didn't say SYM should cease to have spam. I suggested 2 SYMs, one for spam, one for serious topics. Please, guys, before you vote, at least, read the opening post. [/QUOTE]

Sorry but then there will be as ik said: you'd have one part that is very boring because it's only seriousness, and there's enough seriousness IRL, and there would be one part that's very boring because it's only non-sense

[QUOTE=Grimar]Sorry but then there will be as ik said: you'd have one part that is very boring because it's only seriousness, and there's enough seriousness IRL, and there would be one part that's very boring because it's only non-sense[/QUOTE]

What a nonsensical commentary. You and IK would find a serious SYM-part boring because none of you enjoy serious discussion. Other people may find a spam SYM-part boring because it is only useless spam. The point is to each his own, here.

I vote no, not because I don't like the idea, but because I believe there are too few people around to keep a serious SYM going without the random posts from people who like the occational serious discussion.

Most definately not in my view.

The amount of "spam" (note the qutations marks, because the spam we have here isn't really spam) in SYM is very variable as well is the amount of serious topics. Thus on occasions we will have much "spam" and on other occasions we will have more serious topics (relative to each other). So personally I find the notion to have two offtopic discussion forums very redundant. We have to remember that although SYM is a large part of GB, GB is in effect also a gameing site, and it already have a relative large amount of off-topic forums for a gameing site.

And as for topics being pushed back on pages, then if people can't be bothered to look a few pages back every now and again for topics they are interested in or have posted, then I think their attentionspan is to short.
On most any forum with some sort of traffic topics will get pushed back some pages as other topics are dicusssed/used, so the need to check back should already be a custom to most forum users.

I see no reason for a dividing of SYM.

[QUOTE=C Elegans]I vote no, not because I don't like the idea, but because I believe there are too few people around to keep a serious SYM going without the random posts from people who like the occational serious discussion.[/QUOTE]
That's just another way of putting it... You generalize my behaviour, and contradict yourself because first you say What a nonsensical commentary, and then you say the serious part will be boring (as I quoted above).

[QUOTE=ik911]That's just another way of putting it... You generalize my behaviour, and contradict yourself because first you say What a nonsensical commentary, and then you say the serious part will be boring (as I quoted above).[/QUOTE]

Are you not feeling well, IK? I posted to Grimar that his commentary was nonsensical. Also, I don't understand at all what you refer to when you post that I "generalise your behaviour". I have not discussed your behaviour. I think you overestimate your own value and how much attention other people focus on you.

Second, I have certainly not said the serious part will be boring to me, I posted that I don't think it will survive without random posts etc, because we are too few people.

I think you need to assess what you read more thoroughly. Try to read the words and phrases that are actually in the post, and try minimising your own fantasy interpretations.

please stop it!! this comes close to spam.. i only said my meaning of splitting SYM, as fable asked for. but please stop arguing, nothing good comes out of it!

...As I was going to write something about fluctuations, I see at the bottom of the reply screen that Xan beat me to it. After reading it, I totally concur to it. Thanks Xan for saving me the effort.

So what's there for me to ad?
Only that I partly agree with CE that there aren't enough serious members for the serious threads. I read most of them and they are well filled with proper discussion. As I am mostly too late, I often refrain from posting at that time. CE does make a point that I agree with that a lott of those posters could lose interest in a SYM-NoSpam forum.

I'd say that the 'no spam' and 'spam' topics are clear. At this point of time the 'no spam' topics my be outnumbered and therefore are more easily pushed back to second or third page.

Perhaps the idea is not to create a new forum, but rather to keep spam threads at bay. There are many spam threads and sometimes they overlap eachother.
I do have my doubts this would even work, plus I think it's not really needed. The spam/no spam ratio will change again.

I dont think so, I guess SYM is well balanced. Anyway, the real fun of it resides in the fact that you dont really know what to expect, and that you dont need to be on a spam or serious mood to come here. You will always find both things waiting for you.

[QUOTE=C Elegans]Are you not feeling well, IK? I posted to Grimar that his commentary was nonsensical. Also, I don't understand at all what you refer to when you post that I "generalise your behaviour". I have not discussed your behaviour. I think you overestimate your own value and how much attention other people focus on you.
[/QUOTE]
I'll give you 2 links:
[quote="C Elegans]You and IK would find a serious SYM-part boring because none of you enjoy serious discussion.[/quote]

And Grimar (almost"]ME[/b]. And you call his commentary nonsensical, while in fact it is my commentary.

Maybe I am ill.... I'm seeing links that are totally not there...

Allow me to voice the unpopular opinion: yes. I think such a division is desperately needed if we are to preserve the little collective intelligence that's left and protect it from the oncoming sea of nonsense and inanity.


edit: I originally thought the post too harsh and edited it out, but seeing as it's been replied to I'm bringing it back so that the reply makes more sense.

Unequivocally, no!

IMO, SYM is like a marriage or a community in which there are always going to be trends or fluctuations in one direction or another. And how do communities and relationships survive without completely breaking apart? They do so by compromise, mutual understanding and tolerance.

Personally, I have no problem with serious threads and I have no problems with threads intended for socializing, good-natured teasing and joking around. I post regularly in both types of threads. However, what I do find irritating is nonsensical, entirely self-indulgent spam.

Personally, I think SYM *needs* both the serious and the non-serious. It is what makes the community special, it is why I continue to come back. I think it is rare to find a place on the internet where one can discuss gaming, politics, religion or Weasel's golden speedos all in the space of a few minutes.

People need to just get their knickers out of the proverbial twist, extricate their heads from their posteriors, stop the narcissism and accept that their favourite threads are not always going to be on page one!

@Vicsun: I agree with you in as much that I think it would be nice to get rid of all the nonsense and unserious posts in serious topics, especially from those posters who don't even understand they disrupt serious discussion with ignorance and unability to discuss. However, I still fear a serious forum would not survive, because it would be very few members posting there. The recent influx of new users has not brought any who are interested in serious discussions as far as I have seen.

@CE: Decadence individuality and History Repeating is as serious as I get. Maybe you should post some there, before it's dead