The universe according to MMM

[JoePCool14]

MMM started the day at 1,137 posts and seems to be at 1,096 as of my writing this reply.

Worth asking again, can we just delete posts counts?  It seems like they just cause trouble sooner or later on the forum.

Why is that necessary if MMM is the issue with it? Why should we all lose it?

Can admins disable an individual from deleting their own post?

Why?  If I post "JoePCool14 has smelly feet," think better of it, and delete it, isn't it better than not thinking better of it?

You could also just edit the post. Even if you don't replace it with anything. Or ask a mod/admin to remove it.

This would be to stop MMM from deleting posts just to achieve a certain number. Unless he's actually wising up that some of his posts are downright ridiculous.

[SectorZ]

Can admins disable an individual from deleting their own post? Not for everyone, just for specific people.

It's possible to disable reporting (it's been done for NE2), so it's not out of the question.

I'm confused, can NE2 not report other's comments or can everyone here not report his comments?

[hotdogPi]

Can admins disable an individual from deleting their own post? Not for everyone, just for specific people.

It's possible to disable reporting (it's been done for NE2), so it's not out of the question.

I'm confused, can NE2 not report other's comments or can everyone here not report his comments?

He can't report other people's comments.

[MultiMillionMiler]

I've never reported a comment on here, and likely never will. That just becomes a slippery slope to ultimately reporting comments that are just "nasty" or ones that you don't agree with, even if they don't actually violate specific rules. If a comment genuinely deserves to be deleted, probably a mod would do so anyway without user reports.

[Scott5114]

I suspect Scott changed the thread name?  I refused to based off MMM's comments to me.

I went ahead and did so in order to have a good merge target for his rants in other threads.

So are you going to Merge Max's quote-based threads all into this one too? And still no one has provided an actual physical explanation of why motion through space has anything to do with the flow of time.

Probably, although I am hoping he'll stop doing that so I don't have to.

The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene has an excellent explanation of how and why time dilation happens (without using any math), should you be interested in actually educating yourself.

Can admins disable an individual from deleting their own post? Not for everyone, just for specific people.

Yes. We can also disable post editing on an individual basis. We have done both in the past when people have proven they can't be trusted with the function.

[J N Winkler]

It has also been said that admins have the ability to edit post counts.  Does an edited count still increment?  Is it an option to substitute the post count with a free text string like "1000 (nominal)" or "1000 (intentionally imprecise estimate)"?

[hotdogPi]

Don't merge threads if their timestamps would interleave. Unlike Angelo71's threads, MMM's threads have humor value going back and reading them, and merging the threads would disrupt that.

[Scott5114]

It has also been said that admins have the ability to edit post counts.  Does an edited count still increment?  Is it an option to substitute the post count with a free text string like "1000 (nominal)" or "1000 (intentionally imprecise estimate)"?

I haven't experimented with it too much (for obvious reasons), but on the few occasions I've done it, the software continued to increment or decrement the post count as the user carried on their normal activities. As a result (and because MySQL requires explicit datatypes for its fields), my instinct is that it would only accept an integer value.

Don't merge threads if their timestamps would interleave. Unlike Angelo71's threads, MMM's threads have humor value going back and reading them, and merging the threads would disrupt that.

My judgement is that the reading difficulty inherent to interleaving threads in this fashion pales in comparison to the reading difficulty inherent to allowing multitudes of threads dominated by one user to proliferate. That is, in this case, the interests of those not wanting to read MMM at all outweigh the interests of those who do. Consider this an off-topic "MMM in one thread 2.0"-style containment thread.

[kphoger]

My judgement is that the reading difficulty inherent to interleaving threads in this fashion pales in comparison to the reading difficulty inherent to allowing multitudes of threads dominated by one user to proliferate. That is, in this case, the interests of those not wanting to read MMM at all outweigh the interests of those who do. Consider this an off-topic "MMM in one thread 2.0"-style containment thread.

I seem to remember, back in the dusty recesses of my mind, a couple of times when actual road-related threads were merged and it became a bit of a chore trying to untangle and recombine the separate discussion threads.  However, it seems to me, the majority of cases in which a thread merge might be preferable are off-topic discussions.  As such, I shouldn't worry too much about that difficulty.  That is to say, how high on the list of this forum's guiding principles is 'not disrupting humor value'?

(I do realize that this in response to the man who singlehandedly 'made Alanland funny again'.)

[thspfc]

MMM started the day at 1,137 posts and seems to be at 1,096 as of my writing this reply.

Worth asking again, can we just delete posts counts?  It seems like they just cause trouble sooner or later on the forum.

Ironically, the idea that some people are closely following other specific users' post counts is a good reason why they should be removed.

[Scott5114]

My judgement is that the reading difficulty inherent to interleaving threads in this fashion pales in comparison to the reading difficulty inherent to allowing multitudes of threads dominated by one user to proliferate. That is, in this case, the interests of those not wanting to read MMM at all outweigh the interests of those who do. Consider this an off-topic "MMM in one thread 2.0"-style containment thread.

I seem to remember, back in the dusty recesses of my mind, a couple of times when actual road-related threads were merged and it became a bit of a chore trying to untangle and recombine the separate discussion threads.  However, it seems to me, the majority of cases in which a thread merge might be preferable are off-topic discussions.  As such, I shouldn't worry too much about that difficulty.  That is to say, how high on the list of this forum's guiding principles is 'not disrupting humor value'?

(I do realize that this in response to the man who singlehandedly 'made Alanland funny again'.)

I'll try to keep humor alive if there's an opportunity to do so, but it takes a back seat to readability and encouraging on-topic discussion.

When it comes to on-topic discussions, I'm generally in favor of many small threads that do one thing and do it well as opposed to large, conglomerated threads, for the very reason you cite. (There is also the benefit that a "question-answer-thank you" subject can quickly and gracefully drop out of view without interrupting conversations with more staying power.) As a result, I'm generally opposed to the general threads that cover all topics regarding a single state, but enough people like them that I've learned to live with them.

In the case of this thread, the two competing interests are "readability of the MMM thread" vs. "readability of the forum at large". I'm not sure there's a cogent argument in favor of prioritizing the former over the latter, even at the expense of the humor value.

[Max Rockatansky]

MMM started the day at 1,137 posts and seems to be at 1,096 as of my writing this reply.

Worth asking again, can we just delete posts counts?  It seems like they just cause trouble sooner or later on the forum.

Ironically, the idea that some people are closely following other specific users' post counts is a good reason why they should be removed.

If they went away they won't be a topic for discussion or controversy (aside from people being upset they became hidden).  When the post count thing popped up a couple years back with RGT and some others I was in favor of just removing the post count number.  The forum statistics used to be similarly accessible but likewise was hidden after it became a source of problems.   

[Scott5114]

That's why I semi-seriously suggested it be replaced by the number from the "lowest route number you haven't been on" thread. It's a better proxy of experience than post count. Unfortunately, it is far more easily gamed (I could see someone fraudulently claiming a four-digit number, and given that there's more or less always been an honor system in play when it comes to self-reported clinch records, I imagine that might negatively impact the comity of the forum).

[Max Rockatansky]

But why do we need numbers at all?  Most of us who have been around for awhile know who the actual relevant people in the road community are.  Someone would still be able to break into the community if they actually contributed something worthwhile. 

I base my theory off the road groups on Facebook.  They don't have post counts and generally tend to have less problems with the MMMs/tolbs types of the world.  Granted, that could also be due to more moderation also depending the group. 

[kphoger]

In the case of this thread, the two competing interests are "readability of the MMM thread" vs. "readability of the forum at large". I'm not sure there's a cogent argument in favor of prioritizing the former over the latter, even at the expense of the humor value.

Exactly.  Preserving the integrity of schlock shouldn't be a core value.

But why do we need numbers at all?

The badges are a fun and somewhat reliable way of gauging a member's seniority on the forum, and they're tied to the actual number of posts.  Therefore, I wouldn't oppose removing the actual number from thread visibility as long as the badge stays in place.  Maybe the number should just be visible by going to a member's profile;  that way, if someone else really wants to know, he can still find out.

[MultiMillionMiler]

If this is now considered to be a "MMM 2" style thread, am I allowed to post fictional interstate highway plans in here, because this isn't in the fictional board?

[J N Winkler]

It has also been said that admins have the ability to edit post counts.  Does an edited count still increment?  Is it an option to substitute the post count with a free text string like "1000 (nominal)" or "1000 (intentionally imprecise estimate)"?

I haven't experimented with it too much (for obvious reasons), but on the few occasions I've done it, the software continued to increment or decrement the post count as the user carried on their normal activities. As a result (and because MySQL requires explicit datatypes for its fields), my instinct is that it would only accept an integer value.

Many thanks for this!  I was wondering if that particular field was typed, and it seems it is.

But why do we need numbers at all?  Most of us who have been around for awhile know who the actual relevant people in the road community are.  Someone would still be able to break into the community if they actually contributed something worthwhile. 

I base my theory off the road groups on Facebook.  They don't have post counts and generally tend to have less problems with the MMMs/tolbs types of the world.  Granted, that could also be due to more moderation also depending the group.

I don't think the Facebook road-related groups necessarily offer a useful model in this regard, not just because of the moderation that often comes across as heavy-handed--"Crop that damn hood out of this photo!"--but also because post visibility and engagement is influenced by algorithms we lack the technical capability, let alone the desire, to deploy.

They also occasionally have their problems with members who don't understand their audience.  Not long ago the FreewayJim moderators were trying to discourage someone who, apparently as a New Year's resolution, was planning what sounded like Interstate infodumps.

[thspfc]

But why do we need numbers at all?  Most of us who have been around for awhile know who the actual relevant people in the road community are.  Someone would still be able to break into the community if they actually contributed something worthwhile. 

Y'all take this way too seriously.

[Max Rockatansky]

But why do we need numbers at all?  Most of us who have been around for awhile know who the actual relevant people in the road community are.  Someone would still be able to break into the community if they actually contributed something worthwhile. 

Y'all take this way too seriously.

It's almost as though I co-admin a highway website and several highway groups or something.

[Scott5114]

If this is now considered to be a "MMM 2" style thread, am I allowed to post fictional interstate highway plans in here, because this isn't in the fictional board?

I would say the ideal would be if you had one thread here and one thread in fictional, and kept inside both of them. (Not to say that you can't post outside of them ever but...a lot of your opinions are strong enough they tend to drown out everyone else's because everyone feels compelled to rebut you.)

[kkt]

I suspect Scott changed the thread name?  I refused to based off MMM's comments to me.

I went ahead and did so in order to have a good merge target for his rants in other threads.

So are you going to Merge Max's quote-based threads all into this one too? And still no one has provided an actual physical explanation of why motion through space has anything to do with the flow of time.

If you really wanted to know, you should have taken a modern physics class in college.

[MultiMillionMiler]

If this is now considered to be a "MMM 2" style thread, am I allowed to post fictional interstate highway plans in here, because this isn't in the fictional board?

I would say the ideal would be if you had one thread here and one thread in fictional, and kept inside both of them. (Not to say that you can't post outside of them ever but...a lot of your opinions are strong enough they tend to drown out everyone else's because everyone feels compelled to rebut you.)

Fair enough, but since the fictional one was locked I don't know if I should create one within that board.

@kkt I read the book "The Fabric of the Cosmos".

[Scott5114]

Fair enough, but since the fictional one was locked I don't know if I should create one within that board.

I'd say go for it, but keep it tightly contained to fictional highway plans. If you can do that, you should be fine.

[Max Rockatansky]

I suspect Scott changed the thread name?  I refused to based off MMM's comments to me.

I went ahead and did so in order to have a good merge target for his rants in other threads.

So are you going to Merge Max's quote-based threads all into this one too? And still no one has provided an actual physical explanation of why motion through space has anything to do with the flow of time.

If you really wanted to know, you should have taken a modern physics class in college.

In an ideal world I wouldn't have felt compelled to start quote threads.  Trouble was some pretty unique stuff was invading viable threads and bringing them crashing down to eventual locks.  The I-11 thread in Fictional was the classic example of this. 

[hotdogPi]

I would support merging the threads as long as you change the timestamps first. For example, keep this thread where it is, move every post in Thread A back one year, Thread B back two years, etc.