Well. . . I've decided to spend a lazy afternoon finding out what others think about this moderator stuff. In reading the various articles and threads, I've become increasingly disappointed with /.'s leaders/brass/whoever-the-hell-runs-this-thing. Let's have a look:

This one questioning anonymous privacy. Fun Meter:5/10
jamie speaks as an editor. Not very comforting to a little peon like me. Fun Meter is now about 3/10
This comment doesn't give me a warm fuzzy
This thread seems to reinforce my perception that the moderate flag should be un-ticked.
This post brings up a lot of stuff I never knew about
Start at the top of the meta-discussion, if you want.

The brass carry on saying that if the current system were modified, it'd be more burdensome for me the reader. I find it burdensome to force myself to -1 and wade thru all the trash to see good posts. I used to pay no mind to this phenomenon, but now I'm keen to it.

I think I should turn comments off again. :o(

On a secondary note: I just realised that even journal entries are treated like articles, and become un-addable-to after a certain period. Kinda defeats the longevity of a journal entry, doesn't it?

This thread, which really should be here instead of on k5, highlights a fundamental problem with the whole moderation thing. jamie says to "write a journal entry abuot anything you want" if we want to create topics. His dissenters in that thread state that it's pretty much a red herring because of a lack of audience.

I have to agree with the lusers here.

One's journal entry has an audience of what? 4 people? How big is your friends list?

I'd like to wake up one day, come to the front page, and see something like "Users Think Moderation System Is Pants". It's been talked about in every other article, perhaps to death, but there has never been an article specifically about this thing. As for other articles relating to slashcode and such, I find that they really don't directly deal with moderation. Is this topic like the Forbidden Planet, or something?

So, the moderation system needs no improvement? I'll leave that question to the philosophers, but not discussing it isn't going to make the problems go away.

A short note... I hate when folks link to another /. article and leave in the "mode=" part! I chose "Nested" for a reason. Namely because I bloody-well HATE "Thread" mode.

Please pay attention, and /. will be a better place.

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=26315&cid=2850660&threshold=-1

This thread was apparently nuked. Valid opinions (if off-topic) and all. the entire thread thrown in the rubbish bin. 5 pages worth.

It would've been enough to downvote the true crap, but it would've taken too much time.

Hurray for instant success. Fooey.

(Yes, I know it's not "censorship" when you can adjust the threshold... it IS aggrivating that you also must take the true trash (which should go into the brown rubbish bin instead of the red one) in addition to finding good but mis-moderated stuff)

---

In retrospect: Reading this a week or so later, the editors were technically right in marking the lot of the posts as off-topic. Suggestions that a new article be created (why? because there were like 500 posts in this thread alone, iirc) were pretty good... just relocate the thread to there, and it'll suddenly be on-topic!

And folks won't feel like they're being silenced for dissenting. Then again, I'm writing this thinking the editors can wave a magic wand and make it so. :o)

(note of aggrivation: I really wish /. would do like deadjournal does with hard CRs -- make them automagically become <P>)

Update: Bad Slashdot! Nullifying my posts just because you don't want a particular post to be seen. No treat for you.

Well, I replied to a post before said original got moderated to -1 (as a troll), so here's my reply to "why" on the 64MB CompactFlash setup for an Apple IIe.

So my friend/foe list isn't private. . . BFD

If folks have nothing better to do than attack me for my choices, more power to them. I personally have been waiting for this "killfile" stuff for a few years, now. My bitchings have finally been answered.

viruses

dammit. Proof that I'm not talking out my ass.

It's even in the dictionary, so get it right, darn it!

OK, it's sick, but it's been floating around in the toilet bowl that is my mind lately.

And someone probably already beat me to it.

A short note about the current aggrivation: Whoever at Sun decided that this slow-as-hell installer should become of age needs to spend time installing their creation from scratch themselves. When they have no hair left (because they PULLED it all out), they'll understand why I think Web Start is overengineered goo.

That they made the install emulate Win* in the "reboot several times" arena isn't so good, either.

OK... new peeve of the week: Apple's QuickTime .mov file format has been readable in Linux for at least 4 years, probably more. The next person who claims there's no QuickTime for Linux is getting a boot to the head.

I'm certain what you angsty nuts out there really mean is, "No codec for Linux that works with .mov files that use Sorenson."

Just say that! sheesh

This is why I'll buy a PS2. It's the final nail in the coffin for which console to get. Looking at the other choices, however, the decision was a foregone conclusion. Quick review:

• xbox: Why bother? If I wanted to play on a PC, I already have one. Yes, I know it's not a "PC" in the traditional sense, and all that. I just don't like the idea od an inhell-powered console. EOF(xbox)
• gamecube: Promising on the surface (and onscreen), but with the uninviting Gamebit screws securing it, and the proprietary platter, I couldn't justify giving Nintendo another chance. EOF(GameCube) for now
• Dreamcast: YES! Now at $50, I can get another one (if I can FIND one) just to HACK on!
• PSX: Have one, bought it for Galaga, not very useful hacking-wise. I haven't tried very hard, either
• PS2: This is simply the most appealing and compelling system out, afaic, even tho it's $300. It has amazing capabilities, and now that its potential is being realised, and killer games are out for it, I'll be gracing my desk with consoles with one very soon

I have a DC, a PSX, and a Genesis... and they all still get used regularly... :o)

Update: I finally followed thru and blew money on the PS2 and a copy of GTA3. I'm a lousy driver, let's put it that way.

Read this. Now. Before I go thermo. I'll wait.

Argh! Proper punctuation should not be the exception around here. It just makes you look... well, like the (stereo)typical AOLer! I'm not much of a grammar nut, but this one gets me more than any other (including gross misspelling).

"You must get into it's interior to. . ."

What?! I must get into IT IS... interior? AUGH!

(Score:-1, Mispeling)

scsi will prolly hate me for this, but see me rant about other stuff than slashdot!

The Journal meme... how therapeutic.

first post!

Because I can. . . and because the first one is always the lamest one.