230 replies to this topic

[Sumiki]

oh and posts in COT not counting towards your post count is a bit annoying as well
I never got the point of that

Since this started our as (and still mostly is) a BIONICLE/LEGO forum, encouraging off-topic posting would just inflate post counts and give more activity to that already busy forum.

If you still have issues with it, feel free to open a ticket for it in the Tracker.

[Scanty Demon]

One thing I definitely would like to see is a bit of a democracy here. Voting on rules and restrictions, sort of like a town hall meeting. Staff will put forth a bill and members will vote on it.

Might be a bad idea, but yeah.

The problem I see is that rules here are not posted has often as laws are passed. Plus rules that are put up for debate would be the subject for mass hysteria. Also I thought you said you wanted to vote for staff members read that wrong. Another thing debating such rules could lead to flame wars and let's face anytime you have the ability to debate on something factions will develop and argue with each other.

[Matt5327]

It may seem odd, but I've found the restrictions on newer members somewhat frustrating. I understand, of course, that it is meant to prevent spam (and does so rather well I'd imagine), but... as someone who just likes to make the occasional post it can be quite a nuisance to wait for your post to show up, or not be able to PM people (I have had a good reason before). It's not going away any time soon, because it's the best solution to what is a problem on many forums. Just a wee bit annoying, that's all.

[You just lost the game]

RPG's lack any realism or logic nowadays. Unfortunate.

[Space Marine]

One thing I definitely would like to see is a bit of a democracy here. Voting on rules and restrictions, sort of like a town hall meeting. Staff will put forth a bill and members will vote on it.

Might be a bad idea, but yeah.

The problem I see is that rules here are not posted has often as laws are passed. Plus rules that are put up for debate would be the subject for mass hysteria. Also I thought you said you wanted to vote for staff members read that wrong. Another thing debating such rules could lead to flame wars and let's face anytime you have the ability to debate on something factions will develop and argue with each other.

Mediation?

I see what you mean.

[Bane of No Isles]

The members.

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

RPG's lack any realism or logic nowadays. Unfortunate.

You must not come there much. Or you only read the posts of a certain few.

The members.

Mentlegen, KNI has returned.

[ZHX]

I feel like I'm at school sometimes. Heavy filters in place everywhere. I understand this is a place for kids, but where was the last kid I saw?

Hi, I'm fourteen. Does that count?

Anyway, the annoying thing about BZPower?

BZPRPG News and Discussion. Too many arguments these days.

Not really. Most fourteen-year-olds are fairly jaded.

As my RPing colleagues and real life friends may note, I am ridiculously idealistic and cheerful.

The members.

Mentlegen, KNI has returned.

Hail KNI, Ultimate Snarker.

[Space Marine]

I feel like I'm at school sometimes. Heavy filters in place everywhere. I understand this is a place for kids, but where was the last kid I saw?

Hi, I'm fourteen. Does that count?

Anyway, the annoying thing about BZPower?

BZPRPG News and Discussion. Too many arguments these days.

That depends. I'm assuming you (also assuming you are American) are in highschool or 8th grade, most like 10th or 9th grade. At this point (also assuming your parents aren't hover parents, sheltering, or overproctective) you probably have heard a share of cuss words from either friends or peers. If you are going to an American public school you have also probably gone through sex education.

My point is that you have (probably) been exposed to this kind of stuff. Does it REALLY bother you?

I will admit sex is something I wouldn't like to see unless in a forum dedicated to topics about it, not this one.

Has anyone ever watched the Penn & Teller episode on profanity?

[Toa Zaz]

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

[Scanty Demon]

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

Can I point out that Lego's message boards are just that: Lego's message board. They can talk about anything Lego wants them to talk about, Lego has control over those boards. BZPower is a forum dedicated to a Lego theme but we're not owned by Lego (thus not under Lego's control) so that's where your example fails. Also Black Six has stated that BZP has gotten Cease and Desist wavers from Lego when we have leaked content on here. Do you think the BZP admins want to have a lawsuit filed against them when they can simply just ban all discussion of the content. So there's why we can't discuss leaked content. Is there an example of the LMN discussing leaked content anyway?

[Dralcax]

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

Can I point out that Lego's message boards are just that: Lego's message board. They can talk about anything Lego wants them to talk about, Lego has control over those boards. BZPower is a forum dedicated to a Lego theme but we're not owned by Lego (thus not under Lego's control) so that's where your example fails. Also Black Six has stated that BZP has gotten Cease and Desist wavers from Lego when we have leaked content on here. Do you think the BZP admins want to have a lawsuit filed against them when they can simply just ban all discussion of the content. So there's why we can't discuss leaked content. Is there an example of the LMN discussing leaked content anyway?

When leaked images from the Breakout theme were circulating, there was some debating over what was the overall theme of the wave, Believe it or not, some people said the theme for the wave was "Toxic". (Seriously, how many sets did those kids see?)

[Rama~Swarm]

If I had to pick one thing that annoys me it would be the clogged up CoT forum. For many many years I've felt it would improve things to sepparate it into 4 forums. One for discussion, one for forum games and RPGs and a third to act as an Off topic voting booth. Now that Bionicle has ended this would probably serve BZPower even more by keeping the

I would keep the idea of posts not counting toward your post count though. It would continue encourage discussion outside of the Non-Lego Forums which is essential to keep up the Lego theme.

[Space Marine]

 

 

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

Can I point out that Lego's message boards are just that: Lego's message board. They can talk about anything Lego wants them to talk about, Lego has control over those boards. BZPower is a forum dedicated to a Lego theme but we're not owned by Lego (thus not under Lego's control) so that's where your example fails. Also Black Six has stated that BZP has gotten Cease and Desist wavers from Lego when we have leaked content on here. Do you think the BZP admins want to have a lawsuit filed against them when they can simply just ban all discussion of the content. So there's why we can't discuss leaked content. Is there an example of the LMN discussing leaked content anyway?

 

When leaked images from the Breakout theme were circulating, there was some debating over what was the overall theme of the wave, Believe it or not, some people said the theme for the wave was "Toxic". (Seriously, how many sets did those kids see?)

 

It's also a business thing.

[~~Zarkan~~]

 

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

Can I point out that Lego's message boards are just that: Lego's message board. They can talk about anything Lego wants them to talk about, Lego has control over those boards. BZPower is a forum dedicated to a Lego theme but we're not owned by Lego (thus not under Lego's control) so that's where your example fails. Also Black Six has stated that BZP has gotten Cease and Desist wavers from Lego when we have leaked content on here. Do you think the BZP admins want to have a lawsuit filed against them when they can simply just ban all discussion of the content. So there's why we can't discuss leaked content. Is there an example of the LMN discussing leaked content anyway?

 

 

The thing that annoys me is not that leaked images are banned, but that sometime ago the staff decided that all images not revealed directly by Lego are somehow "leaked," even if they come from legitimate sources (like online retailers) and have no watermarks. This has resulted in BZP members being uninformed about new sets that members of literally every other lego message board and fansite in existence have been discussing for months - and considering that it appears none of those other sites have gotten any cease and desist wavers, it's all the more nonsensical.

[Kopekemaster]

Well, first, it bugs me how hard it is to find my BZPRPG profile (in the BZPRPG profile page.).  It would be nice if we had a search engine sorta thing for that.

.

Another thing.....I have reported stuff several times, and it has gotten on the homepage at least 3 times, but no proto boost.  Oh well.

[///dotcom///]

Well, first, it bugs me how hard it is to find my BZPRPG profile (in the BZPRPG profile page.).  It would be nice if we had a search engine sorta thing for that.

 

Another thing.....I have reported stuff several times, and it has gotten on the homepage at least 3 times, but no proto boost.  Oh well.

You can search for specific posts in any thread. Alternatively, Ctrl-F is your friend.

 

Edited by dotcom, Dec 04 2012 - 07:29 PM.

[DeeVee]

 

 

Being unable to discuss images that might be leaked, when other Lego forums can without a problem. Ex: Lego's own message boards.

Can I point out that Lego's message boards are just that: Lego's message board. They can talk about anything Lego wants them to talk about, Lego has control over those boards. BZPower is a forum dedicated to a Lego theme but we're not owned by Lego (thus not under Lego's control) so that's where your example fails. Also Black Six has stated that BZP has gotten Cease and Desist wavers from Lego when we have leaked content on here. Do you think the BZP admins want to have a lawsuit filed against them when they can simply just ban all discussion of the content. So there's why we can't discuss leaked content. Is there an example of the LMN discussing leaked content anyway?

 

 

The thing that annoys me is not that leaked images are banned, but that sometime ago the staff decided that all images not revealed directly by Lego are somehow "leaked," even if they come from legitimate sources (like online retailers) and have no watermarks. This has resulted in BZP members being uninformed about new sets that members of literally every other lego message board and fansite in existence have been discussing for months - and considering that it appears none of those other sites have gotten any cease and desist wavers, it's all the more nonsensical.

 

Other sites have gotten cease and desist letters, and the content is often removed. Often TLG is unaware of the leaked discussion because the proper TLG officials don't look at those sites as often as they do BZP.

 

I know of one forum (and we're probably thinking of the same one here), which has a large amount of leaked content posted every year. It's a sizable community, and when I mentioned the leaked content to TLG's community guys at Brickfair (in a "hey, so if they can do it, why can't we?" way), they responded with "we had no idea they do that. We don't pay as much attention to their forums as we do yours."

 

BZP is at least twice the size of any other LEGO online forum, and the most prominent. Flickr users regularly have leaked images forcibly removed, and everytime we've let things just slide in the past, is has resulted in legal cease and desist notifications.

[Kopekemaster]

 

Well, first, it bugs me how hard it is to find my BZPRPG profile (in the BZPRPG profile page.).  It would be nice if we had a search engine sorta thing for that.

 

Another thing.....I have reported stuff several times, and it has gotten on the homepage at least 3 times, but no proto boost.  Oh well.

You can search for specific posts in any thread. Alternatively, Ctrl-F is your friend.

 

 

I know, but I find that the search thing at the top doesn't work.  At least for me.

[fishers64]

 

Well, first, it bugs me how hard it is to find my BZPRPG profile (in the BZPRPG profile page.).  It would be nice if we had a search engine sorta thing for that.
 
Another thing.....I have reported stuff several times, and it has gotten on the homepage at least 3 times, but no proto boost.  Oh well.

You can search for specific posts in any thread. Alternatively, Ctrl-F is your friend.
 
 

I know, but I find that the search thing at the top doesn't work.  At least for me.

#quote end

You should start a ticket in the Tracker for that. It should work.

[ZHX]

 

 

I feel like I'm at school sometimes. Heavy filters in place everywhere. I understand this is a place for kids, but where was the last kid I saw?

Hi, I'm fourteen. Does that count?

Anyway, the annoying thing about BZPower?

BZPRPG News and Discussion. Too many arguments these days.

 

That depends. I'm assuming you (also assuming you are American) are in highschool or 8th grade, most like 10th or 9th grade. At this point (also assuming your parents aren't hover parents, sheltering, or overproctective) you probably have heard a share of cuss words from either friends or peers. If you are going to an American public school you have also probably gone through sex education.

My point is that you have (probably) been exposed to this kind of stuff. Does it REALLY bother you?

I will admit sex is something I wouldn't like to see unless in a forum dedicated to topics about it, not this one.

Has anyone ever watched the Penn & Teller episode on profanity?

 

/is Australian.

 

Although most of us may be used to such things, BZPower, in essence, is a site about a children's toyline, which means there is a chance there are young children on here (I've seen a few, and I was here when I was eleven), who shouldn't really be exposed to profanity.

 

That's why there's a heavy filter.

[Space Marine]

 

 

 

I feel like I'm at school sometimes. Heavy filters in place everywhere. I understand this is a place for kids, but where was the last kid I saw?

Hi, I'm fourteen. Does that count?

Anyway, the annoying thing about BZPower?

BZPRPG News and Discussion. Too many arguments these days.

 

That depends. I'm assuming you (also assuming you are American) are in highschool or 8th grade, most like 10th or 9th grade. At this point (also assuming your parents aren't hover parents, sheltering, or overproctective) you probably have heard a share of cuss words from either friends or peers. If you are going to an American public school you have also probably gone through sex education.

My point is that you have (probably) been exposed to this kind of stuff. Does it REALLY bother you?

I will admit sex is something I wouldn't like to see unless in a forum dedicated to topics about it, not this one.

Has anyone ever watched the Penn & Teller episode on profanity?

 

/is Australian.

 

Although most of us may be used to such things, BZPower, in essence, is a site about a children's toyline, which means there is a chance there are young children on here (I've seen a few, and I was here when I was eleven), who shouldn't really be exposed to profanity.

 

That's why there's a heavy filter.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

I guess they don't want to take any chances.

 

Fair enough. I see what you mean.

[Scanty Demon]

I find the new quote boxes very annoying. There isn't a way to tell if the texted is quote or not (unless they use a special font or color for their text or bold it all) but it is still a problem.

[Makaru]

That's definitely on the tracker to fix.

[Scanty Demon]

That's definitely on the tracker to fix.

That's always good to know. But in the blogs (the mobile version at least) the quote boxes cut into the avatar.

[-Sidorak-]

I don't know, I think BZP is pretty well-run. Sure, it has its minor flaws (just like any other forum) but they're no big deal as long as you don't take things too seriously.

[Mylo Xyloto]

I miss the activity in the trading forums. Trading is fun and less fun is bad.

[~~Zarkan~~]

 

Other sites have gotten cease and desist letters, and the content is often removed. Often TLG is unaware of the leaked discussion because the proper TLG officials don't look at those sites as often as they do BZP.

 

I know of one forum (and we're probably thinking of the same one here), which has a large amount of leaked content posted every year. It's a sizable community, and when I mentioned the leaked content to TLG's community guys at Brickfair (in a "hey, so if they can do it, why can't we?" way), they responded with "we had no idea they do that. We don't pay as much attention to their forums as we do yours."

 

 

It's not just that one forum. BZP is pretty much the only major lego fansite now that has such a strict image policy. Most others - including at least one that BZP nevertheless allows links to - have been hosting and discussing the images for months now. This would be awkward on its own right, except for the fact that the justification for this policy....

 

BZP is at least twice the size of any other LEGO online forum, and the most prominent. Flickr users regularly have leaked images forcibly removed, and everytime we've let things just slide in the past, is has resulted in legal cease and desist notifications.

 

 

 

.... isn't accurate, at least not anymore. There was a time when BZP was at the top of the lego fansite food chain, but since the downtime its active member base has shrunk significantly, to the point where the forum both you and me were thinking of has on average several times as many browsers. It strikes me as rather odd that TLC doesn't realize this, not to mention rather unfair.

[Aanchir: Rachira of Time]

 
Other sites have gotten cease and desist letters, and the content is often removed. Often TLG is unaware of the leaked discussion because the proper TLG officials don't look at those sites as often as they do BZP.
 
I know of one forum (and we're probably thinking of the same one here), which has a large amount of leaked content posted every year. It's a sizable community, and when I mentioned the leaked content to TLG's community guys at Brickfair (in a "hey, so if they can do it, why can't we?" way), they responded with "we had no idea they do that. We don't pay as much attention to their forums as we do yours."
 

 
It's not just that one forum. BZP is pretty much the only major lego fansite now that has such a strict image policy. Most others - including at least one that BZP nevertheless allows links to - have been hosting and discussing the images for months now. This would be awkward on its own right, except for the fact that the justification for this policy....
 

BZP is at least twice the size of any other LEGO online forum, and the most prominent. Flickr users regularly have leaked images forcibly removed, and everytime we've let things just slide in the past, is has resulted in legal cease and desist notifications.
 

 
 
.... isn't accurate, at least not anymore. There was a time when BZP was at the top of the lego fansite food chain, but since the downtime its active member base has shrunk significantly, to the point where the forum both you and me were thinking of has on average several times as many browsers. It strikes me as rather odd that TLC doesn't realize this, not to mention rather unfair.
 

...It should be noted that the community coordinators at Brickfair are specifically the community coordinators for North America, so they can't be expected to keep track of websites in other regions like Europe. It's highly probable that Jan Beyer, Europe's community coordinator, handles other sites like Brickset and the other forum we're probably all thinking of. And if we are thinking of the same other forum, then yes, they DO get cease-and-desist letters just like BZPower does, and so they do have rules in place against certain types of discussion of leaked content. Theirs just aren't as strict as BZPower's, so it's possible they don't face the same restrictions as American sites do.

And in general, I don't think BZPower NEEDS rules against merely discussing leaked content. The fact that they have them simply shows that they are committed to assisting TLG's efforts on a real level, rather than just "in word only" (whereas less-strict forums often have rules that let you discuss or even link to leaked info you find on other sites, which is only taken down if a specific request is placed by TLG, but members still can't post leaked pictures directly on the boards). I'd consider that a positive aspect of BZPower's rules rather than a negative, even if it means members here have to become more involved elsewhere in the online LEGO community if they really want to get info before they are intended to.

[Toa Zaz]

The external forum taboo is becoming increasingly pointless, since everybody here seems to know and frequent this "one forum." Maybe the staff ought to, at least for this topic, let it slide.

[MisterGryphon]

 

And then we can't discuss religion or politics even if we act civil about it.

The problem with that is that many people between the age of 13 and 18, and even many people above 18 simply can't discuss it in a civil manner. Many of them can't accept other opinions, and that can lead to some very extreme arguments that simply can't be controlled. Even if some people can discuss it like civil people, there are others that can't, and the administration can't just keep somebody from posting because they can't talk about those things civilly, and let other people discuss it. That's just discriminatory and unfair.

The problems I have is that 1) there aren't BZPower-specific apps (I'd love to make an Android one however), and 2) the many restrictions and glitches on the mobile skin.

 

 

I would love to have a BZP mobile app. It would definitely help me post more, since I don't get many chances to sit down and post without being interrupted and whatnot. I do also strongly agree with your point about religion and politics, because I've seen many things on various forums and wikis where users on both sides of a fight got extremely intense and way too emphatic about their opinions.

[Space Marine]

Mobile App: IPB Mobile.

[Rooster Nui]

Discussing certain things may trigger bad behaviour with other people.

[Peach 00]

Latest war?

 

We say that this is a kid's site. It is, no matter what. There are plenty of kids here, and just because they aren't active here very often here, doesn't mean they can discuss the topic. Everybody says, "well everybody here is eighteen or older or somewhere in their teens." Just because you people hear things like this at high school and public school, doesn't, again, mean it can be discussed here.

 

What more can I say? This is a site full of mostly self-absorbed teenagers. The minority here are the kids, and maybe, just maybe, we ought to think a little bit more about the kids here. They're here, and they're not smart. They'll go and look at topics and blog posts about those subjects because they don't know any better. You'll say, "well they shouldn't look at it." My aforementioned thoughts should just about sum up my answer.

 

That all aside, it's just a pointless subject to beat to death. I'll close with this: What can you possibly prove here, of all places a kids' site, by stating your views on controversial subjects that are forbidden here?

[Booker DeWitt]

Latest war?

 

We say that this is a kid's site. It is, no matter what. There are plenty of kids here, and just because they aren't active here very often here, doesn't mean they can discuss the topic. Everybody says, "well everybody here is eighteen or older or somewhere in their teens." Just because you people hear things like this at high school and public school, doesn't, again, mean it can be discussed here.

 

What more can I say? This is a site full of mostly self-absorbed teenagers. The minority here are the kids, and maybe, just maybe, we ought to think a little bit more about the kids here. They're here, and they're not smart. They'll go and look at topics and blog posts about those subjects because they don't know any better. You'll say, "well they shouldn't look at it." My aforementioned thoughts should just about sum up my answer.

 

That all aside, it's just a pointless subject to beat to death. I'll close with this: What can you possibly prove here, of all places a kids' site, by stating your views on controversial subjects that are forbidden here?

Gonna have to be less vague here. Are you talking about the whole sexism thing? Because that isn't unsuitable for kids, it isn't forbidden, and it isn't controversial. Same with the whole homosexuality thing that happens every now and again. As for your final statement, you answered your own question. It IS a kids' site, which is why it's a good place to stamp out prejudices before they have time to fester. I also disagree entirely with your view that kids aren't smart. But yeah, as DeeVee says:

 

Okay, I am going to Blog Leader this.
 
These discussions, on sexuality and gender and whatever are explicitly allowed. Insulting someone else is not. That's why these are allowed- because not allowing them limits the rights of our members to equally express their feelings on subjects they have no control over.
 
The BZPower official position is that intolerance is not to be tolerated. You will respect other genders, other sexualities, and you will not complain and moan about how that infringes on your mythical freedom of religion or speech- because you do not have the right to hurt others with your religion and you do not have the right to use your beliefs to belittle or batter the free expression of someone's sexuality or gender.
 
Calling someone who is clearly sexist (as Zar's posts have indeed been) is not an insult- it is an accurate label. You guys don't like it? Don't espouse sexist rhetoric. It will not be tolerated by our membership, and it will not be tolerated by me or the staff. It is explicitly against the BZP rules and guidelines.
 
I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYMORE SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC, BIGOTED RHETORIC IN THE BLOGS. IT IS NOT MORAL, IT IS NOT KIND, IT IS NOT RIGHT.
 
I want it to be clear- the only thing that those who stand opposed to such rhetoric and ideology have done wrong, regardless of staff members who agree with those toxic views have said, is hurl insults instead of calmly and justifiably point out the errors. I will not have people called names and insulted.
 
But yes, this is an education. And I will levy it right now:
 
If your views and ideas are that women are not equal in capability to men, or that homosexual members should not be allowed to express their feelings and romantic desires, then your views are inappropriate and against the tide of history. In this way, your views belittle entire swaths of humanity for simply being who they are, and I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS. IT IS WRONG, AND IT WILL STOP. Your views are toxic- and I will not allow them to poison these blogs. The expression of these views is against the rules.
 
Let me quote them for you:
 
 
Quote

BZPower does not condone discrimination or intolerance. Members should not treat each other with disdain or contempt because of race, religious preference, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or a similar quality or belief. In addition, speech or acts that isolate others or belittle them because of a physiological trait or a belief are not acceptable. This especially includes saying you are anti or against a group of people that can be characterized by a shared quality or belief.

 
You are against the equality of women? We don't condone discrimination. You are against the free and equal expression of our homosexual members? We don't condone intolerance.
 
And lastly: if you stand for intolerance, no, you are not covered under these rules as well. Your views are not allowed, and they are not welcome, because they are not right.

 

Then again, your post is so vague you might be on about something else entirely, so sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick.

 

- Tilius

[~~Zarkan~~]

 

Gonna have to be less vague here. Are you talking about the whole sexism thing? Because that isn't unsuitable for kids, it isn't forbidden, and it isn't controversial. Same with the whole homosexuality thing that happens every now and again. As for your final statement, you answered your own question. It IS a kids' site, which is why it's a good place to stamp out prejudices before they have time to fester. I also disagree entirely with your view that kids aren't smart.

 

 

As I have said before, the real problem with these discussions isn't that they are allowed, but that since the downtime they have been eclipsing many topics on the site. The latest flame war literally recieved more immediate attention and racked up posts more quickly than entire subforums of BZPower. In fact, from my point of view, the blogs in general seem to be diverting the focus of BZP away from its original purpose - discussion lego - which is a serious problem as far as I'm concened. There are literally thousands of other sites where you can have debates about these issues - and as far as I know, no other lego fansite has seen so much attention and heated discussion devoted to these subjects, especially to the point that they overtake actual lego discussion.

Edited by ~~Zarkan~~, Dec 20 2012 - 10:50 AM.

[Sumiki]

As I have said before, the real problem with these discussions isn't that they are allowed, but that since the downtime they have been eclipsing many topics on the site. The latest flame war literally recieved more immediate attention and racked up posts more quickly than entire subforums of BZPower. In fact, from my point of view, the blogs in general seem to be diverting the focus of BZP away from its original purpose - discussion lego - which is a serious problem as far as I'm concened. There are literally thousands of other sites where you can have debates about these issues - and as far as I know, no other lego fansite has seen so much attention and heated discussion devoted to these subjects, especially to the point that they overtake actual lego discussion.

 

The blogs have been around since far before the downtime, and as someone who has frequented that section of this site nearly since its inception, I can say with 100% certainty that it hasn't taken away discussion. It's essentially an extension of COT, which has been one of the most popular subforums even before BIONICLE was canceled. The decrease in activity was due to the cancelation of BIONICLE and the long downtime that ensued.

 

You seem to be implying that there's only so much discussion to go around, when in reality many of the participators in the recent blog drama are folks that are already active.

 

Sexism, homophobia, racism, or any sort of prejudice whatsoever is inappropriate everywhere. We cannot move on into the future as a species without eliminating them. Isn't it a service to tear morally wrong points of view down, rather than let them slide as if they are appropriate?

Edited by Sumiki, Dec 20 2012 - 11:13 AM.

[Yukiko]

 

Well, first, it bugs me how hard it is to find my BZPRPG profile (in the BZPRPG profile page.).  It would be nice if we had a search engine sorta thing for that.

 

Another thing.....I have reported stuff several times, and it has gotten on the homepage at least 3 times, but no proto boost.  Oh well.

You can search for specific posts in any thread. Alternatively, Ctrl-F is your friend.

 

 

---

So true.  I don't know what I did before I found that little button.

 

 

As I have said before, the real problem with these discussions isn't that they are allowed, but that since the downtime they have been eclipsing many topics on the site. The latest flame war literally recieved more immediate attention and racked up posts more quickly than entire subforums of BZPower. In fact, from my point of view, the blogs in general seem to be diverting the focus of BZP away from its original purpose - discussion lego - which is a serious problem as far as I'm concened. There are literally thousands of other sites where you can have debates about these issues - and as far as I know, no other lego fansite has seen so much attention and heated discussion devoted to these subjects, especially to the point that they overtake actual lego discussion.

 

The blogs have been around since far before the downtime, and as someone who has frequented that section of this site nearly since its inception, I can say with 100% certainty that it hasn't taken away discussion. It's essentially an extension of COT, which has been one of the most popular subforums even before BIONICLE was canceled. The decrease in activity was due to the cancelation of BIONICLE and the long downtime that ensued.

 

You seem to be implying that there's only so much discussion to go around, when in reality many of the participators in the recent blog drama are folks that are already active.

 

Sexism, homophobia, racism, or any sort of prejudice whatsoever is inappropriate everywhere. We cannot move on into the future as a species without eliminating them. Isn't it a service to tear morally wrong points of view down, rather than let them slide as if they are appropriate?

 

-----

 

Just want to but in here, though I completely agree with your views, to say they are universal is somewhat of a debatable point.  I think the real goal of this forum should be to promote equality, not tear down prejudice, if that makes any sense.  Insults, of course, are always inappropriate.  But the problem comes when every word with the slightest negative connotation is filtered.  As a writer, this kind of irks me.  I think a better policy would be to filter insulting posts themselves instead of words.

 

Also:

 

I use Pages to compose large posts/stories on this forum, and the formatting has this unfortunate habit of eating all my punctuation.  I don't know if people who use word have this problem as well.

Edited by Yukiko, Dec 20 2012 - 01:08 PM.

[TNT-Vezon with an Olmak]

The file size limit for pictures. And the fact that we can't mention that one video streaming site that everyone knows about anyway. But I wanted the GIF animation in my "About Me" to be my sig (and it was for a few seconds, woops), but I discovered that you were allowed only a certain amount of KB's. Mine way exceeded it.

[Peach 00]

@ Tilius: No point in arguing about it. I have my views, you have yours. Unfortunately, you and a few other hundred feel the need to state your views on a kids' site. What does that make you, some hero? Do you think you're going to get a gold star? No. Neither am I. I don't expect it, because I'm simply stating my views. Just like you are. We'll disagree constantly and we'll get no where, and that's the point. And when it gets to that point, that's where we just forget about it because we know we'll never agree.

 

Also, it's not like I'm being prejudice or anything like that in any way. I have no problem with a person's race or orientation or whatever. You can be who you are, and I really have no problem with it. It just gets to a point where, when I have no problem with that, people think that deep down I really hate them or something when I don't and decide to antagonize me for apparently being prejudice when I really am not. (...Backwards logic much? Seriously, that's how some people react to me... =/)

 

But that all aside, to me, from what I see, me speaking my views is apparently wrong and exercising my right to free speech isn't allowed. And even if it is, I just become ostracized by the staff and all the members from the site for being who I am just like everybody else is.

 

But hey, look. Tilius, I know we'll never reach an agreement. You know my views, I know yours. My thoughts? Let's move on. We shouldn't forget it, but we can just move on and learn. Perhaps you've already learned before, and it's my time to learn. It's hard to say. Anyhow, maybe we can bury the hatchet, I don't know. I wouldn't mind moving on, and I already regret bringing this back up, since it had finally settled down, so perhaps you can forgive me for that. I apologize for being rude, and I hope you can forgive me. =)

 

(Also, kids are indeed smart, depending on the age. Some are incredibly ignorant, however. Take me, for example, haha. I'm twelve, so maybe that will explain why I have no self-restraint from keeping my mouth shut. =P And, I wrote those comments at around eight this morning, just after I woke up, which probably wasn't the wisest move on my part...)