A few suggestions

LOCOENG
i just had to say this...

And if ye are a good Member ye will receive a Super Duper Mickey Mouse Decoder Ring with a secret password to the hidden forum (invites only),

 

When we ripped out our 80 year old furnace, we found a Little Orphan Annie Decoder pin, will this work?

 

LOCOENG
i got one, a Super Duper Mickey Mouse Decoder Ring and now i can get in..

 

mods have to have a Super Duper Mickey Mouse Decoder Ring to get in..

 

@ Loco
I can fully understand your frustration at the disruption to some interesting threads some members can cause, but surely just moving all "popular" long standing members to their own closed forum will just dilute the Afterdawn forum pages.

Trouble makers are usually routed out quickly by the mods and warnings are clear for all see in the forums, ignoring said warnings results in timely suspensions and in the worst cases bans.

Discussions on how the site is run or managed is surely best left to the owners and moderators. If members wish to suggest improvements then surely this forum is the place to do it http://forums.afterdawn.com/forum_view.cfm/13
That way all ideas can be thrown around and discussed by all interested members, as ultimately that is who any changes will effect. The owners can then decide whether to implement anything that they feel improves the site.

Whilst I agree the rating system leaves a lot to be desired, attaining the Afterdawn addict / senior member status doesn't come without a little prestige or even respect. I realise some have attained these status' by the back door, most have not and their opinions are held in high regard. The creation of a new tier of membership, would indeed be a form of elitism and also censorship. AD already has a tiered approach, owners, staff, admin, mods and various forms of member status. By creating a privileged sub-set, the rest of the board becomes inconsequential and anyone who doesn't belong to the uppermost tiers will have their opinion automatically disregarded as nOOb or Newbie, without any thought or discussion to their relevance.

Just look around the forums now, the safety valve is rarely visited by anyone but the most die hard AD fans. It is a place that can be used for everything that has been suggested without the exclusion of other members. The IRC channel can also be used by anyone, but I bet it’s mostly frequented by the same members’ day in day out, as is their want. These two places are the domains of the members that you suggest a private place for, so the creation of a locked lounge seems rather a waste of resources.

As to a reward for long time Stirling service to AD, surely the recognition of a member’s worthiness to the forums by their peers is reward enough? or as Ireland suggests would a gift of a

make a difference

 

pyffy
this is why the Safety valve is not being posted to..most of the old timers have moved on check out this thread and see who are still around here...

examples

ireland,gerry1,Lethal_B,ddp,GrandpaBW,Jerry746

aabbccdd,borhan9,gear79,sobhy2406,gurnard,geestar20

SypherTek,rosedog,Nephilim,creaky,PnkPantha

tocool4u,LOCOENG,Jizmak,forkman,Phantom69

andmerr,dr_no,Nicklt,Buik,pulsar,Logik666,flip218

brian100,Jamzbond,FartDude,Mik3h,brian100,Rotary

kivory666,darthnip,Alien13,dvdsndict,dvdsndict

DVDBack23,ScubaPete,Rotary,gwendolin,Phyco_Can

Jizmak,The_OGS,Logik666,permiggs,Hunter007,IHoe

cyprusrom,fasfrank,Mr_Taz_UK,zippyd,Damon1,Wylds1

rav009,jim_dandy,rick5446,svar91,drchips,howlling

runner121,DVDBack23,1Adonis4u,binkie7,drchips,Peeps101

CJC,marleyboy,EvaMae and let not for get arniebear




No1-Where Did All The Old Timers Go Who Helped Out Here At Afterdawn,Who's Still Here? All Please Check In! CLOSED!
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/313609

 

Read this a while back and liked it from the start, that VIP forum or whatever you want to call it sounds great

 

if ye remember i asked for a private AfterDawn Addict and mod board b4 and drd shot it down..

look back in this board ye will find the thread...

 

Hi Rav,
I have read about all the missing people that seem to have moved on. Remember although I am only a junior member I have been lurking for 2 years now.
I understand peoples frustrations and I guess a few people have left the boards due to them. But I bet most have moved on due to pressures of life and family. However, the nature of public forums is there will always be real "new" people who do only think of their problems. They won't use the search function let alone google their problem. They will take the advice given, if at all and then be on their way, with no thought of adding to discussions or imparting any knowledge they may have. The world is full of selfish people, however I always have viewed AD as a meeting of the minds. The initiated and the un-initiated. If a new forum is created for the initiated to the exclusion of the uninitiated, isnt that rather hypocritical?

@Ireland
I remember your thread and I agree that some members deserve to be recognised for their work here on AD. However my gripe is the forming of a private club. AD should remain a public forum and then members have something to aspire to.

 

I am still here, sigh.

 

So you are arniebear and a revelation to all who look for your posts.

 

another reason the posts are down in the Safety valve

and i did for get this as posting in the Safety valve now post padding does not count toward moving up towards member level as it once did...

for those that did not know this go here to read drd post.....
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/324494
and here
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/102943

 

Sounds interesting..only hangup I would see is if someone is 'removed' from that forum but copies and pastes something from there not meant for the public. I think a few of the requirements before even being submitted for entry is at least one year on AD, trying to help more than posting rubbish and admins/ mods should be the only people that have the right to add or remove a member from that forum.

 

this is when the Secret Mickey Mouse Decoder Ring come into the play
so only those that have that ring will know about the secret room

 

lol @ Ireland,

I do agree there needs to be a private room for AD members to work out their grievances and to discuss things which may help AD in the long run in a setting not for public comment.

 

A few interesting points to counter here.

On what merits would the “noobs” or any other member be invited in? The ability to “gossip” behind another member’s back? The policing of the forums appears to work quite well with all the tools to get the job done at the Moderator’s disposal. The forum rules are in plain English and easy to understand should the perpertrators bother to read them. The one that seems to stick in my mind and I think is relevant here is rule #6[bold]6. No foul language, insults, personal attacks or otherwise rude messages. [/bold] any member breaching that rule old or new should be dealt with. A forum is a place to swap ideas and enter into meaningful discussions and also to resolve differences in a civilised manner. If all hell breaks loose then there has been “failure to communicate” and a Mod needs to step in. Why does AD need a private bear pit for brutal flame wars? If there is something in a thread you disagree with either, try to verbalise your differing/opposing point of view without profanity, ignore it and continue with the topic in discussion or use the unsubscribe button. Why worry about something that is obviously below you? If you have a gripe put it in the safety valve.

Why would self control not be favourable to a “secret society” or “inner circle” that allows you to snipe off topic behind everyone but the chosens backs without chance of recourse. Should two members of the “inner circle” choose to break the forum rules and try to eviscerate each other in “Times new Roman” script then why should they be given the privilege of doing it anonymously? I love a good fight, so do it in public and let them be judged accordingly. What happened to freedom of speech? Why should every one be protected from the “noobs” amongst us? Sounds like something from the 40’s or 50’s “watch out the commies are coming!!” Most of the flame wars I have witnessed in the last few months have been instigated by the very people who should know better. So surely the bans that have been served are a far better reminder to everyone that this sort of behaviour is not tolerated in polite society. If there really is a member who is beyond redemption in your eyes then report their behaviour to the powers that be. That is why they are there, that’s what moderators do…moderate.

Ok, enough all ready, I hear you say. Just remember I am only playing devils advocate here and love a good debate. The freedom of speech has been hard fought for in many campaigns around the globe over many centuries and is still being fought for on many fronts. Don’t give it up easily and don't hide behind a "private room"