Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

BMG needs a ‘Block User’ feature.

By

It’s most likely a simple toggle feature on the Administrator dashboard.

If the mods won’t clean up the board, they might as well allow the members to improve what they see themselves.

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0

Comments

  1. It’s called a mouse and it allows you to click on posters you like and not click on those you don’t.

    • That’s why most sites have the ‘block user’ feature.
      Of course I’m speaking of properly run sites, though.

      • a) Nobody is forcing you to participate here.
        b) Things like a “block user” feature cost money. We already operate this site at a financial loss. If you wish to help with development of new features, a good first step is to subscribe. We can discuss larger gifts at another time.

          • Do you really think that a “block user” feature is just a matter of our clicking a box in a magical admin panel somewhere? I can assure you, that’s not the case. It would mean serving up a potentially nearly infinite variety of different views, depending on the personal preferences of thousands of registered users. It’s a non-trivial programming task. And I’d be very interested in the answer to johnt001’s question below: what “properly run” sites do you have in mind that offer this marvelous feature?

        • a) Nobody is forcing you to participate here.

          A significantly onerous signal to noise ratio might be something that forces him/her not to participate here. If you care about active participation then you ought to care about active obstructions to that participation. Other sites may have found this feature useful and so a flippant “Nobody is forcing you…” isn’t particularly germane. IMHO.

            • What you can’t do is edit your comments after submitting them, and there’s a reason for that. Allowing users to edit their comments would allow unscrupulous users to change what was said after someone else replies, thereby making the person who replied look bad.

              As for your comments about signal to noise, I just downrate the noise and move on, it doesn’t really alter my participation here. What i have asked for in the past is for certain users to be banned for lowering the discourse, Dan From Waltham being the most prominent example of that, he was truly disruptive.

              I’d really like to know which blogs have a “block user” button, which methuenprogressive claims can be found on “well run” web sites. I’ve never seen that feature in a blog, certainly not in WordPress, the code base for BMG. It is available on forum-style discussion boards like php_BB, but sites like DKos, Crooks and Liars, ThinkProgress, Hullabaloo, Eschaton, etc do not give users the ability to block other users’ posts and comments, as far as I know.

              • … not “posts.” I was, indeed, aware that you can edit posts and not comments.

                Thanks for the corrective.

              • It just needs to be time limited. You can only edit a comment for the 5 minutes after it was posted. I’ve seen that places. It’s good for fixing typos and mistakes.

                • I believe Opinio Juris has this feature, or at least had it.

                  Like the editors, I administer a website that uses wordpress software, and I can confirm that what Methuenprogressive is rudely demanding is non-trivial from an administrative perspective.

  2. Your motto on your profile is ‘Your opponent can’t talk with your fist in his mouth’. Perhaps you would be happier on an echo-chamber site at that.

    • I think a big part of small l liberalism is the marketplace of ideas, bad ideas can be taken down with better ideas-not louder shouting and not Pravda style censorship. How EB3 polarizes to this degree is beyond me, but I know plenty of posters who simply skip over his byline and save themselves the headache-it’s really easy. When I read his stuff and I like it I’ll recommend, when I don’t, I will skip the thread. Again, this is incredibly easy.

      The OP reminds me of the alcoholic blaming the bartender or a fat person suing McDonalds. If you know it’s junk-don’t drink it or eat it. And if you think his posts are junk-don’t read it. Way easier than charging for access to this site or allowing us to silo off into our own echo chambers. I for one would stop coming here, so would most elected officials and other notable posters since the readership clearly wouldn’t be interested in engaging with ideas.

      • It’s about one particular BMGer who for many of us detracts from an otherwise great experience on this site. Contrary opinions aren’t the issue; insulting anyone who engages with him is. No, it’s not that easy to just skip. Once you are in the comment thread you see what you see.

          • No, it’s not that easy to just skip.

            It actually is! Back when DFW was still here, if I saw that byline on any thread, I knew it was shit, and I skipped. Gave up engaging long ago and I started to ignore his replies to my comments on other threads-we all started to do this, and lo and behold he doesn’t come round these parts no more. Similarly, if you feel EB3 is just as bad, just skip his freakin posts. Scroll over them to the next thread and don’t read them. Then you won’t be tempted to comment.

            If you know he will insult you, why bother engaging with him? If you feel he is a troll, DFTT and you’re life will be easier.

            Blocking users sounds like a complex and expensive solution to a very simple problem your willpower can easily solve..

            I ecourage MP, you, and Kirth not to read his posts or comment on them. Do that for a week, call it the Fakearnie challenge and you don’t even need a bucket of ice to dump on your head.

            • That’s a perfect example of a diary which is itself completely innocuous by a longtime BMGer and highly respected activist being derailed by his thinking he’s all that. Everyone, including those who don’t reply and those who downrate has to see the junk he throws in. There are rules against insults and attacks, but don’t seem to be enforced against him. In fact one time a few months ago an editor warned ME against “attacking” him over what was intended as a good-natured ribbing!

              • And, that guy chooses to make bullying comments about people who attend a party.

                Do you think that he is paid to do that?

            • 1. Trolls deflect discussions. DFW employed the technique I just did of putting the user name in the comment title to make his comments difficult to ignore.

              2. Some of us regard BMG as a sort of bulletin board of Massachusetts Democrats or progressives from our corner of the Northeast. When “Republican lies” show up here such readers feel they “have to be” refuted.

              Disruptive contributors can successfully turn any discussion of how to win, say, on climate change into an examination of Al Gore’s travel plans or heating bills.

            • To quote eb3 in this thread, 36 hours ago.
              Like a fart at a funeral, you’d like to ignore it, but it still stinks up the place.

              • Does one group at the funeral get to decide how offensive an individual is and thereby ban the offender from future funerals? What about the people who thought the person was funny? Seriously, how would this work? Like jconway, I think the idea of group bans or shunning or whatever you want to term it seems outdated, undemocratic, and would have a chilling effect on the exchange of ideas. We may not always like what eb3 has to say or how he says it, but he does take on some serious matters and provides a perspective that often goes against the prevailing wisdom. So, we all vote to ban him, and then what? We’re all adults here. Are people really suffering from fainting fits after reading the “bad” words that he uses now and then?

                • …if the rules regarding personal attacks already in place were enforced consistently. You can have an angle without being insulting.

                • The purpose of Blue Mass. Group is to develop ideas that will invigorate progressive leadership in Massachusetts and the nation. Robust debate is an important means to that end. We welcome bold, constructive observations.

                  This is nce.

                  To us, this means commentary typical of thoughtful discussion between acquaintances who may hold differing views on important issues, but who debate those issues in a respectful manner. Insults, personal attacks, rudeness, and blanket unsupported statements reduce the level of discourse, interfere with our basic objective, and are not permitted.

                  This would be nice.

                • really, talk about ….. I don’t know what. Someone help me out
                  What are we talking about here?

  5. that hid comments with too many downratings. The comments still existed and could be read, but they didn’t interfere with the thread. Given that this is technically too difficult or costly, I’ve learned to live with things as is. At the moment, I can’t think of anyone on BMG (or their comments) that I’d like to see disappear, so I don’t see the need for the feature.

    For the record, there’s only one diarist who I ever wanted banned. I made the argument for it, but lost. Eventually he was driven out. I’d like to think I helped drive him out.

    • Our Ernie
      Who art in cyberspace
      Irreverent is your game
      Thy detractors come
      Sounding shrill to some
      On the web as it is in real life
      Write us this day our daily thread
      and beleaguer us with your crustyness
      as we beleaguer those who are crusty against you
      And read us no into stagnation
      But deliver us from boredom.

      Amen.

  7. I was corresponding off-line with another longtime BMGer who like me visits less often than in the past. Here is what this person had to say:

    “I also find I am losing some interest in BMG and am not entirely sure why. It seems that less time is being devoted to ideas and more to expressing umbrage at real or perceived slights. And then there’s the endless back and forth over the value of EB3’s contributions.”

    Amen. I think a little maturity on all sides would go a long way.

    • I’ve never considered him as anything other than a minor feature for this site, I do agree with your tack on ideas, I tried starting that awhile back so we can be less reactive to news and campaigns and think more about longterm goals. You are free to chime in on my thread about the interconnected fight against racism and inequality.

    • the nature of online communication: “expressing umbrage at real or perceived slights.” There’s a lot of self-definition. I think the reason is a lack of non-verbal communication in which we would notice the impact of our words and adjust accordingly.

      BMG conversation rarely transcends its originating material, and in my experience, the least interested discussion occurs during election season, which, thank God, is finally over.

    • I participate less than I once did, but that is because I am less interested in horse-race posts, or pure political tactics. But there is enough interesting material to keep me coming back, and to binge on an interesting thread now and again.

      I think there is a similar phenomenon with EB3– the occasional interesting point makes it worthwhile. I skip the EB3 prediction threads, as well as the ones that are obviously about 6 different things in one post. The endless stream of comments from people getting the vapors because he used a rude word is far, far more tiresome than a dozen of his anti-Larry Lucchino posts.

      • I love and appreciate this site, which reminds me I need to contribute again,

        I just don’t read comments or posts from a few tiresome regulars who just irritate me (my problem).

        I always read comments and posts from a lot of regular favorites who offer new interesting insights from a different point of view even if I don’t agree with their opinions all the time. –like EB3 and Porcupine. I often up rate the posts and comments.

        I especially enjoy commentators who are amusing and point out the flaws in the thinking or attitude of the few tiresome regulars who just irritate me -like EB3 and Porcupine.

  8. So, there are a lot of features that all of us would like. A “killfile” would be nice, among many others. Adding functionality requires a smart and qualified person to implement it. ($)

    Now, as David says, we run at a loss. You know who pays for that loss? Any ideas?

    So I’m assuming that pointing out a shortcoming is an offer to help. Stay tuned to this space — you’ll get your opportunity.

Archives