I think I was the first to ask if the removal was intentional, and when I learned that it was, I drew the parallel to heavy handed moderation. That being said, I can't recall ever being accused of "abusing" a smiley. And the protests I see are coming from a number of folks who seem to be mostly well behaved (from my interactions with them). Is this really a true statement, or is it a bit of a stretch?
Moderation: Too much or too little?
- Thread starter Cave Diver
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I think I was the first to ask if the removal was intentional, and when I learned that it was, I drew the parallel to heavy handed moderation. That being said, I can't recall ever being accused of "abusing" a smiley. And the protests I see are coming from a number of folks who seem to be mostly well behaved (from my interactions with them). Is this really a true statement, or is it a bit of a stretch?
After your sledgehammer has eliminated every possible object in your kitchen, that a fly might land upon, and that pesky fly is still buzzing around your head, is it time to reach for a bigger hammer, or just swat that one fly, and be done with it?
An analogy can only go so far... a point lost on most so far. Somehow, I don't feel that I'm the one "slamming" others with a sledge hammer at this point. 
As has been pointed out, people will often take offense when none was intended.
As for the shenanigans smiley, that's my little creation! You'll only find it here unless someone has copied it for elsewhere. It's fun, it's cheeky and it was inspired by my daughter who uses the word quite often. If you don't pull them, you won't get called for
As has been pointed out, people will often take offense when none was intended. As for the shenanigans smiley, that's my little creation! You'll only find it here unless someone has copied it for elsewhere. It's fun, it's cheeky and it was inspired by my daughter who uses the word quite often. If you don't pull them, you won't get called for
:gans:
I know it's only seen here...and when I've seen it used, I thought it was very insulting to the intended target.
This thread is beginning to turn in circles. May as well close it, for lack of progress by either party.
You can always disable viewing images (including smilies) as well as avatars and signatures here => http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions We don't force them on you.
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I wasn't raised in a bubble honest, I took it to be a light hearted joke, like 'tomfoolery" or being silly but in a harmless way or something, is it nasty?
Guess I need to get out more or start wearing some slightly more cynical/critical glasses. Seems the mods may be saving me and I didn't even know I was being drowned.
OK back to my happy place
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Bob,
using your logic, I am certain that you have screwdrivers available at every window and door since you don't see them as a threat.
No Pete ... that's not my logic at all.
My logic is that you're making decisions that affect all 200,000 users of your board based on the actions of maybe a dozen members.
A couple years back you made the same decision when you disabled the "Thanks" feature ... based on the fact that a handful of members were using it in ways that you considered abusiive. Basically, they were Thanking each other for posts that struck you as "dogpiling". And therefore everyone lost the "Thanks" feature.
Now, if you look at who's been using the popcorn smiley in a way that you have decided is unfriendly, you'll discover that it's basically those same people. And so once again you're responding to what you perceive as their bad behavior by removing the means they're using to express themselves. And once again, the vast majority of people who are affected by it weren't using it in the manner you've based your decision on.
So what makes you think this same small group of users won't just go find some other smiley ... or some other feature ... that will enable them to continue doing the same thing again? What's next, Pete ... remove the "Like" function? I've already seen a couple of people complaining that people who make snarky comments get "Liked" by their friends ... and once again, they're complaining about the same users who misused the Thanks and the popcorn smiley.
You can't change someone's behavior by taking away their toys, Pete ... they'll just find something else to play with. You have to address the behavior at the source ... and the source isn't the tool, it's the person who's misusing it. What you're doing amounts to TSA management practices ... one guy gets on a plane with explosives in his shoe, so now everybody has to take their shoes off. It doesn't address the problem ... it just gives the appearance that you're doing something about it.
If the board looks "unfriendly" because a handful of people are misusing a tool, you aren't going to make it any friendlier by removing the tool ... you have to address it at the level of those who are misusing it.
And for the record, I own a drawer full of screwdrivers ... and I've never once used one to break into someone's house. I'd be mighty upset if someone decided to ban screwdrivers ... or even make it harder for me to own one ... because of the actions of a few people who misused them.
Also for the record, I'm not the least bit concerned about the smiley ... I almost never used it anyway. I have other ways of expressing myself. My concern is that the manner in which you're trying to resolve the problem is ineffective, and basically treats everyone as though they were the ones who were misbehaving. In that respect, Pete, it isn't the miscreants that are making the board less friendly ... it's the management team that behaves as though they are assuming that no one is capable of using the features of the board responsibly ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
That was indeed the spirit in which it was created. Not to repeat myself but:
Taking offense should be listed as an All American past time. It seems to be ingrained in every facet of our society. A few smilies were removed and now I am bludgeoning flies with a sledge hammer, depriving good honest crooks of their screw drivers and fomenting shenanigans outside of Ireland. It gives way to my continuous observation that no good deed will go unpunished.
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