What can/should/will Askville do to improve the quality of discussions?

There are many good discussions here, but others are cesspools just like you'd find on YouTube, with people slinging mindless insults, talking past each other, saying wild and inflammatory things and refusing to explain themselves, and in at least one case, even threatening to beat up other users! The site that comes to my mind when I think of great discussions has a search feature, so you can read all of someone's comments, or find all comments with certain keywords. It also has a highly visible team of human moderators, who read every discussion and step in publicly when someone crosses a line, unlike the Askville admins, who just silently delete posts once in a while.

Would additions like that help here? Any other suggestions? And do you think Askville will bother implementing them, or do they not care about discussions?

Asked by TaradinoC 53 months ago Similar questions: Askville improve quality discussions Amazon > Askville.

Similar questions: Askville improve quality discussions.

Since they've said time and again they won't appoint moderators. Maye addressing valid abuse reports would be nice. I’ve seen everything from spamming (really blatent spam) in discussions to flaming, people with an obvious agenda dragging the discussion off topic to insulting other people here.

Many of these things are community guidelines violations, but it seems it’s often ignored. Delete the inflammatory posts! If we’re intelligent enough to know when someone isn’t trying to enhance the quality of a discusion and keeps coming back posting rebuttals that have nothing to do with the subject, delete their posts and don’t allow then back into the discussion again.

A simple software algorithm could ensure they weren’t able to post there. askville.amazon.com/askville/OpenQuestio... The block user or ignore function would be nice, because it’s often the same people doing these things. askville.amazon.com/askville/OpenQuestio... Outside all of these obvious things, I think a quote function would be terrific.

I often want to quote someone else's statement and comment on it directly. It seems putting quatations around it never seems to let most people know that you're commenting on that post. If there were an area for you to click that would directly quote a user and ensure their identity was know, maybe via a smaller avatar and a statement like "such and such says * * * *" then the area that you wish to comment or rebutt the post, I think that would make discussions flow more smoothly.It really just comes down to addrssing abuse.

I've seen the same people doing this over and over. If they were penalized for doingit then they'd either have to stop or leave Askville. I would like to se moderators, but that seems less likely than fixing the topics.

Sources: My Epinion .

1 I can't see them doing this, TaradinoC. I think we are considered "on our own" here. It's not that they don't care, it's just not the kind of site they are going for, I'm sure.

I can't see them doing this, TaradinoC. I think we are considered "on our own" here. It's not that they don't care, it's just not the kind of site they are going for, I'm sure.

2 If that's not the kind of site they're going for, maybe they shouldn't feature discussion links so prominently on the front page.

If that's not the kind of site they're going for, maybe they shouldn't feature discussion links so prominently on the front page.

3 That's a pretty strong point, TaradinoC... This user has been banned from Askville.

3 That's a pretty strong point, TaradinoC...

4 I think the key to better discussions is to attract and excite more users to enter the boards. Askville admins should attend to the changes people have requested lately. Some will greatly improve the site.

Right now there are a very small percentage of people answering the bulk of the questions over and over again. That can make things boring and turn people away. Again, the "term paper" responses that get the most points have definitely decreased the amount of answers I, personally, give (I don't have the time nor the patience).

Also, right now there seems (maybe because of summer vacations) to be less activity on the site then there was a few weeks ago. Also a new thought. It seems there is an older crowd in Askville then some other sites and maybe it's this missing younger crowd that is the computer generation that's into discussion sites, the crowd that will make for more interesting discussion.

One man's opinion.

I think the key to better discussions is to attract and excite more users to enter the boards. Askville admins should attend to the changes people have requested lately. Some will greatly improve the site.

Right now there are a very small percentage of people answering the bulk of the questions over and over again. That can make things boring and turn people away. Again, the "term paper" responses that get the most points have definitely decreased the amount of answers I, personally, give (I don't have the time nor the patience).

Also, right now there seems (maybe because of summer vacations) to be less activity on the site then there was a few weeks ago. Also a new thought. It seems there is an older crowd in Askville then some other sites and maybe it's this missing younger crowd that is the computer generation that's into discussion sites, the crowd that will make for more interesting discussion.

One man's opinion.

" "Yay! No more political discussions at Askville. Did you see the new blog?

" "Let's reclaim the old Askville with some intelligent discussions: what's your 'inheritance' poem or quotation? " "Why is it that discussions on Askville stop short just when they're getting interesting?" "Why does Askville have a Forum for "Site Discussions" when nobody on the team responds to the suggestions there? " "With all the political discussions we have on Askville.

Can we agree that with recent events," "Have Askville discussions moved into the Twilight Zone?" "Why Askville? " "where is the outline of how askville works eg what is the difference between "Answers" category & "Discussions"? " "Might there be high-ranking political operatives in these here Askville discussions?

Hmmm?

Yay! No more political discussions at Askville. Did you see the new blog?

With all the political discussions we have on Askville. Can we agree that with recent events.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.