Smart Comments

[Vibrio]

hey Vibrio!

Have a happy and prosperous new year! and I wish you the best with your site!

Well, actually I kinda gave up on that site because I started a different one. Instead, I started one for a theme park near me. Ok, I know what you are thinking. Theme park-there aint gonna be any intelligent posts on there, so that doesn't count. Well, it does count! Everyone on my site is a roller coaster enthusiast, to some level. Not only do we like to ride the coasters, but we like to learn about them. I bet each one of us could talk about the workings of different roller coasters and most of the members here would be like "what?" See, I am not all about biology, I am about every science.

My site consists of people ranging from ages 11 to 19 (with one member being 53, but thats cause she's my mom). So, we are all pretty young. I know you shouldn't let anyone under 13 on, but the two that are 11 and 12 are two of the most intelligent middle-schoolers you will ever meet. You could never tell that they are so young. All of us discuss things that connect to physics and technology. The 12-year-old and I know a heck of a lot about our favorite coaster...its a science thing! I bet if you could read some of the posts coaster enthusiasts make on their sites, you would see that its more than just talking about how much you like a ride...its going into the technical aspects of how the ride is launched, why a certain ride broke down (technical aspects) etc...

Here is an example of a very intelligent coaster enthusiast post:

Each car weighs 2,000lbs. There are 7. 7x2,000=14,000. Now we have riders. Lets say every rider weighs 100lbs. 100x14=14,000. 14,000x2=28,000. So these LIMs need to launch a 28,000ibs+ train. Try pushing that, No one can push a 28,000ibs object even if it does have wheels. Bottom Line: The LIMs do an amazing job launching what they have to.

Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka (which really shouldn't be on there because it's the EXACT same thing as Top Thrill Dragster except taller, faster, and a hill): Yes, they require a launch to gain speed. However, They have a HUGE motor that winds the cable. How is that done? By mixing nitrogen and oil together to create a reaction that act like a spring. When the cable car attaches, the mixture goes into accuamulators. Bottom Line: They have chemistry, and electricity to make them work. V2 only has little magnets to launch it. Bottom Line, V2 only has electricity to make it work.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I WAS successful in making a forum with intelligent posting, it may not be bio, but it is scientific! I'm also not saying this to brag, its to show that intelligent forums can be sucessful without admins/mods being rude to their members. So, if that was meant to be sarcastic, LilKim, then I guess you can say this is sort of "in your face"...If that was not to be sarcastic, sorry...and then only the first reason applies. (Unless anyone else on this forum thought I couldn't make an intelligent successful site)

I started my site in mid January, its not at all huge yet. But what can you expect? Its only been 5 months. Nobody has given any complaints yet. We have a strict rule against being rude to others. As a matter of fact, another theme park site I am on had a problem with people being rude to others. The admin cracked down on it and since then, there is hardly a problem...and no one complains. Let me add that this kid just turned 16 and has not a single moderator working for him! Yes, he does it all by himself. Its a very successful site!

I understand that it can be a pain answering a thousand of the same question day after day, I really would not want to do that ALL the time either. And yes, you get annoyed. But showing your annoyance through being rude is not the professional way to do it. First, try to keep your cool about all the same questions and if you can, answer them. If you are so fed up that you can't, take a breather and nicely tell the person to do a search.

Here is a good example from a theme park site (not mine) that I am a part of. The admin wrote this: (Let me add he was 15 yrs old at the time)
"Welcome. Please be aware that there is a strict "No Rumor Policy" here. This is not Screamscape. Please do not start or discuss rumors here. Thank You."
Now, isnt that the way to put it? I say, if you want to keep the rules you have, totally cool! But if you don't have enough patience to alert members in a nice way, then why are you being a moderator?