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How come PRSI posts don’t count towards profile post numbers?
- Thread starter keysofanxiety
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PRSI is part of MacRumors.
Many Apple-related posts don't contribute anything.
It could be argued that some PRSI postings contribute more to the world in general than just using a device.
To me, the actual post count is not relevant, I personally never bother to look at that, likes, etc. The point is that staff here at MR have made a decision to exclude posts people make in a specific forum because they deem the content not worthy of counting. No matter how much one may say it doesn't matter, it actually does to staff here or they wouldn't have made the change.
This is about how those who post PRSI content in that area are devalued as members here.
So if PRSI were removed and the posters rarely visit any other parts of the site they would just move on to another site, so what's the purpose in keeping it. Unless it's a money issue and those are valuable eyeballs that as already stated don't visit the rest of the site. Seems like a contradiction.
Yeah, it's gotta be the ad revenue that that forum generates, I'd guess. It's the only thing that makes sense to me.
Your claims are incorrect.
The PRSI is not a focal point of MacRumors, but is provided 1) to allow political discussions that otherwise would bleed into other forum sections, and 2) as a courtesy to users here who enjoy discussing politics, religion, or other social issues.
Reason 1) has to do with experience and a prioritising of moderator resources.
The decision not to have posts in that section count toward post totals has to do with the fact that the forum is considered an "extra". The decision has nothing whatsoever to do with devaluing the users who use the section or those users' opinions. Users who are very interested in politics might well choose another, politically-angled site for their discussions, but it's also a fact that users who have a tech and/or Apple interest in common might like to discuss other subjects with each other, as well.
The point that was brought up earlier about likes "counting" in totals but not the number of posts, is a good point. It's a software limitation, not a choice on our part.
As has been mentioned, there are differing opinions backstage about whether or not the section is worthwhile. Generally speaking, it's a good thing the staff has differing opinions - that's what keeps discussion good. Speaking specifically, and speaking for myself, I can see merit in the arguments on both sides. And at the end of the day, it's the site owner's decision.
They are not incorrect. You are stating your opinion, and an opinion that appears without much merit.
Your first point about "bleeding" just doesn't make sense. Admins/mods can continue to repeat that mantra over and over again, but it doesn't make it any more true.
Your second point about "extras" also doesn't make sense... it's not even clear what rationalization you're trying to invoke here. Not counting them towards total posts is DEVALUING those posts - that's whole point!
You can either agree or disagree or not have an opinion that PRSI posts should not count, but there's no getting around that not counting them is devaluing them.
(as I believe the PRSI forum should be terminated, I agree that they shouldn't count towards post totals).
I have no problem in not counting posts in PRSI. In fact I would argue that PRSI should be a paid forum to enter. That would take it out of public view and make money for the site. Another forum I visit has the political forum as a paid private forum.
That brings up another question, why do private forum posts that nobody sees unless you pay a fee have a post count? Those are inflated posts that most people can't read.
That brings up another question, why do private forum posts that nobody sees unless you pay a fee have a post count? Those are inflated posts that most people can't read.
Why? It would give people the option of a political forum and also keep it out of view.
Who cares to pay for a private political forum? It must be even more full of crazies.
How about get rid of post counts altogether?
The good thing is that the site would stop promoting Intel as the best next to your username.
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I just want to expand upon my earlier comment on this specifically...
As it is now, the politics creeps into other forums just by user names. I've seen some of the vileness, trolling and lies spewed by members in PRSI, and also the members who "like" those posts, and then I'll see them in the actual "Apple" forums, and it's no surprise that they're often the same type of person there as well. And it can be sickening.
You see these same user names who are racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-science, spout complete nonsense day after day, whatever, and you can't say anything because it would be "inappropriate" to bring politics into a non-PRSI forum, not to mention that you can't actually call them out for being a homophobe or racist as that would be against forum rules, or pointing out that this person dispensing dumb advice is the same person who thinks that the pizza gate conspiracy was real or Sandy Hook didn't happen.
This causes for more problems than appears to be recognized by the site operators.
Sometimes it's nice to have a space to chat with people about Apple products without all the political baggage that comes from PRSI. Would be nice if MR was such a place.
I wonder how many members it would take paying $10 annual "subscriptions" for them to eliminate PRSI altogether (and throw in a bit more moderating on trollish behavior that MR ignores, and increasingly condones because it increases web traffic). Membership benefits could be anything from ad-free to a members-only bonus forum (but still no PRSI topics allowed).
You're not being given my opinion, but rather my insight into policy decisions and the history of those decisions, and what I've experienced as a moderator here for ten years and an admin for eight. The opinion I gave is father down in my post, where I say that the staff doesn't always agree on the best solutions for PRSI, and I personally see merits in all sides of the discussion.
I see from what you write that it doesn't make sense to you. We'll have to agree to disagree: it doesn't make sense to you, and it's one of the reasons we feel is important from our experience.
My point is that while this is a tech site, we've seen as it's grown that users who get to know each other here want to be able to discuss issues other than tech with each other. In that sense, the PRSI section is an extra service for those users who want to be able either to discuss politics in general, or political aspects of tech stories and rumors.
You clearly feel that political posts that don't count toward a total post count = an attitude by the site owner and administrators that those posts are "devalued" in some way. That's your assumption and opinion, which of course you're entitled to. We however are trying to tell you that that's not the way we see it.
Finally, if you see "vileness, trolling and lies" or "sickening" posts that break rules, please report them. Tens of thousands of new posts are made every day. We are helped greatly by post reports.
Keep in mind that posts you find "sickening" may not actually break a rule. In those cases, there are two ways forward. The first - and of course most frustrating - is that you might need to work on letting those comments pass. If however you would like to suggest a change in the rules or how they're interpreted, you can start a general discussion in Site and Forum Feedback. If you want to point out specific problems/moderation, you can send you suggestions via the Contact form. We've made numerous rules changes through the years based on user feedback.
Frankly, I don't see how it can be taken any other way. Regardless of whether it's political opinion, opinions on Apple products or a forum about the plight of Tibetan yaks, as soon as a decision is made to not count posts from that particular forum it shows they are not deemed worthy as a contribution to the community as a whole.
I'd agree. That is not to say, and you aren't arguing, that the PRSI posts are worthless, just that they are, by definition, worth less.
From your response, I hear that you don't see how it can be taken any other way, and that's fine. You are entitled to your view, and I don't expect everyone to agree in this discussion. The only point I took exception to in your post, was your implication about how moderators and administrators think. Because of course that's something you can't know, and when given a viewpoint to the contrary, I'd suggest it's worth thinking about.
Only if your "worth yardstick" is a post count, and you disregard the explanation about the PRSI being considered an extra service. I imagine the real evaluations of post worth are made constantly, by those who participate in a given political discussion, and that they reply more on how a post contributes to a discussion rather than how the post is or isn't counted numerically.
So why are private forum posts counted but not say the gaming forum?
I'm assuming that this has to do with discussions specific to the PRSI section's purpose and existence. I don't think I've been involved in (or at least remember) any discussions of this kind about other forum sections, but I'll check and get back to you. It's an interesting question.
It isn't my yardstick. It is MacRumors itself who has decided that post count has worth, both historically (to acquire an avatar) and currently (to access certain forums, to achieve new user titles).
Ergo, with most forums counting, but some not, some posts are objectively worth more than others.
In ALL my experience with dealing with the admins/mods of this site, they have shown over and over again without fail that everything goes over their head or they seem to deliberately misunderstand, etc... to quote myself in similar previous threads, it's like talking to a brick wall. They will write all sorts of words that are always off the mark of what you're expressing.
It's one of those things where you say your piece and then move on - that's all you can do - they will never "get it".