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I'm wondering if more polls - from the 40K discussions forum in particular - should be moved to the actual polls forum? Personally, I'm tired of the constant polls that appear in 40K discussions such as "best primarch/tank/unit/character" etc. and the apparent amount of these is making me wish to frequent the (40K discussions at least) forum less, so I'm wondering, in order to improve content and actual discussion, whether a concious effort should be made to move such polls to the polls forum.

Some polls, whereby for example, someone is asking a specific question and seeking specific feedback - eg. what unit would fit best in this army etc.
whereas I believe some polls, such as "best ____" should be moved to the polls forum, as these don't really seek an end product, just opinion.

But hey, maybe it's just me, but more and more recently, it's starting to bug me...

Cheers!

God yes.

Amen.

Good idea.

Hell no.

hell yes

Devastator wrote:Hell no.

Fixed.

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Devastator wrote:Hell no.

Fixed.

WHY!!!

Darkvoidof40k wrote:Hell yesx100000000000000.

Fixed.

Cheesecat wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Devastator wrote:Hell no.

Fixed.

WHY!!!

Because, the Poll board is for threads that just ask a question that is not related to the discussion of already established topics, such as Warhammer 40,000 and WHFB. Polls used in those boards are to give an overview of peoples' thoughts on the question/statement/discussion in the OP of a thread on that board, that relates to the aforementioned pre-established topics, to compliment the written replies to the thread.

Comprende?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kanluwen wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:Hell yesx100000000000000.

Fixed.

This isn't a place for jokes Kan, this is a discussion that could (but probably won't) affect the future of Dakka and more specifically Poll threads.

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Cheesecat wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Devastator wrote:Hell no.

Fixed.

WHY!!!

Because, the Poll board is for threads that just ask a question that is not related to the discussion of already established topics, such as Warhammer 40,000 and WHFB. Polls used in those boards are to give an overview of peoples' thoughts on the question/statement/discussion in the OP of a thread on that board, that relates to the aforementioned pre-established topics, to compliment the written replies to the thread.

Comprende?

So you mean exactly like the spat of polls that keep getting crammed into 40k background?

Just because "the Poll board is for threads that just ask a question" doesn't mean that the 40k/FB threads that oh I don't know..."just ask a question" can't be put in there.

Kanluwen wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Cheesecat wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Devastator wrote:Hell no.

Fixed.

WHY!!!

Because, the Poll board is for threads that just ask a question that is not related to the discussion of already established topics, such as Warhammer 40,000 and WHFB. Polls used in those boards are to give an overview of peoples' thoughts on the question/statement/discussion in the OP of a thread on that board, that relates to the aforementioned pre-established topics, to compliment the written replies to the thread.

Comprende?

So you mean exactly like the spat of polls that keep getting crammed into 40k background?

Just because "the Poll board is for threads that just ask a question" doesn't mean that the 40k/FB threads that oh I don't know..."just ask a question" can't be put in there.

True, but I'd rather have them where they are, because they're questions specifically about 40k background or similar other, and not just a general question. To be honest, I just treat polls in 40k background and other such boards exactly the same as any other thread, except with a simple, visual way of viewing peoples' opinions.

Edit: What's more, the Poll board doesn't get a whole lot of views, so placing 40k polls (or equivelant) in their relating board will also get more views and usually generate a longer, more interesting conversation.

To really give an example as to what Just Dave is proposing:

He's not saying every single post with a poll should automatically be put in there.

But look at 40k General right now. It's cluttered with threads like "Favorite Primarch" or "Favorite Chapter".

Those threads "accomplish" nothing, they don't discuss anything--they're just pure drivel in most cases.

A thread in P&M with a poll asking "of these three color examples, which do you like best and why" is , however, best left in P&M.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

True, but I'd rather have them where they are, because they're questions specifically about 40k background or similar other, and not just a general question. To be honest, I just treat polls in 40k background and other such boards exactly the same as any other thread, except with a simple, visual way of viewing peoples' opinions.

40k Background isn't for "viewing peoples' opinions" though. It's for discussing the background.

What's more, the Poll board doesn't get a whole lot of views, so placing 40k polls (or equivelant) in their relating board will also get more views and usually generate a longer, more interesting conversation.

So? Dakka Fiction doesn't "get a whole lot of views", but it doesn't mean that fan fiction belongs in 40k Background.

Kanluwen wrote:To really give an example as to what Just Dave is proposing:

He's not saying every single post with a poll should automatically be put in there.

But look at 40k General right now. It's cluttered with threads like "Favorite Primarch" or "Favorite Chapter".

Those threads "accomplish" nothing, they don't discuss anything--they're just pure drivel in most cases.

A thread in P&M with a poll asking "of these three color examples, which do you like best and why" is , however, best left in P&M.

As I've said, I just treat them exactly the same as any other thread: they're a discussion. The poll makes very little actual difference, except to make it easier to see the consensus of peoples' opinions.

M'kay, I can accept it's annoying, because I've been around on Dakka long enough to see many, many duplicate threads in my year here, and it does get annoying sometimes. But most of the time, I don't care. Because there are always new members with new opinions, and they'll probably learn something new from all of it.

Why would you treat it as a discussion if the majority of votes don't actually discuss the topic at hand?

It has nothing to really do with "being annoying". It's simply that the parts in question don't belong there. The "being annoying" thing is a bonus.

However, it doesn't help matters any that we get multiples of the same poll or the polls are repeatedly placed in the wrong place by the same poster.

Kanluwen wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

True, but I'd rather have them where they are, because they're questions specifically about 40k background or similar other, and not just a general question. To be honest, I just treat polls in 40k background and other such boards exactly the same as any other thread, except with a simple, visual way of viewing peoples' opinions.

40k Background isn't for "viewing peoples' opinions" though. It's for discussing the background.

What's more, the Poll board doesn't get a whole lot of views, so placing 40k polls (or equivelant) in their relating board will also get more views and usually generate a longer, more interesting conversation.

So? Dakka Fiction doesn't "get a whole lot of views", but it doesn't mean that fan fiction belongs in 40k Background.

But Dakka Fiction is a very specific board, whereas the poll board can include anything, and it really isn't a place for discussion at all; just figures and statistics.

40k background is for discussing the background, yes. However that discussion includes peoples' opinions and personal interpretations of the background.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kanluwen wrote:Why would you treat it as a discussion if the majority of votes don't actually discuss the topic at hand?

It has nothing to really do with "being annoying". It's simply that the parts in question don't belong there. The "being annoying" thing is a bonus.

However, it doesn't help matters any that we get multiples of the same poll or the polls are repeatedly placed in the wrong place by the same poster.

1) Because they are just a simple overview of the discussion, not the actual discussion.
2) Parts of the question can't not belong, otherwise it would be a different question.
3) Well, that's one of the reasons we have Mods; to clean up the mistakes of newbie users.

Now, Kan, this ain't going anywhere. You and I should just agree to disagree and leave it at that.

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

Darkvoidof40k wrote:

True, but I'd rather have them where they are, because they're questions specifically about 40k background or similar other, and not just a general question. To be honest, I just treat polls in 40k background and other such boards exactly the same as any other thread, except with a simple, visual way of viewing peoples' opinions.

40k Background isn't for "viewing peoples' opinions" though. It's for discussing the background.

What's more, the Poll board doesn't get a whole lot of views, so placing 40k polls (or equivelant) in their relating board will also get more views and usually generate a longer, more interesting conversation.

So? Dakka Fiction doesn't "get a whole lot of views", but it doesn't mean that fan fiction belongs in 40k Background.

But Dakka Fiction is a very specific board, whereas the poll board can include anything, and it really isn't a place for discussion at all; just figures and statistics.

Polls asking "What's your favorite Primarch? What's your favorite tank? What's your favorite army?" aren't exactly discussion. They're "just figures and statistics".

40k background is for discussing the background, yes. However that discussion includes peoples' opinions and personal interpretations of the background.

Yes and no. "Peoples' opinions" should be left at the door in most cases. "Personal interpretations of the background" is, as always, going to come into play but opinions aren't really wanted or necessitated for discussing the background.

Kan's pretty much on what I'm trying to say. I find the polls that seem to get made in 40K background/discussions etc. aren't discussions themselves but people voicing their opinions. There's often very little debate in these polls, but simply people saying "A, B or C", rather than discussion or trying to achieve something. The polls in the polls forum are very similar to this; they don't debate anything, they just ask and let people voice their opinions.

For example, compare "your favourite primarch" to "which primarch is the best in close combat" polls;
The former would just get peoples opinions; there'd be little to no debate, you don't get people discussing why someone should like so and so more, or why someone shouldn't like _____, instead it's typically just "I like ____ because...", rather than a debate with a potential end result.
"Which primarch is the best in close combat" for example would actually encourage debate and discussion. It'd be a lot more than people saying "A,B or C". It would (intend) to achieve an ultimate goal in discussing and finding out something as an end product.
rather than a page of posts all saying something along the lines of "I like ____ because..." it'd be more along the lines of a few people saying "____ is the best, because..." then someone countering their point, saying "yeah, but ____ beat ____" and a variety of actual discussion rather than simply voicing peoples opinions.

You could get the same result from a thread such as "favourite primarch/tank/character" even if you didn't allow people to post comments and instead just vote. It's opinion, not discussion.

Hopefully you can see my reasoning behind this request, I find such polls to achieve and discuss very little and instead be an amalgamation of opinions, rather than actual discussion and debate.

The polls forum is a bit complex as it is integrated with the dakka home page. Any polls that go in there are also shown on the home page to everyone. Because of this, any user with a poll in the forum, can edit it to get things displayed on the home page that we might not approve of, and so we tend to not want to move polls there. All visitors see all polls, so every poll needs a 'does not apply/no opinion' option to be valid in the poll forum.

The types of polls you describe should really just be locked for being banal. Any that really need to be asked can be added to the 'suggest a poll' sticky in the poll forum where they will be added eventually if they are appropriate.

Turn this into a poll, dare ya!


Then move it.

Thanks for the response Lego; makes sense. Doesn't exactly solve 'the problem', but you have your hands tied as it were. Thanks anyway.

This'll do for me:

legoburner wrote:The types of polls you describe should really just be locked for being banal.

If you see ones that are just crappy and pointless, hit the mod alert button, type 'banal' and we'll look into it.