Beer vs. Beer Threads: Allow or Nuke?

I think based on the fact that so many people don't care, that there are some people who think it is interesting (especially new members), and that anyone who is annoyed by it can very easily ignore it, these should be left alone and allowed to happen. Especially with the new poll feature I don't understand why this is such an issue for people.

 

Why does everyone care so much about somebody posting a thread that has already been discussed before? If you don't care about a topic because you have already discussed it, then move on to another thread. What's the big deal? Is a repetitive thread really something to get upset about?

 

By that logic we should allow SPAM posts. I mean, you can just not look it.

The fact is that the line has to be drawn somewhere. I favor drawing it somewhat strictly with regards to repeating topics because I get annoyed when people want others to do work for them (in this case "hey guys, rehash this argument for me so I don't need to spend a minute searching for it). It's the same with the "Hey guys I'm visiting San Francisco, where should I go???" threads. It's different if you're actually adding something new or something you can't find easily via search or beerfly "What Italian places also serve good beer?" but most of them are just simple rehashes that could easily be found without making the thread.

That said, ignoring them is relatively simple. Their existence doesn't offend me. I just think the forums would be better without them.

 

I say yes, just because this is a beer forum. Not everyone is as beer savy as the next guy and would like to know the difference between two beers. The reviews are good, but it's not the same as weighing the pro's and con's of each beer against each other.

Also there are some BA's out there that can't afford both beers or only have the opportunity to buy one of them. For ex. a local ls got two different Cantillon in yesterday, I was only going to be able to get one due to the stores rules. I started a thread to see which one to go with, and got some extremely helpful information.

 

Tough call because when a good comparison is brought to the table, it's fun to discuss. On the other hand, the VS threads that compare 2 beers unfairly usually turn into pissing matches. But I just ignore those. I'm generally in favor of putting fewer restrictions on threads. One could argue that if you don't allow people to start comparison threads, you may miss an opportunity to educate the OP as to why what they're doing isn't smart, and how it can wrongly influence other people to unfairly compare other beers. But maybe it's wishful thinking that the community would turn a lemon of a thread into lemonade...

 

of course they are beneficial, how else would Vinnie know that his Heady Topper Clone taste different

 

Nuke. PLEASE nuke. It gets SO old rehashing these things over, and over, and over. If you're going to allow it, make it so it's poll only with no replies. People want to look at numbers and get a feel for what people like better? Great. But everyone has an opinion, they seldom match up with one another, and it just gets to be a bunch of nonsense.

 

Yeah...but it sucks having to sift through a forum full of such nonsense.

Here...how about this... Make a sub forum for "Beer Wars" if people want to sit there and shake their fists in the air over which of the hundreds of world class beers we enjoy is a hair better than the other.

 

Come on! Seriously???? Ummm... maybe we should just start "nuking" everything people don't like whatever the damn reason. If it is beer related at all and if it has even a shred of information in it then it is relevant to this site. If someone doesn't like it "you" don't read it.Not...I don't like it so "noone" should read it! Good lord, this is the internet and most here seem to be in favor of censoring even those things they choose to read? Really? Delete threads you willingly choose to friggin read? Foolishness! My vote: pretty basic, if it has to do with beer, it belongs here. Oh my goodness did I just use the word "lord" and oh my gosh "friggin" wait wait "damn" too! I'm really really worried this might get deleted because my language might have offended someone/anyone. Then again, I should confess I've always hated people/threads that use verbs and nouns in their sentences(little pet peeve of mine, find it hard to break the habit myself). I vote from this moment forward we delete all threads that use verbs or nouns! DERRRR!

 

You know, after I just submitted that last post I realized something,something I should have realized a long long time ago. I love someone else telling me what I should and shouldn't write or read. I like being told what is good or bad, right or wrong, boring or interesting,smart or dumb. I desperately need to be told almost everything. Please please do what you think is best for me ohh great guardians of the beer site!

 

I think you could use a beer.

 

I like the way you think Shogo!

 

I just always feel really bad when east coasters start talking about how hoppy their IPAs are...

 

I think that 90% of the time such threads/polls are stupid wastes of time. But since there might be a time when they are interesting, I did not vote "no" (I voted "don't care").

 

Voted "Don't care"

I don't think they add much value -- but I don't really see why that matters. If some people enjoy them, then live and let live. Those of us that don't care for them aren't forced to read them. Not sure that I really see what the issue is.

I would have preferred options of:

A) Get rid of them
B) Leave them alone
C) Don't care

You didn't ask whether we wanted them gone or not -- you instead asked whether we like them. I don't like them, but I also don't feel that they should be prohibited.

 

These type of threads are subjective, obviously. But, beyond that, they are sometimes humorous sometimes educational sometimes stupid. To me, so what. If you don't like the topic stop reading, it really is just as simple as that, it is. A lot of times these are open honest questions asked by real BA's who are looking for opinions regardless of how diverse those opinions may be. As far as researching old posts, which is what almost always comes to the front of these topics, those are just as onerous and just as subjective and also do not offer any potential new opinions. These are forums, forums are meant for people to discuss ideas, hash out differing views and overall just have a good time. I say leave em.

 

Might I also add, that, not allowing A vs B type posts is really just another form of Censorship. We are all here for the same reasons. We love beer, We love talking about beer, and these forums permit a distraction that most of us find enjoyable. Why prevent others from the same type of enjoyment. And for the record, I prefer Hopslam over Pliny. so what..

 

No, not censorship. Just moderating to keep things on topic and within the guidelines. Censorship would be if such threads were allowed, except for certain beers.

There are plenty of topics that get deleted, some of them even somewhat beer-related. The forums are not a free-for-all.

 

Absolutely agreed,
The poll leads the user away from the yes answer unless he indeed finds these threads to be "fun and/or informative " this implies there would be no other reason to vote to retain them. Problem:There are other reasons members might want to retain them.
I for one don't necessarily find them "fun and/or informative" I answered yes however because i recognized the flaw in the poll. The poll should simply be worded with choice A. as "yes keep them"

 

No,it is indeed censorship and no the forums aren't a free for all.It is this very fact that indicates the presence of censorship. Some posts are being allowed some aren't(censorship). That being said we(the members), don't own the forums, they are private and because of this fact the "censorship" that does indeed go on here is simply something we as members deal with or decide not to deal with. We aren't forced to be here. The BROS can and do, as they wish with their site . Because of this very fact however, censorship is exactly what goes on here, by definition.