"Should TMP Talk Be Relocated to the Lounge?" Topic

TMP Talk, as you probably already know, is the board where the internal operations of TMP are discussed. This often involves important issues of how the forum should be moderated.

I get complaints from time to time from people who "don't want to see this type of thing" on TMP. (Admittedly, they could unsub from the board.)

I have also received advice that these discussions should not involve the entire membership, but a quorum or subset of the membership.

There is one option which would be relatively simple to implement: relocate the TMP Talk board to The Lounge forum (for Supporting Members only).

Let me run over some of the pros and cons (feel free to add more yourselves):

PRO

Reduces discussion of TMP internal processes to a select quorum of the membership.

Reduces the likelihood of trolls and sock puppets interfering with these discussions.

Removes a point of irritation for some of our members, as Basic Members will no longer be able to view the discussions.

Adds a new and useful function to The Lounge.

CON

Eliminates the opportunity for Basic Members to have input in how TMP is operated.

Might still be a point of irritation for Supporting Members who do not know how to unsub from a board.

Announcements to the general membership would need to be made in a different manner, probably using the existing Editorials space (which does not allow for feedback) or by direct PMs or emails.

Basic Members would still be able to complain directly to a moderator, but would have no place on the forums for bringing TMP website issues for discussion.

ALSO: TMP Talk discussions are often resolved by use of the TMP Polls. If TMP Talk is relocated to The Lounge, then logically, there should also be a new type of poll: Supporting Members only.

Your input?

The OFM and I have for years not paid a dime for Supporting membership. But we are both "paid up" until 2021 because of Poll Suggestions.
So bear that in mind when I say this.
The Lounge ain't what it used to be. The benefits of being a supporting member are nil.
Tmp Talk has become DH-bait. Members of long standing and value have been banned and locked for contrary opinions in TMP Talk.
So you now want to confine it to Supporting Members?

I vote "no", just as a matter of principle.

Do what you want to do, and

The benefits of being a supporting member are nil.

Supporting Membership is designed to help support TMP. Yes, you get some perks. But the perks were never intended to be what Supporting Membership was about.

Tmp Talk has become DH-bait. Members of long standing and value have been banned and locked for contrary opinions in TMP Talk.

Nobody has ever been banned for voicing a contrary opinion, if they remain within forum rules.

So you now want to confine it to Supporting Members?

I haven't expressed a preference.

Do not accuse me of faking the polls. I won't stand for that.

No!

Winston Smith: "Tmp Talk has become DH-bait. Members of long standing and value have been banned and locked for contrary opinions in TMP Talk."

That's definitely the perception I get. Plus comments get deleted because they are perceived as some sort of challenge or insult, whole topics disappear, etc. This post will probably get deleted or "snipped" because it will be treated as if it was disrespectful or breaking some rule, even though it is part of a simple reply to a query.

Dan

Comments get deleted if they break forum rules. There is a difference between criticism, and accusations of impropriety. I will not allow you to accuse me falsely on my own forum.

I rarely ever look at The Lounge postings, and just stop scrolling when I get that far down the front page.

[I'm also in the boat of membership via poll suggestions and generous anonymousers.]

I rarely ever look at The Lounge postings, and just stop scrolling when I get that far down the front page.

You can change the Lounge to be anywhere on your homepage.

Let me be clear about this.

I started this topic as a serious attempt to get feedback from the membership.

If someone feels the need to accuse me of faking the polls, then that person should really make the decision to go elsewhere. You know how to do that. Maybe you want to provoke me so I will do it for you. That's stupid.

If someone feels the need to accuse me of deleting posts or topics because I'm some kind of tyrant, then perhaps it is your time to go, too. Because I don't need that. I know how to run a forum, and if you don't like it… the internet is wide open for you.

I just am amazed at what some people think I should put up with.

I'd like the TMP Talk forum to remain right here.

No….keep it where it is. You either open questions of TMP to all members of TMP (Basic or Supporting), or you decide only the opinion of supporting members matter. Don't want to be a member of any site where the latter is the case.

Also NEVER use the lounge, have zero interest in it.

For me I'd want to keep it where it is. There needs to be somewhere for all members to raise concerns and have a proper discussion when necessary. No one forces you not read the posts so I don't see what the concern is.

Keep TMP Talk here.

Leave it where it is.

You need a broader base of opinions than just paying members.

I donīt want to seem conservative, but change is bad. Leave it as it is.

I started this topic as a serious attempt to get feedback from the membership.

All three guys and a mountain goat at this point, I'd say!

End of my commentary on this subject.

No, keep it where it is.

My opinion is that Basic Members should continue to
have access to TMP Talk, hence leave it where it is.

Their input should be considered when changes to the
Fora or to the service in general are being pondered
and the only way to keep that in place would be an
additional forum or some sort of mass output to those
folks, which is additional work for you, Bill.

Of course, they may choose not to participate, but
at least they'll have had the opportunity.

Leave it where it is.

Why should "complaints from time to time" result in a somewhat drastic policy change?

There isn't any reason for taking TMP Talk out of the mainstream. You gave reasons. They boil down to non reasons, imho.

I've been a supporting member for c. two and a half years this time around. I've "visited" the Lounge once, recently, by mistake. I have no use for the Lounge……….

Probably needs to stay where it is. The "long standing members of value" include quite a few who over estimate their importance in the scheme of things.

You can change the Lounge to be anywhere on your homepage.

But then I wouldn't be able to stop scrolling before I get to it.

I'm glad that it exists to draw off a fair number of the non-gaming related posts from the main boards, and then it's easier to avoid them.

leave it where it is.

Now, Off Topic; The Marketplace should be for the paying membership as a perk. There are a lot of "one day wonders" who come in to sell something because they are too lazy to deal with ebay. They tend not to contribute to any discussions or add anything of value to the other boards.

My 2 cents (rant mode new turned off)

Dave

Only I should have access to TMP talk, Me, my self and I will deal with any problems coming up. I'll be honest and take care of all of you.

On a side note, PM me to get my Paypal to bribe me!
Want TMP font to be pink, that will be $200 USD, Want TMP to stand for Turtles Meet Pocahontas. That will be $500 USD

I also say leave it where it is.

To address StoneMtmMinis off topic: I think anyone should be able to sell in the Marketplace. Why not let everyone here have easy access to anything anybody wants to sell? I would rather deal with people here than through Ebay. That should be one of the perks of coming to TMP.

I have seen turtles meet Pocahontas, it didn't end well for the turtles.

No.

Dave (Stone Mountain),

I'm confused, you're saying that the only people who should be able to post in the marketplace are those that regularly post to the forums?

And people that use the marketplace are "too lazy to deal with eBay"?

Wow……find your comments a bit off-putting to be honest.

Been using eBay since 1998. Personally I am sick of what eBay has turned into. In the midst of a large sell-off and instead of going to eBay as I regularly would, decided to begin here and use eBay as a last resort. It's nice selling directly to other wargamers on a more "personal" level instead of impersonal eBay sales.

I am likely losing a bit of cash in the process (smaller audience), but really don't care. As to laziness, given the amount of time I have put in on sales here thus far, eBay would likely be easier (list, upload pics, wait a week, ship).

To each their own I guess…….

Didn't the Marketplace start off as one of the few perks for paying members only?

Dan

Dan,

I thought it was still only for paying members? Unless something changed.

But as a 'perk' we might be cutting off our nose to spite our face, so to speak. Who knows what potential bargains or cool things we are missing by not allowing non-paying members to sell their stuff!

What I was saying, perhaps incoherently, was that if you support TMP one of the perks is you get to post items for sale on the Marketplace. Visitors can still access the marketplace and contact the seller if they wish to buy an item, but the ability to sell an item is reserved for supporting members.

It is known as a benefit of membership and hopefully would encourage more people to join instead of "grazing fro free".
It might increase the funds available to Bill to make TMP even better.

Dave,

Honestly I still don't understand what your complaint was. The marketplace is for supporting members only, so what exactly are you saying? Who is "grazing for free"? Do you mean the ability of basic members to contact sellers? AFAIK only supporting members cam PM each other, so unless you list an e-mail address with what you are selling…..

Do you want to somehow restrict the marketplace where only supporting members can buy from the marketplace? If that were the case I would no longer bother selling here, you would be diluting potential buyers significantly.

Recently there have been postings by non-members in the Marketplace. Joe's Shop has also commented on these in the past, so maybe the bug is fixed and I am not aware of it. If so, forget that I mentioned it.

I'm not looking for trouble, but I agree with StoneMtnMinis concerning the Marketplace. It hasn't happened often, but here and there, folks who aren't supporting members have somehow been able to post ads. I've noticed it too.

Was not aware of that, if so your complaint makes sense. Have not seen any basic member postings in the marketplace myself of late, so perhaps it was a bug.

Moving TMP talk to the Lounge would prevent non paying members who might also be, perhaps, members of a certain UK based forum unpopular with the editor, seeing them…

Bill has talked about the 'glitch' in the Marketplace before; most recently in April:

TMP link

I feel it would be a good idea.

No