# To Those Against Silly Polls



## omedon (Feb 13, 2002)

To Berandor, Psionicist, and all the others who have been posting complaints or requests for an end to the silly polls:

Please, please, please. If you really want the polls to go away don't post in them and say they are silly and that they should stop. You are not making them go away you are making them stay around longer. Each time you do this they are raised up to the top of the Forum. 

If you truly want to see them to dissapear you would be best off to ignore them completely. Perhaps even make a post in a thread further down the forum list so that they will be knocked off the front board even sooner.

I dislike these things as much as you, but I think that this is a much more effective way of dealing with the problem. If everyone tells them to stop then they will never leave the boards.


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## Berandor (Feb 13, 2002)

The way I see it: 
A post about it belongs to META.

As long as nothing happens, people who don't want to troll but just want to test polls and jump on the bandwagon will continue to do it.

They think because every post gathers at least some response, even though mostly jokes, it is o.k. to do so.

That's what I was thinking.

I didn't take all these people for genuine trolls, but rather accidental ones - so I tried to show my opinion in order to "make them see the light".

In the case of genuine trolls, though, you are correct. I was still hoping 

Now, I'll go and post silly answers to older threads just for pushing them... nah 

Berandor


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## Sir Osis of Liver (Feb 13, 2002)

I like your tricky anti-supid poll tactics, I wish i had thought of this myself, you know before i posted in some of the crapy polls to tell them they stunk.  I guess i new i shouldn't be doing it even as i did it,but it really got out of hand this after noon and me gottum mad.

Thanks for damn good advice, i'm off to find some thing good.........
   for me to post on!


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## Psionicist (Feb 13, 2002)

Known as "Don't feed the trolls". However there was just too many; 12 polls on the first page only. Have there ever been 12 trolls on one page? How do you react?

I did the right thing. Atleast I think so


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## adndgamer (Feb 13, 2002)

Hey, I like polls.  I'll admit some of them are pretty silly, but hey, if you dont' like them, don't read them.  Just try to lighten up a bit


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## Tsyr (Feb 13, 2002)

If it wasn't that Morrus and Co had to strip the board of features to improve performance as it is...

If it wasn't that there were so many absolutely worthless polls (After Piratecat expressed a desire to see such polls stop) that legitimate threads are being pushed off the front page...

Then I wouldn't have a problem with polls.


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## Ma'varkith (Feb 13, 2002)

I've devised a handy-dandy three-part questionnaire to help users determine if their poll should or should not be posted.  in just moments, anyone can follow this simple guide to better Poll Creation Ettiquete:


a)  Are you posting a poll because you're bored, because you think it's cool, or because everyone else is doing it?  If so, please don't create a poll - bandwagon-jumping, peer pressure, and boredom are no excuse for cluttering up the server.

b)  Is the topic D&D / d20 related?  If no, then it's probably not a good idea.  Lots of off-topic threads start here, and people have differing opinions on what should be done with them.  

Let's be honest with each other, though - if you want to talk about comic books, and it's not in the context of D&D, it belongs on a comic book board.  If you want to talk about a Sci-Fi movie, and it's not in the context of the d20 system, it should be posted to another site.   

I'm sure many will disagree, but it's hard to argue against the fact that this site is about D&D / d20, not Geek Culture in general.

c)  Is there a valid reason to be asking the question?  If it's an attempt at humor, or a parody of someone else's poll, or a poll about polls, you'd probably be better off not posting it, or posting a question in the Meta forum.  Yep - the one at the bottom of the list that few people seem to know about - if you have a question about any aspect of the boards, you'll probably find the answer there - or, at the very least, a heated discussion.


Yes, with this simple plan, you too can be on your way to Poll Abuse Recovery.


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## madriel (Feb 13, 2002)

Personally, I enjoy talking about geek culture in general, but I agree that the polls are getting out of hand.

I think people need to ask themselves if the General Discussion Forum is the best place for their poll.  I've seen plenty that should be in Meta or even House Rules.


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## Ma'varkith (Feb 13, 2002)

Ooh - you caught one step that I missed!


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## omedon (Feb 13, 2002)

I find it funny how you madriel and others enjoy discussing geek culture after reading through the collosal mess that was the Gilmore Girls Anti D&D thread where so many people seemed to take in my opinion a little _too_much offence that playing D&D often gets you stereo-typed you as a geek.

Oh Hey! It looks like I past 100 Posts.

* pats himself on the back *

I missed that until just now.


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## madriel (Feb 13, 2002)

I don't mind being labelled a geek.  I just object to the automatic assumption some people have that being a geek is a bad thing.


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## omedon (Feb 13, 2002)

For sure.

I didn't mean offend you in anyway with my post.

It is just a welcome relief from the Gilmore Girls thread is all.

Im glad that everybody isn't so uptight about the matter.


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## madriel (Feb 13, 2002)

I wasn't offended at all, omedon.  I think people on both sides of the issue are getting uptight about it.  We should all just pop on over to this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3604

Keep things in perspective, remember to respect each other's views and we can all have some fun.  That's what the ENboards are all about.


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## Rune (Feb 13, 2002)

Sorry about that!  It won't happen again, I promise!  I just _had_ to do it, once!


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## ColonelHardisson (Feb 13, 2002)

I think polls are a good way to get conversations rolling, but many recent ones seem less about starting discussions and more about attempts at humor or are geared towards short answers. There isn't anything really wrong with that, but I hope that more polls crop up that deal directly with RPGs and the way we play them.

No offense meant to anyone. Polls can be fun.


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## Darkness (Feb 13, 2002)

Moved to Meta.


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## madriel (Feb 13, 2002)

The best polls are the ones that start discussions.  Lately, it seems most polls just provide a forum for jokes.  Some people love that type, but it's just not my cuppa.


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