Modifying the Board

[Michael]

I have, what I think is a good idea. We (Scott of course if he is interested) cuts the board in two main areas. In one area are the posts of what we will call the sane. In the other the insane, or reasonable facsimilie-names. Both sides can read each others posts but can only post on their own respective areas. Everyone starts out on the sane side and begins with five sane points. Everytime a comment is made by a member that is stated as a fact, but cannot be proved, that person loses a sane point. For instance;

I have a working wheel.
Or, in my recent case, Tommy is a sponge cake, ergo a fruitcake.

Etc.

What doesn't constitute as a lose of a sane point would be

I think I have a working wheel
In my opinion so and so is a...

When one loses more than five sane points they are kicked over to the insane section, and if they persist they gain insane points until they reach five. Five is the limit for both sides. The way to go back to the sane side is to gain sane points. Limit five. The way to gain back sane points, if one is so inclined, is to make well defined factual statements.

What wont work is, I have a working wheel, and then to rectify it, actually I don't have a working wheel. Sorry, that doesn't cut it.

I believe in the honour system but lets face it, on a board such as this it won't work, there will always be all types doing what they will. A little structure in this form won't hurt and I think it could be a lot of fun. No more need to exchange words with someone, the system will take care of it. One might even find it amusing to go insane every now and then, L.O.L. and share in some inane conversation with the other side. I'm trying to show this can be very elightening plus entertaining and amusing.

So this isn't too much work for Scott as moderator it would be good to flag suspected comments made, ie. if one were making a factual statement, one could mark it somehow, say with a thumbs up identifyer, and if blatant THIS IS THE WAY IT IS, but unprovable statements are made others can flag them with a thumbs down. You get the idea. Scott, or others he gives the ability to, can batch them and do the job once or twice a week.

What do you think?

Michael

Spell checked, a little bit.

[rlortie]

Michael,

I am all for it.

I was thinking earlier about how good this forum keeps statistics, all but one. That is how many post are made to a serious titled thread before it goes "off-topic".

I would not be surprise if the average was 3 Maybe 4 but that's optimistic.

Ralph

[jim_mich]

I give your insane idea two thumbs down! I don't think we need to turn half the board into an insane asylum. Most of the world already thinks that perpetual motion nuts are crazy. I think we can each form our own personal opinions of each other here.

Who is to say someone can't be both crazy and a brilliant genius at the same time?

Just my crazy opinions.

[coylo]

Good points Jim.
I guess its all down to Scott, and nobody would want to create any more unecessary work for him.

Maybe the forum just needs tidied up, if all the the crap, fruitless threads were deleted it would probably go unnoticed anyway.

It's a shame that at present people checking out the discussion forum for the first time would be introduced to it by reading Winkle's daft thread first, which doesn't do the forum any favours.

(Hmmm, do I want to post this?....whatever happened to freedom of speech!)

[Jonathan]

I agree with Jim, and we have the ability to block some users from our sight as it is, that is sufficient, if anyone even uses it.

[winkle]

Good points Jim.
I guess its all down to Scott, and nobody would want to create any more unecessary work for him.

Maybe the forum just needs tidied up, if all the the crap, fruitless threads were deleted it would probably go unnoticed anyway.

It's a shame that at present people checking out the discussion forum for the first time would be introduced to it by reading Winkle's daft thread first, which doesn't do the forum any favours.

(Hmmm, do I want to post this?....whatever happened to freedom of speech!)

am i mistaken in what it seems you're saying.........no one should speak unless they first present proof of working wheel........i haven't seen a working wheel presented yet...........just a lot of daft ideas..........whitch daft non working idea do you consider better than eny other daft non working idea..........do you have a working wheel.........perhaps you'r ideas are no better than eny others......again do you have a working wheel

[jim_mich]

The odds are that no one here has a 'working' wheel. When someone pops up and says, "This wheel works" or "I've got a wheel" sometimes people assume he means a working wheel. There is a very big difference between an idea or a proto-type wheel and a working perpetually self-turning wheel.

I just came up with another wheel idea yesterday. In my mind this latest idea seems to (maybe) work. If it didn't work in my mind then why would I pursue the idea? This is the difference between a PM nut and those who 'just know' PM is impossible. We think our ideas (might) work.

Maybe all we need is a prominently displayed definition of a 'working wheel' such as...

WHEEL IDEA - An idea for a wheel that the inventor thinks would or might self turn.

WHEEL BUILT - A wheel that has been built and functions but does not continue to self-turn.

WORKING WHEEL - A wheel that has been built which continually self turns overcoming friction.

Just My opinions.

[sleepy]

Jim,
Those standardized terms would help everyone to understand each other.Good idea worth persuing.

Winkle,
First off,no one's ideas are worth anymore or less than yours.By combining aspects of all ideas,we may come up with something.But there is a big difference in how we communicate those ideas.I for one enjoyed reading your wheel concepts,you obviously put a lot of thought into it.But it was a concept,not a working wheel,and that is where people take offense with you.Please don't deny us of your future ideas and input,but don't make unfounded claims and/or exageration of facts.

[rlortie]

Jim,
Those standardized terms would help everyone to understand each other.Good idea worth persuing.

Winkle,
First off,no one's ideas are worth anymore or less than yours.By combining aspects of all ideas,we may come up with something.But there is a big difference in how we communicate those ideas.I for one enjoyed reading your wheel concepts,you obviously put a lot of thought into it.But it was a concept,not a working wheel,and that is where people take offense with you.Please don't deny us of your future ideas and input,but don't make unfounded claims and/or exageration of facts.

Winkle and group,

I see the group as a whole having two categories. One is the reflective, those who reflect on a view and then throw it to the wind. To enlighten there ego then post something irrelevant. It may be that they are self induged to the point of bias, thinking their idea is better or the only one. Or there just here to kill time by stirring the pot.

The second category is the receptive, and that I quote from Bessler.
The receptive are the fruit of this forum. to recept an Idea, absorb it and think of the pro's and con's of the Idea. They then offer input in the form of rebuttal or improvements. the optimist must debate his idea with a pessimists while both keep a receptive view of each others input. This is what causes the fruit to ripen, by building on the threads title foundation.

I wish to retract my first statement posted in this thread. I agree that the pursuit of besslers wheel is considered as being mentally unbalanced by the general consciences. But I look upon life by comparing humans to sheep in instinctive behavior. Where one will go the rest will follow. One with a true receptive approach can see this and keep themselves open rather than follow the herd.

I would love to see the reflective pot stirrers join [energy2000], [over-unity] or other such groups that seem to enjoy such qualified members.

Ralph

[Michael]

Well it was worth the shot.

Michael

[coylo]

am i mistaken in what it seems you're saying.........no one should speak unless they first present proof of working wheel........i haven't seen a working wheel presented yet...........just a lot of daft ideas..........whitch daft non working idea do you consider better than eny other daft non working idea..........do you have a working wheel.........perhaps you'r ideas are no better than eny others......again do you have a working wheel

What's your point?

Jonathan asked you a simple question; do you have a working wheel?
You sidetracked the issue and replied with jibberish.....five pages of it.

I don't have a working wheel, nor would I claim I had, when I don't.

I do post up ideas and pictures of interesting failures because I like to share with the group what I have learned for their benefit. I take the time to post good pictures and illustrations, and try to explain the idea as best I can so that it is easily understood.

I feel that I have earned the respect of the board.

Something which I think you need to work on.....

[winkle]

am i mistaken in what it seems you're saying.........no one should speak unless they first present proof of working wheel........i haven't seen a working wheel presented yet...........just a lot of daft ideas..........whitch daft non working idea do you consider better than eny other daft non working idea..........do you have a working wheel.........perhaps you'r ideas are no better than eny others......again do you have a working wheel

What's your point?

Jonathan asked you a simple question; do you have a working wheel?
You sidetracked the issue and replied with jibberish.....five pages of it.

I don't have a working wheel, nor would I claim I had, when I don't.

I do post up ideas and pictures of interesting failures because I like to share with the group what I have learned for their benefit. I take the time to post good pictures and illustrations, and try to explain the idea as best I can so that it is easily understood.

I feel that I have earned the respect of the board.
Something which I think you need to work on.....

bessler went against the grain of pravling thought in his day...if eny one had the answer to ppm it was him ....we all know what every one thought of his idea....if he had followed the wisdom of his day (and ours) we would not be here this board would not exist.....he chose his path....i will chose mine ....please feel free to chose you're path and follow it where it takes you..........please do not feel you have to read what i put here....thank you

[scott]

Hi Michael, thanks for this interesting idea. I looked around but could not find a modification that specifically provides these features. There are, however, a couple of related mods that do something similar. E.g.


Point System Mod
http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=193481

Yellow Card Mod
http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/220

-Scott

[scott]

Here's something else I came across in my research that seems pretty close to what we need here on the board:

Karma Hack
http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/117

Advanced Karma Hack
http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/3237

My main concern with just about any reputation system (points, cash, karma, etc.) is the possibility for abuse. Of all the options I've found, the karma hacks above seem to fit our needs best. I will probably implement one of them soon, but it will only be on a trial basis until we see how it works out...

-Scott

[scott]

Well, I installed the Karma hack but it wasn't what I was looking for after all. I'll keep an eye out, but I don't think anyone has developed a phpbb modification that does what we need here. I would enjoy writing one myself, but just don't have time for it. If anyone out there knows php and wants to contribute, please be my guest!
Thanks,
Scott