Evaluation: What qualities do you like about the Fluther community? What do you dislike?

The great thing about Fluther is that you create an account, and that becomes your persona: I’m Pseudonym, you’re Spinel, etc. People can know you, they can put you in their Fluther- they can recognize your name when you write a response.
And yet, no matter who you are, your opinion is heard, and you are listened to, and judged based on the quality of your answer, nothing more, and nothing less.

Many are intelligent and level-headed and so well-spoken. Others, not so much.

I like that question and answer format and being able to connect with others. But I am a newbie….so I am sure there are kinks I haven’t discovered! So far so good!

And I agree with @Pseudonym

We need more sex, drugs and adult activities- just like the 1970’s!

I’m not touching this one. People complained so much on AB that they just ditched the whole thing and changed everything.
I like it all just fine or I wouldn’t be here. Thanks!

@Pandora – Me too…tears…

I like the diversity. I ‘spose it does skew young and liberal, but there are a sizeable number of conservatives, religious folks, and non-Millenials. It’s nice to get out of your own “tribal” comfort zone and talk to people who disagree with you. Of course, I say this as someone who likes to argue. :)

I also like that the community has a respectful infrastructure, enforced by respectful moderation. I’ve been on other communities that have been free-for-alls and typically degenerate into constantly flame wars and trolling. I’ve also been on communities that only welcome one particular viewpoint and will actively censor any promotion of alternate viewpoints. Moderation isn’t censorship, it’s essential to building the framework that allows a welcoming community and freedom of expression.

What I don’t like is the limited ability to style your own writings and the fact that you can’t post pictures. I can certainly understand the rationale—the site has a particular format that’s actually pretty unique for “message boards,” I like it, and it’s not well-suited to a lot of distracted images. But I’d be interested in a limited system, where perhaps each person is allowed to post one image per “question.”

I also hate the main font, Helvetica, and wish you people put in alternative, better fonts in front of “helvetica, arial, verdana” on your font-family CSS tags. You know that HTML 5 and most modern browsers allow you to embed fonts on your website, yes? And that there are many free and decent sans-serif fonts available on the intarwebs? Seriously. I mean, it could be worse—you don’t use Times—but come on. It’s 2010!

Edit: well I’ll be. Just zoomed in and discovered the main font is arial, not helvetica, least on this computer. Not that that’s any better.

@Pseudonym covered the good points.

There are always a few who say outrageous things to be disruptive. The Moderators usually catch up with them soon enough.

I am a firm believer in, “Don’t fix what is not broken.”

I say it’s a good bunch, mostly. Some lace their words with more vinegar than is appropriate, but that’s people for you.

@Nullo, you don’t mean me do you? I try to use red wine vinegar. It taste better and you can get a slight buzz

What I love: The community itself, first and foremost. Just a great group of caring, intelligent people for the most part. The design… clutter free, easy on the eyes, cute but not too cute. The real-time interaction. Last but not least, the moderation and the moderation team, even before I became one of them.

What I’d love to see improved: The search functionality FYI, this question has been asked before! ;) could use some tweaking. Some mod and editing functions could be easier.

What I hate: Flame wars. Doesn’t happen often, and we always step in to stop them, but sometimes these things continue via PM. Things get said that can’t be unsaid, and people get hurt and even quit over it. I cry when this happens. :’(

@Pandora Well, not specifically. I applaud your choice in vinegars, though I’m more of a Balsamic fan myself :D

@Nullo :D, thanks

@Pandora If you are not going to take a shot at it, do you mind if I do?

The question is not “what is wrong or right with Fluther?, but “what do you like or dislike?” I am assuming that what is here is what the owners and participants want and it is perfectly fine to have that. I must like something about it because I am here everyday and usually end the day here.

I think Fluther is pretty geeky, in it’s appearance and in the terms it uses. I pay no attention to any of it. Points I understand, lurves I don’t. Who gives a damn? I don’t. I miss not being able to see comments following each answer and not being able to rate the comments. That’s great fun and promotes community. That’s missing here. Community develops slowly. It may not develop at all for me, because humor is a big part of it and I simply don’t hang with mirthless souls forever.

The site, to my mind is WAY to serious. I have yet to see a question asked just for its humor, nor a humorous answer. I occasionally throw one in, but there has never been a comment. I know in real life, I have a dry sense of humor and am generally known as a pretty funny guy. Not here. What that tells me is the folks on here really do not have much of a sense of humor…or at least not on here because this seems to be a serious (dour?) place.

There is never a brawl over anything. The only thing that has come close is the one about the face veil in France and should it be enforced in the US. I miss not having them occaisionally.

@plethora
can’t say I agree – people on here absolutely do have a sense of humor…just maybe not the kind that would make a brawl go around but still.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I agree. Lots of humor, here. @plethora must not have seen the frizzer question, yet! ;)

@augustlan Well, I shall keep my eyes peeled…:)
@Simone_De_Beauvoir Oh, the humor would be separate from the brawl…:)
Thanks to you both