Open discussion about the community.

[adamtemp64]

Leading on from a thread that was derailed after a member stated there views on the state of the community I am creating this open discussion.

I am also taking the view that was expressed in the thread from post 24 onwards http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Welcome-News/O2-Community-Rewards-April-2014/m-p/661441#M8644 that @Bambino made.

The discussion lead to hints that many long standing members of this community had left for the reasons as stated in the thread linked. I will not duplicate now as the comments are still there.

As this is a customer to customer community I feel it is time that the wishes of the community are acted upon.

This morning I clicked on unread posts and nearly all were in off topic with a few Questions about o2 that were buried amongst all the facebook like talk.

I am as stated before (on previous occasions) and after much concideration thinking of also withdrawing my support for this community as it is not the place it was. After this thread has been replied to I will make my decision on if I stay or go and will post an open letter explaining the reasons I can no longer support the community if I chose to leave.

[Anonymous]

I was very sad indeed to read that some members of this community are thinking about leaving it.  In my view that would be a shame.  I do hope that wiser counsels will prevail and that all members will do whatever they can to contribute to the success of the community, for one thing is certain - it is very much needed.

Now there are things about it that I don't like - for example, When one reads through a thread there is a "reply" button on every contribution.  So if I want to add my tuppence worth to the overall thrust of a thread, rather than reply to a particular contribution how do I do that?    Also, "off topic" is a bit nebulous.  Could we instead have a "social area" - a thread or whatever else it might be termed where members can raise issues other than particular problems they have with their own phones or with the O2 network or O2 customer service etc.  In other words rather than leave the community could some consdieration perhaps be given to re-structuring it to make it easier to know where to go to get help and where to go to just have a chat or discussion.

Let me just add again that I love communties like this where so much help is so freely available and given by folk whose only motive is to help and to share their experience and expertise with the people like me who struggle at the best of times to keep our wee phones working.

Gerry   

[jonsie]

Off-topic does have a place and that isn't really the problem, neck I've started discussions in that area of the forum. And yes, I too have made friends here on the forum, some going back years. There are many people I respect on here and value their opinions on certain subjects.

My problem is the shear amount of of topic subjects which I feel detracts from the basic fundamental of being a technical support and help community.

Many of the topics should be kept to PMs as they are bordering on embarrassment. Why not have discussions via group PM.

In summary, I feel there is a place for of topic and I will continue to contribute to threads I feel warrant my interest. Please just think about what you post on a public forum. I've seen many thread over a couple of pages with just two people posting to each other. Do it via PM if you just want to chat with someone. We all like a bit of banter but I feel it's getting a little out of hand recently.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous

It does not matter which 'reply' button you pick as your post will always land as the last one. If
Your replying to a particular post then it's best to hit the quote button so that post is included in your reply.

Hope that makes sense.

I understand about your thoughts on the Off Topic Boards. Some forums call them lounges. In essence the Off Topic boards means what it's name is in my interpretation.

And that's what the issue here is.

Each individual has their own interpretation.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand if people don't like the off topic section they don't have to go into it there's nothing really to moan at

[Anonymous]

Damien1 said ; "I don't understand if people don't like the off topic section they don't have to go into it there's nothing really to moan at"

Hi Damien1.

One can't really suggest a member not to enter a particular discussion board as some new poster may have accidentally posted there looking for help.

I post there about new gadgets that caught my eye that may interest another member.

What members are after is balance and Equilibrium.

I agree that the Off Topic boards are that. As per my 1st post in this thread.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't telling people not to enter it but if they do they shouldn't really moan about whats in there as its off topic IMO

[jonsie]

It's a shame, and we have had this discussion before, that if you click on latest posts every post is listed. You might have a couple of pages that you have to scroll through before you come across someone wanting the answer to a genuine query. If all the posts were condensed under the title thread then it wouldn't matter if there has been one reply or a hundred, you would have a new thread below it. I'm not sure if any of that makes sense?

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous 

Thanks - hadn't really noticed the Quote button before.  I suppose that may be because I find it irritating to have an entire message regurgitated as part of a reply. I prefer to cut and paste selected words.  

As regards the terminology "off topic"  my own, admittedly limited, experience elsewhere in these matters has been that the term is used within a thread when someone throws in comments that are indeed unrelated to the topic under discussion.  The O2 Community seems to use the term to mean discussions that are not related any particular subject or topic at all - just a general or miscellaneous postbag. 

I suppose the real answer lies with the monitor/supervisor/referee/moderator  (or whatever you want to call the team at the heart of the Community) and the role they are expected to play in the selection and editing of material to be posted.   I know there is a fine line between editing and censoring - but the majority of people who come to this community are, at least initially, looking for help and advice rather than social interaction, and usually they want that help sooner rather than later.  So if hiving off the "off topic" stuff helps toward that end so be it - rather lose the non-productive discussion than lose the knowledge and expertise of those who have helped make the O2 Community the important resource that it is. 

Gerry

[adamtemp64]

@jonsie If we could chose the sections that when you hit Unread posts at the top an I could exclude the off topic and discussion thread then I would just see the posts that people want help in .

Yes we all use the off topic but for a bit of fun and interaction and some have become mates on facebook and personal things can be don there.

But when i get up in the morning to see who needs help scrolling through all the posats is very hard work.

All of us have are own feelings and opinions and as @Anonymous says most come here for help in the first instance .

@Anonymous and @Toby is this sort of filtering of unread posts possiable?

[MI5]

I did ask that question, Adam, back around Christmas time and was hoping it would be incorporated into the new layout....
An option to show/hide would be ideal as we could toggle the sections to suit the amount of time we have available to ourselves, ie, we could choose to show off topic when we have more time in the evenings and the forum is slow, but hide it first thing in the morning when the help requests are been sought......?