Previously, I had turned to private channels to report the incidence where multiple threads of mine in the General and Japanese sections were inappropriately locked whereas other functionally similar threads in other sections such as the Korean and General Asia were not locked. Not only were these concerns not addressed, they were ignored and remained without response. In kindness, and also partial resignation at the situation, I decided to take a break from my involvement in the forums.
After finding MDL somewhat enjoyable again during direct communication with people with relatively similar interests, I decided to take another dabble at the forums. Unfortunately, it seems that there has only been regression in the administration of the forums at MDL. Here, I will offer my final post - on my thoughts on the case of MDL forums.
Note the list of various offences:
1) Deleting/locking threads that are relevant to the forum subsection.
2) No response to reports on threads that are irrelevant to forum subsection
3) Irrelevant requirements for thread initiation.
As this is the most recent injustice, I will further elaborate.
Last I recall, forum threads are meant to be simple and easy to initiate, allow for meaningful interaction across a large group of people throughout a broad spectrum of topics in the appropriate subsection, and with minimal restrictions to the above.
I took a glance at the link above and noted excessively redundant information to be required (such as poster, synopsis, OST etc.). This information should NOT be associated with a thread discussing the topic. Rather, this information is easily available under their respective drama webpage, or if anime - on other sites. (aka this is spam)
Why spam?
This information contributes absolutely zero to the discussion yet such needless information serves only to elongate the thread unnecessarily, making it lengthy and prohibitive to the true value of the thread - to discuss the drama/anime. The number of people who actually read all the information judiciously, despite the lack of my famous experiments, is likely low to zero. Users either enter the thread with the desire to read other's opinions on the drama OR the desire to contribute their own thoughts to the drama. If a user indeed desired factual information about the drama, they would pursue it prior to the thread OR further pursue it after the thread from the drama-specific webpage (MDL or otherwise) REGARDLESS of the information in the thread
Of course, I am a liberal and I believe that the OP, has the freedom to design his or own thread at their personal interests in their attempt to attract the best possible crowd to the discussion of their thread. A little additional redundant information that I have to scroll through before I can get to the relevant information I can live with; I am simply grateful to the OP for leading a thread that I have taken an interest to. Yet, what I will not accept is the establishment of rules and laws that serve no use - such as the requirement of such redundant information (spam) in the formation of a thread. This rule serves no value except for moderators to flash their what you would call e-penis.
If one were to visit any other forum website, you will rarely (only because it would be unfair to be absolute as I have not visited every single forum in the world) come across this inconvenient law. No, I am not asking MDL to be alike any other website. I enjoy how special MDL is. But, I question the logic and thought process behind the formation of such a law. A law that is prohibitive to a low entry level ease of exchange of ideas.
Furthermore, this is in addition to the fact that this subsection of the forums is nearly dead, yet an excited member of MDL who demonstrates an active desire to revive it and engage in discussions with other individuals who might share their interests has multiple threads taken down concurrently, whereas there are traces of existing double standards on various other subsections/users.
Unfortunately, the formation of those above mentioned unreasonable and illogical laws, coupled with their extreme application towards particular subsections of the forums make it unbearable to post in the forums any longer. A strong system is an evolving system, not an inflexible one. Nobody wants to live in a world where redundant laws that carry no value are enforced. Especially not on the internet.
However, the power of the law lies with the administrator and moderators, and it is my belief that they should continue to uphold rules that they they believe to be in the best interests of the forum. However, I cannot and will not agree to such a law and as such will take my final leave from the forums.
I continue to very much appreciate the ongoing improvements in the primary use of the website. It continues to be the best website (to my knowledge) for the tracking of dramas and I am confident it will continue to progress in the right direction because of the open feedback channels available to the administrator and the users.
This is not a piece for sensitive, close-minded, "prim and proper" people. This is as usual, written with no malice nor the passive aggression that I have occasionally sensed from some users in other threads. This is merely the thoughts of a user who once enjoyed MDL in the past.
TL; DR too bad read it.
