As we've just had the umpteenth thread of a new member being welcomed my posts questioning their motives, may I suggest a discussion about making it simply against the rules.
Call it welcome courtesy. My suggestion would be to make a welcome courtesy rule.
You know the drill: small replies being snippy at a new poster more than replying to the message, referring to their low post count (perhaps in a backhanded way), mentioning the word "short" or suggesting working for a Tesla competitor, etc... sometimes they are direct allegations, at other times "knowing" winks at existing members. It is basically bullying a new member. It IMO happens almost every time there is a negative new poster. Less so with positive posters, but sometimes there as well - IMO a welcome courtesy would include requiring leaving out curt negative responses to positive newcomers as well.
In my experience, almost never are these concerns validated over time. Almost never does the poster turn out to be fake or short or whatever to any degree of confidence. You all remember Eds and his leaks, he of course is a notorious example of someone who was the real deal getting a hard time. While there are a few contrary cases in the history of TMC, the reality in I'd say over 90% of the cases is that this is a genuine problem for a genuine new member that comes with a message that is perceived as critical of Tesla or otherwise disingenious or ignorant (latter includes some non-critical posters as well).
If it was simply made against the rules to question the motives of an early time poster, or to otherwise give them a hard time about their low post count or low experience, so to give time for them to become known on the forum, this could be solved. Mind you, I don't mind questioning the motives of long-time posters (that you can affect through your own posting history), just those of new posters that aren't known yet and it naturally takes time for them to become known - first posts are almost always misleading anyway, because humans are humans.
This is made worse by the fact that new posters are behind moderation and have limited access to forum functionality, so their responses may get delayed while a thread blows up making all sorts of accusations against them - and because this is the first impression they get of the place, it can be especially offputting. Old-timers can be expected to be able to handle themselves, new posters not so much.
If a poster member has a low post count (say, under 20), we'd be expected a different behavior towards them. Genuine welcoming messages, genuine questions and analysis about their concerns etc. fine. But stuff seeking to discredit them not fine, not fine referring to their new status in a backhanded way, not fine calling them shorts or working for GM etc...
If you feel a thread is dishonest, it can be reported to moderators silently anyway and action taken once it seems that way as it evolves. This policy would not stop that.
Thoughts?
Call it welcome courtesy. My suggestion would be to make a welcome courtesy rule.
You know the drill: small replies being snippy at a new poster more than replying to the message, referring to their low post count (perhaps in a backhanded way), mentioning the word "short" or suggesting working for a Tesla competitor, etc... sometimes they are direct allegations, at other times "knowing" winks at existing members. It is basically bullying a new member. It IMO happens almost every time there is a negative new poster. Less so with positive posters, but sometimes there as well - IMO a welcome courtesy would include requiring leaving out curt negative responses to positive newcomers as well.
In my experience, almost never are these concerns validated over time. Almost never does the poster turn out to be fake or short or whatever to any degree of confidence. You all remember Eds and his leaks, he of course is a notorious example of someone who was the real deal getting a hard time. While there are a few contrary cases in the history of TMC, the reality in I'd say over 90% of the cases is that this is a genuine problem for a genuine new member that comes with a message that is perceived as critical of Tesla or otherwise disingenious or ignorant (latter includes some non-critical posters as well).
If it was simply made against the rules to question the motives of an early time poster, or to otherwise give them a hard time about their low post count or low experience, so to give time for them to become known on the forum, this could be solved. Mind you, I don't mind questioning the motives of long-time posters (that you can affect through your own posting history), just those of new posters that aren't known yet and it naturally takes time for them to become known - first posts are almost always misleading anyway, because humans are humans.
This is made worse by the fact that new posters are behind moderation and have limited access to forum functionality, so their responses may get delayed while a thread blows up making all sorts of accusations against them - and because this is the first impression they get of the place, it can be especially offputting. Old-timers can be expected to be able to handle themselves, new posters not so much.
If a poster member has a low post count (say, under 20), we'd be expected a different behavior towards them. Genuine welcoming messages, genuine questions and analysis about their concerns etc. fine. But stuff seeking to discredit them not fine, not fine referring to their new status in a backhanded way, not fine calling them shorts or working for GM etc...
If you feel a thread is dishonest, it can be reported to moderators silently anyway and action taken once it seems that way as it evolves. This policy would not stop that.
Thoughts?
