# Thinking of removing the groups mod



## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

I installed the groups mod in 2014 with the aspiration of quelling Skype cliques that were forming. By giving people space to operate on the boards, I felt they would opt to not use personal skype accounts to communicate casually and reduce the chances of drama. I also wanted an area to turn a blind eye to trolling.

Unfortunately, I think the groups mod is borderline dysfunctional and I'm not sure _anybody_ uses it. There was a valiant attempt by many people, but the functionality definitely left a lot to be desired.

If there's any content that needs to be saved or defense for the groups mod to be made, let me know now.


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## Gaol (Apr 2, 2016)

I haven't really seen much use of the groups to be honest, if it saves server bandwidth and space I think it would be fine if it was deleted.


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## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

Gaol said:


> I haven't really seen much use of the groups to be honest, if it saves server bandwidth and space I think it would be fine if it was deleted.


It's not an issue with bandwidth or space, I just hate having a website loaded with dumb shit nobody uses. Everything should have a place.


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## Cthulu (Apr 2, 2016)

Null said:


> reduce the chances of drama


Why? We are here for drama.
Seriously I'm in several groups and never use them. Even the Shaner group failed. I think it's useless.


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## Gaol (Apr 2, 2016)

Null said:


> It's not an issue with bandwidth or space, I just hate having a website loaded with dumb shit nobody uses. Everything should have a place.


I guess that's true, but if anything groups also makes bad cliques.


Cthulhu said:


> Why? We are here for drama.
> Seriously I'm in several groups and never use them. Even the Shaner group failed. I think it's useless.


Sometimes Drama gets off the rails and hits nerves with several people and just causes people to start venting in chat or the board.


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## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

Cthulhu said:


> Why? We are here for drama.


Internal drama isn't fun. There's a reason why I go through the effort of educating people of how to cover their own asses. When the community starts taking hits because of idiots within the community it jeopardizes the entire site.


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## Cthulu (Apr 2, 2016)

The first part was  j/king. The seriously after was my thoughts. The shaner group was huge but no content was ever loaded there. The groups are useless imo.


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## Doc Cassidy (Apr 2, 2016)

I've never really used them. I don't think many other people do either.


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## Emiya Kiwitsugu (Apr 2, 2016)

It's had some use with discussing banned cows like Len, but besides that, it does seem mostly irrelevant. Though I think part of the reason that IM clients like Skype are particularly used is because of they fact that, as their name implies, they allow IMs. Most the stuff that goes in in Skype is random banter between members, and not well considered forum posts, so the nature of communication in groups doesn't really work for that. If there were individualized chats for each group, it may get more sway. Though, even then, I have my doubts there would be enough motivation for Skype groups to make the jump.


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## Watcher (Apr 2, 2016)

Skype cliques are going to happen regardless because people want privacy offsite.

I think the system could work but I much preferred the original implementation when you could essentially create your own boards in an 8chan style. The current implementation feels too much like Facebook.


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## autisticdragonkin (Apr 2, 2016)

Maybe just allowing a skype account to be linked to an account with the instruction while linking "Don't use your personal skype you will get doxxed". I do like the group subforums but I think that they should be the only part of group functionality that is kept and they are very difficult to use


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## SteelPlatedHeart (Apr 2, 2016)

If the Dice Scum group thread could be saved, it be very much appreciated.


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## Cthulu (Apr 2, 2016)

@Null have you ever thought about making an IM?


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## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

Watcher said:


> Skype cliques are going to happen regardless because people want privacy offsite.


The same argument could work both ways. I fucking hate adding people to my Skype because they will bug me, and the way Skype works is really awkward and invasive in such a way that removing people shows to them that you've removed them.



Watcher said:


> I think the system could work but I much preferred the original implementation when you could essentially create your own boards in an 8chan style. The current implementation feels too much like Facebook.


Neither mod really did a satisfactory job with how they associated threads to groups and that was the main problem. They both put threads into an hidden node and then pretend they own it.



autisticdragonkin said:


> Maybe just allowing a skype account to be linked to an account with the instruction while linking "Don't use your personal skype you will get doxxed". I do like the group subforums but I think that they should be the only part of group functionality that is kept and they are very difficult to use


For the aforementioned reasons. The way they are designed from a developer standpoint is lazy.


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## ShavedSheep (Apr 2, 2016)

TBH mostly is got used for sharing porn on lewd crew tbh SMH fam


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## autisticdragonkin (Apr 2, 2016)

Null said:


> The same argument could work both ways. I fucking hate adding people to my Skype because they will bug me, and the way Skype works is really awkward and invasive in such a way that removing people shows to them that you've removed them.
> 
> 
> Neither mod really did a satisfactory job with how they associated threads to groups and that was the main problem. They both put threads into an hidden node and then pretend they own it.
> ...


Would it be possible to completely overhaul the group system and give every group its own subforum but keep the groups and their members intact


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## Melkor (Apr 2, 2016)

All I know about the groups mod is that some of the sociopath community made their own little group there.


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## MalWart (Apr 2, 2016)

Seeing how the groups did little for me, nothing of value seems to be lost. It's probably for the best since some of these groups seemed pretty autistic.


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## JU 199 (Apr 2, 2016)

I've always found groups really awkward to use.


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## HickoryDickory (Apr 2, 2016)

If it was set up like a regular sub-forum that appeared when you apply/follow it would be great. The current set-up is retarded.


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## Sanic (Apr 2, 2016)

Honestly, groups seem pretty useless. Most people just make them as jokes.


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## autisticdragonkin (Apr 2, 2016)

Null said:


> It's not an issue with bandwidth or space, I just hate having a website loaded with dumb shit nobody uses. Everything should have a place.


I feel the same way about media. Although I liked uploading touhous and clogging everyone's alerts there was really no reason for it existing. I think that it would be good if we could somehow archive both but we shouldn't have them as active things


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## Peace and Harmony (Apr 2, 2016)

HickoryDickory said:


> If it was set up like a regular sub-forum that appeared when you apply/follow it would be great. The current set-up is retarded.



This, I did get good use out of it when I was writing the wiki article on Brad Watson but it always felt "out of the way". Either it could be integrated better somehow or just jettisoned.

(RIP Friends of Fatman)


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## xXRonPaul_42020Xx (Apr 2, 2016)

HickoryDickory said:


> If it was set up like a regular sub-forum that appeared when you apply/follow it would be great. The current set-up is retarded.


So in other words... reddit?


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## MarvinTheParanoidAndroid (Apr 2, 2016)

SteelPlatedHeart said:


> If the Dice Scum group thread could be saved, it be very much appreciated.



Agreed, we use this board for organizing shit related to the show. The only reason for our inactivity on it is due to our currently busy schedules. Once free time is allotted, it will become more active again and we can move forward with the series.


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## Darwin Watterson (Apr 2, 2016)

The only argument I can really think of in favor of keeping groups around is that sometimes, cows discover the Farms and talking about them on here can cause them to go dormant.

Late last year, for example, Kent found out that we were talking about him. He sperged for a while, but eventually he just deleted his channel, taking over half a year's worth of content away. He'd make new channels, but as soon as it was announced on the Farms, he'd delete them quickly. He seems to be back for good for the time being, but for a while it became hard to follow him.

I made a secret group only visible to members so that those who wished to follow and talk about him could do so without fear of him getting scared away again. My point is that groups could be useful for discussing paranoid cows and sharing things that, if posted in the public boards, could cause a loss of content.

Overall, I definitely see why you'd want to get rid of them, but they do have some legitimate uses. If you do get rid of them, I'd suggest adding in an alternative of some sort for the reason I just detailed.

I WILL say this, however: The group feature seems to either be really buggy, or has had some features removed. In my Kent group, I was unable to add a banner, appoint mods/admins, or create forum topics. I'm not sure if those features got taken away or just didn't work because of some kind of bug, but in any case I think it causes the feature to suffer.


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## HickoryDickory (Apr 2, 2016)

xXRonPaul_42016Xx said:


> So in other words... reddit?


There are sites that implemented that feature before Reddit. I've never used Reddit, so I don't know their deal.


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## John Daker (Apr 2, 2016)

I made the current largest group on the site, it was pretty frequently used at one point. After an update, the mod became basically unusable and maintaining groups became fairly impossible. The Shaner club was pretty popular after the threads got closed. Granted I know you hated the Shaner thread, but the group kept people from bitching about censorship and shit, and kept interested parties informed. They work good as circlejerks and fanclubs for various cows and helps keep it all out of the main threads. I like groups and I think they should stay, but they're pretty useless and broken atm.


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## Philosophy Zombie (Apr 2, 2016)

When the groups mod debuted last year it was annoying but still sort of usable. Then in like November this _"update"_ thing happened that actually made the mod even worse and I noticed group activity in general dropped off further afterward.

I've made a couple groups myself; I had some fun making a "fanclub" around @DirkBloodStormKing once on a lark, but that's both dead now and the fact that groups are really shitty makes it too bothersome to use as compared to an Inner Circlejerk hugbox thread.



Watcher said:


> Skype cliques are going to happen regardless because people want privacy offsite.


Groups don't fill the same niche that Skype does at all either. Groups are way, way outclassed by Skype as a chatroom for general-interest talk between friends, which is what most Skype cliques are. And as places for specialized discussion they are outclassed by threads in off-topic for [insert interest here]

even for "let's not let the cow see this!" lolcow discussion, I've seen people use Inner Circle for that instead, which honestly works better.



ShavedSheep said:


> TBH mostly is got used for sharing porn on lewd crew tbh SMH fam


I can't say I'd personally miss The Knife's Husbando's images of women using pussy pumps or vagina dentata. Can't speak for anyone else.



autisticdragonkin said:


> I feel the same way about media. Although I liked uploading touhous to show everyone here there was really no reason for it existing. I think that it would be good if we could somehow archive both but we shouldn't have them as active things


I just uploaded a lot of useless pictures because I liked the idea of clogging up people's alerts with album sharing lol.


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## MehicTUH_92 (Apr 2, 2016)

Null said:


> I just hate having a website loaded with dumb shit nobody uses. Everything should have a place.


deadname.info begs to differ


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## Tranhuviya (Apr 2, 2016)

Release all the posts, too.


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## Reddit Avenger (Apr 2, 2016)

I won't lie, I've never used groups ever and probably never will since I don't really post here enough to ever become part of some kind of "clique". 

But if bandwidth or something isn't an issue I don't see why it can't just be tucked away in some obscure corner or re-purposed for those who do use it (although you did say you didn't want features that only like 3 people used so idk). Although it's apparently really buggy and super unintuitive so maybe just creating like 8-chan style boards like people were saying is a good idea.

Doesn't matter to me either way, my opinion doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things and if it were to disappear overnight it'd probably take a while for me to notice it if at all. Just figured I'd throw my 2 cents and hope that whatever happens no one gets shafted.


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## MarvinTheParanoidAndroid (Apr 2, 2016)

I don't think it needs to be chucked but enhancing it to be less shitty would be nice though.


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## trueandhonestfan (Apr 2, 2016)

I've never used it. I think I've seen a few joke groups or something, but other than that it never really stood out to me. I think it's a cool idea, but nothing I'd ever use since I just come here for lolcow discussion. 
TL;DR I see no problem with getting rid of it since I barely notice it.


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## Gaol (Apr 2, 2016)

groups used to be fun but sadly it also became a clique thing, with some groups allowing only certain people.


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## Hyperion (Apr 2, 2016)

Groups get an A for effort but yeah I've never actually used them. Even the tabletop gaming one didn't see much use


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## I'm With Chris (Apr 2, 2016)

Why are you even asking the peasants?

I don't think this is some sort of democracy.   Nobody does. 

To be honest - I don't know what you get out of this at all.  

It seems like a lot of work for nothing.


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## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

I'm With Chris said:


> To be honest - I don't know what you get out of this at all.


I'm asking because there's shit like this people want saved.



SteelPlatedHeart said:


> If the Dice Scum group thread could be saved, it be very much appreciated.


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## Null (Apr 2, 2016)

MehicTUH_92 said:


> deadname.info begs to differ


That's not a part of the main website. I'm allowed to have other websites. I'm allowed to have other websites you don't like. Sorry.


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## Watcher (Apr 3, 2016)

I'm With Chris said:


> Why are you even asking the peasants?
> 
> I don't think this is some sort of democracy.   Nobody does.
> 
> ...


Null tends to make decisions and find reasons to justify them. These threads typically are where the justifications come from.

I don't actually disagree with removing the groups mod mind you. I just would prefer a system more akin to the old one.


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## autisticdragonkin (Apr 3, 2016)

What were the groups previously like?


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## Watcher (Apr 3, 2016)

autisticdragonkin said:


> What were the groups previously like?


They were more like 8chan. In that you could create your own group and it'd essentially have it's own subforum you could make threads in.


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## Emiya Kiwitsugu (Apr 3, 2016)

Watcher said:


> They were more like 8chan *INFINITY NEXT*. In that you could create your own group and it'd essentially have it's own subforum you could make threads in.



Dude quickly edit that before he sees it.


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## SpessCaptain (Apr 3, 2016)

Some will be against it but if you want to start drama you can:

Make a chat room.
Talk there.
Have your drama starting shit leaked through mistrust and canibalism.

Why are groups needed when we can have our own chat rooms?


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## Watcher (Apr 3, 2016)

Valiant said:


> Why are groups needed when we can have our own chat rooms?


Where else are you going to rate lewd art? Can't do that shit in the hustle and bustle of a chatroom.


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## cityofcaterpillar (Apr 3, 2016)

Dont take away the tk fanclub

Im not in it but i think it should exist

@TrippinKahlua make your own site ill join


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## Mr. 0 (Apr 3, 2016)

Valiant said:


> Why are groups needed when we can have our own chat rooms?



null do what valiant said and make a shitload of IRC rooms

Also when you remove all the groups, don't remove the Friends of Fatman, make Friends of Fatman the only group, and if you don't submit to Fatman's will you will be banned forever


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## Curt Sibling (Apr 3, 2016)

Keep the cock-cap-confederation. Zap the rest.


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## autisticdragonkin (Apr 3, 2016)

keep all the secret groups


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## Curt Sibling (Apr 3, 2016)

autisticdragonkin said:


> keep all the secret groups



Get rid of all that weird shit you tried to send me.


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