Polls?

[Mollfie]

I've been wondering this for a while, why can't we create polls?

I've never been on a forum that doesn't have an option to add a poll to the main post.

I was just wondering why? Is it because it might mean that people don't discuss the topic or something? Has there been bad experiences with polls in the past?

[Spanner]

If my memory serves right, polls have been disabled for a long time and only the SoniClans were exempt from having poll topics. My guess as to why they're disabled because poll topics are generally retarded.

[novelty]

Exactly, SOTI, Polls are a really retarded option; if a poll was not made properly or ever thought out, then it will be off to the chopping block for the poll creator.

Edited August 26, 2009 by (Novelty)

[Blue Blood]

I think that we should have them. People have to add discussion value in the first post for a topic to be valid- the same could go for polls.

[Pelly <3's U]

Ya we had polls for awhile on this forum but they were eventually disabled because people were abusing them......and trust me there is nothing worse then poll abuse D:

[Chris]

I think that we should have them. People have to add discussion value in the first post for a topic to be valid- the same could go for polls.

That's exactly what didn't happen. Polls used to be enabled way back in the day but have been disabled since because they spawned a whole new version of topics with one or two word replies. To promote discussion it'd be best if you replied with your reasoning, instead of viewing the topic and selecting one of a few available options before leaving again.

[Blue Blood]

Frankly, that totally sucks. Polls can be a be a nice way of looking at opinions and keeping track of things. Those polls that showed up on Sonic's Facebook page a while go, remember them? It would be nice if we could mimic them here to see what SSMBers voted as well as having a discussion alongside.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Frankly, that totally sucks. Polls can be a be a nice way of looking at opinions and keeping track of things.

That was exactly the problem.

The idea was that the polls would help compliment discussion... But all what happened was this.

"Vote for your favourite Sonic character"

User 1: Votes sonic...

Post: I like Sonic... Massive...

And then there was the people who didn't post anything at all. The idea was to get people discussing and not just turning up to a topic and then leaving it.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Casanova

[Pelly <3's U]

Plus topics like the sexual orientation topic would suffer because of polls. If you look at it now it's 35 pages and has covered a huge amount on content. Half of that would likely go away if people could come in, tic off a sexuality, and leave.

Topics with polls get 50 votes and 5 replies :/

[novelty]

The only way for you to get users to post in polls is to use the points system...

and that is really unnecessary

Edited August 26, 2009 by (Novelty)

[Mollfie]

I wasn't saying we should have them, I just wondered why we didn't lol.

I've seen the same problem on other forums I go on, but my main forum is nothing like that. But then everyone there is older so I don't know if that would make a difference anyway.

[JezMM]

Hmm, I personally don't see the problem.

All the people who only want to come in, tick a box and leave probably don't have anything important to say anyway.

Even if I only make a small post, I always feel the need to say what I voted for and why. I mean, where's the fun in voting if you don't let people know your opinion? That's the whole point of a message board.

I love statistics, but that's just me.

Edited August 26, 2009 by JezMM

[Chris]

Pelly is correct. This was a staff decision to be made in order to promote discussion on the forums - I fail to see why we should allow them if it's inevitable that they'll display exactly what do not want them to.