Swear Censors... Really necessary?
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Category: Site News, Newbies, Help and Improvements
Forum Name: Help us improve the site
Forum Description: Help us improve the forums, and the site as a whole
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=68424
Printed Date: December 03 2024 at 08:36
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Swear Censors... Really necessary?
Posted By: Conor Fynes
Subject: Swear Censors... Really necessary?
Date Posted: June 16 2010 at 14:39
| I'm not trying to advocate that this forum become likened to a sailor's bar, but is a forced language censor really necessary? We're all (mostly) mature people here, and it's not like we have the Concerned Parents Of America Council to report to! |
Replies:
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 16 2010 at 15:00
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This site was set up to be accessible to everyone and "family friendly" - that means no profanity or swearing. ------------- What? |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: June 16 2010 at 15:11
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And you still know what's being said. ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: akamaisondufromage
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 14:30
I think you at least should be able to say bollocks!  ------------- Help me I'm falling! |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 20:14
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I'm surprised we can't say w**k. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 20:16
Or wrist**tch.  ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
DT-PT wrote:Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 20:18
I'm not. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 20:21
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At least we can gratuitously say Belgium!
------------- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXcp9fYc6K4IKuxIZkenfvukL_Y8VBqzK" rel="nofollow - Duos for fave acts |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 20:24
That's true, the censor hasn't picked this one up yet. Surprising, really. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 22:10
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sh*t yeah we need a swear censor, are you f**king kidding? though it is a shame about Pent**ter .. ah well |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 23:03
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More bad words on PA:
Phil Col**ns Prog Rel**ed Cros**ver Metal**ca Love B**ch Nu **zz |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: June 17 2010 at 23:32
P**k R**k  ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Falx
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 04:34
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You could always swear in Kobaian.
------------- "You must go beyond the limit of the limit of your limits!" - Mr. Doctor "It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though the limits of our abilities do not exist." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 04:52
------------- What? |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 05:24
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wristwatch
It works! ------------- 
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 05:53
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Oh, you know, you can say horrible and disguting things without using any profanity or "dirty" word. All of the worst sexual perversions can be named with a "scientifical" term - and it won't be filtered by any censoring system if the said system is only calibred for profanities and swearing. No, I won't make any example. It reminds a funny literary game: type any text, "censor" some words, hop! It becomes a hidden obscenity. Example: Shakespeare, Hamlet: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the m*** to su**** The slings and a***** of outrageous f******, Or to take t*** against a sea of t*******. But I think we could find better examples. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 05:59
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^ Or read Harry Potter and change all the D's to G's ------------- What? |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 06:58
What about Sc**thorpe?
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 07:19
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to mention a certain northern seaside town 
Speaking as an admin/moderator though, the auto-censor saves me a lot of f**king work  ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 08:01
What's Blackpool got to do with it?
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 08:18
What? And you think we can't translate those langages? Even Google can translate Urdu.
------------- What? |
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 10:30
I had a suggestion about this on MMA, and words like sh*t, f**k, and c**t are now allowed on Max's other website. Here was my post there... I have the same feelings about curse words in PA.
------------- 
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
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Topic: No More Censorship
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 10:36
| As far as I'm concerned, a band called An*l C*nt should be censored from everywhere. |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 10:46
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I'm not really speaking for myself here, just playing devil's advocate, but if people on this forum want to be 'free' from vulgarity isn't lack of censorship a loss of freedom for them. So called 'free speech' is a misnomer, freedom is not a one way street and is always a compromise between differing views.
Anyway, the rules on speech were established on this site before any of us joined and we all agreed to bide by those rules as part of our invitation to join the site. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:37
I made the same point in the first week of the MMA ( http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=66&PID=512#512 - http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=66&PID=512#512 ) and I'm pleased to see that it has been implemented. Autocensoring Metal band names, biographies and discographies was just plain silly (and I said so), also getting Metalheads to stop swearing is like trying to make water flow up hill - it can be done but requires a lot of energy and constant pressure.
I'm against the use of the Autocensor here and have said so (badly I admit) in a couple of threads in the CZ (one may have been in the SCZ). Turning off the Autocensor will not change the rules - it would still be against forum rules to use profanity - turning it off means that people would have to censor their own posts or risk ejection from the site - and that's f
 king fine by me. If people don't have the wit and vocabulary to post without swearing then the MMA is two doors down on the left - just follow your nose and don't let the door bang you on your butt as you leave here.So, are you really asking for a change in the rules to permit swearing? I'm in favour of that too, I think it is possible to swear and remain polite; the "no vulgarity, no snipping, no bigotry, no offensive behaviour" rules would have to remain in my opinion, which just leaves swearing as harmless verbal punctuation, which we all do in our everyday lives.
------------- What? |
Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:48
Not I; I'm still scared of swearing around my mother. The only negative effect I have seen is when people use [url] tags and the address is censored, other than that I don't mind whether it stays or goes. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:53
My exact feeling about it. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:55
Me too - and I've never met your mother. ------------- What? |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:58
I agree with this as well. ------------- 
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Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 12:11
She could make a sailor blush. |
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 13:53
Same... the difference between f u c k and f**k isn't much at all, but it can really mess up some URL's. -------------
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 13:54
"You can't fool me- shoot is just sh*t with two Os." -George Carlin ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: June 18 2010 at 13:55
 -------------
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 20 2010 at 10:26
And you can always make things up that sound like swearwords: mutherfunker, dagnabbit, etc. What begins with F and ends with uck? ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: June 20 2010 at 11:06
| ^ Fantastuck? |
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: June 20 2010 at 16:20
^ Firetruck 
-------------
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: June 20 2010 at 19:07
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It's fine that sh*t f**k c**t is censored, although I don't think it's really necessary, and it does occasionally interfere with URLS, but I do think we should be able to say b*****d, w**k, and a****le. They're hardly that strong, and we can say ass, so why does adding a hole suddenly make it so terrible? And b*****d is even a non-vulgar term! Technically. :P ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: June 20 2010 at 19:17
Because a****le is bit of a vulgar reference, but ass is a term for a donkey? And when is b*****d ever not used as an insult? |
Posted By: seventhsojourn
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 05:01
| I understand the need to the site for adverts, but if swearing and profanity are not allowed then why do they so often appear in large font in these adverts on the front page? |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 06:05
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Hey I was thinking of that too today when i saw the banner ad that was quite vulgar in content by gore metal band = it said f**k the Facts! -------------
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 06:14
| I keep reading "sweat censors". |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 06:30
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-------------
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:04
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stil PA don't cencor the word bitch, (i guess) and i think that is a bad word, i barly even dare think of it. -------------  
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:13
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Bitch can refer to:
However I think it's unfair that "b*****d" is censored because b*****d may refer to:
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Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:14
| Wristwatch. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:18
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^ I fixed that one ------------- What? |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:23
^ 
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:43
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twit or t**t allowed? -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 07:50
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^ do you think censored the wrong one? ------------- What? |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 09:07
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Just a Test for Echo -------------
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 09:11
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Woohoo! Now I can say this "You're such a wristwatch" and it will pass the censors. To the libertarian thread I go. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 10:34
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I think that it should be a setting. It defaults to on, but you can turn it off in the member control panel. That would be ideal.
------------- 
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 10:37
------------- 
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Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 10:38
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I could not be bother to read through this social stuff, so I will answer with a very dry, dull piece of fact: The swear censors is there to not trigger various filters. These are the filters which makes it possible to read and reply to posts in our offices and from computers in large organisations. This also means the website is not triggering the inane parental filters set up by in Windows Vista too. Basically, we have filters to be able to view this website from anywhere. Those forums with no swearwords filters, and there are some of them, are getting banned. That goes for everything from butterflies forums (literary speaking; butterfly collectors forums) to angling and up to music and fallen madonnas with big suspensions forums. I for my part is happy that we can read our forum and take part here from computers in libraries and in offices. It brightens my working days and it means I can submit interviews and reviews paid for by my employer through their wage bill. I don't want us to get an X and Adult rating.
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 10:38
 ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 10:40
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No, I mean, not a setting that allows you to swear.Rather one that allows you to see the uncensored content, if you so choose. -------------
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 11:01
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swearing is bad for your health -------------   
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 11:05
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Bloody well Right
-------------
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Posted By: seventhsojourn
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 12:01
That last sentence is something I'd be keeping quiet about.
So I can expect to visit the site without seeing a dirty great effyouseekay on the homepage?
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Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 12:12
This came up on another forum I used to visit: it's not practical because then the server has to serve two different versions of the same page, which drastically increases the load. And it's also impractical because Max is never going to change PA's software again...
Yeah, this came up before, but I see lots of people posting at work on forums that allow swearing. I don't know if your company is particularly draconian or what.
As with all things in life, you can get away with more when you're paying. ;-) ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 12:34
The advert content is outside of our control. I suggest you use AdBlock. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Evolver
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 12:37
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What the Fripp are you guys talking about?
You're full of Shatner. ------------- Trust me. I know what I'm doing. |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 12:40
------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Evolver
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:09
Go Spock yourself. ------------- Trust me. I know what I'm doing. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:12
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It appears to me that you are telling him to live long and prosper. -------------
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:29
You're first point is untrue. It could be done quite easily using javascript. I'll buy you're second point, however. -------------
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:31
 ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:36
I don't know, that's just what he said, but 1) that forum is much larger than PA, so small additional strains would cost more and 2) he may also have just not wanted to do it but not say that out loud. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:38
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Javascript is client-side, so it would not put any additional load on the server, so I would assume the latter, unless he just doesn't know what he's doing.
-------------
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Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:40
You might want to be careful with suggestions like that. If the ad companies find out that staff of the site are recommending ad-block, it could cause problems. -------------
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Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 13:42
Well, he has been the Webmaster of Bungie.net for around a decade, so I am pretty sure he does. I can't believe he lied to me Q_Q ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Slaughternalia
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:11
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if you really want to swear, it's pretty FUDGING easy to get by the filters. What's the point though? People will know what you're trying to say anyway.
------------- I'm so mad that you enjoy a certain combination of noises that I don't |
Posted By: akamaisondufromage
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:13
What did he say? ------------- Help me I'm falling! |
Posted By: A Person
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:15
| I thought it was against forum policy to evade the filter. |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:16
 I prophesy disaster. ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: akamaisondufromage
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:17
It wasn't me I just copied him!  ------------- Help me I'm falling! |
Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:24
Jolly good.  ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:31
It is pretty easy to evade with the old special invisible characters trick, so yeah. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 14:52
But then you could incurr the wrath of us naughty admin chaps, and you wouldn't want todo that now, would you  -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 16:23
| The biggest problem with the swear censorship is that admins occasionally pm me to complain when I use a censored word. If we aren't allowed to post them anyway, why bother censoring? Mayb as well just ban all the pottymouths |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 16:25
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I guess I could see that tho, if you were using it in anger against someone. Cuz then that violates their don't be a dick to other ppl cause. Not saying you would do this, but I see a case for it. -------------
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Posted By: Anthony H.
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 16:40
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I would love to see it go. As it stands, I think it should be made optional.
-------------  |
Posted By: NotAProghead
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 16:59
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These words are a part of the language (by the way, any language). It's only a matter of writer's taste: some people use swear-words well, some not. Anyway autocensors suck. Though censorship from admins/site monitors could be necessary in some cases. ------------- Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour) |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:09
------------- What? |
Posted By: Anthony H.
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:16
Indeed. There's nothing evil about the word f**k. ------------- |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:17
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That seems a little overzealous. Oh well, whatevs. -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:23
------------- What? |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:27
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I just don't see the harm as anyone who does not know the words, will not be affected by seeing them censored. That's the issue rite? Not teaching young uns bad language? Now, as I said above, if they are usign the words in anger against someone, then it's justified because that violates the flaming policy. EDIT: I will also say that there are plenty ways to be quite lewd with polite language. -------------
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Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:38
Then the auto-censor should censor to something that is not immediately recognizable as a particular word. ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:38
The actual site rule is:
which is polite Anglo-Canadian for "No Swearing" - regardless of the reasons, that is the owner's wish.
Of course there are plenty of ways to be lewd, insulting and down-right offensive using polite language, but they are still infringements of site rules and also will be dealt with accordingly.
I asked how is it we are being overzealous, because as I see it we are remarkably relaxed in applying this rule, only sending warning by private messages when we feel that the person is themselves being a tad over indulgent in the use of swearing (with or without the auto censor). To be overzealous would be to clamp-down on every profanity, even those caught by the auto-censor, and in all honesty, I don't see us doing that.
------------- What? |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:40
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Okay, I thought that's what you were advocating.I still disagree with any kind of censorship as a rule of thumb, but that's not as bad as slapping a warning on everyone who says something that gets censored. -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:41
------------- What? |
Posted By: Failcore
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:43
I remember that thread. I thought it was a good idea and I actually did that on my forum for a while as a result, except with normal words, just to screw with ppl. -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 17:44
------------- What? |
Posted By: Henry Plainview
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:03
Dean, while I am honored to get my own word filter, could you please add a space? Without one it lacks a certain...je ne sais quoi. I hope the original text is not replaced on the server. :S
Yeah, that's really annoying and you shouldn't do it. I am opposed to word filters of any kind, although I understand why PA has it and why it won't change. It is too bad Dean's thread derailed because I think that would have been a better solution for the stance the administration takes, although it would also make me unable to swear at all without breaking the rules. :( ------------- if you own a sodastream i hate you |
Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:10
That would be amazing. ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:15
Ah I see - no, that wasn't me this time. Now the giggle has passed, I've removed it.
/edit - and no, the original isn't retained on the server - the autocensor replaces on input, which is why is flicks up URLs. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:16
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one could stil use the unsensoured yet very profaned word bitch as in bitchslapp or Bitches Brew, and so on, i think that word should be censored since i find it offenceive (and i doubt i am the only one, i know of many ways to use it in ways in which could perma ban me, not that i aim for that, but i know how to make it sting) -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:21
II understand what you are saying, but context and how the word is used is all important on words that have multiple meanings - the auto-censor is too dumb to know context, which is why we have such fun with pocketwatch and the like. I would not like to see Miles Davis censored to B*tches Brew, but anyone who uses bitch or bitchslap on the forum should be extremely careful in how they use it since with or without censorship, it can still be offensive and will be taken as such.. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: October 20 2011 at 18:21
A different forum I'm on does that. It was funny at first, but you'd need a system that randomly selects from a long list. The words "fridge" and "shirley" get more annoying to see than the expletives they replace |