Should the STEX be pre-moderated?

[Intrepid 20]

Hi, I don't usually post in these forums but I do lurk a lot. I also enjoying downloading the wonderful works by various authors from the STEX.

However, I find it most irritating that there is a large number of files that are either spam or such low quality that they end up being locked. To cut down on this, I would like to ask the community as well as the owners whether it is a better idea to have the STEX pre-moderated so that only genuine uploaders have their content put onto the STEX. 

I am in favour of having it pre-moderated for the above reasons. 

But what do you think?

What criteria (or standards if you like) should be put in place that users have to meet before a file is allowed on the STEX?

[Patricius Maximus 236]

It should not be pre-moderated. The current system of post-moderating works just fine, and has for the past 5 years. No reason to do it, so I vote no.

[KingTitan 6]

Absoltely No. I agree as well. What may look like crap to another...maybe very useful to a lot more.

[Neddiggis 1]

If you are disilusioned by the work on the STEX, just visit the LEX at SC4D, it's pre moderated and all the work if of a particularly high standard

[toxicpiano 125]

I think I accidentallly voted yes. Spam is rare so doesn't sem much point.

[Intrepid 20]

Originally posted by: KingTitan What may look like crap to another...maybe very useful to a lot more.quote>

 

That is completely true, I think I may have been mis-understood slightly. What I think should be done is to have it pre-moderated in order to ensure that the file is genuine, that the upload comes with in-game pictures, has links to any dependancies and a readme. 

What I am not in favour of is moderating to decide which is good or bad quality because afterall people should be given the opportunity to learn and get better . Some of the best modders/batters had to start somewhere.

I hopethat clears things up a little.

[dadyrghluv 8]

i agree with intrepids point in the above statement. it would save on bandwidth and alot of headaches due to such reasons. i for one am in favor of the pre-moderated idea, and enjoy the LEX for that reason. some of the files as of late on here are no better than what was found on the SC4 site itself. no readme's very unclear descriptions, etc.

[simmaster07 1,220]

NO. The post-moderation system works just fine now. The STEX moderators usually act in a timely fashion. Besides, new lotters and BATers could probably use some constructive criticism. Sure, it'll save bandwidth and space, but I feel the moderators might become irritated with the heavier load of work unleashed upon them, having to pre-moderate and approve/deny every, single upload sent to the STEX every single day. Imagine it this way... do you feel comfortable pre-moderating up to 100 uploads a day?

[Neddiggis 1]

Originally posted by: simmaster07 Imagine it this way... do you feel comfortable pre-moderating up to 100 uploads a day?quote>

 

How Many?!?  I've just had a count and the biggest day was 11 in the last week.  Even at it's peak with SimGoober and Colyn at their most prolific I doubt there was every 100 a day.

[RippleJet 36]

During the past 14 days there have been 63 uploads on the STEX... that's exactly 4.5 per day. 

[GMT 389]

I voted yes ahead of thinking about it...

But thinking about it, I'm definitely going with the no option tho.

from time to time there's a lot of crap coming to the stex, but then again, most of it'll be locked and deleted anyways, and the other things... well...

anyone has to start anywhere, no one is a somy or peg (or any other high quality uploader) right from the start.

But then again, I feel like we (as in the stex) don't need no 100th re-lotted version of a water purification plant or army camp or any other more or less random lot-editor-only work.

without a doubt, there's sometimes very usefull or at least quality stuff from the "beginners", but there's also (especially when it lacks any batting) a lot of redundant stuff imho.

but, after all, no one is forced to download stuff they don't like for whatever reason...

[Jerebannus XVI 7]

I voted no. The current method of post-moderation works fine and I see no reason to change it.  Yes crap gets uploaded to the STEX, yes it annoys me and many others, yes it takes up bandwidth but what we have to realise is that the majority of people wouldn't download files unless an appropriate image is shown, we're not that stupid. Secondly these things happen but it isn't in any way an epidemic, so pre-moderation, in my opinion, would be a complete waste of time and effort.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

No, and I think that people who get so outraged by "low quality" and the occasional spam have personal issues.  I honestly don't understand how something so small could bother some people so much.

Also, like Jerebannus said, this is not an epidemic.  Go to the STEX, and critically look at each individual file.  Almost all of them would be approved.  And even if was a quality restriction, all of them but a few would still make it, and the ones that didn't were in good spirit and the creator clearly spent time on them.

And if anyone is "disillusioned" with the STEX, they can go to the LEX and be "disillusioned" there too.  There's been nine uploads (all high quality) there since a week ago.  Now go to the STEX and see if you can find at least nine high quality uploads there in the last week.  If you can bear sharing the same exchange with newbies, I don't think you'll find anything wrong with how the STEX works.

[Zelgadis 638]

I have no problem dealing with the occasional "bad" lot. We STEX mods are usually pretty on top of things as far as getting rid of things that create problems (not following directions, plagiarism, etc.

My primary problem with the pre-moderation idea is: who judges? You? Me? Somebody else? Personally, I would never approve of a select group of people deciding what is "good enough" for me to download.

ISF

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

*claps @ last 2 posts*

I would have to agree, as a long time believer in the STEX, I think the whole idea is based on an over reaction on a small, yet aggravating, fact of life. If you ignore it, it will go away (or at least not bug you... 'cuz your ignoring it)

So, no.

[patriots_1228 51]

Jason made a good point, for the 'NO' side. The lex may get 5 high quality uploads a week ,but thats all. The stex may have 4 crap uploads, but then 10 high quality uploads. So in a way, by keeping the STEX open, there is more high quality stuff

also, as many have said, who is to decide whats good?

i've seen many things i think are "bad" and even a few that were "just awful" on the LEX.

and we see the same thing on the STEX, occasionally bad things get good ratings, and good things get bad ratings. this is simply because some people have different standards and ideas of good.

[Gn_leugim 858]

I stand for the those 2 post too!!

if people were judge before uploading, any newbies wouldn't pass, and give up.. and could be lost a "becoming good batter".. I think that all shall get a chance! I had it and learned (I think lol) with my mistakes.. so, I say NO, cuz I want the others to had the same chances as I (and much others before and after me) had!

[Muck308 55]

I vote no. Post moderation can assist with new batters learning from their mistakes. I, as of yet, have not batted a thing. I am a little overwhelmed by it to be honest. However, by reading comments on the STEX and by downloading many "useless" files... I have already learned much about what is proper on the STEX. So, when I do eventually learn to BAT, and I will, I already have a head start on the decorum... If the STEX was full of pre-moderated files... I doubt I would have been able to piece together what I have.

[Shingure 56]

I vote no. My far the STEX is the Largest exchange for all the uploads. By keeping the STEX open it will attract new creators of material. By pre-moderating it , most of it will be accepted anyway. Out of 50 downloads about 47 will be allowed through. Hence It would be a waste of time to premoderate every one that goes through. At SC4Dev it's about the quality. If it isn't good enough then you may have to tweak it then re-release it. However here , It would be accepted for what it is. If it's a useful BAT or lot , or mod , Then it will be deemed useful and high quality in that department. If it looks nice then it will be high quality in that department as well. Spam will be spam , and you can tell it's spam. Take a look at the current works on there. Almost everyone of them is of high quality and can serve a nice purpose as well.

[MrCinatit 30]

While pre-moderating uploads to make sure they are usable, have pictures and such might seem like a good idea, it unfortunately would be impractical.

The STEX as it is works as an automatic upload system (though occasionally, a few BATs here and there might get caught in the gears). I am not sure how long the average wait time is for a BAT to be uploaded and appear - but that wait time would increase with a pre-moderation system. Instead of waiting a few minutes for a BAT to appear in the STEX, that wait time could be a few hours, more than a day - even more than a week. After all, instead of an automatic system, we would be relying on a human factor - humans with real lives that can take them away from the site.

[Vandy 110]

Hello, All.

Rather than reply to the many very well thought out posts in this thread, let me just give one response to the No-sayers:

ATTA BOY, LUTHER!!

Rgeards,

Gary

[SC4BOY 20]

Its pretty much a waste of someone(s) time to premoderate.. especially given the lack of problems over many years.. if you don' t like the lot, don't download it.  You act like downloaders have no brain! They can decide for themselves whether to use a lot or mod.. People learn pretty quickly if they have done a bad job of either lotting or design or just sloppy upload preparation..

[Herodotus 2]

If we start premoderating the STEX I think it should only make sure that spam and plagiarism doesn't gets through. So what if the premoderaters don't like it. If it isn't spam let it through. It just bugs me when people post crap, they should get their IP address' blocked from the site.

[RippleJet 36]

Originally posted by: MrCinatit While pre-moderating uploads to make sure they are usable, have pictures and such might seem like a good idea, it unfortunately would be impractical.quote>

 

That's a shame, because that would at least have stopped Constantina from uploading...

[patfirefghtr 160]

Tage you hit right on the head right there!!! If the stex was pre-moderated to a point checking for the basic stuff as ingame pics and a usable file then there would be no____________

	CRAP YOU by cConstantina August 21, 2008 04:15 PMUpdated: Never
You all at Simtropolis supposed to remove all Athens2004's lots 'cause Athens2004 = Constantina. And block her from the entire site!!!ARSE U

I left the image out as it was to offense to let it be shown....

Old Apartment Buiding by lucerne1027 August 20, 2008 03:46 PMUpdated: August 20, 2008 i used to live in an apartment building that looked JUST LIKE THIS! so im uploadngi to share witgh you all my home. MI CASA ES SU CASA eh?PLEASE RATE AND DOWNLOAD!!!!!!!!!

One World Trade Center by LArocks August 20, 2008 03:45 PMUpdated: August 20, 2008 Biggest Building in Los Angeles yes plopable

So uploads like these would never made it to the public viewing at all.... That is why premoderation would work well honestly..  if premoderation aint the answer then what about adding more moderators to the 5 that are allready there? 

[un1 41]

YES!! We need Pre-Moderating!!

3 out of 4 STEX uploads are spam now (it's a little crazy but true... For now...).

The only thing is don't make the uploads have to be good just make sure it isn't spam, if you do.

-un1

[SC4BOY 20]

hehe.. ok line these power-hungry, risk-averse folk up for "moderator duties"

In the 6 yrs or so I've been using the STEX I've never been "sucked in" by some "lot" that some goofball put on for grins.. nor have I downloaded files that were "useless" .. not to say I haven't done a few that I later discarded, but really.. is that worth tying up several people's times and needlessly delaying posts just so they can "STAMP APPROVED".. there are "lot groups" who maintain their own standards.. and the best lotters frequently ally themselves with those if they are serioius.. for the other few.. hey.. go for it if it rocks your boat..

 

[panthersimcity4 162]

Okay, judging from the recent toilet bowl upload, I'm begining to think maybe we do need pre-moderation.

HOWEVER, I think it should only be for spam uploads. Other than that, I think that if the upload has the required files for a Sc4 upload, no matter how crappily textured or BATed it might be, it should be approved.

Then again, I wouldn't want the approving thing to turn into a "favorites" thing, or cause a whole bunch of drama because someone's upload was declined.

[Eʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ 273]

Originally posted by: elemented9

Originally posted by: bixel I dont think its a matter of not being good enough - instead it should PROVE that you are actually doing something other than just uploading a jpg of poop.

**

I dont think it needs to be a moderated as an upload per upload basis - i think members should have a Certificate to upload, members who WANT to upload apply for the Certificate by sending the moderators some of their work - or proving their work in a thread.quote>

 

certificate is a really great idea. That way we don't end up with stupid toilet bowls of crp. I also think this site has a reputation of being profesional. We can't just have stupid entries every couple of hours.  It needs to be moderated a bit more to some extent. I don't think it should be moderated of how good you are making a BAT but how you are actually not going to spam the site.

 quote>

 

This is what I posted in another topic... sorry.

[His Divine Hand 244]

No, for two reasons. First, is spam honestly that much of an issue? There is no way in the world that you can, upon immediately seeing that it is not a serious effort, not just move on to the next thing? Second, it is really too much fun reading the replies to spam uploads, especially those made by people who for some reason think spam uploads are a sign of the upcoming apocalypse. I much prefer when reading STEX comments to see those for crappy or fake uploads than those by the masters of custom content; they are so entertaining!