Forum Lock poll option in Suggestions and Ideas

[OIM20]

Proposal: Lock the "Post a Poll" option that is available when creating a thread in "Suggestions and Ideas". Much as forums which are closed to allow only moderators to manipulate threads, the option, when viewed by the average user, would simply say "You have insufficient privileges".

Spoiler: Mock-up graphic of changed screen:

Pros:

• Will stop the premature voting on ideas that have not been:
  • properly formatted, as per the pinned thread: IMPORTANT - Ideas and Suggestions - Read before posting
  • discussed by the community as needed
• Will remove the need for forum moderators to remove a premature poll from a thread and then explain to the thread's creator why that was done.

Cons:

• Time necessary to code in the change, if the ability to restrict permissions does not already exist for the poll function. (If the function already exists, it should be easy enough to tick a box to turn it on so that only moderators have access to create polls.)

 

[Lelanya]

I think that this is a very good idea. I just popped over to Beta Forum to check on the poll option there, because we only see polls there when an idea had been debated, refined, and seems to be well received. But it is available under options, so I suppose the mods disable the poll when its usage is not warranted.

 

[ajqtrz]

I agree. I've seen this mistake a couple times in the last week or so and it's a bit confusing to the poster and to the rest of the forum. You could also put a time delay on the poll so that the thread has to exist for 30 days before the OP could attach a poll.

AJ

 

[OIM20]

You could also put a time delay on the poll so that the thread has to exist for 30 days before the OP could attach a poll.

The reason I don't suggest that is this section from the "read me" thread:

POLL
To make sure the ideas we forward are a community decision, the following process will be followed:

• The Moderator will open a poll in this section.

Since it's a mod only function for the purposes of the subforum, it would be easier to simply restrict permission to access it.

 

[StarLoad]

So you want to have a poll about taking away the option to start the poll with the thread... LOL

I VOTE : YES

Edited: this is sarcasm BTW

 

[BrinDarby]

Once a suggestion is moved to the "poll" stage, by a mod, its
more a "vote" than a poll , how would this impact posters that just
wanna have a poll on something ?

 

[helya]

if I can figure out how to do this, I'm happy to. I'm not making any promises though, even if bribed with sweets.

 

[StarLoad]

I demand a vote....

Still sarcasm

 

[OIM20]

@BrinDarby -
This is only for the Ideas and Suggestions subforum, as stated in the title of the thread and in the proposal's first sentence. This does not affect polls in threads in other places in the forum. As I understand it from the "read me" thread, polls in this subforum are intended to vote on the proposal. The "do you like my idea" bit is the discussion that takes place in the thread, making the option of a user putting a poll asking "do you like my idea" redundant.

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@helya - Understood.