That would be a good idea. I know everyone can join by asking, but never did because it sounds "private elite group" to me and I don't join private elite group...

Agreed and I'll even turn the dial up a few more notches:

Why not send out a 'rules contribution newsletter', detailing the major overhauls that are in line for the next rules update, with a link so all owners can vote on them?

I mean, we can sign up for a newsletter that we've never even received. Why not use that as a means to inform all users, including those that don't frequent the forums of:
- important rule changes
- important suggestions for rule changes that are up for voting

That seems like a good way to keep everyone up to speed on the newest rules and the suggestions being proposed at that time.

Although I like the idea in a way, I'm not in favor of it going into place.

Why do most forums not use the CAPTCHA system as the only step in verification so that random people post who haven't registered? Because it makes it much easier for a topic to fill with a ton of junk which is not nearly as common when people have to go through the whole registration process just to get their two cents in on a single issue. (Spam is a completely different issue since those are people who sign up to as many sites as possible with only that one purpose which has nothing to do with aiding the community.)


I see the Rules Committee forum the same way. Yes, anyone can join, but by making members request joining it, you keep out a lot of random voices who may have nothing helpful to say and likely wouldn't have given the topic/idea a second thought otherwise.

This admittedly has both positives and negatives, but think of it another way: if everyone has a view, all members equal, how is a final choice made if they can't come to an agreement? The more people, the less likely that is to happen (just look at topics that go on forever already because we can't decide if a symbol looks more like a dot or a dash.)

Do you let every person in a town decide the rules of the city? Of course not. You let them voice their opinion at a town meeting, but in the end a much smaller group makes the final choice.

Quoting Blair:

Quote:

Why do most forums not use the CAPTCHA system as the only step in verification so that random people post who haven't registered?

Unregistered users can't post in most of the subforum, they are restricted to the "new user" subforum. So without buying a licence wich make you an user you can't post in the important forums.

Quoting Blair:

Quote:

if everyone has a view, all members equal, how is a final choice made if they can't come to an agreement? The more people, the less likely that is to happen.

And this is why so many users don't care or aren't familliar with the rules... By keeping it as an elitist click thing (the part in bold sure show this even if this isn't what you mean)  you keep the average user out of the process and when someone feel like an outcast he act like one.

Quoting Blair:

Quote:

Do you let every person in a town decide the rules of the city? Of course not. You let them voice their opinion at a town meeting, but in the end a much smaller group makes the final choice.

This is certainly not the good exemple to use in this period here in Quebec with the big political crisis we are in for more than a year.

I agree as well

Quoting Katatonia:

Quote:
Quoting scotthm:

Quote:
I agree.  I don't see a problem with the current system since it's open to anyone that shows an interest.

Agreed too.

+1

Quoting Blair:

Quote:
Do you let every person in a town decide the rules of the city? Of course not. You let them voice their opinion at a town meeting, but in the end a much smaller group makes the final choice.

I would assume though that these representatives were somehow elected, not self-appointed.

Quoting GreyHulk:

Quote:
How do you join the Rules Committee? I see no mention of it anywhere but in these discussions.

When I joined there was a link in the forum description where you can request access