Forum:Should we retain blogs?

Blogs sort of appeared one day on the wiki. I think back then it wasn't possible to refuse them. They were just here. Now, however, it is possible to turn them off. So we should probably have a discussion about whether we actually want the service. We don't have a huge amount of blogging going on, so I can't imagine it'd inconvenience too many people if we shut off the system. Plus, blogs appear in the default search. Since blogs are a free form area controlled by the user, they could contain spoilers, to which unsuspecting users would be exposed.

I kinda wanna get rid of it, but I wonder what others think. 06:37: Fri 24 Aug 2012


 * I've never been moved to want to use them.
 * I think if users want a free form area to mess around in or have a ramble they can create a sub-page.
 * I've also seen some blogs used to now exactly go against our various discussion policies, but there's some that have approached a personal attack by way of a cutting comment or whatever.
 * Yes, they do have a post and then reply sort of format to them, but it's a very personal sort of thing, one person posts and it's linked to their name, you can reply but it's not the same as in a community forum or a talk page where it's more balanced.
 * So, get rid of them. --Tangerineduel / talk 14:07, August 24, 2012 (UTC)

I dunno; I think people should still be able to use them if they want; sure, people have the right to post whatever they want, but for the most part people use them for legitimate purposes. Only on one occasion have I seen someone use a blog as a way of personally attacking people (several, in fact), and he currently has a global permaban.

I think that the option should remain open for users if they want, but whatever they post should still be affected by the rules to a reasonable extent. Dr. Anonymous1 ☎  16:22, August 24, 2012 (UTC)
 * I should point out that in fact that they're used for illegitimate means, and since they're not patrolled, we don't catch it. They are often places that advertising bots use to put up spam, because they're specifically targeted on that namespace. Also, a LOT of the activity in the blog namespace is pretty damned trivial: posts like "hello", or "so this is a blog" are commonplace, because people are just trying to get points in the Game of Rassilon. 17:03: Fri 24 Aug 2012


 * I rarely see someone editing or commenting on a blog and I have always seen Blogs as an extension of the Howling. People can post random things about stories not yet released (I remember a User who once done this and is now no longer active). Most people use blogs for general discussion and most of the blogs created are mainly what is discussed at the Howling.


 * Since I also see it as an extension of the Howling, I also believe it is an area which can violate out spoiler policy - I mean - do we monitor it? Is someone going round every blog we have a checking for spoilers?


 * I think it best to remove them and say to people 'Use the Howling instead'. There can be too much of a risk involved with the spoiler policy to continue using them. MM/ Want to talk? 22:31, August 24, 2012 (UTC)

Closing
As about a week has passed since this discussion was started, and six days have passed without additions to this thread, I'm sensing this topic has attracted all the attention it's going to. I'm closing in favour of what appears to be a clear consensus. Noting that Dr. Anonymous1's solution of keeping blogs available, but policed, would require admin to potentially expose themselves to spoilers, I'm therefore discounting that solution as unworkable. Blogs are hereafter closed on this wiki. 01:05: Fri 31 Aug 2012