The 20 Character Requirement

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22

They are buried in monster threads that are literally many hundreds of posts long. See the top three big trending post in PWI, if you are really interested. The reason I posted this is the Off Topic forum was to generate discussion about it, rather than trying to defend a position that is going to be totally subjective based upon the preferences of the person approaching it. Of course you are going to favor the idea that it’s a good thing. You are a member of the team that came up with it. I’d just bet if you moved this thread back to a high volume forum you’d find that, for the vast majority of us, it’s just an extra pain in the ass step that really makes no difference at all to the quality of the site.

But yeah, whatever, it’s not THAT big of a deal.

23

20 characters is a short complete sentence. No reason to get rid of the restriction.

…It’s honestly not a big deal. Stop fretting over it.

24

Everyone is aware of the 20 character restriction, therefore if it’s somehow violated a suspension or post deletion is completely fair. You did it with full knowledge that its a “rule”.

25

This is a good example of where a fewer than 20 character response is not only appropriate but likely the best response. :laughing:

26

Yeah, that’s literally what I just said, thanks.

27

[quote=“Cortes, post:22, topic:217565”]
They are buried in monster threads that are literally many hundreds of posts long. See the top three big trending post in PWI, if you are really interested.[/quote]

I really am interested, so if anyone wants to toss up a link to any post that’s awesome, informative, and needed filler to hit the 20 character minimum when another relevant word or two was impossible, absolutely please do post them.

I just ran a quick in-thread search of “President of the US Picks”. In 1,300 posts, I found: “I concur. (20 characters)”
“Ok, thanks. (20 characters minimum.)”
“Apparently not. [20 Characters.]”
“Ha, the good life. (20 characters)”

In the 2,600 posts in “The Next Presidents of the United States III”, I found:
“This. (+ “Post must be at least 20 characters.”)”
“I agree. I agree. I agree. (20 characters!)”
“Good piece…(stupid 20 character minimum).”
“Jeb is out. When will this foolish 20 character minimum stop.”
“Trump or Clinton? /Fuck you 20 chars”
“LOL (we must have at least 20 characters or we will suffer a fate worse than death!)”
“Good night, bud. ----------------------”
“Good night, Push. 20 characters blah-blah”
“Governor Moonbeam? (This makes it 20 characters.)”
“Yes, yep, agreed, spot on. (Had to get up to 20 characters.)”
“??? post must be at least 20 characters”
“HELL YA” post must be 20 characters"

Sorry, Cortes, but your point about there being “an inordinate amount of substantive posts under 20 characters” doesn’t seem to hold water unless we’re being very generous with the definition of “substantive”.

As said, things like “I concur” or “thanks”, or “I agree” can be conveyed with the Like button. Many of the other posts above could’ve benefited from another few seconds spent thinking for an additional word or two.

Also, this thread is most appropriate in this forum, as it discusses a forum policy. Moving threads to a (literally) off-topic forum section to get more views isn’t how the forum works. The thread title still appears on the forum homepage and everyone who sees it has the option to chime in.

1 Like
28

Come on guys, cut @Chris_Colucci some slack. Is it really that hard to type a few more characters or give a like instead? If anything, y’all are overreacting. Will removing the 20 character requirement really improve/change your quality of life by even the slightest? If anyone says yes, you ought to reflect on your life. Besides, the T-Nation forums are a free service provided for us, they’re entitled to do whatever they want. Just cause you buy their product, it doesn’t mean they owe you anything.

1 Like
29

I am very surprised that a person that holds enough power on this site, would recommend a poster be “suspended” for using methods to bypass a pointless rule regarding post character limits on this site.

I think it’s a dumb rule on the site, but I don’t care that much to let it bother me. I have just been changing what I want to say when I would rather give a 1 word reply. To read that statement about possible suspension is a major blow to my confidence and appreciation of this site. I was shocked to read that and to call it a let down, is an understatement

30

Silly rule. Sillier to object to silly rule. Silliest to defend silly rule.

31

I haven’t read any post that is overreacting. This is a forum feedback section and people are giving feedback. An overreaction would be if someone were to actually be suspended for breaking this silly rule.

No removing the 20 character won’t improve the quality of anyone’s life anymore than putting in the rule has improved the quality of posts here on the site (it hasn’t by the way).

You are correct TNation is a free service and doesn’t owe anybody anything and the operators of the site can do as they please. Who said differently??

Make no mistake the reason the forums are here is to drive traffic to the products being sold and there is nothing wrong with that but people posting and reading posts is important to the operators.

1 Like
32

To clarify, I didn’t recommend that course of action. I have superiors who determined some forum policies before I ever found out I was becoming Forum Director. I’m not trying to pass the buck, just understand that this isn’t me saying the 20 character minimum is staying put, but it is me saying the forum rules are going to be enforced.

[quote=“mbdix, post:29, topic:217565”]
To read that statement about possible suspension is a major blow to my confidence and appreciation of this site.[/quote]
…

[quote=“DBasler, post:31, topic:217565”]
An overreaction would be if someone were to actually be suspended for breaking this silly rule.[/quote]
Suspensions are a potential Mod/Admin action after multiple offenses, as I said before. Having those posts simply deleted is the immediate action.

So basically, the forum policy says you can’t submit posts with fewer than 20 characters. Someone tries getting around that with a loophole (underscore, dashes, typing “must by 20 characters”, whatever), that post gets deleted, which is the Mod equivalent of saying “Hey, no, don’t do that.”

If the member continues to break that rule, it’s the equivalent of them saying, “Yeah well, I decided I’m just gonna keep doing that.” There’s no other way to interpret that behavior. At which point, the Mod/Admin can and very likely will put the member in time out with a one-week suspension, which is their version of saying, “I said don’t do that, but you did. Now you’re going to stop doing everything for a while.”

I understand that no one likes being penalized or reprimanded, but I really can’t see how that very straightforward “if, then”/cause and effect is unreasonable, discouraging, or an overreaction.

You guys can call it a silly rule if you want, but it’s a very easy to follow silly rule.

2 Likes
33

I understand what you are saying. I’ve never broken the rule and really don’t care one way or another.

I often make short posts in people’s training logs to encourage them. Not a big deal to make them over 20 characters although I’m not sure the added characters add much.

Ultimately if people think there are two many of these silly rules they will move on and find other ways to spend their time which many who used to post here regularly have already done.

1 Like
34

There are a few rules in the policy I might not agree with: I would like to link to another site once in a while. I struggled once or twice with the 20 character rule. And 1 time a mod changed my title twice (even after me correcting it) in such a way the title doesn’t reflect the meaning of the post.

Well, tough love. Nobody puts a gun on my head and makes me use Tnation. I want to use it, so I have to deal with their rules. I might not like the rules. I can try to change the rules, or I can put up with them, or GTFO. I choose to stay since this is the best forum I ever found on the interwebz (and @Chris_Colucci is definitely a factor therein). The small discomfort doesn’t bother me in the grant scheme of things.

Rules may be silly, and to the detriment of the forum itself, but that doesn’t mean the rule needs to be respected. I can always go in exile to bodybuilding dot com.

2 Likes
35

I understand that rules have to upheld, it’s just concerning that such a petty rule could carry an internet punishment from the site. It is really odd for me to type that out.

I have wanted to post something like “undestood”. But, I typed that, then got the message and had to type something like “I understand what you’re saying”. Really how more of a contribution did that make to the conversation? When communicating in real life there have been at least 1.2 million times that I have used a one word reply in my conversation.

The new look of the site and added features on the site are very good. Having access to being able to communicate with some of the greatest minds in physical development is GREATLY appreciated. I did not know Wendler’s mindset on life and training and I probably never would have if it wasn’t for this site. But, this is a bonus for all involved. I will be purchasing his new book when it is released for the main reason to support him. And, I will recommend people to do the same for THEIR benefit. And let them know to check out this site, and let them know this is where I first saw his mental approach to it All. I have personally contributed to multiple people liking this site on social media platforms and prior to T-Nations push on social media, I contributed multiple people to coming to the site as a stand alone site.

In a very small way I take pride in being here for a long time and help grow the site in my small part.

This small, yet significant policy has me really questioning my loyalty to the site.

2 Likes
36

One of the most comprehensive critical posts I’ve seen in this thread.

42

I wish I could make Chushin’s post here my original post that started this discussion. Yes yes yes and yes again.

Even I didn’t expect to get threatened with punishment when I first posted this grievance.