It's not me but I have this, uh, friend who um sometimes dreams that he's banned

[Amake]

I've heard that banned people can't view the forum without clearing their cookies so they're not logged in. Is this true? And if so is it on purpose? It seems pointlessly awkward. I mean we want the banned to watch helplessly as we relish in their absence and enumerate their faults, obviously. (And if not, they're going to catch up sooner or later anyway.) Is it some evil new vbulletin feature that can't be turned off or what?

[Fenris]

Pretty sure it's always been that way.

It displays a screen that tells them their banned reason and duration and nothing else.

I'm not too torn up about asking banned people to take several steps to view the forums again.

[rpgdemon]

It is true, and has been like that for awhile. I found out when I got a few hours ban way back when 8-bit theatre was still around, for tagging on a joke "34th!" in a thread when someone was getting very unhappy about people posting what number their post was.

I think it should probably be fixed, if possible, if only because the banned person ought to be able to see the mod's response to their post, and not just the "y'all be banned" message. If I recall correctly, Bard was banned at one point, and unhappy that he was banned for "Upsetting Sarda the Sage", since he only saw the tongue-in-cheek banned message, not the mod's response telling him why he was banned.

[Amake]

Well, years ago in another country forum I was banned, and the only clue was that legend in the lower left said "You may not post" anything instead of you may, so I don't know about always.

Anyway I guess I have no objection if it is a considered part of the banning process.

One for the suggestion box then: The ban screen could maybe be improved if it also said something like "Get a grownup to help you delete your cookies if you wish to view the forum."

[Professor Smarmiarty]

It's like how we put criminals n prison. Without excessive vicious punishment how will the criminals know how much we disapprove of their actions?

[A Zarkin' Frood]

I just use a different browser to view shit when I'm banned. I don't even have to clear my precious cookies. They are all mine.

[Meister]

I always did consider it part of the ban to have to bear a minor inconvenience to read the forum while you're banned. Plus you could always just wait until the ban ran out to read any response posts beyond the official reason.

That said it is kind of awkward and it would be neat to have something like a large conspicuous banner across the top of the forum for banned people saying HEY YOU ARE A BIG JERK, HERE IS WHY and a link to the offending post, and leave the forum readable below that.

Paging synk to thread, I guess. Would that be feasible? Replace the part of the code that says "show banned members this page" with one that says "show banned members this additional box," and then something something get the link in there is what I'm imagining.

[Bells]

i always thought the idea was to create a forcible "chill out", just to prevent people to climb back into the forum and see the reactions and talk about someone who was just banned and not let that generate anything else going forward... a bit of a "Let it go. Drop it. We'll talk later."

i mean, if anyone wants to actually read and follow the discussion after they are gone... hell, if anyone wants to actually dodge a ban and go back posting, it's not even that hard. Just use a webproxy like mathtunnel or whatever and you'll be right back inside... but that took an extra effort that the person was willing to make herself (including exposing their own PC's to virus in some cases...). So there is also that...

So, i'm not sure that would add a lot... one thing that WOULD perhaps add something, would be for a copy of the post describing the Ban to be placed in the "You've been banned" page instead of a simple phrase that hardly ever explains anything...

[IHateMakingNames]

The reason for ban box should include a link to the post that got the user banned.

[Ecks]

what ihmn said, and also that thing earlier about a huge banner up top telling you you suck

[akaSM]

That said it is kind of awkward and it would be neat to have something like a large conspicuous banner across the top of the forum for banned people saying HEY YOU ARE A BIG JERK, HERE IS WHY and a link to the offending post, and leave the forum readable below that.

If there's a way to make the banner ads show that to banned members, it would be amusing.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

There should be a special subforum only banned people can see and post in. It'll be the coolest thing ever and I'll be banned forever.

[synkr0nized]

Paging synk to thread, I guess. Would that be feasible? Replace the part of the code that says "show banned members this page" with one that says "show banned members this additional box," and then something something get the link in there is what I'm imagining.

While I currently know we can redirect banned users (well, any user group, really) to other content, I believe there are likely some vBulletin mods to let us add functionality to the simple notice displayed to banned users. For example, I am aware of one that would allow us to list the ban length and reason while still letting the forum be browsed. We could even look into an appeal form -- as currently while we mention the use of the Forum Related Stuff section as a means to leave open feedback / make a case for something, and we mention that no one should fear coming to any of us to chat about stuff or to Krylo for help in that regard, there's no submittable channel outside of emails for someone who currently is banned and cannot post -- if that's a feature we'd like [and aren't worried it would get abused].

[shiney]

Check my post in the mod forum, synk, in the admin ideas thread.

I definitely approve of an appeal function. I'm sure you can duplicate the report post or infraction submission style to post it to the same forum as a separate thread. Abuse is not a concern because then it's a matter of "It just got revoked."

[Professor Smarmiarty]

There should be a special subforum only banned people can see and post in. It'll be the coolest thing ever and I'll be banned forever.

Do this. I shall be its king. For to tame the denizens of the underfilth you must not only know their craft, you must hunger for its most tenderous embrace.

E: Also I should be the admin of the banned subforum and people I ban get unbanned. Cause if I don't like them they probably belong in here.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

He is Smarty, banned of the banned, look on his works ye mighty and despair.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I am not the hero you deserve but I am the one you need.

[Geminex]

I am not the hero you deserve but I am the one you need.

I had no iea you liked the dark knight so much smarty
I bet you loved TDKR

Edit:
Which was your favorite part?

[Professor Smarmiarty]

The bit where there was a law court and no lawyers and if you were rich you were instant guilty.

[Geminex]

The bit where there was a law court and no lawyers and if you were rich you were instant guilty.

Lawyers? I prefer to think of them as "justice engineers"

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Lawyers? I prefer to think of them as "justice engineers"

THAT'S EVEN WORSE :mad::argh::argh:
Request- Geminex to be the first to be sent to the Smarty pit. I need him to uhhh set up a solid system of law in the bannozone.

[Geminex]

Oh god, don't leave me alone with him!