I decided to make a topic about this. I’ve been here in the DevForums for a while (since Aug 13, '17) and I had to fill in an application before I could become a member of the DevForums. I don’t know when or why, but they changed it to something else. Now you have to read a few posts and you’re in. I think this is too simple. I’ll give you some arguments why I think this is an issue:
People that got permanently banned can easily get in again and break the rules if they feel like doing so. Some people create chaos for fun and would probably love to repeat it.
There is a lack of creativity to most of the topics and there are too many copies of other topics. (I don’t have to complain much myself)
People can get into the DevForums without even being a developer. Back in the days you had to put links of your place(s) with only your creations in them.
The Applications
You may be wondering right now; who would me reviewing all those applications? Well, I was thinking of DevForum regulars that could volunteer themselves to review some applications and check the places they’ve put a link to. It should be a group with as name ex. The Application Reviewers.
The applications will contain some default questions;
What makes you want to join the DevForum community?
Would you put your effort to help the community?
What will you do once you’re in?
What’s your age?
Put a link to your place(s).
Those are just ideas.
What do you think of the idea?
Once you read everything and came to a conclusion, you are allowed to vote on this poll.
Should the (revamped) DevForum applications come back?
Yes.
No.
0voters
Please, do not hesitate to reply and strengthen your answer because we’ll need it.
It would be alright if the forum was much smaller than it is now, but this isn’t the case. The reason why applications were removed in the first place was because the staff was receiving so many. If applications came back, the staff would be overworked with having to review so many of them. At the current point where the DevForum stands, it is simply not feasible.
I see your point, but I think you shouldn’t do that, because it will be difficult for new members to get in. Also, I doubt regulars would volunteer to review these applications, since there would probably will be an insane amount of applications.
Oh dang, I just learned you can’t become regulars.
How would they read more? Also, everybody is here because they are interested in developing. I don’t think that adding this will make them MORE interested in developing.
I do agree that there should be something in place instead of letting people walk right in (Sounds a little hypocritical considering that’s how I got in here). Roblox is currently experimenting with ways promotion to regular can continue and perhaps they can incorporate some of those ideas into a new verification system? Though, some can argue that letting people into the forum can bring more inclusion and Roblox doesn’t want the forum to seem ‘elite.’
There’s pros and cons to both sides so there really isn’t a right or wrong here.
Being interested doesn’t mean that you need to post. If a popular youtuber makes a video where you need to rank up on DevForum to (…), they will go, rank up and probably make chaos.
I’m not really in favor of application systems for the Developer Forums, it takes too long. Since it was replaced, I haven’t really seen huge problems with moderation. In fact, they don’t even put that much effort into it on the forums, because it’s handled well in a very mature manner, so there’s no need to use more resources than required. There’s a lot more resources too, and the developer community continues to grow in proportion of them.
What do you mean…? The application doesn’t guarantee that people will post either. And if a popular youtuber makes a video about DevForum, they will need to have enough read time, post reads, and topic reads. It might get some people to try, but it will take hours to actually get in. You also can’t prevent people from lying on their applications for DevForum, so yeah.
I’ll just state why applications shouldn’t even be returned…
Now, I’ll have to rephrase something here but let’s see the statement here shall we? Made by @PeZsmistic, first of all, since Post Approval has been disbanded, and even if they are still there, do you think they have all the power to review requests considering the fact that it may be over thousands? Let’s see in the today Developer Forum, Post Approval’s gone… applications are back. Developer Relations would have to review applications one by one, well, here’s the same troubling issue, there’s not enough staff to do that, and I doubt they’ll hire staff just to review applications. I also believe that an application does not verify a user’s ability to make good contributions, I’ve seen dozens here in the Developer Forum, that passed through automated system, that’s been contributing greatly around the community.
Seondly, in my part, if applications are back, and only a few get accepted, developers who do need the Developer Forum and knows how to properly use it, will have trouble, and that’s why the Developer Forum was opened in the first place to make it a forum for all types of developers, thirdly, if they also made it like that more and more developers who are not in the forum will begin to think that DevForum Members are elite Developers compared to themselves, if Members here are already comparing themselves to Regulars, how much more if non-Members will compare themselves to Members of this forum?
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