Let’s do an experiment: allow signatures on the Ivory Tower for one month.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

As the Ivory Tower experiment isn’t working, I thought we’d better do another one to try to improve it: to allow signatures on it for just one month. After the results we could draw some conclusions.

I’ve opened a poll about it.

I don’t know what you think, but I only see increased traffic with quality and a low amount of spam, especially if those of us who open threads, self-moderate them, and get rid of the spam as soon as it appears.

@theymos: when I talk in terms of “we”, it’s not because I think we have the right to decide. I know the ultimate decision is up to you. It’s just because I increasingly think in terms of “we” as I explained on this post.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

I don't think it's necessary at all.  It's pretty obvious what's happening, and in the thread you linked to multiple people expressed that the lack of interest is due to that section (and Serious Discussion) being signature-free and thus payment-free.  If you allow signatures there, either it's going to become spammy or it's going to remain much the same.  I highly doubt the average shitposter is going to be aware of the experiment unless they got some sort of notification PM.

Just leave it like it is.  It might be one of the deadest sections on bitcointalk, but that's OK.  Other forums are much the same.  I belong to a stamp collecting forum, and you can go a day or two without a new reply.  On fountainpennetwork, which I also belong to, some threads are dormant for months if not dead altogether. 

No experiment needed.

[Jet Cash]

I think a better experiment would be for every Legendary to make a post on the board.
I've started by opening a new thread.

[hilariousandco]

No. It utterly defeats the purpose of having that board in the first place.

As the Ivory Tower experiment isn’t working

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

[pugman]

No. It utterly defeats the purpose of having that board in the first place.

As the Ivory Tower experiment isn’t working

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

The purpose is working, it's just that the board is sorta dead, and people aren't posting interesting enough stuff in it. We are just seeing P&S board II.

[The Cryptovator]

Not agree. It would be better if signature disable from Meta also.

[OgNasty]

No. It utterly defeats the purpose of having that board in the first place.

As the Ivory Tower experiment isn’t working

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

The purpose is working, it's just that the board is sorta dead, and people aren't posting interesting enough stuff in it. We are just seeing P&S board II.

I figured the section was created as a joke to appease those with a superiority complex. I mean, it’s called Ivory Tower...

[tmfp]

No. It utterly defeats the purpose of having that board in the first place.

As the Ivory Tower experiment isn’t working

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

The purpose is working, it's just that the board is sorta dead, and people aren't posting interesting enough stuff in it. We are just seeing P&S board II.

I figured the section was created as a joke to appease those with a superiority complex. I mean, it’s called Ivory Tower...

lol, so did I.
"Serious Discussion" I can understand, but most people wanting to achieve

a state of privileged seclusion or separation from the facts and practicalities of the real world

just do drugs.

[Jet Cash]

I vote we change the name to "The senior coffee lounge".

[o_e_l_e_o]

I'm not sure I see the point of Ivory Tower given that we now have Serious Discussion, but if you are going to add signatures, you might as well just delete the board entirely.

[LTU_btc]

I think it's a bad idea. If signatures will be enabled and no dedicated mod appointed it will just become another board full of spam. Despite that signatures are disabled in Serious discussion, it's still quite section. People still posting there despite that they wont get paid.
Why people aren't posting in Ivory Tower? I think the reason is same why boards like Bitcoin technical support aren't very active also. To post there you need to have more than basic knowledge about subject. And maybe many people don't know what Ivory Tower means and why this section has been created , they just skip this section. Personally, I have to Google what does Ivory Tower means exactly

[shield132]

It's even hard to find Ivory Tower child board when you visit bitcointalk's main page, lol, also disabling of signatures isn't a big deal.
One way I can think is to not count post/activity on bitcoin discussion, trading discussion sections (some others too) and also remove send merit option on posts on these boards. After this I have no idea why the hell to post and abuse these sections? Ehh, what about to just hang on?

[NadiaHel]

It's even hard to find Ivory Tower child board when you visit bitcointalk's main page, lol, also disabling of signatures isn't a big deal.
One way I can think is to not count post/activity on bitcoin discussion, trading discussion sections (some others too) and also remove send merit option on posts on these boards. After this I have no idea why the hell to post and abuse these sections? Ehh, what about to just hang on?

I think we need to move some discussions made in here to the Ivory Tower. For instance, the discussions about merit and stuff, for they fastly become a spam-begging fest.
The Ivory Tower is one of the very best sections in here if we think about the mere idea of creating a spam-free board. Now, the use we are giving to it is the one wrong: we are wasting the opportunity we have of moving some interesting stuff about the forum to a less-crowded area, in where the people joining is actually concern about the forum.

[pugman]

I vote we change the name to "The senior coffee lounge".

Yes please, and then we can talk about TV shows and movies. That'd be cool, come to a bitcoin forum, just to talk about shows like "Better Call Saul".

a state of privileged seclusion or separation from the facts and practicalities of the real world

I think Ivory Tower is more meant for people like BADecker, Notbatman, Quickseller, B1tUnl0ck3r, nomad13666. Did I just mix P&S board retards with QS? 

[Don Pedro Dinero]

As the majority think it’s not a good idea, I was about to lock the poll, but I’m not sure if that would lock the thread as well. It’s the first poll I’ve opened.

For those of you who think it would be full of spam: how is it that hilariousandco’s ideas of removing signatures completely for lower ranks seems a good idea and to allow them on the Ivory Tower for one month where only members and above can post, seem such a bad one? I think it is pretty much the same.

I had the idea that there would obviously be much less spam than on other sections, and I thought it could show that the problem is not paid signatures but mostly lower rank signatures. The higher the rank, the less spammers.

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

I don’t think theymos wanted such low traffic on that board when he opened it.

[rhomelmabini]

The bad thing is even Jr. Members below or even Members (I just guessing 'cause I really don't know) that has knowledge and might be interested on a topic can't reply to it. Hope even allowed it to example in my rank to post out there I don't mind my signature not to be seen.

[Jet Cash]

The bad thing is even Jr. Members below or even Members (I just guessing 'cause I really don't know) that has knowledge and might be interested on a topic can't reply to it. Hope even allowed it to example in my rank to post out there I don't mind my signature not to be seen.

I started a project for junior members that don't have English as a first language. The idea was to translate and sanitise their better topics, and to post the translation in the Ivory Tower. They would keep full credit for the topic, and receive a guaranteed minimum of 5 merits. I did have a couple of submissions, but apart from that, support was all talk and no action.

[siddartha1492]

I don't get it. Why there are so many threads asking for a revival of Ivory tower? If people don't want to talk there, then it's fine. Luring them into posting more often doesn't make any sense, IMO.

[Jet Cash]

I promote it because most members don't seem to think about it. It has the potential for being a tremendous discussion platform, but it's at the end of an alleyway. If most posters walk past without even noticing the alleyway, then it will be inactive.

It's best to think of it as our secret place for the quality members to meet, and to enjoy some good conversations.

[hilariousetc]

For those of you who think it would be full of spam: how is it that hilariousandco’s ideas of removing signatures completely for lower ranks seems a good idea and to allow them on the Ivory Tower for one month where only members and above can post, seem such a bad one? I think it is pretty much the same.

They're completely different. My suggestion stops those lower ranks from getting paid to post completely because they've turned the forum into a shitheap. Your suggestion is we allow them to get paid to post in a board that was created for the exact opposite of that and turn that into a shitheap as well.

I had the idea that there would obviously be much less spam than on other sections, and I thought it could show that the problem is not paid signatures but mostly lower rank signatures. The higher the rank, the less spammers.

The spam issue is from both lower ranks and having a signature. Put them together and you have disaster. Allowing them another board to spam in isn't the solution to anything but more paid signature spam, and in a board that was created for the express purpose to be free of that.

How is it not working? Clearly it is working if it's not full of sig spam.

I don’t think theymos wanted such low traffic on that board when he opened it.

Theymos and others wanted some boards that were free of signature spam in there, you know, what you're now suggesting we do to liven the place up a bit.  That board having low traffic isn't an issue at all. The purpose of it is to have a place for sig-free unmonetised discussion and it mostly works in that respect. That board doesn't need traffic. It's a sig-free discussion board. The lack of posting in there only proves that the majority of people only post here for signature campaigns, but that was already a given.

The bad thing is even Jr. Members below or even Members (I just guessing 'cause I really don't know) that has knowledge and might be interested on a topic can't reply to it. Hope even allowed it to example in my rank to post out there I don't mind my signature not to be seen.

The Ivory Tower is meant to keep people like you out. You can post in every other board or your local language one if there's something you want to discuss.