I lean towards the thread and I agree with all Jess's pros. Here are my thoughts on her Cons:

Con: Yeah, right. In the history of the board, the only topic that's been successfully quarantined is Spoilers. We still talk about movies, music, and LotR in Natter, why should this be any different?

That's true, but when there's a thread set up you have less people coming into the thread with a political issue they want discussed. And much if not most of the politics discussions in Natter stem from there. Movies, music, television, LOTR, Buffiverse, comics - all gets discussed in Natter but NSM in depth, primarily because there are threads for it.

Con: Do we really want everyone who enjoys a good political argument in one thread all at once all the time? Wouldn't this just be the most flamebaity thread ever?

I don't know and I question the wisdom myself. But right now I'm game to try it.

Con: The more threads, the more posts. Can we afford to increase posting volume, given that our dedicated server status is only temporary?

I don't your first statement has been definitively proven. And I think, since many shows have been cancelled, and we're on a new server, this doesn't need to be as big a consideration as it was in the summer. Though I don't mean to discount it completely.

Con: Every new show thread we've added has attracted newbies. For the most part, this has been a good thing. But I'm a little frightened of the kind of newbies a Politics thread might attract.

I think most newbies come when a VIP posts in the thread and it gets linked or mentioned at another site and the newbies tend to post in that thread that was linked or mentioned. You can see this in FF, and now Minearverse, but not so much elsewhere. I don't think VIPs are going to be posting in the Politics thread (although they'd be welcome) and the frightening newbie factor goes way down.

I don't your first statement has been definitively proven.

Historically this has been true. New threads create more volume. They don't lessen the volume elsewhere.

I don't your first statement has been definitively proven.

I don't have access to the raw numbers, but I believe ita will back me up on this.

And I think, since many shows have been cancelled, and we're on a new server, this doesn't need to be as big a consideration as it was in the summer. Though I don't mean to discount it completely.

As I mentioned, the new server is a temporary thing. When our year is up, we'll probably be moving back to a shared hosting environment where resources will be an issue.

The fact that Angel is ending and our two main show threads (plus Spoilers) will be effectively dead might balance it out. I don't know.

If it turns out to be a volume problem, we can turn it off.

Con: The more threads, the more posts. Can we afford to increase posting volume, given that our dedicated server status is only temporary?

I don't your first statement has been definitively proven. And I think, since many shows have been cancelled, and we're on a new server, this doesn't need to be as big a consideration as it was in the summer. Though I don't mean to discount it completely.

About the new server thing - this server was never meant to be a permanent fix. We're only supposed to be here until we fix the code to the point that we can return to a less expensive host. It's been strongly cautioned a couple of different times since we've moved here that we shouldn't add new threads until the code problems are fixed.

As much as I think I lean in favor of this thread, particularly after the Minearverse incident, I'm probably going to vote down this proposal on the above stated grounds alone.

The fact that Angel is ending and our two main show threads (plus Spoilers) will be effectively dead might balance it out. I don't know.

And now that the deathmatches are over, isn't the Quoteables thread going as well.

I also think that, depending on how the 2004 presidential election turns out, will have a huge impact on the thread. I think that if Pres Bush wins, it's gonna be a largely posted in thread. If Pres Bush loses, it won't be as much.

I thought the dedicated server thing was something we were always striving for, kind of like moving into our own house instead of being in an apartment all our lives. I didn't know it was temporary.

Huh.

My initial instinct is Pro. Sometimes a person feels like talking politics and other times not so much. I have never felt that I could not mention movies or music in Natter, because Natter. If I was looking for concentrated conversation I would move to the appropriate thread, and probably find Natter.

As concerns scary newbies flocking to the political thread, the same rules that protect the existing threads would apply in a new thread.

I'll be skimming the thread for the next few days as I am still on the fence, unlike the big vote. This is a very important election and many of us will feel a need to discuss the process.

As usual, I don't care which way this goes.

However, I do put this challenge down.

Can arguments in a politics thread STAY in the thread?

If you think they can, I'm all for it.

Refresh my memory, what's our annual cost on the dedicated server?