Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / Should we update to new forum software?

**Posted by Etzelnik** 10/05/2018 8:20 am

vBulletin is the best and most intuitive layout. However, I do think I've heard that their guidelines are very strict. They may not like our rules.

**Posted by seigneur** 10/05/2018 11:38 am

Oh, I assumed that you (one of the admins) would be setting up your own server. No such luck, I guess.

**Posted by John West** 10/05/2018 10:32 pm

vBulletin doesn't (or doesn't automatically, anyway) host vBulletin software. It won't be like boardhost where they host our forum because we're using their software.

We'll probably still pay for a third party to host, though. I think we're probably all too nomadic to provide stable hosting ourselves (as nice as that would be).

**Posted by seigneur** 10/06/2018 2:41 am

John West wrote:
vBulletin doesn't (or doesn't automatically, anyway) host vBulletin software. It won't be like boardhost where they host our forum because we're using their software.

That's nice (at least leaves you with more options).

I remembered one more point about the software: Please provide RSS feeds. As a minimum, I would like to see some 100 latest posts in full text.

**Posted by John West** 10/10/2018 11:10 pm

We've looked over vBulletin's documents, and it should be fine as long as we actually enforce our rules.

I have to ask, though: Do we really need some of these rules? I understand that, as a classical theism forum, we have to safeguard the freedom to speak of controversial topics dear to classical theists part of traditional religions (most classical theists). But do we really need the line about it being okay to talk about certain racial characteristics? I mean, that's not exactly philosophically substantive stuff. . .

**Posted by Greg** 10/11/2018 4:46 pm

John West wrote:
Do we really need some of these rules? I understand that, as a classical theism forum, we have to safeguard the freedom to speak of controversial topics dear to classical theists part of traditional religions (most classical theists). But do we really need the line about it being okay to talk about certain racial characteristics? I mean, that's not exactly philosophically substantive stuff. . .

I think the Rules' intention could be not uneasily accomplished without explicitly naming each controversial topic. (I gather that the Rules' intention is to communicate that it is permissible to discuss here some of topics that would get you chased off of a modern university campus.) That is, this is a philosophy forum, and generally speaking, it is not our policy to ban discussion by subject matter, though uncivil or incendiary discussion will as a rule be prohibited. The staff should simply reserve the right to make judgments about what is beyond the pale (so you cannot defend the extermination of Jews by the Nazis, however sincere you make yourself out to be).

**Posted by John West** 10/11/2018 10:54 pm

Alright. I'll hold you to that if we start getting threads about secret Jewish overlords, or the superiority of x race to all others, or whatever. It has never been the purpose of this forum to host those kinds of conversations and, more personally, I have no interest in being part of a forum where people have them.

**Posted by Calhoun** 10/12/2018 3:05 am

What about discussions related to controversial topics related to Sex, perverted faculty arguments and related principles are important part of familiar metaphysics. will we be allowed to host that?

**Posted by John West** 10/12/2018 3:23 am

Yes. vBulletin's guidelines aren't that bad (pretty standard, actually), and a classical theism forum is always going to have to allow certain controversial topics in virtue of being a place for classical theists (most of who are part of traditional religions) to gather.

**Posted by FZM** 10/12/2018 4:12 am

John West wrote:
Alright. I'll hold you to that if we start getting threads about secret Jewish overlords, or the superiority of x race to all others, or whatever. It has never been the purpose of this forum to host those kinds of conversations and, more personally, I have no interest in being part of a forum where people have them.

Hopefully there won't be many discussions about the Elders of Zion & c. but I can imagine the subject of racism could come up more often than in the past. Identity issues seem to be getting more prominent in the media at the moment.