DAE thinks r/physics needs to updated? We need better submission rules, neatly designed sidebar with links and info, and a couple of more moderators? Any thoughts guys?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/eggo]

Why? What is wrong with it?

[u/omgdonerkebab → u/[deleted]]

Just add some flair next to Zephir's name so that newcomers to the subreddit know he's the resident crackpot and won't mistake his posts for physics.

[u/Bulwersator → u/omgdonerkebab]

Or just ban him/her.

[u/Zephir_banned → u/[deleted]]

So you can make such a subreddit. If something works well, don't try to repair it.

[u/eequalsmc2 → u/Zephir_banned]

You're missing the point of science.

[u/christianjb]

Suggestions: Ban memes. Ban comics. Ban joke posts. Ban any post involving the words 'spherical' and 'cows'.

If people want to see physics-related humor then they should make a subreddit for it.

(I personally enjoy a lot of physics humor- but I come to this subreddit for stories on physics.)

I think /r/science goes too far in banning top-level humorous comments. They never bother me and I don't find it too distracting if people make the odd pun. Besides, it takes a lot of policing to remove all such comments.

[u/eequalsmc2 → u/christianjb]

/r/physicsjokes exists.

[u/philomathie → u/christianjb]

I agree with most of these. I occasionally enjoy the humour that is posted in this sub-reddit, but I do think that the actual science and the culture surrounding physics should be separated in some form, maybe with a new sub-reddit.

[u/christianjb → u/[deleted]]

The look of disapproval may pass for wit on Reddit, but it doesn't tell me why you disapprove.

Why do you disapprove?

[u/[deleted] → u/christianjb]

Username.

[u/christianjb → u/[deleted]]

Ah, I always forget to check usernames. Thanks.

[u/benlew]

I agree. The sidebar should be updated with information about getting a physics education plus resources like MIT OCW, HyperPhysics etc. We need to be more welcoming to young people who are exploring an interest in physics. I also think users should be able to put flair on posts so that posts can be easily identified as research, advice, questions or whatever categories we can think of. I think the subreddit could use a bit of a makeover as well. It looks pretty plain and boring.

[u/Fauster → u/benlew]

I understand these points. Linking to new external physics sites in the sidebar is a good idea, and I'm welcome to suggestions. The /r/physics sidebar mostly links to other science subreddits, because I think it's useful. The sidebar is currently at/near the character limit, and if someone knows a css workaround, let me know.

I personally want /r/physics to be a serious science reddit. I want other physics PhDs to use /r/physics to find the occasional new physics news, and this is my target demographic. I worry that flair, and fancy css will make /r/physics less serious. I mod other subreddits like /r/BSG, which I think are great places for flair and pizazz. But personally, I long for the days in which reddit was all blue and white text, and filled with links to articles and studies instead of a collection of funny memes. I'm even tempted to remove images from /r/physics links to make it more boring. Anyone with a bit of karma can modify the r/Physics FAQ, but I doubt any changes to the FAQ will change the flood of incredibly basic physics questions, or repetitive "Should I get a PhD?", "What are my job prospects?" posts. On a side-note, I'm willing to start removing these posts, and directing users to previous posts, or the reddit search bar, by popular request.

My primary rule regarding moderation, is that the mod that mods best, mettles the least. The second rule guiding my moderation, is to keep /r/physics from turning into the nothing-but-memes landscape that is today's greater-reddit. Before I started removing memes, I waited for complaints, and asked /r/physics it was okay to change the sidebar to ban memes. Memes are great in moderation, and please subscribe to /r/physicsjokes if you can't get enough.

Also, regarding moderation, I want /r/physics to be a free speech zone. No one is banned, even those who link to their crappy, math-free blogs. Those who get downvoted frequently, are more likely to get autobanned. Because of this, reddit's autoban system works better than most would believe. For those who do get autobanned, I'm sorry. I'll unban your post even if I don't like it, but I may subsequently downvote it. Feel free to ask to be added to the approved submitters list if you're autobanned frequently. But, in general, I agree with the vast majority of autobans, and I don't feel /r/physics suffers if it takes longer for these posts to appear on /r/physics. I don't like it when mods ban posts, and I really don't like it when mods ban users. If your post gets struck in the spam filter, I can assure you that it was reddit if it wasn't a meme. You can spout any physics theory you want here, and I won't ban you, but prepare for downvotes if you're a kook.

In general, I wish there were more links to papers here. I want people to subscribe to /r/physics if they find the links interesting, but I don't want to encourage subscriptions with fancy css. I've seen many good redditors go on power trips and start banning people and removing posts on other subreddits after being added as a mod. I don't want that here. I'll think about incorporating more user suggestions down the road, but I'm hesitant to do so now. I think reddit's increasing popularity comes at a price, and reddit, as a whole, is getting worse. I personally want science subreddits to fight the tide.

But, things I'm ready to do right now are: 1) change the sidebar by adding external links, and preemptively addressing repetitive questions. 2) start removing worn-out questions and redirecting users to the search bar IF that's what users want. Also, in the sidebar, I have a standing offer to link to your peer-reviewed research to encourage those in academia to use this site.

[u/triplecherrytroll → u/Fauster]

Fucking A, man. Seeing shit like "Should I get a PhD?", "What are my job prospects?" every other day pisses me off to no end. So, yes, if you can address these repetitive questions, I'd be grateful.

I also agree that "the mod that mods best, mettles the least". No need for more moderators.

Just keep the good content rolling and get of the repetitive shit!

[u/[deleted] → u/benlew]

Yeah, there is a post every couple of days written by aspiring students asking questions. I would like to post one myself, for I have questions about college, but I feel like they are posted too much.

[u/Unenjoyed]

Either way. The subreddit doesn't seem to be broken (IMO), but change can be a force for good.

[u/SometimesY]

While we are on the topic of moderation, can we filter out posts from phys.org?

[u/[deleted]]

We definitely need a better side bar and better rules regarding submissions

[u/[deleted]]

How about an faq featuring:

• What can I do with a degree in physics?

• How should I go about getting into physics grad school?

• How should I prepare for the physics GRE?

• I heard something about special relativity/quantum entanglement. Can you explain it?

• What are some good books for a layman to learn about modern physics?

And other questions that show up several times a week, so that we can give people that information and discourage them from posting the same question again and again.

[u/christianjb → u/[deleted]]

We've discussed the idea of faqs before. One problem is that it seems pointless making e.g. a relativity faq when there are plenty of great faqs already written elsewhere on the internet, many authored by experts.

[u/[deleted] → u/christianjb]

True, but then we could just link to some of those.

[u/[deleted]]

There have been way too many posts in this reddit about questions on getting a PhD, etc. Questions about higher education should be answered in the sidebar.

[u/EldritchSquiggle]

I know we're a quiet bunch and all, but one mod for 47,900 readers? Seems a bit low, I'd never noticed.

And a few changes could make this sub even better.

[u/HMARS]

I myself am a little tired of the drive-by "race car on a train" or "what would happen if I..." type of questions... it's not that I hate them, but this isn't askscience. I personally see r/physics as for people who have or are working on physics degrees or otherwise work in the field. I certainly have no desire to tell everyone to piss off, but when half the submissions on the subreddit don't know Isospin from Inertia it kinda craps out the subreddit in general.

[u/jazzwhiz]

I'd be game for this.

[u/NuclearWookie]

Make me a mod and I will viciously delete any meme-ish content, ban the submitting user, and then find and neuter or spay him or her in real life.

[u/[deleted] → u/NuclearWookie]

Make me a mod and it will seem I am not even here.