Forum attitudes lately

[matt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0DUsGSMwZY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSahEDRjvw&NR=1

[studders]

[trousers]

I think Brad has hit the nail on the head.
Those of us who spend our days "on site" can't get by with just having a sly dig and slinking off to hide in the ether. It usually gets sorted out there and then, one way or another. The pineapple taking and banter are all part of the day. If you don't develop a thick skin you'll sink.
Trouble with a forum is it's (largely) anonymous. You can't punch somebody's lights out to sort out issues, but you can keep slyly digging away at a distance with words, and to me that's just a bit cowardly.
I hope it's not a symptom or a sign of things to come where people live their lives in the ether, and loose touch with the real world. Don't get out and interact with people/forget how to communicate properly.
The trouble with people throwing their toys out of the pram like our cricketer friend, is that several of those who supposedly were so out of order as to prompt his exit, now do not post either. Perhaps they feel that their opinions are not wanted, and as far as I read in that thread, they were just opinions, and everybody should be entitled to express them.
If the forum doesn't want so much controversy like that thread produced, then don't have an off topic section. Stick to woodwork and lock anything that isn't.
You'll maybe still get controversy over a woodworking topic, but if people have got such strong views over a woody topic that they may be tempted to leave (or even more pathetic they get banned), then perhaps all sense of reality will have dissapeared.

Just my 2p worth and IMHO, having spent a pleasant evening down the club interacting with people face to face.

[Ironballs]

Nice try Grim but it needs to be the other way round

BSM - don't even get me started on yours, the single finger is for Americans only...and more vulgar too. I could (and have) flick the V's at our director in the office and get a chuckle back, give him the finger and I'll be in his c*** book before you can say "ill advised office joke"

[studders]

I think the demise of the Off Topic section is what some actively seek. They want The Woodwork, The Whole Woodwork and Nothing But The Woodwork.
In which case, why even look in here?
NB I think that question has already been answered.

If the Off Topic were to be done away with you'd probably just get more arguments in the other forums so, for those not interested in off topic stuff, it would only serve to worsen the problem.
All IMVHO of course, though the 'I think' probably covered that.

[Digit]

I read nearly every post on the various sections concerning woodwork, as regards the off topic section I enjoy it very much, though I tend to drop out if things get heated.
Trousers commented about an evening down the club, lucky man mate, I don't have the option due to where I live. The off topic thread helps make up for that.

Roy.
_________________
Happiness is a warm toilet seat!

[studders]

[mr grimsdale]

[big soft moose]

[devonwoody]

Nice to see the forum is working smoothly, I had not received any email notifications re this thread for the past 24 hours until a few minutes ago, strange?

BTW, never seen a slanging match on the forum by a member with a moderator , so people do know what they are posting and would be threatened with..

[studders]

[big soft moose]

[Noel]

Still quite traumatised about that...

[Argee]

I wasn't going to add any comment to this thread, which could be in danger of either rumbling on forever (and keeping bad feeling going), or getting shut down, but I thought that I'd jump in while it's still fairly benign.

It's always been the case that the written word lacks the intonation (and - therefore - the intent) of the spoken word and this is especially true on forums. Opinions are like noses - everybody's got one, but they're all different shapes and sizes.

It appears to me that, when someone posts in a thread, they're doing so completely voluntarily and devoid of any coercion, so the inclusion of the phrase "in my opinion," or its abbreviation, adds nothing. Equally, it shouldn't excuse anything either and dressing up an arrogant and unevidenced statement with "IMHO" doesn't make the statement any less arrogant, or unevidenced.

Carrying on an argument within a thread, or disagreeing with a post, carries it own dangers and - therefore - its own responsibilities. Face-to-face, it's very easy to swiftly modify a statement, clarify an expression, make a compromise, etc., but when none of the inflection is available and no facial expressions are visible, the text can take on a different (and possibly unintended) meaning.

Challenged immediately for a "slip of the tongue," or an inaccuracy when in a face-to-face conversation, most will accept the adjustment, but once some people commit themselves to writing, they seem to lose the ability to retract even an obvious mistake, so the further they become entrenched, the worse it gets.

Longevity of membership, age and experience also have effects. Unless you broadcast it, no-one knows your age, occupation or experience, other than what they might have gleaned during their own forum membership. That said, the number of posts does not - in itself - mean anything, whereas there are those who might feel that this count adds, in some way, to their status.

My involvement over the last 5+ years has, I hope, been helpful in the most part. I like accuracy and fairness and appreciate it in others. I do not appreciate sweeping generalisations and insults (against myself or any other member), but it seems to me that this trend is definitely on the increase of late.

I have a life (even better now on two replacement hips), I'm still a regular reader and I'll no doubt contribute from time to time, but I don't expect anyone to care - one way or the other - if I do or I don't. My skin is extremely thick, but that doesn't mean I don't look for good manners and politeness as reasonable expectations.

Ray

[Noel]

A lot of common sense there Ray.
I assume the op last week went well then?