Caution! - Tough times honest forumites

[Searush]

Do people really feel threatened by a bullying pm? Interesting.

It has happened. There are a wide range of people that post on here. Some are strong & robust, others may actually be quite unwell. It is not unknown for the strong to abuse the weak. People have been banned for nasty pm's.

Not that I have direct experience of this, I have the skin of a rhino, but you could check with the Mods, I'm sure they will confirm that pm's have been used aggresively.

It's irrelevant anyway, just another of your pointless diversionary tactics. Dylan was quite right to expose Glynny & his revealing pm. Excellent investigative journalism, Dylan. Well done.

 

[fireball]

Can I raise the issue of people posting verbatim the contents of Private Messages ? It should not be done. At all.

Even if the contents are inflammatory, rude, slanderous, libellous, or whatever.

They are PRIVATE messages. Without that epithet, one might as well post every comment between consenting (or otherwise) forumites on the thread as an open post.

I think that if you feel the content of a pm would have a wider appeal it would be a courtesy to ask the permission first of the person who sent it. Otherwise private means private.

A private message is just a post between two or more individuals - rather than in open forum. But there is nothing to stop someone from publishing what you've sent - or even making it up ... it is only trust that keeps the content private.

But, I wouldn't do as Dylan had done - which was to initiate a PM conversation and then publish the reply - if you intend to do that sort of thing then do it in open forum to start with - at least then the target is aware of your intentions!

Conversely, had I received an unsolicited PM that I felt needed airing then I would have little issue in publishing it. Abusive PMs are reported to the Mods (IIRC I've only received a couple years ago).

I have a simple rule - Never send messages on here that you don't ever want made public - because you can't assume they will remain private.

 

[Morven]

"Private" is a relative term, having had my private messages read by an admin on another board which I shall not name.

I say well done Dylan for spotting the inconsistancies!

 

[Cloona]

using public forums for commercial gain and commercial dirty tricks has been a hot topic in book publishing ..... they call it sock puppetry.

"sock puppets" are online forum or amazon accounts set up by a person to trash someone elses work -

so writer A can post terrible reviews of writer Bs books - and post glowing reviews of his own
and/or pay people to do this for them - -

Maybe a bit of that has been going on -

 

[Frogmogman]

"sock puppets" are online forum or amazon accounts set up by a person to trash someone elses work -

I consider this to be a terrible slur on Lamb Chop

 

[Tomahawk]

Thoughts about the Forum

Having looked at a number of forums, I have found YBW the most interesting and a great source of information... I like to feel it is a reflection of the complex nature of sailing.. Few other hobbies require knowledge of international law and mechanics (plus more) as integral to each other..

Whilst a sailing forum is a reflection of a complex hobby it is also a refection of people in general. Most folks are very some ask a lot of questions out of a simple desire to learn. Others offer genuine advice and help to total strangers. There is also Harry and his work with BORG, who is doing sterling work on behalf of thousands of people who will never know of his existance.

However there are a number of Walter Mitty types who are not really connected with reality. Some folks seem to have a bee in their shirts about a couple of pet subjects and do go on a little bit. There are also a small number of playground bullies who resort to personal insults, calling names and squawking abuse as a substitute for debate. A sad group of individuals who seem to like each other, they remind me of Malfoy and his sidekicks.

On balance the forum is very useful. Indeed from some postings today have allerted me to weather patterns I may need to watch out for..

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Did he ask you for money?
Did he ask you for details of your banking passwords?
Did he send you personal abusive messages (before you called him out on his behaviour)?
Did he give anyone dangerous advice?

Leave him be. You have no idea who, or what his is, or what his background or motivations are.

So there is someone on this forum not being straight. Are you really surprised? You have found one, there are probably loads more.

This is no more something to get upset about than knocking over a cup of tea.

The alternative is a closed forum, with qualification rules for membership and that would be miles worse, and probably practically impossible.

Most of us learnt long ago that not everything others tell you is true. My mother once said that if I didn't cover my mouth when I yawned it might stay like that forever.

This is 2012. The Internet is a weird place. Live with it or turn the wireless on and tune in to "Listen with Mother". Oh sorry! That was fifty years ago.

 

[viago]

My mother once said that if I didn't cover my mouth when I yawned it might stay like that forever.

i do hope you are not suggesting that that particular piece of advise is erroneous.

 

[Searush]

Did he ask you for money?
Did he ask you for details of your banking passwords?
Did he send you personal abusive messages (before you called him out on his behaviour)?
Did he give anyone dangerous advice?

Leave him be. You have no idea who, or what his is, or what his background or motivations are.

So there is someone on this forum not being straight. Are you really surprised? You have found one, there are probably loads more.

This is no more something to get upset about than knocking over a cup of tea.

The alternative is a closed forum, with qualification rules for membership and that would be miles worse, and probably practically impossible.

Most of us learnt long ago that not everything others tell you is true. My mother once said that if I didn't cover my mouth when I yawned it might stay like that forever.

This is 2012. The Internet is a weird place. Live with it or turn the wireless on and tune in to "Listen with Mother". Oh sorry! That was fifty years ago.

So you would be quite content for someone to make up lies about you & your business would you? His background & motivations have been queried - there is nothing to stop him explaining why he has made up the stories & attempted to discredit people on here.

I agree we need an open forum (altho it does require registration & logging in) and I also realise that not everyone tells the truth, not even the "truth as they see it" but I am impressed that Dylan has drawn attention to this posters "inaccuracies" & challenged him (or her) to justify the stories.

Given their failure to do so, I would be happy if the Mods decided to ban them, which is not something I would normally call for. But these threads go well beyond a joke.

 

[SailorBill]

Can I raise the issue of people posting verbatim the contents of Private Messages ? It should not be done. At all.

Even if the contents are inflammatory, rude, slanderous, libellous, or whatever.

They are PRIVATE messages. Without that epithet, one might as well post every comment between consenting (or otherwise) forumites on the thread as an open post.

I strongly disagree, as you know, as we recently discussed this via PM as a result of me posting a copy of an unpleasant PM on these forums.

 

[SailorBill]

I disagree strongly, that is a charter for bullying & abuse by PM.

Most of the pm's I have had have stayed private because they are private conversations, or personal details & of no interest to others. But there is a strong case for "Publishing in the Public Interest" as I believe Dylan did. For me it was useful & very revealing to hear Glynny's point of view & exposed his behaviour as non-legitimate to me.

I have in the past been invited to continue a "discussion" by PM, but I will never do that. I am happy that what I post is open for publication. You may not agree with me, that's fine, but I will not want stuff I am prepared to post to be kept secret.

I want an end to PM bullying & would encourage others to report or repost any aggressive pms they may receive.

Absolutely spot on.

 

[Ehecatl]

Slander

Err, or any false accusations on perfectly good companies, please. That is certainly beyind the pale. It goes well beyond mischievous & into slanderous behaviour.

Slander is verbal and difficult to prove, Libel is written and easy to prove.