Is this place getting crap Or is it me!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter hlb
  • Start date Start date
Re: Ebb and flow

No ones arguing about the right for new users to ask questions, it's all part of the show.

The post is ment to be thought provoking.

Now take Brendons post on Scuttlebut. It must have taken him hours. But he's spent the time because he feels it worthwhile. He's getting feed back. Interest. Others chipping in with interesting stories, or debateable questions. It's balance I'm talking about. We all need stupid questions answering from time to time.
I dont like the phraises (Old Guard) or "Tolorate" It's nowt to do with it. It's about give and take. The more you put in, the more you get out. And it's nowt to do with big boats or little ones either. Brenden, CC Scot, TCM and Whisper are poles apart in size of boat and wealth. But they add far more than they take. I'm just suggesting folks think about these things a bit more. Theres no free beer here!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
stingo has finally left Brighton - saw him arrive in Cherbourg last weekend, where he is staying for a quicky pull out and antifoul, then off on his adventures.

Nicho and Zefender are still around, I was on Zef's boat (with Nicho) and they def read what's going on here.

sailbad's having an extended holiday, so isn't posting much at the moment, but popped up on scuttlebutt yesterday

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I agree, I was never a regular poster but I read with interest and amusement the posts on here. I hope I asked focused questions as a newbie, for example when I was looking at my present boat I had never heard of Draco and couldn't find them on the net, the forum members came up trumps and gave me some leads that several hours searching had failed to find.

The "flamewars" around "user1" knocked the stuffing out of the group IMHO, I'm sure it wasn't done maliciously or intentionaly on either side but it happened anyway.

It reminded me of the early days (1980's) on the usenet groups, what sounded flippant and amusing when said in your head came across as arrogant and or insulting when committed to bytes

I keep hanging on here and dipping in every so often but certainly less often than I did 18 months ago ;-(

Regards

Steve D



<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....
 
I joined just after this "new" forum was created and used the vast experiance to help me choose Kelisha - I'm sure I asked some dumb questions back then, but to me they were vital and helped me make the right decision.

However, it is a club (public not private) by the very nature of people getting to know each other, and as so a "clic" forms, so yes its becomes important to feel "accepted" and even respected by the "club".

Try walking into a "local" pub alone - scary eh - you are the outsider
then walk into these theme pubs (Beefeater type) different cus everyones the outsider.

The balance here has been upset (dare I say swamped and dominated) by a certain issue. Now a re-grouping is happening and a new order establishing, new people to the forum doesnt mean new to boating, we need to encorage them in. In the begining I didnt reply with jems of useful information cus I didnt feel "qualified", but gradually as experiance builds up its possble.
I would not be boating without the forum and probably have not done half the things I have.

The forum IS seasonal, this time of the year is always a bit sad (end of season), during the summer the forum is totally dead during the weekends, during the winter it picks up.
More people are on during the day than before (Kim is that correct), and the new group is finding its feet.

Yes, we loose some great people but life goes on.

So come on Hadyn - cheer up mate /forums/images/icons/smile.gif or I'll make you another cup of coffee /forums/images/icons/wink.gif /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif


<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by lanason on 09/10/2003 10:36 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
I think a lot of the same happened on Scuttlebutt when a certain user100 was on there. It became a lot more aggresive and people were getting flamed left, right & centre. Once that individual had been removed by Kim excersising his authority. it certainly became a lot more amenable thereafter, but it does seem like a lot on here have been put off by unneccesary attacks either on themselves or others. I still consider myself as a 'newbie and a 'novice' and as such I may ask the occasional question, although I do go out of my way to use the internet as much as possible to find answers first, so as not to appear too ignorant & stupid. What I do not do, is try and force my opinions on others, when I am the one asking the questions and expecting an honest answer. I am here to enjoy and learn from others, and on the whole thats what I feel I have done here. If I don't like things then I can always choose to ignore that which I don't want to read.

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fire-dragon.gif
 
never been healthier

hm. That's a bit qualified.

MBC took a downward dip with dateslip and as I predicted, it has changed. Instead of a steady stream of new questions and ideas, at tghe top of the forum it's concentrtated in just a few threads. Those topmost posts include lots of clever stuff, deep thoughts or attrcative(?) silliness and these are daunting for a newbie. To join, you have to post above an ongoing popular converstaion - in fact above the most popular converstaion at any one time. Whereas before one felt compelled to start new things every day - some good stuff, some total rubbish. It must be ages since i started a new thread. Some may disagree - but in the past people just joined - these days it ooer i'm a newbie. Dateslip forces a clique where there is none. Oh, too late now, these days you can't use the thing without dateslip. But i don't want this thread to stay ion top - i want the latest idea or new post to be on top.

It was a spectacular mistake to allow a certain poster1 to act more effectively than any determined wrecker, simultaneously swamping, dumbing-down and almost personalising the forum such that everything was directed, responed to, or reflected in his image. This has chased away or demotivated many. I understand a moderator policy wanting nice equality-sounding "equal access for all" but in fact it is not open to all. No computer, no access. Can't type? - limited access. And1 with a portable PDA thing, one can post all the time e.g. " I am in aisle 3 of sainsbury's - does the forum think Heinz beans are okay? Or what?" Then someone says or shutup, then ooh not1 very polite and etc etc. (incidentally, is he barred now? or just gone?)

all imho.


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Re: dateslip

isn't dateslip 'Off' by default for all new users? You have to actually turn it on, and i suspect most don't even know it's there.
You can turn it off in your user settings you know.

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Oops, back on top again......

I don't think that the individual in question has been banned, and I am not sure that that would be the correct action. Perhaps locking out his ability to use Markups may help.../forums/images/icons/wink.gif/forums/images/icons/smile.gif/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif, but far better IMHO if certain users had not inflamed the situation by taking an aggresive stance instead of ignoring what they didn't like. Perhaps being ignored for the most part may have been a better solution. I have to say that for a while things did improve. However, I think to blame the current state of the forum on any one individual is wrong, again imho. I think rather it's a period of evolution perhaps taking place. Sure dateslip does have an effect, but not, I believe in regulars who have become used to it. Personally I now prefer it, and it is something newbies will have to get used to. I think it is too early to despair. Perhaps some of the older hands need to relax and watch this space before condeming things out of hand. I personally have met some really nice, humourous and very intelligent and knowledgeable people on this forum, both through reading and answering posts and through personal contact. I am sure this will continue to grow.

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fire-dragon.gif
 
Being new can be hard, you do not know peoples characters though written word as easily as you can by say chatting on the pontoon, there is also a great range of ages of forum contributes. Some on this forum have the gift of the written word, for others it is not so easy, so we enjoy the posts you put on the forum the more because of this.

As one who is new to this world, only 5 years real boating from beginner to where I am now. I value all the more, all the experienced that flows around this forum. So form all us wet behind the ear bunch stick around please.
Julie



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Re: dateslip

I bet everyone reading that will go and look at there profiles (I just did) and turned dateslip off.

I was a fan of dateslip at the time and pleased when Kim made it optional. Saved the vote on on or off.

Now then I'll leave it off for a few days and see which I prefer.

Kim what is the default for new users.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Re: never been healthier

I couldn't bear another post mortum on the rights and wrongs of how PDA1 was dealt with.
But it has been

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Hopefully only temporarily

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Few of us are bothering to provide any input into the forum now, ands some of those who do are very much newbies to the forum.

As I have zero to little experience my contribution was always limited to anecdotes etc., but I've also not posted any of my funny stories ( well I find them funny), and that was primarily because of the 'dumbing-down' , 'saturation' ,'I'm important', 'Put up or shut up' mentality of recent months and I'm afraid it was down to person1.

Unfortunately we have now lost great characters as a result of this. I agree with the puib analogy but have a different take. If you don't like the atmosphere therein you leave or keep yourself to yourself...

Reminder to self .. post this month's charter experience soonest

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
Agree with HLB BB etc etc...

Tico errr not sent the readies yet, I am still very sorry didn't hook up with you when down in Penarth this summer, things all went a bit pear shape in work which mean't later arrival at home. You will be more than welcome next time....does this save me from being damned in your up n coming publication... didn't think so.

<hr width=100% size=1>...but then I would say that wouldn't I.....
 
Agree entirely with Andrew Barker.

Haydn, get off your high horse! Bayliners do suit the needs of some people and not necessarily just newbies.

Neale

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Re: dateslip

nope cant stand it - date slips goes back ON - now wheres the User Options button.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>More Pics of Kelisha</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
Once again, I think Kim has fairly put his finger on what many on the forum also feel. It may not be intentional, but not infrequently over the past months, the good will,help and advice seems to have slipped into what can come across as rather pompous outrage if someone with lesser experience disagrees. I m not addressing anyone in particular, merely saying there was a time when this culture seemed to be spoiling the forum for many,that there were too many instances,whether your experience was 6 months or 30 years,too many postings were becoming unhelpful if not intolerant.
I think we all know when the forum slipped to its lowest, but all of us posting share the responsibility for driving that spiral. Many parties seemed unwilling to let a matter drop;it wasnt one sided. Have things changed since then? There does seem an element of weariness at present, and yes, certain subjects from newcomers to the hobby keep coming up, and perhaps using the search facilities would provide many of the answers. Its also a bit of lull for most boaters with the season over, boats coming out, bills to pay... not the part of the season we all enjoy the most. I hope everyone does stay, and Spring will bring tales of adventures and mishaps, newbies will have new questions now their boats are in the water, and we can all find that our common interest in a love of boating is strong enough to remind us to be helpful,courteous and friendly.

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I reckon you've got SAD, Haydn - seasonal affective disorder or something like that. The nice weather's gone, the nights are drawing in and there's 6 months of minimal boating ahead so you're getting a bit grumpy. Leave the newbies alone, we were all green once.

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<<<we were all green once>>>

Reminds me of -

" When you're green you're growing; when you're ripe you rot" Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald's.

John



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I'm not having a go at Bayliners. Your missing the point. I would not have a Princess if I wanted to tow the QE 2 about. Or to go on the Leeds to Liverpool canal.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
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