This Forum, A step forward but with a drawback Options

[regor]

Back in the dark ages BF (Before Forum) we had a clunky slow system with delays in posts appearing but it seems to me that it was more interesting. People thought a bit more about what they wanted to say before hammering the keyboard.

Now we have a super slick system that responds as fast as thought but what do I see when I have a scan of what's on peoples minds?

Mainly I see the same handful of posters who are often more interested in doing each other down than in contributing anything original to the discussion.

So the question I ask is "Has there really been an improvement to communication or have the floodgates been opened to the great wash of ranting and raving that fills a good percentage of the internet?"

Or did I put my "Miserable old git" hat on this morning?

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Back in the dark ages BF (Before Forum) we had a clunky slow system with delays in posts appearing but it seems to me that it was more interesting. People thought a bit more about what they wanted to say before hammering the keyboard.

Now we have a super slick system that responds as fast as thought but what do I see when I have a scan of what's on peoples minds?

Mainly I see the same handful of posters who are often more interested in doing each other down than in contributing anything original to the discussion.

So the question I ask is "Has there really been an improvement to communication or have the floodgates been opened to the great wash of ranting and raving that fills a good percentage of the internet?"

Or did I put my "Miserable old git" hat on this morning?

Mr Meldrew has come out to play!

[TallDarkAndHands...]

To be fair you do have a point though Victor.

I quite often start a topic which I think is worth a good debate and it gets 'hijacked' by forum mebers that are more interested in as the youths of today would say 'dissing' each other than the debate itself.

[Strafin]

I think the point is that if you were having the same discussion at the pub for example, you would probably still go off on all sorts of tangents. The reason for the delay before was so that each post could be checked/moderated and edited if necessary. This then meant that the points made were only the ones that were considered suitable, so you weren't having a debate at all.

[Iommi]

Back in the dark ages BF (Before Forum) we had a clunky slow system with delays in posts appearing but it seems to me that it was more interesting. People thought a bit more about what they wanted to say before hammering the keyboard.

That basically wasn't true, as far as I can remember. I remember pages of puerile rants and arguments back then as well.

Now we have a super slick system that responds as fast as thought but what do I see when I have a scan of what's on peoples minds? Mainly I see the same handful of posters who are often more interested in doing each other down than in contributing anything original to the discussion.

And your contribution to this forum so far is...?

So the question I ask is "Has there really been an improvement to communication or have the floodgates been opened to the great wash of ranting and raving that fills a good percentage of the internet?" Or did I put my "Miserable old git" hat on this morning?

Yes!

[regor]

I think comrade Iommi makes my point for me

[Iommi]

I think comrade Iommi makes my point for me

Have you yet posted any attempts at meaningful or wholesome debate, or do you just like to moan, but do nothing about it? Put simply... if one doesn't like their points of view being scrutinised and criticised, then a forum isn't for one. I would hold people's view with a lot more kudos, if one would have at least attempted to make this forum a more interesting one. So how about you start a thread that's worthwhile, eh?

But going back to your original post, I think you are wrong on all accounts, but I do agree with TDAH, people do too readily go off topic (including me) which I think is rude, but it is up to people to join in and help to make debates worth while and stay on track.

[GMR]

Back in the dark ages BF (Before Forum) we had a clunky slow system with delays in posts appearing but it seems to me that it was more interesting. People thought a bit more about what they wanted to say before hammering the keyboard.

Now we have a super slick system that responds as fast as thought but what do I see when I have a scan of what's on peoples minds?

Mainly I see the same handful of posters who are often more interested in doing each other down than in contributing anything original to the discussion.

So the question I ask is "Has there really been an improvement to communication or have the floodgates been opened to the great wash of ranting and raving that fills a good percentage of the internet?"

Or did I put my "Miserable old git" hat on this morning?

Probably the later

[GMR]

Have you yet posted any attempts at meaningful or whole some debates, or do you just like to moan, but do nothing about it? Put simply... if one doesn't like their points of view being scrutinised and criticised, then a forum isn't for one. I would hold people's view with a lot more kudos, if one would have at least attempted to make this forum a more interesting one. So how about you start a thread that's worthwhile, eh?

But going back to your original post, I think you are wrong on all accounts, but I do agree with TDAH, people do too readily go off topic (including me) which I think is rude, but it is up to people to join in and help to make debates worth while and stay on track.

Good point and post.

Also like to state that I NEVER GO OFF TOPIC!

[spartacus]

Back in the dark ages BF (Before Forum) we had a clunky slow system with delays in posts appearing but it seems to me that it was more interesting. People thought a bit more about what they wanted to say before hammering the keyboard.

Now we have a super slick system that responds as fast as thought but what do I see when I have a scan of what's on peoples minds?

Whether you could call it a 'forum' is questionable. A series of random thoughts maybe. No real debate as such. By the time something had been rubber stamped by the moderators and was posted most people had lost interest surely? A bit like conducting an argument through the 'letters' page in the NWN... Slow and clunky is an understatement.

"Far more interesting though"..... Do you really think so? Do you not like to have a natter down the pub? At the pub you talk sport and general drivel (going off at a tangent at every opportunity) On here you can talk a load of bollards (and still go off at a tangent)without ending up with a hangover and a beer belly

[GMR]

Whether you could call it a 'forum' is questionable. A series of random thoughts maybe. No real debate as such. By the time something had been rubber stamped by the moderators and was posted most people had lost interest surely? A bit like conducting an argument through the 'letters' page in the NWN... Slow and clunky is an understatement.

"Far more interesting though"..... Do you really think so? Do you not like to have a natter down the pub? At the pub you talk sport and general drivel (going off at a tangent at every opportunity) On here you can talk a load of bollards (and still go off at a tangent)without ending up with a hangover and a beer belly

Another point; were else can you voice your opinion? Papers are limited, public forums (i.e. being there in person) are controlled... what is left to voice ones anger or state ones point of view?

[lordtup]

The wonderful thing about this sort of forum is the fact that individual views can be aired. I appreciate there is a little "off tracking",but it is usually bought back on line by the consensus of the contributors. personally I would consider any hardening of the rules an affront to the freedom of speech that we all enjoy

[Chesapeake]

Maybe I'm a bit of a saddo these days (maybe always have been) but as a newbie on this forum and having just thoroughly enjoyed the debate that ranted on for a while re "The Wharf" etc., it seems that I've obviously got really boring and uninspiring as nobody wants to quote me.

I feel like I'm a cild again and crying "nobody wants to play with me". Boo hoo.

[GMR]

Maybe I'm a bit of a saddo these days (maybe always have been) but as a newbie on this forum and having just thoroughly enjoyed the debate that ranted on for a while re "The Wharf" etc., it seems that I've obviously got really boring and uninspiring as nobody wants to quote me.

I feel like I'm a cild again and crying "nobody wants to play with me". Boo hoo.

There you are I've quoted you and if you want to send me a cheque I won't refuse it

What were you saying?

[GMR]

The wonderful thing about this sort of forum is the fact that individual views can be aired. I appreciate there is a little "off tracking",but it is usually bought back on line by the consensus of the contributors. personally I would consider any hardening of the rules an affront to the freedom of speech that we all enjoy

Totally agree.

[Guest_Newbury Expat_*]

Maybe I'm a bit of a saddo these days (maybe always have been) but as a newbie on this forum and having just thoroughly enjoyed the debate that ranted on for a while re "The Wharf" etc., it seems that I've obviously got really boring and uninspiring as nobody wants to quote me.

I feel like I'm a cild again and crying "nobody wants to play with me". Boo hoo.

Continuing the "Show Chesapeake some love" trend



Regarding the OP, show me a forum which doesn't go off a tangent, I refuse to believe that such a place exists.

At the end of the day you mostly get out of forums what you put in. You can observe from afar which is fine, but if people are getting off topic and you want to add to the original debate, simply post my friend and if you're interesting, you'll get a response.

Personally I like the tangents from time to time, gives you a bit more insight to the personalities around here and that can help frame future discussions. Just my two pence worth.

[GMR]

Just my two pence worth.

But a good two pence worth.

[regor]

Hmmmmm Very interesting. Not one poster agrees with me about slipping standards on the forum. Either I have got it completely wrong (and that would not be a first) or something else is happening.

I could argue that people are more likely to post a reply to something with which they disagree that to something with which they agree to a greater or lesser extent. From this comes the old plea frpm politicians to "Listen to the silent majority!"

Given that there are 300 plus registered users on the forum and only about ten have posted their disagreement then I could claim to have had my view endorsed by the silent majority (I win 290+ to 10)

I doubt this is really true either but I do remain astonished that not one single person agrees with me. I did not think it was that much of an extreme thought.

[Jobet]

Before when you had to wait a couple of days to see whether your comment made it or not was hopeless. There always seemed to be something new about to be discussed and the old topic was stale news and had lost any interest in it. I know now it goes off track occasionally but there are some good old stalwarts on here to always remind us what we should be discussing. So lets keep it this way.

[GMR]

Before when you had to wait a couple of days to see whether your comment made it or not was hopeless. There always seemed to be something new about to be discussed and the old topic was stale news and had lost any interest in it. I know now it goes off track occasionally but there are some good old stalwarts on here to always remind us what we should be discussing. So lets keep it this way.

Agreed.