Clearly if people are still responding it serves a purpose. im sick of not being able to discuss things openly or have a bit of fun because you think there needs to be an academic function to every thread and if it goes of topic should be closed. So what if it goes off topic if we are still engaged in conversation. Dont sap all the fun out of visiting. Forums are just as much about being social as educational.
I know I'm a newcomer but have been constantly surprised by how few old school people there are on this forum. There seems to be a lack of community.
I hear you on that. I've been discussing things on forums since before there was forum software. BBS's and usenet ftw! I constantly run into this phenomenon on message boards where mods overmod or become the problem instead of the solution. Some of the best discussion forums I've been on have been the least moderated. Social order eventually forces people to either join the community and abide by its commonly understood standards, or leave. But hey, I always work by the philosophy that I'm not paying for it and not doing all the hard work to maintain it so the people who are doing all that can run it however they please. And if I don't like it, I don't have to stick around On a more topically related note, I've recently begun walking every day as part of my routine to get fit. I find it an excellent time to daydream about my stories and characters and when I get back to the computer, I feel inspired and motivated to write it all out.
Agreed. But it's still annoying. Rules are important, guidelines protect the board from all sorts of things, I'm happy to abide. I like this forum, that's why I want there to be a sense of community. And yeah, I've been on forums since the mid 90s.
Since we're ranting now, and I've not been in too much trouble just lately, I suppose I ought to throw my highly-opinionated self into this. You know what the trouble is? There are so many people on this particular site out to prove something - They know better than you, they have more experience than you. Ok, fine... but who freakin cares? These forums are meant as a way for us to ask one another questions and get the general consensus of a group of diverse people, allowing us to make better informed choices, which can be a fantastic learning tool. I, personally, thoroughly enjoy talking about writing and sorting through the various issues that come with the craft, and the fact that we have this medium is truly an example of technological genus. However... Do we really all have to be so damned rude about it, belittling one another and so on? We are all entitled to our own thoughts, we've all had different experiences, and we should be using these message boards to learn from one another. No matter how long you've been writing, or how damned published you are, that doesn't mean you are any better than anyone else. Your opinions don't matter anymore than anyone else's. If there is something specific asked, and you have relevant experience with it, than by all means, share your experience. But if someone else has experienced something different than you, learn from it, don't tell them they are wrong. You are closing yourself off from the possibility of more education if you do that, and education is something we should revel in. If you disagree with someone's point, ignore it. Don't make the person who said it feel like an idiot. It's just not polite to do so. Or, if you know without question that they have given incorrect information, give examples showing that, but watch how you word it. There is no need to publically disgrace someone. That does nothing for anyone. Now, I'm sure someone will have something contradictory to say about this post, which is great. I look forward to it, because it proves my point. End rant.
This part of the site is for Writing Issues. People visit this part of the site to get answers to problems or questions relevant to their writing. If the discussion transitions into another related topic after the original question has run its course, that's reasonable, although it is still preferable to start a new thread. However, for the thread to degenerate into childish innuendo is disrespectful toward those who do come here for answers. We have a Lounge for socializing, and even a degree of silliness. But to hijack a thread in this area of the site for puerile nonsense? Not okay. Just think how you would feel if you asked a serious writing question (whether of not the original poster falls into that category), and the thread were taken over with snickering innuendo. It's all about a little respect toward your fellow writers.
You see rules, I see boundaries. You see disrespect, I see camaraderie. Although I agree that it can be annoying when people derail a thread on purpose on the very first few posts, once the thread has developed a bit, I don't see why it's a problem if it deviates from a specific course into a human-relatable discussion. People wander from topics and wander back to them and the discussion takes a natural course of ebb and flow. People aren't robots and don't operate by a strict set of binary instructions.
I agree with this and I agree with Cog. In this case the OP is happy for the thread to go where it goes. So no problem. There have been other threads that have moved so far from the OP's intention that it appears that they have lost interest, have played no further part and the thread has gone its own way without the OP Maybe it should be up to the OP to say 'Hey - my thread, let's get back on track' and then up to everyone else either to comply or quietly close the door behind them.
Kat, you're 100% correct. But you'll get snobs wherever you go in life, so my advice to you here is the same as it was in the other thread: ignore them. Or, if you have my type of belligerent personality and enjoy a hearty argument, respond back just as snidely. Just relax, learn and try to enjoy being here...as you can see, we're not all bad. Thank you! You, sir (or madam), have been repped. There are certainly people here who would do well by going to the corner store and purchasing a life.
I half agree with you, Kat. The problem with forums like this is that people often think that if you have a lot of posts, you must know what you're talking about, and conversely, if you have a few posts, you are a newbie. In my experience, the reverse is often more true.
play nice, children! whether all this digression is okay with the op or not, or belongs in the lounge, or not, you should all at least be courteous to each other and not be dissing anyone who disagrees with you... site mods here used to play 'mother' quite well and kept things friendly, but since there has been a change in staff, we seem to be on a downhill slide, which i find very sad...
On the contrary. I like that the mods let a thread run its course without prematurely closing it down. If the OP feels like the thread has gone off topic, he/she can request one of the mods to close it (or leave it to the mods' judgment).
I agree with you about the courtesy, but as far as site mods playing 'mother' that would be ok. if we were children. There have been times when threads have been closed just for no valid reason. I do think, though that there are times when the OP should be able ask for restraint if he/she feels that the thread is really going off track.
I agree with mama and Cogito, we need to discipline ourselves to keep things orderly. Make new threads to have different conversations, that way a new member can easily find it and searches work more effectively. Having a conversation about The Beatles in a thread titled, 'having problems with verb usage' doesn't help anyone. I think we're all mature enough to know how to categorize our threads and how to stay on topic. At least I hope we are... ~ J. J.
Asking if this thread serves any purpose while we are in the middle of a discussion is disrespectful. Editing posts to remove extra banter and fun that doesn't breach guidelines is disrespectful. So many of my posts got edited in the first few days that I was ready to quit. What was the point of staying? If I just want answers to questions there are a bazillion other sources. The fact is we were in the middle of a fun, community building banter and we were not asked to keep it on track, and we were not asked to respect the OP, we were asked if it served any more purpose. This demonstrates the value that some people see in friendly banter. This thread was long exhausted as far as the orginal content is concerned, but if our chat deviated, so what? As long as a conversation keeps going it serves a purpose. And stop closing threads. Threads NEVER need closing unless there are massive breaches of regulations. Just because you feel there has been a satisfactory answers does not mean no one else should be allowed to comment or post any longer. Threads should simply die when interest dies. This current conversation is very useful, and demonstrates the frustration evident amongst members. This isn't a classroom. This is a community.
Yeah. I've tried that too just like the OP, but it never worked for me. I get many thoughts while walking and often speak my conversations out aloud, but I hate the sound of my voice and, like my notepads, I never went back to revisit the recordings. I ended up giving it away.
I completely disagree. Site mods now are excellent, diligent but also respectful, and the site is much more interesting and productive without thought police who was going around abusing their moderating powers, handing out infractions as a personal vendetta, antagonising and patronising people and squashing free speech willy-nilly. I for one am extremely happy with the change and grateful that this site has moved in a much more creative and democratic direction.
It's a great sign that this thread has not been closed...hopefully this means that the forums will be a place where people can actually have real, meaningful, and interesting discussions, while getting their questions answered. Either that, or the mods haven't stumbled across this thread yet. :/
