Topic: Sad, really - this used to be a forum

[Derekthefox]

I have to agree with you here Adam although sadly, as I exclude so many threads, it is difficult to see those that are interesting ...

However, I would make an appeal to those members who feel they don't enjoy this forum so much anymore. I felt this way more than once, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, there are a lot of excellent posters, and real and sincere friends here too.

[MutantHobbit]

Only a suggestion, but would it help if all the banter, chit-chat and joking around was limited to the confines of The Shed and The Watershed, and then after a while, anything older than say a week, were deleted?  This would limit any Comedic Threads.  Then perhaps everybody would be happy, and we can get along together as we did before?  I can appreciate the ephemeral nature of using the Chat Room would mean that nothing is stored, whereas the Boards are semi permanant, what is said remains there unless it is removed by Dan, which probably takes up a lot of room.  I don't presume to speak for Dan, but I don't suppose he's finding it much fun being Moderator at the moment.

Personally, I think this is just the Silly Season of the Gardening Year, everyone is cooped up with not a lot going on in the Allotments.  I just think it would be a great shame if everyone were to fall out and feel as though they have to belong to a particular clique.

Now I've said my piece, I'm just going take cover behind that wall over there...

Dave

[carloso]

Its called chioce !!!


we sometimes have to much !!

Carl

[Nathan]

Long live General Chit Chat.

General chat is the social glue that holds societies together, not a frivolous pastime to be shunned by the serious!

I respect the great depth of knowledge and gardening expertise on a4a, and I know how to get access to this valuable resource, as we all do.

I also, fortunately. know where to go to have a laugh .....

Long may a4a continue to provide both.

Vive la difference

[Wicker]

It is really sad to see what is happening on these boards and I am sure it's getting out of hand in a way that no one intended.   TM please don't take this as a personal attack but you did say

Maybe some folks don't like the fact that this place has changed and they're not the centre of attention any more?

 I didn't think the site needed changing it was doing fine, evolving naturally with time and was very popular (else why would you and others have joined it?) And also I think if you read way back you would find that no one was "the centre of attention" - some people will always contribute more than others - and there were laughs (for example Ozzy's rambles were hilarious)

I think it's just that almost every thread in The Shed seems to be taken over by the chit chat - for me a little less chit would be better, the chat is o.k.  Excellent points/arguments have been put forward elsewhere by the same people who are being criticised so I hope this doesn't degenerate into huffs and slamming doors - there's no need there's room for us all

[Heldi]

<-----------  "Calm down,calm down!"

[Derekthefox]

Perhaps Dan has already explored that option Mutant. I consider it to have the same problems though, as there has been so much cross posting, even in this thread you have evidence of off topic posting ... although it appears harmless as I expect Tim wants people to contribute all opinions ...

I am not going to repeat my views though.

I think green suits you actually !

Wardy, I think the shed is the correct place to have the chitchat, but by definition of the shed, it can also include some serious threads, which are some of the ones being marred. I gather this is the problem, or one of them.

[Admin aka Dan]

Wardy, I think the shed is the correct place to have the chitchat, but by definition of the shed, it can also include some serious threads, which are some of the ones being marred. I gather this is the problem, or one of them.

Spot on Derek - some people just don't seem to see that.

Dan

[jaggythistle]

  Well first of folks.........cool the beans......secondly were on the final stretch
  last furlong....before we are all out of the blocks for a new growing season
  
  I can only suggest in the meantime before were all out is this and I don't know
  if its feasible............that like on another board that I am on is to have people
  help you out dan....instead of the unthankful task of having to do this by
  yourself........you said yourself you cannot be here to police it at all times
  which of course you shouldn't have to....but going by the amount of people
  posting on this topic...may gave you food for thought. The other is a penalty
 or cooling down box...where an offender if reported by numerous members to
 yourself...could find them selfs in....dependent on the misdemeanour... and
 lastly....privaleges of chat or PM's  excluded...until  matters of any misdemeanours reported to yourself.......in my opinion saves yourself 1 whole
 lot of grief.........

       lastly................if I am  culprit I apologise......

                                                   JAGS

[Lord Steve]

Would it help to preface a topic in The Shed or The Watershed (which is intended by the thread owner to be serious) with SOTP - Stay On Topic Please? That way there can be no doubt about which threads are chat and banter and which are to be kept on track. Perhaps it might work for a few weeks until thread discipline has been restored. The need for SOTP could then be reviewed. Just a thought.

[Derekthefox]

Interesting suggestion Jaggy, but who out of us lot would Dan trust to take on the role of assistant Moderator, I certainly wouldn't want to be tasked with making that choice ...

[djbrenton]

General forum etiquette ( I'm referring to the whole internet not just here ) makes it obvious when a topic is being hijacked. There's a place for chit chat and generally I would have thought it obvious which threads they were. It's only polite not to hijack someone elses thread.

A forum I run has several multi thousand post running threads for complete inanity and others which are obviously lighthearted. Threads which are obviously 'on topic' aren't allowed to be diverted.

We have a 'Good Morning' thread which gets dredged back up every day for example and filled with whatever banter we want. The only major restrictions we operate are - no hijacking of 'on topic' threads and a zero tolerance for argumentative or insulting behaviour. In three years I've had to ban two people for refusing to comply when warned by email.

I'm sure Dan's perfectly capable of ensuring behaviour here doesn't deteriorate to the point where action against individuals is necessary, and as Jaggythistle says, we've only got a short time till we'll all be too busy for anything except plaintiff cries for gardening advice.

[MutantHobbit]

Good suggestion Lord Steve, but I don't know if the SOTP would work.  DTF tried something similar on his Non-Christmas Thread which didn't pan out too well.  I appreciate where Dan is coming from, as although I enjoy the banter etc, it has made some threads difficult to read.

Maybe everyone will take time out and read Dan's message "Behaviour on the Board", take it on board and as Jaggy says things will calm down when we're all back on our allotments.

Dave   

[Yellow Petals]

As I've said before, I am more than capable of my fair share of chit chat, which I have tried to halt somewhat of late, but yes, it did get ridiculous and for all of the arguments and toy throwing going on here, two things must be remembered:

Firstly, this site was doing fabulously before the 'takeover' ensued (as someone has already pointed out, why would you have come here if it wasn't already thriving?)

Secondly, first and foremost this is a allotment/gardening site and that is the main reason 90% of members are here!  As has been stated before, if general chit chat and 'stuff' (that's my intellectual word for it) is what people want - then why pick a gardening forum to do it when there are thousands of other forums on the web which are more suitable?

The fact that most members don't join in the idle chit chat and don't join in debates such as this must surely tell you all you need to know?

I know of three or four established members who have left because of this and joined another gardening board and lately I have PMd with a few others thinking of doing the same thing - that's not right or fair. 

[Derekthefox]

Well observed on my 'Non-Christmas Thread' Mutant, but of course, my request was as a mere member, requiring that simple issue called courtesy. It did fall foul, alas perhaps due to a simple and excusable error, but remember that SOTP has the power of Dan's backing ...

[jaggythistle]

  I am soooooooo laughin Foxy......SOTP...kinda  got me fickled on that 1
  to make the christmas thread you did...after reference to christmas or
  bah humbug..in 88 posts...now if thats not going of on a tangent...thats
  an observation by the way...not an attack.

                     JAGS ;D ;D ;D ;D

[grawrc]

I find this quite distressing. I discovered Allotments4all on 16th December 2005. I thought ( as I lurked) that it was fabulous. I really don't understand what the present problem is. I would be horrified to think I was contributing to it. All my contacts with the group I have found helpful and positive. I also try to respond positively to the question asked.

So:
Am I doing something wrong?
Who is doing something wrong?
Does everyone agree?
Why not tell them and remind others how they are expected to behave?
2nd offence and they're out of the group?
Let members know who the offenders are.
Argh! I hate this...

[Yellow Petals]

Why not tell them and remind others how they are expected to behave?

Graw, that's exactly what Dan has now done on the sticky topic at the top of The Shed.  Can't remember it's title off the top of my head but it's about behaviour whilst signed into the board.

[Derekthefox]

Observe away Jaggy, but I find it fascinating how a simple observation of something I did to provide amusement (people did find my bah humbug comments amusing) can be presented in a manner so as to appear derogatory to my standing. And you are one to talk, since you brought whisky in earlier, much to Redclangers annoyance ...

I am not going to debate any of this, Dan is capable of forming his own opinions. I can simply type Jaggythistle into my profile so as to hide your posts, and instantly you will disappear ...

PS I feel sad for you if you had to count up 88 of my posts ...

[MutantHobbit]

Yellow Petals, the Sticky Thread that Dan has posted is "Behaviour on the Board".  I don't know if everybody has noticed it though...

Dave