Why dont you post on ARBTALK so much any more ?

[PhilBeech]

Ahh, clever!

[Al Baker]

Cliquey

[Mark James]

Interesting feedback here, particularly on some of the mods approach. without defending anyone, at the end of the day we are first and foremost, tree guys. We all do the job, and most of us have done it for some time. This doesn't mean we know it all, but what I mean is we are not "professional" moderators. We give our time to try and help things run smoothly. But as I said, we are ordinary folk, and sometimes our opinions may be strong on certain topics. As Dean said, there is a report button if you aren't happy with a posting, whoever made it, mod or not, and it will be looked into and acted upon. This is everyone's forum, and we want everyone to feel it is theirs to use, after all without active members the site would die.

Being "shot down" for making a comment is unfortunately par for the course, I think most of us have experienced this, but it's part of active discussion, and occasionally people will have differing opinions on a topic, that's how we learn and move forward.

Thanks for your replies here so far, I'll take on board constructive comments and see how we can make things better for you all.

Don't forget, if you feel someone is offensive or rude, report it, that what we mods are here for. That and the beer

 

I have stopped posting because for the very reason you state.

 

I reported a post and the response after nearly a month was a joke imo.

 

I enjoyed the forum and still enjoy reading peoples posts and comments, but have brought up the point before and I stand by it, certain people post what they what how they and it stands. Other people post on a subject and people take great offence or pleasure in belittling them regarding it, because there not frequent posters or not in the mainstream way of thinking.

 

It is a great forum but to say it's everybody's forum is true to point. Just don't upset the elitists.

[Andy Collins]

I don't think it's ever taken me a month to respond to a reported post, if it's reported during the day and I'm out I'll take a look when I get in, if it's urgent I'll call another mod and get them to sort it. Sometimes a reported post may not be regarded as necessary to take any action. This is not because we are ignoring you the reporter, but maybe we see the comment reported in a different light, maybe understanding the humour of the poster.

As for the forum being cliquey, I think it's more of a case of those who have grown to know each other over time can share the banter, similar to a team at work sharing a common joke. Join in the banter, or form your own little clique with like minded souls, and enjoy the forum

[Stephen Blair]

Its always the forums fault, never the members:sneaky2:

[Paul Jenks]

I think most of what I could possibly contribute, without alot more time, thought and cross-referencing, has been said.

 

And that's part of the answer, IMO. If the title of a thread interests me I'll take a look and often my answer or comment will either be there or thereabouts in a post by someone else. Sometimes I feel like adding a little bit or endorsing what someone else has said. Sometimes I don't.

 

Time considerations play a part to. I guess I'm not the only person who has a busy life and I don't always put Arbtalk on my priority list. (I know I should and I'll try to do better in future.)

 

Most of us love to have our views and long held beliefs robustly challenged and picked apart by others though I'm guessing that some don't. If something I say is challenged my immediate response is defence, same as most I think. My first postings here were quite clunky and I was guilty of not reading and re-reading properly to endeavour to understand the meanings. Offence was caused and I learnt a bit.

 

Alas, it will ever be thus to a certain extent. There will, inevitably be an element of dis-connect between writing, meaning and understanding.

 

I've been a member of a weekly independent business networking group for 10 years and it runs very well with a core of long standing members and an ebb and flow of new members. Last year a 'clique' tried to change the way things were done as they had a view that they could do a better job. They failed and left. I've experienced the same type of thing twice at my rowing club. Again they failed and left.

 

I really enjoy the stuff on Arbtalk. Some of it doesn't interest me so I gloss over it, some of it annoys me and I'll comment if I feel inclined, every now and then I feel I have something positive to contribute, so do if it hasn't already been said.

 

Now my priorities have just changed as 2 of my kids are having hissy fits and screaming the place down so I'll just have to go and do something outside whilst others deal with it.

[Amelanchier]

The report-a-post function is there to help us to ensure the forum runs smoothly, not to complain about how unfair the world is.

[Mark James]

The report-a-post function is there to help us to ensure the forum runs smoothly, not to complain about how unfair the world is.

 

I never used the report function to complain about how unfair the world was. I used it to report swearing which I found offence.

The report did take a month to be responded to not that that makes any difference.

[Amelanchier]

No, this is what you said (I have replaced the actual word used within square brackets), taken straight from the email that dropped into my inbox at 7.29am on the 12th Jan this year...

 

"I posted [expletive] and had the whole post removed how is this any different?

And when i posted about rules being different for certain people, I got lambasted. This is my case in point."

 

I would expect someone who had found the expletive to be offensive to have said so. You didn't. You wanted to make a point about how unfair things are and how badly we have treated you. Given how few mods there are and how many posts there are to check for swearing I think the membership can make their own minds up how that comes across.

[skyhuck]

If AT is so biased and cliquey why are threads like this allowed to run???

 

Surely we the evil mods would just delete them and continue our suppression of those we dislike.

Edited February 15, 2012 by skyhuck