Boring Editorial

[Moray]

The atmosphere of this forum is changing.

There are any number of threads on here which have been closed (for obvious reasons). There are personality clashes carried out in public. There is alpha position contestancy, trolls, protectionism, etc.

This concerns me. Is it the winter blues, causing shortness of temper? Is it simply the number of members, increasing almost exponentially?

I recall a forum in which generosity of spirit toward ALL divers (new, old, techie, RB, wannabes, couch divers, holiday divers, DIR, etc) was the unifying element. There is a lot of personal contact among members of YD, people actually dive together, which results in REAL PEOPLE dealing with one another and communicating on subjects other than diving. I am concerned with my friends: what they think, how they feel etc.

Newcomers to the forum are not familiar with this atmosphere, and are "damaged" perhaps, by presence in other forums. Be patient and allow them to acquaint themselves with the tone here. It will become apparent, and they will find their groove or leave the forum.

This is a PUBLIC FORUM, not my lounge, and so I must accept the presence of those who are not "my type".

People can have bad day.
People can feel threatened for reasons not apparent to the rest of us.
People can express themselve in an unfortunate manner.
People can be a**holes (includes each and everyone one of us).
People can lack understanding for any of the above due to any of the above.

YD members have been able to deal with the occasional clashes with humor and ultimately, a willingness to be pleased.

The administrators of this forum have enough to do without having to police the kindergarden.

Let us give them a break, what?
Let us mind our manners and continue to treat other YD members with all respect and to extend the benefit of the doubt as to the meaning of many posts which would seem at first reading to be derogatory in some way. I am of course not referring to obvious abuse!

Honi soit qui mal y pense!

*rant over*

moray

[Mdemon]

Actually, I think the banter over the past few days has been interesting and a lot of it has made me laugh. If you want nastiness or troll-action, have a quick peek at Divernet where things are really bad at the moment.
If you look carefully, there is little (if any?) true malice, even from those most involved.

I'd rather have original banter than something rehashed from elsewhere.

But you do make some very good points.

This is a PUBLIC FORUM, not my lounge, and so I must accept the presence of those who are not "my type".

This is the most perceptive thing I have read for months. Perhaps it should be posted as part of the welcome message when new members register. I might just take it to heart myself.

[Lou]

Very nicely put, Rebecca. I think you have summed up everything very well.

Lou

[Lynne]

Agreed totally

[MartinS]

Originally Posted by Lou

Very nicely put, Rebecca. I think you have summed up everything very well.

Agreed - green incoming.

[Janos]

Internet forums are funny things. I'm sure there's funding for a PhD in group dynamics if anyone would be so inclined.

I lurked for a long time before registering (and only then becuase that was the only way I could read the posts) and I agree that the culture of YD has changed. Not better or worse but different. I'm sure that this is because we now have a lot more members, and so we're much more likely to form groups with different viewpoints then when there were just a few people.

I also think that people have different degrees of emotional engagement with YD. personally, most of the people I dive with (my club) have not heard of YD. But I'm guessing that some people on here only dive with YD.

I spend a lot of time on YD and I think YD is fantastic, a great source of diving knowledge and discussion, and a good way to fill a boat, especially in winter.

But at the end of a day it's just words on a screen.

Laters,
Janos

PS - FWIW I thought there was nothing wrong with the Dive Girl debate. A few parties having a (albeit quite vocal) discussion about the merits of a diving publication.

[Ian@1904]

Have to agree with the general sentiment here. Posting successfully on a forum like this takes great care if one wants to promote a positive image on buying kit/real life rescue incidents/whether DiveGirl is great/good/or whatever.

As we have more people on board there will more friction from the incomers. Its a bit like living in a small village and having a mega housing estate built at one end. Initially there is a lot of disruption but eventually most people pick up the rules and everyone rubs along.

To my knowledge I have only upset one diver on this board, for which I have apologised, and should have taken more care in the posting.

I have only made one complaint about a post and issued one red blob. I was not alone in complaining either.

I have no problems with robust debate. I welcome it. If someone wants to challenge my kit configuration, views on Suunto computers, or anything else that is fine. Just don't descend to slagging competition.

I have been on here nearly a year and find it great fun. I have had received a lot of assistance with computer virus issues, wifes diet, and even some dive knowledge.

[dave archer]

Excellent Rebecca, I share your concerns and wholeheartedly agree with almost all your sentiments
(I wrote a long PM to someone along similar lines but then lost it thanks to fat thumbed ness - maybe a good thing as it ended up being a bit too stream of conciousness like anyway)

The single point I wish to add is that all are welcome except trolls. The trolls only aim is to harm the forum, so they are a geniune enemy.

Like MDemon I see the boring paranoid place that Divernet has become, and it makes me concerned for YD. Then I see obvious trolls beginning on here, and to my dismay instead of rising above it we have the longest threads for ages and infighting between genuine members - they must have been truelly delighted. And so encouraged.

I'm not going to bang on about this other than this post, but YD needs to learn quickly to ignore trolls, completely. Some may have found recent threads a little amusing, but before you respond to a troll, ask yourself if you want a YD like Divernet in a months time - full of drivel (not just in non-diving and unable to read a post from a new person without questioning their intentions.

The only good response to a troll is zero response. You may thing you've got a witty comeback or whatever, but any response is oxygen to them. Ignore them completely, add them to your ignore list if you want, but don't reply. Not even with "get lost troll". If you reply, they're not upset by the name you called them, or laughing with you at some quip - they're laughing at us. Any response at all is them winning.

Ignore them, and eventually they'll leave. Respond, in any way, as collectively YD has so far, and we'll have a boring, unfriendly, paranoid and over policed forum in short months.

Don't believe me? Read Divernet main forum archive for a while.
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
http://curezone.com/forums/troll.asp
Google for "internet troll".

Maybe I'm being too negative and Monday minded about this, I hope so.
[/rant over]

Rebecca thanks for your more positive post

Dave.

[NotDeadYet]

Originally Posted by moray

The atmosphere of this forum is changing.

There is... trolls...

This concerns me.

Me too! Evil bastards are trolls. There was this bridge near me that my goat tried to cross. That was the last I saw of him. When I get my hand on that troll I'll kick his f***ing head in.