Padded Cell entropy?

I think the whole forum has slowed down (in terms of number of postings not speed of response) since the change over to Groupee...

A number of regular contributors seem to have either gone elsewhere or have stopped posting altogether.

Yeah I did mean the amount of posts rather than speed of download.

This place is not the same as when I joined in September last year. Since Tom Alves left things haven't been the same.

Adam, what do you think?

Deane

No more Jaw.....

What! Don't tell me NB has gone after only 7000 posts?

It seems to be a number of people that I have actually met as well! They know who they are.

Is it me? Have they moved on to another party somewhere and not told me?

quote:

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Originally posted by Deane F:
Yeah I did mean the amount of posts rather than speed of download.
This place is not the same as when I joined in September last year. Since Tom Alves left things haven't been the same.
Adam, what do you think?
Deane

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There have been a couple of necessary changes - some high posting members have left and/or been banned and there is the transition to Groupee.

The ripples from both of these will take a while to settle but the forum is the product of its members and, within the rules, you can make it as interesting as you like.

As to not being the same - this was the intention. However we look forward to the forum redefining itself - with a wider range of contributors.

I might have to take a deep breath and plunge into the pink water and see if I can swim there.

quote:

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Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

There have been a couple of necessary changes - some high posting members have left and/or been banned and there is the transition to Groupee.

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Adam

Without naming names, could you tell us the reasons for some of the bannings?

Deane

Yes - racist postings, buying & selling (usually a warning), continued attempts to subvert the rules on equipment alteration (fuses).
Trolling - some members are removed if it becomes obvious, over the course of several posts, that they only have negative comments. There is a big difference between a member complaining about a failure with their own equipment and someone either just slagging all Naim or constantly promoting another product.
In addition - the forum is not supposed to be an all consuming task for the moderators. I have taken time to have telephone conversations with aggrieved parties but, in the end, some will be disatisfied by my response.

Deane,

Whilst there'll never be another Tom Alves, there are plenty other contributors here all posting really useful information, quite often entertaining as well. It's just that Tom's particular circumstances allowed him to post here more often than most, so it's no real surprise that now he is gone his absence is felt keenly.

Change is always disruptive - I'm particularly resistant to it myself, not just here but in many other areas of my life - but forums are organic things and this one will get over the change and move on, and some will get to like it and others won't. That's just the way it goes.

Cheers,

JR

PS: Seagull, no it's not you, don't take it personally. Actually, I think it's me.......

JonR
Due to my enforced absence on this forum for the last couple of months or so,whilst Tesco.net sorted them selves out, I must admitt to being a bit shocked on my return, by the adsence of quite a few of the long term posters who always had something of interest to say. There does also seem to have been concurrently, unfortunately a influx of some contributors that seem to be more interested in self promotion rather than some of the more interesting debates we have had on world affairs etc. in the past. Whilst I hope that your aspirations for the forums future are fulfilled,but after scanning the postings for the last few days,and noting there contents, I have a nagging doupt, People of the caliber of those that have "moved on" will be very difficult, if ever, to replace,and imo will be, and already are sadly missed A very sorry affair
oldie.

There are fewer postings here becuase a number of people have left -- a few via banning, some by choice and others by default as there is not much happening here at the moment so there is little to post. I don't think it's got anyhting to do with the Groupee thing and the Padded Cell has been in apparent decline for some time -- a process which seemed to accelerate significantly in the last few months causing the whole thing to drop below a critical mass and become rather dormant and slow.

Personally I have stopped posting much as there is little I am interested in happening at the moment and many of the people whose contribution I enjoyed seem to be the people who have left. Things may of course pick up again.

Regarding Tom Alves, he was not actually very active in the Padded Cell of late and had only just come back from an extended hiatus anyway so I am not sure that his disagreement with Naim had that much effect. AFACIT it's more a case of a bunch of people just getting bored and losing interest and just going off and doing something else instead. It just so happens that most of the leavers were Padded Cell regulars and, becuase there are fewer numbers involved, the dropp off is more noticeable. The Music Room has been similarly affected as Nick Lees seems to have left and he was by far the most significant contributor.

Still like Adam says these things go in cycles, new blood and all that so with remaining regulars like Berlin Fritz, Mick Parry, 7_V, etc and newcomers like the prolific Tommy_C the Padded Cell will no doubt continue in some form or other.

Matthew

I am new to the forum, and indeed forums on the whole. When you first join a forum it is intimidating, as everyone else seems to have the answers and you have none. I think that seasoned posters forget the amount of angst a newbie goes through before making their first post - believe you me it is frequently considerable - nobody wants to make a fool of themselves. This is especially the case with the padded cell where the remit is open, and fierce debate could follow an innocuous opening statement. However, give people a chance, avoid scaring them off, and rising stars could emerge.

I have no real experience of the lost ones - other than they had high post counts. I do however notice that they appear in the archives, but so do many others who don't post any more. This comment is not meant in a disrespectful tone, but an honest observation. The positive from this is the legacy of opinion left behind.

What goes around comes around and I have no doubts that others will come to prominence in the forum and they in turn, will also move on.

So the forum has been quiet of late. Well so have many other places - I think that people have lots in their lives from time to time, and post counts fall as other things take precedence in life.

I do think that there is a degree of entropy on the forum, particularly if you accept the definition of entropy as: "A measure of the amount of disorder in a system." Changes have occured, people moved on, life continues.

What I don't think exists is atrophy, defined as: Weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use). Things may be a little quiet, but I doubt it will last for long.

"The King is dead, long live the King."

Brad

I only picked the Groupee changeover thing as an event in time (I could have chosen the time when they seriously pruned the Padded Cell). Several regulars had problems getting back in and some probably gave up and couldn't be bothered. Others had been posting less and less recently and had probably stopped before then anyway. Others have moved away from Naim altogether (not just the Forum) and are posting elsewhere these days.

It not just a case of the quantity of posts, certainly the quality is missing too. e.g. Nick's occasional series in the Music Room was often entertaining, informative and certainly a good pointer to new and old music. I also miss AlexS' one liners, and yes, even Matthew's sharp and witty contributions (when you're being sharp and witty that is Matthew).

On the positive side the childish spats seem to have diminished a bit (though they seem to be all the rage in the other place) and there is perhaps a little less willy waving at the moment.

Anyway, I'm sure things will get stirred up again when Mr Parry returns to the virtual fold after his hols.

The forum can be a place for interesting discussion but it is often a useful repository of Naim knowledge.
It was previously remarked that the semi-dead search facility was prompting a lot of repeat questions. The search engine now works and I suspect many visitors come in, search and leave.

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Originally posted by Adam Meredith:

It was previously remarked that the semi-dead search facility was prompting a lot of repeat questions. The search engine now works and I suspect many visitors come in, search and leave.

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Adam,

That may be the case in Hi-Fi Corner, but surely that could not logically apply to the Padded Cell??

Kevin

Fair comment.

Like many others I have noted a change in the Naim forums.

I used to post under a different name. I was never a prolific contributor but decided for me a change in the forum was an opportunity for a change my posting image. As it happens towards the 'real'.

I also have been saddened by the loss of some regular contributors but had made the decision to carry on reading and posting. I have the opinion that fora (?) like conversations go through those embarassing lulls, when we are all stood looking at each other wondering what to say. These are normal. Something happens and then we are all off again, much to everyone's relief.

People have gone, none of us are indispensable. I remember a slightly strange feel around the old forum when Adam took over as the 'main' moderator but things settle.

So chill, things will get going again.

Guy

You're right - a good party can rely on the conversation enablers. Tom was one of those - in that you could hardly post on any subject without a comment from him.

Possibly there is only one thing worse than being noticed and that is not being noticed.

It may be the time of year with lengthening days and intimations of life outside the cave. It may be that we are all preparing for the premiership of Mr Killroy-Slik or it may be one of those little lulls. Perhaps we should spike the punch.

Frankly if Tommy C's punch is not already spiked, he needs to see a doctor.

Perhaps people are scared that they will inadvertently say something "politically correct" or - worse - not "politically correct" and spark off a discussion on whether this concept exists. No-one would want to do that again...

It may be just me, but the after Christmas period is a very busy one work-wise for me and perhaps a lot of people - that might have something to do with it. I'm sure it'll pick up.

Had a stretch and enjoying the morning down here.

Like Tom, my circumstances allow me to spend a lot of time on the forum. What I have been missing in the Padded Cell is the (seemingly?) very well informed debate on international affairs. Informed enough to be intimidating. I like the liberal/left leanings of the majority of contributors too (perhaps that is not the perception of other contributors to the Cell but it certainly is mine.)

I hope things pick up.

Deane

I occurs to me also that this current lull also coincides with the absence of one Mr Parry.

Hate him or hate him, he can be relied upon to stir things up.

I had also noticed the 'slow down' particularly on the music room and padded cell and i would echo what other's have said about the loss [if that is what it is] of Mr Lees - his comments were well informed, well argued and above all about music - he even half persuaded me to give porcupine tree a second chance [well almost] but, and this applies primarily to the main hi-fi room and the 'jaws' thread mentality - if you can post 4000, 5000, never mind 7000 messages in a couple of years when do you actually listen to your system? Am I really the only person who has secretly wondered whether the more prolific posters either enjoyed talking about hi-fi more than listening to music or indeed enjoyed the 'big fish small pond' cult 'celebrity more than music...again i would exempt mr lees, mr friske and other music room posters as their love is clearly for the music first and foremost...

i hope the hi-fi forum continues as a resource for actual naim users or those considering purchasing naim...

as for padded cell - it is often diverting but, in the end, this is a naim forum and if you need detailed advice on wireless networks, mobile phones or indeed have profound opinions on uk or us politics there are better, more diverse, and frankly more useful places to go on the internet...

sorry if i offend.

Leopold - member for 4 years with less than 40 posts to his name [and proud of it]

quote:

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Originally posted by Leopold:
[..]but, and this applies primarily to the main hi-fi room and the 'jaws' thread mentality - if you can post 4000, 5000, never mind 7000 messages in a couple of years when do you actually listen to your system?

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Yes but most of them were quite short posts, so I wouldn't worry, 'Mr Jaw' has had plenty of time to listen to his system !

Cheers,

JR

quote:

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Originally posted by Leopold:
I had also noticed the 'slow down' particularly on the music room and padded cell and i would echo what other's have said about the loss [if that is what it is] of Mr Lees - his comments were well informed, well argued and above all about music - he even half persuaded me to give porcupine tree a second chance [well almost] but, and this applies primarily to the main hi-fi room and the 'jaws' thread mentality - if you can post 4000, 5000, never mind 7000 messages in a couple of years when do you actually listen to your system?

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Would it offend Naim "hair-shirt" sensibilities to suggest that some greatly enjoy music while browsing and posting to fora and NGs? Note I said "music" not "wallpaper".

While some use the internet forum system as their only chance to use their native tongue. Or to practice another language. The experience is not only entertaining but excellent discipline in writing as well as possible.

The standard of English here and the IQ of many of the posters is well above average. It's probably because those damn black boxes are so bløødy expensive. It keeps out the "chavs".

Fortunately I find it easy to wear blinkers and pretend I'm talking/writing to one person. Or a few at the most. This is probably the secret to enjoying forum life. If you pause to think how many people are potentially reading one's own stewed codswallop you would remain a lurker forever.

I would urge any lurkers to try dipping your toes in the shallows. It's often warmer than you think. Throw in a comment on a subject that interests you. Even if it seems a bit "me too" to start with. Keep it short and to the point until you find your safe depth. Before you know it you'll be swimming with the sharks.....and completely out of your depth, just like me.

Nime