Members AWOL!

Its always a pleasure looking at your contributions Kevin

Luv ya Paul

xxx

I met him in the flesh and he was a very pleasant, mild mannered person.

The "flame-throwing" of 10 years ago was generally done with a touch of tongue-in-cheek and good humour.

Cheers

Don

Such is the nature of the "personalities" people project on internet forums. I occasionally nurture the notion that in the flesh, Parry is a mild-mannered, cuddly sort of chap. Who knows.

Your notion is spot on Kevin, spooky !

Cheers

Don

Ah, that was the OLD forum, before Hoopless and ruthless moderators.....

Cheers

Don

Something strange has definitely happened. I was checking for Stu's last post and there's nothing there from him at all. Has there been another falling out?

Kevin

There was a picture of Mick on one of the forums years ago and truth be told, mild mannered and cuddly was just how he looked. Many of his posts over the years have also been softer and more thought provoking than I've noticed of late. Nowadays the retired dark side of Mick enjoys getting a rise out of people. Nevertheless, I still can enjoy his occasional bomb throwing posts.

If you want a reason for the turnover in contributors take a look at this thread, then cut out all the repeated, quoted comments.The amount of original new comment is a very small percentage of the thread.

The old team did not need to be reminded of what had been posted a few inches higher on the screen.

Fair point Derek,

However, I do it to  point to who ever I am replying to. 

As I have pointed out I welcome new members, new experiences new ideas etc. I just wondered what had happened to members who no longer post who have been on the forum for a long time. I know that I post a lot less on an audio/video forum because my interest in all things 5.1 has reduced considerably.

point it to who you are replying to - personal discussion is not the objective of a forum, use email if that is what you need to do.

or use the name  eg

Dustysox  - I disagree with you etc etc -

no need to repeat the whole of the post or the previous string of posts

Derek,

   i understand your position, however i must also support Dustysox, as often members may take some time between visits to the site and it is not always clear when reading a thread "sequentially" who the comment is referring to.

as if it really matters to the absolute person - the discussions are about  topics that are greater than each person, each response should be directed to  the discussion not the individual

I agree.....(sorry, couldn't resist). G

Sorry, but why?

[This is a serious question by the way]

surely there are valid arguments to state that its both. The topic will be enriched by a wide section of inputs, but individual views should also be considered / challenged / agreed with

Whenever I read a post, I do take into account who the poster is.  Over time, I think we learn that most members have their own set of biases, and it is in that context that their posts should be read.

However, if one is in disagreement, I think it is more polite to challenge the post rather than the poster. There is no good reason, IMO, for making a debate personal.

On the topic Dusty raises in this thread, I too miss many of the members who no longer post (or post only infrequently), but I do find the influx of new members interesting!  Like some others, I have not been posting a lot lately. Not entirely sure why, but on several recent occasions I've composed longish posts only to hit Cancel instead of Submit.  Might have something to do with reaching a nice plateau with my setup, and losing a bit of interest in either promoting or defending the choices I've made.  But I think has even more to do with seeing other, more knowledgeable members, offering up the same opinions I would...only more succinctly!  ;-)

ATB.

Hook

PS - Thank you Dusty for your kind words in another thread -- they were much appreciated!

Hook,

   i certainly concur with you, it should never be personal.

I have noticed a few recent threads that have become personalised and it detracts from the forum (and i am sure the comments were not intended to offend)

Hi Paul

I can see what you and Derek and Hook are saying but it is in fact actually quite difficult NOT to be personal on an internet forum. We are at all times all personally and individually responsible for what we say, whether it's at home, at work, on the street, in print or on the internet

When a member of this forum, for example, spreads calumnies about a whole group of people or a profession, without a scrap of evidence for their assertions, then they need to be held personally accountable. I would expect nothing less myself if I did that sort of thing. If some people think that's "being personal" then so be it. I think too many people attempt to cover their tracks by crying wolf and complaining about "not being personal" or "addressing the thread not the person".

Anything that's gratuitously offensive or really personally insulting usually gets pulled anyway so I don't see what the problem is.

I guess the point I'm trying to make in a slightly prolix fashion is, we must all take responsibility for what we do or say.

Also, if there were no personal spats or if no-one indulged in the odd bit of insult hurling, wouldn't get terribly dull round here?

Agreed kevin

Well, having just just called Frank Abela a "barnacle bottomed rapscallion" in another thread, it may seem slightly hypocritical for me to argue this point, but yes...

...I do think we can have spirited debates without it becoming personal.  It is more satisfying, I feel, to point out the logical flaws in someone else's opinion, than it is to simply call them a worm-riddled bilge swiller for having the thoughts in the first place. The biggest win is actually bringing someone else around to your own way of thinking. That's how you win friends and influence others.  But that can never happen when it becomes personal.

Just keep your barnacles to yourself !

Rapscallion-y Frank's barnacled bottom...

That is something I'm not sure I want to know about...

Have you ever seen it?