Yeah, I wish I wrote shorter posts too. What can I say, Personal Failing No. 1,461 - verbosity.
My thoughts...
* FH - where you go if you're a already a Mac user planning to buy, the place to be pre-events, home of the hard core geek/rumour freak
* CH - check
* iPod & iTunes - not sure about this one. DH was my favorite forum pre-revolution but for reasons I don't entirely understand, it's never been the same since. I miss it.
* Applications - yeah, it's software. Get with the programme.
* Mac OS - check
* Retail discussion - well, if this one's been prompted by some upcoming development, it better be good. AN's recently created "Purchasing Advice" forum makes a lot of sense to me. I can't be the only one to notice that over the last six months or so, there seem to be switchers asking advice everywhere. It'd be nice (and more efficient) to have them all in one place. It would also reduce the incidence of answering the same questions from Mac newbies over and over again. I think it would sit fairly well with RD. At least as well as GD and AO.
* GB - yeah scrap it. Simple questions often sit there unanswered because the people with the answers don't go there. Questions are moved to GB while others are left in other forums even though, if the same criteria were applied, they would be moved. I'd have trouble deciding where to post some questions but I pester staphy instead (staaaaaaphy). What chance would someone new have?
* Feedback - keep it if our opinions matter. But there is little evidence they do, so you might as well scrap it. I remember clearly Kasper saying he welcomed our input (or something to that effect). This seemed to be true for about 2 weeks in May of last year. It hasn't been true since, as current developments demonstrate.
* PO - The way I see it there are 3 choices:
1. Kill it - sorry one doesn't discuss politics or religion in polite company
2. Raise the standard and moderate the hell out of it
3. Let it be a free for all
* Insider Lounge - hate the name. Like others, I don't think GD and AO are a fit and, to me, this is obvious just from looking at the topics page. However, this provides the perfect opportunity for me to get a few other things off my chest that I've been sitting on for quite a while. Which brings me to.....
What's Wrong with AI according to Chester.
One fine morning last May, all hell broke loose and we've never been quite the same since. Yeah, yeah, I know it's never been the same since The Blackout. Take The Big Book of AI Myths and Legends, find theblackhat's last post and post it there. I'm not interested in getting sidetracked by that. The bottom line is, AI has floundered since the revolution. I think the problems include the following:
* The community fractured. Some people post only here, some only there, some here and there, and some not at all. (Defiant et al where did you go?) AN has its own strengths and weaknesses. Not having the open discussion we were promised about The Troubles was a mistake.
* The response has been that AI stuck it's head in the sand and tried to pretend it never happened. That might work out eventually. It certainly fits with AI's established practice which is reactive. The alternative is to be proactive.
* AI lost its sense of community. We laugh a lot less than we used to. A sense of community gives members a vested interest in the site's welfare. In case you missed it, I'll say that again. A SENSE OF COMMUNITY GIVES MEMBERS A VESTED INTEREST IN THE SITE'S WELFARE.
* I think GD and AO are where the community needs to be built. So I see some good in the current change. Having nutters like Nebagakid in AO will be a positive thing but it doesn't change the fact that shoving "Who loves hotdogs?" together with "Best subwoofer placement for 2.1 speakers?" is just plain dumb.
* I think PO should exist but, as things stand, I believe it is a malevolent influence on AI. A while ago, I stumbled upon this entry at Making Light. An interesting and rambling discussion follows. I think it has a lot to teach us and if I was running this joint, by now I'd have enquired of Theresa how much she'd charge to come in and workshop us (aren't you glad I don't?). Bones3D from TS's old board mentioned the idea of self-moderation in a thread at AN one day. That really hit home with me but it relies on a sense of community. As I envision self-moderation, pfflam would pull up giant for behaving inappropriately towards dmz. It's intelligence and passion tempered by decency and respect. Yes, I know, I'm an idealist.
* But you know, we're better than we give ourselves credit for. If you disagree, you haven't been poking around the internet enough lately. Fuck we're smart.
* When the recent changes began to unfold, my first thought was, "Oh crap, I don't know what the back story to this is but if Amorph and Powerdoc throw in the towel, I'm outta here." Where is Amorph? He took a back seat not long after the revolution. If he's busy in the real world, fair enough (yes, I know he was around for Macworld). But these are the ones who keep their heads while all around them are losing theirs and we need them more than I think many of you realize. Which is not to criticize the rest of the mods and admins. I dig the "someone poke them with a stick and see if they're alive" mods. I'm prepared to make allowances for groverat. They give the place character. I like my AI a bit eccentric and idiosyncractic. But, you know, steady hand on the tiller and all that.
* Kasper, it's high time you developed a greater sense of appreciation for the people who keep this site alive. 'Cause you know Kaspy, while the regulars might not be among the dildos who click on the ads, the regulars who stop this place becoming a ghost town, keep the dildos coming in.
* That is all.
* I know I'm wasting my breath because there's obviously more to this than we're being told but it's satisfying to let it all hang out.
I think GD and AO are where the community needs to be built. So I see some good in the current change. Having nutters like Nebagakid in AO will be a positive thing but it doesn't change the fact that shoving "Who loves hotdogs?" together with "Best subwoofer placement for 2.1 speakers?" is just plain dumb.
I disagree. What's the difference?
You can end up creating 8,000 categories and you can have a "speaker placement" forum and a "food" forum so the stupid hot dog threads don't interfere with the dog threads, so you make a "pet" forum. And then a "car" forum because who want real car guy wants to read about pets? And then a "sports" forum and a "walking" forum for the walkers among us. And a "music" forum. Then "movies" because I don't want to read about music in my movies forum.
If you get more of the normal members together to be calm and have light-hearted discussion the angry fruitbats will no longer want to be around, and that's a good thing. What kills a "sense of community" is a bunch of assholes being allowed to run wild and turning everyone off.
And guess what, if IL gets very active and too fast it can easily split up again; that's natural growth, not forced growth. There's really no reason for GD and AO to be split right now because they are both far too slow and marginalized.
I agree 100% that PO is a tumor, and AO was something that allowed that tumor to grow. So now PO is even smaller, even more marginalized and there will be changes forthcoming that will make it even more heavily moderated. Eventually (idealistic) it will be a place where if you step out of line you're banished either for a long time or for good.
It's a poison. Perhaps a necessary poison at this point but it's still a poison.
You say AI hasn't realized that the split happened, I disagree, I say that's a large part of why you're seeing what you're seeing here.
We are making our best to improve these forums. And one way to make it is to make some changes.
Some changes will be good, others will be bad. The forum structure is not written in stone, and is suject to change if we see that things are going in the wrong direction. But if you don't move forward, you move backward. The changes are not totally ended, and perhaps you will see a new subforum, that will encourage the communauty spirit (we can only dream)
AO and GD use to be mahamot forums. I don't know why, but the frequentation have decreased. That's why we reunificate them.
PO has been a source of interest for some of our members (something that worth consideration), but a source of poison for moderators*. All I can say, is that AO is better since PO exist. So PO has a subforum will be maintened, but it will be improved soon.
Please remind, that we are just in the middle of the river, and that the transition is not over. I truly understand that every change need a time of adaptation, but I am very confident in your capacities old AI fellows.
*The number of mod who have give up because of AO and all, is incredible.
one is about computer equipment and one is about food. as this is a computer-related forum, i'd think the computer stuff should be emphasized more so than the odd-lounge bit. better yet, if you are looking for information on computer speakers, do you want to wade through food threads?
on the whole, i'm not really so sure how much i care about the refucking of the forum categories. it's always interesting when they change. we'll see how everything falls. maybe it'll work out.
what i do find really dumb on the part of the higher-ups, is to change things around, in a pretty considerable way, without consulting the community. clearly a lot of people here would be affected by the change, and many did not like it. i'm sure that the people who frequent this forum so much would like to know about, and possibly throw in their input on any major structural changes. if not to cater to its members, then what is the point of this forum?
one is about computer equipment and one is about food. as this is a computer-related forum, i'd think the computer stuff should be emphasized more so than the odd-lounge bit. better yet, if you are looking for information on computer speakers, do you want to wade through food threads?
clearly a lot of people here would be affected by the change, and many did not like it.
Not really. A couple of people being angry about something that doesn't matter does not mean that "a lot of people" are "affected" by it. No one is affected by it. It was 14 active threads. And they're all still here.
When people say "the community wasn't consulted" that generally means "I wasn't consulted". There is no single community voice and such a large group rarely ever agrees on anything.
The members of the forum determine where the forum goes, that's just a fact of life. If traffic in here picks up and it gets too fast to follow it will split.
You can end up creating 8,000 categories and you can have a "speaker placement" forum and a "food" forum so the stupid hot dog threads don't interfere with the dog threads, so you make a "pet" forum. And then a "car" forum because who want real car guy wants to read about pets? And then a "sports" forum and a "walking" forum for the walkers among us. And a "music" forum. Then "movies" because I don't want to read about music in my movies forum.
Don't misunderstand me. I agree with that. Less is more.
Quote:
If you get more of the normal members together to be calm and have light-hearted discussion the angry fruitbats will no longer want to be around, and that's a good thing. What kills a "sense of community" is a bunch of assholes being allowed to run wild and turning everyone off.
Yes. Mostly.
Quote:
And guess what, if IL gets very active and too fast it can easily split up again; that's natural growth, not forced growth.
Good. I can cope with that. My initial reaction was similar to tonton's. Then I saw the "Who likes hotdogs?" thread and thought "Awww, god love him. That's what we need so it can't be all bad." The AO/PO dynamic has been very interesting over recent months. AO languishes for weeks on end. Then, as if the (PO) pressure has become too great, a valve bursts and there's a brief flurry of (normal) activity in AO. I've tried to instigate this myself but I'm crap at picking the right topics. Spliney has been the resident expert in this regard. But watch out Spliney, the smokey one has arrived to give you a run for your money!
Quote:
I agree 100% that PO is a tumor, and AO was something that allowed that tumor to grow.
I'm the opposite. I think PO has killed AO (although it depends what point in time you're referring to.) My theory vis AO is that people come in and either:
1. See PO and go "shit, I'm staying out of there" (my own reaction for a long time pre-revolution)
2. They just see AO and think "how boring"
Quote:
So now PO is even smaller, even more marginalized and there will be changes forthcoming that will make it even more heavily moderated. Eventually (idealistic) it will be a place where if you step out of line you're banished either for a long time or for good.
Ooooh la la. We should be big enough to handle a (healthy) PO. Otherwise I'll be disappointed. But it doesn't bother me too much what happens as I'm not keen on it generally (with the odd notable exception, of course). But please don't ban Hassan permanently. He makes me laugh. And you just don't get him because you're American.
Quote:
You say AI hasn't realized that the split happened, I disagree, I say that's a large part of why you're seeing what you're seeing here.
Not quite. I think someone decided to ignore it as much as possible. I supported this policy for a while. But there was point, I guess a month or so after the event, where I thought we'd all be better off if we just dealt with it up front (as disruptive as that might be in the short term). As it is, some 10 months later, we still have "What happened to Brad?" threads popping up. The way I see it, anybody who was still here, had either decide to stay for one reason or another, or was going to find out the truth sooner or later, and then either stay or go.
If the latest changes are acknowledgment of the split, well that's fine and dandy but the fact that this thread's sub-plot is "WTF?", "Huh?", "RD? Are you nuts?", suggests that AI's community consultation leaves something to be desired. Read Theresa Neilsen-Hayden. Whether or not you agree with her, pissing off a member like tonton that much is strategically a bad move.
The changes are not totally ended, and perhaps you will see a new subforum, that will encourage the communauty spirit (we can only dream)
Oooooh. The Love Forum. I can hardly wait.
Quote:
AO and GD use to be mahamot forums.
10% Incomprehensibility Factor alive and well!
Quote:
All I can say, is that AO is better since PO exist. So PO has a subforum will be maintened, but it will be improved soon.
Agreed and good.
Quote:
Please remind, that we are just in the middle of the river, and that the transition is not over. I truly understand that every change need a time of adaptation, but I am very confident in your capacities old AI fellows.
Chester glances sideways at the thuh feak. Got any pot? Never mind. I have. Let's go get stoned. In the words of the late, great HST, "when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Quote:
Originally posted by groverat
tonton will be fine.
Yeah, I know he will.
Quote:
I don't think the Internet is capable of handling a rolleyes smiley big enough for that comment.
Not really. A couple of people being angry about something that doesn't matter does not mean that "a lot of people" are "affected" by it. No one is affected by it. It was 14 active threads. And they're all still here.
well, to be honest with you. as of late, the only forum at AI that I liked going to was AO. i thought of it as the "stupid shit" area, like a clinic-lite or something.
Quote:
When people say "the community wasn't consulted" that generally means "I wasn't consulted". There is no single community voice and such a large group rarely ever agrees on anything.
The members of the forum determine where the forum goes, that's just a fact of life. If traffic in here picks up and it gets too fast to follow it will split.
ok, producing a situation inwhich the community must act is one way to go about things. it seems to me the more prudent avenue would have been posting a public thread first, and seeing what the general population wanted. i suppose this way will work out. for my part, i don't care too much about what threads go on what page.
well, to be honest with you. as of late, the only forum at AI that I liked going to was AO. i thought of it as the "stupid shit" area, like a clinic-lite or something.
I agree with that. As someone who reads AI everyday but posts seldom, my AI reading habits have changed in the last year. I started with clicking through the latest Mac rumor dirt, but I really got hooked by brwosing trhough AO and especially PO. I was amazed by the maturity of the discussion (compared with other forums), and I must say, there's some truth in Douglas Adams' statement "The Mac users may only be 5 % of all pc users, but thei're the top 5 %".
Therefore I hope that the culture of mostly/sometimes fact based discussion will still be possible. If AO vanishes, a lot will be lost: Where else in the world do you find Mac geeks talking about something that has nothing to do with Macs?
But keep PO generally the way it is. Otherwise you'd have to either ban political topics (a very unpopular decision), or merge the forum with the lounge (and withstand the "crowding out" effect they'd have on the new GD-AO funhouse.) The setup we have now is actually ideal. I suppose it's just a matter of moderation. And Groverat's done an excellent, if overzealous job of keeping people in line (equal opportunity bans to Hassan and Scott after all).
I notice that AI also has a logo design competion going on. Perhaps any logo should feature an ostrich with its head in the sand... or maybe up somewhere else.
I notice that AI also has a logo design competion going on. Perhaps any logo should feature an ostrich with its head in the sand... or maybe up somewhere else.
bingo. sub ass for sand though
Quote:
The new folded categories suck. [/B]
i kind of agree.
personally, i think there is way to much moderation going on.
Comments
My thoughts...
* FH - where you go if you're a already a Mac user planning to buy, the place to be pre-events, home of the hard core geek/rumour freak
* CH - check
* iPod & iTunes - not sure about this one. DH was my favorite forum pre-revolution but for reasons I don't entirely understand, it's never been the same since. I miss it.
* Applications - yeah, it's software. Get with the programme.
* Mac OS - check
* Retail discussion - well, if this one's been prompted by some upcoming development, it better be good. AN's recently created "Purchasing Advice" forum makes a lot of sense to me. I can't be the only one to notice that over the last six months or so, there seem to be switchers asking advice everywhere. It'd be nice (and more efficient) to have them all in one place. It would also reduce the incidence of answering the same questions from Mac newbies over and over again. I think it would sit fairly well with RD. At least as well as GD and AO.
* GB - yeah scrap it. Simple questions often sit there unanswered because the people with the answers don't go there. Questions are moved to GB while others are left in other forums even though, if the same criteria were applied, they would be moved. I'd have trouble deciding where to post some questions but I pester staphy instead (staaaaaaphy). What chance would someone new have?
* Feedback - keep it if our opinions matter. But there is little evidence they do, so you might as well scrap it. I remember clearly Kasper saying he welcomed our input (or something to that effect). This seemed to be true for about 2 weeks in May of last year. It hasn't been true since, as current developments demonstrate.
* PO - The way I see it there are 3 choices:
1. Kill it - sorry one doesn't discuss politics or religion in polite company
2. Raise the standard and moderate the hell out of it
3. Let it be a free for all
* Insider Lounge - hate the name. Like others, I don't think GD and AO are a fit and, to me, this is obvious just from looking at the topics page. However, this provides the perfect opportunity for me to get a few other things off my chest that I've been sitting on for quite a while. Which brings me to.....
What's Wrong with AI according to Chester.
One fine morning last May, all hell broke loose and we've never been quite the same since. Yeah, yeah, I know it's never been the same since The Blackout. Take The Big Book of AI Myths and Legends, find theblackhat's last post and post it there. I'm not interested in getting sidetracked by that. The bottom line is, AI has floundered since the revolution. I think the problems include the following:
* The community fractured. Some people post only here, some only there, some here and there, and some not at all. (Defiant et al where did you go?) AN has its own strengths and weaknesses. Not having the open discussion we were promised about The Troubles was a mistake.
* The response has been that AI stuck it's head in the sand and tried to pretend it never happened. That might work out eventually. It certainly fits with AI's established practice which is reactive. The alternative is to be proactive.
* AI lost its sense of community. We laugh a lot less than we used to. A sense of community gives members a vested interest in the site's welfare. In case you missed it, I'll say that again. A SENSE OF COMMUNITY GIVES MEMBERS A VESTED INTEREST IN THE SITE'S WELFARE.
* I think GD and AO are where the community needs to be built. So I see some good in the current change. Having nutters like Nebagakid
* I think PO should exist but, as things stand, I believe it is a malevolent influence on AI. A while ago, I stumbled upon this entry at Making Light. An interesting and rambling discussion follows. I think it has a lot to teach us and if I was running this joint, by now I'd have enquired of Theresa how much she'd charge to come in and workshop us (aren't you glad I don't?). Bones3D from TS's old board mentioned the idea of self-moderation in a thread at AN one day. That really hit home with me but it relies on a sense of community. As I envision self-moderation, pfflam would pull up giant for behaving inappropriately towards dmz. It's intelligence and passion tempered by decency and respect. Yes, I know, I'm an idealist.
* But you know, we're better than we give ourselves credit for. If you disagree, you haven't been poking around the internet enough lately. Fuck we're smart.
* When the recent changes began to unfold, my first thought was, "Oh crap, I don't know what the back story to this is but if Amorph and Powerdoc throw in the towel, I'm outta here." Where is Amorph? He took a back seat not long after the revolution. If he's busy in the real world, fair enough (yes, I know he was around for Macworld). But these are the ones who keep their heads while all around them are losing theirs and we need them more than I think many of you realize. Which is not to criticize the rest of the mods and admins. I dig the "someone poke them with a stick and see if they're alive" mods. I'm prepared to make allowances for groverat. They give the place character. I like my AI a bit eccentric and idiosyncractic. But, you know, steady hand on the tiller and all that.
* Kasper, it's high time you developed a greater sense of appreciation for the people who keep this site alive. 'Cause you know Kaspy, while the regulars might not be among the dildos who click on the ads, the regulars who stop this place becoming a ghost town, keep the dildos coming in.
* That is all.
* I know I'm wasting my breath because there's obviously more to this than we're being told but it's satisfying to let it all hang out.
I think GD and AO are where the community needs to be built. So I see some good in the current change. Having nutters like Nebagakid in AO will be a positive thing but it doesn't change the fact that shoving "Who loves hotdogs?" together with "Best subwoofer placement for 2.1 speakers?" is just plain dumb.
I disagree. What's the difference?
You can end up creating 8,000 categories and you can have a "speaker placement" forum and a "food" forum so the stupid hot dog threads don't interfere with the dog threads, so you make a "pet" forum. And then a "car" forum because who want real car guy wants to read about pets? And then a "sports" forum and a "walking" forum for the walkers among us. And a "music" forum. Then "movies" because I don't want to read about music in my movies forum.
If you get more of the normal members together to be calm and have light-hearted discussion the angry fruitbats will no longer want to be around, and that's a good thing. What kills a "sense of community" is a bunch of assholes being allowed to run wild and turning everyone off.
And guess what, if IL gets very active and too fast it can easily split up again; that's natural growth, not forced growth. There's really no reason for GD and AO to be split right now because they are both far too slow and marginalized.
I agree 100% that PO is a tumor, and AO was something that allowed that tumor to grow. So now PO is even smaller, even more marginalized and there will be changes forthcoming that will make it even more heavily moderated. Eventually (idealistic) it will be a place where if you step out of line you're banished either for a long time or for good.
It's a poison. Perhaps a necessary poison at this point but it's still a poison.
You say AI hasn't realized that the split happened, I disagree, I say that's a large part of why you're seeing what you're seeing here.
Some changes will be good, others will be bad. The forum structure is not written in stone, and is suject to change if we see that things are going in the wrong direction. But if you don't move forward, you move backward. The changes are not totally ended, and perhaps you will see a new subforum, that will encourage the communauty spirit (we can only dream)
AO and GD use to be mahamot forums. I don't know why, but the frequentation have decreased. That's why we reunificate them.
PO has been a source of interest for some of our members (something that worth consideration), but a source of poison for moderators*. All I can say, is that AO is better since PO exist. So PO has a subforum will be maintened, but it will be improved soon.
Please remind, that we are just in the middle of the river, and that the transition is not over. I truly understand that every change need a time of adaptation, but I am very confident in your capacities old AI fellows.
*The number of mod who have give up because of AO and all, is incredible.
Originally posted by groverat
I disagree. What's the difference?
one is about computer equipment and one is about food. as this is a computer-related forum, i'd think the computer stuff should be emphasized more so than the odd-lounge bit. better yet, if you are looking for information on computer speakers, do you want to wade through food threads?
on the whole, i'm not really so sure how much i care about the refucking of the forum categories. it's always interesting when they change. we'll see how everything falls. maybe it'll work out.
what i do find really dumb on the part of the higher-ups, is to change things around, in a pretty considerable way, without consulting the community. clearly a lot of people here would be affected by the change, and many did not like it. i'm sure that the people who frequent this forum so much would like to know about, and possibly throw in their input on any major structural changes. if not to cater to its members, then what is the point of this forum?
Originally posted by thuh Freak
one is about computer equipment and one is about food. as this is a computer-related forum, i'd think the computer stuff should be emphasized more so than the odd-lounge bit. better yet, if you are looking for information on computer speakers, do you want to wade through food threads?
click
clearly a lot of people here would be affected by the change, and many did not like it.
Not really. A couple of people being angry about something that doesn't matter does not mean that "a lot of people" are "affected" by it. No one is affected by it. It was 14 active threads. And they're all still here.
When people say "the community wasn't consulted" that generally means "I wasn't consulted". There is no single community voice and such a large group rarely ever agrees on anything.
The members of the forum determine where the forum goes, that's just a fact of life. If traffic in here picks up and it gets too fast to follow it will split.
Originally posted by groverat
I disagree. What's the difference?
You can end up creating 8,000 categories and you can have a "speaker placement" forum and a "food" forum so the stupid hot dog threads don't interfere with the dog threads, so you make a "pet" forum. And then a "car" forum because who want real car guy wants to read about pets? And then a "sports" forum and a "walking" forum for the walkers among us. And a "music" forum. Then "movies" because I don't want to read about music in my movies forum.
Don't misunderstand me. I agree with that. Less is more.
If you get more of the normal members together to be calm and have light-hearted discussion the angry fruitbats will no longer want to be around, and that's a good thing. What kills a "sense of community" is a bunch of assholes being allowed to run wild and turning everyone off.
Yes. Mostly.
And guess what, if IL gets very active and too fast it can easily split up again; that's natural growth, not forced growth.
Good. I can cope with that. My initial reaction was similar to tonton's. Then I saw the "Who likes hotdogs?" thread and thought "Awww, god love him. That's what we need so it can't be all bad." The AO/PO dynamic has been very interesting over recent months. AO languishes for weeks on end. Then, as if the (PO) pressure has become too great, a valve bursts and there's a brief flurry of (normal) activity in AO. I've tried to instigate this myself but I'm crap at picking the right topics. Spliney has been the resident expert in this regard. But watch out Spliney, the smokey one has arrived to give you a run for your money!
I agree 100% that PO is a tumor, and AO was something that allowed that tumor to grow.
I'm the opposite. I think PO has killed AO (although it depends what point in time you're referring to.) My theory vis AO is that people come in and either:
1. See PO and go "shit, I'm staying out of there" (my own reaction for a long time pre-revolution)
2. They just see AO and think "how boring"
So now PO is even smaller, even more marginalized and there will be changes forthcoming that will make it even more heavily moderated. Eventually (idealistic) it will be a place where if you step out of line you're banished either for a long time or for good.
Ooooh la la. We should be big enough to handle a (healthy) PO. Otherwise I'll be disappointed. But it doesn't bother me too much what happens as I'm not keen on it generally (with the odd notable exception, of course). But please don't ban Hassan permanently. He makes me laugh. And you just don't get him because you're American.
You say AI hasn't realized that the split happened, I disagree, I say that's a large part of why you're seeing what you're seeing here.
Not quite. I think someone decided to ignore it as much as possible. I supported this policy for a while. But there was point, I guess a month or so after the event, where I thought we'd all be better off if we just dealt with it up front (as disruptive as that might be in the short term). As it is, some 10 months later, we still have "What happened to Brad?" threads popping up. The way I see it, anybody who was still here, had either decide to stay for one reason or another, or was going to find out the truth sooner or later, and then either stay or go.
If the latest changes are acknowledgment of the split, well that's fine and dandy but the fact that this thread's sub-plot is "WTF?", "Huh?", "RD? Are you nuts?", suggests that AI's community consultation leaves something to be desired. Read Theresa Neilsen-Hayden. Whether or not you agree with her, pissing off a member like tonton that much is strategically a bad move.
Edit: Excusé moi, Theresa.
And you just don't get him because you're American.
I don't think the Internet is capable of handling a rolleyes smiley big enough for that comment.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
The changes are not totally ended, and perhaps you will see a new subforum, that will encourage the communauty spirit (we can only dream)
Oooooh. The Love Forum. I can hardly wait.
AO and GD use to be mahamot forums.
10% Incomprehensibility Factor alive and well!
All I can say, is that AO is better since PO exist. So PO has a subforum will be maintened, but it will be improved soon.
Agreed and good.
Please remind, that we are just in the middle of the river, and that the transition is not over. I truly understand that every change need a time of adaptation, but I am very confident in your capacities old AI fellows.
Chester glances sideways at the thuh feak. Got any pot? Never mind. I have. Let's go get stoned. In the words of the late, great HST, "when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Originally posted by groverat
tonton will be fine.
Yeah, I know he will.
I don't think the Internet is capable of handling a rolleyes smiley big enough for that comment.
Originally posted by groverat
Not really. A couple of people being angry about something that doesn't matter does not mean that "a lot of people" are "affected" by it. No one is affected by it. It was 14 active threads. And they're all still here.
well, to be honest with you. as of late, the only forum at AI that I liked going to was AO. i thought of it as the "stupid shit" area, like a clinic-lite or something.
When people say "the community wasn't consulted" that generally means "I wasn't consulted". There is no single community voice and such a large group rarely ever agrees on anything.
The members of the forum determine where the forum goes, that's just a fact of life. If traffic in here picks up and it gets too fast to follow it will split.
ok, producing a situation inwhich the community must act is one way to go about things. it seems to me the more prudent avenue would have been posting a public thread first, and seeing what the general population wanted. i suppose this way will work out. for my part, i don't care too much about what threads go on what page.
i'm gonna shut up now. this shit don't matter.
crazy: i've been a professional all day already.
Originally posted by tonton
Does that mean we can have dirty desktop pictures again?
Do you want to share your collection ?
Also, I appreciate the "nutter" comment, and oddly, I have never smoked a day in my life!
Originally posted by Nebagakid
all the threads have keywords, and people can use Spotlight technology to search and find topics
Originally seen on a fat person's T-shirt:
Internet: I Can't Believe It's Not Better.
--B
Originally posted by thuh Freak
well, to be honest with you. as of late, the only forum at AI that I liked going to was AO. i thought of it as the "stupid shit" area, like a clinic-lite or something.
I agree with that. As someone who reads AI everyday but posts seldom, my AI reading habits have changed in the last year. I started with clicking through the latest Mac rumor dirt, but I really got hooked by brwosing trhough AO and especially PO. I was amazed by the maturity of the discussion (compared with other forums), and I must say, there's some truth in Douglas Adams' statement "The Mac users may only be 5 % of all pc users, but thei're the top 5 %".
Therefore I hope that the culture of mostly/sometimes fact based discussion will still be possible. If AO vanishes, a lot will be lost: Where else in the world do you find Mac geeks talking about something that has nothing to do with Macs?
But keep PO generally the way it is. Otherwise you'd have to either ban political topics (a very unpopular decision), or merge the forum with the lounge (and withstand the "crowding out" effect they'd have on the new GD-AO funhouse.) The setup we have now is actually ideal. I suppose it's just a matter of moderation. And Groverat's done an excellent, if overzealous job of keeping people in line (equal opportunity bans to Hassan and Scott after all).
Originally posted by thuh freak
it seems to me the more prudent avenue would have been posting a public thread first, and seeing what the general population wanted.
Well, yeah, that would have been the most prudent avenue.......
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Do you want to share your collection ?
Crack (ahem) 'em open tonton. The Frenchman can hardly contain himself.
Do you want to buy a pornographic record?
No, mate, I don't own a pornograph.
Originally posted by durin oakenskin
I was amazed by the maturity of the discussion (compared with other forums)
The new folded categories suck.
Originally posted by OldCodger73
I notice that AI also has a logo design competion going on. Perhaps any logo should feature an ostrich with its head in the sand... or maybe up somewhere else.
bingo. sub ass for sand though
The new folded categories suck. [/B]
i kind of agree.
personally, i think there is way to much moderation going on.
Can you imagine ten Groverat acting in concert ?