Why are new people put off by the board?

[Woolly]

Honestly cant see what your problem with Logan is, mate, or his views for that matter.

Way i see it, he's never been against this board's banter. He just feels that its a bit misplaced on the official 2000AD message board.
(Correct me if im wrong Logan!)
Nowt wrong, or offensive about that. And i doubt he ever intended to come of as 'unpleasant' to either Amstor or you.

If you want people to speak their minds on the board, you should try not to be offended when they do!

But, as you say, its a lovely day. Hope you enjoy the bike ride. Im gonna enjoy a coffee in the garden!

-Wul

[Quirkafleeg]

>I happen to think that it could quite easily be a much nicer place, if certain people -- and they tend to be the same ones over and again -- got a sense of perspective, and stopped being so unnecessarily unpleasant.

Well it might help if certain people kept a sense of proportion themselves and didnt get in a tizzy if someone makes a slight critism about some one else.

>It's a beautiful day. I'm going out for a bike ride.

Have a nice time and don't forget to buy a book on the way out...

[W. R. Logan]

>You haven't really offended me in the past; it's more that you offend me in the present. You left because things were not to your taste, and now you're back, trying to shape the board into what you think it should be.

I could answer every point but it seems pointless but I'd like to see what you base your opinion on, and where I've tried to shape the board since my 'return'. There are many things I dont like about the board as as many that I do and I now dip in to the board far less than I did before but I just skip past the bits that annoy me.
I dint ignore the point, which was originally a simple question of multiple threads on the same topic and whilst you may not think theres a fued its your posts that appear on the aggressive side.
As Cordite you've posted 97 times since May '03 which isnt that many considering the last few seemed to be in relation to this topic so you really must be pissed off if you've popped up to post.

[Dark Jimbo]

SIGH... See, it's happened again. Every other thread seems to be needlessly turning into arguments and personal attacks...

[Max Kon]

only the weak are scared of cliquea!
they are easy to beat.
Just pretend you've been around for ages. That's what i did

[Noisybast]

Back in your box, you!

[Art]

I think you'll find the board being spammed up by twats is actually moe of a problem.

[Dog Deever]

Surely any discussion forum is gonna lead tae fall outs? Especially when the person you disagree with is actually not even there- but behind that piece of glass lens on your monitor!
Yes, of course people who've met and/or get on are going to get on better on the board which can seem like mutual backpatting or cliquiness. I don't think it's a deliberate attempt to scare people away. It's just human nature.
When i first joined the biggest problem was nobody paying any attention to my posts. In hindsight, I probably broke with some unwritten protocol by not introducing myself and thus brought it on myself. I didn't realise until I saw other newbs introducing themselves.
Anyway, I have the skin of a hippo's arse, so anyone who doesn't like me can bitch away- I'll be here laughing my nuts off at the fact someone can get so irritated over text on a screen!
I don't read aggression into many messages, it all seems like tongue in cheek humour, and i'm at a loss as to which thread this is all about. The worst I saw was with that Stephen Saville geezer- man, that was hilarious!

[opaque]

I think one problem with the board compared to others (any on Digital Spy or based around Proboards) is that you can't edit your posts and other thigs like that.
So if you've said something terrible by mistake or mis-phrased something you can't take it back.

[opaque]

And preview doesn't count :)

[Dog Deever]

I just found the thread in question. I like Amstors reviews too, and I don't see any problem with multiple threads. There is a button that says 'last 7 Days/ last 30 days etc. I use it a lot. One of the best bits about the board is the continually changing topics, off_topic and all. Board etiquette or not- if we were doing something seriously offensive, i'm sure we'd be informed by Wake or receive a Rigelian Hotshot or something. Not being able to edit is a pain sometimes!

[Trout]

Ooh! Big rants! Let's play nice, everyone!

My opinion is the board is indeed less fun than it used to be. I simply used to enjoy it more.

There was a crackdown some time ago by several boarders against what someone called "wackiness," and things are less fun since then, I believe.

Yes, I was one of the worst offenders for cluttering up the board with rubbish, but since the last time I was involved in a major argument I've felt less inclined to post here, or to post anything personal or designed to be humorous.

I am definitely NOT restarting any old arguments here. All I'm saying is the atmosphere of the board is, for me, different from just a few years ago.

But I'm not going to let that stop me from participating. I'm working hard to stay positive about this place.

It's an old argument we've had several times, but I think off-topic threads are part of what made this board the best one on the net.

I think both sides in the above debate are making good arguments.
But, as I always say, participation in the board makes it what it is. If you don't like what's going on, your options are leaving or trying to change things with your own posts.

I'm sad to say I've not been around much lately. That's partly because being a parent is very hard work, and partly because my chances of internet access changed when I moved jobs. I am making more effort to be involved, though, because I missed a lot of people from here.

I hope that makes sense. I'm saying: yes, it's not as good as it used to be, but I'm sticking with it because I think the fun is up to us.

Cheers

- Trout

[Trout]

Oh, and as for multiple threads: who the fuck cares?

Let's stop over-reacting, okay?

- Trout

[Cordite]

"As Cordite you've posted 97 times since May '03"

I just KNEW you would go back and check my posting history, you unstoppable nerd!  I'm pretty sure you have also tried trawling through the actual posts, looking for ammunition, but they merely verify that I've never engaged in attacks on people, or criticism of others, or even taken part in any of the many scojo witchhunts.  My hands are clean, my conscience clear.
And, as you've noticed, I post very infrequently.  Guess why?

As to why I have suddenly engaged in a flurry of posting: I just hate bullies, fucking hate them.  I certainly concede that you, Logan, were the least offensive of the three bitches in Amstor?s thread; since then I've been replying to you because you, at least, responded, and tried to defend yourself.

As to how you have tried shaping the board, something you deny doing, well you did just list your criteria, simultaneously -- as Watcher pointed out -- violating two of them.  
Somebody else already pointed out how: "For someone who's publicly slagged off the messageboard and very loudly 'left' a while ago, Logan seems to be acting a bit precious about it here (and also over the past few months as a bit of a miserable git about stuff, especially small press."  

I personally believe your terse -- often one-word replies -- to be a tiresome attempt to shut people up (and I have the awful suspicion that you are trying to sound like Joe Dredd).

To repeat -- partly because you ignored it first time round -- if you were to view the original thread, whose posts are more likely to drive away the newcomers you claim to want to bring into the fold?

I'll admit my posts are somewhat antagonistic (but worse than the original offenders?  I don't think so), but instead of being attacks, I see them as a defence against... well, I've already said, bullies.  And as soon as I have listened to what you and the others have to say, and responded if I have been asked a direct question, I will killfile you, and quite possibly become a very infrequent poster again.

To the other guy with the unpronounceable name:
So "Be fair... if he hadn?t posted a new thread then all the board may not have noticed it and missed spotted his awesome critical insights" can be dismissed by yourself, the one who said it, as "a slight critism"?
Sure, in the usual scale of things, *slight*; also pointlessly petty and snide.  And why?  Just felt you had to knock someone?  
One simple question: if somebody had said this to you, how would you have reacted?

The best thing you can do is admit you haven't come out of this well, that it was misjudged, and simply apologise.  If you don't want to do that fine, good luck.  It's a killfile either way.
Neither of you seem to feel you have anything to apologise for, and there's something wrong there.

Look: 60 + replies on the original thread -- none of them supporting the complainers.  It's not me who keeps bumping this up, so what does that tell you?

[W. R. Logan]

>I just KNEW you would go back and check my posting history, you unstoppable nerd! I'm pretty sure you have also tried trawling through the actual posts, looking for ammunition, but they merely verify that I've never engaged in attacks on people, or criticism of others, or even taken part in any of the many scojo witchhunts. My hands are clean, my conscience clear.

Unstoppable nerd, I just clicked on the ?[View messages by Cordite]? link at the bottom of your message to see how many times you?d posted as yours isn?t a name that sprang to mind. Quick and easy, and no I didn?t trawl through those 97 posts looking for ammunition as that would take far too much time. I?ll admit to taking part in Scojo bashing as in my opinion the guys a loon.

>And, as you've noticed, I post very infrequently. Guess why?

I have no idea, lack of time or some other valid reason, I don?t really care, your just a user name on a screen and its not as if were ever going to take long hot showers together.

>As to why I have suddenly engaged in a flurry of posting: I just hate bullies, fucking hate them. I certainly concede that you, Logan, were the least offensive of the three bitches in Amstor?s thread; since then I've been replying to you because you, at least, responded, and tried to defend yourself.

You hate bullies, so show me a bullying post. I?ve met a few boarders over the years and I doubt that I?d be classed as a bully by any of them, unless anyone wants to post differently.

>As to how you have tried shaping the board, something you deny doing, well you did just list your criteria, simultaneously -- as Watcher pointed out -- violating two of them.

Never said they were my criteria but comments that have been made by people I have spoken to at various events.

>Somebody else already pointed out how: "For someone who's publicly slagged off the messageboard and very loudly 'left' a while ago, Logan seems to be acting a bit precious about it here (and also over the past few months as a bit of a miserable git about stuff, especially small press."

Slagged off may be a bit strong my goodbye post was on http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=fan&page=messagethread&choice=12330>Thread 12330 and the letter in Prog 1424 which was discussed on the board was taken mostly in the humourous way it was intended
http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/2000ad/mediumres/1424.jpg>
Although I probably have said stronger things but the one thing I have defended about this board is the variety of opinions that makes it the place it is. Plus Wils comments on what I?ve said about some small press is right, but they are my opinions and if people disagree they are welcome to come back with a reply.

>I personally believe your terse -- often one-word replies -- to be a tiresome attempt to shut people up (and I have the awful suspicion that you are trying to sound like Joe Dredd).

My short answers are generally a way of trying not to spend too much time staring at a computer screen. And once again I?m sure people who have met me will say that I sound nothing like Dredd.

>To repeat -- partly because you ignored it first time round -- if you were to view the original thread, whose posts are more likely to drive away the newcomers you claim to want to bring into the fold?

I?d go for yours.

>I'll admit my posts are somewhat antagonistic (but worse than the original offenders? I don't think so), but instead of being attacks, I see them as a defence against... well, I've already said, bullies. And as soon as I have listened to what you and the others have to say, and responded if I have been asked a direct question, I will killfile you, and quite possibly become a very infrequent poster again.

And as I said in an earlier post I?m sure Amstor can stand up for himself if he feels the need.

>One simple question: if somebody had said this to you, how would you have reacted?

By posting my own response if I felt the need and would be more pissed off at someone else defending me when I can speak on my own behalf.

>The best thing you can do is admit you haven't come out of this well, that it was misjudged, and simply apologise. If you don't want to do that fine, good luck. It's a killfile either way.

Apologise for asking a question which Amstor then answered. Killfile away its cyberspace and how will that effect me?

>Neither of you seem to feel you have anything to apologise for, and there's something wrong there.

Who are the others you speak off as if were some group, if someone else comments in a thread don?t lump them in with me, its their opinion and comments

>Look: 60 + replies on the original thread -- none of them supporting the complainers. It's not me who keeps bumping this up, so what does that tell you?

It tells me people have differing views, and whilst my answering keeps bumping this thread up so does your posts so don?t say its not you who is, because we both are.