Main Menu

How to make a healthy vibrant forum?

Started by Colin YNWA, 22 August, 2019, 07:41:27 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Funt Solo

Quote from: BPP on 01 January, 2021, 05:04:36 PM
I've been here about 15 years and barely found anyone engage with anything I say - honourable exemption to TordleBack who at least occasionally politely spars over our respective preferences for Dredd writers.

*engaging with what BPP has to say*


Actually, I noticed something about modern 'Net compared to olde 'Net, which is that people now tend to broadcast, rather than debate. I suppose treating most utterings as a broadcast rather than an invitation to a discussion might avoid otherwise circular arguments.

Is this due to the blog / vlog era? Or a result of the Facebook style of presenting what looks like headline click-bait as each post, on a popularity wall? Or am I imagining it?

++ A-Z ++  coma ++

broodblik

One of the problems is how too debate with someone because I might have the best intensions but somehow I have offended someone that is not even part of the debate. We then try to give a neutral answer which does not help a healthy debate
When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: BPP on 01 January, 2021, 05:04:36 PM
I've been here about 15 years and barely found anyone engage with anything I say - honourable exemption to TordleBack who at least occasionally politely spars over our respective preferences for Dredd writers.

I'm still waiting for you to ressurect your excellent Futurshockd blog...
@jamesfeistdraws

sheridan

Quote from: TordelBack on 01 January, 2021, 04:02:47 PM
Gains are likely thanks to huge efforts from your good self, Colin, aided and abetted by high-quality discussion-provoking musings from Funt Solo, and never forgetting the off-site efforts of resource- and content-generation by folk like AlexF, Sheridan, Eamonn Clarke, Bolt-1, MaryandDavid, Cosh and Amstor that keep us all engaged with the issues that *really* matter (a non-exclusive list, 'natch).


Aw shucks - that's an illustrious list to be part of, thanks!

IndigoPrime

Quote from: Funt Solo on 01 January, 2021, 06:41:16 PMActually, I noticed something about modern 'Net compared to olde 'Net, which is that people now tend to broadcast, rather than debate.
There's definitely been a shift, although I suspect this is also in part due to the change in comms methods. In the old days, we'd use IRC to communicate, and that method tended to inform how we'd behave on early forms. These days, broadcast is often the default, although you do still get conversation-oriented outlets like Reddit.

As for this place, I see a mix. People do chat and respond, but in some cases just want to get their point across. Regardless, it all seems broadly civil, which is good; and apologies, BPP, if I've overlooked you over the years.

Tjm86

I suppose in some respects the asynchronous nature of forums can make debate difficult.  It feels a little at times like there is greater engagement when quite a few folks are lurking around and dipping in and out of various threads. 

When there are lulls between responses it can be a little tricky to keep track of things.  Especially if someone has taken the thread off in a different direction for a bit.

It does feel a little like places like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all about 'oh, look at me, how wonderful I am' with a healthy dollop of abuse and vitriol if someone has the gall to mess up.

But yep, there is a sort of 'broadcast' / 'discuss' variation in some places.  It's also interesting how some threads can lay fallow for ages then suddenly reappear.  ... and of course there's always the good old flippant / sarcastic comment to keep folks guessing!   ;)

DrJomster

This is my go-to place for 2000AD discussion, beyond a doubt. Even if I really should post more, it's still good stuff to read... plus there're some good small press threads every so often too.

Sometimes, forums are closed and unofficial ones pop up in their place (https://notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/ for Big Finish or https://discussion.tekeli.li/ for Shut Up and Sit Down for example). In other cases the official forum is still there but has shrunk so much or has some hostile characters that it's just not a nice place anymore (REDACTED for example). Thankfully these things haven't happened here and we still have a lovely little place to call home. Plus everyone basically loves the Prog and the Meg, which is quite important in my books.

The hippo has wisdom, respect the hippo.

Pete Wells

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 01 January, 2021, 04:41:16 PM
Bah. I liked it better when you could call someone an utter [spoiler]Pete[/spoiler] [spoiler]Wells[/spoiler] and get away with it...

Disgusting! No one deserves that!!!

TordelBack

Quote from: Pete Wells on 03 January, 2021, 02:12:55 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 01 January, 2021, 04:41:16 PM
Bah. I liked it better when you could call someone an utter [spoiler]Pete[/spoiler] [spoiler]Wells[/spoiler] and get away with it...

Disgusting! No one deserves that!!!

I can think of at least one.

JayzusB.Christ

Quote from: TordelBack on 03 January, 2021, 08:09:14 AM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 03 January, 2021, 02:12:55 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 01 January, 2021, 04:41:16 PM
Bah. I liked it better when you could call someone an utter [spoiler]Pete[/spoiler] [spoiler]Wells[/spoiler] and get away with it...

Disgusting! No one deserves that!!!

I can think of at least one.

Don't beat about the butch. Say it to my face.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

paddykafka

So just a query - I couldn't think of what other thread to post this in, so apols if it's the wrong one.

I can''t see any of the emoji's on my screen.

Any suggestions as to what I should do? Thanks! (As I've probably pointed out before, I'm technologically and computer challenged, so if you could explain like you're talking to a five-year old, that would be great. Cheers.)

Colin YNWA

Its a browser issue as I recall. Something to do with the Security Certificates for Chrome. Its the same with the Avatars as well.

Amazingly if you want to see them you get a better result from Edge than Chrome... I know, I know I'm glad I'm sitting down as I typ e that!

Hope on there was a thread about this I'll see if i can dig it out...

Colin YNWA

There's some discussion from here. Scroll up (or down depending on how you have your posts displayed) and you'll get the full story - not certificates but http vs. https

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=46349.msg1041897#msg1041897


paddykafka

Thanks for that, Colin.

Couldn't make much out of what was being said - for previously cited reasons - but appreciate you posting anyways. I'm guessing then that it's some browser related issue outside my control.

Which now begs the question: What if someone posts up a reply to me and I wrongly assume - without the benefit of being able to see the attached suitably sarcastic emoji - that they completely agree with everything I say, and think that I am a wonderful person, when in fact, what they were saying was that they completely DISAGREED with me and think me an utterly awful person?

broodblik

When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.

Old age is the Lord's way of telling us to step aside for something new. Death's in case we didn't take the hint.