Forum Attitude/Behavior

[J Smith]

One of these cycles back a couple years ago pushed me away from this forum I had gotten years of enjoyment from.Thats when I put that smile in my sig to try and remind me of why I was here.I still check in every now and then but I have found it hard to really join back in.

[Jesting Devil]

Think twice
Type once

Kristi

Sums it up perfectly!

Thanks Kristi :)

[Spyderbro]

One of these cycles back a couple years ago pushed me away from this forum I had gotten years of enjoyment from.Thats when I put that smile in my sig to try and remind me of why I was here.I still check in every now and then but I have found it hard to really join back in.

It's people like you we need here! :) I've been chewed up here, cuz I'm new?, and participate very little now, or are most men Neanderthals, with no real communication skills? grog-grog :cool:

[Blerv]

It's people like you we need here! :) I've been chewed up here, cuz I'm new?, and participate very little now, or are most men Neanderthals, with no real communication skills? grog-grog :cool:

It's very likely just because they are men. It's been proven by science.

[Blerv]

Again, I applaud the sticky and call to action. I think the civility should be held at a higher level than most internet forums. It's a place that has genuinely good people. Most that slip up and bark aren't malicious but rather had a moment of insanity .

That said *hiding behind a table*...

I do wonder how many other forums people have used who have these experiences. Forum etiquette (or lack thereof), is almost a completely different language. People who attend are from completely different backgrounds and even places in the world. There aren't any non-verbals or even intonation to show true intent and forums are always on red-alert for people with malicious goals. As they say 60-70% of communication is body language alone and as my mom always said it takes two to fight. :)

IMHO, Forums are like a 14th century villages in Transylvania. If you show up to have a good time stay within the walls and avoid taboo actions. Heed the advice of the old sage not to go out when the full moon is out.

Wandering into the woods with a silver butter knife will likely have you surrounded by werewolves.


PS: Taz is a bad@$$ werewolf hunter though. Good to have her around for the common good. :D


PPS: No offense intended. I constructed the post around a werewolf analogy. :p

[Fred Sanford]

Thanks Kristi!

I was one of the bad guys in the beginning and they were nice enough to let me back on, so I know how valuable it is to be a part of this forum as well as how bad it is to not be on it. She's right....it's just not a website with words on a screen. Not even close.

I like to think of different types of peanut butter sandwiches when it gets bad around here. Let's all try to do that. :)

This place is amazing. Think about what you have before it gets taken away. I've had that happen.

[Pneumothorax]

David, I think your Peanut Butter & Jelly 'thing' aka "time to stop the tone & course of this thread" comment is one of the great things that you/we do in self-policing this forum. Unfortunately, not even the PBJ comment stops things once out of hand. Regardless, it is a nice, civil and tongue-in-cheek (or tongue-stuck-to-roof-of-mouth :D ) way to try to keep things from getting out of hand. I, for one, would vote to have a PBJ icon put in the icon list below for all to use as a visual cue to stop the insanity. :)

[LorenzoL]

Great points, Kristi.
About the PBJ, I think it is plain stupid, I mean, I don't see how fighting BS with nonsense can be considered a good thing. I stopped posting here because every time there was a discussion about something controversial the PBJ crowd took over and killed the debate.

[Pneumothorax]

Great points, Kristi.
About the PBJ, I think it is plain stupid, I mean, I don't see how fighting BS with nonsense can be considered a good thing. I stopped posting here because every time there was a discussion about something controversial the PBJ crowd took over and killed the debate.

Thanks for the "constructive" feedback...Now for a PBJ!

[SpaceInvader]

Perhaps a mention of the forum's "usage" police is appropriate in this thread -- the boorish compliments or castigations based on whether someone is perceived as a "user" or a "collector." One sees the tedious and presumptuous (in my opinion) comments from the usage police over and over, these pronouncements on how one is supposed to own, use, or not use a knife.

-Rick

[Blerv]

Perhaps a mention of the forum's "usage" police is appropriate in this thread -- the boorish compliments or castigations based on whether someone is perceived as a "user" or a "collector." One sees the tedious and presumptuous (in my opinion) comments from the usage police over and over, these pronouncements on how one is supposed to own, use, or not use a knife.

-Rick

:confused:

I agree (I think).

[wrdwrght]

Great points, Kristi.
About the PBJ, I think it is plain stupid, I mean, I don't see how fighting BS with nonsense can be considered a good thing. I stopped posting here because every time there was a discussion about something controversial the PBJ crowd took over and killed the debate.

You seem to be suggesting that taking a "step back" (PBJ) is inconsistent with Kristi's "great points", points that essentially implore us to take a step back (or be banned). Have I misunderstood you?

And, what is the kind of the controversy you believe should not be silenced? If it is the political kind, Spyderco's guidelines do say no to politics in the forum (it is Spyderco's forum). Even so, some here do insert their political views (usually by way of a rant about an infringed right or some lifestyle), then take offense (and become offensive) when contradicted or just questioned. Is this kind of controversy the one you feel should be allowed to unfold or, rather, escalate? Or are you talking controversies regarding Spyderco's products?

[Jay_Ev]

Or are you talking controversies regarding Spyderco's products?

I believe this is what Lorenzo was referring to, as I have seen it myself. Any time someone dares post something critical or less than complimentary, the peanut butter police always jump to the forefront in an attempt to silence that person, even when he is conducting discourse in a civil manner. Dissatisfaction or disappointment can carry as much weight as praise when it comes to helping Spyderco (or any company) build a better product.

[Pneumothorax]

I believe this is what Lorenzo was referring to, as I have seen it myself. Any time someone dares post something critical or less than complimentary, the peanut butter police always jump to the forefront in an attempt to silence that person, even when he is conducting discourse in a civil manner. Dissatisfaction or disappointment can carry as much weight as praise when it comes to helping Spyderco (or any company) build a better product.

Just to be clear. I dont consider myself pbj police when i toss it out. And for me personally - and i will only speak for myself here so as not to put words in anyones mouth, when i throw out the PBJ, the discussion is usually eroding into a direction that is not civil to anyone. I dont think im that great or have any special status here to lord over anyone, but i do think i have a responsibility and right to subtly indicate that folks might want to take a step back or tone down the aggresive wording. That is one reason i like it here so much. Folks here can and do jump in when things get heated. Ive been to other forums that where members dont do this and it aint that pleasant. That is what makes this forum great. This is a great example of good civil discourse.

[redhawk44357]

I been gone awhile......... but agree. As once a newbie too. it is intimating, but i have had some great comforsations here. I never regreted coming here. Rock on Tazzie!!

[TheNeedyCat]

i agree when i first got on here i was not made to feel welcome at all but now i feel much better about the forums thanks for making this problem better known

[BAL]

One of these cycles back a couple years ago pushed me away from this forum I had gotten years of enjoyment from.Thats when I put that smile in my sig to try and remind me of why I was here.I still check in every now and then but I have found it hard to really join back in.

I don't know you J Smith, but would love to see your name pop up more regularly. You can't let a few people here or there change the way that you live. I keep reminding myself of this on a daily basis. A hundred people can give you a compliment, but you will remember the one that said something negative. I guess thats human nature to a degree, but some seem to have a negative way about them and it comes out in their words. However, the bad thing about the typed word, it that you can't determine the intent or meaning of the words. Words don't reflect humor, sarcasm etc.
Anyway, Welcome back and take care.

[BAL]

i agree when i first got on here i was not made to feel welcome at all but now i feel much better about the forums thanks for making this problem better known

Sorry about the way that you felt NeedyCat. Sometimes posters don't pay attention to someone being new and not having the same knowledge as others. It's tough, I will admit. I have seen someone ask a quetion in a thread and get jumped on, because it was already asked (some five years ago). I always try to remind myself that most people are good and mean well.
There's an old saying about not letting bad apples spoil the whole bunch, or wait, maybe it was You can lead a spoiled apple to water, but you can't make it drink. Or was it You can't teach a spoiled apple new tricks. No that's not it, but you get the idea. :)

[JD Spydo]

One of these cycles back a couple years ago pushed me away from this forum I had gotten years of enjoyment from.Thats when I put that smile in my sig to try and remind me of why I was here.I still check in every now and then but I have found it hard to really join back in.

I find your observation most interesting Jeff :) Since I've been back full time I've noticed that something has indeed changed here at Spyderville And not for the better either

There seems to be an arrogance and a clique-like atmosphere that didn't exist before. It seems like differences of opinion are not appreciated but yet shot down in a hostile fashion

But I agree with brother BAL in his recent post and not to let a few flakes un-do all the good that has been done up till now. I'm here to stay unless the good folks at the Great Spyder Factory ask me to move on for some reason that they deem proper.

Just like when one guy posted a thread asking what we all thought about 9-11 recently. I posted my concerns and my opinions only to get shot down as though I was at a prosecutor's office being interogated

I am very glad that Kristi posted this thread because we all need to sit down and think about why we are here in the first place>> and that is to share knowledge, fellowship, common interests and yes folks!! differences of opinions!! And different opinions aren't bad either :)

And that's what I ultimately like about Spyderco>> They don't follow the herd>> their knives don't look or operate like carbon copies of billions of knives already out there on the open market. No they dare to do something different. And that's what makes Spyderco great and that's what makes this Forum great too

[Jordan]

i agree when i first got on here i was not made to feel welcome at all but now i feel much better about the forums thanks for making this problem better known

I am having a little trouble understanding here. The above quote is the crux of my issue. Well, not that specific one (I am not trying to single out the poster, it is just the most recent example in this thread of a new poster saying they weren't made to feel welcome... sorry for putting you on shotgun blast Cat), but ones like it. It could be that I just haven't noticed, or even that I am part of the problem... but when I see intro posts or threads, I see a ton of people here saying hello and welcome. The only posts that get unpleasant answers are the ones that ring of trolling. Granted, often the trolls (or perceived trolls) are pretty new... but that is because people who get on the internet to make trouble rarely go through the nuisance of establishing themselves much before they get all trolly :p . For instance, (again with the shotgun blast), NeedyCat's first posts here were about a traditional slipjoint. The posts were greeted with either enthusiasm or polite criticisms of the idea (along the lines of "I wouldn't be interested, but it is an interesting idea")... and a comment from no less than Sal himself about how the company is working on that very thing. Personally, I would have felt very welcomed by that response.

So, what does it take exactly? If you expect every post you make on this (or any) forum to be greeted with boundless enthusiasm or interest... you are going to be disappointed. Similarly, if you expect every question you have to be answered (including the REALLY asinine ones), you will be disappointed. And most of all, since I've noticed this to be a trend of late, if you expect the CEO of the company to address every inquiry or concern that you have by bringing it up on this forum... you will be disappointed (although from what I can tell Sal dedicates a great deal of time and effort towards preventing that disappointment :) ).

I am not trying to criticize any new poster (or, god forbid, make you folks feel unwelcome :p ), this is an honest request for information to those of you who felt or feel as though this isn't a friendly place. Simply stating that you didn't get the reception you wanted isn't helpful to me... and I honestly want to help. I have spent thousands of hours pouring over this forum, posting and reading, in the past few years and have become quite attached to it. I feel a sense of obligation to comport myself in a way that will show others why I have developed that attachment... but I for one cannot do that without a complete understanding of the problems people seem to be having.