Attention: Official Staff Moderators.
Hudson Valley Carpenter
| Posted in General Discussion on
There have been numerous, real reasoned requests made by long time BT members over the last few months, to establish a new folder for off topic subjects which are not of a contentious nature but which don’t fit any of your current folder topic headings.
There has been no response from any of you to those very reasonable requests.
I bring this to your attention so that you’ll understand that by not replying you have shown a lack of respect for those who have made our wishes known to you, not once but several times.
I await your replies. If none are forthcoming I’m sure that my interest in supporting this community will continue to wane, as has been evident with others who have disappeared from BT.
Edited 8/26/2009 8:48 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Replies
HVC, take a look at this: http://forums.taunton.com/tp-overthefence/messages?msg=10493.1
Hudson, I'm sorry if we haven't replied properly to your requests. Your suggestion has certainly been noted and is frequently discussed. As usual, there are a whole bunch of complications to what seems like a simple, logical idea but we are working on it.
Mike, I wasn't directing my remarks to our peer moderators, only the FHB staff. You guys have shown interest in and support for our community from the get go so I've got no gripe with you, none.
HVC,
As I recall The tavern was set up to be the folder for all the off topic discussions.
Maybe this story will help.
Years ago I'm at my Grandpa's house,he's 97 at the time,typical Italian Sunday afternoon his sons and daughters are there all the grand kids.
We've eaten enough to keep the roman legions going for a month.
My uncle T and his crew are getting ready to leave,Grandpa is sitting in his chair smoking one of those old Italian cigars,Aunt Ann says Pa T is leaving,no response.
Aunt Lee gives it try "Pa T is leaving", again no response,just keeps puffing on that cigar. My Dad tries,nothing.
Finally, Uncle T goes over and says Pa we're leaving,Grandpa slowly looks up,takes the cigar out of his mouth and loudly says... "so go".
Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
Vince,
I've written several well reasoned appeals to the FHB staff moderators, asking that there be a separate folder for personal businessand human interest topics not related to politics, religion or other contentious issues. I was not the first person to suggest this idea. There are quite a few of us who agree that it's a good fit on BT.
Let the tavern function as a place for politics and other emotionally charged subjects but give us a more peaceful place for other discussions.
This request has been on going for several months, yet no response has been forthcoming. And they continue toarbitrarily move threads to the tavern, over the objections of numerous people.So I get the feeling that the FHB moderators don't give a rat's *** about making the board function for the benefit of the entire BT community.
That being the case, the only recourse I have is to state my case again, as I have here.
Edited 8/26/2009 9:42 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
My point exactly,
Grandpa was more concerned with his cigar, didn't really care that Uncle T was leaving.
so you're asking for an off topic folder, to the off topic folder.
Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
Edited 8/26/2009 9:48 am ET by VinceCarbone
Do we really need to add yet another folder. If you can't deal with the politics, stay out of the folder. If you don't like the tone of the threads in the tavern, start some that you like. Off topic is off topic, we don't need to further subdivide it. Maybe you aren't getting an answer because you a such a minority and it is more of a nuisance than anything else. Breaktime is free to the user, but not to Taunton. Deal with it.Sorry if my tone is harsh, but frankly I'm tired of the childish bickering over the content of the tavern. Some of you people act like a bunch of kindergartners. No wonder so many get time outs. I deal with my six year old in a similar fashion.
Your tone is condescending. If you don't like this topic or my suggestion, why don't you follow your own advice?
Edited 8/26/2009 11:58 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
IIRC, it was explained sometime in the past that with the current web host, we can't add any more folders.
As I understand it, if one was added just for personal stuff, then something else would have to go.
This place used to be so much fun. . . Then they brought in the suits lol.
View Image
http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
Joe, that picture makes you look so...
Italian!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Why thanks!
View Image
http://www.josephfusco.org
http://www.constructionforumsonline.com
The Feedback, Forum Suggestions and Editors Corner are almost completely unused. Why not fold them into one?
Can't be done. Sounds like that would eliminate any built in excuses. Vic
to
IIRC, it was explained sometime in the past that with the current web host, we can't add any more folders.
As I understand it, if one was added just for personal stuff, then something else would have to go.
That's hard to believe in this era of unlimited cheap memory, but there are answers to that as well, one of them proposed by fingersandtoes.
Edited 8/26/2009 5:30 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
You know I've been in more then one bar that
had a sign that said "NO POLITICS".
I pretty much agreed with Tom's comments and thought your tone to the staff mods was rather condescending myself.they are working on things.you want what you want and you want it faster or you will go.Who are you to them?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
thought your tone to the staff mods was rather condescending myself.
I don't see that in my comments here but I'll admit to using that tone intentionally in other threads when attempting to provoke a response...after not getting one for months.
It was to avoid using any such tactics that I began this thread, to open the subject again, on it's on terms.
If there was such a demand for the type of posts you are talking about, they would be showing up in general discussion or the tavern. People will start threads on what they want to discuss, and apparently most of that is politics. Oh well.How many feel good threads about your family and kids and such have you started lately.If you don't like the tone of the tavern, change it. The threads there are merely a reflection of the members willingness to participate and make this place what they want it to be.Sorry if you didn't like my tone but iirc I apologized for that in my original post.
Tom,
The gist of it is that the tavern is often an adversarial place where any topic is likely to get ambushed by someone who's in the mood to argue.
That's one of the reasons that I decided to have my tavern access terminated, about a year ago.
"If you don't like the tone of the tavern, change it."
I respect the rights of others to express themselves freely so I have no reason to try to change anything about the tavern.
The idea behind requesting a more peaceful all-access folder for non-contentious off topic subjects is to allow BT members to open up on personal topics, some of which may have deeper meaning to them, without concern that their personal lives will be attacked by someone who's out looking for a fight.
Edited 8/26/2009 4:15 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
"Sounds like time for the sunday afternoon nap"
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Sheiiit man!, I've been harping on that for literal years and after a while you just realize it is as it is and go on.
True, it would serve a functional use and let newbies sample construction side issues as business phones and insurance matters
along with nonabusive topics as tomatoes, poetry and family pics without having to wade thru contestive polijive all the time to see them.
Perhaps with the upcoming new forum identies mentioned earlier some things will change in this direction and appease the masses
but regardless, just like on a job site we deal with it and move on to completion and the next.
seeyou invented TomW's aggressive nature
pssst rez,
I noticed that there's a new sheriff in town, just introduced by Robyn, so I figured I'd run it up the flag pole again.
It's such a logical idea that, IMO, it should be hard to ignore.
Actually, a more logical idea is one that is used by many other sponsored message boards; to have one off topic folder but exclude all contentious subjects, specifically politics and religion.
In deference to other members, particularly those who have been here longer than I and who enoy beating their gums or drums on those topics, I'm not suggesting that FHB get rid of that part of everyday conversation, only that they segregate it for those of us who prefer not to get drawn into it for personal reasons.
Some say that "if you don't want to get involved, don't read those specific topics in the tavern". I wish it were that simple but it's often the case in the tavern that you can begin a discussion on a subject which is useful and have it ambushed by someone with an anger management issue.
Well, guess what? I've got my own anger management issues, stuff that I'd much prefer to deal with face to face, rather than with some yahoo* hiding behind an anonymous name on a message board.
*a less than fully revealing reference to an anatomical phenomenon :-)
Robyn has said she is working on improvemnents but that the wheels turn slow around here I'm thinking especially around vacation time in the middle of a recession.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Robyn has said she is working on improvemnents but that the wheels turn slow around here I'm thinking especially around vacation time in the middle of a recession.
I either missed that remark or it's been so long that I don't remember it. In any case, I'm glad to hear it from such a BT denizen as you but...I'll believe it when I see it.
BTW, I've always believed that Robyn is sincerely interested in this forum and its members but there's been no evidence that she's been successful at interceding on our behalf with the makers of decisions.
Edited 8/26/2009 3:25 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
You may well have missed it. I missed whatever thread it was where a bunch of us dicussed and decided that it was a good idea.I am pretty ambivalent, not really caring one way or the other, but if I have a vote, That is what the tavern is for. No logic to me at all to make another subtavern
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
No logic to me at all to make another subtavern.
Read my reply to Tom, number 26 in your hymnal. Perhaps you'll have an E-Piffin-E.
Read my reply to Tom, number 26 in your hymnal. Perhaps you'll have an E-Piffin-E.
Congratulations!
HudsonValleyCarpenter receives the Tim Mooney 'Now That's Funny Right There' Award.
Saaalute!!!View ImageView Image
Edited 8/26/2009 4:40 pm ET by rez
It was purty durn good!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"Congratulations!"
"HudsonValleyCarpenter receives the Tim Mooney 'Now That's Funny Right There' Award."
I'd like to thank Piffin, for providing the personality and the moniker from which this euphonious appellation doth take wing.
" to open up on personal topics, some of which may have deeper meaning to them, without concern that their personal lives will be attacked by someone who's out looking for a fight. "Personal attacks are already forbidden. Another space on the ticket isn't going to change goofy behaviour
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Personal attacks are already forbidden
Since when? How's that working out?
Since the terms of service were first published.Ain't gonna work any better in any separate folder
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
OK. Thought it might have been a more recent thing, like after the '08 campaign during which there was apparently lots of acrimony in the tavern.
When I was posting in the tavern, over a year ago, there was never any evidence of enforcement by the mods on personal attacks. Has that changed lately?
Long and varied history on that. I think thaty as staff at Taunton keeps changing - rolling over like an eskimo roll - that there have been times when there was no enforcement at all, and other times when they went overboard, but in spurts.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Ain't gonna work any better in any separate folder
I believe that it would, particularly if the folder isn't a member's only deal. I think that people who are looking for an argument are more likely to find one on "hot" topics so they'd be less inclined to get involved in a folder which is specifically intended for subjects which are not contentious.
If some yahoo came to my job, and said "Acknowledge me, or I'm leaving!"... guess what I'd do? LOLhttp://www.tvwsolar.com
We'll have a kid
Or maybe we'll rent one
He's got to be straight
We don't want a bent one
He'll drink his baby brew
From a big brass cup
Someday he may be president
If things loosen up
If some yahoo came to my job, and said "Acknowledge me, or I'm leaving!"... guess what I'd do? LOL
I'm guessin', "Don't let the door hit you in the backside, on your way out". LOL.
Unfortunately, some good people have left BT due to stuff that went on in the tavern, or at least that's what has been reported after they disappeared. That's the main reason why I'd like to see the change being discussed here.
Edited 8/26/2009 8:16 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
At another forum I occasionally frequent there are two separate forums: the Off Topic and The Mayberry Lounge. Similar subjects are broached but in a different manner. One obvious advantage is that when things get out of hand and wholesale purges are made Mayberry is unaffected.
No logic to me at all to make another subtavern
It's not about sub-dividing the tavern. It's about creating a place with a different character than a bar room; a coffe shop or public park, if images help define it.
Vacation time, in a recession, improvements to something that cannot possibly be a revenue generator for Taunton....gee, I don't know why they haven't put a full team of people on that idea.
I participate on another web board where they created a 'lobby' for general conversation. Over time there were more and more contentious posts about politics, religion and all the other usual topics, so after much urging they set up a separate 'clubhouse' where people could go to talk about those things. It seemed like a good idea, but it didn't stop people from posting contentious things in the lobby (and then complaining when their posts were moved to the clubhouse.)
The point is, even if a Tavern II was created there'd still be people arguing about Democrats or Republicans or whatever in Tavern I. I do wish there was a way to see who posted something before I click on it, but for the most part I can tell by the title whether I'm interested in reading it or not.
I wuz tinking bout a .
How wonderful i yam folder.
Everybody could write sumptin bout how witty and clever i yam.
MR T and BOB are not allowed in as they can be mean to me.
Frenchy could come in if he posted pics of his sports cars.
I would hang a pic of PETE on the wall.
Sancho could come back but no cussin.
How wonderful i yam folder.
I had something more like Popeye in mind. An "I yam what I yam" folder. ;-)
everybody wants what they want.WHAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!I never get what I want.Boo Hooo
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I'd like to have a separate folder for the threads about separate folders.copper p0rn