I quit Abuzz a week ago when I realised I was behaving as badly as the average inmate. With an adequate vocabulary and a sting in your tail you are a star on Abuzz. It is a haven for halfwit's and a playground for sadists. Don't get me wrong I can handle it. I've decided that I don't need it. Of A2k, I will say so far it has been a good experience.
No, farmerman. I am Swimpy meek and mild. Squinney, I am not. (And I'm sure the Bear is thanking his lucky stars!)
farmerman,
Can you point me to a few examples of yours here that illustrate what you are interested in seeing? I'm having a hard time following the meandering beef.
I'm thinking he likes flame wars, and/or feels the Liberal Amen Corner in politics isn't as exhilerating as impassioned disagreeable discourse.
Of course, I could be wrong. It has never happened before, but my horoscope says I'm due.
Sofia,
I get the impression that the beef isn't about political discussions.
P.S.
"I've only been wrong once in my life, I'd thought I was wrong but I wasn't."
farmerman,
I like the idea of switching sides in an argument. I do that with my brother all the time. I like arguments, others don't. If you do I'll be happy to argue with you. :-)
BoGoWo wrote:
This is mostly aimed at Craven's ears (if he can take that tongue out of his head long enough for us to get through) and is to do with the actual site design.
I've been using a different avatar for a while.
BoGoWo wrote:
Me thinks the site is too damned big!!!
Me plans to make it hundreds of times bigger.
BoGoWo wrote:
And there are too many threads to ever be able to share yourself around without thinning down your attention span to the "sniper" level.
This depends on how you navigate. If you are trying to keep up with all the topics on the site then that is indeed true. On Abuzz you had less ways to keep up with everyone's posts so it was more segmented. It was easy to not know of a thread there. As this site grows it will simply not be possible to keep up. And at that point the "your posts" search will be more usefull than the "new posts" one.
Please don't expect to be able to keep up with all the site's postings. There is simply no way I will intentionally limit the growth to a level that one person can easily digest.
BoGoWo wrote:
I would prefer to see a tree'd system where one can actually respond to a specific post, and then that interaction can proceed, or not, from there; so often I read a post from three or four days ago, that I find fascinating, and demands a response, but quoting it and pratling on doesn't really do it, and it requires that the "poster" who has gone on by now, is not currently online, and may never come back, see your comments to accept praise, or have a chance to rebut the arguement. -frustrating-
I would also suggest an expiry limit for threads with, perhaps an archive backup where one could go for a little "rumaging" if so inclined, without the option of comment (could perhaps initiate a new thread if keen).
Reduction of the site overall size would tend to bring ideas and people closer together, and would result in more effective interaction; we could even perhaps have a back room thread where those so inclined could go and "neck" in voyeur mode. (sorry, I found I was being a little too serious for my own liking)
Flat versus threaded is always a lively debate. Let's just say that I'm sure that at least 80% prefer flat to threaded and if we ever go threaded it will be secondary to the flat format and members will have the choice.
As to topic expiry I am looking into options in that area but not like you envision. A tad different and far off.
As to necking in voyeur mode I really can't help you. If I knew how to make a site help me in those areas I'd never have gotten around to making this site. :-)
Farmer - If the stuff that's going down on this site isn't your bag, be it grocerybag, sleepingbag or bodybag, then you have to raise the stakes and get your desires on the screen. No point bewailing the place. Be a leader Farmer, an instigator. Show some steel.
Geez, farmer, some of us like it all ways, including some tried and true. I have never been a cutesy person, but that doesn't mean anything. One man's cutesy is another man's delight. And those interested in the politics threads go there.
It all depends on what you're looking for. I like the exchange and the sources of information I didn't have. I also like the occasional friendly banter. Abuzz in the beginning had all that, and was fun. But for me it changed and got really nasty, and I'll take a little boring over nasty any day. And it seems to me that there is freedom here to bring up what you want. After that it's up to whoever else finds the thread interesting to get on with it. And sometimes just two or three find a thread interesting, so they're the ones on it.
It's like anything else. You like it, you try it, you do what you can. If you don't like it, there must be thousands of boards and forums out there for the picking. Me, I wish you'd stick around.
well, im back.
Craven , all you have to do is look at this thread, it got cute about when I left for my noon feeding.
Sycophants? swimpy, this forum is so busy agreeing with itself it trips over its prose.
I still submit that all one has to do is look at the forum titles, theres "lotsa vines and no taters". Perhaps if there were better lead in lines that try to encapsulate, sort of like an abstract, the point each writer is trying to grab us with. im easily distracted when the title has a topic that feels interesting , but when I get to the intro, It may be a line or two of not much.
Compelling writing isnt stringing together multi syllable words or using someone elses op-ed. Its, in our own words, and holding our own ideas up for inspection. I ignore most topics that sound like invitations to chat about not much. Im not a political wingnut but I do feel passionate about certain things. political. Im passionate about a number of things , however the closest thing Ive seen to real pulse pounding opinion around here is on the art line when someone really knowledgeable gives us some opinion that seems based on experience and isnt posted to gain applause but to make a solid point.
Craven, when I talked about switching sides about John Howard v GW Bush, my point in such a forum would be for me to make the positives about howard and Dlowan , who knows him far better than I, would be the opposition. I think wed both leaRN more about our respective leaders.
We did this in a curriculum advisory board in PA in order to establish science curriculum requirements, it was spirited but respectful(considering the vast chasm of our two sides positions)
Mama J-I only bring this up because I want to see a2k succeed by being a draw for all kinds not only the topic "Sycophants' that swimpy so Freudianly stated.
obviously I havent been quiet or quietly submissive, Im not feared of takin heat on my opinions, witness the number of posts ive entered since I joined last FAll. however, IMHO Id like a2k to become even more an unfettered exchange forum with opinions and ideas thoroughly inspected , and(I know this wont happen), the participants hold only lightly to their own ideas lest something more persuasive replace them.
Now,because Ive hung around, let me say Id never make that previous statement on abuzz, Id be laughed at as some liberal weenie. BUT, Id still try to stick it unto someone.
Ive taken up enough space in this , my personal rant. I know that theres some who agree, I dont need to see a poll, but I know Im not the only one. This is not a resignation notice, cause if I see something I want to challenge, youll see me participate with glee.
farmer, that was such a cute reply. :-)
Gozmo. You soitenley did. Dats our #1 wabbit, from the far off land of Oz!
vewwy naughty we have a viwus for dem wabbits
on that, the defense rests
Not bad, farmerman. Not bad at all.
Craven;
thanks for the response; now, if you could just explain to the "jargon" challenged (me) what flat, vs threaded entails, I would be far more enlightened (even than I am already); damn, am I being "cute"?
and I might add, I'm delighted to note that Sofia is a "size" fan!!
Oh, and Farmerman;
That face sucks!!
O.K.; c'mon, c'mon! I can take it ?
