How Much Longer?

ajia

How much longer before the forums are shut down?

As far fetched as this might sound, I am reading more & more threads where a simple question, or comment is quickly turned into an OT beach session. Somebody doesn't like someone else, and a comment on-topic from one get a nasty off-topic reply from the other.
Lately these have involved some pretty powerful dealers (IMO), and one of the last one of these that I read, well, I think there was some devine intervention because there was a quick 'about-face' where apologies came from the parties involved.

I feel like a passanger watching the ship sink.

Since this is OT, I presume it will be yanked, but if it can get folks thinking about what these forums have become, and how it could easily be taken away, it will be worth the effort.

poorguy

<< <i>How much longer before the forums are shut down?

As far fetched as this might sound, I am reading more & more threads where a simple question, or comment is quickly turned into an OT beach session. Somebody doesn't like someone else, and a comment on-topic from one get a nasty off-topic reply from the other.
Lately these have involved some pretty powerful dealers (IMO), and one of the last one of these that I read, well, I think there was some devine intervention because there was a quick 'about-face' where apologies came from the parties involved.

I feel like a passanger watching the ship sink.

Since this is OT, I presume it will be yanked, but if it can get folks thinking about what these forums have become, and how it could easily be taken away, it will be worth the effort. >>



I am reading more & more threads where a simple question, or comment is quickly turned into an OT beach session.

I'm sorry, but it was long overdue. People need to read before they preach.

BobaFett72

...maybe there should be a forum where folks can rave like lunatics... an Open forum if you will, nah, what a pipe dream

MikeInFL

I find myself wondering if this post has not furthered the cause.

As my thought continue to wander, perhaps I, too, am guilty.

'Twas fun while it lasted...Mike

FoundingFather

I've noticed this too, and even (sincerely) asked if something had changed.

ajia

Mike, I hope not.
Maybe we can all just step back a bit & tone it down.

Brandon, if I'm preaching, so be it.
If I've stepped on your toes, I am sorry, that was never my intention.

Bear

With the lose of one Forum, it was inevitable that the Coin Forum

would to some degree evolve to cover the need. Its not the worse

crime to let slip something not related to coins.

lloydmincy

This is a coin thread and nothing else. Those that want an OF, can go to some chat room somewhere else. The OF was a bunch of BS anyway, with no value and a waste of time. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

bhartman35

I don't see OT threads as that much of a problem, as long as they don't start clogging up the board. We all (hopefully) have lives and interests beyond coins, and the occasional leakage of the real world into the coin world isn't a bad thing. It becomes a problem when/if the whole first page (for example) of the board is nothing but OT posts. We're certainly not there yet, and it's hard to tell one person that their OT post is okay, and someone else that theirs isn't, but simple, informational posts that aren't likely to cause trouble (e.g., name-calling and controversy) are probably okay, whereas controversy (sex, religion, politics) probably isn't.

I think people also need to keep in mind that the people posting here aren't just names on a screen, but human beings with emotions, just like them. Calling someone's integrity into question is a serious thing, and shouldn't be done lightly. It's one thing to have a debate about the ethics of a particular hypothetical. It's quite another to call a person out and impugn them. Sometimes people need to be called out publicly (to protect the rest of us), but if you do so, it'd better be based on facts and first-hand knowledge. Slamming anyone for what is essentially a WAG about them isn't right.

ajia

bhartman35, well said.

FoundingFather

That freakin guy says everything well!

BSHINC

Well Put BHARTMAN35.

Enough Said.

poorguy

<< <i>This is a coin thread and nothing else. Those that want an OF, can go to some chat room somewhere else. The OF was a bunch of BS anyway, with no value and a waste of time. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. >>



True, but isn't each person but a myriad of thoughts? Those thoughts are conveyed through both love for numismatics and a release of social tension (aren't one's hobby and this one in the same?). In essence, the open forum was a part of the collectors here as coins are still.