There is nothing that wrecks a good swimming related thread faster than getting into a discussion about message board etiquette. So here is a thread that people can use discuss topics related to what should and should not be posted on the message boards while allowing the other threads to stay on topic.
It seems to me that there is a spectrum of opinion on off-topic posting. On one end of the spectrum people think that threads are a mechanism specifically designed to allow people to carry on discussions on different topics and that we would all be well served if changes in topic were just done in new threads. On the other end of the spectrum people think that people should be able to post anything they want anywhere they want and that any suggestion to the contrary is censorship, a personal attack, or simply control freakish.
Pretty much everyone falls somewhere between these two extremes. Very few people object to a humorous quip inserted here and there in an otherwise serious discussion. Very few people would actually advocate that people be able to liberally sprinkle potentially offensive posts randomly through all the threads.
Have you ever been at a party where someone has decided that this is the right time and place to have a big argument or screaming match with someone? Has it ever contributed to the general enjoyment of the rest of the people there?
I would argue that posts that are essentially expressions of anger and/or are essentially personal attacks have no place on the board. They don't contribute anything positive and generally turn off 99% of the people reading the boards. Even if it seems that someone else has attacked you, does it really help anything to post an angry response?
I personally don't see the problem with starting a new thread when one wants to make an off-topic comment, a little cut and paste and/or a link makes it easy enough to carry the context into the new thread. Why is it essential to be able to carry on an unrelated discussion in a thread where some people are trying to carry on a discussion on a particular topic?
Parents
Former Member
O.k. I want to say one ot two things here since the thread topic has been established by lindsay. First of all I think it was a good idea to start this thread....Even though I do not always see eye to eye with Lindsay, I think he has as much right to his opinions as anyone else. I don't think it will ever be possible to put clearly defined parameters on exactly how we are to post our comments in a fashion that stays on topic enough and avoids the possiblility of offending everyone all of the time. My impression of the postings recently made by the administrators is that we need to find a kind of "middle ground" that we can all live with (I could be wrong though??)....Something in between the extreme ends of the spectrum on posting etiquette. I (and possibly) others here have a viewpoint that is perhaps a little too risque for some...and maybe a little too loosey goosey in regards to keeping postings on topic....One thing I will try to do from now on (but I can't gaurantee that I will always behave all of the time) is to make a conscious effort to refrain from comments that may have to much sexual innuendo in them...or comments that stray too far from the main topic. I have found a few ways to control my guttermind sense of humour already by resisting the temptation to post "boderline risque" comments publicly and simply PM them to some of my fellow guttermind friends instead (and you can guess who they are...LOL!!). I really like posting # 111 on the swim camp thread...b/c Barb sums up my feelings in that posting far better than I ever could.....one of the points that she makes (and others here have made very well too) is that we must stop the insults! Jim Myjastek (SP??) made it clear when he closed the topics thread that we are to resist posting anything publicly that could be considered insulting to a fellow poster....We are to either use the PM option or report our dissatisfaction to the moderators in that case. There is a big difference between launching puffballs at eachother in jest and launching lard balls (as Peter puts it). I think this is the most important message here (but what do I know right?). Nobody likes a board bully. As long as we stick to Jim Myjastek's protocol and make a reasonable attempt to reach a middle ground with respect to message board etiquette (especially in regards to trying to stay more on topic and cutting out some of the sexual innuendo that may be consrued as "boderline too risque"), I think we can learn to all live comfortably enough with one another here. I am glad Lindsay started this thread though because we needed a way to communicate our feelings with one another on the subject in a more civil manner....and find a way to keep the moderators happy as well. Well thats it for my endless hyper-delusional pontificating (for now anyway...LOL!!).
Newmastersswimmer
O.k. I want to say one ot two things here since the thread topic has been established by lindsay. First of all I think it was a good idea to start this thread....Even though I do not always see eye to eye with Lindsay, I think he has as much right to his opinions as anyone else. I don't think it will ever be possible to put clearly defined parameters on exactly how we are to post our comments in a fashion that stays on topic enough and avoids the possiblility of offending everyone all of the time. My impression of the postings recently made by the administrators is that we need to find a kind of "middle ground" that we can all live with (I could be wrong though??)....Something in between the extreme ends of the spectrum on posting etiquette. I (and possibly) others here have a viewpoint that is perhaps a little too risque for some...and maybe a little too loosey goosey in regards to keeping postings on topic....One thing I will try to do from now on (but I can't gaurantee that I will always behave all of the time) is to make a conscious effort to refrain from comments that may have to much sexual innuendo in them...or comments that stray too far from the main topic. I have found a few ways to control my guttermind sense of humour already by resisting the temptation to post "boderline risque" comments publicly and simply PM them to some of my fellow guttermind friends instead (and you can guess who they are...LOL!!). I really like posting # 111 on the swim camp thread...b/c Barb sums up my feelings in that posting far better than I ever could.....one of the points that she makes (and others here have made very well too) is that we must stop the insults! Jim Myjastek (SP??) made it clear when he closed the topics thread that we are to resist posting anything publicly that could be considered insulting to a fellow poster....We are to either use the PM option or report our dissatisfaction to the moderators in that case. There is a big difference between launching puffballs at eachother in jest and launching lard balls (as Peter puts it). I think this is the most important message here (but what do I know right?). Nobody likes a board bully. As long as we stick to Jim Myjastek's protocol and make a reasonable attempt to reach a middle ground with respect to message board etiquette (especially in regards to trying to stay more on topic and cutting out some of the sexual innuendo that may be consrued as "boderline too risque"), I think we can learn to all live comfortably enough with one another here. I am glad Lindsay started this thread though because we needed a way to communicate our feelings with one another on the subject in a more civil manner....and find a way to keep the moderators happy as well. Well thats it for my endless hyper-delusional pontificating (for now anyway...LOL!!).
Newmastersswimmer
