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?
Annie- perhaps it should be mandatory that people should lurk for a while 'cause you've certainly hit the ground running, good posting.
I'm trying to be more brief; after all, as a non-member I don't want to clog up the forums.
Yeah, and stop giving poor loud flyers such a hard time too, while you are at it ... ;)
Sorry that the swim camp thread was a little over the top Dorothyrde. I think we are all going to try and make a more conscious effort to stay more on topic from now on and stay away from comments that might be too risque for this forum. As Rich pointed out though, the OP sort of steered it away from serious fairly early...but then he tried to get back on topic. Hopefully the insulting and what not will also trim down a bit.....The administrators chimed in with some helpful comments to help guide us in the future....so we will try to do better in the future.
Newmastersswimmer
Ok, the first page of swim camp made me not want to go further......maybe Lindsay is right......
Seriously, when a thread goes the way of the moderator closing it, I ignore it, because my time is too valuable to read cyber space fights. On another forum, really bad posts are pulled by the moderator, therefore leaving most of the thread in place. That gets kinda weird because there can be references to the bad material, and if you read it not knowing things are missing, you kind of go, huh?
Geek attack.
If your time is valuable, don't read it.
This suggests that there are people who read or keep reading despite being offended. So to complain later seems hypocritical or maybe voyeurish?
VenusEnvy or whoever you end up:
This is quite perceptive and no doubt accurate. Welcome!
Ok, the first page of swim camp made me not want to go further......maybe Lindsay is right......
you should keep reading Dorothy to get a full sense of what happened rather than rush to judgement off of a few posts. The fighting was shortlived and possibly a catalyst for the comedy that ensued.
I have never posted here, but have been reading for awhile. I have yet to find a thread offensive. I think some have gotten way off topic, but I simply stop reading those. Trying to act all high and mighty and tell people what is appropriate and what isn't is somewhat riddiculous. We are not children. We are all adults and if here should be at least 18.
Well said. I didn't think I was a child. And nothing has bothered me except the personal attacks.
I said I wouldn't post here again, but I'm curious about the marketing question. I think someone posted in another thread that numerous new people have joined the discussion forum and that posts were way up. I would assume that some of these new joiners are also new to USMS? Maybe some have now registered. From reading the posts, it appears that there are a lot of people new to swimming seeking advice. So to the extent they have been recently reading and recently joined, it seems that the forum as a marketing tool is working. Even Rich just swam in his first meet and is planning more. Rich himself has probably inspired people who might not want to compete to compete. So I'm not convinced that the forum is not serving the marketing purpose just fine. But I'd be interested to know if I was wrong.
As for the swimming camp thread, I think the lunch thing started as a way to diffuse another brewing NSR argument with scyfreestyler. So to the extent an argument was nipped in the bud over lunch talk, that seems like a good thing. As for the subsequent banter, that looked like forum friends kidding around with each other. It was completely inoffensive, and couldn't possibly be harmful. Anyone could easily have ignored it. I also wouldn't put that much blame on the original poster. He tried to bring it back to topic. He also seemed to be making an anti-censorship statement and since no one wants to be Big Brother, even scyfreestyler anymore, that is fine. Besides, he seemed to get the information he was looking for and we are all invited to the Race Club.
Annie- perhaps it should be mandatory that people should lurk for a while 'cause you've certainly hit the ground running, good posting.
I'm trying to be more brief; after all, as a non-member I don't want to clog up the forums.
The camp thread was a train wreck--it got rolling along and several of us jumped on board. We can't deny it. I'm not blaming anyone. It was a thread that brought out the funny in everyone, even Matt's attempts to straighten it out look like a humouous attempt (even if they weren't).
At the risk of being excommunicated by my fellow fun-lovers, when the post from Bebe/Sasmon at "Raceclub" turned up it kind of hit home that the thread had morphed away, not maliciously mind you, from it's original purpose. I felt a little guilty.
All I know is this will happen from time to time, but us fun lovers should be a little more self cautious. A personal thread about an injury (like my knee one) may be less important and able to morph into comedic anarchy, and dissolve away onto page one hundred and something. Jim's camp thread although humourous should have been less of a free for all gag fest that it became.
It truly was a funny thread but it may have a bewildering effect on someone browsing through, like Bebe/Samson, and who thought it was going to be more interesting to them. I'm not blaming Jim T at all--anyone who posted anything other than a camp suggestion or question shares equal blame. I'm just saying if the leader starts it sets the tone and rest of us follow along.
Let's try to resist the snowball effect, I think we can still have a lot of fun and have threads that can be fully ignored and threads that can be a mine of info for a newbie. Yes maybe I'm sounding like a born again believer, I am not. I am in no doubt that I will transgress again, and I'll be reminded of this post (Heather).
If you think I'm being hypocritical think of it like this: Would you want to be known as one of the few who go the boards shut down when you go to Zones or Nationals? It's not hard to figure out who is who, and then you just need to wait for that name to appear on the block in their heat and you know exactly who they are, then you can be pointed out.
In summation my thoughts are this: I don't expect to never again see a little hijacking but if we find a topic that can lead to a bunch of comedy then let's get a new thread going. I'm trying to not go too far with a comment on a serious thread--you'll never get me to be non-funny; that is like telling me not to breathe, and I am sure that is not the argument Lindsay has taken the responsibility to represent here. I think he's been a bit maligned here too--he hasn't pointed or accused or name called, but has gotten some pointed replies back. Something which many of us think is wrong; especially when it came the other way a few weeks ago.
Now, if anyone thinks I need slapping for this...my PM is open to you. Let's not paste it here. If you have a counter point or suggestion for how we can all get along then write on.
As for the new thread thing...the Camp thread could have been left and a new thread "Who would you take to swim camp and why?" would have been ideal (you can post that you're moving some humour on the subject to the new thread and link it--then the reader would have a choice. Yes Virginia, hindsight is always 20/20.
Balance,
Rich
When I post I try to keep on topic but do get carried away sometimes, especially when I read about someone piercing the water.
I try to be one of those 60 or 70 comedians too often. Please forgive me when I step over the boundries.
I'm trying to be more brief; after all, as a non-member I don't want to clog up the forums. posted by The Northern Ranger Dude
Good idea Peter, b/c your lengthy longwinded postings/pontifications not only clog up the forums but I think they are also helping to clog up my arteries as well!.....(How's that for a puffball eh Cruise?) .....LOL!!:thhbbb: :thhbbb:
Newmastersswimmer:D
