"Mighty is the hand":The Community of TechIMO.

[MegalosSkylaki]

"Mighty is the hand that holds dominion over man by a printed word...."
--Dylan Thomas

Can we maintain a Community and keep a double-standard at the same time.

There is a Thread which has become derailed in my view to the point of threatening the Community we have built./

But what derails it is not differences of opinion--or even the personal attacks which are in the minority--but the failure of leadership in refocusing on what is important.

There cannot be a Double-standard and One community at the same time.

I was asked once what rules I felt Techimo should have.

Only two: Decorum and civility. Civility and decorum.

If a Thread wonders off topic in an unpopular way: "Thread closed" ---or least an Official Intervention and Warning.

If a Thread wonders off-topic in a popular way : the Thread is re--phrased by a Moderator to make it ON-Topic: "the majority of the discussion seems related to the original topic which...[is different from Topic posted.]

Now, the Poster , I always felt had some responsibility in regard to a Topic posted. What leadership has the Poster exerted ?

No, the Thread has become "Popular" judging by 6 pages and counting, so why circumscribe it ?

When Moderator and Poster alike go with the "popular" flow, nothing is lost--save civility and decorum.

But Popularity is a false god.

And the Community of TecHIMO cannot survive as ONE Community unless it holds all to the same standard.

MegalosSkylaki

[ClubMed]

A community consists of single entities and single cells, these can very well exist with differing views and opinions on many issues. They live within a general framework that must be upheld. This is being done by the site owners and the mods.

So dont you worry about our community, it will have no trouble with threads like these, we had no trouble discussing such topics at the old place, and it is no different here.

[SickPup404]

Well, I just wanted to say - Awsome Avatar!

[fatal xception]

Dooooog,

I don't think that what is expressed will necessarily derail what has been built here.

I disagree with nearly everything Dave has stated in that thread and in another thread (Dave, I am only picking on you becase we have disagreeded many times). I still respect what he has written and for technical advice (which is what we are all really here for), his help would be greatly appreciated and not lessened in value for the threads in the community forum.

I think we can all be different, some more extreme than other, and still help each other.

[Epidemic]

The over reaction of one who does not get their way is not a big problem for me. I think even the most vicious of attacks on that thread are but minor anoyances. There is little excuse for the intolerance that the individual in question is displaying. If the thread bothers him he can turn the channel. I thought the subject of that post made a bad decision and I will change the channel if I want.

[lost-and-found]

megalos, that one thread that you specify will not destroy the community. Notice that outside that thread no flaming and arguing is going on on that subject.

[caddmannq]

Megalos:

Now I haven't read every post on the thread in question, so perhaps the boundries of common decency have been overstepped; but that's not a reason to to post a public monologue about the moderators, the forum, the members, or the policies.

What it would certainly occasion is a PM to a mod or administrator, and maybe a friendly reminder right in the thread about being offensive.

I've posted this here as a public statement, as some others could probably stand a reminder too. It's personal, of course, but not (I hope) too personal.

The community forum is often just a big B.S. session.
I don't see a reason to hold the reins too tightly unless someone becomes seriously abusive to another, or the flames are fanned too high.

Face it: we're gonna get off track from time to time, and there are always gonna be serious disagreements on hot issues.

[SickPup404]

If it is the thread I'm thinking of, I have refrained from reading it, and the only reason I opened it was to check that it was 6 pages....

I just prefer to (with few exceptions) stick to tech (IMO).

[Theophylact]

Dooog,

"Changing the channel" is exactly what I suggested in that now infamous thread. It's a really simple solution, and applies to a lot of issues.

I'm sorry that there are lots of folks who would rather take away everyone else's television, instead of turning off their own.

[MDdan]

Humm....I missed the Nick thread as it was going on, so I went back and reviewed it.

I'm afraid I fail to see how the community is falling apart as a result of it, or how it was way out of control.

Some people I agreed with, some I didn't, some people argued well, some people just ranted. Not the first time any of that has happened. But as is typical of most of these threads, there was alot of talking past each other. (I'm probably guilty of that myself sometimes)

I guess I'd say for those who don't like the tone of the discussion, do your part to elevate it. And just ignore it if it becomes too annoying. There's been more than a few threads I've intentionally ignored, and I imagine my ideas may have caused some folks to ignore threads that I participated in.


As for the moderators, I really appreciate the way they approach this stuff, hands off, but they step in when necessary. Over-zealous moderating would be very annoying, but I think they've struck a good balance.