Have the SL forums become dysfunctional?

Again you are implying that things are being said that have not been said. Lets stick to the question of "Is there a problem" rather than saying "I just know you are pointing the finger at ME"

So far this discussion has been EXTREMELY atypical compared to the tone that has permeated the forums in the past few months. ALL participants should give themselves a hand for their conduct.

I am looking forward to the input of the "after-work" players later tonight as well.

Well, no, I'm more implying what Ardith has done.

Obviously if someone feels the need to go that far, I need to re-evaluate my contribution.

The forums have totaly desintigrated, mostly thanks to certain people who have allready answered personaly in this thread.

I dont really bother posting about important issues in here anymore unless I feel suicidical.

I voted "yes" because, while this is still a good forum, the noise has gone up in the past few months. It's all very amusing though

Yup.

I think the Forums have become more dysfunctional because the skill level of the trolls and lamesters has really gone downhill. Of course I won't mention names but who has time to wade through a 10 paragragh post that says absolutely NOTHING? If the various "wordsmiths" can't make their point in a few concise sentences they are just cluttering up the Forums with their mindless drivel.

It is my opinion that the General forum has become a bit dysfunctional, while the rest of the forums (Classifieds, New Products, Well Wishes, Hotline to Linden, etc.) have, in fact, become more useful. I also believe that there has become a fundamental divide between SL in the forums and SL in-world that is less easy to pin down. It would seem that the General forum has become a place where those with an agenda can make their case. Perhaps a new forum should be created for such things and moderation, specifically moving of threads, be increased on the General forum to this new forum.


In the end though, I believe that any General forum is a bad idea as it has no specific focus and tends to degenerate into a state such as this. I would not be against the removal of the General forum altogether.

Seconded. It really doesn't seem to serve a purpose. The forums overall are very informative and helpful. This one, however, usually is not good for much beyond supporting drama and divisiveness. I'd not at all be sad to see it go.

Aru, Cienna, both great solutions and they should be discussed. Hold tight, if the vote count continues with this trend I will be posting a thread where we discuss solutions to the problem tonight or tomorrow. I will love to have your input.

For those who either fear, or want to make others fear that I am going to propose a new age of censorship and linden oppression, please reserve your judgement until you see what I have to say. I do not like censorship or intrusive policing any more than the next person.

maybe YOU don't, but Aimee WEEBLER... now that's another story!

I just feel sorry for Jeska and Pathfinder today.

Or whichever one of them lost the thumb wrestling...

The forums are still useful. Just don't read the asshats' posts.

One problem that occurs, though, is when someone purposely enters threads just to provoke and disrupt a topic, invariably the thread goes off track and becomes a game of responding to that poster. What has been happening lately is that this has been occuring in nearly every thread of any kind of substance, and it is what Aimee is concerned about. I am too. I am all for having ones own opinion - change is brought about that way. However, trolling in threads just to anger and upset people, and to cause divisiveness is not something to be proud of or to protect.

The answer is to not reply to it, to cut off the supply of reaction that such people feed on. I reached my breaking point when something as innocuous as a guide to help new players was met with derision and painted in the most sinister light. It was insulting to the original poster, and anyone who wanted to help. The fact that others today reached a breaking point at nearly the same time is interesting, but not surprising. The rash of posts causing this disruption have been relentless, and the only way to counteract them is to give them no credence whatsoever - no reaction, no response. This will allow conversations to continue, even conversations where people disagree strongly, because it will be honest - not manipulated for sport.

Actually, the answer is just to let people know this is making you unhappy.

I don't think anyone around here is out to upset anyone.

Voted 'yes' no comment needed really just read through the forums - if you can actually DO that without making your eyes bleed.

Blaze,

You have admitted that you often post just to be contrary - which is it, you can't have it both ways? I don't think you are intentionally malicious, which is why I don't feel the need to put you on ignore, but you are incendiary and often push things as far as you can to get some kind of reaction.

I can't take Prokofy anymore, I am to the point where the posts make me ill. Even Prokofy disavows you, which is to your credit - your motives are apparently as suspect as the rest of us in his mind. As I said in another thread, I do think you genuinely love SL, but I do think you are way too enamoured with your own ideas to listen to anyone else or have a real debate about anything. You just tune people out and don't respond to questions or any criticism. No one learns or grows that way. At least you finally admitted you are an alt account - why the need to hide?

<sweet, happy thoughts> <sweet, happy thoughts>

Honestly, I had no idea (though I should have) that people were getting upset by the mental gymnastics.

No problem, like I have said before, it was never an intention to actually upset anyone.

And that is something that sets you apart from Prokofy, and one of the reasons that even when I disagree with you, as much as you frustrate me on occasion, I do respect you. It takes a lot to step back the way you are trying to do now.

Not for me, actually.

The advantage of being a proponent of all sides is that I can happily switch sides with little mental difficulty.

I can be a sycophant to the community as easily as I can to prok.

The down side to playing the role of sycophant is that it appears you have no true ideas of your own, and thus no depth. I personally would like to see more of your own ideas, not those coopted from someone else because they are hot button issue of the moment.

"become dysfunctional" whattya mean "become"

Siggy.

blaze, I think you got your answer now to the query about who the next big forum ego would become

It would appear that way, yes. But things are not always what they appear.

sycophant is different than shit-stirrer

*AHEM* Remember that guy flying through the Death Star trench in Star Wars....


"stay on target......stay on target......"