View Full Version : Is this forum dying a death
tiger woods
01-Jan-15, 22:10
Given the regularity of posts, perhaps this forum has run it's course.
Mother Superior
01-Jan-15, 22:24
Are you on the 19th hole?
tiger woods
01-Jan-15, 22:34
Are you on the 19th hole?
Seems like this whole forum is on the 19th. I remember the days where there were dozens of posts every hour, most were garbage though.
Seems like this whole forum is on the 19th. I remember the days where there were dozens of posts every hour, most were garbage though.Facebook is to blame.
That's where everyone who is very important now rants about whatever's in their head that very second, and who's first reaction to every 'problem' is to log on to tell everyone. Humble Braggers love it too, 500 pictures of your new house/car/present you've bought someone/holiday/kids 'amazing' report card can be uploaded in the click of an iPhone 6 or all to admire. And then there's the emotionally unstable who leave vague statuses that are supposed to encourage a wave of concern from friends they hardly know who are also only on their friends list in case they miss out on the tiniest morsel of gossip.
Some people love being legends in their own living rooms, Facebook is the ideal platform for them.
Caithness.org forum is not really suitable for the above, hence why the forum is quieter these days.
Tiger is right in saying most of the posts were rubbish-I'm one of the guilty party in that respect, however, facebook is not to blame, heavy handed moderation is what has brought the forum to its present condition, there's so many good debaters have been banned or gave up because of the censorship. I may not always have agreed with them, or someone like John Little were too intellectual that I gave up reading his long-winded posts, but they were good for the forum, they kept it alive with a regular turnover of threads; now, sadly, no one can be bothered, and I don't have the answers in how to reverse the situation.
Kevin Milkins
02-Jan-15, 09:52
I find its gone from good light hearted banter to a battle of wits. It seems the days of posting the first bit of nonsense that came to mind and having a bit of fun and interaction with like minded people has long gone.
Southern-Gal
02-Jan-15, 16:13
I would agree that maybe facebook has replaced a lot of forums but that is not to say that having this forum specifically for the people of Caithness is not a good idea. When we moved up here it was really helpful for us to be able to find out about things going on locally and I still use it now.
Green_not_greed
02-Jan-15, 18:52
I disagree. Perhaps Facebook has contributed but I think the main reason this forum is largely DEAD - and it is ! - is over moderation and the threat of banning which has been getting worse for a few years but came to a head in the "independence" posts. We should all have been entitled to post how we felt about that, and we were not allowed to do so. There are other forums which allow good self expression without the threats from moderators.
I would agree that maybe facebook has replaced a lot of forums but that is not to say that having this forum specifically for the people of Caithness is not a good idea. When we moved up here it was really helpful for us to be able to find out about things going on locally and I still use it now.
Sorry, but I was not aware that this forum was "specifically for the people of Caithness". I was under the impression that anyone who had lived, wanted to live, or just had an interest in the county was welcome.
Southern-Gal
02-Jan-15, 22:27
Read 'people of Caithness' as anyone with an interest in Caithness :)
Maybe people are tired of their posts being picked over in an attempt to pick an argument ;)
its dying as too many people have nothing better to do than pull the p out of people and just rag them about every thing from spelling to grammer and just can not be serious about any comment but its the same few that cause the problems
tiger woods
02-Jan-15, 22:50
its dying as too many people have nothing better to do than pull the p out of people and just rag them about every thing from spelling to grammer and just can not be serious about any comment but its the same few that cause the problems
It's not just dying, I think it's dead already.
If the Mods are the reason for this, then perhaps it's time to sign up to Facebook to see what all the fuss is about.
Read 'people of Caithness' as anyone with an interest in Caithness :)
Maybe people are tired of their posts being picked over in an attempt to pick an argument ;)
I can assure you that having been a member of this forum for over 10 years I have never picked over any posts in an attempt to start an argument! I am sure that many orgers will back me up on this.
Your original post stated "specifically for the people of Caithness" and not "anyone with an interest in Caithness".
its dying as too many people have nothing better to do than pull the p out of people and just rag them about every thing from spelling to grammer and just can not be serious about any comment but its the same few that cause the problems
*grammar, not grammer
;)
I can assure you that having been a member of this forum for over 10 years I have never picked over any posts in an attempt to start an argument! I am sure that many orgers will back me up on this.
You're doing it now.
I've been on this forem for 14 years, it's had it's highs. it's had it's lows and it's good to see that when a topic comes along that we all relate to there are still those prepared to argue the toss.
Kevin Milkins
03-Jan-15, 01:30
I can assure you that having been a member of this forum for over 10 years I have never picked over any posts in an attempt to start an argument! I am sure that many orgers will back me up on this.
Your original post stated "specifically for the people of Caithness" and not "anyone with an interest in Caithness".
That's not strictly true, it will be ten years in April;)
See, we are back to the original style of banter already. lol (and laguna2 is not a trouble maker)
Bloody pedants, that's the Welsh for you! 😃😃😃
I disagree. Perhaps Facebook has contributed but I think the main reason this forum is largely DEAD - and it is ! - is over moderation and the threat of banning which has been getting worse for a few years but came to a head in the "independence" posts. We should all have been entitled to post how we felt about that, and we were not allowed to do so. There are other forums which allow good self expression without the threats from moderators.
I agree, so much so that during the independence debate..and run up to vote & after..I decided not to bother..being provoked by the no-voters..admittedly, I have barely been on since then..
If the Mods are the reason for this, then perhaps it's time to sign up to Facebook to see what all the fuss is about.
I joined a group called caithness Crack and was disappointed, people on there mainly post photo's and no real chat.
David Banks
03-Jan-15, 23:18
Tiger is right in saying most of the posts were rubbish-I'm one of the guilty party in that respect, however, facebook is not to blame, heavy handed moderation is what has brought the forum to its present condition, there's so many good debaters have been banned or gave up because of the censorship. I may not always have agreed with them, or someone like John Little were too intellectual that I gave up reading his long-winded posts, but they were good for the forum, they kept it alive with a regular turnover of threads; now, sadly, no one can be bothered, and I don't have the answers in how to reverse the situation.
You've nailed it (again) joxville !
As I remember it, you were the first person to "welcome" me to the forum, in your own unforgettable style.
It took me a while to learn some etiquette, to give up picking on grammar and punctuation "mistakes" (à la Major Green from Crossroads primary school) and accept the stream-of-consciousness style of posting by many. My attempts at proper grammar and punctuation would not raise most of my posts above "rubbish" in terms of content.
My inclination is to agree with everything you said except for having an opinion on how to reverse the situation. Even with a full-blown mea culpa and a complete turnaround from the moderators, the forum as we knew it will not be able to return for a generation - by which time I'll be pushing up daisies.
I have to thank the forum for putting me in touch with some long lost acquaintances whom I would not have reconnected with otherwise - at least one of which is no longer with us, for making several new contacts, for enabling me to learn "stuff," to broaden some of my views, and to feel some of the passion of the independence debate from across the Atlantic.
Losing contact with that debate with only a few days to go was almost like losing a member of my family, or at least maybe a leg -- and I had to learn to use crutches.
But, as they say, "stuff happens."
I've had a few infractions in my time, a couple of them warranted, one in particular was for trolling, but that was in my early days on here and at a time when this was the first forum I'd joined and had no idea what trolling meant, but I've posted many things since that I wonder how I never got suspended, I really did sail close to the wind! The banter on here was brilliant, even the Orgers I knew to be mods joined in, and very rarely did anyone take offence. Initially I joined the site just to keep in touch with a place I loved, it was a big part of my life for 11 years, (I've been on holiday in Thurso for the last two weeks visiting my son and it's been great walking around meeting people I knew), and I made some good friends through the site but almost all of them no longer post, some because they got tired of always being shot down by the same people who would never accept anothers right to an opinion, and some who were banned.
It's not just the Mods, the owners/admin must accept some of the blame too for the way the site is now. You cannot run a public forum and expect everyone to get on; we all have different values, sense of humour, political opinions etc., and naturally people will fall out, it's the frailties of being human and having a brain, but it's what kept the forum alive and ticking. The site has really changed over the last year, in fact there was so many bans over the last few months that I'd look in each day just to see if anyone else had been given the chop, that even if those bans were lifted, I doubt many of them would return. In my time on here there has been stale patches then it would pick up again, I just hope this stale patch doesn't become permanent.
One more thing I'd like to add, I know Bill Fernie is a local councillor though I don't know his or his families political leanings, but if people have been banned because of having a different political stance, then I'd question their right to run an 'open' forum. I do hope I'm wrong.
One more thing I'd like to add, I know Bill Fernie is a local councillor though I don't know his or his families political leanings, but if people have been banned because of having a different political stance, then I'd question their right to run an 'open' forum. I do hope I'm wrong.
I totally agree Jox, I stopped posting during the referendum, because I thought I too might be banned for my political leanings.
We met on here a long time ago Jox, and I too remember the good humour of the Org in those days, the chat room was always a laugh, especially on Sunday quiz nights, attracting Orgers from all over the world. I am still in touch with most of them today, I made a lot of friends here on the Org and i still consider my Org pals as an elite group.
A happy New Year to everyone old and new. I can hardly believe how long it's been since I signed up to Caithness.org.
I don't believe the Fernies have had anything to do with the decline of this forum. They created this fantastic website and the forums were just a side effect which because of it's location and the connections of it's members gave most of us a common bond in the beginning. It was a new form of communication for most of us
and we learnt to use It on the hoof. We made lots of mistakes and by the very nature of human beings we needed rules and moderation. I've seen so-called unmoderated forums by otherwise honourable people and they hold no attraction for me. With freedom of speech comes personal responsibility.
There was something compelling about indiscreet squabbling on the org and we all used to love it but eventually it became that no one was exempt from the indiscretions. The most innocent of posts could very quickly turn into someones personal nightmare. There were good times too but it's too risky any more. Find an unmoderated forum if rules are not for you.
The orgs not dead but it's changing and it needed to.
BetterTogether
04-Jan-15, 13:00
A happy New Year to everyone old and new. I can hardly believe how long it's been since I signed up to Caithness.org.
I don't believe the Fernies have had anything to do with the decline of this forum. They created this fantastic website and the forums were just a side effect which because of it's location and the connections of it's members gave most of us a common bond in the beginning. It was a new form of communication for most of us
and we learnt to use It on the hoof. We made lots of mistakes and by the very nature of human beings we needed rules and moderation. I've seen so-called unmoderated forums by otherwise honourable people and they hold no attraction for me. With freedom of speech comes personal responsibility.
There was something compelling about indiscreet squabbling on the org and we all used to love it but eventually it became that no one was exempt from the indiscretions. The most innocent of posts could very quickly turn into someones personal nightmare. There were good times too but it's too risky any more. Find an unmoderated forum if rules are not for you.
The orgs not dead but it's changing and it needed to.
Hello Gleeber and a Happy New Year, there is no doubt that this forum has had its ups and downs over the years with many people coming and going and the flow of traffic varying from time to time as would be expected. You're quite correct that freedom of speech comes with some personal responsibility but it also has to be accepted that there is more than one view. The Org always has been a place where people could vent their spleens over apparent slights and as long as it is kept to a manner which no one is mentioned by name or clearly identified also nothing vulgar then to some degree that is what freedom of speech is about. Where I disagree with you is how this was applied during the referendum debate it became quite clear during the latter stages of debate that the forum had become very one sided with people of one political persuasion being banned for what appeared to be arbitrary decisions or on the spiteful reporting from some making hyperbole into more than it is. Sadly the after effects are clear and the forum has suffered as a consequence. I am aware that after the referendum an offer was made to some of those banned to have their screen names reinstated by one of the owners of the site but apparently the requests from him to send an email where ignored and his word meant nothing. Now I could accept that it had nothing to do with the owners if these undertakings where not still openly visible on the net for those who know where to look and the fact that the banned members are quite vociferous in how that particular person has treated them. I have personally received emails stating that an offer was made and that when acted upon nothing came of it so it would seem that there is one person whose word is not their bond which in a small community such as this is no good thing.
No doubt this post will be removed by someone not liking the bitter taste of truth and who doesn't appreciate the liberties which living in a free society carries with it, but should that happen or I become banned then it would reflect more on them and their inability to accept there part in this than my application of harsh truths.
I should think that if people where to keep their word and the moderation to become less stringent then the forum may well return to its former vibrant levels of activity but if the current levels of extreme levels of intolerance persist then eventually it will wither and die
As a wise person once said " Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the adherence of the foolish"
Yes I was banned for postings I made on the Independence debate, I bear no hard feelings about that. That was the rule in force at that time I broke it so was banned so lets move on. We all, hopefully Moderators included learned a lesson.
What really got me annoyed was the Rise of the Sock Puppets and so called New Members who joined at that time seemingly to stir the pot then disappear after the debate. So many Members who where banned threw their rattles out off the pram and vowed never to return, (but I think most are still here as aforementioned Sock Puppets). Where is the honour in that?
I have had a few P.M`s from members of another forum asking me to join them on a seemingly un-regulated forum where anything goes and spleen is vented on any-one not agreeing with their views and filthy language seems to be the norm and personal attacks on posters on this forum are frequent. Unfortunately rules here prevent me from naming them.
Yes a lot of my post are viewed as rubbish so what? at least I have an opinion. What is wrong with asking questions or other peoples opinions? Why can I not post without being personally attacked for making mistakes or not having the same opinion as others? At least I am willing to learn.
BetterTogether
04-Jan-15, 18:11
As a wise person once said " Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the adherence of the foolish"
Yes I was banned for postings I made on the Independence debate, I bear no hard feelings about that. That was the rule in force at that time I broke it so was banned so lets move on. We all, hopefully Moderators included learned a lesson.
What really got me annoyed was the Rise of the Sock Puppets and so called New Members who joined at that time seemingly to stir the pot then disappear after the debate. So many Members who where banned threw their rattles out off the pram and vowed never to return, (but I think most are still here as aforementioned Sock Puppets). Where is the honour in that?
I have had a few P.M`s from members of another forum asking me to join them on a seemingly un-regulated forum where anything goes and spleen is vented on any-one not agreeing with their views and filthy language seems to be the norm and personal attacks on posters on this forum are frequent. Unfortunately rules here prevent me from naming them.
Yes a lot of my post are viewed as rubbish so what? at least I have an opinion. What is wrong with asking questions or other peoples opinions? Why can I not post without being personally attacked for making mistakes or not having the same opinion as others? At least I am willing to learn.
Ok let me just get this straight,so you've previously been banned from this site by your own admission and have now returned as a sock puppet but are complaining about others allegedly being sock puppets. Surely I cant be the only one seeing a certain degree of hypocrisy in what you've said.
Now from what I gather from some of those who have been banned and also being on the other forum the problem was more to do with it being banning's for political views as opposed to anything else and as one of the owners of this site offered most of them their accounts back then reneged on that agreement I can to some extent understand their frustration.
Theres nothing wrong with having an opinion or asking questions of others opinions that would be the whole point in having a forum the sharing of ideas or discussion of those ideas, but it would seem as far as this forum is concerned any view that isn't pro independence is shut down and those who attempt to engage in any debate that isn't pro independence appear to get banned. That in my view isn't very democratic considering the referendum outcome was a majority for us staying part of the Union it appears on this forum that a majority view is to be silenced, hence to current debate on the long term future of this forum. It may make a small group of small minded people feel incredibly empowered by silencing the view of the majority but all that tells us is how skewed their own personal views on democracy are, and gives the general population even more reason to be glad the outcome was as it was. Who would really want to live in a country where you cannot speak out because a small minority have control and seek to influence the way we think and act. History is littered with dictators who tried this all have invariably failed.
What a load of crap. I am no Sock Puppet. I have only ever used one name here not numerous. My name is Sam I joined in 09 after my Dad died in September of that year rather than use his user name. I am in favour of independence for Scotland and was banned because one of your opinion did not agree with my point of view and reported my post as insulting to them. Better Together ? it remains to be seen.
According to Better Together anyone who does not agree with her/him
are all small minded no voters.
Is any-one shutting you down Better Together are you still posting on both sites? Who is the hypocrite.
To be honest if I owned a website run by my son and someone came onto the forum and accused him of being dishonourable I would ban them. lol
I havent posted here for a while but I hope it isnt dying. I have been a member for around 12 years I think, i have met many orgers (many who i have disagreed with eh Golach) and it has always been a pleasant and interesting place to post until the last year. The unpleasantness that I saw here on the way to the referendum was something i hadnt seen before, wasnt prepared for and it carried through from here to Private messages, emails and posts on other forums which were unnerving and felt sinister and threatening.
I have never felt vulnerable on this forum but I began to feel that way. Now many of you might think that is my own fault for sticking my head above the parapet and speaking out in support of Independence but you know, I have posted on controversial issues before and never been on the end of the hate and vitriol that I have received in the last twelve months from posters on this forum and I dont think I am special or the only one who has been singled out.
The endless sock puppets making the same comments over and over again, the endless attempts to interrupt and cause mischief and the insults and accusations which i have seen posted here and elsewhere both on the run up to the referendum and afterwards, about the people that run this forum make me wonder why on earth they expect to be welcomed back with open arms. I am with Gleeber on this. This forum is not a public service - it is run by the people who run it and they make the rules - that's the way it is. If any of us ran this forum and offered people an amnesty and they continued to insult and slag us off then wouldnt every single one of us tell them to get lost and ignore any emails and representation they made. Why on earth do those banned members expect to be treated in any other way?
If you dont like the way the forum is run then go join somewhere else.
Lizz is right - the forum is sometimes popular and sometimes not - it has changed in the past and it will do so again I am sure. We will just have to see how and when.
In the meantime
Happy New Year :)
Hi Squidge. Well done. I saw some of the nasty stuff you put up with before the referendum and particularly afterwards from certain quarters. There were about half a dozen who were particularly nasty towards you. Are you saying some of those names were the same people?
HI Gleeber.
I dont know. I only know that there would be a flurry of posts and then the posters would be banned. new users would then appear and the same thing would happen over and over again. I didnt ask the admin what was going on and there was only one occasion where I reported posters after I felt particuarly threatened and I received a private message telling me that they were the same person. I did later find out that these two were not the same person and I apologised for my mistake but I am not sorry for reporting the original poster.
Since the referendum I have seen sock puppets appear and disappear and i have heard that there is boasting elsewhere about how clever the sock puppets are and how stupid the admin here are but I guess there is always mischief makers and the forum will either continue or it wont. If i was running it though i would have got fed up long before this lol.
Further to my earlier post, I must be wrong about NO supporters being banned, I myself had posted in one of the independence threads that I supported the better together campaign and I'm still here. Having said that, I have also said in the past I'd like to see an independent Scotland, I just didn't believe now is the right time, and definitely not with the present lot who head up the SNP, we'd have been swapping crooks, charlatans and chancers in Westminster for similar in Holyrood. I'm not a member of any other forums nor am I in contact with anyone who's been banned so am unaware that an amnesty may have been offered, I apologise to the Fernie family for my earlier comment if that's the case.
Neil Howie
05-Jan-15, 21:55
I agree that other social media (facebook, etc) may be taking away the more jokey type posts, but the NHS thread has 6813 views from 10 Dec to date, suggesting that the forum is still serving as an important community hub.
I would also say that the whole Org/Independence banning was surprising and escalated pretty quickly! I don't think anyone (the Org or those banned) came out of it looking good, everyone got burned.
Yes Neil The Org still and I hope will continue to play a very great part in the lives of the Caithness Wordwide community. Thanks to The Fernie Family. But there should be no forgiveness for the
cowardly attacks by the Sock Puppets on squidge and the Fernie family amongst others here on The Org and elswhere.
Although I don't condone the attacks on Squidge, from what I recall from the threads, she did quite well in defending her position; I'd suggest it was cowardly and/or foolish by the Fernies to ban known members which then forced them to create sock puppet accounts. I'd have gone by the old adage, 'Keep your friends close...'
I'm not privy to all that went on behind the scenes but if the threat of legal action was mooted then I'll bet there was a few rapidly pulsing sphincters! :-)
joxville, these sock puppet accounts where set up before, during and after the Referendum debate to cause mischief here on The Org. The Fernie Family sought to mitigate the damage being caused by these cowardly individuals to The Org and its members. They acted in no way cowardly only in the best interest of bona fide members.
It is dying a death because the simplest post or request is picked apart and then the bones fought over. It has been going on for ages and I suppose people have just had enough of it.
joxville, these sock puppet accounts where set up before, during and after the Referendum debate to cause mischief here on The Org. The Fernie Family sought to mitigate the damage being caused by these cowardly individuals to The Org and its members. They acted in no way cowardly only in the best interest of bona fide members.You might be right Sam but ultimately, what does it mean at the end of the day? It's a website which happened to spawn a forum, a forum where some were allowed to let their egos run amok while, on the face of it, those that dissented were banned. It may be precious to the Fernies but to outsiders it's just a provincial website, sadly, one which seems to have not just shot itself in the foot, but pulled the pin in a grenade and forgotten to throw it!
I don't know if it can recover from that.
Maybe it's time for a complete change, for admin to be more open with the members and say why someone was banned instead of allowing rumours to propagate; and for the present Mods to stand down and have an open election amongst members for new Mods. When there's too much going on behind the scenes, we, as members, don't know who the real troublemakers are; a more open policy would protect the Fernies, the Org., and the innocent.
Green_not_greed
08-Jan-15, 14:24
Maybe it's time for a complete change, for admin to be more open with the members and say why someone was banned instead of allowing rumours to propagate; and for the present Mods to stand down and have an open election amongst members for new Mods. When there's too much going on behind the scenes, we, as members, don't know who the real troublemakers are; a more open policy would protect the Fernies, the Org., and the innocent.
Great idea !
The forum was "dead" as far as I was concerned long before the referendum and the fall out that ensued from that.
All forums tend to operate in cycles where the main issues get done to death and the need to discuss them again is not required for a very long time, if at all.
This site is just one of many and it has to be said that the chances of starting a meaningful thread here and getting serious and thoughtful debate about it is pretty slim nowadays. Two posts into a thread and the likelihood is that you'll have some smart ass, or someone who is taking offence, or someone just looking to stir the crap pot who will have jumped in and the thread is goosed before it ever got going.
I tried to make an effort on a thread concerning Cliff Richard, but despite being blindingly obvious that I was supporting Cliff's right to his chosen sexuality and his right to privacy, I was accused, bizarrely, of being a Homophobe. There was also another poster blatantly trying to feign being obtuse, in, what I think, was a vain attempt to be humourous.
I think Jox is barking up the wrong tree here with claims of over-moderation because, if anything the site was more heavily moderated a few years ago. I recall getting a warning simply for using the word "hard" on The Naked Rambler thread and also for masking a word via the sound it was pronounced by. In more recent times the same word has been used in all its glory on a explicit enough thread discussing the act it refers to. The s-word seems to crop up without much concern these days. whereas in the past even masking it or referring to the particular type of Muslim it referred to would have got you into trouble with the Moderators.
Freedom of speech is a myth and you won't find it in the times we live in where people are getting prosecuted for things said on Twitter and Facebook. I don't think the owners of this site should have to disband a group of Moderators and put it to a public vote. It is their site and they should reserve the right to see it Moderated in the way they desire. They have a responsibility that we, as users, don't have and it's easy to be critical when it is so easy to wash your hands of any problems that arise.
I don't have a problem with people getting banned. Users who can't follow the rules and/or who think it is their right to push the boundaries have only themselves to blame for being banned. I don't think it is asking a lot for users to behave in a civil manner and respect other peoples views. Some of those who were banned had nothing of value to add to the forum and were simply a destructive force. The door was the best place for them.
I don't think it is the right of users to know why anyone was banned. You make a choice when you join a forum to either abide by the rules or take a hike. I often wonder how many people who read the forum don't bother posting because they fear what tripe may come their way in reply? Nobody is asking that it's like the Tufty Club where everything is rosy but you can surely have a robust enough debate if you can use the right language and respect the other person whilst disagreeing with them?
A lot of good posters used to be around on this site and it seemed you could get a good, long-running, thread going with decent points being made on both sides of the debate. Times change though and people move on. perhaps upset, perhaps bored or perhaps just don't have the same time to commit to the forum. I miss some of those people and for me this forum is currently not one I tune into other than very occasionally. Rather than blame it on the Moderation I would rather that someone looking to make the place more interesting should perhaps start a thread that might be more positive and lead to some discussion amongst those who read but don't post.
Symptomatic of the forum's plight would seem to be no mention of the murderous attack on freedom of expression at a magazine office in Paris, whilst there is a raging debate going on over a lost drone flying in Thurso.
I spend most of my time writing about horse racing these days but I wish forum users and posters all the best in livening the place up.
Over to you Jox and hope you are well.
Mystical Potato Head
08-Jan-15, 21:15
Well said Scorrie.This forum went downhill during the never ending debates,sorry thats a laugh calling them debates,i should have said the lectures on climate change,wind farms etc from the resident scientists who belittled virtually everyone's input.
It went on and on,thats when people started leaving or gave up posting.Haven't been on here myself for 18 months and if i do look at the forum its no more than once a month.Just had to comment on Scorries post,paragraph 3 sums up the org perfectly.
Thanks for your good wishes scorrie, I hope you are well too.
I used to be a member of a forum where the Mods were known and if they had to give someone a warning it was posted on that particular thread, the offending poster was given a chance to retract or re-word what they had written, if they refused then they were given a months suspension, and very rare was someone issued a permanent ban. In almost all cases the system worked, I don't see why it can't work here. If it carries on it could mean more banned members than users! If it were to change I'd gladly put myself forward to be considered as a Mod, I'd have no problem with taking people to task if I believed them to be wrong; equally, I'll readily apologise if I'm wrong about something, I won't hide behind a screen name and system that doesn't allow you the right of appeal. I've previously posted my real name on here, it's Joe Fell; I've nothing to hide.
I won't hold my breath waiting.
Neil Howie
08-Jan-15, 23:14
"All forums tend to operate in circles" - Scorrie
How true, even threads about the org, in a meta way! -
I was thinking of happy times of 2012
Who killed the org??
Why is the org so quiet? It has seemed to die on the old discussion side of things. Is this due to the SNP plans to ditch England or could it be owners neglect, the recession, good weather and facebooks global domination?
All views gratefully received.
And the glory days of 2010
getting to be pathetic
what ever happened to the org its just getting worse we are not all suppose to agree we have debates but its getting sad and stupid cant believe what i read sometimes i go on for a bit of advice ,i always get good advice for a banter in which i also get now is turned to stupidness so sad
or those golden days of 2009
Thumper 23-Feb-09, 09:27
I feel that if the org became just for Caithness related things,it would become quite boring!Lets face it its not the busiest of places really is it?It would end up with a million threads on windfarms,asda-or the possiblity of it,Dounreay,the lack of good shops,fish prices and tup prices and not much else!
I like the fun threads we get from time to time and I enjoy the banter that goes on,I feel that its been the few "idiots" that have joined recently that have managed to spoil other peoples view of the org.
Yet again I say-live and let live-dont like a thread-pass it by-but leave those that are enjoying it to it!Life is too short for arguements and bickering in real life so why do it on the internet? x
then there's rose-tinted 2008
LIZZ
03-Apr-08, 20:53
I rarely post on the general forem these days and for very good reason.
I have been saddened by what appears to be dog fights between various posters and the fact that a thread if serious soon gets hijacked and wanders off on a very different course.
There are those who are thoughtful, measured and intelligent in their postings. there are others who are guaranteed to raise a smile or an outright giggle, others that choose to share their skill at photography and their knowledge of the area and it's it's flora and fauna. literature and all the other aspects that the site covers.
Consider this, this is a public forem that has memebers from all over the world along with guests. With that in mind stop and think some times about what you are saying and how you express your thoughts.
I've stuck my head over the parapet and am now going to sit in the bunker for a while as I know flak will fly.
And to bring it full circle with ref to mods etc who can forget the halcyon days of 2006 ?
valentine (http://forum.caithness.org/archive/index.php/t-6432.html)
31-Jan-06, 21:21
How many times do you have to get suspended before... (http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?6432-How-many-times-do-you-have-to-get-suspended-before...&)
Your banned for life?
There appears to be one or two people on this forum that get suspended then come straight back under a different name, they seem to come on try to wind people up get others into trouble and then get suspended, come back on and start all over again.
Do you think that these people should be banned altogether or is is an impossible situation that we have to put up.- a bit like neighbours from hell only forum members from hell!!:cry: :cry:
I've been re-reading Scorries post and it's made me think; I can't recall the last time we had a thread with good banter, I did try it recently starting one about the nights drawing in...it died a death. Also, as Scorrie also pointed out, the site is for the owners to do as they wish, and therein lies the problem, everytime a thread like this arises they never respond to it, nothing changes, it's as if they're burying their heads in the sand until the fuss or thread dies. So be it.
I used to have a great time on here chatting with others, I've not had that for a couple of years, I just stayed a member out of habit, the site itself no longer has a use for me. For those reasons, I won't be back, thanks for putting up with me, my best wishes to all of you. Goodbye.
I think this forum could do with an overhaul which might help attract visitors, but I understand at the same time it could deter the long-standing members if too much gets changed. I own a small sized forum for an online game and migrated from vBulletin 4 to XenForo, about a year ago with their simple migration tool and it is absolutely fantastic. I tried vBulletin 5 before migrating but it's terrible. I think something like this might be a good help and giving the forum a nice new fresh feeling, with better and more modern features.
I think the main thing that has caused a slump in the postings is the bullies,people are afraid to post for fear of being belittled,bullied,torn apart for their beliefs etc, not a new thing as such, it has sadly gone on for years,not just here either before anyone thinks thats what I am saying. It has also been used as a soapbox so much that people get bored of it IMHO,I used to love reading and posting on here,but now I only check in once in a while x
no wonder this forum is dead there so many wannabe mps or trolls waiting patiently for the next reply
weeker2014
13-Jan-15, 21:17
no wonder this forum is dead there so many wannabe mps or trolls waiting patiently for the next reply
And sadly many have been trolls that have been around for a long time and nothing has been done about them as they are with the "In Crowd". It puts other people off of posting and nobody wants to be betlittled every time they post, or have certain people trying to make sure everyone knows your identity and where you live. It is all really quite disgusting.
Alice in Blunderland
14-Jan-15, 19:32
I've been re-reading Scorries post and it's made me think; I can't recall the last time we had a thread with good banter, I did try it recently starting one about the nights drawing in...it died a death. Also, as Scorrie also pointed out, the site is for the owners to do as they wish, and therein lies the problem, everytime a thread like this arises they never respond to it, nothing changes, it's as if they're burying their heads in the sand until the fuss or thread dies. So be it.
I used to have a great time on here chatting with others, I've not had that for a couple of years, I just stayed a member out of habit, the site itself no longer has a use for me. For those reasons, I won't be back, thanks for putting up with me, my best wishes to all of you. Goodbye.
Ah Jox Im sad to see you go. We have had plenty of great times and banter over the years on this site. For many its a case of looking in now and again posting now and again but not a lot more compared to a few years ago. I miss the big debates we used to have on here including the laughs and the threads that ultimately were just taking the p out of each other and of course in my case Weeboyagee.
Before anyone leaps all over me, I'm not dragging up a thread that was last posted on 15th January 2015 for frivolous reasons , but it's shortly going to be a whole year since this discussion raised it's head again. A lot of you (and it's easy to see when orgers log in, and then nothing posted) - and surprising how many of 'em were the regular posters who've been on here for years and years.
I've spent quite a while now reading through all the postings on this thread.. and there has been a myriad of reasons why orgers think/thought it is/was dying.. We have all had our ding-dongs, me included, must have done, been suspended etc three times. But the liveliness of the forum has gone, and no it's not Facebook, otherwise you would not have those hundreds logging in for a minute or two and then logging off.
Fear of being banned? fear of being ridiculed? too boring? come on orgers what is it?. The Referendum 'debate'? which resulted in mass banning is over, what's to be done? what needs to happen.. I'm here now as is John Little and I'm sure there are many others who 'log in and leave' would like to post without having their heads ripped off?
John Little
09-Dec-15, 15:28
Few could reach mine to rip it off I think.....
The Horseman
09-Dec-15, 19:17
Perhaps it is because of some people's lack of respect for the Dead.
Perhaps people are tired of the posters who spout off about themselves and their achievements. Then when spoken to about the above, particularly about Cremation, they conveniently change the context and content of the Posts to suit their own agenda.
Then they get a few posters to harass you until you just give up. It's mostly Ego and nothing alse to do.
We saw it occur some years ago, and now only a few are allowed.
You know who you are....I am disappointed in Golach And Kodiak.
All rather sad...bye...
To The Org.....you should not allow posts to be changed/ edited.
You're safe John, but it's a sobering thought and a jolt to the senses to see that although there are 9,620 members on the Org. Some 8,537 are not active members..!
The Horseman
09-Dec-15, 19:18
It's OK....I have asked to be deleted.
It's OK....I have asked to be deleted.
there is always the alternative org
John Little
09-Dec-15, 19:36
Well Bekisman, what's done is done and whatever happens a community has to move forward together.
Hell - I'm not even in it and I know that!
It may be a bit like the end of WW1 when soldiers began to stick their heads above the parapet - at first a little disbelieving but then gradually realising that it was okay.
So.
Squidge!
Reggie!
Fred!
Crayola!
I'm gonna be nice to you - MWAH!
Come out and play!
Oh well, suppose the above #54 is a perfect example why the substance of this particular Thread on the Forum was pertinent.. never mind
No good knocking those good folks Golach And Kodiak - they are too old and wise to be bothered I think...
Anyway look forward to the next sock-puppet.!
John Little
09-Dec-15, 19:40
Golach and Kodiak?
Salt of the bleeding earth matey.
Salt of the earth!
Alice in Blunderland
09-Dec-15, 22:45
:Razz I say bring back Landmarker now that was one poster who could cause a lot of discussion and debate on the org.
John Little
10-Dec-15, 00:28
The game of life, the game of the Org.... Or any instrument you wish...
Jeezo John Little lol lol lol.
How about the instruments of humour, reconciliation and luuuuurve.
You start sweetie let's see how many of the grumpiest we can sweep along with us
Anyone seen Maud and Coco anywhere?
mmmwwwaaaaa
John Little
10-Dec-15, 09:54
It seems to me that other games play out elsewhere and that humour, reconciliation and lurve have rather a large part to play in the life of a small community or even a larger community that has to live with its neighbours.
it was a very wise decision by somebody to move Politics out of this section and I think that deserves a positive response for it has made the general section into a place for folk to talk.
if they want to scratch each other's eyes out then there is a place down the page for that purpose.
As to me I have had quite enough of politics for now. That game plays out as I watch with a jaundiced eye.
Maud and Coco are probably running a gaming house on the Black Isle these days, frequented by louche lounge lizards of loose morality. I'm sure they would be banned from here by admin in defence of public sensibilities...
Humour reconciliation and luuuuurve have a part to play EVERYWHERE in every walk of life. I have never in my entire life scratched anyone's eyes out although I have slapped a few faces in my time (she says with a roll of her eyes)
im out the Black Isle way today, I'll keep my eyes open for them both. They'll have aged a bit I think but a gaming house sounds fun
John Little
10-Dec-15, 10:12
Only if you have the cash to spare.
i have a few thoughts rattling in my head and feel a rather long thread post coming on.
if there's no Psychology section then I shall post it in General. Enjoy the Beautiful Black Isle.
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.