MESSAGE BOARDS - an open or shut case??

Admin Age : 57 Joined : 21 Feb 2007 Posts : 690

Is this message board TOO open… ie .. open so anybody can see what’s posted.

Personally, I don’t think so.

On this message board we don’t ‘demand’ to know the ‘real’ name of a person.. their gender.. roughly where they live… clubs they attend.. etc etc. Everyone who is a member and eligible to post is mature enough only to disclose personal information which THEY feel happy in giving. Yes of course it can prove a little awkward if someone is using a non genderised nickname, but hey… that can be part of the fun… and besides.. who cares.. does your perspective of someone with whom you not only conversations with but also have line dancing as a common ‘bond’ with change because you find out they are of a different gender than what you perceived at the start. If there are ‘profiles’ on a message board – you can put as much or as little information about yourself on there… and only existing members would be able to see that info anyway.

Maybe some people may feel that if this (or any other message board) was a ‘in house/closed’ affair they would feel ‘safer’ in the knowledge that all members are friendly people… maybe so. But what if the message board had hundreds of members… does each individual member know EVERY other member – personally… to put it bluntly, if there are people out there hell bent on mischief – they CAN be anybody.

Maybe some people just don’t like members not providing ‘personal’ info but are ‘allowed’ to post messages expressing their opinions. These posters may be deemed to have an ‘attitude problem’ (Oxford: attitude problem.. someone who expresses a view that someone else doesn’t agree with)… but can be controlled if they give their personal details to appease certain individuals.

Interestingly, about 4 years ago I brought up the subject of members of a message who didn’t sign in but preferred to announce themselves as a ‘guest’ – nobody knew who they were. I was shot down in flames.

What is your opinion on this… [on this site we value your opinions]

Admin Joined : 03 Dec 2006 Posts : 402

This board was created so that people could join and post freely, and the members could provide as much or as little information about themselves as they see fit.

My reason for doing this was because of a horrible experience with another message board (non line dancing) where the 'moderators' take particular delight in finding out as much about members and their personal lives as they can. Then they take incredible joy in posting as much about you, maliciously on another forum as they can. Whether it be the truth or lies. And all because they have nothing better to do with their time and you may have posted an opposing view to their own.

So on this board freedom to have a say is the priority. But if anyone posts anything that the moderators regard as spiteful, malicious, offensive or anything that is reported as over the top the posts will be removed and the member warned or banned.

To date this has never been necessary, so there is no need to 'vet' forumites.

Admin Age : 57 Joined : 21 Feb 2007 Posts : 690

On looking around it always seems that the ‘whistle blowers’, people who ‘tell it like it really is’, even people who try to even correct a highly visible mistruth are the people who get persecuted, vilified and often treated as lepers. This happens more often than not when they confront the ‘establishment’. These people don’t set out to be Martyrs or anything – it just happens – they see something wrong, an injustice and because of their perception of honesty, openness and integrity they wish to address the balance, enlighten others – and to give their opinion.

We all know about diplomacy.. and we mostly obey this often maligned word/act. But what happens when the ‘other side’ know that – and THEY don’t ‘play by the rules’. It appears then that the majority of people, to avoid ANY form of confrontation use ANY excuse NOT to mention or highlight this duel standard.

But whoa beside a person who DOES stick their head above the parapet.

And what it also appears to happen is that as time goes by another myth or lie gets added to ‘list’ that this person is saddled with – and they very often cannot do a thing about it.

Doesn’t seem quite right does it –but then again… this is just MY opinion… lol – but I will stand by it come Hell or high water (blimey… now which Cowboy film did THAT saying come from…lolol)

And providing everybody (including me) obeys the very simple rules as DG has reiterated in the above post – then NOBODY will be treated as a Leper for voicing their opinion on this site/message board.

Subject: Re: MESSAGE BOARDS - an open or shut case?? Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:09 pm

I dont think this message board is too open. What's it's purpose if others cant read or respond to something thats been posted?

The problem on some message boards is that when the "vigilante commitee" dont agree with something, they cant just express their view, accept that theres a difference of opinion and then move on. They like to get personal (usually because they dont have a sound argument to back up their views and so personal attacks are the only way they can assert their "authority"). And of course when a poster is anonymous, unidentifiable or has no personal info displayed theres no way of making such attacks.

Glory Seeker Joined : 15 Feb 2007 Posts : 338

Welcome back Jennie.

High Noon, Mike?

Subject: Re: MESSAGE BOARDS - an open or shut case?? Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:47 pm

Admin Age : 57 Joined : 21 Feb 2007 Posts : 690

Well said Jennie....

"The problem on some message boards is that when the..... etc etc"

Destiny.. was it High Noon..???...

Glory Seeker Joined : 15 Feb 2007 Posts : 338

Hi Mike

You asked in yesterdays post:- Hell or High Water....which cowboy film did that saying come from. I was just guessing High Noon scratch

Admin Age : 57 Joined : 21 Feb 2007 Posts : 690

Huh... I thought all linedancers were officiado's of Cowboy (& Injun) films....I was being whimsical... it would be harder to name the film it DIDN'T come from.... Exclamation