Since this is not a technical issue, I am placing it here in a new thread, instead of the “suggestions” thread.
I have a slight issue concerning appropriateness of the SDMB.
I have read many posts about Dopers’ personal problems, personal tragedies, and the like. Examples: learae’s diabetes thread, kricket’s “son hit by a car” thread, etc.
Most everyone seems to be very supportive of these individuals and doing a fine job of encouragement, so this is not what I have an issue with. My issue lies in the fact that these items are posted in MPSIMS. I do not find diabetes or someone’s son being hit by a car, “mundane and pointless.” These are serious emotional issues and not to be taken lightly. Unfortunately, there is nowhere other than MPSIMS to place these types of posts. Therefore, I suggest a new “Support” forum for specifically these types of issues. I think this would be a wonderful asset to add to the board.
Who thinks this is a great idea? We have nothing to lose from this, in my opinion.
Sorry to start off so critical, but “ATTN all Regs…ATTN all regs!” is a lousy title for letting people know what is being discussed here. Something like “Idea for a New Forum” would have made things a lot clearer.
I suspect “The Regs” aren’t going to be the ones who will decide if there is a new forum–that’s up to the board management. It can be done but it’s rare–since the board started 14 months ago, the only major board added has been Great Debates.
Your basic point has been brought up numerous times in many threads. It is a little awkward that the opening MP technically stands for “mundane pointless”, but most people quickly figure out that some of the threads have more depth than others. The “MPSIMS” phrase has a lot of history, going back to the old AOL board.
Anyway, since the current MPSIMS isn’t overwhelmed with posts, if they wanted to make a change, it might be easier just to change the name of the existing board, rather than add a whole new one, recruit and train a moderator, etc.
You might work on your timing. The board currently is going through a major restucturing and upgrade. This is probably not the best time to suggest adding another forum, since I suspect they’ve already got their hands full with high priority stuff, even if they were to agree that this is “a great idea”.
I am sorry, and I am not trying to dig on your idea, but would you ever go to a thread, actively(sp?), named Support? I do not know about everyone here but I know I would not like to see a whole thread devoted to a bunch of poeple whining about their problems. I know this is harsh, and I will probably get flack, but I do not even think some of these threads are appropriate for this message board. This is not a place to get your problems and your phsyche evaluated. It is nice to see people open themselves up, but it seems that sometimes a lot of people are only looking for attention. Plus, I can see a whole lotta trolls going into a Support thread and making shit up just to get attention.
If people want to post about their personal problems then they should go to MPSIMS. This is not the “Physcologist’s” messages board, this is the “Straight Dope” message board, though lately it has started to turn into the “Whole Bunch of Stupid Crap” message board. This is not the fault of the admin’s here, rather it seems the people who have decided to join this board have taken a turn for the worst. So if someone is looking for some sympathy or attention, then they should go to MPSIMS and let their thread get the Mundane attention it deserves.
"1. Sorry to start off so critical, but “ATTN all Regs…ATTN all regs!” is a lousy title for letting people know what is being discussed here. Something like “Idea for a New Forum” would have made things a lot clearer. " whitetho
Yes, you are correct. “ATTN all regs” is indeed a lousy title. I could have given it some more thought. Please pardon my fallacy.
I did realize, from the moment I conceived this idea, that such a forum would most likely be an easy target for trolling. This is probably the most prominent reason the proposed forum will never exist. This is unfortunate. Some ideas, no matter how good or well-intended, just aren’t meant to come to be.
I, at the very least, wanted everyone to know that I care.
For those who are indifferent: If compassion and empathy are crimes, then I am guilty. Pardon me, for having a heart and a conscience.
FWIW, MSK there was a discussion a while ago about starting new forums, and IIRC the Official Word was that in terms of software, they weren’t sure whether UBB was up to it. Also, that it would take such a lot of just plain hard work to get a new forum up and running (plus the difficulty of finding a moderator for it–not that many people want the job), that the discussion was dropped. I’m sorry, I can’t remember the name of the thread; it was almost certainly here in ATMB, and it’d be since March 22.
Perhaps it was in the thread on getting rid of the Pit?
A forum like you’re suggesting I would think would be kind of depressing, sort of “Weeper City”. I would think you might also have a problem with medical “experts” discovering it and dropping by to give their words of wisdom and grind their own axe (homeopathy, psychic healing, etc.) “The Doctor is IN” kind of thing.
Sometimes people do discuss medical or legal information of various kinds, they exchange life stories, etc. We try to stress when these subjects come up that this is not a medical (or legal or whatever) kind of forum, that online information should never take the place of competent advice from a licensed practitioner (of whatever stripe) and that it should all be taken with not a grain but rather a box of salt.
Just speaking for myself, the last thing I want to see is an entire forum devoted to that sort of business. Besides, aren’t there places for that already established in cyberspace?
your humble TubaDiva
remembering an old classic sig that fits this situation:
“Be open minded – but not so open minded your brains fall out.”
“Stirring controversy” is what we do best.