God damn, what the hell is with all the threads in IMHO and MPSIMS about who’s staying and who is going? Does the planned overturn of this board from a free service to the marginal subscription of five fucking dollars really need all these teary goodbyes from those leaving and exultant dances of joy from those that’re staying? What the fuck is there to discuss in these threads? They’re nothing more than pity parties in the former’s case and masturbatory wankfests in the latter.
I realize that some of you have very strong attachments to this board for any number of reasons, ranging from making friends here to even finding true love, and that MPSIMS stands for **Mundane Pointless ** Stuff I Must Share, but really, no, you don’t need to. If you’re staying, just please pay the $5 quietly and we’ll see you on April 22nd. If you’re not, so long… we wish you well.
For most people the purpose of these boards isn’t to provide an outlet for solitary verbal ramblings, but to allow them to communicate with a diverse selection of people. That makes the question of who will be staying or going, and why, and how all of it will effect the boards an issue of great interest to many people here.
Firstly, in the sixteen months I have been here, this is only the second Pit thread I have started and the first one that was serious so I hardly utilize this board only for “solitary verbal ramblings” but instead use it for socialization like the majority of other posters.
And secondly, I don’t read the threads but that doesn’t prevent me from having to scroll past a dozen or more each time I open one of the fora to try to find something *interesting * to read. If you really want to say your goodbyes, do it in a consolidated thread instead of thinking you’re so important that you need your own personal OP to wish all your friends a tearful farewell.
I suppose, then, that the following are pointless to bring up:
For some it doesn’t matter if it’s five bucks or five cents. It’s the issue of paying at all.
This is a really spiffy way to lure in those who weren’t sure about paying. If this is how we respond to those who can’t or don’t wish to pay, how is it supposed to engender a feeling of welcomeness such that anyone else wants to stay?
It ain’t time for everyone folks to go yet. Some may yet change their minds. And until April 22, this is still a free board.
If this is going to be the attitude, some who thought their minds were made up might well reneg.
I dunno, I’ll miss folks who are leaving. Knowing in advance that they’re not going to be here gives me time to gather what contact information I want, if I didn’t have it already.
But hey, I guess I should quit my whining, right? Tu quoque much, OP?
I got no problem with the number of threads going on in all the forums, although it is excessive, and I’m waiting to see how one seeps into Cafe Society. The mods seem to be starting to lock a few, and I expect they will get more aggressive with it as days pass, giving some leeway to pit threads.
I’m annoyed by people advertizing that they are “sponsoring” however many other Dopers. Who cares? If you want to offer it as a prize in a trivia thread, fine. It’s kinda gimmicky. But past that, it just looks arrogant. I know your heart is in the right place, and it is a generous thing for you to do, but keep it private between you and whoever you sponsor. I mean, jeez, $5 is like buying a fellow Doper a beer, as far as expense to you goes. How many threads get started about that?
iampunha This is a really spiffy way to lure in those who weren’t sure about paying. If this is how we respond to those who can’t or don’t wish to pay, how is it supposed to engender a feeling of welcomeness such that anyone else wants to stay?
I think this issue needs to be kicked around some more. If the board is going to keep its charm, dopers may need to go the extra mile in terms of civility, patience, etc. If a newbie comes in and right away gets pitted, even if the pitting could be justified, I think the board will begin to lose newbies at an increasing rate. On the other hand, part of the appeal of the board is the fact that if you post something that is crazy, stupid, or offensive, look out because you are probably going to have your head handed to you. I think it would be a mistake to “dote” on newbies but more tolerance may be crucial. Just my 2 cents.
What relevance does that have to my post? If you don’t want to pay or can’t afford to, I understand because I am in the same boat and except for this thread, which is only tangentially related, I’ve not started any threads about leaving.
Again, I’m not seeing the relevance. Posting dozens of thread all about the same issue is pointless, clutters up the fora, knocks otherwise active threads to the second page where they may not be read by those interested in them, and is highly annoying.
The title of my OP is misleading but I didn’t tell anyone in the body of my post to leave immediately.
I seriously doubt anyone will change their mind because of my post but if they did, I don’t see where it would be any great loss. Someone so easily scared off wouldn’t be of much benefit to the board in the first place.
I’ll miss some of them too and I understand that some might want to get contact information for any friends that might leave but as mentioned earlier, if you feel the need to post a farewell, do it in a consolidated thread that is easily skimmed past instead of in two dozen seperate ones scattered all over different fora.
The boards are looking like the script to disaster movie just now. Who’s jumping ship, who’s going down with the ship, who’s the rats leaving the ship, who’s currently doing a tearful ten minute farewell to the world down in first-class while all chaos rages about them, who is bravely saving small children trapped below decks with not a thought for their own safety, who’s the captain at the bridge in denial that there’s any problem?
It’s only $5. If you don’t want to pay that, don’t.
Sure things will change. That’s what life is about. Some people around here need to start living it.
There’s still that grace period between the start of accepting subscriptions and the time they actually enact the new format.
Until then, I’ll gladly listen to some people who I know won’t be staying. Others, I will taunt mercilessly about it. Some, I won’t even read their posts. Not too terribly different from now, actually.
Until they ARE gone, let them whine (or inform us) about their leaving. What problem does it create for you?
Isn’t that one of the second oldest pit threads? “please don’t post crap cause I don’t want to have to hunt for what I consider interesting”. I am sure everyone is sooo sorry for posting on Your Message Board.
You don’t exaggerate, Robin. Now some–a few–people are melting down in righteous ire when threads are merged, moved, etc.
We don’t usually need a backhoe to sweep up IMHO and MPSIMS.
Going subsciption is a signficant change but I’m suprised how many people have totally lost their minds and perspective over it. I mean frothing at the mouth, baying at the moon batshit.
What’s so unprecedented about at least reading open threads first?
Harumph.
::breathes heavily::
At least it’s a pleasant change from political hysteria.
