Krispy, this is not a newspaper available for sale to any and all. This is a membership-driven message board. The Administrators have the right to deny membership to anybody they choose, without cause if they so choose. With over 5 thousand members, you will have to admit that their standards are not unreasonably strict, right? I do wonder if you understand that this board, under the instruction of the Chicago Reader, has to be moderated. If you have specific ideas as to how this board could be better moderated, please tell us. But do understand that, if Mr. Zotti decides the board is not worth it, the Chicago Reader is not going to replace him with your dream moderator.
Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.
Jenny, you know, sometimes these storms blow over if you just ignore them, like a snow globe. If only the malcontents agitate it, eventually we’ll get bored/banned/just go away. If you keep agitating things, it ain’t gonna happen. BTW, you have never missed an opportunity to point out that Highlander’s comments are tainted by his association with Melin. Now you’re doing that same to PUNdit; never mind that both of us have frequently made mention of our relationship frequently, particularly on divisive issues, and that my profile indicates the fact we are married. While you’re at disclosures, why don’t you include “mindless echo of Ed” in YOUR posts.
PS You can’t ban someone who is no longer registered. I no longer wish to be associated with this board. Please remove my registration at your earliest convenience.
Thank you Billdo, for your excellent analysis of the situation. And thank you Ed for keeping this palce here when it seems all you get in return is insults. And thank you for trying to show us why the rules are needed as well.
Those of you who seem unable to live with these rules, what exactly do you have a problem with? Is not mouthing off to Ed all that much to ask?
And I’m asking you, Krispy-do you have anything constructive to say about how this board could be better run? Specific steps that could make it work better? Something other than a silly suggestion that Mr. Zotti leave, of course.
Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.
Um, Ed? Not to criticize you or anything(hell, I think you’re actualy right in this case) but don’t you think you might have worded this slightly more tactfully?
I mean it’s not exactly a well hidden secret that that sort of opinion is going to, well, piss off people. I’m sure that wasn’t your intent, but just to avoid unnecessary controversy could you try being a little more subtle in the future? (or if you’re going to say things that you know will result in pissed off rants, perhaps you might want to not warn posters who respond that way? (yes, I’m referring only to any warnings that might have occured after this post-I don’t dispute the other ones)
Just a thought, thats all.
No comments on this, actually, just left it in to note the irony.
–What does that first sentence say? It says My boss.
Correct me, but I get the impression that My boss is getting sick and tired of getting sick and tired.
Being stuck between My boss and the rest of us is not a fun place to be.
You think it’s hot here? I wonder how hot it’s been getting in Mr. Zotti’s office lately?
You know, I’ve never let loose with a really good rant about the personality conflicts, private vendettas and not-so-hidden agendas that are promulagted by a few disgruntled people around here. A whole bunch…A WHOLE bunch of what went on could have been accomplished so much better in email and IM.
More later after I go out and vent some steam.
PRIVATELY!
slythe, if you look back to my first post in this thread you’ll see a suggestion that the Sales and Marketing folks should do their job and sell this board to advertisers.
Additionally, I have tried to point out what any good high-level business person knows to be true about leadership. I know what I’m talking about and I speak from experience. Ed has freely given us much data to clearly assertain a case of stress-induced job burnout. I don’t think that Ed’s a bad guy. I don’t think that Ed’s a bad writer. I just don’t think that everyone is cut out to be the general manager of an online service with all that it entails.
There’s no good reason that Ed Zotti has to be in charge of this board at a management level. I’d like to believe that CR execs understand that. If the CR wakes up soon enough and realizes the potential money-maker that it has stumbled into, then there isn’t any reason that they can’t do the things and make the changes necessary to ensure a long life of the SDMB. That’s what everyone would like…right?
You guys really make me laugh. I’ve been online longer than the lot of you. I was on ARPANet in 1978.
I didn’t post on Usenet, I didn’t post on INN, I didn’t post on AOL. I never was a serious poster because no forum ever seemed to be worth my time, energy and emotional investment.
Until I came here that is. A group of intelligent, nice people who actually debate opposing views instead of just trading insults. People who are nice to each other, and make an effort to make a new person welcome. I was blown away.
This is a great board. To the degree that’s due to Ed and the admins and mods, good for them. It’s also due to the members as well. This is a great place.
I haven’t seen any problems with this board that the staff hasn’t fixed as quickly as possible. In my short experience, I’ve seen them bend over backwards to be extra fair to people who have to invent the most trivial things to bitch and whine about. Y’all are worse than my teenage children.
Grow up. This is a great place. If you have constructive criticism, bring it up respectfully. If you think Ed is the biggest microcephalic power-tripping tightass on the planet, then why are you here? There’s thousands of message boards out there. I know some y’all have been here way longer than me, but it’s Ed’s board, not yours. You could be here ten years and that fact wouldn’t change.
I’m not trying to kiss ass here. I’m standing up for a forum and community that, even in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve come to care passionately about.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I can’t seem to explain to Krispy what Mr. Zotti’s position is as it pertains to this message board. How his boss is not going to pet him out to pasture and put someone else in charge. How unnecessary the Chicago Reader will find this message board if it get’s to be too much of a hassle for Mr. Zotti and the Chicago Reader.
Someone else want to give it a try?
Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.
I disagree that this is “Ed’s board”. I say it is the property of the Chicago Reader and it exists for and because of members/customers. This board belongs no more to Ed than do the Yankees belong to Joe Torre. Ed would agree…right Ed?
Gosh dang it slythe…Ed can still write the columns for pet’s sake…just like he did before this board came along…right? Sheesh, it’s not like I’m advocating his firing…just maybe his shedding some duties and handing them over to someone else. Someone less frustrated and burnt-out. It could be a good thing slythe…for everyone involved. You don’t have to construe it as an insult toward Ed.
This thread is starting to remind me of my in-laws…their family can’t handle talking about real issues without getting emotional and losing it. It’s not healthy dude.
Small note to Krispy Original: Most of the people who are members of the Straight Dope Message Board are NOT subscribers, or even readers, of the Chicago Reader. This is not a large customer base for the Reader, but it is a moderatate, but not large, customer base for Uncle Cece and Mr. Zotti.
That is why this is called the Straight Dope Message Board. If it was the Chicago Reader message board, without Mr. Adams or Mr. Zotti, it wouldn’t be this popular.
Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines.
I realize that some people think that Ed’s OP was some hidden agenda to give rise to the boards. It may be, it may not be so.
The thing is, why jump on his ass for bringing to attention another message board that has gone by the way-side because of people that can’t control themselves in a civil manner?
I could give a shit (now that this is a Pit topic) why he posted it. I am glad that he is bringing attention to the potential death of a message board for the reasons that the LA Times felt it was neccessary.
Maybe this is a wake up call if a huge newspaper felt it had to bring down a board.
Some of you are so damn defensive over anything that Ed says you get your panties in a bunch and freak out on it. It’s really kind of funny if you ask me.
There are times when it is better to offer constructive critism rather than get all worked up over a posting that was informational, in my eyes. Of course I am looking to put a board up on my site so maybe I see things in a different light.