My subscription expires on Monday, but I won’t be renewing it. I think most of the Mods here do a fantastic job, but one of the newer ones has what I feel is rather a heavy-handed style, and that’s put me off somewhat.
I can’t do anything about Mod behavior, but I can certainly vote with my wallet. The Board was mostly something fun for me to fool around with while enjoying my morning coffee. If it’s no longer that, then I’m not going to waste time or money on it. Believe me, I have a full life over here, and there are other things I can be doing instead.
If I participate in the future, I can do so just as easily as a Guest. And I’ll probably pop in again, especially if I have any questions. You guys were invaluable in persuading the wife we really did need to get a larger Sony Bravia, and your tips made her time in Kyoto last year a little more enjoyable. But right now it’s time for a break.
But if I truly have annoyed anyone with my posting style, then I apologize. That was never my intent. Perhaps I’m just too old to “get” things like message boards.
I think that, if Siam Sam is thinking this way, that’s a shame. I’ve never felt he was anything but a positive for the board. I, too, have no current intention to up with new money when mine runs out. I, too, have disliked the current situation of this Board. I, too, am tired of moderators who don’t understand the basic principles of moderation: restraint, respect, fairness. I, too, am tired of the fact that the poor and inconsistent moderation is resulting in a Board that is rapidly losing many of the people who made it worth reading on a regular basis, since the moderators in question fail to comprehend that their actions are not discouraging the nincompoops, but frustrating the people towards whom they never have to direct their attentions.
I find myself limiting myself to the Game room, where the “childish” behavior is rather expected (sports fans are jerks on a regular basis! :D), and the Cafe, mostly because of my love of Tolkein. Great Debates is basically worthless any more, IMHO.
Food for thought, I hope, for TPTB. I know nothing is forever, but it would be fun if the old Board was able to resurface and survive a bit longer.
Sorry to see you go, Sam. I enjoyed reading your posts as It’s nice to hear from an actual human being what’s happening on the other side of the world as opposed to reading the news.
I’ve always enjoyed your posts, Sam, and hope there comes a day when you truly will join us again. Until that time though, take care of yourself and know you’ll be missed.
I too have enjoyed reading your posts, enough that your username is recognizable to me. So I will also regret your absence. Be safe, and be happy-- and perhaps check back periodically.
You and DS express my thoughts also. I am new but sure object to totally proper discussions being stopped rudely with talk of sanctions for no reason by unwanted moderation when there was no fight or spam or porn or anything they ought worry about ever going on.
Why would anyone moderate for no pay for a profit making, non charity firm, unless it fed egos and desire to whack people around with an I am god fetish of some sort? That is the problem, the kind of people who will do it are not at all good at it or desirable for the board. Like in other things, you get what you pay for.
I believe this is from chapter four of How to Win Friends and Influence People on Message Boards.
I hope you’ll continue to read the boards and participate when you feel like it after taking a break, Siam Sam. I absolutely loved your elephant polo threads and I’m hoping at some point to write a novel set at one of the tournaments. I never would have heard of this otherwise. And I’ve really enjoyed getting a large non-Western slice of life on these boards. The graphic novel about the Thai girl was also very interesting, although I can’t think of the title off the top of my head. I’ve always liked it when posters overseas share details about their cultures. And thanks for the pigeon advice. I hope we get some this summer.
You know, in the good old days, when these adieu threads were most often made in the pit, a comment like:
would have been met with much derision and contempt. I mean if you’ve been “wasting” your time, you are to blame. But you know that, I’m sure. I guess I just think it’s pretty damn low to leave while implying the threads and people here were a “waste” of your time.
That would be true if the statement allowed that inference. It’s not what he said at all, nor did he imply it. Read in context, he’s saying that attempting to participate in threads, and interact with people, which/who would otherwise be worth the time, are not allowed to be worth the time by what he views as questionable moderation. In short, if it’s aggravating instead of fun, what would otherwise be worthwhile stops being so, for him.
Helps when you don’t put words in the mouths of others.
This may be a foreign concept to you, but there are those of us who like to support businesses that we like. We shop in stores that have good service, even if the Wal-Mart is 50 cents cheaper. We volunteer to help out our local fire departments or hospitals even if they do (gasp) sometimes turn a profit. And when we find a message board that’s an enjoyable place to hang out, we volunteer to help out with some of the drudge work of moving threads, keeping things on topic, swatting spammers, and putting up with abuse from people who just don’t get it.
