# Your forum topics are screwy **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 14, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958 "2011-07-14T01:54:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/81 "2011-07-15T16:22:09Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > You will eat what’s put in front of you and be thankful. Have I made myself clear? And the beatings will continue until morale improves.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/82 "2011-07-15T17:34:13Z")
Granted, if I were a mod and the first to respond, I probably would have answered a bit differently. Made an effort to draw out a question or understand the point. But I really don’t fault \*\*Colibri \*\*for a mild snark response to what does not come off as a question for explanation, but rather comes off as a complaint. Honestly my _first_ reaction to his statement was “In what way?” I thought he might be having a coding problem or something. I guess I’m just too hooked on this place and don’t have enough experience elsewhere, because I don’t see how our forum breakdown is screwy. It seems rather logical to me. Rather more logical than trying to group Philosophy questions in one thread, Grammar questions in another, and anything having to do with Left-handed Anabaptists in a third forum. I thought **Colibri** ’s comment was a funny response to a bad OP, with the implication that the OP would see he needs to elaborate, rather than getting all huffy and storming off. And then **Miller** actually did ask politely for clarification to understand what to address, but by then the OP was already gone never to return. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/83 "2011-07-15T18:07:21Z")
And now it’s too late. There no coming back from a hasty, self-imposed exile. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/84 "2011-07-15T19:22:10Z")
Jeez, you guys are forgetting the most important thing: Did he return the goat? Baa… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/85 "2011-07-15T20:33:23Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > And then **Miller** actually did ask politely for clarification to understand what to address, but by then the OP was already gone never to return. That was **Marley** , not me. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/86 "2011-07-15T21:02:30Z")
Miller, Marley; which one of you is responsible for feeding the fruit basket to the goat? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/87 "2011-07-15T21:19:30Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Miller, Marley; which one of you is responsible for feeding the fruit basket to the goat? dammit, _that’s_ what happened. Poor asp never had a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2011, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/88 "2011-07-16T05:39:37Z")
So that’s what happened to the basket. I wondered why it had a big hole in it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/89 "2011-07-17T01:25:13Z")
No. There’s another reason why there’s a big hole in it. You don’t want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/90 "2011-07-17T15:45:38Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > The thing is, what happened here is typical in every single case. Perhaps the OP deserved what he got; I can agree with that (but not from a mod). But look at, for example, what happens when someone opens a “zombie” thread. > Everybody leaps at the chance to be a poor comedian. That is basically the same as telling them not to post in such threads, and if they are so stupid to do so then they shouldn’t post at all. This entire conversation is bizzare. I’m new to this board, and am still learning all the nuances of the people and their posting styles as well as whats acceptable and what isn’t. First, IMO most posters on this thread are arguing over who was a bigger snark, what their snarky comment meant and whether the OP deserved ridicule because of it. Did anybody actually PM the guy and ask for some clarification? I’m not sure about the fruit basket and flowers, but seems to me the ‘don’t be a jerk’ rule is somewhat ambiguous - there are plenty of posts all throughout this forum that are clearly rude and mean-spirited, but the usual reaction is a similar post, far exceeding the typical “snarky” comments. Responses to resurrected zombie threads as mentioned above are a good example. Maybe the OP got sick of it and took off. Since no nobody knows what his issues are, why jump to conclusions (obviously that’s our nature, but I think as a whole the STMB is better than that)? Why not offer a POLITE adios to him and forget about it? This may sound pithy and somewhat naive, but this is a message board of somewhat above-average intelligence adults. It is not a gradeschool playground. We share deep philosophies and deep pain. We ask both mundane and significant questions, we offer thoughtful answers and heartfelt wishes. Someone posts a new thread with only a few words in it, and we respond with two pages of… whatever this is. A pitting, basically. So far, nothing particularly constructive, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/91 "2011-07-17T15:55:32Z")
> [@czarofspam](#): > > This may sound pithy and somewhat naive, but this is a message board of somewhat above-average intelligence adults. It is not a gradeschool playground. You _are_ new here. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/92 "2011-07-18T04:20:28Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Maybe he didn’t deserve an answer from\* you\*, but he did deserve an answer from the mods. He didn’t _ask_ anything. There’s nothing there that deserves an answer, IMO. > [@](#): > > And Dex was able to somehow glean what the OP might have meant, and I was able to glean it too. It really wasn’t that hard. It really isn’t that hard to figure out our forum topics. The organization is different, and some might call that screwy, and others might not, but they are explained fully in the forum descriptions. > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > For shame, people. On more _refined_ boards, new posters who announce “you guys suck and I’m leaving!” are showered with gentle words, forgiving kindness, and fruit baskets. > > Go ahead, try it! I vote for fruit baskets. Mostly coconuts. Delivered one at a time. At high velocity. > [@Chronos](#): > > And that single innocuous comment was enough to chase **JimH52** away. The snark didn’t start until after that, by which time it was fully justified. > [@silenus](#): > > Or he could have been, oh, I don’t know…_polite_ about it and asked “Why are your forums set up the way they are?” But no, he leads with an insult and got exactly what he deserved. Precisely. > [@czarofspam](#): > > Did anybody actually PM the guy and ask for some clarification? Why should we? Seriously. > [@](#): > > Since no nobody knows what his issues are, why jump to conclusions We responded to what he offered: an unqualified, unspecific, blanket complaint. If he had issues, he should have told us exactly what they are. > [@](#): > > (obviously that’s our nature, but I think as a whole the STMB is better than that)? > [@silenus](#): > > You _are_ new here. > [@czarofspam](#): > > So far, nothing particularly constructive, IMO. The OP does not qualify as constructive criticism. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/93 "2011-07-18T10:37:12Z")
The argy-bargy about whether the OP posed a question seems rather pointless. The OP stated an opinion, rather tersely. \*\*Dex \*\*answered the question implicit in that statement, ie “Why do you organize your forums in such a bizarre fashion?” In responding thus **Dex** was the soul of \*politesse \*, but the OP really has only him or her self to blame for the ensuing snark. As ye sow so shall ye reap. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/94 "2011-07-18T11:03:04Z")
Another shortbus candidate here. Not only did I not see a question, I wasn’t even sure whether he meant the forums (fora?) themselves or the individual topics therein. And if he flounced off at what **Colibri** posted he was already a hair-trigger flouncer. To sum up: meh. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/95 "2011-07-18T12:28:42Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > … whether he meant the forums (fora?) themselves … Most if not all style guides prefer _forums_. For instance the Oxford Manual of Style suggests that the Latin plural, ‘fora’, should only be used in the context of legal matters and Roman history, archaeology, etc.. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/96 "2011-07-18T12:31:01Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Most if not all style guides prefer _forums_. For instance the Oxford Manual of Style suggests that the Latin plural, ‘fora’, should only be used in the context of legal matters and Roman history, archaeology, etc.. I love this messageboard sometimes. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/97 "2011-07-18T13:59:05Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Most if not all style guides prefer _forums_. For instance the Oxford Manual of Style suggests that the Latin plural, ‘fora’, should only be used in the context of legal matters and Roman history, archaeology, etc.. Yeah? Well, their “forum” top pick is screwy! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/98 "2011-07-18T17:55:20Z")
> [@czarofspam](#): > > …seems to me the ‘don’t be a jerk’ rule is somewhat ambiguous … Well, it is, but it it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/99 "2011-07-18T18:04:28Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Well, it is, but it it isn’t. These aren’t the Mods you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958/100 "2011-07-18T18:23:18Z")
The most polite response possible to the OP as presented is “Okay, and?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-forum-topics-are-screwy/588958.md?page=6)