[MJ]

This is probably a sign of the times but threads are being closed for being what appears to me slightly controversial and this is nothing less than censorship. Perhaps you should rename the forum "General Chat as long it's nothing controversial".

I came to this forum because of the AV interest and was drawn to GC because I thought other people of similar interests might have something interesting to say and I was right but if controversy causes the big stick to come out then you may as well close the GC area down.

So you can count the people leaving the forum on one hand(?) then keep counting because I am leaving. No it probably won't cause people to leave in droves. Yes I'll miss the interesting and useful posts by some very knowledgable people but I can't take this PC nonsense. Thankfully there are still forums on the web that do not suffer this kind of censorship.

Good bye.

MJ signing out.

[mrtbag]

Missing you already.

[Duncan G]

Might as well close as the original poster has left.

[zmoosa1]

Originally Posted by mrtbag

Missing you already.

[overkill]

He has a point though. If you can't 'chat' beyond, "I had aunt agatha round for tea and it was most splendid! How was your day?", then you might as well re-name it to, 'chat as long it's not even the teeniest bit challenging or remotely interesting'.

Bit like our GCSE classes really...........

[signs]

Originally Posted by Duncan G

Might as well close as the original poster has left.

[Praxidike]

I kind of agree, but I don't really care enough to moan.

Bets on how long this thread stays unlocked?

5 minutes?

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Praxidike

I kind of agree, but I don't really care enough to moan.

Bets on how long this thread stays unlocked?

5 minutes?

[Mylo]

Well I'm not closing it

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Mylo

Well I'm not closing it

[JohnG]

Be careful otherwise you'll end up with 5 penalty points like I got this morning

[Mylo]

I find it sad that anyone would consider leaving AVF's, just because GC is not how it was

[Mep]

a lot of people enjoy GC and it does give you somewhere good to hang out when there is not much of interest to you going on in the technical forums.

I know that modding GC must be a tough job but I do agree that some fairly harmless threads have been closed recently ........along with those that quite rightly should have been.

I think that what often annoys members is the way it is done sometimes with a bit of a sarcastic comment that can't be responded to because the thread is locked, so feeling a bit angry they open a new thread and rule 13 is just quoted and it is locked again. Being a Mod doesn't mean you won't make mistakes now and then and it just seems a bit rude to the members the way things are done at times.

[shahedz]

toys and pram come into mind

[overkill]

Originally Posted by mep

a lot of people enjoy GC and it does give you somewhere good to hang out when there is not much of interest to you going on in the technical forums.

I know that modding GC must be a tough job but I do agree that some fairly harmless threads have been closed recently ........along with those that quite rightly should have been.

I think that what often annoys members is the way it is done sometimes with a bit of a sarcastic comment that can't be responded to because the thread is locked, so feeling a bit angry they open a new thread and rule 13 is just quoted and it is locked again. Being a Mod doesn't mean you won't make mistakes now and then and it just seems a bit rude to the members the way things are done at times.

In a nutshell! Thanks mep.

No-one is questioning Stuarts right to do as he sees fit with his own forum, or that the moderators have a tough job to do. It concerns me, and doubtless others, that all too often anyone who raises issues like the above is accused, without question, of doing exactly that.

[Mylo]

I appreciate your honesty Paul

If you ever have a problem with a mods decission a PM is normally the best solution. You still may not get the answer you want, but thats life

[Mep]

cheers mate...I don't have any problems...I'm a good boy :-) but I can see why folk get upset sometimes.

I can understand though that GC history gives you a good idea of where certain threads will and always do go, (we all know which types), which would need looking at every minute or so.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by mep

I think that what often annoys members is the way it is done sometimes with a bit of a sarcastic comment that can't be responded to because the thread is locked.

Fully agree.

[Mylo]

If the thread is not locked how could it be controlled?

[Woodywizz]

Originally Posted by mep

a lot of people enjoy GC and it does give you somewhere good to hang out when there is not much of interest to you going on in the technical forums.

I know that modding GC must be a tough job but I do agree that some fairly harmless threads have been closed recently ........along with those that quite rightly should have been.

I think that what often annoys members is the way it is done sometimes with a bit of a sarcastic comment that can't be responded to because the thread is locked, so feeling a bit angry they open a new thread and rule 13 is just quoted and it is locked again. Being a Mod doesn't mean you won't make mistakes now and then and it just seems a bit rude to the members the way things are done at times.

Excellent post mep.

Originally Posted by overkill

In a nutshell! Thanks mep.

No-one is questioning Stuarts right to do as he sees fit with his own forum, or that the moderators have a tough job to do. It concerns me, and doubtless others, that all too often anyone who raises issues like the above is accused, without question, of doing exactly that.

Completely agree Overkill.

As committed members to the forums we appreciate the Mods and their work, but sometimes one can be too, shall we say 'scared', to post particular responses for fear of being warned/banned. At the end of the day we are all predominantly intelligent adults and we know when a line should not be crossed - where to set that line is becoming increasingly difficult to pinpoint. I am not championing a forum where members have carte blanche to spew whatever obscenities they want - none of us would want that at all - but sometimes the whip can be cracked too hard and without recourse.

Anyway...I'll get my coat


As an aside, Abbeygoo will be devastated that "MJ" has left.

[la gran siete]

You should go in here and you'll see some real censorship in action. Only amazed I havent been banned from there although I did get two warnings

http://forum.wordreference.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

[Steve.EX]

Yep, totally agree.
The Forums have indeed evolved (through necessity) from it's humble beginnings (or at least from 2000 when i first joined under a different name).

I have, on several occasions, over the last year so thought it should be renamed: It's my game, it's my rules and i am the Captain Forums.

I post quite infrequently these days (no-ones loss i am sure)
That said there are still the core of very well informed members here whos posts i very much enjoy.

[Mylo]

Never be afraid to state your mind, just think carefully about how you do it

I'm happy to say that half of the posters in this thread know me well enough to PM me if they have an issue.

If a thread turns into a battle its often better to close it than risk people getting themselves into trouble.

[Woodywizz]

Originally Posted by Mylo

Never be afraid to state your mind, just think carefully about how you do it

I'm happy to say that half of the posters in this thread know me well enough to PM me if they have an issue.

If a thread turns into a battle its often better to close it than risk people getting themselves into trouble.

Completely agree Mylo - if a Mod has stepped in and asked members to 'cool it' - yet that particular thread has carried on in the same vein and without apology from the members - then closure is the best option. A word of warning from the Mods, mid thread, will prevent any of the more knowledgable and committed members from continuing that thread in that manner.

[Mep]

yep quite right, just very occasionally it happens as I described earlier.....and it's kind of the online chat equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and chanting "lalalala I can't hear you" :-)

[Woodywizz]

Agreed Mep....my only bone of contention is when a thread carries on in a particular manner, then - without any warnings from the mods at all - is locked down, posts removed, and people banned/others not, with all posts being of the same ilk.

[Steve.EX]

Originally Posted by woodywizz

Completely agree Mylo - if a Mod has stepped in and asked members to 'cool it' - yet that particular thread has carried on in the same vein and without apology from the members - then closure is the best option. A word of warning from the Mods, mid thread, will prevent any of the more knowledgable and committed members from continuing that thread in that manner.

I don't think anyone is arguing with the principle of this.
I still think that some closed have been threads have been fundamently based in intelligent debate.
What i feel tends to happen is on occasion a very interesting thread comes along (usually about, religion, psychology, race etc, then someone upset butts in and demands the thread is closed. Then the Mods, to which i have genuine respect for - it must be 'demanding', step in and close the thread often with an air of distaste.

[Steve.EX]

Originally Posted by woodywizz

and people banned/others not.

For sure. I was however quite touched to recieve PM's from members during my 'vacation' and on 'return'.

[Seth Gecko]

Originally Posted by woodywizz

As an aside, Abbeygoo will be devastated that "MJ" has left.

Who ?

Actually, Steve did say something that's quite true - not naming names etc. but we do get complaints for some threads that we wonder why a complaint is raised. Sometimes a member may report it more than once and it can make life difficult. Some decisions I can agree with, some I can't - but I can understand why.

Keep in mind something that was posted elsewhere - Rule 13 is invoked simply because if we answered EVERY single thing we did, we wouldn't be able to earn a living (No matter how many times it's said - the mods are volunteers, plain and simple). We try and keep it friendly, believe me, I don't think we want people keep second guessing why we close threads. However, I don't think anyone can deny that some threads (the London one) went WAY off topic from crossing London to effectively a racism thread. Keep it on topic, keep it polite, keeps it open basically.