OP etiquette: should CF be more professional?

[john61ct]

I love how people think it's OK to tell others how to post. Sure would be great if, but like herding cats, or wrestling pigs.

Here's a great search facility:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site...om+Allopurinol

[AndyEss]

I think the moderators do a pretty good job of keeping things on track. A pretty good example of rationally organized anarchy. Nestor Makhno would be pleased.
Don't be too impressed with yourselves - I never really paid attention before. No clue what those stars under our names meant. I feel cheated - I never see anyone's green ball lite up.
I only read the first and last pages of this thread a(and voted) as it really isn't that interesting. If a previous poster in the intervening pages has said basically the same as I have, consider that a great mind is one that agrees with you.
I would never join a club that would have me. Good words to live by.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Tellie

People and their questions don't bother me anymore.

As a river guide for many years I always got the same question within the first mile or so of a trip... "How deep is the river?" The guides decided that the best, and most polite, stock answer was "it varies." As paid guides we HAD to answer those questions...cheerfully...over and over and over... but here, we are all free to ignore any question or post or thread that doesn't appeal to us.
....all the goofy questions are coming from folks who are just like we were not too long ago...

[Salty Possum]

I have gone from the dreamer guy who knew nothing about boats to the new boatowner “sailor” who still knows nothing about boats except what little he has learned about this by exploration with some clues at times from the help of this forum. But I am too old and cynical to buy into a bunch of formal procedures.

Fortunately, every since I tolerated a urological procedure under local anesthesia with nurses that I know standing over me making jokes at my expense—I am freed from being embarrassed if other people think my questions stupid or redundant or annoying. People are always free to walk right on by any conversations that annoy them.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I have participated and operated, moderated and admined many forums, including some that are “professional”. I’ve never seen this kind of restrictive approach Jimbo. It may naturally develop in a small community where people mostly know each other (if not personally, then by reputation), but CF is a very different beast.

There is no means-test to certify if people who join here are qualified to speak. It is a self-selected group with a wide range of people and experiences. The new cruiser, or the wannabe, has as much right to post here as the old (crotchety) sailor. Each of us comes here at different stages in cruising, and in life. And we all come here with different skill/experience levels. This naturally translate into different types and levels of questions. The “I got a dream…” posts are just as valid as the specific questions about how to winterize a boat.

But here’s the thing; no one is forced to read, let alone respond, to ANY thread that doesn’t interest them. If you have nothing useful to contribute to a thread, and/or are not interested in the topic, then just move on. Heck, if it really bothers you, put the thread on ‘ignore.’

I’ve said this before a number of times, so I’ll say it again. CF is a DISCUSSION forum. People come here to “discuss” cruising-related topics. Some questions are very specific and fact-based. In these cases a search might be the best way to get an answer. But the vast majority of cruising-related questions rarely have one simple answer. And often the answers evolve over time. What was once the best approach may have changed.

Finally, forum software like vBulletin are really very poor databases. The search tools (even the Google options) are poor. And even when you find a relevant previous thread, trying to extract the sought-after data can be a long and painstaking experience.

As for demanding the OP report back … sure, it would be nice. And common decency demands it. But I see no way to enforce this. I’d much rather see CF abandon fake pseudonyms go to real-names only. This would go much further in setting the tone you seem to want Jimbo.

Agreed!
No one Has to post.
No one Has to read.
Simple!

[Jim Cate]

Well, I see that no other moderator has succumbed to the lure and bitten the hook...

I'll point out that...

1. This is a privately owned site and no matter what the "members" want or say, the owner or his designated minion has the final word... and he apparently likes it as is.

2. Major changes to the software would be expensive as well as disruptive, so who gonna foot the bill to satisfy the OP's cravings, who is gonna do the work, and who will pick up the pieces when the inevitable bugs appear in any new format?

3. One of our current stipulations for new members is that they read and agree to the rules as they stand. Damn few do, and even fewer really obey them. Why would anyone think that they would do better with ones far more restrictive?

4. And as an unpaid volunteer moderator, I've got enough on my plate as things stand, and would not endorse further complications in rules that would increase the work load for "we happy few" that bear the burden of enforcement.

Finally, while noble and good and all that, the proposed ideas would, IMO, not improve the site and would likely drive many members away.

Note that the above are personal opinions and do not reflect those of the site owners, administrators or other moderators.

Jim

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, I see that no other moderator has succumbed to the lure and bitten the hook...

I'll point out that...

1. This is a privately owned site and no matter what the "members" want or say, the owner or his designated minion has the final word... and he apparently likes it as is. <snip>

Finally, while noble and good and all that, the proposed ideas would, IMO, not improve the site and would likely drive many members away.
<snip>

Jim

[Uncle Bob]

Yeah Capt'n, right. Threads often take on a life of their own, which can make them interesting at times but the last thing I personally want is to be told what to do on a damn internet forum, except as Jim pointed out stick to the rules we all agreed to when we joined.
Perhaps we could, or should, ban all those Capt'n personalities that pop up all too regularly.

[tp12]

Originally Posted by cyan

Maybe so, but then super-helpful members often step in with help...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nt-180502.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...re-178292.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ay-161109.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ad-135468.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...age-40280.html

Well played, Sir, well played.

[tp12]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, I see that no other moderator has succumbed to the lure and bitten the hook...

I'll point out that...

1. This is a privately owned site and no matter what the "members" want or say, the owner or his designated minion has the final word... and he apparently likes it as is.

2. Major changes to the software would be expensive as well as disruptive, so who gonna foot the bill to satisfy the OP's cravings, who is gonna do the work, and who will pick up the pieces when the inevitable bugs appear in any new format?

3. One of our current stipulations for new members is that they read and agree to the rules as they stand. Damn few do, and even fewer really obey them. Why would anyone think that they would do better with ones far more restrictive?

4. And as an unpaid volunteer moderator, I've got enough on my plate as things stand, and would not endorse further complications in rules that would increase the work load for "we happy few" that bear the burden of enforcement.

Finally, while noble and good and all that, the proposed ideas would, IMO, not improve the site and would likely drive many members away.

Note that the above are personal opinions and do not reflect those of the site owners, administrators or other moderators.

Jim

Jim, you regularly make the comment about being a volunteer and time poor. Why don't you step down and enjoy your twilight years! Or, could it be possible, that you enjoy doing it?! Outrageous! Hahahahaha!

If you're worried about a volunteer replacing you, I volunteer. I've moderated vbulletin forums before and note I'm not the only one on this thread.

Something to consider, eh [emoji16]

Regularly turning over the mod groups on other forums has proven to be good at avoiding turning a forum mod team into a back slapping nest of group think. Something else to consider, if applicable [emoji16]

[Jim Cate]

Jim, you regularly make the comment about being a volunteer and time poor. Why don't you step down and enjoy your twilight years! Or, could it be possible, that you enjoy doing it?! Outrageous! Hahahahaha!

what are you on about, mate? Of course I enjoy it... why the hell else would I be doing it?

I'm sure that the selection folks in admin have noted your volunteering. If they should select you, I reckon you will be notified.

Meanwhile, we'll continue with back slapping and group thinking, for it's good fun and almost makes up for having to deal with certain posters.

Jim

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

...Finally, while noble and good and all that, the proposed ideas would, IMO, not improve the site and would likely drive many members away.

Nicely put Jim. No surprise, but I agree.

[transmitterdan]

There are other sailing/boating forums where newbies are roasted and otherwise abused. These forums all have a much smaller membership and generally I find they lack in diversity of opinions. The loudest and rudest poster gets the last word. Do we really want that here? I would vote no.

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by Don C L

As a river guide for many years I always got the same question within the first mile or so of a trip... "How deep is the river?" The guides decided that the best, and most polite, stock answer was "it varies." As paid guides we HAD to answer those questions...cheerfully...over and over and over... but here, we are all free to ignore any question or post or thread that doesn't appeal to us.
....all the goofy questions are coming from folks who are just like we were not too long ago...

I used to skipper a brigantine 30 years ago and every trip one of the first questions was..... Are there any sharks round here?? We would say "No, the crocodiles ate them all "

Best one ever was an American taking his coffee to the upper deck on a high speed wave piercing catamaran in Cairns. He asked " If I take my coffee upstairs will the ship leave without me ??

[33trippindaisy]

Interesting reads, and I read all five pages available at the time of my reading. Firstly, I am a "newbie" to the forum. I am not a newbie to boating, whether power or sail, and have owned dozens of boats over the last fifty years. Second, I am a "Dreamer" on all accounts, guilty as charged! My last cruising boat was a power boat, listed in my signature, but I love sailing, have owned three sailboats in my life, and Dream daily of my next boat (I have a small flounder boat) which will be a sail boat, which will take me cruising, to some places I have already been, and to places of my dreams. I want everyone to know how much I look forward to my morning coffee while reading CF fully each day, absorbing every small detail of experience that I can. I love this place, and hope nothing changes at all. Even though my wife and I are retired, prepared financially, and without any anchors here on land, except that one big one. My wife has cancer, has been sick for a while, and although her surgeries are done for now, her treatments over for now, we must have her tested every three months for the next year maybe two. This has beat her down, and left her weak beyond belief. I hope none of you can say you have also experienced this point in your lives, because it stops us all, in our tracks. All I have right now is my dreams, and places like this, with people like you all, who care and love what you are doing enough to share it with others. And I thank you, one and all. Maybe we will get out there again, maybe we won't, but the dream will never die, nor should it. In the meantime I will fish, I have all my boating things stored, enough to outfit fully any boat up to 35 feet or so, even my electronics which are getting older on the shelf but were good enough that they will be good enough to start back up if the chance comes. Those of you out there doing it, know this......some of us can not except through you. Your posts, your writings, your lives keep folks like us going on and keeping the dream alive. You need to know that!