Navigating Our Growth

[JamuJoe]

Thank you for the very timely intervention, Andy. The valuable content of the forum is being lost in the clutter, and many of us will eventually tune out rather than sift through the endless non-constructive one-liners. I participate in several interest-specific forums, and I must say that this is the one most susceptible to rudeness and general misuse. I have begun using the 'block this member' function to filter out those posters that I identify as repeatedly non-constructive. I think it no coincidence that many of those are shown as having thousands of posts. Perhaps clarification of the purpose and function of the forum is in order. Is this forum to be used as a chatroom / nautical twitter or a forum for informed and courteous discussion? I hope that the latter will prevail.

[goboatingnow]

. I participate in several interest-specific forums, and I must say that this is the one most susceptible to rudeness and general misuse. I have begun using the 'block this member' function to filter out those posters that I identify as repeatedly non-constructive. I think it no coincidence that many of those are shown as having thousands of posts.

I wouldnt be so hard on these people, if you look accross their range of contributions, very many are excellant on specific information only topics. Remember only a certain type of poster spends any significant amount of time on a forum. Some of their contribution may be excellant othertimes its purely a emotional response to a emotive topic. Many people simply come to these boards once or twice and dip in an take away a free piece of knowlegde ( often knowledge thats at the end of a Google search). Those dippers realy on a core of commited forumites who provide information, but sometime you have to sift it.

In reality you cant expect it just to be a dry fountain of knowledge.

Dave

[MarkJ]

I do like a balance of informative and chatty stuff.
If this place wasn't a fun, enjoyable one there would be less people here for the nitty-gritty, imho.

This place is, for me, first and foremost a place for me to relax. Secondly its a place to share important information. Its like a good bar....

I LOVE the ignore button!

The Polmacisists go straight on Ignore, as do their threads.

Sometimes I check a post from an 'Ignored' poster... but they are still talkin crap...

Boatman61, by the way, is not on my ignore list. I find him fun

I think I would be on a few peoples Ignore lists LOL

I hate the polmacists who start a thread, even open a new membership just to do so just to create havoc.

I don't think the Mods move fast enough on them.

While I am whackin into Mods, I reported a post the other day with aggressive use of the "F" word in it. The post wasnt removed!

I am glad Andy and the Mods are changing the rules slightly to make it easier to kick the lamers


Mark

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I do like a balance of informative and chatty stuff...
... The Polmacisists Polemicists go straight on Ignore, as do their threads...

Mark’s comment reminded me of an excellent text on the subject of ground rules for principled debating:

"Ground Rules for Polemicists”
Here ➥ http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/ArguingAdvice.htm

➥ http://www.jstor.org/pss/378279


Donald Lazere's 9 ground rules were directed originally to scholarly writers engaged in heated debate with professional adversaries.

Paraphrased thus

1. Apply the same standards to yourself and your allies that you do to your opponents, in all of the following ways.

2. Identify your own ideological viewpoint and how it might bias your arguments. Having done so, show that you approach opponents’ actions and writing with an open mind, not with malice aforethought. Concede the other side’s valid arguments–preferably toward the beginning of your critique, not tacked on grudgingly at the end or in inconspicuous subordinate clauses.

3. Summarize the other side’s case, fully and fairly, in an account they would accept, prior to refuting it. Present it through its most reputable spokespeople and strongest formulations (not through the most outlandish statements of its lunatic fringe), using direct quotes and footnoted sources, not your own undocumented paraphrases. Allow the most generous interpretation of their statements rather than putting the worst light on them; help them make their arguments stronger when possible.

4. When quoting selected phrases from the other side’s texts, accurately summarize the context and tone of the longer passages and full texts in which they appear.

5. When you are repeating a second-hand account of events, say so–do not leave the implication that you were there and are certain of its accuracy. Cite your source and take account of its author’s possible biases, especially if the author is your ally.

6. In any account that you use to illustrate the opponents’ misbehaviour, grant that there may be another side to the story and take pains to find out what it is. If opponents claim they have been misrepresented, give them their say and benefit of the doubt.

7. Be willing to acknowledge misconduct, errors, and fallacious arguments by your own allies, and try scrupulously to establish an accurate proportion of sense and reciprocity between them and those you criticize in your opponents. Do no play up the other side’s forms of power while denying or downplaying your own side’s.

8. Respond forthrightly to opponents’ criticisms of your own or your side’s previous arguments, without evading key points. Admit it when they make criticisms you cannot refute.

9. Do not substitute derision for reasoned argument and substantive evidence.

[gettinthere]

Jamu

If you don't care for the chit chat, you could try Sailing Anarchy. A real sedate, narrowly focused group.

[Andy R]

The chit chat is a byproduct of a vibrant forum although it's a legitimate concern. In the past, working with a different forum, our growth caused a similar issue. We started developing some tools to lower the noise ratio but never got them finished. The idea was similar to Digg where members could help identify quality posts, chit chat posts, etc. Members could then filter their experience based on their preferences to see (or not see) these types of posts.

Our vision is to be a social community where knowledge is transferred. We need to find solutions to allow the chit chat while at the same time showcase the quality content.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I LOVE the ignore button!


Mark

Where IS this ignore button?

[Andy R]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Where IS this ignore button?

Open the member drop down and then click on the link at the very bottom that says Add to your Ignore List (see attachment).

[MarkJ]

And the Ignore Thread Button is in Thread Tools.... Look here ^



Mark

[Andy R]

This thread has run it's course, in order prevent this discussion from wandering off topic I am going to close it now. I want to encourage everyone to read my original post and the follow up I made in Post #54. We look forward to many more years of a peaceful and respectful community together.