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Quote:
I have seen some pretty explosive topics go by in these forums and things went unexpectedly well. So while a reminder can't hurt, a happy smile for how well this forum has historically done is also due.
And some not so well. All topics that shouldn't have happened in this Forum as they were none music related. Correct?
Pat you have some good insights. In a forum such as this if it's kept musical and you think before you type things go pretty good.
It's the newbee that comes here and says in any number of words," boy does this thing suck, what a rip off etc". I'm not sure why it gets me ,it's not my company, but it does. Stuff Like This Irks Me
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Quote:
Quote:
I have seen some pretty explosive topics go by in these forums and things went unexpectedly well. So while a reminder can't hurt, a happy smile for how well this forum has historically done is also due.
And some not so well. All topics that shouldn't have happened in this Forum as they were none music related. Correct?
well, technically, THIS thread is not music related, and could be disallowed... but we seem to be having a good deal of participation and goodwill. So I doubt that the moderators will kick us all off. ;-)
My take on the off-topic discussions from a few months ago is that they DID go surprisingly well considering the potential for blowups... and the reason is because the discussion stayed focused on POINTS rather than on PERSONALITY. Everybody had their say, people didn't say that anybody was wrong, nobody insulted anybody, they all just expressed different points of view.
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I think you have to put things in perspective. Since PG has decided to put a forum titled “Off Topic” on their list of forums, I really don’t think the “music only” would apply. It is titled, after all “Off Topic”!
Without reviewing the “forum rules”, common sense would say that the only rule that would apply is no flaming in the “Off Topic” forum. (And of course, no spam).
If someone posts a subject that isn’t of any interest to anyone, then that subject dies away. It happens all the time.
If PG wants to eliminate “non-musical” topics, they should remove “Off Topic” from the forums. Problem solved. Replace it with something akin to “Musical Posts Not Related To PG Music”.
Even though I left the PG forum a couple of months ago, here I am again because I feel like I know a few of the folks here and I find some of the discussions interesting. I’ve also found help when I needed it. It’s funny how when I had a “boot” problem several months ago, no one complained that my post wasn’t “musical”!
We have an interesting cross section of people from across the world here. Since most of us who participate here have been around for quite awhile, don’t you think it’s possible to have non-musical discussions in a forum that is TITLED “Off Topic”?
All it takes is a little common courtesy. (But unfortunately, that's sometimes in short supply).
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Well, if ya look it DOES say
"This forum is for music-related discussions that aren't about PG Music products."
under the Off-Topic forum heading on the main forums page.. it should include computer issues also IMHO
Last edited by rharv; 08/14/10 05:55 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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rharv, Quote:
Well, if ya look it DOES say
"This forum is for music-related discussions that aren't about PG Music products."
under the Off-Topic forum heading on the main forums page.. it should include computer issues also IMHO
I'll take your word for that, but "IMHO", it shouldn't be labled "Off Topic". Especially since it's routinely ignored,........until someone gets their panties in a wad.
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yeah, I know. Just pointing it out. That's why you hear the 'music related' part so often.
Last edited by rharv; 08/14/10 06:22 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
rharv,
Quote:
Well, if ya look it DOES say
"This forum is for music-related discussions that aren't about PG Music products."
under the Off-Topic forum heading on the main forums page.. it should include computer issues also IMHO
I'll take your word for that, but "IMHO", it shouldn't be labled "Off Topic". Especially since it's routinely ignored,........until someone gets their panties in a wad.
you don't see it unless you click on the button "VIEW ALL FORUMS"
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Back in the day -- i.e., about fifteen years ago -- there was a thriving Usenet group, rec.music.filk, for my friends who play music at science-fiction/fantasy conventions. One of the things that made me craziest was the insistence by the moderators that no off-topic posts were allowed unless they were in lyrical form or otherwise worked into a song.
Back then, there simply wasn't the vast choice of online social networks we have now, not to mention unlimited long-distance phone rates, and many of these people really couldn't communicate otherwise. It was one of the only ways people with similar interests could find out about each other, and limiting the conversation to their hobby only was, and is, insane.
A lot of people share their lives with their friends here. Sometimes that includes some crankiness. As long as no one is openly hostile, I think that's a small price to pay for a circle of friends who share interests and create together.
< /.02 >
Best, Tom SmithWin10/64 • i7-8700K • 24 GB RAM BIAB 2026 • Reaper 7.57 • Izotope MPS AKG C1000S • IK iRig I/O Pro
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I’d never clicked on the “View All Forums” until now, but it reads verbatim what rharv stated. So if we take that literally, then all of us involved in this discussion are violating the forum rules. Even though Ian started what I think is a very good thread with the obvious intention of generating harmony and civility, and others have given some good ideas, we technically can’t talk about this! It’s just my opinion, but I think the forum rules should be taken in the spirit of what they’re trying to accomplish, not the letter. I really like what Tom had to say: Quote:
A lot of people share their lives with their friends here. Sometimes that includes some crankiness. As long as no one is openly hostile, I think that's a small price to pay for a circle of friends who share interests and create together.
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I agree, I enjoy the other threads too, but I just wanted you to know where that phrase that keeps popping up came from...
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Quote:
I think the forum rules should be taken in the spirit of what they’re trying to accomplish, not the letter
Agreed Pat and Bob - I check into the other threads - they don't get in the way of my use of the Forums. Just that sometimes they push the bounds of "civility and harmony" - but the music threads do that too. . . even though we initially come to share common interests as Tom put it.
I am hoping that many newbies yet to appear here, are getting an idea of the spirit of the place from this thread. Hopefully it offsets the more "colorful" threads of the past which they might have encountered. When all is said and done, every day is a new opportunity.
Ian 
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regarding observing the rules:
If you are driving 80 in a 55 mph zone, and no cop is there to see you, you won't get a ticket. But if you go out of control and hit a tree, and the length of the skid marks indicate excessive speed, you can bet the penalty for speeding will come into play.
Likewise, off topic posts that don't turn into a car wreck will probably not be stopped by the moderators on most forums. But if things get ugly or people complain then the letter of the law would probably be called into play. You need a place to draw the line when things go south.
On this forum, the infamous and extremely long guns & politics thread didn't get stopped, even though there were complaints. I figure it's because all in all it was a fairly well-handled and respectful discussion.
What bothers me, however, is when people try to abort a thread just because they don't like the topic... even when it is being discussed with civility. To me that amounts to censorship of ideas that only a few don't want discussed even though the majority are happy to talk about them.
Bottom line is that I prefer to communicate openly with friends, and hear their thoughts. I think THIS thread has been useful and engaging even though it is not about music. We are complex creatures, and there is more to us than our shared interest in music.
(my 2cents)
Last edited by Pat Marr; 08/15/10 06:14 PM.
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Pat, Quote:
What bothers me, however, is when people try to abort a thread just because they don't like the topic... even when it is being discussed with civility. To me that amounts to censorship of ideas that only a few don't want discussed even though the majority are happy to talk about them.
+1
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This place is very tame compared to almost all the other music forums or otherwise. It's a wild west out there. This is a relatively small goup too. Forums have mood swings and they tend to ebb and flow. It's a natural part of things. A perfectly calm and harmonious forum is actually quite boring and yields little info or opinion. It's also a sign of a heavily [overly] moderated forum and that leads to a stifling of the members- none of which is good. It can't always be peaches and cream, and it shouldn't be. Some of the best info can be gained by debate- even heated debate. I'm from NY and as nice and helpful as I will always be, I have little patience for trolls or people that take me or members to task, wrongly. In the end, my policy is always to communicate in a civil adult manner even if I'm pissed, and wait five minutes before hitting the post button when I've written something in anger. In that case, I'm always glad I did.
I'm relatively new here but I must commend this group for being a good one. It's not always the case. Don't sweat the rough spots. It always works itself out.
Dan
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Man you guys should have been back at Acidplanet, about 8 years ago, it was unbelievable. There wer fights and flame wars galore. I knew two guys that actually made an appointment to fight it out. One showed up and the other thankfully did not. That was a hoot!
I had a guy actually send a script thru the net to reboot my computer, just to show me he could!
I was very happy to leave that crazy place after a while. This place is tame compared.
HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96
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Beautifully put, Pat.
My single contribution here is to emphasise how easily it is to misunderstand written communications and mistakenly attribute rudeness to their author. I've done it numerous times and had it done to me. SMS's via mobile phone would be an even more intensified example. I don't say crucial stuff via SMS anymore and avoid doing it via email- the potential for things going pear shaped is too great. I'd rather spend the money on a personal phone call or, if possible, face to face. Remember living that way?
J.
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