?

my thought is that this is an other forum topic.

In my opinion, most of the hyperbole and over-reaction have now died down and the forum will pretty much be what it used to be. Which is not all the much different. Just a little less of certain things.

Frankly, to me, it seems a little less padding, but it does not seem that different.

I think it's worked pretty well. The balance of threads in other seems better, and it seems that most of the "fun" crowd has stuck around. I am sad to see you posting less though soup. I haven't been posting much either, I've been really busy with finals (over now), work, summer fun, and my girlfriends dad passed away. I think the biggest success has been the new forum areas. They make it very easy to find threads on subjects that interest you, and other seems to be benefitting by not having quite as many topics in there. I give the changes a big so far.

I don't like it as much, but I spend just as much time here, so I guess it doesn't matter.

little less goofing around. a little less fun. however as long as most people like it then I will be ok with it.

I think the pace has slowed down which is good for the servers and Geoff. I bet the click thru's have not changed.

I still try to have some fun within the guidelines i think exist and find porn and padding and general goofing off elsewhere

I love it. Maybe it's the placebo effect but I'm contributing to the DVD Talk forum again which is what I came here for to begin with. There's less padding and I think that's one of the things that I've noticed the most. I've also been trying to use Geoff's links as often as possible because I like to vote with my wallet.

-Gonnosuke

Gonnosuke finnally got his way! woohoo no post counts... he is secretly laughing at you all!

[Edited by SnoopDogg on 05-11-01 at 12:29 AM]

Basically the forum has reverted to the pre Jack days. Some good some bad. Life goes on.

Bland. Needs a little seasoning.

I echo those sentiments ...

So you two are volunteering to try to spice it up?

I honestly can't say, because I don't spend nearly so much time here anymore.

I guess my interest level has dropped. Maybe my interest in general have shifted such that this isn't really where I spend much of my time.

dunno.

Robyn, not meant to be a wise-a$$ or snide, but maybe you didn't have to post in this thread if you had no opinion of the question?

I did that before, and we see what happened.

Besides, I won't even reconsider a return to full-time posting, until Geoff reinstates Dick-Richardson.

I like the new forum much better. There are always people who like and dislike things, but I bet if no one pointed things out that "the new forum is better" or "the old forums is better", then 95% of the lurkers wouldn't care one bit. In the old old days, there was once some sort of thread that tried to address what went on in the lurkers' minds. A few lurkers piped up that they came here to read the threads for information. Perhaps that lesson still holds true.

The amount of fun seems to be about the same minus the padding threads full of "just padding through" style one-liners or some other one-liners like "I agree with you" or "That's funny dude!".

The information threads have been more readable. They never benefitted from being filled up by those one-liner comments anyways. While "fun" to read one-liner wisecracks, they distract from the thread. There is a continuing trend of various people posting informative threads and answers. The total number seems be growing. I don't know why, but perhaps it is that people don't feel like giving up.

The information threads have also been more accessible to the lurkers. These threads (which have a slow posting frequency compared to padding threads) don't get driven down to page 100 after two or three hours. Whilst regular posters are here more often than 2 or 3 hours, I bet many lurkers only visit once a day or once every few days, and trying to find informative posts is just too difficult when there are so many padding threads.

As for lacking of "girly" threads, something mentioned in one of Soup Nazi's earlier posts, they exist. Even threads like Japanese Race Queens have been introduced to test the waters that once were filled with uncovered pictures of vaginas, clitoris, and other bold, edgy and fervent shots.

It's more like it used to be before things got out of control. Maybe we'll be able to "breed" another Kenwood again. Or maybe the edgy people will kill the fledging neo-Kenwood before it can grow older. Who knows?

I know that I have more "fun" posting informative threads. Some people have no "fun" at all doing that, but like to post one-liner threads. Some people have fun "showing the flag" by posting "I agree with your sentiment" or "Me too". Okay, they all have a place in the world. Maybe there could be a "fun" forum other than Other. Other has become a Miscelleneous category. Perhaps there could be two forums:

Other Forum -- the informative or discussion topics (not chat topics, but discussions which have more than one line replies).

Otter Forum -- the "fun" forum where the padders reign to their hearts content. <font color=white><small>

[Edited by Startide on 05-11-01 at 04:21 PM]

It's cool but I prefer the pre-Clean up version. I think it's time to test the waters more.

Why the attitude? What did you want me to say. The last half of my post was useful in saying that I don't spend much time here anymore. Why do think I added that? My interests have changed because I'm not finding the same atmosphere here that drew me, nor am i particularly interested in the threads that I'm seeing.

I'm also tending to see many, many more repeated questions as threads, as well as many many more snide comments.

If all you wanted was dvdtalk praise, then fine. Next time, I'll stay out.

Anyway, If I would have said I didn't like it as much, you'd have probably given me the same crap as you gave Soup Nazi and Patman.

I could have come right out and say I hated the changes, but really, I'm pretty indifferent. As far as your attitude goes, it's comments like that that seem to be driving me away.

Robyn, I was polite, your response was less so. I asked the question because I couldn't understand why you posted to the thread asking about the changes when your opinion was you didn't have an opinion.

Want praise? Hardly.

I gave crap to Scott and Pat??? How? All I did was ask them if they were going to try to change the forum since they identified a problem. I personally believe in a put up or shut up approach. If there is a problem, and you can implement solutions, then do so.

You have opted to be here less because of the problems you saw. I can fully respect that, because it 'fixes' your concerns, right? I think that is fine, and fully democratic (voting with your feet). Some people (not really Pat or Scott with any frequency) complain about all the problems here and then do nothing about it. They neither try to 'fix' what is wrong, nor do they leave. They just complain. I think we can all agree that people like that can try our patience.

You really need to take a step back and not be so sensitive. You made a sarcastic comment about me only wanting praise about DVDTalk. Meanwhile it seems all you wanted was praise for your post. When I made a polite but appropriately critical comment about it you seemed to not take it very well. Criticism is a two-way street Robyn. If you give it, be prepared to take it back.

I hope I did just that. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been doing my job ...

I think I'll just summarize what I just wrote and erased so I don't offend anyone: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....information....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

I'm hoping I'll wake up and discover it was just a dream.

What does that mean?

Much improved. Frankly, the amount of "chaff" compared to the "wheat" was getting to a ridiculous level. The fact that the number of pages on "View todays threads" has almost halved, but the amount of threads with decent content has increased surely speaks volumes about the state the forum was in before. And not wishing to point fingers, but there still seem to be almost as many people posting on a regular basis as before the "crackdown".

The minority of people who apparently only came to the forum to pad have been keeping a lower profile of late, and decent threads that are actually worth reading have started flourishing. This is actually turning back into a forum that I can happily while away a bit of time enjoying, which is, IMO, a Good Thing.

Right now, I think we've almost got back to just the right balance between "fun" threads and "serious" threads. Padding and pointless one-line replies are (almost) a thing of the past, and I hope this trend proves to be more than just a passing phase.

Within reason, I am for an "anything goes" forum. However, there is one thing I would stop. I would stop all "welcome back" threads to members who have been suspended. These simply encourage some other members to also seek this "badge of honor;" therefore, they push the envelope even more.

[Edited by classicman2 on 05-12-01 at 08:14 AM]

I do not see this happening at all. The main reason to crack down on pading was a strain on the limited resources here at DVDtalk. Allowing unlimited pads in a specific "pad forum" would go completely against what geoff was trying to accomplish with the changes.

Personally I think the changes have been a success and have helped to bring the foum back to where it once was. As time goes on, I am sure a better balance of fun versus content can be reached withing these new guidelines where everyone can coexist.

J