Forum Members, help your Moderators out

This forum is for making announcements of general interest concerning the forum, events, gatherings, stuff about bamboo, wooden fly rods and classic reels. If you'd like your announcement stuck at the top until the event has passed, drop a note to one of the Moderators. Thanks.

Moderators: czkid, Ken M 44

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Titelines
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Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#1

Post by Titelines »

If, after you've made a new post, and it didn't end up where you intended, please ask the moderator to move the post to your intended topic or forum.

Do not make a duplicate post where you intended it to be originally. This creates extra work for the moderators because many times folks will have replied to your misplaced post. We then have to move those replies to where your intended destination was and then clean up by getting rid of either your original or duplicate post.

Thanks for your help.

Mark

jim royston
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#2

Post by jim royston »

Maybe the moderators could help out the members by cutting us a little slack. Your imperious attitudes about what is appropriate and not is getting a little tiresome. Give the fans a break!

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Tim Anderson
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#3

Post by Tim Anderson »

I, for one, appreciate very much what the moderators do and think helping to reduce their work load is a VERY reasonable request.

Perhaps some think them heavy handed at times, but discourtesy and acrimony are easily found elsewhere. Civil discussion shouldn't be too difficult. Are the rules difficult to find? Not really, since they are to be found at the top of every topic page.

Tim

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Titelines
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#4

Post by Titelines »

jim royston wrote:Maybe the moderators could help out the members by cutting us a little slack. Your imperious attitudes about what is appropriate and not is getting a little tiresome. Give the fans a break!
Perhaps the members could occasionally refresh their memories on the rules and not post stuff that's in violation of the rules. Then "cutting a little slack" wouldn't even be necessary.

Mark

chestatee
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#5

Post by chestatee »

Thanks to Mark and the others who take their valuable time keeping this site enjoyable for all.

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Rockthief
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#6

Post by Rockthief »

jim royston wrote:Maybe the moderators could help out the members by cutting us a little slack. Your imperious attitudes about what is appropriate and not is getting a little tiresome. Give the fans a break!
You could make your own forum and run it the way you like. That way you could avoid any "imperious attitudes" and things would be perfect for you. Appropriateness is determined by the owner of the forum and the moderators who give this forum life by taking care of it. Give the mods a break!

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bamboo rodley
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#7

Post by bamboo rodley »

With no disrespect to any of the moderators or the job they do(it is much appreciated), although perhaps, not the most appropriate place for it, I don't think Mr. Royston's post to be totally out of line, and I sometimes find the tendency of members to gang up on anyone who posts an opinion not in line with theirs, to be a bit offensive. If a recent thread regarding a graphite rod made by someone closely connected with Leonard is one of the situations in dispute, I would have to agree with Jim, arguing that the discussion would have been totally appropriate in the ephemera category, and should have been moved there rather than locked out. After all, they talk about pipes, and scotch and many other topics that really have very little to do with fly fishing, in that forum. Locking the thread did seem heavy handed and unnecessary. Just my opinion. On the other hand, telling a member to go start their own forum, just because they express disagreement, is definitely not an effective way to deal with controversy. Say that too many times, and you won't have any members left, and it is the members who make the forum what it is.

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Titelines
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#8

Post by Titelines »

bamboo rodley wrote:With no disrespect to any of the moderators or the job they do(it is much appreciated), although perhaps, not the most appropriate place for it, I don't think Mr. Royston's post to be totally out of line, and I sometimes find the tendency of members to gang up on anyone who posts an opinion not in line with theirs, to be a bit offensive. If a recent thread regarding a graphite rod made by someone closely connected with Leonard is one of the situations in dispute, I would have to agree with Jim, arguing that the discussion would have been totally appropriate in the ephemera category, and should have been moved there rather than locked out. After all, they talk about pipes, and scotch and many other topics that really have very little to do with fly fishing, in that forum. Locking the thread did seem heavy handed and unnecessary. Just my opinion. On the other hand, telling a member to go start their own forum, just because they express disagreement, is definitely not an effective way to deal with controversy. Say that too many times, and you won't have any members left, and it is the members who make the forum what it is.
Dr Larson owns this forum. He's approved the rules we set to maintain both the decorum of the forum and what is allowed to be talked about here and what is not. If you look at the forum titles you will see that a preponderance say bamboo in the title. This forum is about and for bamboo rods. The forum in question is titled Appraisals and Identification of Bamboo Rods. Do you see the word graphite mentioned anywhere there? It is not, and discussions about those kinds of rods are better suited to other forums. Nothing hard to understand about that at all. The rods discussed on this forum are crafted from bamboo. Not graphite. Not fiberglass. Not boron. Not kevlar. Bamboo. If you want to discuss rods made from any other material other than bamboo, the other venues are appropriate.

Mere disagreement by the members is not the reason other forums are suggested. Going against the rules, and talking about things not allowed on this forum is the reason. You disagree with the rules or what this forum is about, then obviously this forum is not for you. This forum was created for a reason and and has become *the* venue to talk about cane rods.

Mr Royston's post was completely out of line with the wording he use about "imperious attitudes" and what is appropriate. Determining what is appropriate and what is not is what the moderators do.

wrong66
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#9

Post by wrong66 »

Are discussions about wooden rods acceptable? I notice that we've had many.
Mark

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oldschoolcane
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#10

Post by oldschoolcane »

I agree with Jim & Bamboo Rodley, there's really no reason to suggest Jim start his own forum - I have the upmost respect for Jim he's an outstanding rodbuilder and why would anyone go out of their way to suggest that? Just rude & inconsiderate. The same with Rodleys post, maybe the "powers that be here" should worry more about a declining interest in long time members participating here than they do about the rules that seem so all out important? Many of the long time members have left and the ones remaining seem to be perpetually negative. Having rules is fine but stop emphasizing them so much we're not a bunch of children here.

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bamboo rodley
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#11

Post by bamboo rodley »

I may be confusing the forum in general with the different categories included on the forum, i.e. appraisals, classified, etc. I would agree that the appraisals section very specifically states for the identification and appraisal of bamboo rods. Here is the description of the ephemera category, " Use this forum to discuss those things that are related to, directly, or indirectly, fly fishing, i.e., fly tying, fly vises and equipment, tackle, catalogs, single malt scotch, cigar preferences, pipes, camera gear, etc. This is sort of an off topic area but one related to bamboo and fly fishing." I could be mistaken, but it seems the post regarding the Larry Foster rod would fit perfectly in this sub forum. Related to fly fishing and bamboo. I realize this is a judgement call, and others could view it differently. Perhaps there is a rule somewhere else which states specifically, there will be no discussion of graphite rods, similar to the rules banning political discussions, and those about ebay. I haven't seen that rule, but perhaps it does exist.

Nevertheless, my post was also intended to criticize the tendency of members to gang up on someone who expresses an opinion different than theirs. I find this very disconcerting. Regarding the issue of the rules, perhaps the ephemera category should be relaxed a bit more. If the intention of the forum is to provide information about bamboo rods, rod makers, characteristics of rods and how they fish, etc., perhaps discussing graphite rods at times is appropriate. It certainly seems more connected to our general topic than pipes, cigars, and single malt scotch, or campers, trucks, waders, and others topics I've seen discussed.

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czkid
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#12

Post by czkid »

Gentlemen;

This forum has existed for many years due to the fact that the rules are there and enforced. Many other similar forums have either come and gone or merely languish on the web with few folks even visiting them. We continue to grow....

Do folks leave the Forum? You bet... they die, they develop other interests, maybe they get bored, whatever... that's the nature of the game. If you come up with an opinion that's contrary to the views of others, and they speak up... maybe they aren't "ganging up" on you, they are simply expressing their opinions... and maybe yours is the one out in "left field".

Ephemera topic is the one that happens to require the most moderating of any on the Forum, I should know... I'm the moderator for it, as well as administrator of the entire forum. We do cut folks some "slack", but the amount of anti-social behavior on the web would amaze you, the number of folks that drink and then post would amaze you, as well as those that might use other substances prior to posting. So.... I tend to let things go a certain amount and then chop it off. If you find that offensive, "I'm sorry about that for you.." as my Thai friends would say... but those are the rules.

I have to keep reiterating... think about what you are posting, if you wait 24 hours before hitting the "send" button, so much the better. I appreciate all the expertise expressed by our members, it's what makes this a great center of excellence. So let's just remember what rules Grandma set for behavior in her household and we'll all be better off.

Thanks, Ralph

oneculm
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#13

Post by oneculm »

I find it interesting that the thread talking about graphite was locked yet if you wish to sell one you can talk all you want about them. dave m

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ttrotter
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#14

Post by ttrotter »

UHH? Where can "...you can talk all you want about them"?

oneculm
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#15

Post by oneculm »

When you sell one in the classified section .

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Titelines
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#16

Post by Titelines »

oneculm wrote:When you sell one in the classified section .
The Classified section does not allow replies. How does that equate to "you can talk all you want about them."?

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Short Tip
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#17

Post by Short Tip »

I'm going to weigh in here, with respect.

I have been a member of all the various forum iterations, starting with Clark's, nearly since the inception. I was a moderator here for a very long time. It's a thankless job, but a vital one. So please take my comments in the spirit they are intended, as an attempt to keep the forum vital and fun.

It seems my comment in the graphite rod thread mentioned above was the catalyst for the lock. I'd like to finish my thought, then listen to what the moderators and others have to say.

What are we protecting when we eliminate off-topic discussion? If it's bandwidth, then why not delete the rule-breaking posts from one-time "members", "I gots a bamboo rod, how much do it be worth?", never to be seen or heard from again. There are hundreds of these. They don't read the posting rules nor do they follow the guidelines. Members call them out, moderators do not.

Since we often become friends here, off-topic banter is inevitable. It's fun, it hurts nothing and no one, if it goes on a while, why worry?

I see no rule prohibiting the discussion of graphite rods. Yes, in the appraisal section it says "bamboo", nearly everything else says "classic". Nowhere does it say "don't do it", and again, do we really think that one-time posters without a clue or an interest other than cashing in are more important than contributing members?

And this brings me to my last point - My mention of the fact that the "offending" post was made by a long time contributing member was called a "non sequitor" (sic). I beg to differ. It is the knowledge base here, possessed by the members, that has made the CFRF a special place. That knowledge was on display in the thread in question, and of course many other places. If the perception is that rules are more important than members, you might consider taking "Forum" out of the name. Yes, people leave because they "develop other interests", and they also leave if their contributions aren't valued.

Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Paul

oneculm
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#18

Post by oneculm »

Titelines you are correct that replies are not allowed and for good reason. A person selling a graphite or any other rod is allowed to describe a particular rod as to its casting abilities/how it performs/ it's weight/ how popular that model might be and anything else pertaining to that rod. I guess for me to have used the term discuss was wrong, but graphite rods are talked about often in the classified section.

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steeliefool
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#19

Post by steeliefool »

"Thanks to those who replied. Quite honestly; I expected to be scolded for not providing photos, and will go to work on that. Thanks again!"
Case in point. A newbie's second post in the "Appraisal" section.
Do we project this?

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czkid
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Re: Forum Members, help your Moderators out

#20

Post by czkid »

If you go back thru the vast volume of posts that mention graphite and or fiberglass you will find that, for the most part, they are discussions requesting or otherwise discussing the difference between them and cane (or wood). We are not being elitist here, we are simply keeping the focus where it belongs... on bamboo rods.

Paul's observation is correct... we get a lot of folks asking about values for cane rods, but what he may not think about is this... sometimes the folks stay, but more often not... members contact the poster to possibly purchase said rod... or some interesting facts emerge, or historical rods are displayed. So, all in all, not a loss.

Opinions are just that... opinions, and everyone has one. The fact that someone doesn't value your particular opinion is a fact of life, but some folks just can't seem to handle that situation. I've got lots of opinions that folks don't agree with, and have told me so in uncertain terms, but I'm still here. I learned a long time ago that having a "thin skin" didn't serve well in adult society. I've even learned to tolerate the few "professional grumps" on the Forum and simply ignore their unhappy existence.

We do, for the most part, allow a lot of leeway in posts. I, for one, have probably let some go on far to long... but even though I wear a size 15 shoe... I still don't walk on water.

Mark and I are at SRG and will discuss many aspects of the Forum over a couple beers, but don't expect any great changes. Thank you Paul for your service and input.

Ralph

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