Forum etiquette

[DinoToyForum]

Just to reiterate, we are treating this new rule seriously. I've banned three members today already for rudeness/goading and I really don't want to ban anyone else.

[SBell]

So given Dan Laruso's recent withdrawl/departure, I am kind of curious how the DTF will proceed in future?

Is this the sort of thing that will happen with every new venture (Rebor being another example)? This should be a place where new entrants want to be seen, but it seems that many of the posts are just itchy to pounce on every perceived flaw--or to make sure that every opinion is thrown out there, even if it wasn't actually asked for.

I'm going to be very honest here--there is something different going on with the forum, and has been for awhile. The discussions are far less engaging than what they used to be. I suppose this is me shaking my fist form my rocking chair as kids play on my lawn, but looking at the old forum, even when people were arguing, it was (normally) respectful.

I don't really have solutions or suggestions, but if yet another famous toy person has decided that he will take his ball and go home, that will have an affect that needs to be handled. If the companies and sculptors stop coming by, then our influence will be meaningless--and we are supposed to be the community that drives and thrives with the prehistoric toy market!

I guess I can't say much--I don't post like I used to (over 6000 posts on the old forum? Where did I find the time!?) but maybe I just don't have as much to say. It's not like my collecting has stopped--maybe the need to be heard did!

[DinoLord]

Sean,

I agree completely. The forum isn't what it used to be - everything really was respectful and engaging back in the day.

Nowadays I notice there are a lot of dead horses being beaten, with people just reposting the same old arguments and points over and over (sometimes even across multiple threads.) While it's certainly good to point out possible inaccuracies in a figure (this is certainly something I do), there's no need to do it over and over again in a short period, especially when the figure's already been made/released.

Everyone's too busy focusing on integument or other relatively minor details instead of the big picture - the dinosaur toys! I don't know about the rest of you but I've been on various incarnations of this forum for years because I enjoy collecting and viewing dinosaur figures. While I do value accuracy, accuracy alone does not a figure make - other factors like detail and aesthetics are equally if not more important.

It doesn't hurt to appreciate figures for what they are - little pieces of artwork that are pleasant to collect and look at. I feel like this often gets lost nowadays. I certainly do value accuracy or what its worth, but there are inaccurate figures in my collection that I bought (sometimes spending much effort/money) because I find them aesthetically pleasing and enjoyable.

If everyone went out to build collections of only 100% accurate figures, they'd either have tiny collections of ever-cycling figures or even none at all.

Like Sean I've also been less active than I was (heck I've only bought and received around a dozen figures in the last two years) but I do hope that this community will stay the vibrant, engaging, and positive one it once was.

[postsaurischian]

This was an accident waiting to happen ! Another important forum member leaving. I'm already missing some.
If only those angry high school kids would leave! sometimes I think I should start my own blog (with age limit).
I really hope that the DTF turns the corner .

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

We're all in this together...a part of a community of dinosaur fans.  We all love dinosaurs and that should be enough for us all to get along...right off we start with that agreement.  We can have differing opinions but a little respect and consideration for each other should be mandatory.  I'm quite sorry to see that many of us either don't understand that or just don't care. Yes some of us are younger here..and there is a generational gap there..but our love of dinosaurs and all things prehistoric can bridge it I feel. Please prove me right!

[DinoToyForum]

Unfortunately (for the forum, not for me personally!), I've been at SVPCA conference all this week so I've been detached from the forum. I think this is why things seem to have gotten out of hand in a thread or two during the last few days.

This is quick message to assure all members that we, the mods, are in the process of discussing what (if anything) can be done to minimise the growing bitterness on the forum. It is a tricky one because we are moderators, not censors. Firstly, I need to catch up with the topics, but I'm confident we can resolve any grievances.

I'll also note that the vast, vast, majority of discussion on the forum is positive and amiable, and even where people do rub each other up the wrong way, I get the feeling it is mostly unintentional.

As I've mentioned previously in this thread, it would be a great help to the moderators if members can raise questionable posts or comments directly to the attention of the mods, rather than contribute to the threads publicly, which can add fuel to the drama fire.

[SBell]

This was an accident waiting to happen ! Another important forum member leaving. I'm already missing some.
If only those angry high school kids would leave! sometimes I think I should start my own blog (with age limit).
I really hope that the DTF turns the corner .

I'd have to agree here--but it is not necessarily the age that's the problem, but the maturity. Even though it is rarely more than a few people, there are enough people here pretty much acting like people do everywhere on the Internet to suck the fun out for many folks. The Battat thread is a good example--so much excitement in the first couple pages, and then came unasked for opinions. And then came the rehashing and arguments over those opinions. And then Dan Laruso left, which is a bigger detriment to the forum than letting people take threads in a direction that makes sure people know their feelings on feathers or paint schemes.

[tyrantqueen]

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I'm glad that the peace has (mostly) returned to the forum again. The atmosphere feels more hospitable now than it did a few weeks ago

[Paleogene Pals]

I have read through some of the arguments/debates on many threads in this forum. They do get tiresome and repetitive. We are here to celebrate a hobby and a passion for paleontology. Peace and plastic dino love, peace and plastic dino love. 

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Something I was pondering before....do the bans expire prior to the due date for the contest and if not, would the three who were banned be allowed to participate despite that status...I know Simon had talked some about his scene he had Made and if he could enter it.Just a random thought...........OOh and PS...Tyrannosaurus was not feathered !!! ooops wrong thread..err I meant..oh Nevermind

[Paleogene Pals]

Simon was banned?

[Paleogene Pals]

I also want to add that I felt bad about how Rebor was received. I use this forum to get in contact with new artists and their works. They should be encouraged with constructive, yet polite and respectful, criticism if needed. Then, there will be a draw for artists to post their works on DTF, and I can get leads to more cool kits!

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Simon was banned?

I believe there were three members given temporary bans during the Rebor-Y-Rex-Feathered-skirmish, all for being bad little reptiles apparently. The admin are clamping down on unseemly behavior and it was deemed necessary.If you review the Rebor thread, I believe you can determine for yourself what did occurr, but that is the gist of it.

[Paleogene Pals]

Thanks, I did read that thread and noticed that there was a lot of heated exchanges. I think things got a little personal, and folks got out of hand. Just say to yourself it's just a toy and you really should just relax...

[stargatedalek]

I wouldn't say 'heated' so much as 'mocking'

[EmperorDinobot]

Hey everybody! Wanna buy my stuff? Hint, hint 

Making a living is not unethical if done in a polite, honest fashion.



And btw. Hey everybody! Wanna buy my stuff?! 


EDIT:

WHY DID DAN LARUSSO LEAVE?! Is it because he's busy?

[tyrantqueen]

Hey everybody! Wanna buy my stuff? Hint, hint 

Making a living is not unethical if done in a polite, honest fashion.



And btw. Hey everybody! Wanna buy my stuff?! 


EDIT:

WHY DID DAN LARUSSO LEAVE?! Is it because he's busy?

No, he left because he felt people were being too harsh on his sculpts. Looking back on the comments, arguably there is a certain amount of truth to that statement.

[EmperorDinobot]

I feel like we owe him an apology if it hasn't been done already. He knows we love his dinos overwhelmingly, and that two or three kids aren't gonna change that.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I feel like we owe him an apology if it hasn't been done already. He knows we love his dinos overwhelmingly, and that two or three kids aren't gonna change that.

Dan left because he dint wanna buy your stuff !!!

[DC]

Well the forum can be harsh beyond what is rational.  Recently I suggested to a company that they should have links to the forum when their products were discussed.  They rejected the idea because even though the links I suggested were positive they could not be sure of the type of future posts would show up.  I have been asked by other companies if people had been paid to trash them on this blog.