Forum etiquette

[Zhuchengotyrant]

I agree with Neosodon, sometimes the community can get a little obsessive with scientific accuracy, especially with feathers. I mean, the largest feathered dinosaur found with feathers is Yutyrannus at about 30 feet. There is no proof large tyrannosaurs had feathers, let alone spinosaurs and sauropods. They would have trouble losing heat. Despite this, it is really up to the person whether they like feathers or probated arms or whatever, so I think Derek crossed a line, especially cause some people take these 'toys' as museum quality models, whether to teach kids, because they are scientists, or maybe just because they like accuracy. So, Derek has no right to just say that and make people feel bad about their beliefs on new scientific discoveries.

[PumperKrickel]

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[Silvanusaurus]

Despite it's detached nature, or maybe even because of it, the internet forum is a place in which it is easy to get wound up and emotionally frustrated, with the sheer variety of personalities, backgrounds, personal contexts etc. involved, there will always be conflict, but it is up to our individual choices to shape our own community. We dont need to each build a brick wall around our position, we should try as often as possible to build doorways, windows and bridges between them, if we need walls at all. We are all human, we make mistakes, over-react, type out sentences in one moment that are regretted later on. I know I have posted things I wish I hadn't, but every time I do I learn the greater value of patience and careful consideration.

If somebody says something that upsets you, it's worth the time to reach out and at least take a chance in understanding why it was said, and whether it was truly sincere or simply misjudged. I think that there is a way to resolve all conflicts without coming to blows, we dont all have to agree with each other or see the world in the same way, but we should all co-operate in sharing this space in as diverse and inclusive a way as possible. If the forum has become less friendly to you, don't react with unfriendliness, do the opposite and help to guide it along a better path.
It is impossible to ever reach a perfect ideal for everyone or for us all to always be happy with a circumstance, but if we'd never reached towards the distant stars, we'd never have walked upon the moon.

I hope this makes some kind of sense. 

[Lanthanotus]

I read through all of this but I did not feel the need to chime in as of yet...

Despite it's detached nature, or maybe even because of it, the internet forum is a place in which it is easy to get wound up and emotionally frustrated, with the sheer variety of personalities, backgrounds, personal contexts etc. involved, there will always be conflict, but it is up to our individual choices to shape our own community. We dont need to each build a brick wall around our position, we should try as often as possible to build doorways, windows and bridges between them, if we need walls at all. We are all human, we make mistakes, over-react, type out sentences in one moment that are regretted later on. I know I have posted things I wish I hadn't, but every time I do I learn the greater value of patience and careful consideration.

If somebody says something that upsets you, it's worth the time to reach out and at least take a chance in understanding why it was said, and whether it was truly sincere or simply misjudged. I think that there is a way to resolve all conflicts without coming to blows, we dont all have to agree with each other or see the world in the same way, but we should all co-operate in sharing this space in as diverse and inclusive a way as possible. If the forum has become less friendly to you, don't react with unfriendliness, do the opposite and help to guide it along a better path.
It is impossible to ever reach a perfect ideal for everyone or for us all to always be happy with a circumstance, but if we'd never reached towards the distant stars, we'd never have walked upon the moon.

I hope this makes some kind of sense.

...thanks for that, Silvanusaurus - nuff said.

[stargatedalek]

I don't recall whether I actually chimed in when this issue presented itself initially, I probably felt enough had been said about it at the time, but I must say I felt the response at the time was entirely justified. There was absolutely no ambiguity about the situation, a member openly stated that their presence on this forum was intended for the purpose of laughing at and insulting other members behind their backs. I fail to see how that possibly isn't cause to call them out?

And upon returning we get a spiel about family troubles. I'm not trying to undermine any genuine problems someone may be having, but returning and listing off a bunch of personal problems expecting that to make everyone forgive them is childish. I see that kind of nonsense practically non-stop in the Zoo Tycoon modding communities, it doesn't matter whether the issues are genuine or not when someone tries to play them up in a context to earn themselves pity.

[suspsy]

Amen, stargatedalek.

[Simon]

I don't recall whether I actually chimed in when this issue presented itself initially, I probably felt enough had been said about it at the time, but I must say I felt the response at the time was entirely justified. There was absolutely no ambiguity about the situation, a member openly stated that their presence on this forum was intended for the purpose of laughing at and insulting other members behind their backs. I fail to see how that possibly isn't cause to call them out?

And upon returning we get a spiel about family troubles. I'm not trying to undermine any genuine problems someone may be having, but returning and listing off a bunch of personal problems expecting that to make everyone forgive them is childish. I see that kind of nonsense practically non-stop in the Zoo Tycoon modding communities, it doesn't matter whether the issues are genuine or not when someone tries to play them up in a context to earn themselves pity.

I have not been following this thread, and I offer no opinion on the original subject matter, but I did see the post that you are referring to.

I don't think the poster's purpose was to "earn themselves pity", but to inform.  Every member of the forum has a "real life", and "real life" affects one's moods, which can affect the tone of a person's posts.

The personal events described in that post would lead me to "cut that person some slack" regarding any earlier posts they may have made, if those posts exhibited a greater than usual degree of "aggressiveness" or cantakerousness.  It just provides some useful context, in my view...

[Reptilia]

I think personal problems and whatever detail regarding your private life should always stay private and well away from online communities, but that's just me. However the user in question didn't talk about what occurred in his personal life to apologize for his comments on Rebor's Facebook, he actually didn't apologize at all and seem not to feel like he has to do so, he talked about his personal troubles only to justify his absence from the forum. At least that's what I understood.

[stargatedalek]

I don't think the poster's purpose was to "earn themselves pity", but to inform.  Every member of the forum has a "real life", and "real life" affects one's moods, which can affect the tone of a person's posts.

The personal events described in that post would lead me to "cut that person some slack" regarding any earlier posts they may have made, if those posts exhibited a greater than usual degree of "aggressiveness" or cantakerousness.  It just provides some useful context, in my view...

I certainly agree, but that isn't the context. If someone were saying such things as a part of an apology I would try to be more lenient.

It wasn't anything along the lines of them being more aggressive or in poor mood, but rather they admitted in a somewhat upbeat tone that they were only present here to cause or otherwise partake of mischief. These statements about their personal problems only came up after they were called out, several months afterwards at that, and have absolutely no relevance to what transpired. It was either an attempt to earn pity or an attempt to save face by pretending they didn't get caught.

[PumperKrickel]

deleted

[Simon]

I think personal problems and whatever detail regarding your private life should always stay private and well away from online communities, but that's just me. *SNIP*

I agree 110%.  People that I do not know and will never meet sharing the most intimate details of their lives in a forum not intended for that purpose make me feel profoundly uneasy.  Many members of the younger generations today don't seem to have a good sense of what personal matters are appropriate to discuss in public with strangers, and which should be kept private.

[Simon]

I don't think the poster's purpose was to "earn themselves pity", but to inform.  Every member of the forum has a "real life", and "real life" affects one's moods, which can affect the tone of a person's posts.

The personal events described in that post would lead me to "cut that person some slack" regarding any earlier posts they may have made, if those posts exhibited a greater than usual degree of "aggressiveness" or cantakerousness.  It just provides some useful context, in my view...

I certainly agree, but that isn't the context. If someone were saying such things as a part of an apology I would try to be more lenient.

It wasn't anything along the lines of them being more aggressive or in poor mood, but rather they admitted in a somewhat upbeat tone that they were only present here to cause or otherwise partake of mischief. These statements about their personal problems only came up after they were called out, several months afterwards at that, and have absolutely no relevance to what transpired. It was either an attempt to earn pity or an attempt to save face by pretending they didn't get caught.

Your points are all valid.  I did not realize that the poster in question was the one who engaged in the FB posts that started the whole debate.  Like I said, I don't really follow this thread closely.

[Reptilia]

I didn't feel offended or personally touched by his comments on Rebor's page, but I understand why people felt provoked in some way. It certainly wasn't something kind to say about a community you were supposed to enjoy to be part of, but if he doesn't want to apologize or doesn't feel like he owes an apology at all, well I guess it's fine anyway. It is not a case of pushing someone away from the community though, and in no way comparable to the other recent case that's been discussed here. Just my two cents.

[Rain]

Regardless of our views, I think we could all agree that we could be friendlier.Whether its justifiable or not, public shaming isn't something we should do on a forum that's described as "welcoming" and "friendly". I was a bit annoyed by his comments either but I didn't feel the need to comment on how he's not respectable or etc, because a comment like that is absolutely pointless. It achieves absolutely nothing other than create a commotion.

[Dobber]

Oh for crying out loud Rain, you keep saying I publicly shamed him. His posts were on a PUBLIC forum for all to see.  I didn't take anything he privately stated or brought out something from some dark sorted past. If you think it didn't do any good than so be it. Though, even you, who is defending him, is saying he should've apologized and he told us it ain't going to happen. That says far more about him than anything anyone else can say. While even you admitted no one said anything that bad about him, you want keep saying he was being publicly shamed by me. I guess I'm the villain here 

Chris

[DinoToyForum]

You guys should put aside your differences, call it a draw, and join us in the games section - it's definitely an open, friendly community over there Ironically, this thread is the only place it isn't, at the moment.

[Dobber]

I agree Dr. Admin, and thank you. I don't understand why this is being brought up now after 2 months.   

Chris

[Derek.McManus]

Hey...Dobber there is something... slightly strange or odd about someone who scans the internet for the purpose of exposing people but who hides behind a made up name since I'm fairly sure your parents didn't christen you Dobber...some people are not cowardly and don't feel the need to hide behind fake names...you work it out for yourself!

[Derek.McManus]

Also scan the internet and Facebook a bit more closely with regards to Rebor with regards to who stepped in to defuse the situation last summer regarding the kid and the Facebook row...funny no one felt the need to comment on that!

Selective viewing!

[DinoToyForum]

Hey...Dobber there is something... slightly strange or odd about someone who scans the internet for the purpose of exposing people but who hides behind a made up name since I'm fairly sure your parents didn't christen you Dobber...some people are not cowardly and don't feel the need to hide behind fake names...you work it out for yourself!

This is a warning.