Posted by: bestbang4thebuck
Forum Pollution? - 03/07/06 11:29 AM
I know I may be stepping into dangerous territory here, and almost didn't post this, but perhaps something needs to be said. I hope I'm not crossing a line. If so, I apologize and I’ll step back.
I know that posts to the forum are monitored, and certain gross overstepping of certain bounds will be caught, but sometimes there are lesser potential offenses that may be starting to spread - at a minimum like a rash, or worse, like a virus.
Hypothetical occurrence: a relatively new member of the forum, HumRightAlong, posts a question about, or a positive experience with, a product like “a sealed box I opened letting special air into the room which improved the sound by a factor of ten. Some of the molecules of the special air land on items in the room so that the improvement in sound will last for six months to a year.”
Many members of the forum are entertained by this post and the ensuing replies. One can join in the fun, watch from the sidelines or ignore the fray. No harm, no foul, and some smiles along the way.
But that is not the end of the story. In other genuine topics begun by other members of the forum, HumRightAlong begins to reply with repeated predictability, “I understand your situation. It really helped my listening when I let the special air out of the box and into my room.”
Stuff like that can get really old really fast. How can/should this community respond to the hypothetical HumRightAlong? Ask HumRightAlong to refrain from bringing up ‘special air’ experiences except in the specific ‘special air’ topic area? Shun the member by ignoring the posts? Plead with Outlaw to remove the member?
How can we be polite and respectful yet deal with what some feel is ‘pollution’ of a space enjoyed by many?
I know that posts to the forum are monitored, and certain gross overstepping of certain bounds will be caught, but sometimes there are lesser potential offenses that may be starting to spread - at a minimum like a rash, or worse, like a virus.
Hypothetical occurrence: a relatively new member of the forum, HumRightAlong, posts a question about, or a positive experience with, a product like “a sealed box I opened letting special air into the room which improved the sound by a factor of ten. Some of the molecules of the special air land on items in the room so that the improvement in sound will last for six months to a year.”
Many members of the forum are entertained by this post and the ensuing replies. One can join in the fun, watch from the sidelines or ignore the fray. No harm, no foul, and some smiles along the way.
But that is not the end of the story. In other genuine topics begun by other members of the forum, HumRightAlong begins to reply with repeated predictability, “I understand your situation. It really helped my listening when I let the special air out of the box and into my room.”
Stuff like that can get really old really fast. How can/should this community respond to the hypothetical HumRightAlong? Ask HumRightAlong to refrain from bringing up ‘special air’ experiences except in the specific ‘special air’ topic area? Shun the member by ignoring the posts? Plead with Outlaw to remove the member?
How can we be polite and respectful yet deal with what some feel is ‘pollution’ of a space enjoyed by many?