Forum feedback thread

[Ormir]

I thought that perhaps we need a thread to voice our likes and dislikes about the forum.

My thoughts:

+Friendly atmosphere.
+Low tolerance and volume of spamming.
+Threads get lots of replys, as opposed to masses of 0 and a few reply ones.
+The community is close-knit
+There has, and is a good amount of DT discussion, particularly on touring
+Moderation is efficient and just, but still lenient
+Nice colours and layout
+Lack of overlapping topics makes the forum ergonomical to surf

-Maybe a bit too friendly. Conflicts are the spice of life.
-Lots of off-topic chit chat, that affects most threads
-DT related topics have been slipping
-The forum has turned rather "inside". It's probably intimidating for new users to join in.
-Threads have a tendency to grow way too big, and smolder new conversation.
-Lack of new threads, and bumping old ones makes coming back to the forum less interesting.

 

[Dark_Jester]

You have some good points there, I agree with the plus points, and most of the minus points (on the conflict one, do what everyone else does and take it to the Opeth forum...but you do that anyway right? ). I also think that yes, it may be intimidating for new users...but I think, like with my arrival and other arrivals, the answer is to just throw yourself in and become involved...worked well enough for me...
Also, we try new threads every so often...the favourite song titles one (BIG HINT EVERYONE ) was introduced for this reason, for a bit of variety and creativity...but on the whole, I agree...
But as well as just likes and dislikes, maybe we could pose solutions as well?

Jester over and out

 

[hyena]

i think that chit-chat is funny, i'm not bothered by it at all. it gives a chance to understand the inner nature of fellow board members and to annoy each other.

i might want to post more organized thoughts, but i'm too lazy to do it at the moment.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by Ormir
-The forum has turned rather "inside". It's probably intimidating for new users to join in.
-Threads have a tendency to grow way too big, and smolder new conversation.

i strongly agree with these. as a moderator, i'd like to hear suggestions to change the course of events. i don't want new users to be scared of posting the wrong thing in the wrong place, but of course it's not enough stating here - for those who didn't notice - that i'm never going to disturb any thread as long as the poster spends at least 30 seconds explaining why it should stay even if it's against forum rules.

you see, i like new threads similar to the one about malmsteen: it provides funny infos and it doesn't turn into a scary 80 pages thread. ppl make some comments, then it simply sinks. in case someone missed this aspect, i'm perfectly ok with off-topic threads like that.

rahvin.

 

[BigFakeSmile]

"you people" are very funny... and VERY "intimidating"

 

[Naku ist krig]

I´m with hyena..

Lack of new threads, and bumping old ones makes coming back to the forum less interesting.

I´ve tryid to start few threads but I´m slow writer and when I try to post, UM asks my username and password.. and when i write them i have to write the whole thing again.
And that pisses me off, It almost makes me to use the f-word..
Or maybe I will..
It´s so frustrating!

 

[BiatchGuy]

it seems to me some of the minuses are just flip side of the pluses..

 

[BigFakeSmile]

if people stayed on topic, this would be boring.... "i love DT i love DT i love DT does everybody else love DT wasnt the gallery classic it changed my life"

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by BigFakeSmile
if people stayed on topic, this would be boring.... "i love DT i love DT i love DT does everybody else love DT wasnt the gallery classic it changed my life"

of course. for the sake of easier debating, let me be obsessive-compulsive and categorize:

1. band-related discussions

2. off-topic, general discussions about specific topics

3. chat

that's how i see it. my take is: too many threads of type 3 scare ppl away because it's like bursting into a room full of long-time friends cracking joke about their high-school teachers.
too many threads of type 1 tend to be either repetitive or overwhelmingly put-off for the neofite.
there's no such thing as too many type 2 threads imo.

rahvin.

 

[hyena]

Originally posted by rahvin

too many threads of type 2 tend to be either repetitive or overwhelmingly put-off for the neofite.
there's no such thing as too many type 2 threads imo.

rahvin.

what about totally uncomprehensible moderators?

h

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by hyena
what about totally uncomprehensible moderators?

you're right. i'm just too worried that my pc explodes at any moment to pay too much attention to what i'm typing. i edited back the post, now.

rahvin.

 

[hyena]

hey, chill that was only a joke, in the "bubububum" vein. now this will make you laugh and make you relax about the state of your computer.

h

 

[Malaclypse]

i don't care how many threads there are, and if they serve me well or not. as long as i feel comfortable around (and that derives above all from the people gathered here), everything's yust D) fine

 

[Siren]

Originally posted by VultureCulture
everything's yust D)

 

[mousewings]

Originally posted by RealHazard

I´ve tryid to start few threads but I´m slow writer and when I try to post, UM asks my username and password.. and when i write them i have to write the whole thing again.
And that pisses me off, It almost makes me to use the f-word..
Or maybe I will..
It´s so frustrating!

Hmm... that could be a problem with your settings in UM. Try to change the settings to "browse with cookies". It's not supposed to log you out like that.


For me, I like this board. The close-knit part may intimidate newbies, but once they get into the conversations, they'll feel right at home (I did ). It's also funny to have occasional crude conversations and occasional flamewars, but it won't fit this place (I can also go elsewhere to see that... ).

The people are friendly and don't try to flame people who post a bit... strangely. The members here also know what's appropriate and what isn't and don't try to gang up on people who are not in their "clique". It's really good here and one of few boards where the members genuinely seem to care about each other.

 

[Ormir]

I visualize the DT forum as an opium cave. A group of people reclining lazily in their bean bags, going through relaxed conversation in a haze of smoke. Everybody is too high to get mad, and the occasional flares of emotion are met with lazy "chill dude" remarks. They've been in the cave as long as they can remember, and nobody has any intentions to leave. The furniture has been placed exactly according to their taste, but every now and then someone will walk into the room and try to re-arrange it, which is met by the patronising of the manager (the real owner is too busy to keep an eye on things). New people will walk in, and their arrival is always marked by lazy smiles and peace signs.

Opeth forum on the other hand, is a wild bar. It started out as a cozy tavern, full of enthusiastic discussion and entertainment numbers. As the night passed on, more and more customers poured in, getting more and more drunk, and happy hour came by. By this point, all inhibitions have been lost, middle-aged business men are singing karaoke, people are stripping naked and dancing on the tables, and the toilets are being vandalized. As the bar gets more crowded, fights flare up, the customers beating each other violently for no apparent reason. The bouncer is helpless, throwing out a customer every now and then, but it's obvious he is not in control. Sometimes the loud noise in the bar disturbs the opium cave, and even gets some angry, and they march in to complain.

Hmmm... that turned out long.

 

[wildfyr]

opium cave?

opium to numb the pain (caved)?

 

[rahvin]

i sort of like the opeth forum, at least as a place to read with a grin on my face when i need to fulfill my gossiping needs. aside from ormir's creative view, what makes it different from here imo is its speed and the basic function of posts.
nobody exactly chats there, they just come up with a new topic every 30 seconds and forget about it every half an hour, after 50-60 ppl posted on the matter four or five times. i also think that forum is scary, too, because i wouldn't feel comfortable posting in a place where either i write something absolutely extreme (and get flamed) or my posts would get submerged and hardly ever noticed.

rahvin.

 

[Hiljainen]

@Opium cave

Sometimes i post in the Opeth forum, and i like to read (and post) there, it's not my homeforum 'cause it's too confused and there's really a lot of people, but you can read funny stuff and also sometimes "talk" with somebody about serious things..

 

[Phyros]

@Ormir! Well, you forgott about those dusty, spiderwebby (word?) chairs where noone is allowed to seat, and the sign on the back says "astarte" or "phyre" (and so on)...

-Phyros (feedbacking Omir?)