Is this forum dying out?

[Number Six 10]

I would suggest that the standard of debate has dropped, the humour has gone and the volume of posts is definitely down.

 

I set my 'Show New Posts' settings to only show General and Sheffield because I was sick of getting all the 'Chester Draws NO OFFERS £10 £10' threads showing up, and the updates are decidedly less frequent.

 

There is no point debating anything remotely interesting as the thread will get deleted or locked, leaving you with the frustration of an unfinished conversation, and everything you have bothered to type being lost. Whereas I used to debate things, I now just come on to see what is happening in town and rarely post. It's a shame - it used to be a fun and stimulating environment with some real characters.

[chem1st 10]

I would suggest that the standard of debate has dropped, the humour has gone and the volume of posts is definitely down.

 

I set my 'Show New Posts' settings to only show General and Sheffield because I was sick of getting all the 'Chester Draws NO OFFERS £10 £10' threads showing up, and the updates are decidedly less frequent.

 

There is no point debating anything remotely interesting as the thread will get deleted or locked, leaving you with the frustration of an unfinished conversation, and everything you have bothered to type being lost. Whereas I used to debate things, I now just come on to see what is happening in town and rarely post. It's a shame - it used to be a fun and stimulating environment with some real characters.

 

It'll soon be like the admag

 

But we shouldn't laugh

[Drone 10]

How would you know? According to your details, you joined in March 2011 and have a mere 278 posts.

 

Or are you one of Shari Lewis' sock puppets, Lamb chop?

 

Do people with multiple identities (though usually not multiple personalities) enhance the forum or do they detract from it?

You can change usernames so that is why

[Tradescanthia 10]

I have been reading this site for years, it has never changed it stance on making it clear that it is a family forum and not a free for all. As i stated in another post the members who spend all their time on here (for instance just look above at a couple) do more damage to forums like these than help. As i stated before new people do join this forum but never stay that long, members like nataliie above do have a voice, the minute its used they get pounced on as above to explain themselves when it was obvious in the first place what she meant. The forum has just become a place where moderators go in search of the next playground scuffle. But the most annoying thing that goes on is the bullying of members who obviously have major problems in their life. This site is not a pleasant place to be if you do not want to jump on the S/F clique bandwagon that rolls into town every night. Conclusion: It is ok to source things for a few minutes of an evening and no doubt as i said before it will be kept alive by the die hard crew, other than that D.N.R. i am afraid.

 

Well said. As one of the members who does have 'major problems' I see your point re the bullying. I have been bullied, and, when I fight back, I have been given bans . OK, I have been rude and insulting to certain forummers but bullys deserve it. They rush to press the report button like schoolkids when someone fights back. I post less and less these days, not because there is anything wrong with SF but because I use other sites more. I reckon a bit more humour wouldn't go amiss.....

[Skirmisher 10]

This subject was been discussed on facebook the other day, the conclusion was that the over modding was to blame but I am not too sure as I believe it is far more than that, although it is to blame to a certain extent.

There are certain cliques on here that pounce en mass on people, when someone argues back they go out of their way to lead the person into a ban. When someone has been banned for doing nothing other than sticking up for themselves, they then start a fresh account and being miffed about getting banned they then go on just to cause a nuisance and get back at the perpetrators and the mods and this then escalates.

Hence no one really knows who people are anymore and any new member gets accused of being someone else, the cliques then go looking at any new posts to see if they can find out who the people are which in turn leads to what we have now.

You only have to look at the first reply on here, which, incidental is from a Mod, why the need to question someone about their time on here, is it not possible to read this forum for a week, month, year etc without being a member?

Of course it is.

It reminds me of a village pub, where a stranger walks in and sits in a seat that someone has sat in every night for the last twenty years, the locals make that person feel as though they should either leave or stay even longer just to get their back up for being such arrogant, obnoxious gits.

Some of the mods dont do the forum any favours by seemingly siding with these people and warning, closing, banning the people, who are doing nothing wrong AFAIAC.

Like what has been said before on this thread, over modding is getting crazy, the stop bickering note that gets put on so many threads is ridiculous, it was put on one the other day where no one was actually bickering, I had the ordasity to ask where the line was between discussion and argument was drawn and the thread was pulled.

 

I think there needs to be a complete change in how the forum is moderated, which could then lead to a better and more interesting place like it apparently used to be.

[melbme 10]

I should hope not, I just joined it...

[Andy 10]

Hi guys,

 

Firstly thank you to those who have contributed so far for sharing your comments. I intend to reply to them all but can't at the moment as I'm typing this on my phone on my way to work.

 

If this thread stays constructive, as it has been so far, there is no need for us to remove it.

 

The purpose of this post was just to let you know your comments have been seen.

[the_rudeboy 12]

I would suggest that the standard of debate has dropped, the humour has gone and the volume of posts is definitely down......

 

.......It's a shame - it used to be a fun and stimulating environment with some real characters.

That sums it up pretty well. It's certainly not the place it used to be, unfortunately.

You can change usernames so that is why

Changing your username doesn't have any impact on the date you joined or the number of posts you've made. Unless you mean change, as in create another account.

[The Chavs 10]

Whereas I used to debate things, I now just come on to see what is happening in town and rarely post. It's a shame - it used to be a fun and stimulating environment with some real characters.

 

I agree with Number Six. I've met some great people through SF but now only come on for a quick look occasionally.

 

I automatically come on when something has happened locally as it is still quick for updates but even then the threads dont tend to offer the same information it used to. Alot of bickering, put downs etc.

[alchresearch 214]

I've been here since its very early days.

 

One thing I do miss is when there was a debate, people were quicker to admit they were wrong and apologise.

 

Now all we get is name calling or running away to hide and let the thread drop off the first page, or moderator intervention.

[GeorgyGirl 10]

It seems over the past 2 years there has been a lot less activity on here

 

Personally 2006-2009 was the glory days on the sf

 

 

What with social networking like twitter growing at the speed it is, maybe the end is near!

For

 

This forum has really just taken over from the post office window,you know,reading the post cards with stuff for sale,Lost cat,where can I get a babysitter,things like that.If you want to discuss issues that really matter forget it because the MODS will intervene with we cant allow this that and the other because our lawyers will be working overtime.Most of all dont name names.So it really is just a toothless beast.

 

Ah well back to cleaning the virtual PO window!

[alchresearch 214]

If you want to discuss issues that really matter forget it because the MODS will intervene with we cant allow this that and the other because our lawyers will be working overtime.

 

What "issues that matter"?

 

Just about every issue is discussed. Its only when it turns into name calling that the mods intervene, which is a user problem rather than a forum or moderating one.

 

A forum is only as good as it's members and should be able to get by with little or no moderation.