My impression of the ITFS forum

Dudes and Dudettas,

I'm a relatively new user on this forum and joined about 10 months ago. A post here and there but so far most of the times I just read what is going on. I found it to be a great place when I joined, both informative and spiced up with a little portion of friendly slagging.

However, I now feel its time to voice my opinion on the current situation which is confusing and dissapoints me. Whatever happened behind the scenes: I'm not interestd in this neither do I want to stir things up again. Not my business. But what really pisses me off is the repeated deleting, modifying and locking of threads (and on top of htat this sabotage thing). Who actually has the rights to delete, modify and lock? Sometimes I think there must be dozens of moderators around (while probably two for the whole of the forum would suffice) and its all over the place, often without an obvious reason. The latest example is the Discus thread. One of the most informative threads in recent weeks with a lot of practical and theoretical information from all sides contributing. and now? locked. Apparently because the moderator has an ego problem, that's at least what I conclude from the thread... Things like that really put me off of contributing regularly.

The forum has a structure in place to ensure things do not get out of hand.That particular thread was threatening to do so.All relevant points had been made by the time it was locked.

There was nothing to be gained by leaving it open.Members interested in the topic can start a new thread on Discus,the Filial system or Flubendazole vs Will it kills worms? or what ever they like.

Regarding the hard work put in by Admins and Mods who volunteer their free time,I for one am willing to forgive a mistake here and there if it benefits the greater good.

Sorry if you feel a subject you found interesting has been blocked buy you can be proactive rather than critical and start your own thread.

ChrisM

More of the same gagging nonsense again. S180E, you should learn your lessen, don't dare being controversial or you are being either gagged, banned or deleted. The discussion was just starting to be interesting on than Russell started to believe that only his experience counts here and he went sulking. Oh yeah, and people seem to believe that whatever is written on the packages of fish medication is gospel truth even though no proof is provided. That was enough to lock the thread. Would the admins start and show some balls so that we can actually see a discussion through to the end. If you are on the forum and can't take any critisism you might want to rethink your participation here. It is after all an exchange of ideas and opinion and the matter of the fact is that we have different opinions.

I used the discus thread as an example only for what I think goes wrong here. so instead of voicing a general opinion on the forum I should start new threads on topics that were locked and most likely will be again (\"mistakes that benefit the greaeter good\")??? what's the point?

chris, apistodiscus, russel, whoever was, is or will be involved... as I said, I don't want to stir anything up. just in general: controversy, criticism, and personal opinions are what keep forums alive. EVERYTHING ELSE I CAN READ IN BOOKS! whoever admins, moderates etc: all I would like to see is that people (especially moderators)don't get offended by opposing opinions. don't lock, delete, modify threads and contributions unless they are clearly derogatory.

S180de, your points are valid (to me anyways).
In my opinion the only thing that should be edited in a thread are swear words (for which you can apply an auto filter) and misinformation.
Now by misinformation (if thats the right word) I mean blatently wrong information likely to cause harm.

Debate (appropriate debate) should never ever be stifled, and the locking of that thread Chris, is heavy handed and unnecessary, as were a great many lockings and moderatings in the past. A simple warning would have sufficed to keep things from getting personal, which they might have alright.
With all due respect to you and everyone else that help run the site (and I do respect you all, for you have much more knowledge about the hobby than I) I feel the forum tends to have overbearing moderation and pc policing.
There are no children here. And if there were, a simple swear filter would make the forum as 'family' oriented as the internet is ever likely to get.
Besides there have been more adult remarks and discussions taken place here without swearing, I hope no children read some of them.

Software could do with an upgrade too.
For an idea of how a perfect (IMO) forum operates please look at www. talklfc. com. Their software actually searches for and finds for you all the latest posts(no annoying time filter), with one click no less. Better still, there is a button present at the title of each thread that takes you to (wait for it) the latest post in that thread! No scrolling through the same posts over and over. Other useful features are there too, like you can look for all your own posts.
Just a suggestion, same one I made in the very first feedback thread about the new site, that got ignored.

S180de by all means your views are as important as anyones.

controversy, criticism, and personal opinions are what keep forums alive

While that is always welcome,what about comradery, sharing experiences, learning new things, education, meeting new people, helping each other out, sharing photos, speaking with like minded people about specific fish, plants, breeding etc, organising shows and open days, spreading the word about fishkeeping.

Russel and Holger both are accomplished keepers and are obviously going to clash as they can both refer on years of experinece.In fishkeeping there is an exceptiopn to every rule,from this comes personal opinion and controversy.Criticism is against the rules when it is personal but if both have had success with their respective methods criticism is null and void and will only lead to personal slurs.

I nipped an off topic thread in the bud before it got to that stage.If I did wrong I apologise.

darragh wrote:

And for god's sake, this is the fish society website, not the drama society, so go have a look at your fish for awhile and calm down.

Couldn't have put it better myself:laugh:

good on you darragh

Well done Chris for staying on the ball it was sticking out like a sore thumb where that thread was going. My opinion on the Forum is i think its a valuable resource for every fishkeeper the clubs are fantastic, members all seem to be bang on no crap. Someone is always offering help if help is needed ( you don't see this on the bigger American forums).

Thanks to Darragh for not throwing in the towel a couple of weeks back when it was an easier option then trying to revive it.

Didhnio my 10 year old nephew reads daily he is thinking of registering himself and he got all the info here to start his first 60 litre tank which is his pride and joy. Its great to see the youth taking an interest.

And Russell with 50 years of experience i'm not going to argue with that, Much respect to a very valuable member.

darragh wrote:

And for god's sake, this is the fish society website, not the drama society, so go have a look at your fish for awhile and calm down.

Darragh

I could not disagree with you this time , this time your right.
Now the main frame is swearing we will all start swearing.
Talking of deleteing post what happened to the lonely pig and the light (D.I.Y light post) it was ment to mean the cork screw light can be used to light up the pig shed instead of what your dirty mind though it was for. of ........?

Sean,a 10yr old Irish kid is not going to read that as your Spanish keyboard 'pronounces' it.

Dave

Acara wrote:

Sean,a 10yr old Irish kid is not going to read that as your Spanish keyboard 'pronounces' it.

Dave

Even a 8 year old know what FXXXK is, I dont really swear (except for today) on the forum in real life I never swear, I some times like laughing like a highena.

Having said that most 10 year old keep hampsters of goldfish, they are hardly going to waste time going on line to read how much flake food to put in their tank, I recall when I was 10 we would send a 12 yeaer old friend that looked bigger for his age into the video store to rent ...? films which puts it all in to prospective, as the kids now a days seem to be starting every thing early than say 20 years ago.

Fr. Jack wrote:

Acara wrote:

Sean,a 10yr old Irish kid is not going to read that as your Spanish keyboard 'pronounces' it.

Dave

Having said that most 10 year old keep hampsters of goldfish,

Well we all started somewhere Sean don't be knocking 10 year old's..... the future of our hobby is the youth of today. Although you probably don't agree.

Never seen a Hampsters Goldfish interesting one that are they common in Majorca??

Are you all for real?

This forum is losing contributors by the bucket load. For example Richard Bunn is not posting anymore because he couldn't be bothered with all this moderating and deleting nonsense.
We have lost Anthony for good. He will not post again. He is royally annoyed and I wouldn't blame him. But the admins had to make an example out of his case. Maybe a 30 day ban was warranted. I didn't get to read what he posted to cause the ban because I was miles from the next PC at the time but it could have been done on the quiet and in private. A PM or email to Anto would have done the job just as well without making him public enemy number one with the PC brigade on the forum.
The forum wouldn't be what it is today without him. It would have no or at least considerably less sponsors than it has at present. He opened a number of section on the forum that have proved helpful to all users.

I have always get my clubs not so pleasant business in private. I have never publicly told the story why JohnH, so beloved by some on this forum, has left the SAS. Maybe I should but it's too laughable. And now another of the people who seems to be untouchable couldn't or wouldn't back up his argument in the discus thread and it got locked. As far as I can tell there was not one swear word used in the entire thread (I agree with Sean. Every 10 year old will know what the asterix between the f and the ing stand for) and it still got locked even though there were evidently several points that needed explaining. I would assume that is why S180 opened another thread on the same subject almost straight away.
50 years of experience counts for lot but does not make you infallible. I have guys in my local but who have fifty years of driving home drunk from the pub. Does this make it right? I think not. Sometimes later opinions are valid too and older are shown to be at least partially incorrect. Well, I might be wrong and some here still believe the Earth is flat.

Now, that is my honest opinion. We are driving the experienced fishkeepers away from the forum because it seems like we have to play all nice, nice or be gagged.

I expect this post to be deleted in short order or at least partially so. It would be the done thing. But always remember, I have not used a single swearword in it...

Very nicely said Holger and very well explained. Everything you say is the truth and its a very honest opinion.

I would be dissappointed to see this post edited as nothing needs editing or deleting.

Delighted to hear your nephew is thinking of signing up Steven, it might bring some maturity to the forums!!!

Seriously though, when I said that about kids look at the facts, who is it at the counter in Wackers or aquarium solutions with €150 worth of fish or corals?
not little Jimmy with a football under his arm anyway. I see very few younger kids looking around the LFS's and when i do I always try to help them if they are curious (and i know the answer). Kids are the way forward no doubt, but to stifle 99% of adults using the forum is unfair. Common sense should rule, and a firm blocking on swearing in all its guises. That said, I can't believe the mouths on some kids these days! Chubby Brown would be ashamed!!!

Yeah your spot on Darah, kids don't have the Dollars but i think here is a great learning curb for them. He has a wii a playstation and all that stuff but the fish come first which is something else in this day and age with kids.

Didihno wrote:

Delighted to hear your nephew is thinking of signing up Steven, it might bring some maturity to the forums!!!

I know you say this in jest Didihno but your bang on and well said.

All I can say is here we go again and I am seeing a common thread in all of this.

Processor.

Listen Darragh everyone here wants whats best for the forum and the hobby, thats why we are all here.
You lads are doing as good a job as you can, and fair play to you all for giving your time.
It has always been easier to attack then help.

People just don't like the big brother approach. You don't like my comments? Fine, argue your case then!
Nothing worse than logging on and seeing your thread locked or your post deleted by one of tthe mods, and nothing is guaranteed to get a posters back up more, which in turn ensures that poster is going to be scorpier in their next riposte.

As you rightly said personal attacks (and cussing) should be removed with extreme prejudice.
This forum is so nearly there, there is a huge pool of knowledge and talent logged on here, but in typical Irish fashion, we just cannot resist that self destruct button. Come on people, lets make a special effort here and nurture this community, before people get apathetic about it, then we could be back to 1985. When all I could find was platties and neons in the shops. When a ram was a male sheep and if someone said to me 'Apistogramma' I'd reply 'God Bless you...'

Users who have an avatar with dyed parrot cichlids should be kocked out of the forum without warning.
For one, I am out of here. Since nobody seems capable of sorting this mess, I can't be bothered anymore.

Ha Ha, just saw the avatar. It is terrible (probably a deliberate attempt to annoy someone or not!!).

Anyway, this thread is on the brink of getting out of hand too, There are too many egos here looking for a massage. Get back to the fish-talk lads.

I personally love this forum, it is the first place I go when I log onto the internet. There are many fine fishkeepers here with knowledge of all types of subjects. The problem is that there are a few that want a Blue Peter badge for it.

So leave your egos at the door and lets talk fishies!!!!!

honestly, if this thing is locked now I'll be gone as well...

S180de wrote:

what grief is he causing, please? what grief was any user that left the forum causing??? i don't get it. that's the two users with the most contributions (>2000 posts for anthony and apistodiscus) gone, very knowledgable people. well done, well done. pad yourselves on the shoulder...

I agree with you the, devil you know is better than the devil you dont know, my offical view is I prefer if Anthony is back, and wait for it yes I want Holgar here to, he is excellent firing range practice for me, and for JohnH new avatar its very funny, we should be more concerned about the marine post of the ebayer selling stuff from the rock pools thats not funny at all, as for the moaners, that dont agrre with me, we/I could make a experiment with Holghar and Anthony approval for them and me not to not post any thing for 2 months to see how much decline there would be?, no more in detailed post, no more funny post, it would end up with a few cycling and white spot post and keeping gubby fry in fry tank post, when that happens 4 or 5 that have not post for a while will come back now its to their liking but scores will leave, even Derek, would not post as he like the humour and in depth post, even though its borderlining on been it not the nine o clock fish forum.