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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

punctuation??

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17 Oct 2012 17:38 #1 by davey_c (dave clarke)
not all of us are as good as others at reading and not all have english as a 1st language so the lack of puctuation can provide a challenge to some whilst reading posts.... therefore why not make its use compulsary??

p.s. doesn't have to be perfect use but even a full-stop between sentences would be a good start!!

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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17 Oct 2012 18:00 #2 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic punctuation??
Dave,
I'm with you on this - I remember a few years back there was quite a heated discussion along these lines in fact.
Actually, you might have noticed lately that after the last update the programme sees anything with a full stop as a link, if there isn't a space behind it, but only, it seems, if the word after the 'dot' is two letters.

For example...

The cat sat.on the mat

Funny that.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
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17 Oct 2012 18:14 #3 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
I've noticed that full-stop no-space = hyperlink stuff recently (drives me mad).

I totally agree with Davey_C:
Massive paragraphs and sentences all jumbled up into a continuous line that only goes into multiple lines because of word-wrapping........ very very difficult to read.

OK....so if we rush for a bus and have something important to say to the person next to us on the bus then we might end up splurging all the words into one big breath.
But that need not be case when writing.

If someone is having a rant, then I don't really mind; if someone, however, is asking a question or has a problem with their tanks and asking advice then it can be very difficult to work out what is going on.

Even hitting the return key could help spread the words out (that helps even if there is no punctuation).

I'm sure that if people who have english as their first language have difficulty understanding some un-punctuated text then it must be awful for those who do not have english as their first language.

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
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17 Oct 2012 18:19 #4 by maggy88 (Wayne Mc Glynn)
I have to agree with you on this Dave. I have absolutely no problem reading, but there are some posts which can at times be very hard to read or follow. a simple comma or full stop or even question mark/exclamation would do the job. I know not everyone is able to read and write perfectly or doesn't speak english well but little things like a full stop can really help a post to be better understood, therefore allowing people to answer/reply in a better manner. simple things can benefit everyone.

wayne
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17 Oct 2012 18:48 #5 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Replied by Acara (Dave Walters) on topic punctuation??
It can be a little annoying at times, but it's just something we'll have to get use to in this day and age of rather poor education.

To try and make a rule to enforce it, is, imo, not going to work. We all know no-one reads the rules, just ask the mods!

Personally, although it's annoying at times, I've other things to worry about more than this. By the way, English has a capital 'E'. ;) :P

P.S. Davey, you spelt punctuation wrong :laugh: Yeah, I know, I'm a pedantic pr**k!

always on the lookout for interesting corys.pm me if you know off any!
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17 Oct 2012 19:14 #6 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
Duely noted, I'm a weapon for this, but 95% of the time I spend on the forum is trough my phone and it's a bit of a nightmare to see everything on such a small screen plus I left school when I was 16 so I'm still learning as I go.

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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17 Oct 2012 19:18 #7 by christyg (Chris Geraghty)
I totally agree. The standard of writing/grammar is appalling. I think it's down to a combination of poor schooling and the dreaded 'textspeak'.

I'm probably showing my age at this stage, and I think the older members (not that old either!) will understand what I'm trying to say. Times move on, but not always for the better. :crazy:
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17 Oct 2012 19:20 #8 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic punctuation??
Don't get me started on spelling, it drives me bloody crazy, I use both a Mac and PC, Notebooks , iPad and other Android device and each and every one of them have a Dictionary running in the background, it alerts any Idiot to the fact they have spelled something incorrectly and even gives suggestions for the incorrectly spelled word.

The most frustrating thing is that words are incorrectly spelled by people who use English as their FIRST language on this Forum !! recurrent misspelling of the simplest words.... I totally understand a foreign national having difficulty but come on lads, try out the Dictionary and if it isn't showing, download it as an add-on.

Kev.
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17 Oct 2012 19:27 #9 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
Speaking English and writing it down are to very different things Kev, ever hear of dyslexia?

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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17 Oct 2012 19:28 #10 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic punctuation??
On.

Kev.
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17 Oct 2012 19:31 #11 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
Good one! All jokes aside it's no laughing matter.

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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17 Oct 2012 19:33 #12 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic punctuation??

Speaking English and writing it down are to very different things Kev, ever hear of dyslexia?


I for one have a big issue with this as i am dyslexia and my spelling is very bad and also when it comes to those full stops and caps.

As Kev said yes the Dictionary is a great help for me and the way i just to spell and word comments on the forum was very bad but over the last few months i have done my best to try have everything worded and all the spellings right which i know not all are and the dictionary can only help so much even time i do be like to the GF how do you spell this how do you spell that. :laugh:

But i do see where you are coming from and as i said its something i have being working on a lot and i am sure members that are in the same boat as me do be trying also

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
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17 Oct 2012 19:42 #13 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)
Same as Sean, I think people have to make allowances for people with learning difficulties weather anyone here know if you or I or anyone for that matter has one!

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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17 Oct 2012 19:45 - 17 Oct 2012 20:13 #14 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic punctuation??
Who is Laughing? I am aware of all of the difficulties in reading and writing, my Sister takes care of young Children with multiple speech difficulties, Autism too so I am very aware, no one is intentionally slighting any impediment of any Nature.

These sensitivities tend to cause problems in Society, what is the threshold of acceptance? cud dis b de future dat lays ahead, is it 2 l8? shud dis be de norm? wot will happn if no one tinks dis type off crap is not acceptable? I for one, could not handle trying to decipher this mish mash of gobbledygook, I just don't have the time nor the interest.

There are those that could make an effort if they are not the sufferers of Dyslexia etc, there are just those that don't try to check to see if their spelling is correct like those who can't be bothered to learn the Scientific names of the charges they keep. There are obvious differences between witch and which, weather and Whether etc, for a person who has not got English as a first language this too must be extremely confusing.



Kev.
Last edit: 17 Oct 2012 20:13 by stretnik (stretnik).
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17 Oct 2012 19:52 #15 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic punctuation??
I don't see how we could make this a rule or anything like that as this is something that every forum or anything site on the net will come across not everyone has great English talking or spelling even if it is there first language

As others have said there is no way that anyone could know something like this about someone and how can we say no don't post anything until you learn how to spell ect.

If that was the case i wont be on the forum anymore :laugh:

Dyslexia has being a very big issue with me over the years and even when i was in school it was very bad as not only with spelling but reading also and saying this i still do this a lot off the time that when i am reading i would be reading the first line and then out off no where start readying say th e8th line thinking it was the next line to see and reading like this cause nothing but issues for me for many years not as bad now as it was in the school days but does still happen.

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
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17 Oct 2012 20:14 #16 by davey_c (dave clarke)
Replied by davey_c (dave clarke) on topic punctuation??
cheers guys, i understand i shouldn't have asked for it to be enforced but rather just an awareness note instead for members. this has just been getting my goat the past little while and although i understood some members may suffer from the likes of dyslexia (mis-spelling has been a dead give away with some) that is totally understandable. a friend of mine in school had dyslexia and had to wear the brown lenses glasses so i'd know enough to to be more understanding that way but maybe others are just taking the easy way out for them and subsequently making it difficult for others without meaning to!!... not saying i'm any angel myself and i know myself that what i want to say doesn't always come out the same in writing but maybe we all need a reminding every now and then that the likes of Sean (sorry for making an example of ye pal) reading what we write B)
i use google chrome on the laptop and it lets me know of detected spelling mistakes.... dunno how i missed English :lol: :lol:

p.s. the hyper links don't really bother me but i'll try not let it happen for the sake of those they do annoy B)

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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17 Oct 2012 20:14 #17 by paddyc1 (Paddy Corrigan)
i for one hate the lack of capital letters full stops commas and apostrophies It just annoys me so much
it is very diffucult to follow a sentence i dont think there should be any rules though

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Sorry, couldn't help myself !!!!

Tallaght, Dublin 24
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17 Oct 2012 20:21 #18 by stretnik (stretnik)
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Tut Tut... or should that be tut tut? wait, Tut was Egyptian.....

Kev.
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17 Oct 2012 20:31 #19 by anglecichlid (ciaran hogan)

Who is Laughing? I am aware of all of the difficulties in reading and writing, my Sister takes care of young Children with multiple speech difficulties, Autism too so I am very aware, no one is intentionally slighting any impediment of any Nature.

These sensitivities tend to cause problems in Society, what is the threshold of acceptance? cud dis b de future dat lays ahead, is it 2 l8? shud dis be de norm? wot will happn if no one tinks dis type off crap is not acceptable? I for one, could not handle trying to decipher this mish mash of gobbledygook, I just don't have the time nor the interest.

There are those that could make an effort if they are not the sufferers of Dyslexia etc, there are just those that don't try to check to see if their spelling is correct like those who can't be bothered to learn the Scientific names of the charges they keep. There are obvious differences between witch and which, weather and Whether etc, for a person who has not got English as a first language this too must be extremely confusing.



Kev.

no one said you were laughing! I was referring to YOUR "on" post I'm guessing that was a response to My dyslexia post??

Anyone with a aquarium can keep fish,
But it takes real skill to be a fish keeper,


And it's spongeBob,
SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea
BLANCHARDSTOWN
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17 Oct 2012 20:40 #20 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Replied by BlueRam (Sean Crowe) on topic punctuation??

cheers guys, i understand i shouldn't have asked for it to be enforced but rather just an awareness note instead for members. this has just been getting my goat the past little while and although i understood some members may suffer from the likes of dyslexia (mis-spelling has been a dead give away with some) that is totally understandable. a friend of mine in school had dyslexia and had to wear the brown lenses glasses so i'd know enough to to be more understanding that way but maybe others are just taking the easy way out for them and subsequently making it difficult for others without meaning to!!... not saying i'm any angel myself and i know myself that what i want to say doesn't always come out the same in writing but maybe we all need a reminding every now and then that the likes of Sean (sorry for making an example of ye pal) reading what we write B)
i use google chrome on the laptop and it lets me know of detected spelling mistakes.... dunno how i missed English :lol: :lol:

p.s. the hyper links don't really bother me but i'll try not let it happen for the sake of those they do annoy B)


:laugh: :laugh: Ah i don't mind mate.

Sure any time :laugh:

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving
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17 Oct 2012 21:22 #21 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
I don't think it would be practical to have rules regarding this, but the leaking of text speech into everyday use of English is becoming an issue it seems.

I wonder if this is restricted to English speaking countries or if it spreading further?
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17 Oct 2012 21:25 #22 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
Hmmm while on the subject of English. What is the story with the of fishes as a plural? Is there a valid usage that I have missed?

I'm always happy to learn
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17 Oct 2012 21:46 #23 by eire1978 (eire1978)
Replied by eire1978 (eire1978) on topic punctuation??

cheers guys, i understand i shouldn't have asked for it to be enforced but rather just an awareness note instead for members. this has just been getting my goat the past little while and although i understood some members may suffer from the likes of dyslexia (mis-spelling has been a dead give away with some) that is totally understandable. a friend of mine in school had dyslexia and had to wear the brown lenses glasses so i'd know enough to to be more understanding that way but maybe others are just taking the easy way out for them and subsequently making it difficult for others without meaning to!!... not saying i'm any angel myself and i know myself that what i want to say doesn't always come out the same in writing but maybe we all need a reminding every now and then that the likes of Sean (sorry for making an example of ye pal) reading what we write B)
i use google chrome on the laptop and it lets me know of detected spelling mistakes.... dunno how i missed English :lol: :lol:

p.s. the hyper links don't really bother me but i'll try not let it happen for the sake of those they do annoy B)

A few mistakes there davey lol.To be honest i have better things to do then worry about other peoples spelling and such.Its a fish forum not a english class,sean u have no need to tell anyone about your problems in reading and writing and to tell the truth it annoys me alot,to the point of leaving the english class forum this has become.
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17 Oct 2012 21:57 #24 by louis (David Knowles)
Replied by louis (David Knowles) on topic punctuation??
I have to say I find it very strange that there is such critisisim ( hope I spelled that right ) of members writing technique and ability. Everyone learns from these contributions, no matter how badly punctuated or their lack of Latin names for their fish. To be honest I post very little on the site,though have got great advise from it, because of my lack of scientific and technical knowledge. That doesn't mean that my fish are any less well cared for.
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17 Oct 2012 22:16 #25 by JohnH (John)
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic punctuation??

A few mistakes there davey lol.To be honest i have better things to do then worry about other peoples spelling and such.Its a fish forum not a english class,sean u have no need to tell anyone about your problems in reading and writing and to tell the truth it annoys me alot,to the point of leaving the english class forum this has become.


It would be a pity to see you leave over such a trivial issue, but if you do decide to - well that's (as they do say) "your decision".
However, if you look back to Dave's original comment his point was that it was difficult for members whose first language isn't English to be able to follow some of the posts, due - in part - to poor punctuation.

Things have become diverted somewhat as the thread has progressed and people have added their answers accordingly.

This is a Forum, after all and one of the main purposes of Fora is exchange of view and opinion. People are having their say - as is their right - but nowhere has it been suggested that there be a rule made. Everyone is entitled to his/her view and some are making theirs known here - yourself included - is that so wrong? We may not agree with everything written - but the way this Forum works is that there is no censorship (other than to protect either the owner [from litigation] or younger, more sensitive readers from bad language etc) and it will, hopefully, remain ever so.

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.
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17 Oct 2012 22:29 #26 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
The fine detail on spelling or 'correct' use of punctuation etc is not really the point.
Comments about spelling here are probably more in jest than anything else.

What I would think the original poster meant was where we have a jumble of words, one after another, to an extent that it would make it difficult for people to work out what is being said.

I don't really expect people to write in perfect English, but it is good to have something that everyone can make some sort of sense of. (....and, yes, that last sentence of mine is very poor English as it in ended in 'of')

Of course we can't tell people how to write (and in my opinion, Modern English is shit anyway), but are some queries from members ignored because the words are all jumbled into one big sentence?

That would be a concern.

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
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17 Oct 2012 22:37 #27 by davey_c (dave clarke)
Replied by davey_c (dave clarke) on topic punctuation??

A few mistakes there davey lol.


none at all to google chrome standard but i left school many years ago nor was spelling my issue... it was having to reread a post 3-4 times at times to try understand it because of lack of punctuation... i have considered leaving myself over enforcement's that have been instated along with how they have been enforced recently but to be honest that's not what i want!!

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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17 Oct 2012 23:47 #28 by maggy88 (Wayne Mc Glynn)

but are some queries from members ignored because the words are all jumbled into one big sentence?

i agree with ian on this point, similar to which i stated in my first post. if people just took a little bit more time when writing their posts, used a full stop or pressed the return bar when starting a new sentence it would benefit everyone.
some posts are mis-read or poorly understood simply because a post is a mish mash of words in one extremely long sentence and NOT because someone mis-spelled a word or two.
i'm in no way having a go at anyone who is dyslexic or has a learning disability etc. i am merely asking if it would be possible for all of us to take that extra bit of time to read back what we have written, before we post it. i honestly think simple little things like that can make a hell of a difference. just my 2 cents

wayne
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17 Oct 2012 23:57 #29 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic punctuation??

but are some queries from members ignored because the words are all jumbled into one big sentence?

i agree with ian on this point, similar to which i stated in my first post. if people just took a little bit more time when writing their posts, used a full stop or pressed the return bar when starting a new sentence it would benefit everyone.
some posts are mis-read or poorly understood simply because a post is a mish mash of words in one extremely long sentence and NOT because someone mis-spelled a word or two.
i'm in no way having a go at anyone who is dyslexic or has a learning disability etc. i am merely asking if it would be possible for all of us to take that extra bit of time to read back what we have written, before we post it. i honestly think simple little things like that can make a hell of a difference. just my 2 cents

wayne


I agree totally.

Kev.
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18 Oct 2012 00:19 - 18 Oct 2012 00:20 #30 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic punctuation??

cheers guys, i understand i shouldn't have asked for it to be enforced but rather just an awareness note instead for members. this has just been getting my goat the past little while and although i understood some members may suffer from the likes of dyslexia (mis-spelling has been a dead give away with some) that is totally understandable. a friend of mine in school had dyslexia and had to wear the brown lenses glasses so i'd know enough to to be more understanding that way but maybe others are just taking the easy way out for them and subsequently making it difficult for others without meaning to!!... not saying i'm any angel myself and i know myself that what i want to say doesn't always come out the same in writing but maybe we all need a reminding every now and then that the likes of Sean (sorry for making an example of ye pal) reading what we write B)
i use google chrome on the laptop and it lets me know of detected spelling mistakes.... dunno how i missed English :lol: :lol:

p.s. the hyper links don't really bother me but i'll try not let it happen for the sake of those they do annoy B)

A few mistakes there davey lol.To be honest i have better things to do then worry about other peoples spelling and such.Its a fish forum not a english class,sean u have no need to tell anyone about your problems in reading and writing and to tell the truth it annoys me alot,to the point of leaving the english class forum this has become.





I as a Mod, and I cannot vouch for others on the team, usually read through every Post on the Forum, I doubt that all members read as many as the Mods and to be honest, after a while, trying to make sense of some posts becomes tiresome.

As members, I bet the posts of interest to them are cherry picked but we don't have that luxury.

The decisions made by the Administration of this forum, are taken for the perceived betterment of same and I for one, won't apologise for trying to make it easy on readers. I do know that some people get overwrought by high falutin explanations re Fish keeping and to a degree, warrant dumbing down for us mere mortals.

I think this post has run away from the point which is, preview the post before submitting it to make sure it makes sense to you. If you are intelligent enough to be reading the posts on the forum, spell checking and using a modicum of punctuation shouldn't prove too difficult.

Kev.
Last edit: 18 Oct 2012 00:20 by stretnik (stretnik).
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