Polite forums & the others you can't join.

[Kev Godwin]

I had been a lurker here for about 1 year and I am a member/contributer here for about 2-1/2 years. I didn't become a member here until I could watch the quality of the site for a while. I am sure glad I've found a good group of people here and that is my compliment to the members and the moderators.

Like many other people, I have interests other than WWing. I look at other forums because I have interests in the base subject. I have been watching one particular outdoor forum for about a year now and I really like a lot of the content. However, I can't join in because of the banter and unregulated attacks on their fellow members over petty opinions.

There sure is a lot of learning to be found on the net but sometimes I think some forums are best left alone regardless of the nice subject. I'm glad the Creekers here are supportive and freely give advice and perspective based on their own experience without taking personal issue with other members. That makes this a good home.

Agree or disagree? Good or bad comments on forums?
Kev

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I'm here for that reason too Kev. The civility here is what makes this place. Good stuff. I like the use of real names too. I think it forces a more moderate attitude.

[Rob Cunningham]

I'm here for that reason also. I've been to other WW forums and was stunned by the nasty comments, member bashing, and stupid arguments over petty things. We have a nice community here that I'm happy to be a part of.

[Charles Wintle]

Originally Posted by Kev Godwin

I had been a lurker here for about 1 year and I am a member/contributer here for about 2-1/2 years. I didn't become a member here until I could watch the quality of the site for a while. I am sure glad I've found a good group of people here and that is my compliment to the members and the moderators.

Like many other people, I have interests other than WWing. I look at other forums because I have interests in the base subject. I have been watching one particular outdoor forum for about a year now and I really like a lot of the content. However, I can't join in because of the banter and unregulated attacks on their fellow members over petty opinions.

There sure is a lot of learning to be found on the net but sometimes I think some forums are best left alone regardless of the nice subject. I'm glad the Creekers here are supportive and freely give advice and perspective based on their own experience without taking personal issue with other members. That makes this a good home.

Agree or disagree? Good or bad comments on forums?
Kev

Yes I agree with you. What separates the good from bad forums is the treatment given to peoples opinions on any subject. There are a lot of bad forums out there though. In one forum consideration was given to deleting accounts that had no postings. No lurkers allowed perhaps?

[Don Kondra]

Ditto...

But that "other" place is like a train wreak, every once in a while I have to go look

Cheers, Don

[Greg Peterson]

There is one woodworking forum that is run by a bunch of Neoconfederates. So long as agree with them, you're in like Flyn. But heavens help you if your location is perceived to be a bastion of ideology that runs afoul of their ideology.

While their TOS clearly do not allow controversial topics, many of their topics turn into direct violations of the TOS. The moderators and other members on that site are openly hostile to anyone that points out their dual standard.

Alas, I gave up on that site. I also refuse to buy any materials published by the owner of the site.

SMC exercises common sense and latitude when threads devolve into matters that are in violation of the TOS. A warning or two is usually all that is required. Occassionally a thread is published that gets pulled very quickly.

The mods here do a great job of keeping things in line. SMC is a pleasant place to hang a hat.

[Brian Ashton]

For years I belonged to a couple forums down here and tolerated the immaturity that was so prevalent and then I followed a link to this forum and instantly you could sense a significant increase in the level of maturity, social and civil awareness.

People still make mistakes on SMC (they are rare) but they make amends for them. I saw some real nasty things done to others on the other forums but you'd never see the perpetrator even try to put it right or care how their actions had affected others - if anything they would be defiant. In fact there was even others that would encourage the stupidity of the antagonists.

It's very eye opening to see how people will act when they hide behind a pseudonym. There are a number of them that lurk here but they keep their childishness to themselves.

[Ravi Narasimhan]

I'm relatively new here but appreciate very much the civility and courtesy of the members. I got a very positive "vibe" from poking around and reading a lot of threads. I even bought from the Classifieds just a few days after joining because the members all seem to be mature, responsible, helpful people. I do agree that posting in one's real name encourages rational behavior.

I also belong to another site/forum that is similar in this regard. There isn't as much traffic on that one and it is moderated differently but it has its own charms.

[Michael Wetzel]

The real name requirement is one of the reason this forum is different. The antics of people on other forums, where everyone hides behind an alias, can get annoying if nobody put them on a leash. This is the only WW forum I will read anymore.

[Dennis Peacock]

All very good comments and greatly appreciate all the atta-boys for the moderators and site admins that help keep things cool.

It takes the general membership, the moderators, and the admins to keep SMC what it is and to keep it civil. Much appreciate everyone here that helps to ask questions, answer questions, offer advice, show off your work, and just yap and keep it all well mannered while in discussion. All of you are just good people.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

Got to say, I've said dumb things here from time to time and have surely felt real stupid, but it's never been from a comment from any of the members. Just my own "Ah, crap, I can't believe I just said that" realization that what I said was completely off..

Rather nice to have a place where the learning curve doesn't come with ridicule, but correction and advice.

You'd think though that having a grandfather who was a cabinet maker, an avid DIY father and a high mechanical aptitude would have learnt me better though..

[jerry nazard]

This is a nice place, ripe with knowledge and pleasant people. As one of the other forums seemed to get increasingly out of hand, I noticed regulars from that forum participating more frequently here on SMC.

As my interests in woodworking continue to migrate toward handtools, I am thankful that good advice, and the camaraderie of fellow woodworkers, is available here on the Creek, 24/7.

[Russ Filtz]

Every once in awhile, I like having (or watching) a good internet argument! I frequent a computer forum that allows political/religious/moral, etc. discussions and things can get a little heated. No personal attacks are allowed though, but still pretty rambunctious. In between all that, it's still pretty insightful as you get to see how the other side thinks (or not!). Hones your debating skills.

Still nice to have a civil place like this to call home though!

[Montgomery Scott]

Yes SMC is very polite, for the most part, but it reminds me of the movie The Stepford Wives. Everyone is perfect and most everyone behaves exceptionally well, except for the fact that it's all contrived.

The people here aren't any better than other people, it's just that the moderators modify posts or ban people who write something they don't like. People are forced to play nice here. You definitely have to have thicker skin to be part of some of the other forums, but that's part of real life. Welcome to Stepford.

[Bill Arnold]

Originally Posted by Montgomery Scott

... The people here aren't any better than other people, it's just that the moderators modify posts or ban people who write something they don't like. People are forced to play nice here. You definitely have to have thicker skin to be part of some of the other forums, but that's part of real life. Welcome to Stepford.

I've enjoyed SMC for several years and was a contributor for a few of them. I stayed away for a while as it became more commercial and participated in another Forum. I'm still active at the other Forum (which, of course can't be mentioned here for fear of being banished, although there are frequent references to SMC threads over there) and enjoy the non-commercial, no-pressure approach to running a Forum.