I had first thought to make this a PM but feel it is important enough to speak about openly. Rather than respond to it in the main room, I do it here.

I audit and participate in several venues connected with our shared interests. It is frustrating when the normal ebb and flow of the stream is seemingly disrupted with contentious threads.

My real concern is this comment made by a forum member and I welcome his further thoughts on this, either here or through PM.

I really try to view all the forums as complimentary to each other. I know of the exiles and preferences and can sympathize with some of the perceived angst. I really respect what myArmoury has managed to put together here.

There has been an increase in new posters lately but it is really just the latest wave. There are new, curious and persistent members at both venues. Two threads, in particular, are kind of being handled like hot potatos. Some, not getting what they want here, go over there and then come back here with their latest revelations.

I admire the patience that has been shown by the moderators on both ends.

The only suggestion I can offer is that it is often better not to respond to the calls for attention.

The real shame is that these curious, new, few are unwilling to put in the time to read and learn. They expect the subject matter to be handed to them, in its entirety.
It can seem worse that they are coming to conclusions on their own.

Instead of rolling our eyes in impatience, or disagreement, maybe it's just best to let them tread water. The PM and mail system may be a better way to communicate some information. Mentor those you may feel have common interest.

Summer is just getting underway. The increase in traffic on all the boards is going up. Let us not start it out with anything that might smack of elitism. Believe me, all the boards get it from time to time.

Again, if anyone wants to do this through PM, my box is open.

Any other thoughts on how to keep forums complimentary?

Cheers

GC

I have edited this to remove the personal comment and quote. I apologize to the staff and the forum at large.

All I can say is that I actually find myself here less now than before. I get my socializing at a car forum site that encourages a social atmosphere. Some of the crap they post is downright crazy, but the mods are cool and keep it pc. For example:
The car related forum is at 2200 posts and 31K replies.
The off topic forum is at 1700 posts and 26K in replies.
So its clear that we talk almost equally about all kinds of stuff and cars too. but when I needed help with photoshop, I posted there instead of here. I knew I could get the help there.This site is aimed at info and facts and not, rather, to make anybody feel good about anything.

Nathan Robinson wrote:

...not really aiming at "cozy" for this site. :cool:

An Off topic forum is a great place to bs, vent, ask the obscure, and just get to know people better, but maybe this site just dosent need one. I'm sure Nathan would be happy to save the bandwidth! :D Flamewars are a fact of the internet, and I have to respect this site's forethought on keeping the posts on topic in a very iron clad way. (plz don't read that as a bad thing) I have learned that if I don't like something or disagree, or even take offense... I just keep scrolling. This site isn't about your opinions and feeling; This site is about facts and well grounded ideas. Stray from that and you get people grumpy.
This is my first real contribution to any topic for quite a while due to a keen hesitation of voicing my opinion and the simple fact that I don't consider myself an expert on anything... I'm just well rounded ;) . I don't like getting barked at or flamed, so I keep my posts to a minimum, at that. hopefully you glean a little from my post, and let the subject go.
[/goes back to cave]

"Mr., just add it to my tab" :cool: :lol:

I can only imagine the easter eggs I would hide if I made websites for a living...

but seriously, I don't think we need to live in fear. Just respect. Besides:

Dr. Isotope wrote:

"What is important is basic. What is basic is by definition simple. What is complicated is therefore not important. -Theodore Sturgeon

Dalai Lama wrote:

We have a saying in Tibet: If a problem can be solved there is no use worrying about it. If it can't be solved, worrying will do no good.

An interesting comment Glen, and one that I'm not entirely sure belongs here. (The PM system you mentioned is probably a better place for it).

I agree that Sean's comment does sound a bit off-color. However, since I don't remember the entire conversation I can't really place it in the right frame of context. In the future a link to the entire thread in question might be a better way to raise a concern rather than emphasizing one isolated comment.

That being said, This site is not SFI, nor is it Netsword, or AxeFourm, or the ARMA discussion boards, or any other sword related site. This is myArmoury.com, and myArmoury.com has it's own set of goals and it's own focus, or in some cases just a sense of focus. This wasn't set up to be a "keg-party with your sword buds" type of site. There's a place for that kind of focus and it has it's own value, but it doesn't belong here.

This website is a serious endeavor. Yes, we like to have fun and share with people of like mind. Afterall this is just a hobby, it isn't brain surgery. Then again we'd like to build this into something more than just a "cool sword bra!" kind of website. Allowing any kind of obscure and "crazy" stuff in the Off-Topic forum isn't a way to make that happen. Read the definition of this Off-Topic forum in the forum header, it's pretty self-explanatory. This OT forum is not a dumping ground as it is on most other websites. Topics here should still be related to the antique and replica arms field in some fashion. We do have a place to blow off unrelated steam: it's called the Private Message system.

As is known The myArmoury Team attended the Atlanta Blade Show this weekend. Personally I was surprised at the number of comments I received from people concerning this website. These ranged from immediate recognition upon hearing my name (which was the strangest thing for me personally) to "You guys have got a great site", and "Your site is the only one I keep up on", as well as similar comments. Not only did we hear these comments from Show attendees but from several notable makers as well. We are also one of the few websites that is recommended by institutions like the Wallace Collection and the Royal Armouries. I for one think this is incredibly neat and it really gives me a sense of satisfaction about what we're doing here. None of this would be happening if this was simply a hangout joint for sword groupies. Anyone can create an environment like that. It takes a lot of hard work and continued focus to keep the compass pointed in another direction, and topics like this tend to drag on the tiller. There's nothing wrong with your concern Glen and I'm not trying to publicly admonish you for it, but it doesn't bring anything to the table in terms of our collective knowledge on the core subject.

It's pretty obvious that we run a tight ship around hear. Consequently, if there's a serious issue with a participant the moderators will take care of it. Otherwise, personal criticisms should probably be kept in the private sector.

Patrick Kelly wrote, in part:

Quote:

There's nothing wrong with your concern Glen and I'm not trying to publicly admonish you for it, but it doesn't bring anything to the table in terms of our collective knowledge on the core subject.

Thanks for your thoughts Patrick.
Although it does not address the core goal of myArmoury, I feel it does point out the need for tolerance of other forums.

The thread/post, that the quote from Sean came from, has been edited. There is no longer a point of reference.

Feel free to delete this thread, if it is of no use.

Cheers

GC

EDIT: Glen was kind enough to edit his original post here, which contained an excerpt from a post I made in another thread, then deleted, last night. Readers of this thread may be confused now that some of the original material is gone. Suffice it to say that in my deleted post I had outlined what I think are valid criteria for true experimental archaeology, questioned the ability of most test cutting to tell us anything of value about historical sword performance, and ended on a snarky note by asserting that not all opinions should carry equal weight. I wrote these things because I felt that ill-informed opinion was proliferating in a couple of recent threads and threatening the business of a dedicated and exceptionally well-informed manufacturer. I didn't have second thoughts about the content of the post, but did ultimately decide it would not move the discussion forward.

:cool:

Sean,

PM sent your way

Cheers

GC

Thanks, Glen.