Announcement Section?

[Bloo]

OK, in light of No General Chat, what about an announcement section of sorts?
Four recent threads I can think of are Pica's, llj's and Rhiannon's threads + the Virginia shootings

Not sure if it will really work, but obviously there IS a community sense here - and people want to share news etc.
Though I can see it's a very grey area that can easily be abused or interpreted in any which way as an excuse for GC.

Either that, or nothing. But for individual mods to choose which General Chat posts to stay or close isn't fair.

 

[Lynz781]

Perhaps threads like that should be posted in the Non fish photograph section? Ideal place for it providing it contains a photo like Rhiannon's thread, and it may stop the "we dont have a general chat section" story popping up again.

 

[Bloo]

In that case yes - but what about Pica & Llj's threads and the Virginia Shooting?

 

[steelhealr]

Bloo...as you can see from the recent 9/11 post which created a lot of furor over my closing it, admin and general mod consensus is there shouldn't be any type of section which is a General Chat. Threads MUCH LESS controversial than the one I closed here are closed almost on a daily to weekly basis.

I think having a forum with 'looser' definitions may lead to some posts which fall under a general heading. At present, admin and mods keep an eye on what is posted here and, on occasion, will have a slower hand to close something, e.g., the Virginia shootings. Another instance was the bombing in the UK when people were posting condolences and support. Even the individual posts are perused to make sure they don't become political.

On the flip side, something more specific MIGHT catch Williams eye: under general, a forum that could be called "on the way up", for those who want to announce their achievements.

Bottom line, all mods can't be here ALL the time. SOMEONE has to try and keep this place running nicely since we have people of all ages here. ALL forum members have to right to ask that a thread be reopened. ALL mods have the ability to discuss and reopen a thread if it is felt that it was wrongly closed by a single mod.

Feel free to return any comments.

SH

 

[pica_nuttalli]

why not make a subforum at the top of this one called "Personal Announcements"?

and make it very explicit that it will be heavily censored and that (since this is a private site) all posts are only allowed to remain there at the discretion of the mods. (you guys don't wave the "private forum" flag often enough.)

 

[Bloo]

I think having a forum with 'looser' definitions may lead to some posts which fall under a general heading. Feel free to return any comments.

SH

I completely understand and agree That said, it does sometimes seem obvious - especially when a mod replies to a post in such a "general chat" announcement (instead of moving or just closing it) - that it's very much an individual decision as to what stays, goes and/or gets closed. That's what seems so unfair. And perhaps I'm too rule focussed

why not make a subforum at the top of this one called "Personal Announcements"?

and make it very explicit that it will be heavily censored and that (since this is a private site) all posts are only allowed to remain there at the discretion of the mods. (you guys don't wave the "private forum" flag often enough.)

That's what I meant might be some kind of a solution. But can also understand that despite strict guidelines, people still won't see this (as they don't see pinned topics) and anything can get interpreted as and made into a personal announcement in some way or another.

Though all that said - with so many sub forums jumping up - perhaps not? I can understand all the demands that places on extra modding - and at the end of the day, this IS a fish forum where mods are supposed to concentrate their efforts and attention to fish and related issues.
And in light of minimal response to this thread, people clearly don't feel strongly enough about it one way or the other

 

[Danno]

Personally I see no need in it. We already have an anoucement section. That is right here, hence, "Board Announcements & Suggestions". The board is a group of people. So basically it translates to "Group of people (in a format) announcements and suggestions". Fits like a glove to me to the past threads.

 

[Bloo]

Personally I see no need in it. We already have an anoucement section. That is right here, hence, "Board Announcements & Suggestions". The board is a group of people. So basically it translates to "Group of people (in a format) announcements and suggestions". Fits like a glove to me to the past threads.

Does that translate to personal announcements? Erm, nope.

If you read the explanation of the heading (just cast your eyes underneath the heading on the main board), it says:

"If anyone is having problems with the fish forums or, have suggestions to make the forum better. Post here and the Admin/Moderators will sort it out."

So how is announcing a birth or passing an exam (as thrilled as I am for these people) a problem with TFF or suggestion to improve it?

Perhaps I'm not reading thoroughly enough between the lines

 

[Danno]

Telling things to each other in an announcement better connects the community. That betters the forums if you ask me.

 

[PlecMama]

I think that's Bloo's entire point, and as she said, this isn't really the right place for it, this is for topics about the board, not about the board users, though the mods have let a few nice announcements go to enhance the general community spirit.

I am on other boards where we are careful to either avoid a post where we feel negative or post a standard "that's nice" kind of reply even if we don't care. My main one is a board about our children, and you never say a baby is ugly, or someones kid's great achievement is really ordinary, but I can't see that happening here, because it's so big and anonymous for the most part, some people just say whatever they think without considering how it sounds or the implications they are making.

The born in 2002 board and I have been together for 5 years now, since we all found out we were pregnant, we have had our fights too, but we know each other, all know each others real names, know the kids, know the husbands and have been together long enough to witness three divorces, many grandparents death and lots of new births, we know each other and because of that, we give each other care and consideration.

I think this board is just to big for that.

 

[black angel]

Ive always taken the announcements to be board related ones and not member announcements such as what we're seeing, which to me fall under general chat.
But that said, personal things that affect us we want to share with friends on the board and we do look at each post individually and decide whch to let run.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

hm... what if the "Personal Announcements" (alternative and perhaps more precise titles might be "Congratulations" or "Milestones") board was arranged such that all topics were locked after the original post? of course, that would only be a feasible solution if that could be automated using some built-in settings.

 

[andywg]

But what will be an announcement worthy of making, where is the cut off?

Hatches, matches and despatches are the most obvious ones (births, marriages and deaths)

But what else?

New job?
Promotion?
Pay rise?
Sporting triumph?
Beating your own record at drinking pints?
Remembering your name when you wake?

And if it is heavily censored so that you cannot post anything critical then what is the point. I see no point in a thread where you have to agree with the OP or can't post.

I think GC is gradually creeping its way back in, as can be seen by some of the more recent posts. I would far rather they just allowed it back with caveats about what can and can't be discussed rather than closing some threads they don't like and leaving open other ones giving us the current position where we just don't know what goes and what doesn't.

 

[WILDER]

Andy if you gave birth you would want to shout it out to the world.
I remember when I had my first daughter I was so proud and top of the world.
Don't see anything wrong with announcements as long as they don't get silly.

 

[andywg]

Andy if you gave birth you would want to shout it out to the world.
I remember when I had my first daughter I was so proud and top of the world.
Don't see anything wrong with announcements as long as they don't get silly.

But therein lies the problem. What is a momentous achievement to some people is not important to others.

How do you decide what can be announced and what can't?