Time to Get Fair Dinkum? [closed]

For all your general chit chat, caching or not.
dak's Emu Mob
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Post by dak's Emu Mob » 25 September 07 12:30 am

Damo. wrote:. . . is it fair to blame the forum members who go off topic and don't have so many finds?
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No, it's not fair to blame/ridicule/dismiss anyone's contribution on the basis of the number of finds, and if you read my last post, that should be obvious.
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Actually, in my previous post I wondered why more established/active cachers are choosing not to participate. I didn't blame frivolous posts for it. My interaction with other cachers indicates a general disillusionment with the Forum. Sometimes the reason given is the perceived anti-GC sentiments that some people project; sometimes it is a protest at GCA hosting caches; sometimes it is frivolous postings; sometimes it is other reasons. However, the general level of off-topic and frivolous posts are a contributing factor, whether you like it or not.
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Of course, I have the option of never coming here, but I don't consider that to be the answer either. I want the Forum to be a useful place to visit. I want the Forum to be a great meeting place for Australian cachers. I want a return to the good old days. I want the Forum to be successful. Turning one's back on the Forum doesn't help in achieving these ends. I started this thread to promote discussion, and to get people thinking. That is the idea of a "Forum", after all.
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It's too simplistic to think that experienced cachers don't come here because they have seen enough "What GPSr should I buy?" posts. The Wiki exsists to help cachers with such questions. I'd like to think that these experienced cachers have something to offer, and I don't want to be deprived of their valuable advice.
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In the process, I have severely upset Bronze. This was never my intention. I have replied to Bronze in a PM. I would like to publish some of that PM here, but I will defer to Bronze in this. If he is OK with it, I'll post some of my reply here. In short, I implored him not to leave--it was never my intention to have people leave the Forum. All I want is for people to think about what they are posting, and try to keep the OT stuff in separate threads. If anyone can contribute positively to a cry for help, then please do it. If you can't assist with the query, or can't constructively contribute to the debate, then perhaps you might consider not replying.
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Cheers,
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dak

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Mr Router
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Post by Mr Router » 25 September 07 7:21 am

dak's Emu Mob wrote:I have severely upset Bronze.
dak
You have done a fair job all over ! loosen the grip :oops:

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McPhan
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Post by McPhan » 25 September 07 7:36 am

dak's Emu Mob wrote:
In the process, I have severely upset Bronze. This was never my intention. I have replied to Bronze in a PM.
dak
I, too support c@w, and have at times been very annoyed by hijacked posts,

however,

perhaps a PM in the first place rather than naming names might have been a bit less inflammatory.

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Bewilderbeest
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Post by Bewilderbeest » 25 September 07 9:59 am

I agree with dak's point. Respect serious discussion posts and requests for help. There are plenty of opportunities to carry on light hearted or off-topic discussions in other threads. It just makes the forum more usable.

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pprass
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Post by pprass » 25 September 07 12:18 pm

Cachers that we frequent with from time to time have all said the same thing - can't be bothered with the (mainly) General Forum any more. There are a lot of in jokes that suddenly appear on a serious thread that just bewilder us "outsiders". I don't have a problem with one or two clever/witty comments or pictures to make an ironic point, but when it degenerates to comment upon comment going off into the distance and way off topic - I just give up and move on.

BTW dak (and in fear of being flippant) - should have left your flame retardant suit on just a wee bit longer.

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Mr Router
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Post by Mr Router » 25 September 07 4:48 pm

muzza wrote: PS - I'm one of the 20.
pps I think I'm in there to :shock: :wink:

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Dvixen
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Post by Dvixen » 25 September 07 4:53 pm

*smirk* If you think the tangents and drift and sheer OTness are too much to handle, you are not hanging out in the right places.

BTW, thanks for chasing off one of the people who made me feel welcome here, much appreciated.

Now where is that ignore user function?

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Udderchaos
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Post by Udderchaos » 25 September 07 6:51 pm

as one of the people that actually replied to help the person in the the post mentioned by dak, i didnt bother following up the questions due to the OT stuff directly below what i said.

just out of interest i recieved 2 emails off the forum from the thread about how i fixed mine.

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Post by swampgecko » 25 September 07 7:56 pm

Dak, are you willing to take on a moderator's spot?

You don't care for the way it is operating now, why not help out from the otherside then.

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Post by sc00t » 25 September 07 9:30 pm

dak's Emu Mob wrote: When you have more cache finds than Forum posts, I'll respect your opinion about geocaching!
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What kind of ridiculous statement is that!!!!!!!
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Lucky for me I have more finds than posts so im sure you will respect my opinion Dak.
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This is a free and open forum as already mentioned and people should not be publicly named and then criticized for the input they make. If you have a problem with a specific person(s) then politely deal with it directly, calling them out in front of there peers is just a nasty move.
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I visit the forums often and post a little less often but I have no issue with the content. If the topic is OT and I'm not interested I don't read it...SIMPLE. As for the noobies, any new forum is daunting to start with, so many threads to read and people to talk to, but hey, you figure it out!
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If people are making inappropriate comments that should be dealt with by the moderators!!!
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I am actually saddened by the affect this has publicly had on Bronze (and im assuming the routers as well), id like to say that I don't think that was what Dak intended but after rereading the first post im not so sure.
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I've not met too many geocachers but Bronze is one of them, and one I look forward to seeing each year at Dubbo. His withdrawal from this forum and the geocaching community is a loss as im sure many people will agree.
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I hope the Routers don't bail, I need something to do while in Bathurst!!!
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Anyway, ive said my peace, I hope you deem it to be on topic...actually, I don't care, ill post what I think is suitable.
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p.s - This forum isn't just about geocaching, because some people have more in life than geocaching and we sometimes like to share that (teapots included)!!! 8)

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xusia
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Post by xusia » 25 September 07 10:23 pm

Ok, I am a newbie to geocaching, but I am not a stranger to forums of this type. In the past I have become disillusioned with this type of forum because inevitably there comes a time when posters have a difference of opinion, usually resulting in posts such as the ones I have just read on this thread. I had just started contributing to the "Tomorrow People" thread - created specifically for off-topic posting, only to discover this seething mass of ill feeling in the background. One of the things that I found most incredible about the principles behind geocaching can be summed up in this quote from the Geocaching.com cache listing requirements:
Geocaching is supposed to be a light, fun activity
There was no mention whatsoever about Geocaching FORUMS. Obviously the same rules do not apply. So, while I agree that new geocachers posting serious questions should not be ridiculed or shortchanged in responsive posts, I find it difficult to accept the attitude that a few posts that could be termed off-topic do not contribute to the overall good feeling we all get from geocaching itself - the reason we are all here. So let's bury the hatchet. After all, I read the background to this thread, and the original question posed by a concerned forum member was answered in the very next post, and later in the same thread the original poster actually posted a thank you to the original answerer of the question. So the end result was OK. I am just beginning my third week of geocaching, and I was just thinking that I had discovered a group of people who, like me, liked the outdoors and were also fairly technologically aware and thinking that I might have actually found a niche into which I could fit, when I discovered that the forums were just like every other mailing list/forum/group contact I have ever taken part in. Let's be different. Let's be tolerant. Let's chill out. Let's quote Monty Python and post pictures of teapots knowing that if a fellow geocacher, and dare I say it, friend, is in trouble we will suspend the festivities just long enough to help them out before returning to not taking ourselves too seriously and laughing at the people who do take things too seriously. PS Can anybody PLEASE tell me how to do a $#%@ing carriage return on this system?

Regards to all,
Xusia.

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Grank
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Post by Grank » 25 September 07 10:30 pm

xusia wrote:PS Can anybody PLEASE tell me how to do a $#%@ing carriage return on this system?
Tick the box that says "disable HTML in this post". (and press Enter at the end of a para LOLOLOL)

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