63 replies to this topic

[Walter]

Thanks for your patience.

We now have a News forum in which all news articles should be posted.

It is currently password protected so new posts will not show up when you click on "View New Posts." The password (news) is published, so anyone can easily access the forum.

Some like it this way others don't.

Those who like it, feel too many news stories are gloomy and detract from the overall positive mood of the board. They feel everyone will enjoy Single Divers more this way by choosing to see the news or not.

Those who don't like it, feel news sparks debate and there is less debate with news inside a protected forum. The thought is even bad news is one small part of the total posts and they do not counteract the overall positive mood here. They feel everyone will enjoy Single Divers more without the password.

We are looking into the possibility of a one time opt in forum as a compromise. We do not yet know if this will be a possibiity.

I want to know how you feel. Please PM you opinions to me.

Thanks for your input.

Walter

Link to the new "News Bites" Forum

[Walter]

It would be helpful if more folks would PM their opinions on this matter to me.

[DandyDon]

The News forum seems like a fine idea to me. Opt in by typing the word NEWS, never log out, and never have to log in again. Pretty easy.

I like seeing the "news" posts in my View New Posts, so this works fine. I know a lot of members do not like seeing them - so they can skip the option.

I guess that opting in without a simple password would be even eaiser, but that softeware wouldn't be free, would it? If it's more than $20 at Wal-mart - forget it.

Besides, once you did that, someone else would be pissed that they had to opt in. Never, ever gonna' please everyone.

I'm not a yes-man. I get pissed about things more than anyone else, except - I'm often wrong. Just smart enough to usually do it in PMs rather than public posts. I imagine I piss of the Admins more than anyone else. But on this one, I gotta' go with them. Jeez!

[sea nmf]

I'm not sure my opinion counts as I am not a premier member. But I think everyone should be able to read them without it being password protected.

[DandyDon]

I'm not sure my opinion counts as I am not a premier member. But I think everyone should be able to read them without it being password protected.

Hey - you're qualified to post. That's all it takes to share an opinion.

Got a question, though: What if a significant number of members don't even want to read the titles - mixed in with the fun stuff titles?

[Walter]

Of course your opinion counts!

[mvillanueva]

What if an even larger number of people are fed up with inane posts about songs, movies, or even photoshops with no relation to diving?

When does it stop Don?

Seems one of the better ways to solve issues like this is for open discussion -- thoughtful discussion -- even angry discussion. But arbitrariness makes no one happy.

[Walter]

Michael,

I agree, open discussion is a wonderful thing.

[chinacat46]

For me I could care one way or the other. I can type in news once and then I'm in. As for people not wanting to see the news show up in their View New Posts you'd think they could just ignore them. We are adults nobody makes you read them. So I don't care just seems like such a waste of time to argue over such a petty thing.

[DandyDon]

What if an even larger number of people are fed up with inane posts about songs, movies, or even photoshops with no relation to diving?

Yeah, some of that is kinda' boring. I just skip over it. I'll bet a lot of people skip over my recent jokes. The point is - it's light hearted enough to ignore.

In comparison, some of the posts which were interesting to me were morbid to some newbies, some softer personalities, and some others. Even the titles were discouraging.

Seems one of the better ways to solve issues like this is for open discussion -- thoughtful discussion -- even angry discussion.  But arbitrariness makes no one happy.

Nope - I cannot agree with the angry part. The rest, yes, but not the anger. Indeed, I want to commend the Admins for putting up with several of your posts. I would have thought that they would have pulled many of those, as first and foremost - this is supposed to be a friendly place, where we also do some diving and dive talk.

So, if you'll give me the intellegent discussion I know that you are quite capable of, yet spare me the anger, let me offer the question again:

What if a significant number of members don't even want to read the titles - mixed in with the fun stuff titles? Why is the ability to easily turn the news forum titles on, or off, so unacceptable?

thanks!

[triggerfish]

then maybe those delicate souls should be signing on to the disney channel, for pete's sake.

don, come ON!!!!!!! they don't want to read the TITLES???????
now THERE'S somebody that i'd want to dive with.....NOT.

and you're right...there ARE a LOT of times i completely ignore what you post. and i KNOW you do the same. that's the way adults should handle it. remember? free choice???

[DandyDon]

then maybe those delicate souls should be signing on to the disney channel, for pete's sake.

I ask for intelligent discussion, and I get that. But I'm still open.

It's good that Walter suggested sending PMs to him, as I would think that the members who don't want to opt-in, and certainly do not want the morbid titles mixed in with the fun ones on View New Posts are also those who are not going to come on here and butt heads with hardheaded, loud spoken, strong willed opponents in what should be a reasonable discussion - but from the record of others posts around the various threads, we have little reason to expect.

I don't want to lose those members, either. I don't want to lose either of y'all, but I'd more so not want to lose them. I do hope that they are indeed sending the PMs to the wise man of reason here. Better yet, I wish that Walter would post the remarks anonymosly, but I doubt that he'd agree to that - unless you asked him to do so?

Anyone asked how much it would cost to make the news forum a one-time opt-in, no password? I think I heard that some are bothered that they have to type NEWS each and every time they log on, but - hello, don't log off. I don't, and I've only typed the 4 letters once off of this thread. But how much would it cost to have the one-time, opt-in, no password? I wouldn't want to see SD.com money spent for it, but I'll drop $20 on it, and maybe Michael will drop the rest in?

Or, would even that be enough. Is it going to be a fight to mix the accident reports evenly with the fun stuff for everyone to scan??

[triggerfish]

well, don, since the gloves are off:

it was a reasonable answer to your "intelligent" question. people who are so bothered by even the HINT of unpleasantness should not be on an adult site. they obviously want to view the world through rose-colored glasses.

Anyone asked how much it would cost to make the news forum a one-time opt-in, no password? I think I heard that some are bothered that they have to type NEWS each and every time they log on, but - hello, don't log off. I don't, and I've only typed the 4 letters once off of this thread. But how much would it cost to have the one-time, opt-in, no password? I wouldn't want to see SD.com money spent for it, but I'll drop $20 on it, and maybe Michael will drop the rest in?

you may not sign-off from YOUR computer, don; but i believe the majority of people here do, as many will use public computers at their place of employment to pop on to see what's up. eliminating the password altogether would cost, hmmmm...let's see....ZIP, i believe.

Yeah, some of that is kinda' boring. I just skip over it.

my point exactly, don. one can merely CHOOSE NOT TO READ IT.

Even the titles were discouraging.

and those titles would be....?

perhaps: "TWO DIVERS GET THE BENDS"....? ooh, right, i forgot. decompression sickness is a figment of the imagination. why in the world would a new diver want to be bothered by that???


or maybe: "NEW SOFTWARE ELIMINATES BACKSCATTER"....??
heavens, NO!!!! backscatter???? there're PARTICLES in the water?????? wouldn't want to run into THOSE nasty things under water.....

sarcastic? yes, don, it is. very. i apologize; that is the way i respond to particularly inane proclamations. and, yes, i know i did not mention the articles regarding shark attacks, which is probably what started this whole debacle. but the actual CONTENT of the news article posted makes little difference.
the real heart of the matter is this, and you, don, have said it yourself:

I JUST SKIP OVER IT.

i'd love to argue this point with you further, don, but i have a life and need to go to work..
so i'm going to click on LOG OFF now and walk away shaking my head.

Edited by triggerfish, 24 September 2004 - 04:15 AM.

[Walter]

There's no reason to think any of these posts would get pulled. Everyone is expressing their viewpoints. That's the purpose of having a discussion. No one has resorted to personal attacks. I'm glad people feel free to express their opinions.

[Diverlady]

The way I see it we have 2 sides:
1) no news at all
2) full access to all news stories headlines, the good, the grim and the gory.

So, some people are ticked at not having any news and others don't want the negativity of reality horning in on this fun and light-hearted website.

I understand both sides of the coin. Some days I don't mind seeing the news headlines in the "view new posts" no matter what they are about but other days, when perhaps I'm not having the greatest day and have basically had enough with the real world so I visit SD for a quick pick-me-up and then see doom and gloom stories. It's more of that reality crap that I'm trying to get a break from.

So, my opinion is that having an opt-in news forum is a great way to compromise. People wanting the news get what they want and those wanting to avoid the doom and gloom stuff, don't have it in their face. And for me, well, when I feel like catching up on the news I can opt-in (the password thing is only a temporary measure until the Board is upgraded) but if I really need the lighter side of SD with no negative reality stuff, I can avoid the news section that day.


Diverlady

BTW - for what it's worth, I think that it's great that the Admins of this board are asking the general membership for their opinions regardless of their own views on the subject. You know, they really could just go ahead and do what THEY want and ignore the wants of us but they don't do that. They strive to offer what the membership wants -free of charge - and I can't imagine how difficult that must be since "you can never please all of the people, all of the time".