Looks like I'm joining the discussion late. Sorry, the traffic was murder. ;>) I ~did~ start at the top yesterday but with 400+ posts.....
I joined this forum in 2002 (I think?) along with (at the time) two other help forums. I had already been a member of *********.*** for two years previous. (The name has been changed to protect the innocent, ;>) I don't know if it's appropriate to mention.) In a thirst for more, I found and joined this forum and another help forum.
Over time, I realized that *********.*** was "moving" much faster than this one and the others. As a result, I of course drifted to the "one" the majority of the time. As a result of this activity, I haven't been back here much in three years. (I was learning more and more, and thus posting more to other areas in that board which I hadn't previously had expertise in.) I'd drop by here from time to time, but would see much hadn't changed.
As well, the queries here were "basic" (for lack of a better term) in content. ** In no way is this comment meant to inflect inferior allusion to this board or it's members. ** I feel this "question base" element though was partially due to the search engine parameters mentioned early on in this topic. The people finding this forum were all new to the PC realm. (Of course that's true all of the time though.)
I've been back here pretty well every day now for about a week or two. I have to say that of the six or eight forums I frequent, this forum, and "that other one", are my two favourites. I'm glad I made it back for the "New Look" change.
I'm also glad however, that I missed the commotion of the "bad times between participants". Being "away", I wasn't aware and found it to be rather disturbing that it has occurred. I'm sure I'd have been involved to a point. Being a "regular", you get to know who's who, and who knows what they're talking about (the heavyweights), who needs that bit of ego self gratification they find by posting, and the malicious posters. I've felt compelled several times to speak my mind over at Computing.net. (Oops! Oh well, you have a right to know where I've been.) Spoken subtlely and tactfully of course. ;>) There's no bad blood. Hence why I feel I'd have been in the fracas going on here somewhere.
A help forum should be just that. A place to get the help you require. Not a chat centre (Ughh! cringe), nor a battlefield for individuals to attack each other. If you are being discourteous or disrespectful (no matter what the perceived basis for acting that way) to either an individual or the forum, you're called into the Moderators or Administrators office to stand on the carpet and words are spoken. If this or unethical behavior persists, you are banned. I treat being on a board the same as a job. (It'd be nice to get paid for it, but ah, what the heck.) You're there doing a job, and if you're not doing it, or doing it badly, then you should be told and/or you shouldn't be participating there.
OK, enough. I haven't been back long enough to say much more than it's nice to be here, and I really hope things work themselves out.
I'll be watching. ;>)
