Reading the forum rules (http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/974532/ShowPost.aspx), there are no specific topics that we cannot talk about, as long as its related to trains, it’s ok. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t graffiti related to trains? It’s getting kind of insulting that certain threads get deleted or locked because of the negative waves they supossedly cause. Now some of you might start with the “it’s their forum and we use it for free” stuff, and I realize and accept that, but still, when it comes time for you to post a question, do you find yourself walking on eggshells? The reason I mention the forum rules is for this reason: If we are not to talk about graffiti, environmental issues, DCC vs DC, or whatever, then why don’t they SPECIFY these subjects as being taboo in the rules? If they tend to cause problems, then tell us not to talk about it from the get-go. Besides, the only threads I’ve seen deleted are graffiti-related (except the “when did graffiti start to show up” thread, that one is still alive and kicking). Now the DCC vs DC, the coal mining thread, the military train hijack thread are left to grow to 5 pages or more. Am I to assume that the moderator doesn’t like certain topics and thus kills them? I saw a lot of hostility and bad manners in the threads I listed, yet they were never locked or deleted. Except for a few that post here, I would assume that most of us are adults, so let’s act like the adults we are and let anyone ask relevant questions that pertain to our hobby.
I guss you could say that people say what they want to say and you can’t change that. And when some one has a thought and some one else dosn’t like it, thats when arugments start. But what really starts them is when some one can’t except the fact that people say what they want to say. Just leave it there. If you don’t like what some one else says, post someting nice that gives us a good conservatiton, not some thing that willl start bigger problums. And if you really don’t like it, then don’t post on it. Whell said jasperofzeal. I just hope this dosn’t start a arugment.
I’m not so sure they get deleted just because of a certain topic, i.e. Grafitti. I think its more likely that the topic brings in comments that cross the line. Some topics definately polarize people, DC vs DCC, Athearn vs Atlas, Grafitti, Is the hobby growing, etc. Until a post is made that goes too far, Bergie generally lets them go. Unfortunately its like a self-fulfilling prophecy, its only a matter of time before the post goes awry and it gets deleted.
I have been here long enough to see threads like GRAFFITI, RELIGION, ECT. turn into a huge brawl with name calling and other stuff. What Bergie did was close it before it got out of hand. Some people here are just looking for topics like that to fuel the fire. Why is it such a big deal, just move on and drink a cool one.
He may have done the right thing, and I applaud stopping a brawl before it starts. But you can’t selectively stop some brawls and let others go on endlessly. If he’s to moderate and delete what is not appropriate, then he needs to do them to ALL topics that show the first sign of going off topic and not just the ones that he doesn’t like.
Any time you have a person making such decisions you have subjectivity. Bergie may or not have the job because he wants it. But either way, what we don’t figure is that he has to weigh his moderating duties with his other more time-consuming duties.
He has to weigh ease of moderating with allowing us the freedom to possibly get out of hand. Sometimes he will guess wrong in the eyes of others.
Spacemouse, I agree that the man probably has too much on his plate to devote the proper attention that this forum sometimes requires. But in the times I’ve been here, I’ve seen a few graffiti related threads locked and deleted. Yet there have been some that have involved political comments and even religious comments and the thread was not at the least locked. What I’m asking of our moderator is to be uniform in his process of deleting/locking controversial threads and not just the ones HE may find controversial or not to his liking, which is what I think is happening.
I think the key is the word find. There’s no way he can read every post on every thread. It may be that he looks at “key” topics and those where trouble is reported.
I really do see your point. But unless Kalmbach changes is view of the value of the forum, I suspect things will remain status quo.
I don’t think Bergie reads every comment every day, but partially relies on users to report topics that are getting out of hand. I know that if I were the moderator there’s no way I could read everything. Note, too, that there is a “Report Abuse” link at the bottom of every post, and if someone feels that a topic is straying into forbidden areas clicking on that allegedly alerts Bergie to take a look at it.
As a general rule, the more specific one gets in one’s instructions, the more limiting or constraining their interpretation becomes. In that respect, I would guess that Kalmbach wants to keep the interpretation general or “liberal” to suit their own purpose, and that is to keep a lid on contentious discussions when they feel it out to be done. By attempting to list every conceivable prohibited topic, it limits legitimate and fruitful approaches to the those topics that might actually be relevant to trains.
I din’t think Bergie dislikes the topic of grafitti - rather he dislikes what usually happens when some people view it as art and others view it as vandalism - it almost always starts a verbal fight. I wouldn’t mind if he added another rule: “You must maintain a civil tung (keyboard). Replies that are just plain nasty spirited should not be allowed.”
It’s OK to disagree, but do it in the same manner you would be expected to in a buisiness enviorment. Most companys would discipline or terminate an employee that spoke in the manner of some of the replies.
The enviorment, DC vs DCC, and most other threads don’t get people as “hot under the collar” as grafitti, religion, politics, or the opposite sex! (Can you say “sex” here?) Maybe gender is a better choice. If you don’t agree with the forum rules or policies, no one is forcing anyone to be here.[2c]
Personally, I think he does a pretty good job. The purpose of this forum (at least for me and I think others as well as Kalmbach) is to talk about trains and share model railroading information in a reasonably courteous fashion.