OK, Watch this post dissapear! A reply I made to “What happened to the MR product reviews” was deleted because “we do not swear on the forum”!!! I just revisited the subject and found:
I did not swear - I used [censored] and a few letters with ** between or )&^$& - I have seen much worse in the forum!
Not only my reply was deleted, but **EVERY NEGATIVE REPLY HAS BEEN DELETED!!!****[**censored]
This is more than censorship of language - it is censorship of opinion!!!
Bergie, I know it’s your forum, but it’s the member’s also. Your product reviews almost never say anything negative, even on products that are not so great. Are we required to shut up about something we don’t agree with too?
From my experiences at the club with certain locomotives that MR had reviewed has been spot on.I see a lot of forum reviews that is off compared to my experiences at the clubs as well…
So and IMHO the BEST review is the one YOU make based on first hand observations and test runs just like its been done in the years past.
He who pays the piper calls the tune. Bergie pays the piper here, representing a large publisher, so he calls the tone for the exchanges permitted here. Doesn’t get much simpler than that.
It might be useful, though, for the rules to be altered to reflect that even the suggestion of profanity, whether expressed or implied, is forbidden on this forum. That way, even the odd key stroke pattern representing colourful language will be considered verboten, and we would all know better.
No swearing or foul language. And we don’t care if you use symbols to mask the words. The meaning is still conveyed and we don’t want it in our forum. Please keep in mind that we have readers of all ages. This isn’t a tavern.
Right off the page “Our forum policies, including no advertising” at:
They added new restrictions in the forum guide that included banning stars etc to censor bad language as it’s still obvious to the younger readers what’s meant.
Being very negative in a review just tends to mean a manufacturer ignores that magazine and doesn’t submit models for review any more, it’s happened with one mag over here in the uk that started a war with Bachmann.
The more constructive review criticisims may list the faults and suggest how to sort them to put people in the picture to make an informed decision as to whether they can live with it or add detail.
Manufacturers respond best to constructive critique from magazines they trust and respect, so yes it is a little cosy but we do the same with our friends if they foul up rather than always being blunt about their failings.
If you want a balance read the MR review and then wait for people on the forum to get their pre-orders and see what they think. You may not be the first with a new model but the way they produce batches you’ll only have to wait a short while for a new numbered version.
I’ve found MR reviews to be fair on the whole, I’ve also had problems with locos that have shown up later but these wouldn’t have been apparent in a quick review.
In my opinion the best solution would be a database of models by scale that could be started with a MR review and then members add their own findings and solutions to problems, but again it would have to be moderated to prevent any possibility of unfair trashing of a model.
Paul
This is not a publicly owned site. Once you post here, the ownership of the content shifts to Kalmbach. Therefore you can’t whine about censorship because you no longer have any claim of ownership to whatever you posted. It’s their site and they can run it however they wish. That’s what everyone agreed to when we all signed up!
I don’t want to sound like a prude, but I do believe it’s possible to convey your maternally carnal opinions without the use of blasphemous assignations, references to peristaltic products, or male canine pups. But that’s just me. [{(-_-)}]
By the way, can someone define “bad language?” Does it constitute words that aren’t heard every night on primetime, non-cable TV? Or words banned from the music our young ones listen to?
In a guest/host relationship, and that is what this forum is, the host is expected to be gracious and tolerant even though he can “throw you out”. The guest is expected to be on best behavior and be courteous and appreciative. Ed
I agree that a definition would be useful, but it then tends to limit the freedom of the host if and when he/she opines that the language of concern is decidedly out of bounds. It is best to use a general term, and to then make a claim that the contrary language in question meets their definition. Humans are always looking for loopholes, and the more specific definitions become, the easier it is to find a way around them. Keep it vague or general, and then wave the imperious hand of inclusiveness when undesired language appears…undesired to them, that is.
I’m somewhat new here; so, I’ve spent quite a lot of time reading older threads. I’ve found surprisingly little use of potentially offensive language. What has caused me a double take is a surprising amount of intolerance, competitiveness, rudeness, and outright arrogance. For a forum dedicated to a hobby, the number of these kinds of posts confounds me. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know quite a few model railroaders personally, and I’ve never found them anything but patient, kind, gentlemanly, and generous to a fault. You can see how many of the posts found here stand in marked contrast. Were I seeking to portray a positive image of model railroading for our young, I’d be far more concerned about checking attitudes at the door than policing language. But, again, that’s just me.
How about limiting the number of ‘chat restaurants’ opening up and stick to the trains. This forum is going to turn into a bad strip mall of cafe’s - censor that. I (along with numerous others) come here for guidance and help from you all.
“In my opinion the best solution would be a database of models by scale that could be started with a MR review and then members add their own findings and solutions to problems, but again it would have to be moderated to prevent any possibility of unfair trashing of a model.”
That’s such a good idea that we already have a database like that, including reader comments. It’s at www.modelrailroader.com
I’m not trying to cause trouble, just asking an innocent question, but if even the whiff of cursing is not allowed…which I’m OK with, btw - then why do we have this: [censored] and this: [soapbox] available to us to use on the forum?
Sorry if I manage to get those symbols deleted from our choices, but it does kind of send mixed signals as to what is allowed if you ask me.
On another forum I belong to, (a rock music forum) a more liberal policy is used for cursing. But there is no getting around what the symbols and things mean…people might as well just use the real words.
And since there are minors here, and it is a family-oriented public forum, I have no problem with the no cursing rule, even though at times I find it hard to abide by. []
oops: a personal pet peeve of mine…sorry I didn’t notice someone already brought this up about the censored emoticons. Do we have a hypocrite emoticon?[;)]
Can you give an example of a review that everyone agrees should have been negative but instead was positive or at least failed to be negative? Otherwise we are just talking in the abstract here.
Heh heh I just thought of something. Years ago and by that I mean the late 1950s and early 1960s, a lot of reviews in MR said that this or that product was good but seemed overpriced. And we look at those prices now and we can hardly believe the comment. A lot of comment in these forums is that this or that product is over priced and I wonder what we will think about that in 30 or more years.
The problem is that so many products are not only over priced, they’re sold out!
]