Kind of shocked...

[MLeeK]

I have been a part of a few forums before and never have I seen anything like this.
This has got to be the nastiest forum I have ever seen. I have never in my limited exerience seen a bunch of "adults" so set on sniping at each other in EVERY post. It's ok here to be rude and snippy and to pick a petty argument with everyone over seemingly nothing. There is not an ounce of respect for each other.
What really threw me is that it's ok to bash people and their decisions. I had thought this was going to be a nice froum as it seems like there aren't a ton of people here and I could get to know the regulars. Plus there seemed to be several sport shooters I could learn from... Yeah. It's a small forum. Because it's OK for everyone to chase off the new members and it's ok to insult and it's ok to bash each other's choices in gear... it's ok to argue and piss at each other over nothing at all.
It's fine to have differing opinions, but what the heck happened to respecting someone else's opinion?
Are there no "babysitters" here? Because it sure seems that it's needed. There are people here who start an argument over EVERYTHING for the sake of arguing. Why? Because they can. Just like a little child.
Isn't a forum supposed to be for learning, sharing, growing and helping each other? There are people here b1tching because of the little tidbits that people share! What the heck? Really? Sure you get tired of saying the same things over and over, but for someone who wasn't here last month they didn't see it posted. Is it really offensive that someone would share it AGAIN? HOW DARE THEY. Newbies should just find this information on their own. It was said once before. <----with a heavy dose of sarcasm-which is expected here.
I am getting pretty sick of the Canon Fanboy thing. Or Nikon Fanboy... Or whatever. Personally? I wouldn't shoot with a Pentax or a Sony come hell or high water and I wouldn't shoot with a Nikon unless I absolutely had to. Why? Because I LIKE my cameras. It works right for ME. Are my cameras the end all to beat all? HELL NO! That would be the 1Dx in DSLR's. LOL!
There is no best out there, it's about what works for the shooter. Respect that and quit trying to make yourselves superior or someone else inferior because they didn't choose the same camera as you.
Do I really think things here are about to change? Nope. The "adults" here can come here and act like children because they can. There's no one to make them behave.

 

[e.rose]

First of all...

What the hell did I miss over the weekend?

Second of all...

The examples you mention above are caused by a few select people that I can think of off the top of my head.

Utilize the "ignore" feature and your forum experience will improve exponentially.

Or don't. Read what they have to say and do one of the following:

1. laugh at the ridiculousness of it all

2. roll your eyes at the ridiculousness of it all

I don't physically use the "ignore" button because I find it more annoying to have a big block that says "HEY SO AND SO SAID SOMETHING BUT YOU CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THEM ON IGNORE!" than it is just to ignore them myself.

And believe me, I have a fairly extensive mental ignore list.

You have 232 posts... which means you've been around for more than a few days, and I recall you posting quite a bit since I've been back... so I'm going to chalk this rant up to... the weather... or something.

Take a deep breath.

Compile your ignore list...

Post more PEEKCHURS!

:hug::

 

[GeorgieGirl]

There is valuable information here, filter the dialog and ignore the snark.

 

[analog.universe]

It really is just a couple bad eggs... the majority of folks around here are quite friendly and helpful. I also do the mental ignore list , and many of the folks on mine have post counts in the thousands and great educations. People trying to start **** come in all flavors and backgrounds. Just don't be fooled into thinking that the folks with most experience or the loudest voices represent the majority here. I agree with most of your points, no need to get riled up about it though. Elitist overinflated egos represent the darkest corner of many parts of society, and the internet is no exception. At least here they have no power to actually oppress you!

 

[mishele]

This place is all about having tough skin......lol There is a learning curve on how to deal w/ people here. I think you are in stage 1...lol
Eventually, you'll learn to laugh at the craziness people try to sell here.

 

[Trever1t]

I do have to agree that the apparent immaturity level tends to have escalated even higher in the recent months and I, with years of intensive internet forum experience, am continuously surprised here by the juvenile attitude that some few members display towards each other. It's as though Photographers as the artists they are have forgotten how to behave as Men and Women.

That said, I take the good from the bad and just do my thing. It's even amusing sometimes.

 

[cgipson1]

I have seen forums that would make this one look like all sweetness and light! lol!

There are a few here that love to tear you down.... and there are some that will tear you down, and then give some constructive advice on how to fix what they were blasting you for.

Not too many of the nice, life is wonderful types here that never say anything negative... although there are a lot of wonderful people. Honesty is sometimes harsh when you may not want to hear it.. and you have to remember that most feedback is an opinion, that you can take or leave. Stick around.. have fun.. that's that ticket!

As the lovely Miss Emily stated, use the IGNORE function... weed out the bad ones.

 

[joealcantar]

Know what you are saying, but use the ignore or if you see the name just close the thread and move on as more than likely they have dropped a mess on some unexpecting visitor. I have been using the PM to suggest things to keep from getting useless rants.
I belong to a few forums and this could be the great one if we did a bit more monitoring.
-
Shoot well and put those folks with the polaroid film (way back in the closet somewhere), Joe

 

[Overread]

E-Rose has really summed up the major point and it is indeed the case that a lot of the sniping and arguments happens between a smaller group of established (and active) members of the site. Which makes it really hard to moderate since unless people us the report function its hard for a mod to always tell when a person has crossed a line with another. Furthermore since the sniping banter tends to end up flying both ways (and then all ways once things really heat up) it becomes a messy situation.

We do our best, but it really does help when members come to us direct or use the report function to really point these things out to us so that we know for certain when boundaries are being crossed and its not just two oldies* having a rant at each other.

 

[Derrel]

>>SNIP>>> Personally? I wouldn't shoot with a Pentax or a Sony come hell or high water and I wouldn't shoot with a Nikon unless I absolutely had to. Why? Because I LIKE my cameras. It works right for ME. Are my cameras the end all to beat all? HELL NO! That would be the 1Dx in DSLR's.

Okay, so we get it, you're a Canon fanboy. Obviously. Your sig file also reaffirms that. [ Canon 1D Mk III, Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 7D, Canon 50D]. Kind of the same way that bumper stickers have been proven to show that the driver of the car bearing said bumper stickers is actually more-aggressive than the normal driver whose car does not carry messages of tribal superiority and allegiance.

You have been here less than a month. Your new-arrival rant has been duly noted. I'd prescribe a serious dose of "Lighten up Francis" once every 4 hours, along with a smaller dose of "welcome to the real world syrup" once every 12 hours, and an immediate reduction in the number of hours per day that you wear your "rose-colored glasses" over the next few weeks, as you adjust to the big bad world of a forum that's more like the Wild West than an Upper West-side daycare center. Oh, I almost forgot, the smiley face goes right here XX.

 

[Overread]

Kind of the same way that bumper stickers have been proven to show that the driver of the car bearing said bumper stickers is actually more-aggressive than the normal driver whose car does not carry messages of tribal superiority and allegiance.

That's it - I knew something was wrong!
I'll be taking the RSPB and English Heritage stickers off my dads car next time I'm home!

 

[Derrel]

Kind of the same way that bumper stickers have been proven to show that the driver of the car bearing said bumper stickers is actually more-aggressive than the normal driver whose car does not carry messages of tribal superiority and allegiance.

That's it - I knew something was wrong!
I'll be taking the RSPB and English Heritage stickers off my dads car next time I'm home!

Drivers with bumper stickers likely to be aggressive: study


Bumper Stickers: A Marker For Aggressive Drivers? | Road Rules


Study: Bumper stickers = Aggressive drivers


One of my all-time favorite ones is, "My kid can beat up your honor student!", which is of course in response to the fairly common bumper sticker that proclaims, "My kid is an Honor Student at _______
_______ School!"

 

[Overread]

Hmm maybe USA drivers shouldn't be allowed bumper stickers

Unless its the case that people that are aggressive likes to buy bumper stickers !!


But wait what if I put things on my camera (I've a sticker on my flash and coat on my lens) does that make me more aggressive - iis that the real reason behind all that duct tape on pro gear !?!? !

 

[Ron Evers]

Whats this "duct tape on pro gear" thing? Please explain to a country bumpkin.

 

[Derrel]

Ron--I see a fair number of pro sports guys with duct tape holding on makeshift lens shades made out of thin plastic or fiberboard; many big telephotos like 300/400/500/600's flare pretty badly when shot toward bright light sources, and the lens hoods, like the newer carbon fiber ones, cost $250-$350 [seriously!], so when stationed on the side of the field where they're shooting toward bright lights, they often resort to taping a piece of black "material" onto the front of the lens as a lens "shade". Perhaps Overread meant "gaffer's tape"; I've seen a number of pros who cover their camera bodies with black gaffer's tape, which is a lot like black masking tape, to cover up the brand name, and/or to protect the body's top and bottom deck from wear...when it's time to sell the equipment, a taped-up camera is de-taped, some Goof-Off is used with a few clean soft rags, and the equipment is cleaned up and looks VERY NEW, compared with the way it would have looked if used unprotected.