Why members leave TPF

[skieur]

Looking at the thread: Image Theft was a very interesting exercise. There was wrong on both sides of the argument and then a moderator jumps in and instead of mediating, takes ONE side of the argument and then locks the thread.

The basis of Cooler King's argument was that photos could be technically protected against copying. The following is a quote from Cooler King:

The list is quite extensive and I agree with O||||O that none in isolation are a magic bullet but you can easily layer enough defences to deter all but the most ardent thief.

The point should be that when a new photographer asks about defending his copyright it is a disservice for 4 or 5 posters to chime in with 'it cannot be done so deal with it or get off the web'."

Cooler King's "style" was not appreciated which may be understandable but his basic point is correct. If you layer enough defences within programming, you will discourage "all but the most ardent thief".

He indirectly implied that comments about taking photos of the screen, using screen grabbers etc. were "juvenile". Since getting a worthwhile usable copy of some photo using such methods is next to impossible many would agree with that comment.

Both sides used less than complimentary terms but the "warning" by the moderator seemed restricted to the original poster.

May I suggest a more EVEN handed approach by moderators, when both sides are at fault?

skieur

 

[Big]

Now I can sleep tonight...

 

[Josh66]

I'm not saying that you're wrong, skieur - but I think I'm missing the point here.

I am very familiar with the thread you're talking about (LOL, I'm quoted in the excerpt you posted), I just don't see the connection between that and long time members leaving...

(I assume that this thread is in some way in response to Chiller leaving...?)


Sorry if I completely misunderstood things, but if I did - maybe you can clarify the issue some...?

 

[manaheim]

Can you post a link to the original thread? (just curious to see it)

 

[Big]

^^^ holy crap! Nice to see ya on here Manaheim!

 

[skieur]

I'm not saying that you're wrong, skieur - but I think I'm missing the point here.

I am very familiar with the thread you're talking about (LOL, I'm quoted in the excerpt you posted), I just don't see the connection between that and long time members leaving...

(I assume that this thread is in some way in response to Chiller leaving...?)


Sorry if I completely misunderstood things, but if I did - maybe you can clarify the issue some...?

I am just suggesting that a more even handed approach by moderators to threads that get out of hand and a little more "mediation" of both sides rather than taking ONE side of the argument, would aggravate fewer members.
That should not be too much to ask.

skieur

 

[Josh66]

Can you post a link to the original thread? (just curious to see it)

Started in this thread:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...o-you-really-need-watermark-alternatives.html

Which led to this thread:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ge-theft-copyright-intellectual-property.html

 

[T-town photographer]

I'm not saying that you're wrong, skieur - but I think I'm missing the point here.

I am very familiar with the thread you're talking about (LOL, I'm quoted in the excerpt you posted), I just don't see the connection between that and long time members leaving...

(I assume that this thread is in some way in response to Chiller leaving...?)


Sorry if I completely misunderstood things, but if I did - maybe you can clarify the issue some...?

Chiller left. When?????? I am out for a couple of days and all hell breaks loose. Please post a link

Michael

 

[PatrickHMS]

Yeah, Chiller left, so did Joemc, BigTwinky,

all gone....

 

[T-town photographer]

Yeah, Chiller left, so did Joemc, BigTwinky,

all gone....

You are kidding me.

This is a bad day for this forum.

Michael

 

[manaheim]

^^^ holy crap! Nice to see ya on here Manaheim!

Thanks, man! I lurk now and again. I like "my new home", but it's obviously not as frantic as this place is, and frantic is fun sometimes.

Thanks, Josh for the link.

*goes to look*

 

[manaheim]

Can you post a link to the original thread? (just curious to see it)

Started in this thread:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...o-you-really-need-watermark-alternatives.html

Which led to this thread:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ge-theft-copyright-intellectual-property.html

Wow, that was a spectacularly awesome read.

 

[terri]

May I suggest a more EVEN handed approach by moderators, when both sides are at fault?

Thanks for the tip.

I've been on TPF since its 5th month of operation and, I can promise you, the types of threads linked here did not occur back in its heyday.

There is a juvenile type of one-upmanship at the heart of these discussions that has next to nothing to do with whatever the topic may be. More to the fact, despite exhaustive encouragement by the moderating team to members to use their Ignore Lists, most refuse to block the comments of folks they dislike. They have the power to back away or block them by the use of this tool, but apparently cannot stop themselves. They must continue to get their daily excitement by coming to TPF to slam their favorite internet enemies - or create new ones - with this excessive, boring, repetitive, and ultimately useless chest-thumping.

In the past, we just banned members who routinely indulged in this crap. But we're so much more tolerant now. What, isn't tolerance supposed to be good??

People leave forums for their own reasons, but to imply that it has to do with the moderating team here does a disservice to us who, while trying to promote good will and camaraderie, have to suffer through this type of drivel from members who refuse to take any accountability of their own actions.

 

[The_Traveler]

May I suggest a more EVEN handed approach by moderators, when both sides are at fault?

Thanks for the tip.

I've been on TPF since its 5th month of operation and, I can promise you, the types of threads linked here did not occur back in its heyday.

There is a juvenile type of one-upmanship at the heart of these discussions that has next to nothing to do with whatever the topic may be. More to the fact, despite exhaustive encouragement by the moderating team to members to use their Ignore Lists, most refuse to block the comments of folks they dislike. They have the power to back away or block them by the use of this tool, but apparently cannot stop themselves. They must continue to get their daily excitement by coming to TPF to slam their favorite internet enemies - or create new ones - with this excessive, boring, repetitive, and ultimately useless chest-thumping.

In the past, we just banned members who routinely indulged in this crap. But we're so much more tolerant now. What, isn't tolerance supposed to be good??

People leave forums for their own reasons, but to imply that it has to do with the moderating team here does a disservice to us who, while trying to promote good will and camaraderie, have to suffer through this type of drivel from members who refuse to take any accountability of their own actions.

Tolerance is important for ideas but lots of behavior shouldn't be tolerated - but it is. The prime rule of any forum should be respect for others' opinion and persona. Members should be able to trust the mods to protect them from a**holes and to discourage the kind of juvenile interactions that are common.

Another important step that mods can take is to discourage the kind of thread jacking when there is an attempt at any serious discussion. There is the kind of 'I think I'm cool' group here that plops into many threads, being funny, trying to get attention and diverting any chance of keeping a core community of people who care about and want to talk about photography. Their attitude is that if they don't think it's important no one else should talk about it.

TPF loses good people and I don't see TPF getting anything but a flood of new people who know nothing about photography. 90% of all new posts are in the beginner gallery.

I visit here because I like to help new photographers but I wouldn't bother posting pictures here because I would get nothing, zero, nada that would help me to get better.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

This is a bad day for this forum.

We've had worse ones.
I remember the alien abductions of '06 when we lost half the members and the other two fell down the back of the sofa. But we got a Government grant and bought some new ones. You'd never know.