Forum Poll

[The Poot]

Hmmmm .. that last comment is an interesting perspective ... I can see why it may appear that way but, perhaps, it's a result of the fact that some people are very regular contributors and naturally get to 'know' each other (albeit virtually in most cases) by virtue of shared interests, similar ideas or sometimes sense of humour. Indeed, I think there is nearly as much traffic in Private Messages (which ONLY the participants in the conversation can see ... and no, the Mods and the owners cannot see any aspect of PM's or any statistics on them) as there is on the public pages.

I don't mind the forum being viewed as a club because, in effect, that is what it is, a virtual club ... but not an exclusive club or one where there is a perceived hierarchy or pecking order that is prescriptive.

Clearly, the numbers people post and the reactions they receive for their contributions are published beneath the members Avatar and the 'league tables' are also available publicly. Whether it tells us anything I'm not sure - I certainly don't view the number of posts or reactions as an indication of any hierarchy in the forum. Interesting though - we will have to think about it.

“League tables”??

 

[Boston Bees]

“League tables”??

There's a special place in hell for anyone who checks where they are in any table of "Most posts" or "Reaction score"

In fact - here's my recommendation for improving the forum - specifically reducing the amount of sneering. In the section to the left, remove the following items:

Title e.g. "New bee" (Condescending)
Joined (doesn't tell you anything)
Messages (who cares?)
Reaction score (sorry, what?)
Number of hives (again, what's the relevance, apart from willy-waving?)

I have seen these thrown in people's faces before, in an attempt to win an argument.

 

[pargyle]

“League tables”??

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/members/

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hmmmm .. that last comment is an interesting perspective ... I can see why it may appear that way but, perhaps, it's a result of the fact that some people are very regular contributors and naturally get to 'know' each other (albeit virtually in most cases) by virtue of shared interests, similar ideas or sometimes sense of humour. Indeed, I think there is nearly as much traffic in Private Messages (which ONLY the participants in the conversation can see ... and no, the Mods and the owners cannot see any aspect of PM's or any statistics on them) as there is on the public pages.

I don't mind the forum being viewed as a club because, in effect, that is what it is, a virtual club ... but not an exclusive club or one where there is a perceived hierarchy or pecking order that is prescriptive.

Clearly, the numbers people post and the reactions they receive for their contributions are published beneath the members Avatar and the 'league tables' are also available publicly. Whether it tells us anything I'm not sure - I certainly don't view the number of posts or reactions as an indication of any hierarchy in the forum. Interesting though - we will have to think about it.

An interesting one. Those of us who have been here from almost the beginning and joined in the BBKA barracking perhaps do have a club mentality. Whether you can or even want to do anything about it, I don't know. Yes we can all be more polite and try to remember our beginnings. I can to this day remember being mightily (and justly) brought down by RAB and Hivemaker. It stung but they were right.
It's a difficult one. The "I've watched Youtube videos and I've done this to my bees" can sometimes prickle.
I don't think Admins view the forum very much these days, leaving day to day running up to the now pretty experienced moderators. This thread will give us some ideas of what we can take to them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

There's a special place in hell for anyone who checks where they are in any table of "Most posts" or "Reaction score"

In fact - here's my recommendation for improving the forum - specifically reducing the amount of sneering. In the section to the left, remove the following items:

Title e.g. "New bee" (Condescending)
Joined (doesn't tell you anything)
Messages (who cares?)
Reaction score (sorry, what?)
Number of hives (again, what's the relevance, apart from willy-waving?)

I have seen these thrown in people's faces before, in an attempt to win an argument.

Messages are a useful quick link to look at the members previous posts. I doubt anybody but mods check it
Number of hives I find useful. For me it is an indication of what support an ailing hive might have if the member posts a problem
The others? Yes superfluous but does anybody really think that any window dressing needs changing?
It's not important and not what we are after

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i like the forum and find it helpful....some unnecessary petulance at times but just ignore it

iterate i would say (improve via implementing suggestions where some degree of consensus lies) rather than revolutionise

 

[Hairy]

It's an opinion and clearly this poll was intended to solicit views from members about how they perceive the forum ... however, I've just looked through the thread you started when you joined the forum - you are in a pretty unique location up there in the far North of Scotland yet I find 51 posts .. all of them supportive, informative and without a hint of any of the unpleasantness that you describe.

I didn't refer to me or my post in explaining my opinion here. That post did indeed result in some helpful replies. I was commenting on what I have seen happen to others.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Perhaps members could use the report post button more? We actually get very few.

 

[Hairy]

The written word doesn't have the nuance of face to face communication and so can easily be misconstrued, but i don't recognise your description of the forum. I have widely different views to others on the forum about beekeeping - that's life. If anyone starts claiming they have reinvented the wheel, newbee or not, then expect the claims to be challenged to provide some evidence.

You have been here a month today. It's a short period of time to come up with such a damning conclusion. If you stick around you will see there are a lot of incredibly friendly and generous people here, both in word and action. In my experience its a hell of a lot less rude here than the real world has become in the past few years

The nuance aspect is very true, I don't think the people here who do it realise how they come across.
I have indeed not been a registered user for very long. Maybe I started reading this forum before that point?

 

[Swarm]

I didn't refer to me or my post in explaining my opinion here. That post did indeed result in some helpful replies. I was commenting on what I have seen happen to others.

I would say you are entitled to post what you see, it doesn't have to be anything directed at you.

I see the negative responses are being scrutinised?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would say you are entitled to post what you see, it doesn't have to be anything directed at you.

Exactly. It’s what the poll is for.

 

[pargyle]

I would say you are entitled to post what you see, it doesn't have to be anything directed at you.

I see the negative responses are being scrutinised?

I think all the responses are being scrutinised ... if the forum can be improved in some ways we need the negatives as well as the positives.

 

[pargyle]

I didn't refer to me or my post in explaining my opinion here. That post did indeed result in some helpful replies. I was commenting on what I have seen happen to others.

That's fine ... as I said earlier, we should all call out any sort of bad behaviour on here and the correct way to do it is to hit the Report Post button and tell us why you think a post should be modified or deleted. These reported posts come to the moderators attention when we log in and tend to get our instant attention. We are all part time moderators - whilst we try to keep up with threads (particularly those that run the risk of being contentious) we are not infallible and it's easy to miss something.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I see the negative responses are being scrutinised?

I certainly am scrutinising all replies, destructive, constructive, negative and positive. Are you?

 

[Boston Bees]

I certainly am scrutinising all replies, destructive, constructive, negative and positive. Are you?

I think Swarm's point is that none of the moderators, unsurprisingly, have written detailed rebuttals of any positive comments. But there have been a couple of quite lengthy rebuttals of negative comments. If a moderator runs a poll, and then only rebuts the negative responses, it doesn't look entirely like a balanced search for information.

To be more blunt - Pargyle - you have asked a good question - now shhhh for a week and let people answer it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But why might I want to rebut a positive response?
Anyway, I’ll add this to the thread

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/thanks.52685/

 

[Mint Bee]

The nuance aspect is very true, I don't think the people here who do it realise how they come across.
I have indeed not been a registered user for very long. Maybe I started reading this forum before that point?

give us time, we'll grow on you. not unlike fungi

 

[Swarm]

I certainly am scrutinising all replies, destructive, constructive, negative and positive. Are you?

Boston Bees sums it up.

 

[pargyle]

I think Swarm's point is that none of the moderators, unsurprisingly, have written detailed rebuttals of any positive comments. But there have been a couple of quite lengthy rebuttals of negative comments. If a moderator runs a poll, and then only rebuts the negative responses, it doesn't look entirely like a balanced search for information.

To be more blunt - Pargyle - you have asked a good question - now shhhh for a week and let people answer it.

I don't consider anything that I've written in this thread as a rebuttal ... comment, perhaps, but if you took the trouble to read through all my posts on this thread I think you'll find there are quite a few that are in agreement with the poster. And ... why would I want to rebutt a positive comment ? - I have a positive view about the forum and I'm glad the poll, so far, seems to reflect positively on the forum. We are taking on board the criticisms and constructive suggestions and if we can bring changes to see if we can make it an even more positive experience for people than it is now.

And no ... if I have a comment to make I will make it ... like it, lump it or ignore it !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Boston Bees sums it up.

Yes we are certainly lucky to have him on board.