Forum Poll

[pargyle]

Yes we are certainly lucky to have him on board.

Yes ... what was it Custer said about the indians ? Better to have them inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in !

 

[Darryl]

An excellent source of info and help for us newbies. The usual wide range of answers to a query allows me to make up my own mind rather than slavishly follow one person's view. No problems with the abruptness or sort responses from some - I originate from South Yorkshire and possess the customary standard thick skin. They know more than me about bees anyway!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

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.

Sometimes I see questions which appear to be posted by complete newbies (nothing wrong with that) but on more than one occasion a glance at the posters details shows they had joined several years prior. It makes me wonder where the hell they have been or if they have read anything from the forum during the intervening years

 

[BugsInABox]

I like especially:
The rambling threads that go off topic - it's like a dinner table conversation sometimes.
The lack of 'use the search button' police.
The self organising master, journeyman, apprentice structure; I know it's not fool proof but the new-bee to queen-bee 'rankings' perhaps help the very new to balance what's what.
The fact that if you post off the beginners section you can expect to be taken seriously and potentially be given a bit of a hard time if you say something daft.
The tolerance of my dyslexia.

Generally, humiliating responses on the beginers board are called out - this seems to me to be important.

 

[Erichalfbee]

2K views
105 replies
124 voters.....so far

 

[nettle]

Sometimes I see questions which appear to be posted by complete newbies (nothing wrong with that) but on more than one occasion a glance at the posters details shows they had joined several years prior. It makes me wonder where the hell they have been or if they have read anything from the forum during the intervening years

Guilty as charged. I joined the forum years ago, and started going along to my local association, with the intention of getting bees at that time. Lack of funds stopped me getting anywhere with it at that point, and then life took a different turn. One degree, two job moves, and four house moves later and I finally found myself in a position to think about bees again. I admit I didn't read much about honey bees in that time, and when I went to join this forum I'd forgotten I already had an account.

 

[KJB]

Personally I hesitate asking questions as I am quite inexperienced and feel like my questions may sound silly. That is just in life in general not just this forum. Some very knowledgeable people on here and there contributions are very much appreciated. I prefer to read others questions and answers than raise my head above the parapet.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Sometimes I see questions which appear to be posted by complete newbies (nothing wrong with that) but on more than one occasion a glance at the posters details shows they had joined several years prior. It makes me wonder where the hell they have been or if they have read anything from the forum during the intervening years

That's an example of hostile posting.
Many such people may have been visiting occasionally. They may have been unwell, put off buying a hive, been unable to obtain a nuc. There are all sorts of circumstances that might account utterly reasonably for their not posting, including, yes simple lurking. And they might have been lurking and wanted to ask questions, or be experienced and insightful beekeepers and wanted to posts, but been put off by the noisy and aggressive, and, especially, the gang culture.

Your 'the hell' John is a blanket condemnation of anyone reticent to post, and of itself will tend to put some people off posting.

So, more attention to manners, less acceptance of overt hostility would be good.

 

[Murox]

Guilty as charged. I joined the forum years ago, and started going along to my local association, with the intention of getting bees at that time. Lack of funds stopped me getting anywhere with it at that point, and then life took a different turn. One degree, two job moves, and four house moves later and I finally found myself in a position to think about bees again. I admit I didn't read much about honey bees in that time, and when I went to join this forum I'd forgotten I already had an account.

So back nettle

 

[Beesnaturally]

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.

And then: am I right to understand that the status titles are nothing more than the result of frequency of posting?

 

[BugsInABox]

That's an example of hostile posting.
Many such people may have been visiting occasionally. They may have been unwell, put off buying a hive, been unable to obtain a nuc. There are all sorts of circumstances that might account utterly reasonably for their not posting, including, yes simple lurking. And they might have been lurking and wanted to ask questions, or be experienced and insightful beekeepers and wanted to posts, but been put off by the noisy and aggressive, and, especially, the gang culture.

Your 'the hell' is a blanket condemnation or anyone reticent to post, and of itself will tend to put some people off posting.

So, more attention to manners, less acceptance of overt hostility would be good.

I've been asked 'were the hell you been' by friends I've slightly negelcted for a while. It's meant warmly! Just saying....

 

[BugsInABox]

And then: am I right to understand that the status titles are nothing more than the result of frequency of posting?

You are. Except for moderator and super moderator which are earnt differently.

 

[Murox]

That's an example of hostile posting.
Many such people may have been visiting occasionally. They may have been unwell, put off buying a hive, been unable to obtain a nuc. There are all sorts of circumstances that might account utterly reasonably for their not posting, including, yes simple lurking. And they might have been lurking and wanted to ask questions, or be experienced and insightful beekeepers and wanted to posts, but been put off by the noisy and aggressive, and, especially, the gang culture.
Your 'the hell' is a blanket condemnation or anyone reticent to post, and of itself will tend to put some people off posting.
So, more attention to manners, less acceptance of overt hostility would be good.

Re post 108 - Odd your interpretation and comment of Gilbedyke John's post – I don't recoginse any attitude associated with hostility, anger or even a desire to dominate a situation and nor do I believe the use of a common or garden expression held any intention of causing harm.

Youre quiet right about manners of course.

 

[Beesnaturally]

I've been asked 'were the hell you been' by friends I've slightly negelcted for a while. It's meant warmly! Just saying....

That's friends, and unless they were very close friends its unlikely to have happened without the warm tones of a voice, or without offsetting written warmth. Without those things it is all too easily read as a sharp rubuke.

 

[nettle]

So back nettle

Thank you

 

[Erichalfbee]

So, more attention to manners, less acceptance of overt hostility would be good.

That’s the human perspective and we should all try to be thus.
Do you actually mean that moderators should pay more attention to removing posts that are mannerless and overtly hostile ?

 

[Beesnaturally]

Re post 108 - Odd your interpretation and comment of Gilbedyke John's post – I don't recoginse any attitude associated with hostility, anger or even a desire to dominate a situation and nor do I believe the use of a common or garden expression held any intention of causing harm.

Youre quiet right about manners of course.

I think that's part of the problem. Many people don't realise that they can come across as being aggressive, hostile, or that others might come across that way to some. And some appear (at least) to believe they are positively entitled to. There are sub-cultures of etiquette, and its all too easy in forums for a fall to the lowest common demominator to occur. I'm not saying that has happened, or is happening, but I've seen - and experienced - pockets, episodes.

 

[Beesnaturally]

You are. Except for moderator and super moderator which are earnt differently.

Which means that they relate only loosly, and sometime very poorly, to expertise... And there is a standing provision for those who simply make most noise to achieve a 'high' ranking.

That sounds to me like a system that needs changing.

 

[Beesnaturally]

That’s the human perspective and we should all try to be thus.
Do you actually mean that moderators should pay more attention to removing posts that are mannerless and overtly hostile ?

Yes I think that would be my view.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I think that would be my view.

Excellent. Now having made your point let’s move on.
Moderators do miss posts.
The report button is there for a reason.