The Ideal Forum
Tue, Mar 5 2013, 10:42AM
There has been much, arguably too much, discussion about what is wrong with this and that and him and her on the Gramophone Forum.
Let's see if we can build a positive consensus on what members feel would be the ideal Gramophone Forum. The idea is absolutely not to turn this thread into another negative one, but rather, in a positive spirit, to discuss what it is that makes such a Forum successful, what sort of subject matter should it contain, how to deal with controversial issues (if they should be included at all): in short, how to get the balance right between 'too boring' at one extreme and 'too lively for comfort' at the other.
I hope members will not find this too controversial a suggestion!
Chris
Tue, Mar 5 2013, 12:31PM
#2
RE: The Ideal Forum
I'm afraid, dear Chris, you're opening (once more) the Pandora's box instead of trying to close it.
A public forum, based on anonymity, cannot be but simply free and, to the greatest possible extent, focused to the areas of interest and speciality of it. However, even this simple definition cannot resolve any problem, since the perception/interpretation of the notions involved are quite difficult to converge and, much worse, the implementation of what might be a sort of a possible consensus is practically improbable to be observed.
Parla
Tue, Mar 5 2013, 8:33PM
#3
RE: The Ideal Forum
I suspect that the best way to have a forum which is reasonably well mannered, nurtures honest exchanges of opinion and cogent debate is for the moderators to introduce a new rule whereby everyone has to use their real name.
Wed, Mar 6 2013, 8:34AM
#4
RE: The Ideal Forum
Using "our real names" is not going to resolve the problem of communication, to a considerable extent, Arbutus. Some members are or may already use their real names, but, still, we cannot recognise them as anything else but a name. If the forum has to remove from the anonymity to the eponymous forum, we have to reveal our CVs, our identities with verification of our personal data. Are you ready for that, Arbutus?
Parla
Anyone who starts a thread should be free to choose the topic and anyone who replies should be free to reply in any manner they feel fit. Providing neither is illegal i.e. racist, sexist. However if the Gramophone feel the topic and replies are not in the spirit of their publication they should be free to remove the thread, replies etc. Lighter moderation would be adviseable and threads, replies should not be simply removed because they upset someone, being upset is part of life and something we all need to get used to. (I'm sure I would have upset Stalin or Hitler if I suggested, on the facist dictators forum, that they were behaving like very naughty boys, sometimes people need to be upset).