My early Net54 Holiday wish –

[ramram]

I miss the old days.

I’m one of those guys that have been on Net54 for a couple of decades. I believe I pre-date Leon’s captaincy. My collecting has ebbed and flowed over the years, as have my posts, but I’ve always enjoyed it on here…for the most part. However, I’m amazed anymore at how surly and antagonistic a number of members are on Net54. Every thread that goes longer than 10 posts ends up with somebody taking pot shots at somebody else. Weird. Didn’t use to be that way. Somebody who starts a topic with “OT – I hope everybody has a great day today!” would still be roasted within a few hours. Even several of the long-time members are starting to show their rush-hour mentality. I guess it’s a sign of the times. Kind of the “beat my own chest” and “put a finger in your opponent’s face” attitude rather than showing respect. Some of my favorite members (BS, JL, etc.) don’t even post on here anymore because of the disrespect. I’ve even noticed that Leon, who I greatly respect, seems to be wearing down dealing with it.

How can it be fixed? I have no idea. I can dream a bit though. Maybe a "Back Room" button?

The button would be right there by the Net54 Homepage button. It would only be accessible to members who had been registered for at least a year. All are welcome but – attitudes would have to be left at the door. Only respect enters. Members of this Back Room club could vote when they felt it necessary (via clicks on a counter) any other member out of the club if they cop an attitude or target another member. Each member would only be allowed, say, ten negative votes before banishment for a period of time. After that, they could come back but if it happened again, they would be permanently banished from the Back Room. Members would have the ability to police the Room themselves but would also have a limited number of banishment bullets so that they didn't abuse their rights. No babysitting required by Leon. Members could get back to just talking Vintage Sports again just like the good old days. Probably not realistic but, hey, it's ok to dream a bit….

Hope everybody has a great collecting day!

Rob M

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

What kind of stupid Pollyanna crap is this? Are we men or little girls who get our feelings hurt every time some mean man on the interwebs calls us a bad name. We really need a safe space here on net 54? Try not being a panty-waist...

I was going to go on, but I figured people might not get to the part where I say this was completely tongue-in-cheek, and I always wondered what people got out of treating others poorly online. It seems in today's society nobody is capable of merely agreeing to disagree anymore. The party with whom you disagree has to be the stupidest person ever born to think the way they do etc... I'll never get it.

[Leon]

Hey Rob
I hear what you are saying but just think the communications are the sign of the times. I know when I see Who it was who posted about something, I can already be prepared for the negativity or as I have said, "expected". I know when certain people post it is going to be antagonistic or hateful, especially if there is room for a jab. I was actually thinking of showing 2 more members the door just yesterday. But that is always a last resort. As for having a secret or private forum, I have never thought much of those. You might check out the LTS forum, I think it's secret.


BTW, if I go all the way back to our predecessor, the original Fullcount chat board (late 1990s) by John and Mike, this is very, very tame stuff.

.

[kkkkandp]

Originally Posted by Leon

BTW, if I go all the way back to our predecessor, the original Fullcount chat board (late 1990s) by John and Mike, this is very, very tame stuff.

The original board was much more like the Wild West than it is today. Leon and his immediate predecessors on this new board keep things way more civil. I loved John's and Mike's original venue, but you must remember that things got much crazier than they do now!

[timn1]

It's much more civil around here now than ten years ago, at least the way I remember it. Leon rules with a light but firm hand, which is what is needed. And a lot of the chronic framers moved on to other pastures,it seems. Good riddance to them, and keep up the good work, Leon!

[Fred]

Rob,

How about getting a little more sunlight to toughen and leather that skin.

It does get a bit old when you continually get stuck reading posts where someone gets diarrhea of the fingers to relieve themselves of the constipation of their brain. It absolutely gets old, quickly.

Most of the time there's just no reason for it.

[drcy]

There's someone on Net54 who (just to myself) I nicknamed Oscar the Grouch.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by kkkkandp

The original board was much more like the Wild West than it is today. Leon and his immediate predecessors on this new board keep things way more civil. I loved John's and Mike's original venue, but you must remember that things got much crazier than they do now!

So crazy that I had to shut it down on the advise of my lawyer.

[barrysloate]

I agree with Rob to some degree, but we should remember how completely chaotic and hateful the board used to get when Bruce was posting, or the nonsense from people like Marshall and Adrian. Fortunately, things have improved considerably from those days.

But there is still quite a bit of personal insulting going on which I could do without. Several times I've seen posters call other posters snowflakes, which is a clear political slur. I asked Leon why he doesn't intervene and put a stop to it, but he doesn't want to and it's his board and his choice. I also see too many arguments with the parties calling each other idiots, probably not the ideal way to advance one's position.

But this is all a sign of the times. America is angry and some of the coarse dialogue leeches onto the board. As long as it's minimal, I guess we can all live with it. And Leon is doing a very good job dealing with the many disparate personalities. But a little more civility could never hurt.

[Exhibitman]

if someone is a PITA whose posts just make your teeth grind, block them. I did that with a member who is the perfect blend of obnoxious and ignorant and I've found this to be much more fun since. And if he ever posts something worth reading and responding to, someone else usually quotes it and does so, so I don't think I miss much besides the brain farts.

Leon, LTS isn't secret, just private. Kinda like a speakeasy...

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

if someone is a PITA whose posts just make your teeth grind, block them. I did that with a member who is the perfect blend of obnoxious and ignorant and I've found this to be much more fun since. And if he ever posts something worth reading and responding to, someone else usually quotes it and does so, so I don't think I miss much besides the brain farts.

Leon, LTS isn't secret, just private. Kinda like a speakeasy...

Adam my friend of many years,
The blocking of members is good all the way up to me . Sorry.

Hey, if LTS is private or secret or whatever they want to be, it's a great thing. I am friends of many of them and we coexist perfectly. I am on a few other chatboards myself. I also take several car magazines at home. Diversity is good. All I want is world peace and happiness. Should be no big deal. After that I just want a place to congregate and talk cards with friends and other hobbyists of the same nature. It should be a friendly place as much as it can be. Almost all decisions made concerning the board will have naysayers on both sides. It is what it is, so they say. You know how it goes....

[hangman62]

I agree with OP,

It can get very nasty very quickly

but those 10,00 viewed posts, the bashing, name calling..its somewhat entertaining...not really " nice" but entertaining...the worse thing is you often need to go thru dozens of off topic posts..to get back to the fireworks between a few guys

I don't mind it so much

[Snapolit1]

Go spend a few minutes on a board about a particular sports team, or a politician, or any one of a million subject matters and come back here and tell me this is a rough area with rude people. . . . .c'mon. Find the nicest story you can find on the internet ("9 year old girl saves father's life choking to death on a plum pit") and read the comments. You will lose the will to live very quickly. Someone will say it has something to with how terrible Trump is, someone will tie it to Hillary, and a bunch of other folks will make horrible comments of other types about the father and the young person. If you find the level of discourse here to be rude and disturbing . . . .I really don't know what to say other than you must not spend a lot of time on the Internet.

There is of course some rancor and sarcasm and occasionally some low level ball busting . . . but it all seems pretty mild and overwhelmingly civil to me.