Mood On The Board Deteriorating

[soundman]

If you choose "ignore user" - I understand that any posts by that user will not flash up on the screen.

If you choose "ignore user" - does that mean they cannot see your own posts as well.

They can see your posts, ridicule them and rip you a new A hole and you never even know it.

I rather know what is going on behind my back!

Ha ha,

Totally agree. And with the post above from J & D.

This guy may end up "choose to ignore" the whole world before he is done. Not much fun to be around.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[Jet Gorgon]

If I am not already on your 'ignore' list, please add me.

JD, that is the best milk and honey with a shot of rum I had all day.

[Ulysses G.]

To have 100 names on an ignore list seems a little bit snotty with an 'holier than thou' attitude.

Good Luck with your PM s

[jamman]

To put things into perspective, this problem of deterioration is not just here on TV, but is spreading to many other forums on the web.

But especially the Thailand forums in English.

Manners and level of conversation are deteriorating steadily.

(That is not just a problem of this forum, but to all venues of public discourse throughout the English-speaking world. I don't know about others.)

What to do?

In my post above I mentioned making generous use of the ignore user function.

Now, sometimes an entire thread consists only of, "You have chosen to ignore user ...".

In addition to that, I've been sending and receiving more private messages than ever before.

That works very well for avoiding the nonsense posters.

It takes an initial post to ask a question or open a topic, but then the most helpful responses come in by private message.

Or I see a sensible initial post and I reply by private message or email.

Another forum (not TV) has added private sub-forums of 5-10 individuals to "gather" by invitation only, to discuss some topic amongst themselves.

That's a new function in forum software, which I've observed is working very well for eliminating the nonsense posters.

Another factor that is new is 100% private forums -- by invitation only.

I've been participating in several of these with excellent results.

The most valuable and most focused information is transmitted that way.

Low number of posts per month, but high quality per message.

But, of course, the initial contacts are still made in public forums (such as TV).

I do not blame the moderators or the owners of TV.

It is their forum, their private business.

They founded it, they maintain it, and they run it as they wish.

I respect their wishes, although I don't admire their approach.

When I joined TV in 2003, my main reason was to learn about living in Thailand, and to offer my experiences to others with a similar interest.

As forums have deteriorated, that's changed.

Now my only reason for occasionally posting to TV is to attract other "like minds" into private conversations by email.

For that purpose, TV still serves rather well.

If any readers are annoyed, upset, or offended by my comments, I sincerely invite you to add my name to your ignore lists.

I've provided detailed instructions above on how to ignore me.

On the other hand, if you are in agreement with my comments, I welcome emails and private messages.

I am always pleased to discuss any aspect of living in Thailand.

.

I have a friend who takes a similar attitude to yours. She is a very high quality person in all respects, and prefers her company to be her peers or betters. She is a snob, in the best possible sense of the word, chosing to limit her limited time and energies for the highest possible caliber of social interaction.

I prefer to also mix with the rabble, because I want to learn the social skill sets that a nerd like me is not born with. I want to be able to write good propaganda, communicate effectively and influence others. It's an endless learning opportunity. I've also found that really stupid arguments bring out from me some interesting ideas, and I enjoy writing those down for others to see.

I have used the ignore user option of the board, once, and since doing so my curiosity has never once twigged at my fingers to see what was said. It's a last resort option that I appreciate.

[qwertz]

if you are not happy with this forum, you can do a google search and be on another one in 5 minutes.

if you think thaivisa is no good anymore, you wont last 2 minutes on the rest.

It's so easy.

I'll write it down here for other readers who wish to sift the wheat from the chaff on TV.

With thanks to Terry57 for offering himself as a superb example:

1. Upper left corner of a message ... User name: "Terry57" => Click!
   
2. "View Member Profile" => Click!
   
3. "Options" => Click!
   
4. "Ignore User" => Click!
   
5. Scroll down to bottom of a very long list ... "Update Ignored Users" => Click!
   

Easy.

I hope many others will return the favour to me.

I really do, because the ignore user list is the saving factor on TV.

I frequently add to my ignored user list, so I see only messages from posters I want to read, plus new posters.

My ignored user list now contains over 100 posters, many with hundreds or thousands of posts.

Over 100 posters whose consistently inane, sophomoric, rude, posts are now easily avoided.

What remains on my screen can be worth reading.

It's the best solution I've found to the observations in Pepe's OP.

Well, I may be added to your list after this, if I'm not there already (in which case you won't read this). But what is the point of ignoring so many members? I have nobody on my ignore list. That's not because I like every member - about half a dozen completely drive me up the wall, one or two raise my hackles & put my teeth on edge and a few more I think are probably sharing a brain cell between them - but how can you possibly get a balanced view of what is going on in a thread with so many potential posts missing? Seems a bit like "cutting off your nose to spite your face" to me...

I have no ignore list and I don't need one because as a newbie (hate that term) I'd flagged all the irrelevant posters in less than a month. I still read what they have to say because their comments demand the least time and often invoke a few sensible responses. As for the standards here, TV isn't the worst of the forums for backbiting, nor is it the best any more. This is valid comment from most of you and a relevant thread. Keep it rolling please, it might convince both sides that there's such a thing as meeting halfway.

[jamman]

To have 100 names on an ignore list seems a little bit snotty with an 'holier than thou' attitude.

Good Luck with your PM s

I don't see what is distasteful about being snotty and holier than thou. Doesn't every human have a prefered group of peers, and doesn't every human see those with ugly values as people to avoid?

[chuchok]

I put myself on ignore.

[Pepe']

if you rarely read the forum these days than how can you accurately post a comment regards the quality of thai visa ?

its a nonsense to espouse your thoughts accuratly when you dont follow the day to day threads on the forum.

the forum can go for days without anything interesting coming up and all of a sudden we have some very interesting threads raised.

but you and DR pepi would not now this, as you hardly ever follow the forum anymore but think you are both qualified to post your views.

if you would like to be taken seriously, you must participate regularly on this forum other wise your comments are unbalanced.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terry,

The reverend, mind reader and genius. The bad news is your just flat out wrong again. I read the forums almost everyday.

What's really bothering me is I promised myself I would not respond to your pathetic nonsense anymore.

This will be the last.

[davidjtayler]

My wife has just requested whether this ignore function can be applied in real life ....

[qwertz]

My wife has just requested whether this ignore function can be applied in real life ....

Your wife sounds very wise and rational. Has she ever thought about posting here? I sure she'd be treated with the respect accorded to all newbies.

[Pepe']

if you are not happy with this forum, you can do a google search and be on another one in 5 minutes.

if you think thaivisa is no good anymore, you wont last 2 minutes on the rest.

It's so easy.

I'll write it down here for other readers who wish to sift the wheat from the chaff on TV.

With thanks to Terry57 for offering himself as a superb example:

1. Upper left corner of a message ... User name: "Terry57" => Click!
   
2. "View Member Profile" => Click!
   
3. "Options" => Click!
   
4. "Ignore User" => Click!
   
5. Scroll down to bottom of a very long list ... "Update Ignored Users" => Click!
   

Easy.

I hope many others will return the favour to me.

I really do, because the ignore user list is the saving factor on TV.

I frequently add to my ignored user list, so I see only messages from posters I want to read, plus new posters.

My ignored user list now contains over 100 posters, many with hundreds or thousands of posts.

Over 100 posters whose consistently inane, sophomoric, rude, posts are now easily avoided.

What remains on my screen can be worth reading.

It's the best solution I've found to the observations in Pepe's OP.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the info on the ignore function. I just started my list. It will be short but there will definitely be one.

Brilliant,

Pepe' :D

[davidjtayler]

My wife has just requested whether this ignore function can be applied in real life ....

Your wife sounds very wise and rational. Has she ever thought about posting here? I sure she'd be treated with the respect accorded to all newbies.

She can't be that wise and rational Mr Q ... she married me ...

[qwertz]

My wife has just requested whether this ignore function can be applied in real life ....

Your wife sounds very wise and rational. Has she ever thought about posting here? I sure she'd be treated with the respect accorded to all newbies.

She can't be that wise and rational Mr Q ... she married me ...

Ah, what the hel_l, tell her to post anyway, but please be civil.

[JimsKnight]

To put things into perspective, this problem of deterioration is not just here on TV, but is spreading to many other forums on the web.

But especially the Thailand forums in English.

Manners and level of conversation are deteriorating steadily.

(That is not just a problem of this forum, but to all venues of public discourse throughout the English-speaking world. I don't know about others.)

What to do?

In my post above I mentioned making generous use of the ignore user function.

Now, sometimes an entire thread consists only of, "You have chosen to ignore user ...".

In addition to that, I've been sending and receiving more private messages than ever before.

That works very well for avoiding the nonsense posters.

It takes an initial post to ask a question or open a topic, but then the most helpful responses come in by private message.

Or I see a sensible initial post and I reply by private message or email.

Another forum (not TV) has added private sub-forums of 5-10 individuals to "gather" by invitation only, to discuss some topic amongst themselves.

That's a new function in forum software, which I've observed is working very well for eliminating the nonsense posters.

Another factor that is new is 100% private forums -- by invitation only.

I've been participating in several of these with excellent results.

The most valuable and most focused information is transmitted that way.

Low number of posts per month, but high quality per message.

But, of course, the initial contacts are still made in public forums (such as TV).

I do not blame the moderators or the owners of TV.

It is their forum, their private business.

They founded it, they maintain it, and they run it as they wish.

I respect their wishes, although I don't admire their approach.

When I joined TV in 2003, my main reason was to learn about living in Thailand, and to offer my experiences to others with a similar interest.

As forums have deteriorated, that's changed.

Now my only reason for occasionally posting to TV is to attract other "like minds" into private conversations by email.

For that purpose, TV still serves rather well.

If any readers are annoyed, upset, or offended by my comments, I sincerely invite you to add my name to your ignore lists.

I've provided detailed instructions above on how to ignore me.

On the other hand, if you are in agreement with my comments, I welcome emails and private messages.

I am always pleased to discuss any aspect of living in Thailand.

.

I agree with Daves comments and add that the 'Brave New World' direction that the new owner of TV (George?) has taken TV in is a lot duller and boring than it was in the 'good old days'. Back then the exploits and postings were laugh out loud. Granted some of them were very rough and ready and not for the faint hearted but HRH was never mentioned or disrespected(unspoken rule back then).

I think some of the new features are great, like the download software and Thai Language section for example. But the TV 'Watchers' who sanitise and play up to the rose-tinted, softly softly style, "don't talk about bar girls or the 'night scene'" and don't swear over moderation is killing the spirit of what was a fiery, but interesting forum.

I can see the reasoning behind the new look and everything to make TV more mainstream, but is this the 'deteriorating' the price we all must pay?

TV great quality is that it has a lot of content to look at and discuss and garnish responses, this is something no other forum about thailand has. But when I see a guy on TV start a thread about trying to meet a (decent) thai girl and some overzealous frumpy moderator locks the thread forever it makes me wonder what a monster this place can sometimes become! (Happened a few months ago).

Right now though the forum seems to be in a neutrally sufficient ground, not too risque but not too lightweight. So where it goes from here is anybodies guess. If I was the head honcho here I'd play down the moderation, (unless it goes pear shaped) to try and get the postings back to their original spirit!

[PhilHarries]

Well, I may be added to your list after this, if I'm not there already (in which case you won't read this). But what is the point of ignoring so many members? I have nobody on my ignore list. That's not because I like every member - about half a dozen completely drive me up the wall, one or two raise my hackles & put my teeth on edge and a few more I think are probably sharing a brain cell between them - but how can you possibly get a balanced view of what is going on in a thread with so many potential posts missing? Seems a bit like "cutting off your nose to spite your face" to me...

Like you NR I have no ignore list nor will ever have one. In my opinion all people in this world have a right to an opinion and a parallel right to voice it. That right is their's no matter how much I may think that opinion is banal, wrong or just plain stupid. I may choose to agree or disagree or even dismiss what they say but I do not have the right to take away any of their rights.

I'm sure Martin Luther could have put it a lot better.

8

[Pepe']

Well, I may be added to your list after this, if I'm not there already (in which case you won't read this). But what is the point of ignoring so many members? I have nobody on my ignore list. That's not because I like every member - about half a dozen completely drive me up the wall, one or two raise my hackles & put my teeth on edge and a few more I think are probably sharing a brain cell between them - but how can you possibly get a balanced view of what is going on in a thread with so many potential posts missing? Seems a bit like "cutting off your nose to spite your face" to me...

Like you NR I have no ignore list nor will ever have one. In my opinion all people in this world have a right to an opinion and a parallel right to voice it. That right is their's no matter how much I may think that opinion is banal, wrong or just plain stupid. I may choose to agree or disagree or even dismiss what they say but I do not have the right to take away any of their rights.

I'm sure Martin Luther could have put it a lot better.

8

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I didn't know the ignore option was there. I think it was put there for a reason and I'm happy I was informed it existed. It's great to not have to listen to something you don't want to listen too. Don't you think?

[terry57]

if you are not happy with this forum, you can do a google search and be on another one in 5 minutes.

if you think thaivisa is no good anymore, you wont last 2 minutes on the rest.

It's so easy.

I'll write it down here for other readers who wish to sift the wheat from the chaff on TV.

With thanks to Terry57 for offering himself as a superb example:

1. Upper left corner of a message ... User name: "Terry57" => Click!
   
2. "View Member Profile" => Click!
   
3. "Options" => Click!
   
4. "Ignore User" => Click!
   
5. Scroll down to bottom of a very long list ... "Update Ignored Users" => Click!
   

Easy.

I hope many others will return the favour to me.

I really do, because the ignore user list is the saving factor on TV.

I frequently add to my ignored user list, so I see only messages from posters I want to read, plus new posters.

My ignored user list now contains over 100 posters, many with hundreds or thousands of posts.

Over 100 posters whose consistently inane, sophomoric, rude, posts are now easily avoided.

What remains on my screen can be worth reading.

It's the best solution I've found to the observations in Pepe's OP.

Well, I may be added to your list after this, if I'm not there already (in which case you won't read this). But what is the point of ignoring so many members? I have nobody on my ignore list. That's not because I like every member - about half a dozen completely drive me up the wall, one or two raise my hackles & put my teeth on edge and a few more I think are probably sharing a brain cell between them - but how can you possibly get a balanced view of what is going on in a thread with so many potential posts missing? Seems a bit like "cutting off your nose to spite your face" to me...

thats a very good point miss rain.

in all the time ive been on thai visa, ive put 3 on ignore but then i reversed my thinking and put them back again.

after all, i find some of the negative, sad and unworthy posters quite humourous, but in a sick sort of way , but humourous never the less.

thank you very much

and to those posters that complain about thaivisa and dont follow it consistantly , you cant be serious as your opinions are baseless and not respected.

when you decide to follow thaivisa everyday for an extended period, come back and have another go and we will possibly look at your OP.

[terry57]

if you rarely read the forum these days than how can you accurately post a comment regards the quality of thai visa ?

its a nonsense to espouse your thoughts accuratly when you dont follow the day to day threads on the forum.

the forum can go for days without anything interesting coming up and all of a sudden we have some very interesting threads raised.

but you and DR pepi would not now this, as you hardly ever follow the forum anymore but think you are both qualified to post your views.

if you would like to be taken seriously, you must participate regularly on this forum other wise your comments are unbalanced.

thank you very much.

I know Pepe for quite a long time now. Not personally but we have had good conversations in the past. He is a good guy all around and one of the most senior members on the forum. He is well within his rights to express his opinions just as you are. He might not post much anymore, unfortunately, but he might still read and browse around a lot. Either way, I urge him to continue participating because some of us do care what he has to say.

I think you hit the nail on the head there Phil, there's a definite snobbery on the boards and a hierarchy based on the number of posts you've made which is utter drivel really because between the odd poignant remark you've taken the time to post on a thread, you could have easily sat and made a thousand puerile one-line responses to others. Judgements are undoubtedly made by those with high post counts about those with low and used as a basis on which to make derisory comments.

Judgements are in fact made full stop and this is not the arena in which to be judgemental but rather to agree to disagree, be of assistance and at the most perhaps attempt to politely persuade others of their folly when it's painstakingly obvious.

This assessment might be true on this forum about some people but certainly not about all. I am one of the most senior members here and I dare you to find any post in which I belittled a newbie simply for being new. I support all new members and answer any questions they may have if I feel I can be helpful.

your friend has stated that he does not follow this forum on a regular basis, but continues with his retoric regarding the quality of posting, preferring to live in the past on his old memories.

i put to you that his opinions are worthless and biased if he does not follow the day to day going on's on thai visa.

how can he make an accurate assessment of the forum of old and todays forum if he does not contribute and follow this forum?

his opinions cannot be taken seriously.

it like going to a doctor who has given up his practice, would you trust him or prefer to see a doctor who has keep pace with new technology.?

i know who i would see.

[terry57]

If you choose "ignore user" - I understand that any posts by that user will not flash up on the screen.

If you choose "ignore user" - does that mean they cannot see your own posts as well.

They can see your posts, ridicule them and rip you a new A hole and you never even know it.

I rather know what is going on behind my back!

Totally agree. And with the post above from J & D.

This guy may end up "choose to ignore" the whole world before he is done. Not much fun to be around.

Cheers,

imagine being in the pub with this guy? i mean 100 people on ignore

the mods should be strait on to him and ban him.

[terry57]

if you rarely read the forum these days than how can you accurately post a comment regards the quality of thai visa ?

its a nonsense to espouse your thoughts accuratly when you dont follow the day to day threads on the forum.

the forum can go for days without anything interesting coming up and all of a sudden we have some very interesting threads raised.

but you and DR pepi would not now this, as you hardly ever follow the forum anymore but think you are both qualified to post your views.

if you would like to be taken seriously, you must participate regularly on this forum other wise your comments are unbalanced.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terry,

The reverend, mind reader and genius. The bad news is your just flat out wrong again. I read the forums almost everyday.

What's really bothering me is I promised myself I would not respond to your pathetic nonsense anymore.

This will be the last.

sorry doctor pepe,

but in your last reply you told us that you dont read thai visa on a regular basis anymore?

so that is what my replys are to you.

anyway,

hows my free prostrate check coming along ?

[bendix]

I am so upset and hurt by the vicious barbs I regularly receive on this nasty forum that I've had to seek counselling.

On many occasions, I've been reduced to tears. I can't sleep. Sometimes I lay awake at night, wondering how people could be so . . so . . so . . . so well, just plain mean. My health is deteriorating. I can't eat. My work is suffering and my relationship has been destroyed by it.

Why oh why oh why can't we all love each other more? I'm really really nice. Why can't everyone else be like me?

[cdnvic]

I am so upset and hurt by the vicious barbs I regularly receive on this nasty forum that I've had to seek counselling.

On many occasions, I've been reduced to tears. I can't sleep. Sometimes I lay awake at night, wondering how people could be so . . so . . so . . . so well, just plain mean. My health is deteriorating. I can't eat. My work is suffering and my relationship has been destroyed by it.

Why oh why oh why can't we all love each other more? I'm really really nice. Why can't everyone else be like me?

Place your tongue any firmer against your cheek and you'll cause damage.

[davidjtayler]

I am so upset and hurt by the vicious barbs I regularly receive on this nasty forum that I've had to seek counselling.

On many occasions, I've been reduced to tears. I can't sleep. Sometimes I lay awake at night, wondering how people could be so . . so . . so . . . so well, just plain mean. My health is deteriorating. I can't eat. My work is suffering and my relationship has been destroyed by it.

Why oh why oh why can't we all love each other more? I'm really really nice. Why can't everyone else be like me?

Don't you fret there Mr B ... I'll send one of Terry's katoys round to give you a big hug ...

[terry57]

I am so upset and hurt by the vicious barbs I regularly receive on this nasty forum that I've had to seek counselling.

On many occasions, I've been reduced to tears. I can't sleep. Sometimes I lay awake at night, wondering how people could be so . . so . . so . . . so well, just plain mean. My health is deteriorating. I can't eat. My work is suffering and my relationship has been destroyed by it.

Why oh why oh why can't we all love each other more? I'm really really nice. Why can't everyone else be like me?

steady on bendix,

you'll have all the bleeding forum crying in there chang.

the only problem i can see with you , is that your from the old blighty but i wont hold that against you.

the only other thing thats against you is that, you lost your swearing man avatar and i loved that guy.

oh well,

lets all sing along to " monty python "

" always look on the bright side of life "

cheer up ya old buggers

thank you very much

[bendix]

Actually, if I could have my swearing avatar back, I'd be much happier too, terry.

But seriously folks . . .There is nothing wrong with thaivisa that a good old-fashioned sense of humour and irony can't fix. It is a fantastic forum. At any time it can be informative, hilarious, poignant, light-hearted, sacriligious and downright frustrating.

It's a web forum. Nothing more, nothing less. The sooner the poor sensitive souls who lose sleep at night over some perceived slight realise that, the better.

[dantilley]

But the TV 'Watchers' who sanitise and play up to the rose-tinted, softly softly style, "don't talk about bar girls or the 'night scene'" and don't swear over moderation is killing the spirit of what was a fiery, but interesting forum.

Well the Bedlam forum should, in theory, be an area of the forum where things can be more racy and "fiery" as you put it, being as it is largely un-moderated. But if you go in there, you will find 95% of the posts in there are either the most sickly sweet, "rose tinted" load of drivel imaginable, or just total and utter nonsense. So that could well be the result if the moderation was loosened up in the main forums anyway...

[Mr_Dave]

I agree with Daves comments and add that the 'Brave New World' direction that the new owner of TV (George?) has taken TV in is a lot duller and boring than it was in the 'good old days'.

I certainly do NOT agree with JimsKnight's implied link to my comments.

TV was deteriorating long before any transfer of ownership.

ALL open, public, Internet forums have been going into steep decline in the past few years.

TV is merely following the trend on that.

TV would improve if there were more moderation to eliminate posters who consistently write inane comments.

That means stricter moderation.

But that requires value judgments about quality of thinking.

Making value judgments about people has gone out of fashion.

Since the moderators are not removing the people who post junk, I simply do junk removal with the ignore user list.

Easy.

On the other hand, since I posted on this topic, I've received some very positive private messages.

That confirms my conclusion that private messages and small, exclusive, sub-forums -- by invitation only -- are where we will see future benefits on Internet forums.

The process of Internet conversations is changing.

I'll stop in for a look now and then to see if TV will change and keep up, or continue to deteriorate.

I sincerely hope TV can regain and maintain its past glory.

[davidjtayler]

I agree with Daves comments and add that the 'Brave New World' direction that the new owner of TV (George?) has taken TV in is a lot duller and boring than it was in the 'good old days'.

I certainly do NOT agree with JimsKnight's implied link to my comments.

TV was deteriorating long before any transfer of ownership.

ALL open, public, Internet forums have been going into steep decline in the past few years.

TV is merely following the trend on that.

TV would improve if there were more moderation to eliminate posters who consistently write inane comments.

That means stricter moderation.

But that requires value judgments about quality of thinking.

Making value judgments about people has gone out of fashion.

Since the moderators are not removing the people who post junk, I simply do junk removal with the ignore user list.

Easy.

On the other hand, since I posted on this topic, I've received some very positive private messages.

That confirms my conclusion that private messages and small, exclusive, sub-forums -- by invitation only -- are where we will see future benefits on Internet forums.

The process of Internet conversations is changing.

I'll stop in for a look now and then to see if TV will change and keep up, or continue to deteriorate.

I sincerely hope TV can regain and maintain its past glory.

Well, I for one hope that TV doesn't follow your vision all the way Mr D ... sounds like it would be a very sterile place if it did.

This forum is like a small city with over 40,000 inhabitants and like any city there will be a wide varience of ideals and opinions amongst its members ... crumbs, if we all thought and acted the same way how boring would that be ....?

I like a bit of junk food once in a while .. keeps the diet varied and life doesn't have to be serious all the time.

I personally think the mods have got it spot on at the moment but that is just my opinion which I know is different from yours.

Yours respectfully DT

[cdnvic]

I certainly do NOT agree with JimsKnight's implied link to my comments.

TV was deteriorating long before any transfer of ownership.

Neither of you know what you're talking about, there's never been a transfer of ownership.

This has got to be the stupidest thread I've seen here in a long time. A whinge war where oldies long for the old days and newer members complain about the older members calling them newbies, etc....

Things change, old people go, new ones move in, some topics repeat over and over, some people are great, others are nitwits, it's just the way things go.

Accept it and get over it.

Move on.

[qwertz]

I suspect that the nitwits on this thread are masquerading as intelligentsia and many of the the erudite are being deliberately inane. It is after all a forum (Latin: forum = a public place for citizens to air their views) Have I whinged ? If so, sorry - in advance.