The *New* Rules of this NG have become..............

I was *officially* reprimanded by some folks here for posting a non political article about a current event. Everyone participating in the discussion offered reasonable comments and there were not flames. OK. Fair enough. This is a boating NG.

I continue to read numerous posts/threads about cameras, photography, dogs, pigs, etc. (non boating). However, I read no reprimands about those posts.

A bit confusing. Very inconsistent.

Could someone please explain what the new and improved *rules* of this NG are?

Capt Jack R..

=

I've seen the after effects of a few on boats. Not pretty.

Usenet is set up like a newspaper (that's why people call Usenet machines "news-servers", and the reading programs "news-readers), as it has specific "sections", if you will. How would you like to read about finances in the sports pages of your newspaper? What if you had to wade through the classifieds, to find the weather? Wouldn't be much of a paper, would it.

It is inappropriate, against Usenet etiquette, and rude to post off-topic in any group, especially when there is a group specific to the OT post...like politics.

It seems things may have improved over recent months...I think Ill turn off my filters and kill file, and see what's up first hand. I too would love to see rec.boats as it is intended. __

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."

http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/

"Do unto others." How funny.

I've been a subscriber to rec.boats since 1995. For the most part it has been a very enjoyable experience. I've enjoyed the boating discussions, sea stories, tall tales, humor plus the more than occasional "Off Topic" discussions that amount to nothing but dock chat. Although I've never met most of the participants, the names are all like old friends.

Many times the NG has provided entertainment that you just couldn't find anywhere else. Who can forget the famous bilge pump debates between Marcus and Mrs. B.?

Unfortunately, the political side of things invested itself during the election of 2000. Certain people have never let it go - and the political infection of rec.boats took root. This, singularly, has been the primary reason for the deterioration of the group during the past 7-8 years, IMOH.

The attempt to return to "boating" only discussions will never work, because rec.boats was never only about boating. It was an internet based comradely of people who shared a common root interest but enjoyed the discussion and humor of all subjects, very much like the social environment at the dock or marina.

Like every other social group though, you gotta leave politics and religion out of it. If we all simply did that - this NG would be fine.

Eisboch

Eisboch

There have been several political discussions here over the past several days that were perfectly civil. It can be done.

However I generally agree that eventually discussions about politics and religion can and most likely will become heated. That is a universal truth.

All I am trying to do is to get folks to see that it does not all have to be about boatsleave out the personal attacks, flames and trolling and we will be fine, regardless if we talk about pigs, cameras, computers or sex offenders set free.

And except for a few repeat offenders we have proven we can do it.

So let's stop the netcopping. Let's ignore those who continue to fan the flames and personally attack. Let's not force topics to make sure they contain the word boat in them. Let's get back to being an interesting NG that can civilly discuss most every issue, boating related or not.

OK?

-- Skipper

I just remembered who you are. Saw your boat pic over in the other NG. Russ, right?

When I was first setting up the "Boats of rec.boats" web site, way back when, you sent you boat pic with a request for "Summer Wind" as the background music. I got a big kick out of doing it because I also found and posted the lyrics.

Eisboch

Can we all agree?

Of course, some of us observe the common courtesy of putting an OT in the subject line when we post off-topic threads like this one.

You're combining two different comments, if I'm not mistaken. You might consider constructing your message a bit more carefully so that people don't think you are representing those two combined remarks as a single "reprimand."

I take credit for statement #2. If it was preceded by statement #1, I must have been out of my mind at the moment (always a possiblity) as I don't remember making statement #1, at least not in the same post as statement #2.

It's not a reprimand, it's a helpful suggestion. You must have felt very passionately about the issue to introduce a subject that (according to your own thread title) was certain to make people "mad". Had you followed the link I provided, you would have found hundreds of people equally mad about sex criminals and a huge number who would have expressed feelings consistent with your own. Nobody condones the sexual victimization of others, most especially children. Why start a thread that you admit is going to make people mad? Wouldn't it make more sense to discuss sex crimes with a group of people who have come together for that exact purpose?

This forum is supposed to be about recreational boating. We have raped and abused it so badly in the past that we must surely be on the "habitual offenders list". :-)

But who cares, as long as there is no name calling and personal attacks. Stop this and you have accomplished something.

Heck, even today someone who suggested a kinder and gentler "do unto others.." approach personally attacked me a couple of times.

Go figure.

Anyway, perhaps you could bring me up to date on the change of tone. Things looked hopeless for a long time.

One thing... I'm suprised that Harry is jabbing you in the ribs.

He's the number one detractor IMHO.

We're trying hard to do away with the personal attacks.

The other day, Chuck came after me with both barrels blazing. I thought it rather humorous, since he's been trying to sell something else here, and his post was just the opposite of what he's been selling. I didn't answer him in kind, of course.

As I have stated, I am not a fan of holier than thou or or hypocrisy.

Here:

Suggested new and improved rules---

1.Be nice. 2. When a thread becomes acrimonious, acerbic, or filled with asperity, move on. 3. As political threads soon lead to 2, above, don't start them.