Everything is going all clusterfuck

[MattGSX]

Almost every new thread has descended into some type of flame war or bitter, petty arguement. What the hell is going on? This is starting to exhibit classic symptoms of lame, and I for one am pretty sickened by it.

[I-baLL]

Almost every new thread has descended into some type of flame war or bitter, petty arguement. What the hell is going on? This is starting to exhibit classic symptoms of lame, and I for one am pretty sickened by it.

Flame wars make forums seem active.

[MattGSX]

No, CONTENT makes a forum feel active. This just makes the forums feel like middle school. I'd rather see things sit somewhat dormant than have to wade through the "stfu n00b" shit in every thread. If I wanted to read constant trolling and harassment I'd set up a new account at the LC forums.

[Altalp]

you mean you havent signed up for the ultra cool, super secret, no lamers allowed  forums yet??

Im with ya on that tho, most thread arent worth reading.  When i get done reading the new posts everyday... i feel like a little peice of me died.

[I-baLL]

No, CONTENT makes a forum feel active. This just makes the forums feel like middle school. I'd rather see things sit somewhat dormant than have to wade through the "stfu n00b" shit in every thread. If I wanted to read constant trolling and harassment I'd set up a new account at the LC forums.

It's kinda hard to provide content when technical posts don't get responses and humor posts fail because apparently a few people on here don't get the humor.

[MattGSX]

The humor of extended flame warring? It CAN be funny, but most of this isn't. Most of this is people playing divide and conquer, following others around and posting stupid shit directly after them.

[rbcp]

It was just a month ago that I made this post asking people to cut it out.  It seemed to work for a week or so.  I delete a lot of posts too, so you guys don't see half of the problem here.

And yeah, idiots are making attacks because they don't understand basic sarcasm.  Please, everyone, keep your flames in the 1 appropriate forum.

[frog]

Sticky that thread somewhere and make it noticeable, Arbie. It will make the world a better place.

[IluvInternet24/7]

 I remember somebody else complained about this, I forget who and what post, but somebody was saying something like everybody is killing eachother or asking eachother to marry them. ANd somebody else said to get used to it that is how the Internet is.

 That was only a month ago? Seems like ages ago.

 I don't really care, I just thought it was entertaining?

[rbcp]

I just updated the sticky rules thread and I included that posting Flash in them.  Maybe it'll help.  Also, all Newbs (0 - 9 posts) see a message displayed at the top of every page.  The message says...

Welcome to the forums!  Before making any posts, please read the rules.  Dont just skim over them.  Read them, understand them and follow them.   And then introduce yourself!

I know it won't solve everything, but maybe it'll help.

[IluvInternet24/7]

 Is there a way to display a message like that but different for z09-type people (of course, if they were z09-type they probably ignore it.)?

 I think it would work for SOME n00bs, some.

[frog]

Ok, this is going to be a long one.

I feel partly responsible for the degradation of the forums. I realize that a good many of my posts are antagonistic, short, and relatively meaningless, and I understand that that doesn't exactly help things. However, I don't feel that my posts are going overboard, beyond the borders of "flaming" or "destructive" -- and if they are, you guys need to tell me! If it was consensually felt that my posts crossed the lines, I would have no problem toning them back.

And notably, my antagonism hangs like a black cloud around a particular group of people here: the newbs (BTW, arbie, your paper made me change from spelling it "noob" to "newb"). I post usually without feeling as strongly about the matter as I make it seem.

The problem that seems to stem from this is that new people here might be taking this as an example of how to properly act around the PLA--I mean, nobody makes anti-frog posts and I'm a complete jerk, right? I absolutely and honestly believe that the architecture of Genrik_Phreak's recent switch from happy-humor posts to fuck-you posts was modelled after my posting. Dr. Stabb never really seemed to be a nice guy, but Genrik and him walk clearly walk in the same shoes. The rest of the sore thumbs on the PLA (THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO?!?! WHAT KIND OF MONSTER HANDS DOES RBCP HAVE?!?!) may well be influencing factors in newcomer's PLA attitudes, especially by the frequency of their posting.

I don't want this to seem like an attack on anyone in particular, and keep in mind that I include myself in the not-so-helpful forces that interact within the nucleus of the PLA: I just want the PLA to return to the glory days of how I remember it when I was a newb here. I am willing to put in a lot of effort to do that, and if any of the "problems" here have any decency or care for the community, you better do the same.

[gangals]

I just want the PLA to return to the glory days of how I remember it when I was a newb here.

Agreed!

It seems that there are a lot of "newbs" who jump in and cause problems by not backing away and realizing how F'ed up of a place this is (ie. the sarcasm and attitudes toward each other).

[murd0c]

Quit talking about 'glory days of the PLA forum', its only been around for a few months. Forums wax and wane, its a fact of life.

[MattGSX]

Frog, I, for one, find your criticisms constructive, and you find ways to say negative things without making a character attack against the poster. For that, I <3 you, put only in an internet-based social sort of way.

Yeah, the "glory days" shit is pretty lame. The glory days would be #rock (which I wasn't around for) the old fruitware forums (which I lurked on toward its downfall) and Cal's (which I jumped on sort of late and bailed from sort of early). Oh, and that's not even counting the old BBS (which I didn't even have a modem during)