What do you see as the positives and negatives of CD Forum? (how to, strange)

[KimoJimo]

Originally Posted by robinhood

Positves of City-Data - You can gather a lot of great information!

Negative of City-Data -
Not trying to be offensive to anyone, but I started out really interested in this thread, only to have about the last 4 pages of it frustrate me. Why can't there be a thread for people to freely converse about anything(actually I think I saw an off-topic thread)? I have seen posts deleted before that were sort of indirectly about the topic, but connected in some way. All of these posts toward the end of this thread have nothing to do with the pros and cons of City-Data. If anyone tried to make a post answering the OP post, it would probably get lost in all of the personal conversations on here. There, thats my gripe for the day. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, its just another example of this that appears to happen in many threads. I'm sure many are thinking if you don't like it then don't read it. My answer to that is that I wished I didn't have to search through all the "off-topic" banter to get to the "meat" of the thread.

Well.. Ya see... We all meet for bridge on Saturday afternoons, and these are the things we forgot to say the LAST time we met....

[Sunnydee]

KJ, had to give you a point for that one - quite humorous.

Best things about CD - lots of great information, tons of nice people willing to give you help/knowledge, it makes you think, it's free, the games, trivia, jokes, funny stories, pictures, etc.

Worst thing about CD - chronic complainers

[HDL]

One of the HUGE positives of CDF is some of the wonderful folks I have had the honor of conversing with online here !!! YOU know who you are !

Originally Posted by KimoJimo

Well.. Ya see... We all meet for bridge on Saturday afternoons, and these are the things we forgot to say the LAST time we met....

And dzaenglein, I have to agree with your 'worst thing' !!!

Originally Posted by dzaenglein

KJ, had to give you a point for that one - quite humorous.

Best things about CD - lots of great information, tons of nice people willing to give you help/knowledge, it makes you think, it's free, the games, trivia, jokes, funny stories, pictures, etc.

Worst thing about CD - chronic complainers

[dullnboring]

I remember a thread like this awhile back, so I found my old post, am re-posting it and inserting any new comments in red. Enjoy....

Pros:

1. Being able to converse with "real people" from other parts of the country, parts that you're interested in. This is the glory of the internet. You're able to learn insider information before setting foot in a community, little things that the realtor or city websites may not tell you, about problems with local water, about how loud airplanes are, about the plans for a new shopping center across the street, etc. which are little quality of life issues that can influence a person's decision on where to move.

2. I think the moderators do an awfully good job, especially considering that their job is essentially a thankless one, a volunteer job that comes with a lot of grief.

3. While there are quite a few jackasses on here (see "Cons"), it's easy to forget the huge number of friendly folks who go out of their way to help out strangers, giving them links, the names of organizations, job ideas, church groups and the like, when someone posts an inquiry. People really just go out of their way to help people, oftentimes people who have no clue what they want, and oftentimes receive no thanks in return.

4. It's nice to see some hometown pride on here from places not given a lot of credence in the national media. It's nice to read up on places like Scranton, southeast Ohio, and other communities that aren't regularly profiled in the New York Times as the "next hotspot".

5. The increasing amount of picture tours. There's some talented photographers on this site.

I should point out that while I have more Cons than Pros here, I really do love this site, but for whatever reason, negatives seem to come easier than positives.

Cons:

1. Not being allowed to hyperlink. I understand the reasoning behind, but it still is a tad irritating. Fixed! And it was all because of this one post of mine. Um, you're WELCOME!

2. The racism. This is a very subjective issue and I respect that moderators walk a fine line and must exercise some personal judgment when determining when a post steps overbounds and moderators generally remove the most egregious of posts but I'm continually surprised by some of the posts that are allowed to remain on the site considering the terms and conditions laid forth. It's a bit dejecting to see so many racist views, both outright and implied, spouted off so frequently, and also seeing several posters who have admitted racist and anti-Semitic views receiving such high numbers of rep points. Still see it. Still hate it.

3. Lots of angry and bitter people. As I stated in the "Why do people here get so angry" thread, I'm a member of quite a few different message boards, and this one by far has the most angry, bitter and nasty people on it. I'm not slamming the entire board. This is really just a very vocal minority, but it's easy for their shrieking to sort of take over a thread. I think it's due more to the fact that the board in it's primary intent, serving as a tool for relocation, is likely to draw people unhappy for a variety of reasons with their own areas, so they sort of sign on here with a chip on their shoulders. People seem to be getting even worse now. Not sure why. I thought warmer weather made people more jolly.

4. Realtors with intentions of their own, often downplaying certain issues in a community.

5. Topics beaten to death. Not to single out posters or anything, but threads about Oil City and "beautiful women in the South" are just doin' my head in. This generally happens in waves where one thread will trigger another and then someone will start another branching off from that, and if it keeps continuing. Ha! Remember Oil City? Those were good times. Well, I'd like to add the whole north/south debates, and the whole random "what city has the fattest/shortest, etc." sort of threads to this list.

6. We need more smilies.

[HDL]

You're just like Secret Agent Ellie in that it seems like you read my MIND !! I completely agree with your list . Thanks for sharing it with us again! I read it the first time, but love the reminder.

And not to go OT (again ), but welcome back ! You and your posts were greatly missed while you were traveling the world .

[BlueWillowPlate]

Helpful and articulate post, Dull.

I especially agree with #3 and #5 in your cons, but I think part of the problem with #5 might be at least *partly* that people so often neglect to use, or do not see, the Search button.
The funny thing is that at other messageboads, unless they have something substantial to contribute, people can get in trouble for reviving old threads/rehashing old subjects, but mostly because resurrecting one's own thread is considered bad form, or there are former members in that thread who are no longer there to defend or add to their part of the discussion.

CD's kinda new, some members are new, and I think for some of them, this is their first forum experience, and it can be exhilarating, which ties into #3. As you say, they sign on with an attitude, and then proceed to vent.

[ontheroad]

Of those items repeated by dullnboring, this is the one that truly troubles me on a visceral level:

2. The racism. This is a very subjective issue and I respect that moderators walk a fine line and must exercise some personal judgment when determining when a post steps overbounds and moderators generally remove the most egregious of posts but I'm continually surprised by some of the posts that are allowed to remain on the site considering the terms and conditions laid forth. It's a bit dejecting to see so many racist views, both outright and implied, spouted off so frequently, and also seeing several posters who have admitted racist and anti-Semitic views receiving such high numbers of rep points. Still see it. Still hate it.

Perhaps, although not an easy task, only one moderator could be assigned to reviewing potentially egregious racial posts. I suggest one rather than multiple moderators because even on such issues as racism and anti-semitism, we will see varying viewpoints. Having one moderator responsible might provide consistency. And even as we are speaking of our pros and cons, and this particular con, several such threads are in progress.

[HDL]

Normally to keep a thread from going OT, I do all my pleasantries of how much I loved your post in my rep comments. Unfortunately with the recent change, more often than not, I can no longer do this . Very frustrating, but such is life I guess.

I just wanted to let you know that I agree with your post ! Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by cil

Helpful and articulate post, Dull.

I especially agree with #3 and #5 in your cons, but I think part of the problem with #5 might be at least *partly* that people so often neglect to use, or do not see, the Search button.
The funny thing is that at other messageboads, unless they have something substantial to contribute, people can get in trouble for reviving old threads/rehashing old subjects, but mostly because resurrecting one's own thread is considered bad form, or there are former members in that thread who are no longer there to defend or add to their part of the discussion.

CD's kinda new, some members are new, and I think for some of them, this is their first forum experience, and it can be exhilarating, which ties into #3. As you say, they sign on with an attitude, and then proceed to vent.

[HDL]

This is a subject that troubles me also . But unlike you, I seldom subject myself to the forums with that crap . My take may be a little different from others though. I hate to suppress people 'too much' because I would rather that they 'out' themselves, than to not know their true character.

I'm more scared by the ones that hide under their white sheets (I guess not too unlike those that hide here under alias' ). I guess I'm saying I'd prefer to know where folks stand, than to become friends only to discover their prejudices a lot later.

As always though JMHO

~HDL~

p.s.
The OT Police are watching. Please stay on TOPIC !!!

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Of those items repeated by dullnboring, this is the one that truly troubles me on a visceral level:

Quote:
2. The racism. This is a very subjective issue and I respect that moderators walk a fine line and must exercise some personal judgment when determining when a post steps overbounds and moderators generally remove the most egregious of posts but I'm continually surprised by some of the posts that are allowed to remain on the site considering the terms and conditions laid forth. It's a bit dejecting to see so many racist views, both outright and implied, spouted off so frequently, and also seeing several posters who have admitted racist and anti-Semitic views receiving such high numbers of rep points. Still see it. Still hate it.

Perhaps, although not an easy task, only one moderator could be assigned to reviewing potentially egregious racial posts. I suggest one rather than multiple moderators because even on such issues as racism and anti-semitism, we will see varying viewpoints. Having one moderator responsible might provide consistency. And even as we are speaking of our pros and cons, and this particular con, several such threads are in progress.

[ontheroad]

Excellent point, HDL--but no reputation for you--you've gone over your 24hr limit.

Seriously, it is good to see how those white sheets flow in the wind, but occasionally, some of those sheets need to be taken off the line!

And, I've stayed out of "those forums" as you call them for awhile now, and find my blood pressure has normalized.