Another forum

[adamanteus]

Hi All,

I recently joined another forum, dealing with a whole different group of reptiles. This other forum (which I'm not going to name ) works pretty much like ours, even looks the same. But there's one major difference; It's so unwelcoming! I posted a thread introducing myself in the usual sort of way....no replies! I looked on the "Who's online" link, and saw both Moderators reading my thread, even they didn't reply! Either my introductions stink, or this other forum is pig-ignorant! Looking back through some of their old stuff I found threads started by long-standing members that had gone unanswered.

It just made me realise how fortunate we are to have a forum like this one. So, three cheers for Thamnophis.com and all it's lovely members!

[Elliot]

PM me the name of the forum, I want to check it out.

[Gyre]

I agree whole heartedly. I tried a few forums before this, and the best I got was Repticzone, which was alright.. but so many people don't know what they're talking about.. Gah! And that was the BEST!

Anyway, Yes! Wonderful forum. Thanks everyone!

[Cazador]

James,

I also realize what an unusual collection of people that are on this forum. I can't explain it, but there's definitely something different about the experienced and friendly people here!

Rick

[adamanteus]

There is, I'm quite protective about it now! I always eye the "guests" with some suspicion!

[KITKAT]

I think this forum attracts people who are well educated because of the fact that garters require some independent thinking to bring us to admire them... in other words, if you are on a forum for a reptile that is commonly kept, popular, worth more money, etc, that forum will attract a different group of people.

We on this forum have to be intelligent and independent enough to be interested in, admire, and therefore keep, a less popular group of species that are not run of the mill...!

[adamanteus]

I agree...we are the elite!!

[Thamnophis]

Our forum here is simply the best.

[Stefan-A]

I agree, we do have an exceptionally good atmosphere here, even if I didn't expect it to last. I'm glad I was wrong.

My biggest gripe with other forums isn't with other members and their behavior, but with the moderators. I admit I might be a bit naive in thinking that their job is to keep the forum neat and tidy, and the discussions civilized while remaining somewhat impartial. As an example, moderators on another forum routinely allow the sabotage of threads by certain members.

In one case, the topic was created by a person simply wanting to know about the requirements of a certain species of reptile. They deleted the civilized posts that actually were on-topic and left the ones that weren't. Certain moderators even contributed through ad hominem attacks and threats against those that tried to discuss it, as well as against those that tried to convince them to allow a civilized discussion. I didn't even participate in the discussion, but I was interested and would have liked it if the original questions could have remained answered.

I have absolutely no respect for moderators and I don't recognize their authority when they behave like that, when they are that corrupt. They are simply poor moderators and that's the end of it. The case I mentioned wasn't one of a kind, but it was the last straw as far as I'm concerned. That forum now has the worst atmosphere I've encountered anywhere on the web and it has steadily deteriorated since I first started using it just under 3 years ago. Those that know something either avoid it alltogether or refuse to answer. Those that don't know something, are too afraid to ask. The ones that are allowed to ask questions get answers from people about as experienced as I am, which is somewhere in between "complete noob" and "experienced enough to give advice". All thanks to two or three incompetent moderators that don't have the common sense to resign and an admin that doesn't have the testicular fortuitude to fire them. Moderators are easy to find, I think I'm pretty much the only one that has ever said "No" to a moderating job.

So that's my 5:00AM rant this week. If you want to know how I feel about the people I've just written about, watch George Carlin's Complaints and Grievances show. To quote him, "Here's another group of mutants with missing chromosomes who ought to be thrown screaming from a helicopter." Incompetent moderators.

Yes, our forum here simply is the best.

[Elliot]

I agree whole heartedly. I tried a few forums before this, and the best I got was Repticzone, which was alright.. but so many people don't know what they're talking about.. Gah! And that was the BEST!

Anyway, Yes! Wonderful forum. Thanks everyone!

What was your name on repticzne? I've been on there forever but I don't use it much anymore because it's basically a bunch of new people who have caught a snake and ask the same questions over and over again. And then there's the n00bs who try to argue with you when you have to correct their incorrect advice..