JimH wrote:
The *Challenge*: Perhaps it is time to revisit this issue since the
original *Challenge* a month or so ago.

I am not disputing the validity of that original challenge but I do have
some comments and suggestions.

Since that *Challenge* this NG is dripping wet with tensions because of the
various mandates placed on it and the participation has actually *decreased*
as a result of it.


Yes, "participation" is down and thank heavens for small favors. There
are entire threads missing. In fact, there are entire categories of
threads missing. Gone are the conservative cut 'n pastes, the liberal
cut 'n pastes, the duelling presidential popularity polls, the f'd up
debates about the "heroic liberation" or "political colonization" of
Iraq (take your pick). Gone are the "Harry Krause is a ________"
threads. Gone are the "Liberals are destroying the Christian religion"
threads. Missing from most posts of all types are the vicious name
calling and the endless Jr. High School "neener/neener's". Certain
posters, with little or nothing to contribute to discussions about
boating, are indeed missing in action. Too darn bad- they can take the
naming and flaming somewhere else as it should be a reasonable
expectation (when one visits a NG titled "rec.boats") that most of the
discussion should center around boating.

But check this out, please, Jim. Discussion of boating topics is way
*up* from what it has been.




I am not suggesting that the *Challenge* was wrong but that we need to
perhaps revisit the restrictions it called for as it is obvious it has not
worked, including the netcopping of those mandates. I suggest that this
new and improved atmosphere has made the NG stale and perhaps even more
confrontational.


If the atmosphere is "improved", how can it simultaneously be stale?
The challenge didn't impose any restrictions, it was a call to the
worst offenders
(that would include you and me) to modify our behavior and see if the
tone of the group changed as a result. It did. I'm sorry to hear that
you prefer the previous atmosphere that prevailed here- but that's your
call to make and you are free to conduct yourself here as you see fit.



Suggestions:

1. Stop all netcopping Ignore those who don't abide by the *rules* here
(most important!)


Is this a continuation of last week's argument that "Everything is
appropriate in rec.boats, except any comments by anybody questioning
whether something is appropriately boating related or not. Any comment
suggesting that some posts are inappropriate for rec.boats
is.............. inappropriate for rec.boats" ?


There are no "rules" here. Never have been. There are common courtesies
that most people will follow in order to promote the smoothest
conversational interaction- and then there will always be a group of
people who feel that their personal compulsion to express themselves
however they see fit trumps any general desire among the group for
civil discourse and rational polite discussion. If some people are
feeling "tense" or unduly restricted by the general group attitude
toward anti-social behavior, there is nothing and nobody who can or
will stop them from dumping load after load of crap into the NG as far
too many of us have done in the past.


2. Allow any sort of topic to be posted but make sure it is marked as OT
Then refer back to #1.

Who or what, other than peer pressure, prevents anybody from posting
whatever they want here- marked OT or not?


3. Stop the personal attacks and insults.
4. Stop the flaming.
5. Stop the trolling for heated arguments


Here's where things get a bit blurry on my radar screen, so help me out
please.
If people should be "allowed" (and they are) to post "anything they
want" (and they can)
what happens when Poster X decides that what he really wants to post is
a long personal attack on Poster Y?

Question: Would you then suggest that Poster X do items 1,2,and 3
above? Would that be "netcopping"? Why can't Poster X post "anything
he wants" without somebody else saying anything?


6. Ignore those who do not abide by these rules.

Do those things and we are fine. Keep on as we are and we are nothing
better than what we were.


You think? You don't see a difference in the type of posts, the tone of
the posts, an increase in the number of boating related posts? The
group is no better than it was in November? Interesting analysis.



:-)