Yes, except that instead of us throwing the rascals out, the rascals make the subforum so offensive that the regulars don't ever go there.

That really is the problem. Once the forums were separated into two, most members, many who would have posted to the threads, simply avoided the subforum allowing it to become a wasteland.

Now the problem is that any thread, no matter how neutral, can be forced there to die. The Politics Subforum is Vintage's answer to Siberia.

The key is not to have two seperate subforums, but rather to keep the offensive outsiders in check. And sometimes even the members who incite or provoke need to be kept in check as well.

I'll again point to the Xviper thread. A reasonable discussion was cut short by nonmembers. (Again, without pointing fingers or blaming) That thread never should have been closed, the offensive posts should have been deleted. How can we ever hope to have any kind of serious conversation when one bad post closes the thread or condemns it to Siberia?

 

Rob -

I understand what you're saying. But I still think it's much easier to watch a small pot with a small lid than a large one.

That's all I've got for this thread.

Except for thanks to LB, Lainey, Ms. P, Chazmo, and those who were COs before my time here. You too.

 

Mike,

I don't mean to be argumentative, but I just think there should be one forum. Without the abilitiy to have a serious discussion here in the main Vintage forum, many of the threads lately feel and sound like they really should be in the Corner or Off Topic. Unfortunately if you try to have a serious conversation in Vintage Politics most of the people who you want to talk to don't go there, and those who go there for the most part aren't worth talking to.

 

[QUOTE=ralper,Oct 10 2006, 09:59 PM]I'll again point to the Xviper thread.

 

I have never even visited the politics sub-forum or the politics main forum. In fact, I did not even know they existed, so perhaps I don't get a vote.

Ignorance can be bliss -- I really like any idea that keeps this forum friendly. Nor do I think that CO's should be asked to serve as a police force. So I vote for No. 1.

 

Lainey,

I know the topic was no longer about xviper, but if you close every thread that meanders in Vintage you won't have any open threads here. Why single that one out?

While the topic was no longer about xviper, it was a valid discussion that could have and should have remained open. I don't think that its fair to the people posting for a thread to be closed in anticipation of it becoming troublesome.

As far as starting a serious thread, let me point you in the direction of the thread I started the other night concerning my wife's Civic's headlights. How quickly did that one become a farce?

 

What about nominating a new CO, or at least discussing that? The xviper fiasco, while unfortunate, is ludicrous on so many levels I can't wrap my mind around it fully.

Let's get back to the matter at hand and figure out who's taking the reigns here. I don't want this place to self-destruct before I have a chance to get my official Vintage badge!

Hell, I nominate Maury. He's always willing to help out, and he's cute as the dickens.

(Sorry, just trying to lighten things up a little)

 

Rob's complaint ponts out the current direction of Vintage. I think it is going in a more lighthearted or perhaps even frivolous direction. I don't really mind the light hearted threads, but there should be room for serious discussion also. That said, I don't think serious is the same as bickering. The X Viper thread could have been closed, or even moved to the forum that deals with site issues. To some extent, I think the Vintage forum was used this past week. We became a little battle ground for general forum issues that belonged elsewhere. Those threads had been closed in other forums, so the combatants invaded our discussion to continue the debate. The S2KCA discussion was out of left field. I didn't mind the content, but the tone was nasty. I'm not against discussion of site issues here, but when the subject really belongs elsewhere on the board, the thread should be moved.

 

I have talked to Maury and he thinks he needs to wait a bit before he is ready for something like this. But he can certainly change his mind and tell us he is interested. Tomorrow, I will publish the name of the member who has told me he is interested in the job.

 

Look, I'm not trying to cause a stir, and I'm not trying to fuel the fire, but there needs to be a place here where a real conversation can take place without it devolving into a farce or it being moved to Politics. Without that ability this place is just a grown up version of Off Topic.

I have no problem with lighthearted threads, but there needs to be some worthwhile conversation too.