Cloak_N_Dagger Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I've noticed lately that there have been a couple of topics related to supporting the Troops that have been locked and/or deleted. I did not start any of the threads but was curious as to why they were locked. The response that was given, was that the post was "completely off-topic". While I agree that it might be off topic, I feel that they were singled out somewhat. After all ... there is a topic that discusses the proper use of apostrophes. That topic has nothing to do with geocaching but has never been questioned. (and it's two pages long) I realize that there are other places that one could show their support of the brave men and women that are currently serving in the armed forces. However; if we are to abide by the rules that the topics have to be GPS related ... I'm sure that there are other places to post a tongue in cheek thread about apostrophes also. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Mr Snazz's thread about the apostrophes, and found it very amusing. I have no problem with it being posted here. After all, the General Forum description does say, "If you have a topic that doesn't quite fit anywhere else, post it here." Is there a different standard? -------------- ASA/MI Veteran ... Geocaching for Uncle Sam ... we just didn't realize it at the time! Link to comment
OlyHippy Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Double standard? No way, not on this forum! Yeah, right... Link to comment
+DeerChaser & Company Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Oh my [This message was edited by DeerChaser & Poni on April 02, 2003 at 11:20 AM.] Link to comment
OlyHippy Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I guess good grammar doesn't either Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by DeerChaser & Poni:Freedom of speach doesnt apply to these forums!!! Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 I don't know about "speach", but I have never expected freedom of speech in a private setting. You come into MY home, you have the rights I allow you to have, and no more. If that means you don't like that you don't have the right to smoke, or the right to say something I don't like, then you know where the door is, use it. This is not geocaching.gov, it's .com. The person that owns the site gets to make the rules, if you don't like them, don't use the site. How hard is that? If the owner of the site doesn't want political debates on HIS website (and thats what any thread with "war" in it turns into), he has that right. Why is that such a problem to comprehend for some people? Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. [This message was edited by Mopar on April 02, 2003 at 10:44 AM.] Link to comment
+Divine Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Well, can't say I knew the answer, but my guess is that since geocaching is an international sport (hobby, activity, whatever you name it) which involves more than 150 countries, TPTB have decided to favor less messages and threads that deal with an ongoing war that involves only few of those countries. Sure, about 75% of all the caches in the world are on the US turf, and probably even bigger percentage of the forum writers are US citizens, which makes it quite natural to expect 'support our troops'-like posts. But maybe TPTB think that there could actually be people from the both sides of the crosshairs as members of geocaching.com and just try not letting the forums be another medium of propaganda. Or maybe they think that there are simply people who live in countries which have nothing or very little to do with the war and who actually want to get their minds to something happier than the ongoing massacre in some other country. But I dunno, I'm just guessing. As for the thread of apostrophe's, well, English is the official language of this international sport, so I guess the thread is appropriate in it's weird way. And there has been other threads locked as well, that had nothing to do with war. Can't remember any other at the moment than the one concerning a website called 'boners'. Maybe someone else remembers them more. I recall the idea of Off-Topic forum shot down several times earlier, but I'd vote for one. Freedom of speech on this forum? Listen buddy, without your ancestors fighting for the freedom of speech, TPTB wouldn't even have a possibility to put up a forum like this where they can set limits to the topics you're allowed to speak about....yadda yadda blah blah - All you need is a sick mind and a healthy body. - Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Cloak_N_Dagger: After all, the General Forum description does say, _"If you have a topic that doesn't quite fit anywhere else, post it here."_ Is there a different standard? Yup, and you reach that General forum thru a link that says "DISCUSS GEOCACHING". So, that means anything that doesn't quite fit anywhere else, but still relates to "DISCUSS GEOCACHING" goes in the General forum. Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Link to comment
+DeerChaser & Company Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Buddy? My name is DEER, dear. Who gives a doot. I support Groundspeak because I enjoy this hobby. If they want to delete every post that I have sent thats fine with me, I could really care less. Most of the forums are the same, you cant please everyone. I have locked a few topics and I'm sure I will lock a few more. If you can't have fun then whats the point. I believe the point in this thread was fairness. Relax evil one.. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 [This message was edited by DeerChaser & Poni on April 02, 2003 at 11:11 AM.] Link to comment
+DeerChaser & Company Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Why is everyone so critical? Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 Link to comment
+Allen_L Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 And the top of the main forum page says: quote:Welcome to the Groundspeak forums, the location to discuss topics on Geocaching and GPS usage. Link to comment
Cloak_N_Dagger Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 Mopar, take it easy ol' boy, I agree with you that this is Jeremy's "house" & his rules. But if you and a friend were visiting at my house and I told you, "you can't smoke" but told the other guy, "yeah, go ahead and fire it up" ... wouldn't you you ask why? ---- quote:By Mopar -- Yup, and you reach that General forum thru a link that says "DISCUSS GEOCACHING". So, that means anything that doesn't quite fit anywhere else, but still relates to "DISCUSS GEOCACHING" goes in the General forum. Point well taken. But I fail to see why the other off topic posts are still allowed when they have nothing to do with geocaching. Deerchaser & Poni hit the nail on the head with his post. I'm not trying to debate the War, pro or con, or Freedom of Speech. The point was fairness to all members. I guess for what it's worth, this thread might get locked too! lol Well, gotta go to work ... I'll cache U L8r tonite. -------------- ASA/MI Veteran ... Geocaching for Uncle Sam ... we just didn't realize it at the time! [This message was edited by Cloak_N_Dagger on April 02, 2003 at 11:15 AM.] Link to comment
iryshe Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Grammar has its place as part of geocaching, and occasionally a slightly off-topic discussion will be allowed. So will, occasionally, a lighthearted discussion as long as it remotely relates to the activity. What won't happen, however, are wholly off-topic posts about subjects that relate in no way to the topic of geocaching. Shouts of "free speach" is a red herring. Ever been to someone's dinner party where there is a bell you can ring when you want to change the subject to another topic? Well, discussions of a political nature are one of those topics. ring. Jeremy Irish Groundspeak - The Language of Location Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Cloak_N_Dagger:Mopar, take it easy ol' boy, I agree with you that this is Jeremy's "house" & his rules. But if you and a friend were visiting at my house and I told you, "you can't smoke" but told the other guy, "yeah, go ahead and fire it up" ... wouldn't you you ask why? Hey, I am taking it easy! You don't think I've survived here this long by getting half as worked up as people think I do? Seriously, I understand your point, but we aren't talking about allowing one friend to smoke, and one not. More like I don't allow you to smoke, but I do allow your friend to suck on a lollipop instead of a cigar. Every political discussion here as long as I can remember has been locked/deleted pretty quick. Anything other then politics is hit or miss, sometimes they last, like the apostrophe thread, but often they don't (like the "I'm just posting 'cause I'm drunk tonight" thread). The fact that Jeremy DOES allow so many threads here bashing him, bashing the website, bashing the way he chooses to run his website, etc, shows alot more restraint and even-handedness then I think I would in his shoes. I really don't know how he does it somedays. I think I would have thrown my hands up in the air and just walked away by now. Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Link to comment
iryshe Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 By the way, I am a veteran and I have strong beliefs about the war. I just don't feel that Geocaching or this web site and forums are meant for anyone, including myself, to use as a platform. As a result I expect the same standard for people who use these forums that I set for myself. Jeremy Irish Groundspeak - The Language of Location Link to comment
+southdeltan Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote: If the owner of the site doesn't want political debates on HIS website (and thats what any thread with "war" in it turns into), he has that right. Your answer lies here. Other non-controversial off-topic threads have a much better chance of being allowed that something that WILL turn into a flame war. On another note, this arguement: quote: But if you and a friend were visiting at my house and I told you, "you can't smoke" but told the other guy, "yeah, go ahead and fire it up" ... wouldn't you you ask why? would be a better arguement if they were allowing anti-troop posts, but not pro-troop posts - which they are not. They are stopping both kinds. SouthDeltan Link to comment
Cache Canucks Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Mopar:"...If the owner of the site doesn't want political debates on HIS website (and thats what any thread with "war" in it turns into), he has that right..." I agree completely. Which forum discussions to lock or delete boils down to a judgement call on the part of TPTB, and those are entirely their decisions to make. From what I've observed, an off-topic thread that's entertaining without being controversial (such as the 'apostrophe' thread) stands a good chance of being left alone and is indicative of TPTB exercising reasonable discretion when swinging the 'off-topic' axe. On the other hand, an off-topic thread that shows every potential to boil over into a polarizing (insert 'angry' if appropriate) debate over a subject that has little - if anything - to do with GeoCashing tends to have a limited lifespan ...and rightfully so. I believe that most folks come to this site for a 'pleasant' experience; if it's an exchange over politics or religion that you're after (heated or otherwise), there's other websites a'plenty that would welcome your participation. Link to comment
+DeerChaser & Company Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Then when a topic is deleted, the TPTB should explain why to the author in a quick e-mail. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 Link to comment
+Mopar Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by DeerChaser & Poni:Then when a topic is deleted, the TPTB should explain why to the author in a quick e-mail. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 Hmmm, maybe, but if you post a topic with a subject you know has been locked down many times in the last 2 weeks, don't you REALLY already know why it was deleted? Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon. Link to comment
+DeerChaser & Company Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Well i doubt that would happen, at least not from me. This thread wouldn't exsist if that had happened. See my point? Whats wrong with a off-topic forum? Same rules, just not only geocaching. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 Link to comment
+Harrald Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by DeerChaser & Poni:Then when a topic is deleted, the TPTB should explain why to the author in a quick e-mail. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 No they shouldn't. If you have a post/thread deleted you should be able to figure out the reason. ==================================== As always, the above statements are just MHO. ==================================== Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Man. I once had a topic locked down. Must of got over it because here I am posting again. Wherever you go there you are. Link to comment
iryshe Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 If they don't know, the contact link is listed on every page of the geocaching.com site. We're not planning to have an off-topic forum. Sorry. Jeremy Irish Groundspeak - The Language of Location Link to comment
+Harrald Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by DeerChaser & Poni:Well i doubt that would happen, at least not from me. This thread wouldn't exsist if that had happened. See my point? Whats wrong with a off-topic forum? Same rules, just not only geocaching. Rino 110 MeriGreen 128 There are plenty of places on the internet to talk on any number of topics. There are (just to name a few) Computer hardware boards, Software boards, American politics boards, Cooking boards and of course Geocaching boards. No one is limited to only this forum. This forum however is limited to Geocaching. ==================================== As always, the above statements are just MHO. ==================================== Link to comment
Cloak_N_Dagger Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 Thanks for your time and answers guys. I wasn't trying to start a heated debate about the War. Just wondering about the policies and the reasons behind them, concerning support of the men & women in harms way. I hope that Jeremy and others do not think that I was trying to imply that they were not in support of the troops, or unpatriotic, etc. I appreciate the input and I can see from Jeremy's point of view, why he might decide to lock them, so they would not turn into a "Pro-Con" debate about the war. There are other places to do that. We have many different views and opinions on the War. However; we have many fellow Geocachers, their sons & daughters, that are in the Armed Forces and have been called to duty. It would be nice to let them know that we are still thinking about them why they are away, and hoping for the safe return of each one of them. No debates on politics or war ... just something to let these fellow geocachers know we are concerned and do care. Just my 2 cents. -------------- ASA/MI Veteran ... Geocaching for Uncle Sam ... we just didn't realize it at the time! Link to comment
iryshe Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Cloak_N_Dagger:It would be nice to let them know that we are still thinking about them why they are away, and hoping for the safe return of each one of them. Great. However I don't think they're surfing our forums, so the point is moot. Send an email or a care package to a soldier instead. Closing this thread. Jeremy Irish Groundspeak - The Language of Location Link to comment
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