The debate board

[Loftus]

For once Rob we'll have to disagree. Things had got a bit pathetic on the DB recently, but closing it down seems a bit drastic.
What surprises me is the level of hositlity towards the DB. No-one makes people visit, read or post on the threads. If you don't like it you just have to stay away.
Pete owns the boards and will always have the final say, but he has created a community that is now more diverse than just Disney and debate is part of a community.
There were many debates posted - particularly the political ones - which were just intended to score points and the poster had no intention of participating in a meaningful exchange of views, but I also learnt quite a lot from the more thought provoking threads and some made me question my own position on certain issues.

If the reason for closing the DB was the workload on the moderators it will backfire. They will now have even more work monitoring the CB. You could also see several more users banned.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Originally posted by Loftus
There were many debates posted - particularly the political ones - which were just intended to score points and the poster had no intention of participating in a meaningful exchange of views, but I also learnt quite a lot from the more thought provoking threads and some made me question my own position on certain issues.

I agree with with this. When I first visited the Debate Board I did find it meaningful, and the fact that discussions often got heated was not a problem. However, in the last couple of months things seemed to change, and as you say, more and more threads were deliberately started with the intention of winding up other Debate Board contributors. If I was in the DIS Team I would have been uncomfortable if I didn't do anything about this, feeling I was somehow agreeing with the way the Debate Board has sunk to become a forum for immature name calling. If I had created the DIS like Pete has done, I don't think I would be filled with pride at the way the Debate Board had turned out.

It is regretable that some old DB posters are deliberately targeting the Community Board. I suppose it was to be expected, but honestly, how big is that? You have to question the mental age of these people!! Hopefully this will be a temporary problem, if not I would support wholescale bans on a number of people, perhaps on a short-term basis. With the right to free speech comes the responsibility to use it wisely. Spoiling things for other people is not what I call using that responsibility wisely. There have been many, many times when my fingers were just itching to get stuck into debates on the DB, but I refrained because I didn't want to dignify the behaviour of that small clique with my input. I'm sure that many people felt the same, Kazzie for example has written with great passion about her experience of the Debate Board. The small group of people who took over the Board have brought this situation on themselves, and I'm not going to mourn its passing.

Regards

Rob

 

[Hilary]

For any of you who haven't already seen this, here is a message from the Webmasters:

We are constantly evaluating the various boards on the DIS to make sure that they further our primary purpose: Disney travel planning and a Disney community.
It has become apparent that the Debate board has not added to that purpose for some time.
Because of this we have made a decision to close the debate board. It will remain in place in a "read only" format.
Any debates on any of the other boards on the DIS will be required to strictly follow DIS posting policy. Here is a link to that policy for those that are not familiar with it:

Dis Posting Guidelines

 

[Bwalker]

I have very torn feelings about the closing of the DB.

First of all, I agree with the general sediment here that the DB is basically a place you go where you might end up being chewed up, spit out, and left for dead

and this is unfortunate.

I'm not sure if I can swallow that the DB was closed because it was not Disney related because when I read the CB, very few things seem to be Disney related - they are just lighthearted and fun to read topics for the most part with a certain appreciated respect for those who post.

I have posted here and there on the DB because I was truly interested in the person's point of view and would ask nicely stated questions so I could understand other points of view and get this - maybe even learn something - since I admit I don't know everything! Either I never got a response - or was chewed up. Go figure LOL.

I haven't been to the DB in a few weeks because my blood boils at the insenstive stupid things people say to and about each other - no matter what side of the debate they happen to be on. Plus if I ask a question, I would expect a common courtesy of a response or if I state an opinion, I do not appreciate being chewed up, spit out and left for dead.

I agree with Kazzie, Joe, Kevin and a bunch of others with what they've said. I just don't want spill over onto the nicer, more fun boards. I like when my blood doesn't boil. LOL

Maybe there's another board somewhere on the net where they can all find each other and enjoy each other's company again.

So be it

Aloha,
Lorraine

 

[Manatee]

A bit of stronger moderation and it could have all been nipped in the bud, now its going to drag on for months.

 

[kazzie]

I think it's very regreful that a handful of posters have got the DB closed down.

The vast majority of DB users, who used the board in a lively supportive way, must be feeling bereft at the moment

 

[Daniel&family]

Originally posted by kazzie
Deb & Rob,

I posted on a thread to say why can't they acknowledge differing views to their own and 'agree to disagree' as you can do even when diametrically opposing views are held.A UK poster posted to say 'agree to disagree' is what people say when they have 'lost' the argument

Dear Karen

I was the UK poster who made the above comment, this post was based on my objective observations of the use of this phrase on the debate boards. It was only my opinion and was meant to be slightly light hearted as was borne out by my subsequent exchange of posts with another poster.

I could give examples of the use of the phrase to illustrate my observations, but I don't want to argue with you and I think it would be for the best if we just .....'AGREE TO DISAGREE'


Yours

Daniel

 

[faithinkarma]

Originally posted by kazzie
I think it's very regreful that a handful of posters have got the DB closed down.

The vast majority of DB users, who used the board in a lively supportive way, must be feeling bereft at the moment

I agree. Those of us who were there often know that the worst of the offenders were new, never posted anywhere but the DB, and seemed to have a singleminded intent of upsetting everyone on the board. Why an attempt was not made to censure them before shutting down the whole board I cannot guess. (Nor do I get or deserve a vote.)

I just keep getting an image of those few posters sitting at some other board, high fiving each other for their great success at destructing the DB.

 

[faithinkarma]

Originally posted by Daniel&family
Dear Karen

I was the UK poster who made the above comment, this post was based on my objective observations of the use of this phrase on the debate boards. It was only my opinion and was meant to be slightly light hearted as was borne out by my subsequent exchange of posts with another poster.

I could give examples of the use of the phrase to illustrate my observations, but I don't want to argue with you and I think it would be for the best if we just .....'AGREE TO DISAGREE'


Yours

Daniel

I remember that exchange quite well. And I remember that after your last post my only comment was a laughing smiley. Much later I wondered if you realized I was laughing because I thought what you had said was funny, or if it had come off as sarcastic.

 

[kazzie]

was meant to be slightly light hearted .......

Daniel,therein lies some of the problems of the DB.Without a good think about what a person is posting ,what one person may means to convey as ironic or light hearted ( and which probably would do if youwere face to face) can come across in a different light when posted on an internet site.

Much later I wondered if ...........

This to me is what reasonable people do,even if they post something they care enough to think or re-think about their post....'Hang on did what I posted come across OK/offend anyone?'

FIK,

Unfortunately I did gloat a bit in my first post on the debate board thread I was so focused on that handful of posters who were bulldozing everyone but the strongest (yourself!)I was thinking 'Hah,what will those DB users I've been unhappy with do now,serves them right' in a childish way.

Then I thought about the many many other people who use the debate board,the vast majority, in an enjoyable way,I think my gloating was premature.I only asked why couldn't there be stronger moderating or a prescence of someone,I would never have thought it should be closed down

 

[Daniel&family]

Originally posted by faithinkarma
I remember that exchange quite well. And I remember that after your last post my only comment was a laughing smiley. Much later I wondered if you realized I was laughing because I thought what you had said was funny, or if it had come off as sarcastic.

Dear FIK

I took your in the spirit I hoped it was meant. Having found your posts on the DB to be constructive, well thought out and in no way inflamatory, I never considered that it it could have been sarcastic. In fact I thought it was a good way to conclude our brief but good natured exchange.


Yours

DANIEL

 

[Daniel&family]

Originally posted by kazzie
Daniel,therein lies some of the problems of the DB.Without a good think about what a person is posting ,what one person may means to convey as ironic or light hearted ( and which probably would do if youwere face to face) can come across in a different light when posted on an internet site.




This to me is what reasonable people do,even if they post something they care enough to think or re-think about their post....'Hang on did what I posted come across OK/offend anyone?'

Dear Karen

I couldn't agree more and having people who care about how their posts will impact on others feelings helps make this forum so pleasant.


Yours

DANIEL