A Frustrating Trend in Grand Designs

[rushgoober]

I hate to bring this up, and my intention is not to offend anyone, so PLEASE keep that in mind as you're reading this, but it's something that's been bothering me and I at least want to voice it, even if it doesn't change anything.

 

I'm speaking for myself in that no one else knew I was going to post this, but I do know for a fact that there are a handful of people at least who are a bit frustrated in Grand Designs as well. Much of the frustration stems from doing our best to keep the 3 or 4 threads we particularly love alive by posting in them periodically so they go back up to the top of page 1 after they drift downwards or go to page 2 oblivion. It seems that often most people don't respond in threads unless they're near the top of page 1.

 

There are times when a few people post in like 20 threads, one after the other, which moves these few threads I really care about and work hard to keep alive and get some traffic to immediately back down again. It's very frustrating to work to keep a thread alive only to find it right back where it started thirty minutes or an hour later.

 

I don't really know how to handle this. I don't want to ask anyone to change their posting habits since I like most of these people, and I can only assume the people who are doing this enjoy posting this way. Honestly though, I don't know if people are posting in so many threads all at once because they have a lot to say in them and truly enjoy all of them, or if it's to raise post counts or whatever. I myself post a lot (an average of 19 a day), but only where I have something I really want to add. If these people truly care about all these threads, then great, but if it's to raise post counts or to try and own the page temporarily by having all the threads have their name as the most recent poster, I just want them to be aware how it effects the people in Grand Designs who go there not just for pure spam, but to have fun in their most beloved threads.

 

I don't expect anyone to change, but just to take this information in, and if they want to do anything about it, it's up to them. There are threads that move very quickly like "This or That", "Word Association", the flame thread, etc., and those I can understand. I can even understand people spamming in PURE spam threads like "I want to catch up with Test4VitalSigns' posts" or Zo's thread, but it seems that maybe spamming has taken over a lot of threads that were never intended as spam threads as well.

 

___________________________________________

 

 

I know this is going to be incredibly ironic to some, as I'm sure this was the exact reason that Grand Designs was created in the first place, to have a place for all the spam and more nonsensical threads to go, and I was definitely one of the main people starting more nonsensical threads in Random Samples, even though I was never a pure spammer.

 

It seems now Grand Designs has gotten so watered down with spam that there are people (I know this for a fact) who aren't going in there much anymore because of this trend, kind of like what was happening with Random Samples before Grand Designs split off from it.

 

It almost makes me wish Grand Designs would split in half yet again into more silly, creative and fun threads on one side, and pure spam threads on the other, so the people who want to have fun and not have to trudge through SO much spam find what they're looking for more easily, and so people aren't turned off so much that they leave and don't come back.

 

So I'm really not trying to offend anyone here, and again, I'm not expecting anyone to change, but hopefully I can show some people a disturbing trend I've noticed and others have noticed, and can open some dialogue about this, because it's starting to eat into my, and other peoples, enjoyment of TRF, and Grand Designs specifically. That's not anyone's fault as it is what it is, but if there's any chance of anything changing, it needs to be addressed.

 

Peace,

Gary

 

 

[rushgoober]

Please forgive my insanely long post, but I had a lot to say there.

 

Peace,

Gary

[barney_rebel]

http://content14.bigoo.ws/content/gif/funny/funny_39.gif

[Signals1982]

Man, whining is a true past time for you people. Get over it.

[rushgoober]

Not the response I was expecting, but I was never good at being able to predict the response to anything I had to say. Hopefully there'll be some more constructive forthcoming conversation.

[Necromancer]

Good Luck Goobs!!!

 

I don't know what else to say. THIS is exactly what we thought sucked about the whole GD thing to begin with.

 

So what do you expect? A GRAND DESIGNS RECLAMATION PROJECT???

 

I just don't know what to say. I got 56K and if i got to find a thread I like... I FIND IT!!! The people that care about these threads of ours know where to go bro. I doubt anyone's forgotten about them. Some are just losing their pizazz so to speak.

 

This is so 180 from a few months back. I totally understand walking in someone else's shoes perspective and all... but Goobs... you've stolen their entire shoe wardrobe. What were we saying about the same folks that were whining about hilda and jawk jaw? I'm saying the same thing now. SO WHAT??? If you need to spend a few more SECONDS finding your favorite thread... SO WHAT??? You just told me there's more activity on this board than RT and it's because people like it here. Even WITH all the spam and conflict that we've encountered lately.

 

So my point in a nutshell... SO WHAT??? It's no big deal. Maybe hilda and jawk jaw have finally run their course. Ever think about that? Maybe they belong slipping. RATINGS FALL bro.

[Pags]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 24 2006, 01:06 PM)

I know this is going to be incredibly ironic to some, as I'm sure this was the exact reason that Grand Designs was created in the first place....

There's nothing for me to say - you've already said it.

 

Feel my pain, brother.

[blonde77th]

i like the threads in here but when i get done i get bored ,so i am one of the bad ones, but there are some i am not good in such as the ones you do goob like flame the person above you ....yourself have said i don't do it right& jaw jack or whatever it is called but i do love this or that and the others & i did say i was sorry for spamming in the Hilda thread it won't happen again & i really didn't know i was doing it i was having a good time with others and made a bo boo .No hard feelings

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Necromancer @ Jun 24 2006, 09:54 AM)

Good Luck Goobs!!! I don't know what else to say. THIS is exactly what we thought sucked about the whole GD thing to begin with. So what do you expect? A GRAND DESIGNS RECLAMATION PROJECT??? I just don't know what to say. I got 56K and if i got to find a thread I like... I FIND IT!!! The people that care about these threads of ours know where to go bro. I doubt anyone's forgotten about them. Some are just losing their pizazz so to speak. This is so 180 from a few months back. I totally understand walking in someone else's shoes perspective and all... but Goobs... you've stolen their entire shoe wardrobe. What were we saying about the same folks that were whining about hilda and jawk jaw? I'm saying the same thing now. SO WHAT??? If you need to spend a few more SECONDS finding your favorite thread... SO WHAT??? You just told me there's more activity on this board than RT and it's because people like it here. Even WITH all the spam and conflict that we've encountered lately. So my point in a nutshell... SO WHAT??? It's no big deal. Maybe hilda and jawk jaw have finally run their course. Ever think about that? Maybe they belong slipping. RATINGS FALL bro.

I wasn't really referring to Hilda as that thread has been dying for awhile. Jawk Jaw is one, and I was speaking about others too. It doesn't really matter which ones, it was the idea. Look, if I'm the only one who's bothered, then that's fine, majority rules and I'll make myself happy with whatever Grand Designs is and becomes. I still very much enjoy it here. I just thought I'd voice my opinion and a view I know some people share here. In the end it's not a huge big deal, no, but I thought I'd just give it voice. I couldn't be more clear in that I didn't want to offend anyone, but if they are still offended, I can't help that.

 

As for doing a 180, I don't know what to say. I speak what I believe at the time I believe it. If my perspective changes, I speak to that. I don't say anything just to please or not to please anyone. All I can do is speak my own truth at the time I see it. When I find a different or better truth for myself, I speak it, and I don't mean that as putting down any previous perspective I have. Hopefully you can understand that. I am who I am and who I am changes. I would hate to think that I would never learn and grow and change and evolve. I personally have learned a LOT being on TRF, and I do my best to incorporate what I learn into my behavior and my life. I don't expect any of what I learn to apply to anyone else.

 

Peace,

Gary

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (blonde77th @ Jun 24 2006, 10:02 AM)

i like the threads in here but when i get done i get bored ,so i am one of the bad ones, but there are some i am not good in such as the ones you do goob like flame the person above you ....yourself have said i don't do it right& jaw jack or whatever it is called    but i do love this or that and the others & i did say i was sorry for spamming in the Hilda thread it won't happen again & i really didn't know i was doing it i was having a good time with others and made a bo boo .No hard feelings

for the record with the flame thing, i was flaming you in saying you weren't doing it right. i wasn't trying to discourage you from flaming, and hoped i didn't do that. i also don't remember talking to you in or about jawk jaw, so i hope i didn't discourage you from participating in that thread either. also, this thread wasn't created in reaction to spamming in Hilda, it's something I've been thinking about for several days.

 

anyway, you read what i had to say. i love you and am your friend no matter what. i just wanted you and others to know how i felt. if i'm the only one, then i wouldn't want anyone to change anything just to make me happy, but if others chime in and they're where i am, then maybe it will make some kind of difference. if not, i'm cool with it.

 

peace,

gary

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (paganoman @ Jun 24 2006, 09:58 AM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 24 2006, 01:06 PM) I know this is going to be incredibly ironic to some, as I'm sure this was the exact reason that Grand Designs was created in the first place.... There's nothing for me to say - you've already said it.   Feel my pain, brother. you know, sometimes it's hard to relate to another's perspective (no matter how much you want to) until you have a similar experience yourself. i can now understand much more fully the plight of people who wanted Grand Designs created in the first place, and while I wasn't happy about it at the time, I see more the necessity of its creation.   peace, gary

[Necromancer]

QUOTE (blonde77th @ Jun 24 2006, 02:02 PM)

i like the threads in here but when i get done i get bored ,so i am one of the bad ones, but there are some i am not good in such as the ones you do goob like flame the person above you ....yourself have said i don't do it right& jaw jack or whatever it is called but i do love this or that and the others & i did say i was sorry for spamming in the Hilda thread it won't happen again & i really didn't know i was doing it i was having a good time with others and made a bo boo .No hard feelings

Blonde... before you came here, some of us (tick kliq folks) were involved in almost the same thing. People who took certain threads too seriously and didn't like our sense of humor got all pissy and complained a lot. It took a bit of time for it to all die down and everyone get happy again with each other.

 

Now there's things on this board right now that are WORTH the attention of everyone, but I guess this silliness is more important. Please don't let the opinions of one on how you should FLAME someone else or how you should post discourage you from having as much fun on this board as you want. I remember being disliked by some for much the same thing, and I know it bothered me, but as I said in my earlier post... SO WHAT. As long as no one's being offended, or having their personal lives attacked... then so what if you spam, or don't flame someone the right way or because you OWN THE BOARD a few times? Big Deal.

 

Goobs... this is as silly as it gets man. Sorry. It's not about a change in one's personal perspective as much as it was silly when it happened to US and it's even sillier NOW. Just my opinion and NO HARD FEELINGS. Don't send a novel pm or call about it. Seriously... JUST KIDDING. But really... no novel pm's about it.

 

 

Ken

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Necromancer @ Jun 24 2006, 10:15 AM)

QUOTE (blonde77th @ Jun 24 2006, 02:02 PM) i like the threads in here but when i get done i get bored ,so i am one of the bad ones, but there are some i am not good in such as the ones you do goob like flame the person above you ....yourself have said i don't do it right& jaw jack or whatever it is called    but i do love this or that and the others & i did say i was sorry for spamming in the Hilda thread it won't happen again & i really didn't know i was doing it i was having a good time with others and made a bo boo .No hard feelings  Blonde... before you came here, some of us (tick kliq folks) were involved in almost the same thing. People who took certain threads too seriously and didn't like our sense of humor got all pissy and complained a lot. It took a bit of time for it to all die down and everyone get happy again with each other.   Now there's things on this board right now that are WORTH the attention of everyone, but I guess this silliness is more important. Please don't let the opinions of one on how you should FLAME someone else or how you should post discourage you from having as much fun on this board as you want. I remember being disliked by some for much the same thing, and I know it bothered me, but as I said in my earlier post... SO WHAT. As long as no one's being offended, or having their personal lives attacked... then so what if you spam, or don't flame someone the right way or because you OWN THE BOARD a few times? Big Deal.   Goobs... this is as silly as it gets man. Sorry. It's not about a change in one's personal perspective as much as it was silly when it happened to US and it's even sillier NOW. Just my opinion and NO HARD FEELINGS. Don't send a novel pm or call about it. Seriously... JUST KIDDING. But really... no novel pm's about it.     Ken last time i talked to you about being bothered by it being so hard to find threads because of exactly what i talked about in the initial post in this thread, i got the impression that it bothered you too. if i totally mistook what you said, then i guess i was wrong.

[Necromancer]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 24 2006, 02:18 PM)

last time i talked to you about being bothered by it being so hard to find threads because of exactly what i talked about in the initial post in this thread, i got the impression that it bothered you too. if i totally mistook what you said, then i guess i was wrong.

No... you took me right. It bothers me a little bit too, but SO WHAT???

 

THAT's all i'm saying. Sure there's things that are wrong and need to be addressed around here, but THIS??? C'mon now... really Gary. The admins are going through a ton of BS with bans and keeping up with horrible posting and inflammatory shit that THIS is just as trivial as it gets as far as I'm concerned. That's all. I'm not saying that since you didn't get the Necro Seal of Approval, that it's not worth discussing, but this is MY end of the discussion. That's all.

 

I also thought it was relevant to bring Blonde up to speed on some history on here and how the shoe is most definitely on the other foot now. Though I understand people grow and change... that wasn't all that long ago when you couldn't understand how jaw jawwking and searching for hilda and creative crafty sentences bothered other folks. We hated the bitching then, and I haven't GROWN enough to not STILL hate bitching and whining about trivial (to me) matters.

 

Like I have said... there's important complaints around here that the admins are doing their best to control, and whether a few people like to spam in threads not meant for spam, or they like to own the board, or they don't get how to flame or jawk jaw correctly... SO WHAT??? Oh and did I say... SO WHAT???

 

Okay... that's how I feel i guess. I know.... SO WHAT???

[AgentScotty]

One way to get rid of the spam (and this is done on other forums I've visited): Turn off post counts for "Grand Designs".

 

Back in the old days, 1000 posts meant something. It may have taken a year to get there, but it meant something. Now it just means 100 posts with content, and 900 spam posts, made within a few days/weeks. I've seen this happen more and more over the last 5 years or so, on many forums.

 

I'm not sure what the cause is. Wider availability of broadband might be part of it. When I first got on the internet, it as at 28-56k, and I knew other ppl that connected at 28k or slower. Back then, many would never bother clicking on an all-spam thread, let alone post in one.

 

Oh well, now I'll probably get flamed in "Flame the user above you" for walking 10 miles to school in the snow, uphill both ways...

[Necromancer]

Y'know... i think that's a very good idea. I once thought the post count thing was pretty cool and achieving a certain level or badge was neat, but we've got guys getting big badges in a DAY now. It's a bit silly. I remember how cool it was to get my 2112th post and the ten minute congratulation party in chat that followed, but now... there's a ton of badges being handed out and barely any substance behind the achievements. Not a bitch here mind you, but I see how Scotty's idea would help things that people are complaining about.

 

Or... some kind of asterisk accompanying the badge if the badge was achieved by a predominant amount of spamming. I dunno. SO WHAT???

 

 

[Riv]

Pin Goobers important threads.

[Geds]

QUOTE (AgentScotty @ Jun 24 2006, 02:50 PM)

One way to get rid of the spam (and this is done on other forums I've visited): Turn off post counts for "Grand Designs". Back in the old days, 1000 posts meant something. It may have taken a year to get there, but it meant something. Now it just means 100 posts with content, and 900 spam posts, made within a few days/weeks. I've seen this happen more and more over the last 5 years or so, on many forums. I'm not sure what the cause is. Wider availability of broadband might be part of it. When I first got on the internet, it as at 28-56k, and I knew other ppl that connected at 28k or slower. Back then, many would never bother clicking on an all-spam thread, let alone post in one. Oh well, now I'll probably get flamed in "Flame the user above you" for walking 10 miles to school in the snow, uphill both ways...

Just an idea, here, not sure if it would turn out this way or not....but isn't it possible that it would only MOVE the spamming to another area where post counts still exist?

 

 

The whole idea behind grand designs was to have a place where posting could DEVOLVE INTO MINDLESS DRIVEL, without hurting anyone's feelings.

 

Now that's a problem?

 

I say let the spam wars continue.

 

There are rules on how to post already in place. If you want those rules to be in effect, go to The Sense O'clock News.

 

I didn't stir up so much crap before over letting people post the way they want to turn around 4 months later and say I don't want that kind of freedom anymore.

 

Just my opinion.

 

[Grandpa Grizz]

What's Grand Designs?

[rushgoober]

I think people are missing the point. I have no problem with spam in general, it just seems like there is spam happening now in threads that were never intended to be pure spam, but even more so, there are now so many spam threads. I seem to remember when Grand Designs was first created that all the spam threads were combined into the big I want to catch to Test4VitalSigns thread, which seemed cool because honestly, if it's pure spam without any real substance (and I do see silliness and fun to be substance), does it need to be in 15 threads with more created all the time?

 

Anyway, it seems any curtailing of complete freedom is just gonna get people up in arms, so I'll assume I'm in the minority here and just enjoy it for what it is. I can truly see now why people were so distraught months ago and why the need for Grand Designs came about. I could never understand the mythical good old days that people spoke of when there was so much substance without fluff since I had joined the board when it was 9 months old and I had never noticed a difference in the board for the year or so I had been there. I assumed that this good old days must have been short lived. Now it seems that Grand Designs had changed like Random Samples had and it's hard to find things like it was for people on RS. If that's the way it is, so be it. I still love the forum and will continue to post. If no one can relate, that's cool. I thought the people who were bothered in the past to the degree that it necessitated Grand Designs would understand, and now it seems almost that Grand Designs needs a Grand Designs, but I know that's not gonna happen.

 

My view on things is I would rather communicate something to get it out then hold onto it and let it stew which is why I created this thread. I figured communicating is preferable to keeping it in, but I guess most people would have rather I kept it in. Anyway, hopefully it will continue to create some stimulating conversation. I can only present my point of view, and without presenting it, I wouldn't know where others stood.

[blonde77th]

ok i agree if the spamming wars in my case are just for fun late at night when there is nothing else to do Move them....... if the higher ups say No more spamming i am cool with that no hard feelings .........LSM & I meant No harm just having good old fashion fun ....but i see your side of it too .......i know it is not just us 2 that do it .....& we just started doing it a while ago .....we just were having Fun ...& i like to earn my badges the right way spam a little but the rest is done right ......no matter what happens i Love my Friends here at TRF so what may be will be ......No Harm No Foul ......

 

 

 

 

Now i have to go put some corn on cob on mmmm good

[Grandpa Grizz]

I can eat corn on the cob because I use FIXODENT.

[Grandpa Grizz]

Maybe you could get those threads pinned, Goober.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Grandpa Grizz @ Jun 24 2006, 02:51 PM)

Maybe you could get those threads pinned, Goober.

no thanks, that wasn't my intention...

[Signals1982]

I never go into Jawk Jaw or Hilda or those threads. And if you guys like them, great. I have never once complained about those threads being around. You guys just need something to complain about. Is it really that hard to look for a thread on the 2nd page? GD is not that big.