Somebody stop the madness, please.

[Loren]

Okay, now I'm sort of perplexed by the whole, "let's have have a separate whistle forum" rather than having an OT forum: If we do that, then what does the main forum become, "The Poststructural Chat forum" ?
I mean, if you take away the whistle related topics (which include the topics related to playing tunes, buying and selling, instrument reviews, and so on), what's left except OT? And since OT isn't whistle related, what business does it have being the main forum, any more than Flutes, or Pipes etc. ?

Loren

[Sunnywindo]

Okay, now I'm sort of perplexed by the whole, "let's have have a separate whistle forum" rather than having an OT forum: If we do that, then what does the main forum become, "The Poststructural Chat forum" ?
I mean, if you take away the whistle related topics (which include the topics related to playing tunes, buying and selling, instrument reviews, and so on), what's left except OT? And since OT isn't whistle related, what business does it have being the main forum, any more than Flutes, or Pipes etc. ?

Loren

Maybe, when you get to the point with sooo many posters and posts that you start to break it up into sections like flutes, pipes, ITM, etc... you eventually don't have a main forum anymore?


Sara

[colomon]

It's simply bowing to inertia. Since OT stuff dominates the main board, fewer posts will have to move, fewer people will have to change their habits. It's the smaller change.

And it's just being polite and reasonable, too. I mean, if I say we should have a new off-topic forum, what that translates to is me saying, "all of you, get up and move somewhere else so I can have a decent conversation here." Proposing a new whistle board, on the other hand, is saying, "I'm happy to move to accommodate you, just please give me a place I can talk whistles."

[Loren]

Maybe, when you get to the point with sooo many posters and posts that you start to break it up into sections like flutes, pipes, ITM, etc... you eventually don't have a main forum anymore?


Sara

Hey, I sold you a really nice whistle a while back, that's supposed to buy your vote, hmph.


Loren

[Loren]

It's simply bowing to inertia. Since OT stuff dominates the main board, fewer posts will have to move, fewer people will have to change their habits. It's the smaller change.

And it's just being polite and reasonable, too. I mean, if I say we should have a new off-topic forum, what that translates to is me saying, "all of you, get up and move somewhere else so I can have a decent conversation here." Proposing a new whistle board, on the other hand, is saying, "I'm happy to move to accommodate you, just please give me a place I can talk whistles."

Okay, I'm starting to see the problem here :roll:

[Sunnywindo]

Maybe, when you get to the point with sooo many posters and posts that you start to break it up into sections like flutes, pipes, ITM, etc... you eventually don't have a main forum anymore?


Sara

Hey, I sold you a really nice whistle a while back, that's supposed to buy your vote, hmph.


Loren

Yes, it is a very nice whistle indeed. In truth, it is one of my treasures (on the list of things to grab and take with me if at all possible in case of fire or other disaster).

BTW... I did end up voting in favor of a new forum... but your selling me a wonderful whistle had nothing to do with it.


Sara

[Loren]

Yes, it is a very nice whistle indeed. In truth, it is one of my treasures (on the list of things to grab and take with me if at all possible in case of fire or other disaster).

BTW... I did end up voting in favor of a new forum... but your selling me a wonderful whistle had nothing to do with it.


Sara

Ah yes, plausible deniablity, good idea. I thank you for your vote. For the other hundred or so people I've sold (used) whistle to here, I'll also be looking for your votes on election day.

In the mean time, I'll be on tour shaking hands and kissing babies (except Jessie's, because I'm not allowed), check my website to see when I'll be in your town.

Loren

[Wanderer]

Very harsh.
Nobody really takes the post count thing seriously.It is just a way of,if you like,thanking somebody who has hung around long enough to make a mark on the collective wit and wisdom of the board.
In fact it has become a tradition around these parts to acknowledge people who have touched the minds and hearts of other members so many times...a simple tradition.
After all, we are all into traditions here are we not?


Slan,
D.

D.

I wasn't really trying to be harsh, really. I want to be clear that I don't dislike the off topic stuff. I enjoy it at times, and have even posted in the cutie pie thread

The point I was making was that this place is far less of a whistle board these days than a place where folks just hang out. That's what I meant by "jumped the shark"...that for me, the first time that kind of thing was celebrated (and fluff posts made to inflate those scores) I realized that this was no longer really a "whistle board" any more.

[Brian Lee]

It's simply bowing to inertia. Since OT stuff dominates the main board, fewer posts will have to move, fewer people will have to change their habits. It's the smaller change.

And it's just being polite and reasonable, too. I mean, if I say we should have a new off-topic forum, what that translates to is me saying, "all of you, get up and move somewhere else so I can have a decent conversation here." Proposing a new whistle board, on the other hand, is saying, "I'm happy to move to accommodate you, just please give me a place I can talk whistles."

Sounds like asking the old session players to go sit out on the sidewalk in the cold because the people inside can't hear themselves smoke, drink, f*rt or whatever else it is they want to do in "peace" inside the Irish pub that has had music going for years. Move along old timers. You're kind isn't wanted here anymore.

Why is it so hard for people who come ,and at least claim to play or want to play, an Irish whistle to talk about whistles? The OT stuff has been tiring and only appears to be snowballing as we go. Sure everyone posts to the OT threads - but what else is left to post to?

[Teri-K]

Sounds like asking the old session players to go sit out on the sidewalk in the cold because the people inside can't hear themselves smoke, drink, f*rt or whatever else it is they want to do in "peace" inside the Irish pub that has had music going for years. Move along old timers. You're kind isn't wanted here anymore.

Because it's not about tenure, but logistics, and ease of design for Rich.

[Brian Lee]

Ease of design? Would it be horribly difficult to either ask OT posts to be kept to a minimum, or to create a separate forum? I can only assume the first is as difficult as making the request, and the second, I'm not so sure. My analogy was in response to the many many posters who were fun and knew their stuff - and who sadly no longer visit C&F as the focus has so noteably shifted away from whistles. One does tend to ask: What's the point anymore?

And by the way, HI TERI!!!

[colomon]

Sounds like asking the old session players to go sit out on the sidewalk in the cold because the people inside can't hear themselves smoke, drink, f*rt or whatever else it is they want to do in "peace" inside the Irish pub that has had music going for years. Move along old timers. You're kind isn't wanted here anymore.

With this analogy, we're getting edged out towards the cold right now -- and I'm hoping to convince the powers-that-be to make us a nice new quiet room so we can get down to some serious music.

Why is it so hard for people who come ,and at least claim to play or want to play, an Irish whistle to talk about whistles?

In my experience, this always happens on Internet forums when there isn't "enough" on-topic discussion. Once people get established talking about off-topic stuff, it snowballs. In no time you have people joining the board just because someone told them it was a cool place to chat, and knowledgable people who don't have time for random chatter quit.

And I've learned it's always fruitless to try to convince people to be on-topic once off-topic posting becomes established as a regular thing. I don't think I've ever seen it work.... and the person trying to do it will suffer a lot of abuse in the process.

[Brian Lee]

Sounds like asking the old session players to go sit out on the sidewalk in the cold because the people inside can't hear themselves smoke, drink, f*rt or whatever else it is they want to do in "peace" inside the Irish pub that has had music going for years. Move along old timers. You're kind isn't wanted here anymore.

With this analogy, we're getting edged out towards the cold right now -- and I'm hoping to convince the powers-that-be to make us a nice new quiet room so we can get down to some serious music.

Why is it so hard for people who come ,and at least claim to play or want to play, an Irish whistle to talk about whistles?

In my experience, this always happens on Internet forums when there isn't "enough" on-topic discussion. Once people get established talking about off-topic stuff, it snowballs. In no time you have people joining the board just because someone told them it was a cool place to chat, and knowledgable people who don't have time for random chatter quit.

And I've learned it's always fruitless to try to convince people to be on-topic once off-topic posting becomes established as a regular thing. I don't think I've ever seen it work.... and the person trying to do it will suffer a lot of abuse in the process.

I'm just curious as to why the whistle players and makers etc. are the ones being edged out here - and why the OT topics are doing it. It seems to me that on the whistle board, if people want to talk about general stuff, that they either need to have the common sense to take it outside (ie: a different board, forum, chat room, etc etc.) or at the least ask for the concession that they have their own "quiet room" to go chat away in.

Just makes C&F feel less like a community of like minded whistle/flute/pipe/music players and more like a landfill of OT chatter that quite a few of us don't want to wade through - and until the last few years didn't have to. And yet now we're the one's being asked to leave? (start our own forum) And how long will it take that forum to become overrun with OT topics again...?

[susnfx]

...more like a landfill of OT chatter that quite a few of us don't want to wade through - and until the last few years didn't have to. And yet now we're the one's being asked to leave? (start our own forum)

I find this an amusing statement since you're certainly no stranger to OT topics.

I voted for a separate forum at this point--I read a lot of whistle-related posts but don't post to them much since there are many others who have more experience and can answer questions better than I. I read many threads in the other forums, too, particularly the ITM threads. I'm not afflicted with WhOA, having got a whistle or two that I thoroughly enjoy, so I'm not interested in the "for sale" or "what's the best whistle for a beginner" threads. I'm interested in some of the OT threads and post to them regularly (I haven't started one myself since August, however), but I've noticed the increase in OT threads and can understand that some people might get frustrated with them.

I don't care what Dale and Rich decide to do. I'll come to this board for all types of information and interaction no matter what direction they take.

Susan

[rich]

Sounds like asking the old session players to go sit out on the sidewalk in the cold because the people inside can't hear themselves smoke, drink, f*rt or whatever else it is they want to do in "peace" inside the Irish pub that has had music going for years. Move along old timers. You're kind isn't wanted here anymore.

Because it's not about tenure, but logistics, and ease of design for Rich.

I dunno. It seems to me that the forum named "Whistle Board" is a good place to talk about whistles, and it seems that new folks will want to search the historical whistle discussion when they get here, and not the historical off-topic-forum discussion which was about whistles at some point in time.

One thing to keep in mind is that there's two reasons for the forums to exist, really -- first, as a hangout for everyone who's here, and second, as a place for people who come across Chiff and Fipple to come and join in. Those joiners-inners will probably be coming here to talk about whistles, so it's not necessarily the case that there won't be any whistle talk if things split.

Cheers,
--Rich