flying dutchman

The internet is unique in its ability to provide users with access to informationpeople 10 years ago wouldn't have been able to get hold of. This forum was unique in its ability for people to share knowledge, expertise and experiences of what is for many of us a collective dream.

I have not made many posts and those i have, have related to PR visa problems on the 'immigration' forum. I do, however check this forum numerous times a day and where appropriate add my two pence worth.

However, I find it a real shame that a select few seem intent on dragging the quality of the whole forum down to a level where it serves little purpose to anyone. Even genuine, sensible posts are being responded to with sarcasm and in some cases downright aggression (and i have no doubt this one will be too).

We have the ability to help each other with what is arguably the biggest decision of our lives: moving half way around the world to start a new life.

Challenging posts should be welcomed and can be very helpful, but it seems to be going be beyond that. Anyway, just my two pence worth and i am fully expecting this post to get shot down, but I know some of you agree with me...

flying dutchman

dibrucewillis

Yes I am in total agreement.

I try to access this site at least once a day to gather information and advice which will hopefully help and assist our proposed move to Oz.
Although, I have of late found some of the posts totally irrelevant ,some offensive and some just an excuse for starting another tit for tat session!!!

Diane

Pollyana

I wouldn't dream of shooting you down, in fact I agree with what you say. I no longer post advice or suggestions because of the sarcastic way in which they have been greeted lately, and having last night been accused of being a racist, selfish, greedy, loser, I am beginning to wonder why I am still on the forum, and will probably cease to make any posts at all. I am quite happy to hold a reasoned discussion with someone about reasons for emigrating, but those who start the posts seem incapable of holding a balanced arguement together.

One of the few reasons I will be glad to leave the UK is because I work in an office full of back-biting children, and I used to take refuge on the forum. Unfortunately, that has now descended to the same childish level.

flying dutchman

I am sure the vast majority of users use this site for the same reasons you and I do: to share knowledge etc. I have noticed that some of the more regular users are on a mission to trash anyone elses opinions.

In some ways they have done me a favour, as the more I read their vitriolic posts, the less and less I see them as a true reflection of life in Australia. Got to admit, some of you guys had be a bit worried for a while!

Polyanna - I also used to 'escape' to this forum to do some research and plan our new life. I will still do this but need to filter the information. There is some really valuable information on here but some go out of their way to discredit it. If you reply to any post I make, I can't promise I will agree with you, but I will respect your opinion. There doesn't seem to be a lot of respecting people's views going on.

Here's hoping the passive aggressive posters will get bored and just go away. Partly our own fault though for biting each time they post their rubbish!

TIZUS

We have been using the forum for a few months now and have gleemed masses of usefull information and would like to thank all those people who have answered or given advice on my numerous posts! and we would like to think we have assisted a few people who are alittle behind us in the applications. I agree the forum has changed but surley the answer is not to get pulled down by the "few" who want to wreck it. Often I will start reading a thread and then think ok I give up here and will just switch to another thread or I will kick myself for actually wasting my time reading througha thread that has gone haywire!

It would be a real shame if people just gave up on this forum as it has been so much help to me and my husband.

Regards Tori

donna

All i can say is hang on in there ,the forum went through a similiar phase last year,but picked up again later.
It would be a shame if all the geniune posters left as i have found it a godsend at times.
I welcome constructive views but the blatant rudeness and aggression is uncalled for.
donna

stotty

Unfortunately it is virtually impossible to stop people posting negative/insulting stuff on this forum. As I have said before though, it is possible to minimise the effect that these people have - use the ignore feature.

Ideally the forum would be used by people that are either living in Oz, have lived in Oz and moved on, just got to Oz or are about to go to Oz, with the intention being to form a mutually beneficial group. Granted, with any gathering of people - online or face to face - there will always be disagreements and differences of opinion. Everyone accepts that and that's part of the appeal of a site like this - to gather a representative selection of people's opinions, good and bad.

Meanwhile, back in reality, it also seems to attract people with other motives. I don't know what motivates these people but from reading some of the posts several options spring to mind:

1) they are wind-up merchants.

2) they are socially inept and rely on the internet for their interaction.

3) They are well-intentioned but lack the communication skills/maturity/mantal dexterity to articulate their opinions to an adult audience.

4) They are not happy with their situations but aren't prepared to do anything to change it, just whinge about it. They make themselves feel better not by improving their lot but by trying to spread their doom and gloom outlook to others.


There's probably loads more possibilities. Whichever applies, the bottom line is that they (probably) will not go away of their own accord so people have to make a choice: ignore them and just get on with using the forum, or stop using it. Words on here are just that - words (or groups of letters, if anyone wants to be pedantic!). They are typed by anonymous people that no one will probably ever meet so really what does it matter?

I know I'm guilty of rising the the occasional bit of bait but generally I take what I need from the forum and read the rest of the posts as a form of entertainment only if I'm bored, or fancy an argument.

Like I've said before - leave the forum and the idiots win, and everyone loses a valuable resource. My suggestion is to try the ignore feature before quitting the forum.

pabloako

I agree with you.
Unfortunately I do not know any big negative words to describe the tone people use on some forums. (If I did know them I would not know how to spell it), but all most people want is information and there seems to be a lack of that these days.

gOD

I have said it before and will say it again. Most of the problems I have seen (ok, well a fair few) are people who refuse to accept the possibility of anyone saying anything negative. A lot of people seem to loath the fact that anyone could say anything negative about a country they live in or want to move to (unless it is the UK of course).

I would recommend a "good news" forum where everyone can pat themselves on the back for choosing the Best Country in the World (tm) and get on with hearing and telling others how good it is.

For anyone else who wants the hear the good and the bad, I think this is a good forum. If you don't like certain posts, ignore them. If you don't like a subject title, ignore it.

Pollyana

gOD,
Like most people here, I am not looking for a "good news forum".
Most of us do not have a problem with people's comments, negative or positive. In fact, hearing the good and bad points of a country is useful and informative. What we do object to is the downright rudeness, bad language, and even bullying, which is gradually taking over.
When I first joined the forum I found it informative and helpful. Now I am starting to feel that I can neither ask questions, nor post answers to people for fear of being insulted.

flying dutchman

gOD,
I have to agree with Polyana, if people can't take constuctive feedback on a post or a reply they didn't expect to a question, then don't visit this forum. I am someone who is not looking for 'a pat on the back' when it comes to posts and have learnt some valuable facts from this and the immigration forum.

However, abuse, sarcasm and insults are not constructive. I am more than happy to ignore threads with subject lines that look like they are angling for a virtual row, but more and more of the 'sensible' threads are being infected with this type of behaviour.

I will continue to visit the site and welcome debate, a joke or constructive criticism. Just not abuse.

flying dutchman

delia

I agree with Flying Dutchman

I post very rarely because I'm too scared to!!!!! But I can say that I have gleened a lot of useful information over the past few months from some of the threads, even from PB!!! However, some of the more shall we say 'not so positive posts' that end up in a slanging match have not deterred me from going I feel that I need to find out for myself whether I'll like it or not and I can only do that by actually going, which I am in November. If we don't like it after a couple of years we can always come back.

Perth in November pending passing my exams, if not resits in December then we're off.

TIZUS

Exactly!

ptlabs

FD, all,

http://britishexpats.com/forum/membe...serlist=ignore

In case someone isn't aware of its existence.


Peter

nosuchluck

hear hear Tori
i must totally agree with you, why let a few 'users' with nothing better to do spoil the forum for people who use it in the way it should be used, this is an invaluable forum for people making the biggest decision of their lives, lets carry on helping people and disregard the 'idiots' replies/comments
with regards
rach