State Of The Forum Address
Mar 19th 2009, 10:17 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: currently Dubai, ex UK
Posts: 4,582
State Of The Forum Address
I’ve used this site for 5 years now – longer than pretty much any other site I frequent. In the Middle East section I’m pretty much the “oldest” poster around these days, maybe Shiva, Jammy and a few others have been on longer...
The information and help from posters really helped and informed my move to Dubai 5 years ago and I’ve always thought BE was fantastic for the info and the banter. The speed of responses about obscure laws and events always meant this forum was the first port of call. Even now with the rise of facebook and twitter, this forum still has the ability to be the most relevant source of info on the UAE and most of the Middle East.
There’s been periods where the forum goes through weird patches where there are less posts or people get a bit bitchy. Perhaps it’s got its roots in people feeling unsure about their personal circumstances with the economic situation, I don’t know. What I do know is that the tone has taken a turn for the worse. Far more senseless personal attacks, more aggressive posts, less tolerance more racial and religious intolerance and so on.
As a user, not a mod, I would just like to suggest a small thing – treat people as you wish to be treated, maybe have a little think before launching yet another attack for little reason. Just because it’s on the ‘net doesn’t mean you need to act like a tosser. Discussion and disagreements are par for the course, but this whole direct attack is so detrimental to the forum. New users seem to come and get disillusioned by the bitchiness so quickly and a lack of new views and posters creates a stagnant forum.
I know it’s British Expats, but surely tolerance and even acceptance of others is part of what Britain was (once) known for and we should reflect this. It’s depressing that users are hounded away because they feel they are not welcome just having a different view / background.
So, we can all carry on with the backbiting and bitchiness and we can sit back and let this forum grow more and more stagnant or we can try to relax a little, engage in reasonable debate rather than attack and hopefully welcome more views to the site. I know which I’d prefer.
Anyway, just my 2 fils worth.
And if you all want to gather for a cyberhug – now would be an appropriate time…
Auto
The information and help from posters really helped and informed my move to Dubai 5 years ago and I’ve always thought BE was fantastic for the info and the banter. The speed of responses about obscure laws and events always meant this forum was the first port of call. Even now with the rise of facebook and twitter, this forum still has the ability to be the most relevant source of info on the UAE and most of the Middle East.
There’s been periods where the forum goes through weird patches where there are less posts or people get a bit bitchy. Perhaps it’s got its roots in people feeling unsure about their personal circumstances with the economic situation, I don’t know. What I do know is that the tone has taken a turn for the worse. Far more senseless personal attacks, more aggressive posts, less tolerance more racial and religious intolerance and so on.
As a user, not a mod, I would just like to suggest a small thing – treat people as you wish to be treated, maybe have a little think before launching yet another attack for little reason. Just because it’s on the ‘net doesn’t mean you need to act like a tosser. Discussion and disagreements are par for the course, but this whole direct attack is so detrimental to the forum. New users seem to come and get disillusioned by the bitchiness so quickly and a lack of new views and posters creates a stagnant forum.
I know it’s British Expats, but surely tolerance and even acceptance of others is part of what Britain was (once) known for and we should reflect this. It’s depressing that users are hounded away because they feel they are not welcome just having a different view / background.
So, we can all carry on with the backbiting and bitchiness and we can sit back and let this forum grow more and more stagnant or we can try to relax a little, engage in reasonable debate rather than attack and hopefully welcome more views to the site. I know which I’d prefer.
Anyway, just my 2 fils worth.
And if you all want to gather for a cyberhug – now would be an appropriate time…
Auto
Mar 19th 2009, 10:23 am
#2
banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,611
Re: State Of The Forum Address
ohhh **** off
i know thats directed at me, so point duly noted.
i too have been on here for around 4 years. Lately though it has been swamped with retards asking the same repetitive stuff.
and the influx since 7/7 of all the uber british, (britsh hating) muslims sets a serious undertone also
i know thats directed at me, so point duly noted.
i too have been on here for around 4 years. Lately though it has been swamped with retards asking the same repetitive stuff.
and the influx since 7/7 of all the uber british, (britsh hating) muslims sets a serious undertone also
Mar 19th 2009, 10:25 am
#3
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: State Of The Forum Address
I agree...
Lately there seems to be a lot of agression in peoples posts that wasn't there before..and the 'normal pisstaking' seems to have stepped up a pace to an extend where I am not sure it's funny anymore, even for the more established posters, to read...
I am the first one to admit I am not mrs Nice and Sweet all the time, before anyone steps forward, but recently there has been another atmosphere on BE and I can fully understand why people don't want to post on here at the moment...
I don't do cyberhugs though...
Lately there seems to be a lot of agression in peoples posts that wasn't there before..and the 'normal pisstaking' seems to have stepped up a pace to an extend where I am not sure it's funny anymore, even for the more established posters, to read...
I am the first one to admit I am not mrs Nice and Sweet all the time, before anyone steps forward, but recently there has been another atmosphere on BE and I can fully understand why people don't want to post on here at the moment...
I don't do cyberhugs though...
Mar 19th 2009, 10:28 am
#4
Go on.. Pull my finger..
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Dubai
Posts: 5,726
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Aye, fair doo's, Ill try turning the other cheek an' a'....
Last edited by TGFKASE; Mar 19th 2009 at 10:34 am.
Mar 19th 2009, 10:39 am
#5
A bubbly-jock...
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Teneriffe
Posts: 6,262
Re: State Of The Forum Address
I agree...
...too many newbies lurk in the background - frightened to join in
..we should make the effort to make them feel welcome
PS In light of what you have said can Beard Man come back to play (within the rules though) ?
...too many newbies lurk in the background - frightened to join in
..we should make the effort to make them feel welcome
PS In light of what you have said can Beard Man come back to play (within the rules though) ?
Mar 19th 2009, 10:41 am
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 87
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Well i would like to post on BE more as it was a great help to us too but it can be scary wondering what response you're going to get. I have a friend who moved out here 6 months ago and she found the forum a great help too but never posted because of the response she seen other people getting. I'm not saying it should be all nicey nice all the time but when people ask for help sometimes it's better not to say anything if you can't say anything nice
Mar 19th 2009, 10:46 am
#7
banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,611
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Well i would like to post on BE more as it was a great help to us too but it can be scary wondering what response you're going to get. I have a friend who moved out here 6 months ago and she found the forum a great help too but never posted because of the response she seen other people getting. I'm not saying it should be all nicey nice all the time but when people ask for help sometimes it's better not to say anything if you can't say anything nice
Mar 19th 2009, 10:55 am
#8
ex-expat
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: in front of my computer - in sunny Sussex!
Posts: 2,162
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Hear hear!
... and I'm up for a group hug!
... and I'm up for a group hug!
Mar 19th 2009, 11:05 am
#10
ex-expat
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: in front of my computer - in sunny Sussex!
Posts: 2,162
Mar 19th 2009, 11:14 am
#12
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 166
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Why would a British Muslim posting on British Exapts cause a "serious undertone"? Any more so than a British atheist or a British dog-catcher would? I am happy to be British and happy to be a Muslim... how does that make me 'uber' either?
Generalisations are almost always unfair...
Anyway.
PS: 7/7 is completely irrelevant to my decision of choosing a place to live in. London specifically and England generally is still one of the best countries in the world to live in as a Muslim (or as a follower of any other religion or none), regardless of the terrible crimes/atrocities of a few f***wits on 7/7. Those actions though have almost as much to do with me as the Couny Antrim terrorists last week have with any Irishmen living in Dubai....
Mar 19th 2009, 11:19 am
#13
Excess Baggage
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: State Of The Forum Address
This place was a real help to me when I moved to Dubai in 2006. And I continue to look in now and again to have my taste in music ridiculed.
Mar 19th 2009, 11:21 am
#14
why ayeeeee man!
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Disco Gardens...
Posts: 11,370
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Well i would like to post on BE more as it was a great help to us too but it can be scary wondering what response you're going to get. I have a friend who moved out here 6 months ago and she found the forum a great help too but never posted because of the response she seen other people getting. I'm not saying it should be all nicey nice all the time but when people ask for help sometimes it's better not to say anything if you can't say anything nice
Mar 19th 2009, 11:22 am
#15
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181
Re: State Of The Forum Address
Not sure if this comment is addressed at someone like me, but I'll bite anyway.
Why would a British Muslim posting on British Exapts cause a "serious undertone"? Any more so than a British atheist or a British dog-catcher would? I am happy to be British and happy to be a Muslim... how does that make me 'uber' either?
Generalisations are almost always unfair...
Anyway.
PS: 7/7 is completely irrelevant to my decision of choosing a place to live in. London specifically and England generally is still one of the best countries in the world to live in as a Muslim (or as a follower of any other religion or none), regardless of the terrible crimes/atrocities of a few f***wits on 7/7. Those actions though have almost as much to do with me as the Couny Antrim terrorists last week have with any Irishmen living in Dubai....
Why would a British Muslim posting on British Exapts cause a "serious undertone"? Any more so than a British atheist or a British dog-catcher would? I am happy to be British and happy to be a Muslim... how does that make me 'uber' either?
Generalisations are almost always unfair...
Anyway.
PS: 7/7 is completely irrelevant to my decision of choosing a place to live in. London specifically and England generally is still one of the best countries in the world to live in as a Muslim (or as a follower of any other religion or none), regardless of the terrible crimes/atrocities of a few f***wits on 7/7. Those actions though have almost as much to do with me as the Couny Antrim terrorists last week have with any Irishmen living in Dubai....