In the interest of board civility

[JohnnyThunders]

I am a member of a couple of other user groups and, quite honestly, I have been amazed at some of the mud slinging that goes on on this site. I see more irrelevant topics here than any where else. Perhaps the folks who manage this site can create some more topics in order to allow us people seeking specific information to avoid the BS that some of our less mature members seem to enjoy posting. Perhaps:

1. Hamer Guitars (info only pertaining to Hamers)

2. Non-Hamer Guitars

3. Guitar & bass Amps

4. PA gear & related questions

5. Studio & recording

6. Gigging & Performance subjects

7. Musicianship

8. Ranting and other off topic items.

That would be the Gear Page where you can talk about all the you mention and avoid all the BS that gets flung about here. I love Hamers and this still is the best source of info but you have to wade thru all of this BS to get to it which somedays is not worth the effort. I understand that running a board like this is tough but right now this board has turned into too much of a "Jerry Springer" like experience for me. I think if it doesn't get cleaned up soon it will sink under the weight of its own mud slingin!

[silentman]

I have seen nothing that is really friendly...there is nothing humorous between members...and new members...there is just a staunch realization that the old crew rules and shares their intimate knowledge...there really isn't a whole lot of fun on this board...

There is some truth in that.

This message board is no different than any other in this respect. There is always an 'inner circle' of oldtimers, mega-posters, the commedian, troll, newbies, et al. It's human nature that causes these cliques and personas to form.

To address MikeLee's 'ban by committee' idea, I don't think that's the way to handle it. I've seen many message boards go thru meltdowns over the years. Moderators do what they can but can't please everyone. So then a 'uninterested party' type moderator is put into place, but that doesn't work out either. There needs to be someone in charge and the community must accept this persons decision on bannings, temp bannings, thread pulling, etc WITHOUT EXPLINATION. I don't remember if there is a list of rules that you agree to when you sign up. But they should be available to click on for reference and when a moderator does their job it should not be questioned.

[MCChris]

Don't pull threads. Lock more threads, with the final post being from a moderator explaining the reason. That way, whatever led up to the locking won't be some cryptic mystery and everyone can make their own judgments about the posts.

[HamerHokie]

Look at what you've got -- a guy who obviously feels he or a friend is wronged and is hellbent for revenge and feels somehow it is his duty to protect the world . . . You have a legitimate dealer (at least Hamer has him on their website and guitars ordered by him for customers so he must be legit in their eyes) getting pounded to a pulp and another who has evidently already been pounded (Al) previously. You have a bunch of us looking on in astonishment at the childishness of it all.

And we also have, evidently, a bunch of people, like you, who are appalled by it, and have EVERY RIGHT TO AVOID CLICKING ON IT. But you just can't resist reading it.

If there's something you find objectionable on the forum, skip it! Clearly however, a bunch of folks just can't.

[serial]

My thoughts on the post-pulling and censoring is that it leaves no one accountable for their cyberballs gone awry. If you type $hit and hit the ""post" button, you need to think about what impact those words might have on others AND what kind of reflection it has on you.

I've typed a hundred posts or more over the years and just hit the backspace rather than hitting the "add reply" button. Trust me, it's a better approach and maybe I get some venting done simply by typing the words out. Whether they're posted or not at that point sometimes makes little difference.

[Jack C]

Look at what you've got -- a guy who obviously feels he or a friend is wronged and is hellbent for revenge and feels somehow it is his duty to protect the world . . .  You have a legitimate dealer (at least Hamer has him on their website and guitars ordered by him for customers so he must be legit in their eyes) getting pounded to a pulp and another who has evidently already been pounded (Al) previously.  You have a bunch of us looking on in astonishment at the childishness of it all.

And we also have, evidently, a bunch of people, like you, who are appalled by it, and have EVERY RIGHT TO AVOID CLICKING ON IT. But you just can't resist reading it.

If there's something you find objectionable on the forum, skip it! Clearly however, a bunch of folks just can't.

+1

But you should still feel free to post some more pics of your old woman, Matt.

[serial]

"feel free to post pics of your old woman, Matt".

JackC you pig.

Yeah Matt-what he said.

[Matt Mattson]

Another day, another girlfriend . . .

I can't believe you're attacking me -- I'm such a great guy!

As for reading -- eventually you have to read or simply go away wondering why your initial posts are unanswered. I now know why (as do the rest): first you have to be screened -- is he in this camp or that camp or friends of . . . or using a real name or an alias . . . or maybe he's a secret agent going to flame me or maybe . . . Of course, now the more paranoid will go looking at my initial posts to read whatever they want to read into them or out of them or whatever . . . Can't be to careful!

Have a nice day.

Matt Mattson

http://www.treasuresites.com/z.htm

[hikarateboy]

Thanks for the input folks.

I am going to start by taking the advice a Musecafe Chris and lock this baby up. I think we have hashed it out.