Decision Time

My main role on this forum is to ensure it is interesting and enjoyable for everyone, whether they be regular contributors, infrequent contributors, or those who simply like to pop in from time to time for a read.

I can't help but notice an increasing tendency towards 606 like discussions about horse x being better than horse y. I say 606 like because they inevitably degenerate into personal clashes.

Personally, apart from the purpose of objective analysis of races yet to be run, I find such discussions, if they can be called that, totally pointless; but this is your forum and if that's what you want then so be it.

I think it's time to make a decision as to how you want this forum to operate so that I can moderate accordingly.

Therefore, I would like you all to vote for your preference. In broad terms it's a choice between this site becoming like BBC606 used to be (without the BBC moderating), or NOT.

To help you decide which way to vote, the NOT option will result in the introduction of a few unwritten laws eg
Kauto Star v Arkle/Denman/Mill House etc - Banned
New Approach v Sea The Stars etc - Banned
I have mentioned these as examples as they seem to cause the most problems.

So, it's up to you folks. Vote away. No need to comment. Votes will be anonymous.

Based on the results I will make an announcement.

In any event any personal abuse will be promptly removed if spotted or reported.

Thank you
Ron

 

NOT from me too

 

I agree Ron

 

Not, and I must say that I will be using the forum less if it continues. My sarcasm on the two threads (PN and the quiz one) shows the disregard I have for what this site is going to turn into now. I also suggest that the moderation of peoples posts by Ron isn't something that sits well with me (not criticising you Ron, your heart is in the very best place for the site and it is understandable - I just wish it didn't have to happen).

Good luck Ron, I think you need it.

 

My wife once bought me a pink shirt.

 

Good idea to seek out opinion Ron.

As an aside I would say that I feel it's not as easy as taking out a particular type of debate as it will in my opinion be more to do with those debating rather than the debate. Unfortunately sometimes people lose perspective when emotion rises and when this happens all perspective is replaced with defencivness or aggression, we see this outside often when a confrontation begins because someone becomes defencive over the silliest thing taken personally. The reason you have highlighted the horse vs horse thing is because those debates stir the most emotion in people and sometimes in some people emotion provokes certain responses. I always feel that whenever discussing something with someone at the point they become emotional there is little point carrying on as in my experience when emotion rises the hearing stops anyway.

I feel all of us who follow the site anywhere near regular know who is who even though we have never met and so for example i feel i could quite easily have a good debate with someone like Princess, Sir Barney or Roto about Frankel vs Brig Gerrard for example and it would all be fine in as much as we would share opinion backed up by what we see as evidence and all parties would be respected, it would be fun, so as i say it's about the people not the debate. It's a bit like drinking some people should not do it as it causes a reaction and they start fighting and with debating when some people are disagreed with it produces a reaction of it being a personal confrontation that's all, it's not that debating is the problem as it is a wonderful thing which is part of an essential human trait which is to always question things, even our own opinions and beliefs.

I am not sure if this has arisen as Arkle has returned, i may be way off track there as i have not been on much this week as i have been busy. When i looked on the daily thread a few days ago however i saw he had returned but from what i was reading he seemed to be going out of his way to not cause trouble, I only mention it as you referred to the Arkle Kauto thing which i have not seen for a awhile. In light of my comments above and i hope you wont take offence Arkle but your forte from before was being able to stir people into emotion whilst controlling your own and usually the only thing to make emotional people more emotional is someone who can control their own.

As i mention Ron it's good that you are asking opinion and i think at the moment we still have a really good forum with good knowledgable people and long may that continue. A few quite words may be more appropriate than censoring trhe debate however.

 

RON----good move oh wise man--------NOT is my vote
and get ye chopper out

 

extra category reqd; I really dont like the way this forum is going and have only logged in this evening to delete my account.......tick

 

Well that didn't take long did it ?
I can't access this site during the day but enjoy fumbling through the threads during the evening, recently that enjoyment is fast diminishing.
I'm a 'less often' user....

 

Do what you think is right Ron. You can't please all the people all the time, but rest assured you've done a pretty good job so far.

 

Im an infrequent commentor but regular reader but some ego's have got out of hand and some ego's have felt discreditted! I think the daily thread should be just that and if a topic for "debate" is put up then we are all man enough to decide if we want to take part! Peoples opinion differ greatly and that is the joy of debate! Personal reference is uncalled for and negates the value of your opinion if this is the option you choose to vent through! Be careful you are not vilified like the Scottish cardinal for sharing an opinion however dated and self centred your opinion maybe!

 

A difficult one for Ron, and he has my sincere good wishes on this...nobody does the job better. I will however be a more infrequent user probably because to get to the real good stuff...ROTO, TC, STICK etc you've got to cut through so much *****!!!

I don't think censoring what can be debated is the answer. The problem is more the manner in which forum users debate. Now whilst I'm no angel, re the O'Briens bashing thread, there is surely room for a code of conduct and if you don't adhere to the code your out.

I can't sign up to the NOT. I could however sign up to zero tolerance...one strike and your out. Moderator decision final.

 

like gazboy I'm an infrequent commentor but regular reader. i love the banter and the egos.

 

Regarding the Obrien bashing thread was that the Scottish cardinal again

 

evening all

Before anyone does anything rash like closing their accounts, and the forum loses some great tipsters and more important great characters, let ron moderate the site for a while as he sees fit(he's been doing a great job so far!) then if it's not working we can vote on it or close our accounts if we're still not happy, But at least give him a chance, (as long as we're not voting to let the fox look after the chicken shed, HA! HA!)

 

It is Rons ball and he can bounce it anyway he wants to.

I have NOT joined this forum to cause problems...I have joined it to share my expertise,knowledge and genuine info I receive and you may have noticed it has already yielded a fair few winners in the first week !

I have also added new interest with a quiz and relevant threads which have not been created to cause problems.

It is up to everyone to examine their own consciences and see which way they want to go ..though if the majority want me out of here...then so be it !

I don't need the aggro and hassle either !

 

I am not sure what stats you can get Ron but they would be the best way to tell whats happening as when the forum is healthy you will have lots of different posters on the daily thread and others, when posts get good amounts of views and responses, and when few posts descend into nonsense. I sometimes view a daily thread and it's only got half a dozen posters which is not ideal but to be expected on a poor days racing but many posts get a good amount of views very quickly and that says a lot for the quality of the posts.

The good thing is you are very free to moderate how you feel here and i think we all have a lot of faith in your good judgement, i think you know if someone is being an arse or just trying to wind people up or if someone is being aggressive, so simply have a quiet word, explain how we want to do it here and if they don't like it they should leave. I think you are well respected and that means you have our support in whatever you choose to do. You can always put stuff to a vote as well which will give people a sense of being able to control their own forum to a degree.

 

Not.

Ron does a smashing job imeo...discord is rare and that is also a credit to the contributors.

Sorry to lose Stick but I do completely understand his rationale for evacuation...