There has been an undercurrent of negativity that has been seeping it’s way through the forum as of late. Indulge me while I address it.
Please take a moment to go to your profile, click on “Show the last posts…,” and go back and read some of the first posts you ever made. If you started on YYN, go there and do the same.
I have been on different types of forums since 1994. I’ve seen all the “use the search function” and “google it” lines. (Well, after four years or so once they created Google…) Like many of you, I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of “not another one of these threads” threads. I’ve seen 17 years of amateur copy editors. Same with self appointed moderators.
And, I’ve seen plenty of soapbox lectures…well…just like this one I’m writing now. I don’t know if they ever do any good. When I read other people’s I generally think it’s grandstanding. I’m sure this will be perceived similarly. Perhaps rightfully so.
So, I guess the cycle continues. But please be kind. We all have been there. If you think someone is just not able to use the forum correctly, don’t lash out. Send a PM to a mod. Let them address it. It’ll seem less like bullying.
Yeah the yoyo community looks a lot less appealing when you ask a simple question and instead of an answer you get flack and “Google it.”.
I will also say that searching for yourself may be easier but we should still be more conscious of how beginners feel and if they’re greeted with negativity they won’t stick around to find out if there’s anything more to the community then that.
While looking back at posts past (I have half a mind to fix the grammar/spelling on all of them…) I saw that my introduction was on page 7 of 238. That’s a lot of people that have come and gone since I’ve joined and I hope that I’ve kept some members around and not driven too many away.
Besides, the search function is only good, if you use the same keywords as the last person who raised the topic. Also, you may raise the issue again, and get different points of view than were expressed the last time there was a thread on the topic. As new members join, you get new and better information on the subject.
No one on this forum has perfect spelling and grammar. Some people’s spelling and grammar are just better than others. Everyone makes mistakes. Never make a presumption about the age of the user, their familiarity with the internet, computers, or their knowledge of forum etiquette. I can think of a few users who were given a hard time, but now, they are on board and don’t stand out nearly as much. People will catch on, if we are patient.
This is a store first, forum second, so all these new members are potential customers for YoyoExpert. We could all stand to be more kind.
Thanks for pointing this out, i havent been a part of the community long but i have definitely seen a lot of negative and lashing posts, which makes me kind of sad. Where is the love? Guess it may just be at the end of the slipknot…