Topic: An open letter to Pippi L

[Peripatetic Phil]

[quote author=Pippi L

[Bobdylan]

Thank you for taking the time to post a very helpful and informative reply.

[livo]

Internet forums are the same all over. The same empassioned discussions are a recurring theme. The focus area of the forum and from that, the nature of the participating members is variable but the inherent problems are the same.

Off-topic comments and hijacking of threads is problematic, but the judgement of this is subjective. It simply is not possible to contain threads without overbearing moderation.

The use of unedited "quotes" and even worse and more lazy, nested quotes is a huge problem if allowed to run unchecked. I've seen a whole forum Page of a thread taken up by a single post that contained multiple layers of nested recursive quotes.

Unfortunately, this is not going to ever change as far as I can tell.  It is just how this type of board has evolved. I understand the frustration felt by some, and occasionally feel it myself. Then I'll openly admit that I'm also sometimes a part of the problem. Not to my own thinking at the time of posting, but certainly upon reflection after the event. I'm sure nearly everybody is in the same boat unless they are on permanent gaurds against such folly.

A Public Forum is never going to be as systematically arranged as some would like. There is little point getting upset over it but it is encumbent on all to at least try to avoid known organisational pitfalls. Easier said than done from my own experience.