Dear all, its time to quit.

[VanessaLee13]

Well, as a brand new poster to the DR1 boards, maybe I shouldn't be commenting on this, but fortunately or unfortunately, I will. I want to say that the couple questions I have asked, people have provided some excellent information and seemed very willing to help out. And since I am so new, and haven't encountered most of what people are commenting on here, the majority of my post will only address my feelings as a newcomer to the discussion boards.

As with any board, you are going to get new members asking questions that have been asked a hundred times. As jojo2130 pointed out above, some of us just don't know about the search feature, some maybe think their question is somehow different, I don't know. But I don't think (although I could be wrong), anyone does it to intentionally annoy the people who have been here for years and have to read that same question all the time (and I can only imagine how it must make you veterans smirk, laugh, pull your hair out after seeing it the thousandth time! ). I've noticed that some people just provide a link to a previous post, which is more helpful than getting angry at a new poster (although I personally haven't seen anyone get angry at a new poster).

I love hearing everyone's different opinions on any subject. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing, and there is nothing wrong with getting into a heated debate now and then. But, it can scare new users off if they are subjected to it too early. I know I stopped posting to a completely different discussion board (one I had just joined) after I received outright hostility from another poster, telling me I was a complete idiot for suggesting what I had, etc etc, when I had been only trying to suggest that maybe another angle was possible. Now, I know I am only one person, and I doubt anyone on those boards even noticed I was gone, but boards do eventually need new members to survive. I would hate to think that a resource such as DR1.com forums would go away in the very distant future because of lack of new members (not that this will happen-it would just be the extreme result of new posters leaving).

There is a very big difference between 1) having a difference of opinion and expressing that opinion persuasively and forcefully, and 2) disagreeing with someone and taking cheap shots at their intelligence or character simply because you don't like what they are saying. (Again, I have not seen the latter happen at DR1.com, I am referring to the information in this post). We are mostly all adults, and definitely can act like adults when replying to someone.

And I will end this new poster's post with an apology, instead of beginning with one. I apologize for all us new ones (even though I don't think I have the right to speak for all of us! ) who are not as knowledgeable about the boards or about information related to DR. We aren't trying to be a nuisance, only to get some information. But I guess we all are here for the same reasons-either a love of DR or just trying to find something out about it. I don't think it is too much to ask to be nice to each other, even if vehemently disagreeing. But that's just me. I don't think I will stop reading/posting anytime soon, and even if I do, I am but one member.

Thank you to everyone who moderates and controls these boards. It seems like an amazing feat-- one I could not imagine being in charge of. Thanks for making this all possible!
Vanessa

 

[Chirimoya]

Good post! I hope you stick around and join the 'regulars'. I'm sure you'll have plenty to contribute.

 

[Robert]

Welcome VanessaLee13, nice first post.

We are well aware of first time posters asking the same question that has been asked a million times and we are working on fixing this. We have been working on a new product that will help address this problem, basically away of finding answers to the most common questions.

What you are about to see is a SECRET, so please don't tell anyone.
It's very beta and something that will take a month or more of tweaking and making it look and feel like the rest of DR1. Right now we are just loading up the backend with content.

DR1 Knowledge Base

As you can see, we do listen and we put a lot of time and effort in to finding solutions to obvious problems. Our goal is to have 1001 most common questions.

 

[jojo2130]

Thank you Vanessa

Thank you Vanessa , please do not leave and thanks for the view from the Newbie side.

I have another example, A couple of months ago my wife and I lost our baby through miscarriage. The compassion shown on this board was extraordinary and very helpful. I thank all of you for contributing to our moment of need for support.

My wife on the other hand joined an online group of latinas discussing pregnancy and loss of babies. She posted her story and was simply seeking to talk to ladies that have had similar experiences. The basically called her a liar ......She was sitting in front of the computer crying. They disbelieved that she found out on Friday and lost the baby on Saturday which was indeed what happened, and they attacked her through posts.
Several posters were outright aggressive and crass. It was a terrible setback. Luckily, as here there were several decent posters that came forward and in the end she even has a good online friend.

Moral of the Story: When you post your snide smart**s remarks, you dont know who you are hurting, how sensitive they may be or what the affects of such comments are. Who the hell makes you judge and jury anyway .
The internet is a strange place of anonimity and in my humble opinion , it is the cowards that sit behind a keyboard and knock strangers .........and I also believe it is only to make THEMSELVES feel better or empowered because maybe they know something that a newbie doesnt but can't hold a candle in a spontaneous conversation.

 

[AnnaC]

Welcome Vanessa, I too hope you post more often in the future.

Robert that is going to be such a huge help in directing newbies and others to finding the info they seek.

Jojo I remember feeling your pain when you posted that.


It's not always bad around here and I think the good outweighs anything negative we go through once in a while. I sometimes think we get instigators and we won't even get into the subject of sock puppets that all sound and write the same.

 

[sosuajames]

all that back and forth banter is what i kinda like and find funny, that is why i like dr1. without it, dr1 would just be like trip advisor. the real funny part is if you put all these people in a room together everyone would be polite. it is like someone flipping you off from their car and speeding away. i get jumped on here and have no problem with it. in reality, i'm 230lbs of solid muscle and tatooed all over my body. most people are easily intimidated, i just have to glare at them and they get the message. its that certain degree of annonominity that gets peoples courage up to slag(like children in school writting in there desk arguing back and forth until someone looks in the classroom and sees that they could get there arse whipped by the other person sitting there that they are fighting with). dr1 keep going the way you are, if it aint broke, dont fix it. im sure ill take some heat for my spelling but hey......

 

[Cleef]

So true

the real funny part is if you put all these people in a room together everyone would be polite.

The cowards don't show up.

I spent a Thanksgiving with AZB, drank beers and laughed. Just weeks before that we wanted to snap each other's necks. I'd already picked out where I was going to leave his body.

Lets meet at Lax in Cabarete and fight. Yeah right.

 

[Diana11]

oh

yes yes you are right

 

[Ken]

Good idea, Robert. Should make it much easier to retrieve what is in the archives.

I realize this is a work in progress, but I'm curious as to what is planned. It is essentially a most commonly asked questions by newbies aid, or will it be more extensive than that?

 

[AnnaC]

I spent a Thanksgiving with AZB, drank beers and laughed. Just weeks before that we wanted to snap each other's necks. I'd already picked out where I was going to leave his body.

I'm laughing so hard because just a week before that dinner I had deleted so many of his well thought out and extremely long posts that I was afraid he might be planning where to dump my body. :laugh:

 

[macocael]

Vanessa, excellent post. No need to apologize for not knowing stuff, I wasnt too good at finding things on the board when I first came on. Jojo, I remember your post well, it went straight to my heart. I gather things are better now?

Sosuajames, I think you are right on about the license that anonymity gives people. One of the things on the site that I operate for photographers is that pretty much everyone is registered under their real name -- the photo world, even on a global scale, is actually pretty small, so we all kind of "know" each other and to a certain extent we have to toe the line. Still this board is different, so that is no solution for us here -- and I dont think I really want a solution. I am all for the banter, particularly the really good banter, but not the puerile insults or attacks on people you dont know. Attacking a newbie for posting a naive or ill though out question and calling them names is just unacceptable; on the other hand, a bit of humor at their expense, irony, sarcasm, is perfectly all right. Humor is a great teacher. it is really all about the tone.

 

[jojo2130]

Anna, macocael, thank you for asking.........

Fran is much better. And me too. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger......... She still has the odd evening where she misses the baby. I have also learned in all of it how special she really is. She is definitely one of the good ones. Latin fire and all !

I agree on your newbie comments. at least give them a chance to get in the door.

I know what MY reaction would be if the Walmart Greeter said something like your Shoes don't match your socks or "damn don't you know where the electronics department is and called over all of the Walmart employees nearby and began cracking jokes and laughing and pointing.

Its a mind set. Funny how we have double standards.

Its simple math, count the # of unique hits and count the # of regular posters and my guess is that the percentage of newbies far outweighs the regs. And getting the percentage of posters up for DR1 could do nothing but be good for the Biz.

Now Moderators Man(or Woman ) those doors and greet the customers or potential customers !

 

[MaineGirl]

On DavesEslCafe.com forums (I have been on those forums longer than I have been on Dr1) they have a newbie forum because every day they'd get a hundred newbies asking, "Where can I make the most money teaching English (without a degree or any experience) that is also close to the best beaches and somewhere where pot and hookers are legal?"

I exagerate but not by much.

In response to what became daily inane posts where old-timers viciously cut down the newbies--who were quite innocent, wanderlust-filled types--they have the newbie forum.

It's a gentle place where people are treated a bit nicer and where newbies can ask "stupid questions".

Robert, I would moderate a newbie forum and I would be merciless on any offenders.

I could also dump reasonable posts into the proper forum....

This offer is because DR1 is a super-valuable tool for me.

And my worst offenses were picking on goatfarmerGA and Van2004 and I'd like to reverse the karma.

 

[Chris]

In the years that I've been hanging out on DR1, this must be the 4th year that these same things come up, almost in the same way as well, and with the same types of solutions proposed. No, I am not complaining, it is good to reflect from time to time and to check whether things are still OK. In my experience, the board is almost too tame these days. In some years past, I was too scared to post for about a year ... it was a wild place, but it is much calmer now.

I think we have a much more tolerant and helpful approach generally to newbys now. Now and again something gets forgotten, and that is what happened with a recent thread in the business forum.

The new moderators must still settle in (I'm also pretty new myself to living and employment), and every mod has to find his/her feet and style. I think generally we are doing good. Trying to catch up with all the posts after a few days away, really tells me how busy the forum has become, despite the much advertised 'high-profile' departures. This also happens regularly. It amazes me that folks think that they can become such a part of a message board, that their departure will leave a big hole. Things usually move right along.

I'm just too happy that this came up on my 'weekend off' and Robert had to deal with it :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: He is much nastier than I am....

 

[macocael]

My first bleep on DR1. A good call, though, Chris.

 

[Chris]

No prob - we are here to 'serve' - I checked my notes and my own mumblings are that you and CC should start a thread specifically to insult one another... Just for the rest of us to feast on the quality of the high class insults. It is a rare talent that you both have. and I would leave it just for the amusement value. But then, the rest of the readers sometimes take exception to those things.

Go on, start a Thread for Insults between you and CC... Call it Insults Between Gringo's on the DR1 - Dominican Style And amuse the rest of us...

OK, it is 'Time to Quit', before I encourage insurrection or something equally 'non-pc'

 

[rellosk]

What you are about to see is a SECRET, so please don't tell anyone.
It's very beta and something that will take a month or more of tweaking and making it look and feel like the rest of DR1. Right now we are just loading up the backend with content.

DR1 Knowledge Base

As you can see, we do listen and we put a lot of time and effort in to finding solutions to obvious problems. Our goal is to have 1001 most common questions.

Excellent! Great feature!