Related Topics Posting Rules

Kelvin · Sep 29, 2002

I favor this decision more that I am dissapointed by it.

For a while I avoided the political/religious Off-Topic areas but eventually made what I figured to be a minor comment that I anticipated would result in one or two minor responses at most. Little did I know that my "comment" would grow into a major discussion with challenges to me that would take the majority of my TBN time to "adequately" respond to. And for every response that I gave it seemed that I got 3 or 4 new challenges.

I took a little over a week off from TBN to play with my tractor (and other rented/borrowed equipment) and moved a lot of fill-dirt (still haven't finished). In doing so I left a few questions/challenges unanswered until tonight when I decided it was time to post responses. Now I see that my responses would be off-limits. Disappointed? A little, but mostly...no. To me, the discussions that were on-going (in which I became heavily involved) had no purposeful end in sight. Only argument..counter-arguement....counter-counter-arguement, and on and on.

If anyone has GENUINE concerns about God or the bible, you can email me priveately (via the links on this board) and I'll try to answer or get an answer. If you just want to agrue, I most likely won't respond. This way, I can spend my TBN time discussing tractors...learning and passing on tractor knowledge/experience...the concept that makes this board great.

Kelvin

Alan L. · Sep 29, 2002

"Additionally, the quantity and quality of Related Topics posts by each user will be monitored by the moderators. We don't like to see users posting 80% of their messages in threads not having anything to do with tractors."

This is the part that bothers me. Nothing I can do about, but like someone else said, its sorta like someone just took my FEL away. I'll manage to do without it.

Anonymous Poster · Sep 29, 2002

I guess I'll probably sign off then. No hard feelings here, I just don't have much tractor related information to contribute. I originally started reading posts, because I was contemplating a Kubota purchase. I stayed interested, because of the maturity and intellect that prevails here. Since I don't own a tractor, have too many tractor related things to disscuss, or have time to read the other forums, I have read and posted strictly in the off topic area lately. Because of this, I would definitely fall into the 80% catagory. I have really enjoyed this site, and will probably see you all again when I get a Kubota, but for now I guess I really should be involved with a motorcycle site.
Thank you, Muhammed, for providing the internet with a truly awesome resource. I sincerely hope everyone respects your new requirements, and recognizes them as necessary measures in the pursuit of excellence.
Thank you all for a warm reception, and a wealth of knowledge.

Warmest regards,
Ben /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

s1120 · Sep 30, 2002

Yamaben, read this....

So, we have decided to restructure the OT forum here, to a Related Topics forum. This doesn't mean that every single post must be related to tractors. Talk about your cars, your trucks, your house or your pets. Talk about computers and cameras, or whatever hobbies you might have.

But, we will no longer be allowing the following topics to be discussed here:

1) Politics
2) Religion
3) Joke lists/E-Mail forwards

Your post about the motorcycles, and cars seem to fit to me. Now I am not one to talk, I have had my share of off topic posts, but I enjoyed you car, Motorcycle posts. I feel it fits in with this catagory. So hang out, study up on your tractor purchace, and chime in once in a wile.

AndyR · Sep 30, 2002

Excellent idea and about time.

knucklehead · Sep 30, 2002

Ben - don't go! Check back once in a while, we'll miss you! You have a lot to contribute, regardless of whether it's about tractors. My goodness, just your understanding of the infernal combustion process could be a major boon to us head scratchers out here! And your understanding and experience with business issues is valuable, too. Don't go, man!

I know I echo others' sentiments when I say that I find this site highly stimulating for more than just tractor or farm related conversation. As one who has been pre-occupied by Off Topic threads lately, I can't argue with the time they take, and the post traffic they generate. I agree with the concerns about administering the site, and accept the decision based on time, expense, and storage space.

I think, however, we did a pretty good job of policing ourselves - in fact, I recently spent some time reading posts from a year or more ago, and I found much stronger language and hostility there, relating to both politics and faith issues. So my impression is that we had advanced the level of civility considerably. I hope, even as I realize that we are all guests, that our ability to communicate won't be hampered.

The agricultural, or at least rural, lifestyle is an inseperable mix of technical, artistic, political, and spiritual things. We are exposed to the natural world more completely in our chosen lifestyle, and that encourages and inspires us to create, conserve, and think in ways that are different than other lifestyles. I only hope we don't find we have supressed a natural facet of our relationship with each other, and our mutual interests.

Private messaging has been suggested and is a good idea, but obviously not the same as the public forum. I appreciate the patience & tolerance of our hosts; this is the only board (other than CBN) I regularly visit. I have not found another like it on the 'net (anyone know any?).

Like we say at work, with recent cutbacks and rumors of cutbacks:

"They'll have to beat me a lot harder than this to make me go away."

/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

BEN - DON'T GO!

Harv · Sep 30, 2002

my impression is that we had advanced the level of civility considerably

Or perhaps the moderators have been very busy making sure it stays that way.

Dob · Sep 30, 2002

Ben, I seem to recall your monicker on the cbn site as well, perhaps that is a better "home" for you, adn you can visit here? I've enjoyed our topics on bees & goats!
Dob

TresCrows · Oct 1, 2002

Gatorboy, I like you. That is a good picture of you there too.
Yes, at long last, we can go back to the ONLY (as in O-N-L-Y) thing most of us have in common--TRACTORS. There are several billion people, each with an opinion on something, on this planet and with three major brands of tractors in lovely orange and stupid green and blah blue there is more than enough to tweak one another about without having topic threads that should have been reported to the SPCA or threads discussing the cosmic nature of right and wrong.
As I said, it is time to go back to tractors only and related topics, but that was just my opinion. J

Gary_in_Indiana · Oct 1, 2002

Ben,

I agree with Paul here. No need to bail out on us. Look at Golfgar. I think he's a veteran member and owns exactly as many tractors as you do. Heck, my biggest project now is a "Related Topics" post about building something to tow a car behind a semi (OK, it's a semi tractor, but I don't think that's the kind of tractor the forum supports /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif ).

My point (hard to find, I know) is that I don't believe you need to stop posting on TBN as a result of this change at all. Personally, I hope you reconsider (and this coming from a Goldwing rider, too /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif ).

Scott_in_WVA · Oct 1, 2002

The moderators done it all.......

Anonymous Poster · Oct 1, 2002

I didn't mean for my reply to sound so terminal. I'm not going away for good by any means. I really mean it when I say that I think there is a more mature theme to this community than others I have seen, and to turn my back on it would be to shoot myself in the foot. I was trying to show my support for Muhammad's change in policy. My recent posts may have been interesting to some, but at least 80% of them have been about things unrelated to tractors. I think I have interesting things to say, but most of them are on topics other than tractors. I'll be around, but I figure the best way for me to support the website that I like, is to stop soaking up bandwidth with unrelated stuff. Unfortunately, that leaves me with a lot less to say. Don't fret, I'm not leaving my "tractor friends" (as my wife puts it). I'll have a nice picture for Gary soon when I get my new Venture. Thanks, though for all the concern. It shows that you do form friendships in cyberspace.

Boondox · Oct 1, 2002

three major brands of tractors in lovely orange and stupid green and blah blue 

Oh, JR -- I can't wait to see what sort of mischief you stir up with that observation! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Pete and his lovely orange

Hydraman · Oct 1, 2002

After riding Harley's for years, I came to the conclusion that 'H-D' was actually an acronym for "Hunnert -Dollars";But I have not yet figured out what the "J-D" is an acronym for-----YET!!!!!!!!

Trev · Oct 1, 2002

After riding Harley's for years, I came to the conclusion that 'H-D' was actually an acronym for "Hunnert -Dollars";But I have not yet figured out what the "J-D" is an acronym for-----YET!!!!!!!! 

Just Do it?

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Hydraman · Oct 1, 2002

Mebee Just DON'T would be more appropriate in my case.....
See "Photos" / DON'T post!!!!!

bellweather · Oct 1, 2002

While I totally agree with your desire to keep this forum focused on tractor issues so that it remains a valuable resource to the tractor owner community, I also believe that the OT posts provide an opportunity to share/discover subjects where there is a likely common ground, be it barn building or dealing with bats in the attic. The challenge is finding the right ballance.

Molerj · Oct 1, 2002

Great Muhammad, I know I didn't have to read them but some of the OT things were
getting a bit much.

Golfgar4 · Oct 1, 2002

Hey, Ben!

We non-tractor owners gotta stick together! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Stick around!!

I agree with everyone here who feels this change is good. I've never jumped into those political or religious discussions because I just don't enjoy getting into them. I did enjoy reading them, as long as they stayed reasonably civil. However, there were times that I DID want to throw in a post concerning some individual comments, but decided that since I wasn't involved in the discussion, I didn't have the right to complain about anything that occurred.

Yes, the change will probably limit me (and other non-owners) to fewer posts, because I certainly don't have the "technical" experience to offer much. I will, however, continue to ask lots of questions and respond to something that strikes my fancy. Chances are I'll be getting a few communiques from the moderators about an occassional post. But as long as we're not limited to a certain number before we're ex-communicated, I guess I'll take my chances. Mind you, I'm not planning on doing anything intentionally wrong. But knowing my history and how easily I can get my foot into my mouth, it'll happen! /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Anyway, I'm not going anywhere - so don't you either Ben! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Oct 1, 2002

Ben,

I'm with Paul on this. We have a veteran member here (Golfgar) who owns exactly the same number of tractors as you do. He's here learning and contributing as you have and as I hope you will continue to do.

All of this from a Goldwing rider, no less. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif