Metropol

Nini wrote:I don't agree, we do hound certain people but they don't run off crying never to return so we're not half as bad as we're made out. We could be friendly and we are but we shouldn't have some form of rule forcing people to be ultra nice and never say anything that could be considered offensive or an attack. Can't change that dynamic, same as it used to be in The Lounge and is something inherent to what makes Metropol a savage, mailce-filled bitches' playground.

The TVF thread, that will not go anywhere and nor will the DS thread, they're really the main hostile elements but unless you expect everyone to be all happy smiley every single post then you might have come to the wrong place.

I hear what you're saying, and you're probably correct in saying that the forum dynamic won't change. Hymagumba was pondering why recruitment is slow, so I put forward the apparent hostility here as a possible reason. Clearly mine is a minority view so I'll say no more and return to lurking.

freddy wrote:Clearly mine is a minority view so I'll say no more and return to lurking.

we'll see you in another two years then

I think people tend to see some of the more irksome new members being ravaged by the 'big-knobs' as I shall refer to them and think "holy hell, that could be me. Us newbies don't stand a chance!"

Then again, I'm relatively new here and no one has ever tried to hound me out before like they have with the likes of Pad and JM. I think the whole 'secret forum' stuff does make newer members feel inferior, though.

Hymagumba wrote:we'll see you in another two years then

Who knows, I may stick my head above the parapet with another unpopular view before then.

Ronnie Rowlands wrote:I think the whole 'secret forum' stuff does make newer members feel inferior, though.

I think you've hit my nail on the head with that comment, regarding people not realising when others are joking.

Can anybody remember who started the 'secret forum' joke?

You can put me down as guilty of perpetuating it with my 'Blandford Forum' picture, but I can honestly say that Nick Harvey's Comment ISN'T a 'secret forum', how ever many links the picture had to that.

Hymagumba wrote:

StuartPlymouth wrote:It tooks me months to persuade davidmcg to join! :roll:

how did you convince him in the end? what were his fears?
(obv that's directed at david too, whenever he logs on again)

I don't know whether he had any fears, but I mentioned Metropol to David in March 2007, then again later in the year and a couple of times this year before he joined. Perhaps it was just my persistence as a Metropol Recruiter!

I know full well it is a joke, although it did take me a long time to realise that. People who are less familiar with this board's humour probably do see it as somewhat pompous, "let us go to the secret forum and have a jolly good chuckle about those ANTS", that kind of thing.

I'm not suggesting that you impose a ban on humour though, that's the last thing I want to do.

Ah, just found it, down in the depths!

i think the reason for my and maybe other members who tend to lurk is that metropol has seemed like a closed community for those who post regularly and that its hard to get a foot in the door without feeling that we maybe arent welcome.. ive felt that i dont want to begin posting only to find that my posts wouldnt be well received and that id be seen as disturbing the natural flow of conversation for those of you who post on a daily basis.

I'm not the main reason for the perpetuation of here being a place where newbs are relentlessly heckled until they leave but I'll admit I'm a big reason for it being the prevalent reason along with Sput. None of the other regulars here got banned for gross incivility but me, I did! Maybe it is a lot to do with me, I'll be grabbing my things and going then, cheerio. Newbs and lurkers can post, just that the lurkers should know better and get what goes on, the newbies have an excuse but not the lurkers. We can't grab you by the balls and throw you out unless we know to, just like any other forum you should just make your greetings, get into conversations and see how things go even though it is akin to going around to the bad boys hideout behind the bike shed.

Hmm, maybe this idea is a complete wet fish, but what if the admin were to remove the join date from member's general stats shown in threads? If no one is senior, no-one is below anybody, and members can be sniped based on their irksomeness. *takes cover*