Just did my usual evening swing by the electrical forum to find as of the 20th a password is needed. Password is gotten from Rick via email. he feels he has to do this to keep his forum on target. This decision has come about due to a couple of individuals who are hell bent on pushing the nuclear safty issue. Rick feels that that is off topic for his forum. I am not sure I agree, but its HIS FORUM and I want to be able to read it. So I will play by his rules. Wish this forum would do the same thing. We have the rules, just not the back bone to enforce them.

Taz...who is getting weary of the trolls. I don't mind a difference in opinion of scale, but I really detest those who want to just massage their own egos and disrupt the forum.

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 19, 1999

Answers

passwords could keep the trolls at bay, and maybe we could spend more time learning what is useful, than wasting time with trolls, and people who enjoy disrupting the forum.

Bob P

-- Bob P (rpilc99206@aol.com), July 19, 1999.

"pushing the nuclear safety issue" is a euphemism for clogging Rick's forum with anti-nuke propaganda. You think y2k doomers are fanatical, wander over and check out the anti-nuke loonies. They make Rosie's views on guns look mild.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), July 19, 1999.

Taz:

Do you have any idea if this might be why we have a sudden upsurge in troll activity here?

BigDog seems to have the prep forum under control. With his much firmer policy of deleting inappropriate posts, it's very peaceful and much less time-consuming--obtaining information is a pleasure.

A password forum might be unwieldy--the reason the trolls come here is because we're one of the most popular Y2K forums, i.e., lots and lots of participants. A stronger rewording of the guidelines and prompt deletions seem to be the answers.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 19, 1999.

Just sent my password request. Am strictly a lurker there but feel I've learned a fair bit.

As for this forum I prefer the wide open format. IMO there's nothing a troll here can do to discourage a newbie nearly as much as what they probably get from friends, neighbors and relatives. Trolls are impotent sources of humor. The good info here will prevail more easily when their often goofy, often OT perspectives are included.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), July 19, 1999.

I agree with Carlos!

-- Kelly Meek (romper1@aol.com), July 19, 1999.

The pollies do contribute towards some of us honing our opinions.

The trolls just get wearisome {sp-5?}

-- flora (***@__._), July 19, 1999.

I came back to this forum because it was open to all. When I have to enter in a pass word to express my views, then I feel I have lost the freedom to express my view point and I will be censored if I have gone outside the boundaries of someone's literacy rules. It was suggested several months ago by a few participants on this forum to censor anything that conflicted with the main stream views of this forum. Differences of opinion is what has always made this forum unique within itself. The mouse is in your hands and you are in control. Ignore troll blather and nonsense and they will get bored and move on. If you change the rules of participation, you have allowed the trolls to win. Bardou

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), July 19, 1999.

I think part of the job of this forum is to help J. Q. Newbie Public deceide what Y2K is all about. Many potential new viewers may not bother with a password. Not a good idea, IMHO. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), July 19, 1999.

Taz,

I agree. The pollies don't bother me at all. I think they do make a contribution and serve a constructive purpose on the forum, even when I disagree with them. The trolls, on the other hand, have only one single-minded purpose...to disrupt the flow of conversation and exhange of opinions. I believe most people can see the difference between "pollies" (or whatever they would like to call themselves), such as Decker, Flint, Cheri, Paul Davis, et al. and...oh, let's see...um....doomers@suck.com??? I am mystified as to why the moderator(s) tolerate a troll.

-- TOS 'em (tired@trolls.com), July 19, 1999.

Being the helpful sort of fella that I am, I am posting some passwords that you can use to get into virtually any site you want......feel free to choose the one that best suits you:

****** ****** **** ***** ******* ***** ***** ****** ******** ******** **** ****** ****** ***** ******* ******* ******** ****** ****** **** ******* **** ******* ***** ******** ******* ****** ****** **** ******* ***** *****

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), July 19, 1999.

Taz,

I agree with you that the trolls are wearisome, but I also agree with many of the above comments.

Just to put this issue to rest from a technical perspective (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) password protection on this forum may never happen, for the same reason that this forum doesn't have a search engine. It costs money to put these things in place.

Accordingly, as long as this forum lasts (and it will only last as long as there are folks who are willing to put the time and effort into maintaining it without compensation) it will most likely remain a "free-for-all."

'Not necessarily a bad thing, considering what this forum is.

It was started by Ed Yourdon.

It has continued on despite his departure.

It's still almost faster than the Associated Press, UPI and Reuters when it comes to breaking Y2k news. (And. . .it's most definitely faster than TELEVISION in your home town or the networks. . . which will generally ONLY cover Y2k problems AS they happen or AFTER they happen. :))

Most of the mature people who post and read posts on this forum have enough life experience to discern who is full of you-know-what and who isn't. Older, intelligent, educated, professional people can "smell-out" the high school and college students even if they do not take the time to express their opinions about them.

Having said that, do I expect this forum or all of its regular posters to be here six months from now?

No.

What a ride in the meantime.

Some good people here. (I'd bet even "the pollys and the doomers" would find common ground if push came to shove.)

Just my 2 cent's worth.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), July 19, 1999.

Taz,

I include Poole, Paul Davis & Doc Paulie on my list of trolls. Any time spent at Debunkers reveals that their need to express outweighs any honest assessment of y2k.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), July 20, 1999.

Minor point:

Passwording this forum would be SIMPLE!

UNFORTUNATELY, it would also be COUNTERPRODUCTIVE!!!

HONE your thinking and RE-EXAMINE your ASSUMPTIONS by ENGAGING with the folks with whom you disagree. BUT BEWARE: ONE of you MIGHT have to change their mind.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), July 20, 1999.

Few -- if any -- of the trolls have learned that posts that simply mount personal attacks on other posters accomplish more than a brief (and hopefully slight) rise in the blood pressure of the person being attacked.

That's why a troll of the ilk of 'doomer@sucks' might actually influence people to move to the other side of the aisle; "Hey, if people who don't believe there's a problem act like this, there must be a problem. They are counter-productive.

For those who bother with passwords to Rick's forum, please keep us posted. I wouldn't waste the time now.

-- de (delewis@Xinetone.net), July 20, 1999.

I'll get a password, for two reasons. One: I've enjoyed the forum. With only a couple of excedptions, that forum has been populated by adults, and two: it's the only forum where I can read Bonnie Camp's postings. I'l still stay here, because there are some adults here too, but there is an awfully high percentage of juveniles to sort out.

-- walt (walt@lcs.k12.ne.us), July 20, 1999.

I'll second that Walt. Too many juveniles and a real waste of time for those of us who have precious little of it to spare. I've asked for a password.

-- (neilw@infoserve.net), July 20, 1999.

Can totally relate to WHY Rick is taking this step!

Requesting a password for access there too. He and most the posters do a good job of keeping on track with "what's important."

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 20, 1999.

I have written of my disgust with having to wade through and past the garbage put here by doomers@suck and his ilk. It would be good to zap them off the forum. We all need all the time we can get in these last months of 1999 to assess the situation. However, that being said, it was the openness of several websites and their forums that first got my newbie attention, and helped me to get going with my intensive preparations. I think that people just beginning to explore Y2K would be put off by passwords, and might not participate. Let's not do anything to discourage inquirers...after all, we need to help them more than ever as time grows shorter.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), July 20, 1999.

I'm locked outta euy2k, and I didn't even get to read Lane's reply to my last post .lol.

Regards,

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), July 20, 1999.