What to do with this site

[Gene]

In the last week, there have been 8-10 members that have been complaining about each other.  I have removed a couple people from the site, but most of the comments presented seem pretty benign to me.

When I created this site, I had no idea what it would become.  I quickly learned how little I knew about Irish Setters even though I had owned them for 15 years.  I am not a breeder, don't do shows, don't do agility, don't do hunting or field, usually get rescues (exception being my current ones).  I think all of the above are great, I just don't know anything about them nor do I really care to.  It's obvious these are topics that people on this site are passionate about, and that's great, there just not for me.

As I have mentioned before, I left this site because people were rude to me.  There's at least 1 of the 8-10 members that were one of the ones who ran me off so I can understand the complaints against this peson.

It seems like some of these discussion topics are like politics, you aren't going to change people's minds, so why try to?

Have been pondering some options:

A. Ban the other 8-10 members

B. Leave the site as is

C. Remove the discussion forum altogether

D. Transition ownership and moderation to someone else (note annual costs on the site are around $300 USD and those would transfer as well)

E. Ban any discussions on breeding, health issues, or other controversial topics

F. Shut down the site altogether (really don't want to do this)

What are some other ideas?

I want to get feedback on other ideas and then you are going to vote as a community.  Please reply with any suggestions, then will create another thread to vote later this week.

Thanks,

Gene

[Rhonda Fisher]

Additionally, you agree not to:

• "Stalk" or otherwise harass anyone;

[James Doran]

Mel,

Alas we spoil each other again. Goodness knows where this reply will end up, as my last did not go where intended. Yes, I enjoy all of the little snippets, but what do you want me to say? I neither condone nor condemn, but i will always defend the right of everyone to express their opinion. Without that, we will only have an autocracy. I see that copy and paste is subject to the boomerang effect...why i avoid it myself!

[James Doran]

Hi Mel,

           My pleasure to amuse you. My intention was simply to remind you that it was hypocritical to remind the rest of us about the rules you had broken yourself. You would do us both a disservice to assume anything else by it. The relationship between your removed content and your post on T&C, is that had the former remained, it would have placed you in breach of the latter (regardless of the reasons for doing so). Your counsel is wise however, and appears to have set a trend for the uptake of the prerogative to do likewise! A solution, perhaps, in preventing the matter on ES from becoming antimatter (so to speak). The common denominator for me will always be difference of opinion. The resulting fallout will not change that, and however unpalatable that may be for some, it must always be defended for all, in order for democracy to exist on ES. I am happy to advise your quotee that the only ruler on this site is the administrator, the disappeared having proved it!

My regards,

                   James.

[Sue Paterson]

Amen to that:)

 When passions are roused I quite often write exactly what I think, in the heat of the moment, to get it all out. Then I press delete!

Just don't press the wrong button:)

And that's not about not expressing my opinions but that I believe hindsight is a wonderful thing, but forethought is even better:)

[James Doran]

Yes, Sue, the passions! That heady mix of the feminine charms and the hormones. Wonderful stuff...but explosive with the wrong mixture! Self-restraint on the other hand is a bit like chocolate, so wrong....but so right! There is no wrong button with the right expression.  

[Sue Paterson]

Ha ha! You wouldn't want to read what I just wrote and then deleted :)

[Finding_Beau]

Hi Sue, I believe you might be drinking too much red cordial

[James Doran]

Hi Sue,

           Apologies in advance as again my replies are not reaching their intended position in the discussion. I am on ES long enough to be fully aware of all of the differences between members. They are long lived and strong, as the forums reveal. It has already been proved that the internet is not immune from the law (and i don't mean the terms and conditions), yet not a single case has resulted from anything ever recorded on this site (to my knowledge anyway) no matter how serious it is alleged to be. Who am i to point the finger of blame at anyone. The membership is bound by more in common, than is demonstrated by the difference of opinion that divides. At least that is how i see it. So what is to be done? There will be no winners, only losers, as once again the disappeared have proven! The key can only be how those differences are expressed...or avoided.

My regards,

                   James. 

[James Doran]

Hi Sue,

            My observational meanderings are never intended to antagonise. They are simply what i see and how i see it. There are many comments on ES that i don't agree with, and would not have said myself, but i can only moderate my own. My comment on the legalities of content between members was purely factual and never intended as a slight or challenge to anyone. If you have interpreted it as such you have my assurance that it was not implied that way.

My regards,

                   James.  

[Charlotte Beeney]

I would be so sad to see the site closed down. As a first time Setter owner, I have received so much valuable advice about the breed in general and specific issues that I have had with Finn. I have met new friends who I have met up with, and just love reading about peoples dogs and looking at their pictures.

I am a member of a few other forums, all who have had difficulty with certain members/topics. On the most part, the trouble causing members are usually banned or at least blocked from posting for a while. Threads that caused upset or controversy were always deleted, but if someone is a persistent trouble maker then that doesn't usually put them off. I would personally ban the members who cannot get along with everyone else - why should everyone suffer with the loss of the site because of a few ignorant individuals?

The only other thing I would suggest is appointing some trustworthy/respected moderators who will always be able to take an objective view on the posts made and discipline as appropriate. This is hard because obviously whoever the mods are will have friends and maybe be more lenient towards them, but any GOOD mod shouldn't do this.

Again, PLEASE don't close the site. There really aren't many other places for us Setter owners to chat and get advice from :( 

[Pat]

Ditto what you said! If they are going to pick a fight or call names let them go somewhere else.

Peace Love and Puppies!

[Howard Glansfield]

PLP ,I like that and SES too!