If you post on this site - PLEASE READ

[Gene]

The amount of complaints about the tone of the posts on this site has reached record proportion. 

People complain that I banned their friends.

People complain that I haven’t banned others.

There have been multiple instances where Person A complains about Person B and Person B complains about Person A.

People have threatened to leave if I don’t do something.  (Given the amount I use this site, you would think people would realize that statement doesn’t have a whole lot of sway with me since I am paying to keep a site alive I don’t even use.)

I understand that people can be rude since that is the main reason I stopped using this site myself.  I would ask anyone who posts and participates on the site to do two things:

1. Before you post something, please review the content of your post and make sure it does not attack or insult another member in any way, shape, or form…unless you don’t value your membership and wish to go out in a blaze of glory.

2. If you read a post that you disagree with, please realize there’s a reason that Baskin-Robbins makes 31 flavors of ice cream.  Remember opinions are like ‘you know what’, everybody has one.

This is NOT to suggest I don’t want to hear about spammers, inappropriate, insulting, or vulgar posts.  I think we want civil, open discussion with sharing knowledge and ideas but we will not tolerate trolls.

I am pushing Ning to provide voting buttons where the Community could vote down posts from any trolls and once they hit a certain number, we would ban them.  Until then, I ask that everyone play nice.  Thanks in advance for your support!

[Diane Bain]

Hi Mel, Sorry your little one is not well. I wish her a speedy recovery.

You said you wanted a laugh well here goes. England to beat Wales at Rugby today. Ha ha ha.

 

[Diane Bain]

I had a choice tonight, 1. Watch tele. 2. Read posts on ES. So glad I chose the latter.

My favourite comment of all time comes from the film Bambi " If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all"

I have lived my life by these words and always find it quite amusing when I read these posts.

Dee, people obviously don't know your good nature and Eva, I hope that one day I will have your knowledge and respect.

Keep up these posts folks and keep people like me entertained.

[Carmel Murphy]

I have visited ES almost every day since I joined in 2007 (except when my internet was down or when some "animals" ;o) knocked laptop off the table, destroying hard drive!!) and generally the posts/discussions have been positive, helpful, funny, and ocassionally heated!! But on the whole a great place to share opinions, experiences etc., so lets keep the shared love of setters(Scottish, English and Irish) going, with the good will, as started by Gene;o) 

[Teresa]

I have been reading this discussion with both sadness and interest. I'm sad because there are some very nice folks here that are feeling unwelcome and some of these people made very interesting points in discussions, and I learnt a lot from their experience. When I first joined ES, I had a nutcase for a setter and had no idea what to do with her. I know have two wonderful red girls, and their good and balanced behavior surprises everyone that meets them. I never went to a dog school or a trainer, all the tricks I used to make them like that I learnt here, from all of you. 

There are a few people that I truly consider my friends, even though we never met in person, and a lot more that I have nothing but good things to say about. 

I'm young, so I grew up in chat/internet world. I personally don't you can use internet bullying on me. Seriously how can you web bully me? spam me to death??? At any time, I can choose not to respond or erase such responses!

On the other hand, even though I believe no one can web bully my, I was very upset at times here, seeing some of my ES friends being attacked! So yes, I totally understand that if you were under on of this attacks, you'd feel bullyed! 

I think this is meant to be a discussion site, to allow us to share experiences and points of view. We all have diferent visions of a common love, and that is how I believe we should act. I'll not be leaving ES any time soon, and hope to keep on learning from ALL of you, including Gene and all of those who feel they no longer belong here! I trully wish we'd find a way to make them feel welcome again!

[Torie Lancaster]

Teresa,  

Some discussions I have read start friendly and offering good advice and all in agreement with each, then a member will join the discussion and offer a different approach to the subject with equally good advice and then it starts.........

The same few make little remarks and little smiley faces amongst each other about the intruder/s in the discussion hoping they will go away and leave them to give their contributions without interruptions from members who as far as they can see should not be giving advice as they are not as knowledgable (or so they think!!) as they are.

I have also noticed that some are very clever with their chosen words making themselves read like they are the ones on the firing line. Clever stuff!

I am really not suprised that some members choose stay out of discussions altogether.

[Andy Benstead]

Hi Torie.

I only read what has been written and never analyse it too deeply. We can all interpret messages in different ways. This site has helped me to learn so much more about Setters. I think it is brilliant. So many knowledgeable people and they are willing to give good information and help others.

[eva ciechonska]

Hi Torie,

As I mentioned before, this is a cosmopolitan site and the language barrier precludes many from joining in discussions as most of them are in english..  If you sit on committees there will always be those that will speak and those that will sit quietly.  If you go to seminars there will, more often than not, be the same half a dozen who will debate while the remainder stay silent.  How many times have you been to a talk where the speaker asks for questions from the floor and is met with stony silence.  Where people have a contribution to make and are interested in the subject they usually do and no one contributes to every forum discussion.

[Torie Lancaster]

Eva,

I personally don't think that one can even compare speaking in public with contact through a internet forum where most people will never even meet their ES friends.

Perhaps some are in denial and can't see there is a problem at all and other's would like to express their opinion but somehow feel slightly intimidated, so keep in the background.

Sadly, until these members gain confidence and share their thoughts and opinions this site will not alter for the better and only the same few will get to air their views which does not create healthy discussions.

The hardest part for some will be allowing other members the freedom to express an opinion which may not match their's and not leaving the little :)))))) comments when agreeing with their friends at the expense of other members.  This in my opinion is extremely rude and unnecessary under any circumstances.

 

[Torie Lancaster]

Thank you Sue......but I have seen them before.

I have these on my computer also and have used them in the right context when conveying how I am reacting to something someone might have written.....but......I would certainly never use a emoticon or :)))))) if I was expressing my opinion to another person/s regarding the way they replied to someone else, especially if the reply was erring on the nasty side.

Not cool at all and only shows the person/s to be ill mannered.

[Torie Lancaster]

I am sure Sue that the others who use them as you do will agree with you.  I know I do.  Unfortunately it's not the issue but never mind.

[eva ciechonska]

Torie,

I do understand what you are saying but that was not the gist of my comment.  The point I was trying to make is that in all communication, whether it be by public discorse or by the written word there will always be those who participate and those who just prefer to listen or, in this case, read.  The subjects of forum debates on this site are many and varied and there is plenty of choice for members to get their teeth into.  None of us participate in every discussion, just in those we find interesting or can give help and advice.  There is something for everyone.

There will be many who may never gain the confidence to share their opinions with others or will, eventually, as they gain in experience but, nevertheless, would still enjoy reading all the debates. 

This is a democratic site and everyone is entitled to freedom of speech and freedom of expression.  Permission doesn't come into it.  The fact that those who participate may not agree with each other is what forms the basis of debate.  We have already seen that what some members find petty or insulting works in reverse for others.  Your argument is very potent but it applies to both sides, not just one or the other.

 

[eva ciechonska]

What a bunch of sad old tarts are we!!  It is Saturday night, we should be going out for a nice drink, meeting our friends having a special meal.......and what are we doing?  We are arguing over a bunch of emoticons!!

I am now going to cuddle a dog...........