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Got a little quiet around here today...

K

Kim R

Guest
Not a bad thing, perhaps.

It's hard to keep the perspective of so many contributors and members when the doors are just hanging wide open, isn't it? We have folks on this board who have been playing and wrenching on Gibson's for 50 years without ever having more than a few people know their name, others who have collected and followed the brand for as long who could personally populate a Gibson museum, and then the few who everyone knows.

There is simply no way that the perspectives or, more importantly, the point of view of those from such a diverse group is going to line up on every topic, guitar, or tune. Personally, I would have ZERO interest in such a gathering if it were to exist, and I've never seen it here. That's why "here" is still cool.

The line:

My concept of what flies (sorry, I have to get people thinking together to actually go - fly - it's the day job and all..) is that ideas are free targets, but the people who make the effort to bring them - aren't. IOW: It's not who's right, it's what's right.

There are a multitude of ways to state one's displeasure with anyone else's product, opinion, taste, philosophy, PRESUMED knowledge, experience, etc. One way is absolutely guaranteed to bring raining fecal matter upon one's self: Attack the person. At that point, the topic is closed.

Dumb is not cool. Dumb is never gonna look smart. Informed and considerate: Can't lose that one, even if the analysis is entirely negative.. Wordy, preachy, and pedantic isn't necessary either (like this post, which is all three). But.....

LPF members are members because they love the guitar, love the electric guitar, and want to learn, discuss, and most importantly:

Share.

I like doors that are wide open. Otherwise, there's nothing here.
 
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joemags54

New member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
1,275
Hello Kim, great post and thoughtful sentiments, especially the last 2 lines. Thanks for sharing.
My name is Joe Magliato. If there was a "handshake" emoticon, I would extend it to you.
 

Cogswell

The Duke of Dumbassery
Joined
Mar 19, 2002
Messages
15,717
I've been moderating here a long time & never made a post sticky before. This looks like a good one for that.
 

shred

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
4,667
Hey Kim nice post. It has been quiet around here the past couple days.

Perhaps people are just burned out after the Joe B fiasco. I think it's important to keep in mind that what gives any forum it's vitality, is healthy debate. It's usually when the personal attacks begin --regardless of who is 'right'-- that things go south. They key question to me, is how to keep the passionate, lively discussion without so much vitriol.

I thought Pat B made a great point, when he was lamenting the seeming inability of 'grown men' on forums like the LPF, to moderate their discussions. As witnessed recently, it only takes a few (intentional or unintentional) badly chosen words to start a flame war... On the other hand, it's all too easy to moderate a forum out of existence...

It will be interesting to see where Mike S chooses to take the LPF, should he be successful in saving it --and I very much hope he is. I hope some sort of balance can be struck, because as you say, without doors that are wide open, there's nothing here...
 

lanman

New member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
1,480
This place is bad-ass. My daily News Paper. Besides the obvious, my love for Guitars is next in line. Here's to The LPF and all that I've learned and shared.
 

Cogswell

The Duke of Dumbassery
Joined
Mar 19, 2002
Messages
15,717
The things that give a forum vitality are mutual respect & common understanding. People like to hang out where they feel they are listened to & appreciated. Nobody wants to be denigrated for their achievements or opinions.
"Healthy debate" is too nebulous a concept for some & gives place for indecorous comments.
 

shred

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
4,667
The things that give a forum vitality are mutual respect & common understanding. People like to hang out where they feel they are listened to & appreciated. Nobody wants to be denigrated for their achievements or opinions.
"Healthy debate" is too nebulous a concept for some & gives place for indecorous comments.

I think we can agree that what went on recently was decidedly unhealthy...

The most vitriolic threads appear to revolve around people who are 'famous' and also members of the forum... The recent threads involving, Joe B and Ganz for example...
 
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mkeditor

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2009
Messages
219
I just want to say thanks for this sandbox. Most of the politics or rants are lost on me since I haven't been a prolific poster and only have been a daily visitor in the past year or so.....but I love learning from it.
 

joemags54

New member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
1,275
I just want to say thanks for this sandbox. Most of the politics or rants are lost on me since I haven't been a prolific poster and only have been a daily visitor in the past year or so.....but I love learning from it.

Just got back from Portland Oregon, Monday, where my son just got married last week.... 1st time out that way, for me and the fam................ Great city, Japanese Gardens, Rose Gardens, Portland Spirit river cruise, and VOODOO donuts! (This is also what's great about a forum, sharing from all over.)
 

Pat Boyack

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
4,510
Ever see how right after a tornado the sun is out and all that's left are people walking around in shock? The Joe B thread is the tornado and the sun is out. Many of us are kind of in shock and wondering what will come next.

I'm hoping Mike S. can rebuild with our help and understanding.

A lot of great comments here by Kim, Shred and Cogs. The one thing we all need to keep in mind is that we are all a big family. We will not always get along but we can be nice to THIS place and keep things civil. I know there are some who would like to see other members leave just because they don't like what they post. It has nothing to do with that person being rude, it has every thing to do with content. It's silly to think one would hide/block/use the ignore button because of that....but hey, to each his own. Calling somebody a troll because you think their post about using DNA to age wood is stupid is like my daughter saying the little bug in her room is going to kill her. Or better yet, cheering that a guy like Shred should get booted for posting a pic of Yngwie? Come on. This place and the knowledge that it has accumulated is far more important than that.

:peace2
 

Ken Fortunato

Administrator
Staff member
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Feb 26, 2006
Messages
2,742
I started a little guitar forum called The Crossroadz a bunch of years back... I figured I'd create a friendly, free community for people to hang out on and shoot the breeze about guitars. I had a "must be civil policy"... I even let boutique builders and vendors advertise for free... Actually, everything was free. Except of course, to me...

The two things I learned from that experience were, some people will complain about everything under the sun, even when it's on my dime... And typically, these are the same people who aren't looking for anything even remotely civil... :rofl

At this point, THIS is the only forum I visit... Good moderation is the KEY...
 
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ultra

Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2001
Messages
958
Well said Kim.

I obviously missed the JoeB thing and I guess that I am glad I did. Ignorance is bliss.
 

shred

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
4,667
The one thing we all need to keep in mind is that we are all a big family. We will not always get along but we can be nice to THIS place and keep things civil.

Seems reasonable...

It's baffling to me how difficult that one simple idea can be to some... Nice one Pat...
 

Reverend David

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Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Messages
202
..like my daughter saying the little bug in her room is going to kill her.. :peace2

Well that depends - what kind of bug was it? :rofl

I guess I missed out on the drama everyone is referring to. Which is fine with me. As you can see by my post count over many years that I have taken much more information from this forum than I have contributed so far and for that - I thank all of you long time high post contributors :yah

I spent over 12 years on the Harmony Central forums - actually ran up over 17k posts there before they did a system upgrade and deleted/lost over 11k of my posts and reviews. The place became unbearable because of a handful of what I refer to as "trolls" and so I left there over 2 years ago and never looked back.

This forum and the Gibson Guitar Board are the only two I frequent now and the participants have struck me as much more mature and knowledgeable than any I have lurked at before - and I appreciate that. In reading the remarks about hoping that Mike S can save this forum - I completely missed out on that conversation. Are we in danger of losing this forum? And if so, what can I do to help?

I really enjoy this forum and I hope it doesn't go away for any reason. Thanks for everything everyone! :eek:la
 
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