Look, I apologize also, everyone. I had no intention of starting this, and deeply regret where it went.
All I have to say is that I overreacted to being told by a member what, where and when I should post (and everyone else here, too - you might have noticed that the T3 thread had gone WAY OT long before I ever made a post. I simply seem to be the one everyone loves to bait!). I am fairly sure, under different circumstances, that Dennis might have reacted the same way, were I to instruct HIM how to address this forum..
I would also like to address Nigel, who has shown REAL moderator skills, by simply closing down the threads, and removing the offensive posts, but, as usual, short of member on member abuse, seems to be himself content to let things go where they will, except in extreme cases. This IS different from some other, tightly focused, single subject forums (OK, chony?
), and at least I, and I believe many of our members, appreciate this freedom. Thank you, Nigel, for this place to come and chat about arrangers in general. I spend a fair amount of time here, and would regret not having it
Far from being a simple Q&A site, or a technical forum for operational tips and tricks, this site has always been a CONVERSATION, between friends, colleagues, and yes, a few crusty ducks
. And, as all conversations go, often meanders quite a bit. Some like this, some don't. But what are the alternatives?
A forum is like a house, with many rooms. A bunch, large or small, gather in one room when someone brings up a subject. As is the nature of all conversations (at least in my experience), they drift sometimes, especially when the large majority are not riveted by the one topic. But do we continue our conversation in place, or do some of us get up, and move to a different room when the slightest divergence from the original subject is mentioned? And then, in the next room, when THAT divulges in the least, do some of us get up and go to yet another room? I respectfully submit that in real life, few, if any of us do this. The end result would be most of us, fairly alone, all in separate rooms, mumbling to ourselves, and there goes the idea of conversation
Most threads that drift, drift for a reason. I respectfully point out that one post cannot take a thread OT, unless the people talking about the original subject are a) done with the subject and b) interested in talking about the new direction, which, once again, I respectfully submit is VERY rarely a complete non-sequitur, merely a broadening of the original conversation. You can see this happen, all over SZ. Some threads, despite a moment of broadening, rapidly get back on track, and some take on a life of their own. This is fairly unique amongst arranger forums, and, given that there ARE other tight, focused, one subject one thread forums, does not preclude those here from availing themselves of those sites when they DO wish focused replies. If that's what they truly wish (despite often going OT themselves, when it suits them
), those places already exist.
But for those of us that come here for a chat, a conversation, a kaffeeklatsch, a round table, if you will, I would deeply regret for SZ to become a very different place than it now is. Despite what happened here yesterday, as you can see, our community keeps us together, along with the gentle, almost invisible guidance of our moderator, Nigel. We get over it, and go on, and things return to normal
To anyone troubled and upset by yesterdays lapse of good judgment, I sincerely apologize. I will try my hardest to keep things from going utterly OT, but I just hope that when the inevitable 'broadening' of a topic happens (whether by me or the silent majority that ALL do it from time to time
), this doesn't start all over again...
Let's just leave all the moderating to Nigel...
Peace out, y'all
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