dawnbreak wrote:
Yes

Its already up and running Dawny...

yeah [joins new forum for the chat facilities]

I still don't really understand what has gone on!

As far as I'm concerned, this forum is consistent with its original ethos. It's always going to be a difficult balance between not allowing bigoted comments to be considered acceptable - which I fully agree with - and having community moderating, or at least community-approved moderating - which I also agree with.

There may be the odd occasion when a moderator makes a decision and doesn't announce it verbatim so that there can be a 48 hour dialogue about whether it's the right one or not. This is a necessity, and we have to surely allow a little give and take on this matter, given that we are subject to the legal dictats of a system that we all recognise to be pretty powerful and oppressive.

And there might be the odd person who behaves like an idiot and makes some off-colour remarks without being banned. While I don't agree with letting people takeover who have an ulterior motive, nor with tolerating the intolerable, it might be a good idea to give this sort of thing short thrift by simply ignoring it. You will find that these 'characters' disappear pretty quickly if people don't give oxygen to them. There have been a few people whose existence here I didn't exactly relish, but I simply tried to ignore them. They've pretty much all fucked off.

I really don't see any reason for a new forum, and I don't see any reason we can't keep this forum going. It's obviously easy for me to say this, as I don't run or moderate the site, but I would like to think I make a decent contribution. And I would be happy to make a financial contribution. I would, personally, be in favour of a £1 subscription fee. If everyone that had joined had paid £1, firstly, you'd be less likely to get idiots, and secondly, that would be £210 straight away. Except that we probably wouldn't have had 210 people sign up, but I'm sure you would have got £100, which would then negate the need for the likes of Dawn to kindly contribute £12. I'm not sure if this is logistically possible, and I guess it can't be done now, anyway.

I'm probably not going to join a new forum, because I don't see any need for one in the first place, and secondly, I don't have enough time. It would be a loss for me personally were this forum to end because absolutely everyone I know, apart from my brother, disagrees with virtually anything I say about everything! While I have become accustomed to this and am perfectly content to be constantly attacked in 'real life' (which I am) for simply stating my views, which are completely uncontentious and always factually accurate (which I will always continue to do) it is nice to have people agree with me occasionally!

Also, the people who run the DIF will naturally proclaim it as a victory should the SZ finish. Which is ironic, because as far as I can see, the only reason there's a problem is due to some idealism which is well-meaning but a little unrealistic.

So my view is that we should work out how we're going to move forward, who's going to moderate the site, who's going to run it, what the financial implications are, what can be done about this. And I think we should all resolve to be slightly less idealistic and slightly more practical.

wake_up_bomb wrote:
Now that is wisdom.

On profiles, can you expand the screen, to locate a particular post, rather than just getting a list of treads that have been posted in?

The reason I ask, is because I was trying to locate a particular one to quote, without trailing through loads of threads, which I don't have time for.

The thing is, when I've read people's speculation dotted here & there today, regarding TZ & various other things - eg. SS has been allowed to be here for political reasons - it's been my instinct to jump to the defence of the mod team.

I've known Novum, Frog & DG for a while, and like. trust and respect each one of them.

But while I was busy doing some housework just now, a post that SS made yesterday popped into my mind. It was one where she was implying that something was going to happen to this forum, and was smugly 'wondering', how many people would stick together. Feather probed a bit, but she refused (as usual) to divulge anything else - like, specifically what she was referring to.

I also had an unsolicited PM from her a few weeks ago warning me not to trust the admin here. It also advised me Dawn is UFO Chic (which I believe to be bollocks).

In view of the annoncement re TZ, I'm now, unhappily, suspicious.

So, I'd like a straight answer, as to whether Silvershine is someone who could have had foreknowledge about TZ, and that's the bait that she was dangling. Or did she just get lucky with her insinuations, and coincidentally manage to hit on something that could be misconstrued as this?

Gilly wrote:
This /\

She's got nothing to do with anything around here gilly.

Is the truth zone only for UK people because Americans won't be able to find Truth Zone.

I just did a google search of 'Truth Zone' and noticed alot of other US websites already have that same name.

www.thetruthzone.com/

www.truthzone.net/

www.truthzone.co.uk/

the-truth-zone.blogspot.com/

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Truth-Zone/146664868731173

groups.yahoo.com/group/TruthZone/

www.youtube.com/user/TruthZone



Sanctum Zone is a much more unique name for a forum.

I sure hope it's not because we joked about the Reptilian threads.

Did i get you guys in the UK in trouble because I criticized the monarchy so much?

Also I should have known better then to think Europeans could understand the Pastor from Harlem.

Now i'm going to be the only person from the US and the stuff i post is foreign to everybody.

Cheers, Psketti. And I hope that demonstrates how a subtle troll can be a dangerous one.

It might be possible to "raise this Titanic before it sinks!

Andyh has very graciously offered to help out. I am willing too to help out in terms of time and money but I don't wish any moderation authority if this should go ahead. (Wrong temperament )

Wake up Bomb has also made a similar guesture so, rest assured that there is hope yet.

I would like to say to all folks that are comfortable where they are, that we can prove the folks who predicted the downfall of the SZ wrong!

Gilly wrote:
All i can do is echo psketti, and tell you that I have no idea who silvershine is and that she has nothing to do with any of this announcement or the other site being created.

When I replied earlier about when the idea for the other site came about, all i can tell you is it is the truth. It was not even an idea in our heads a few weeks ago.

On a users profile, select the posts tab, and there should be a 'more' link near the bottom that takes you to another page listing all their posts iirc.

I was hoping that the admin would tell us what issues specifically have led to this split? The op mentions community micro management of the site being untenable but no specifics. It would be tremendously helpful to both those who stay here to be told of known issues and for those signing up to the new site what has changed. I am still at a loss to see where the issues are - is this because the issues have not been publicly spoken about? or have I completely missed something due to not being active in chat?

RealAmerican wrote:
Quick off topic question and comment,
1.Is that your team in your avatar.... and
2.comment.... even baby alligators are cute little reptiles.

thoreau wrote:
For weeks it seems; hence the bombshell.

Rick wrote:
I'm sitting on the bleachers with a few kids from the freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams.

Iv'e been coaching for many years, that pic is from last season before practice.

We have 3 teams at our high school and i have coached all three levels.

We won the state championship five years ago.

In American football othwise known as rugby?

it would not seem unconnected that the decision by admin to upsticks appears to have coincided with some rather passionate debate about how the sz deals with issues like development, moderation, polls etc, a week or two back.

as i currently understand it, the 3 members have decided that they would like a more traditional forum with top down control. fair play to them then for realising this cant happen at the sz and going elsewhere to do things the way they prefer.

those that stay as contributors and members of the sz now have the task of sorting out how community led management can be acheived. in some ways that will now be easier because those who just dont think it can work wont be involved. they now have the tz to contribute to.

i suggest we promptly get to addressing the 2 practicalities that need immediate attention.

funding

tech

I would humbly like to ask members to bring the discussionrounf to the topic of how to keep SZ going.

ETA: dub beat me to it again

dubmeup wrote:
I just need to point out that there is a third practicality to be sorted out, ie that of who is going to take over the domain for SZ, and register themselves as legal owner, therefore taking on all legal responsibility etc.

This will involve providing details such as name, address, telephone number etc to the registrars and the hosting company.

On the offchance that this forum sinks faster than anticipated, I suggest thos that wish to stay in touch, share details with others.

Another idea may be to find an alternative forum where people can meet up, if they feel uncomfortable doing it on the admin's new turf.

Not trying to wind you up DG/Novum, but I don't want to be caught out like last time.

And yes, it is like last time,

My two cents...

I think we should graciously accept andy's offer but keep donations going so that the burden can be shared - we do need a way for those like me to donate who do not have bank accounts/paypal etc

Tech wise - no idea who here has experience or exactly how much experience is needed to maintain the place but will happily do what I can

For the community we could revisit the aims and ethos of the place and set up some firm moderation guidelines. From what I gather these are the issues that are causing the division. Mods should be able to act within the guidelines set up by the community without having to ask permission everytime - though the bigger decisions such as removal of a poster/thread - appointment of new mods and any changes to the site should be through consensus imho.

What seems to have been lost is some respect - reading through some threads I can no longer tell what is banter and what is abuse - whereas before my sabbatical it was easier to spot - perhaps it is because of the sabbatical who knows.

All I really know is that it feels horrible to return to my virtual home having had my real life one turned upside down to find it has disintegrated so much