We got to do something!

[Downdraft]

Looking at the threads concerning 99L (22 pages) and the Gulf (23 pages) it's obvious that if we get a couple of "real" storms this place is going to go nuts with one-liners. I think we have two problems one, that a lot of posters just want to increase their post totals and two, many (NOT) all are using the thread as a chat-room. Add to this that there have been a few body-slams, spear attacks and fortunately only a few personal shots the board is going to be a mess come a very active seasonal period. Nobody including me wants censorship above and beyond what is already necessary to maintain civility but on the other hand nobody including me wants to sift through 23 pages of a thread to pull out the few real posts that have something significant to say. Perhaps, as members we might try to think before we post. Simply to type "agree" to another poster's comments may give one person an ego boost but it does nothing for the rest of us that have to go through page after page of that kind of stuff. Let's all try to remember quality over quantity before we have to turn the staff into censors rather than moderators.

Just my two cents folks. You are of course free to disagree if you wish.

[Hyperstorm]

I think the problem is the one-liners. I believe that you should be able to post your opinion and DON'T have to do any analysis of the situation, BUT I also strongly believe that you can't write EVERY single thought that comes to your head. If everyone did that, this place would be a place to avoid. IF for some reason, you HAVE to write every thought that comes to your head, why don't the moderators come up with a rule to EDIT their previous post and add whatever information they want to share? This should be true especially if it's a one-liner thought. And I do believe that people would read your edit as pages won't go flying as they do now. I think we need a change before the big storms come.

[Bluefrog]

I'll step up to the plate to disagree with you. This is a "message board" and everyone has the right to write a one word thought or a page of thoughts. I don't like the personal attacks but the moderators are on those like a frog to a fly (hee hee). There are alot of posts b/c it's the first thing to talk about in awhile. And, may I bring up the point that now you have started a post/thread that will start a alot of discussion about something else rather than storms.......

[Hyperstorm]

We have a very good chatroom that people can go to and write their one-liners. That's why we don't have much participation of the Pro-Mets and long-time members.

And I'll add something...it's almost always the same people that do it. You see this person says what they think about the disturbance in a one or two sentences. And one page later, it's saying EXACTLY the same thing in different wording.

[Downdraft]

I'll step up to the plate to disagree with you. This is a "message board" and everyone has the right to write a one word thought or a page of thoughts. I don't like the personal attacks but the moderators are on those like a frog to a fly (hee hee). There are alot of posts b/c it's the first thing to talk about in awhile. And, may I bring up the point that now you have started a post/thread that will start a alot of discussion about something else rather than storms.......

And your quite correct I started this discussion now before the storms do come because if it's just a "message" board than it isn't going to be worth anyone's valuable time when a storm approaches to read it. All I'm suggesting is people think before they write.

[skysummit]

This board just continues its slow downward spiral in my opinion. Years ago, it used to be fun. It's not so fun any longer. Just about anyone that posts his/her opinion gets slammed by someone else, or a pro met. It used to not be like that. It used to be a "friendly" place to openly discuss the tropics. Now, if you have a different opinion from someone else on the board, you better watch out.

[KWT]

The simple truth is this forum has a lot of people on it and is also about peoples ideas and thoughts, you can't just get rid of posters because they aren't capable of making longer posts because some just don't have the knowleadge to do that sort of post like some can.

I'm a host on another board so I do have some experience, cut out the "I agree" type posts because they are just a waste generally but other then that there isn't much you can relaly do and when people are excited I have noticed people are quite prone to doing pointless one-liners but then again this is a message board and thus you can't really persicute those who haven't got enough knowleadge/experiance to put a longer post in....remember there are bound to be a certain amount of newer people about as well. For waht its worth think the 'useless posts' aren't that common and theposts with something to say far outweigh the ones that don't from what I've seen.

SS---thats the way it tends to go when you get more members on a board and more stronger personalities and bigger egos.

[caneman]

I agree, lets stop with the Wow, I agree, OOOPs, rolling eye single word or 1 liner post. YOu know the old commercial. "Think before you drink"? "How about think before you post" They are a waste of time and space. Perhaps mods can help with warnings. ANd I would add: I sat out of this thing yestersday. Most METS on this board are very professional, very patient, and show incredible class and grace and I'd love to call them out by name to give them due credit. I'm sure they know who they are. However, there were a couple of posts by METS yesterday that didn't meet that. I would hope those METS would try and place themselves above the fray and show class or dignity. You have a great opportunity to teach and people look up to you. PLease act as such.

[gboudx]

This board just continues its slow downward spiral in my opinion. Years ago, it used to be fun. It's not so fun any longer. Just about anyone that posts his/her opinion gets slammed by someone else, or a pro met. It used to not be like that. It used to be a "friendly" place to openly discuss the tropics. Now, if you have a different opinion from someone else on the board, you better watch out.

I agree with this. I've had discussions with other members of this site, with whom I am members with on other sites, and we have discussed this very idea. Along with the posters who are just trying to up their post counts or be the 1st to post something so they can say, "look I posted it first". This is why when there's an actual storm, I gravitate to the Tropics Analysis forum instead.

And I agree with the OP as well. This "message board" looks awfully like a chatroom at times. But I don't know how you police that. Quality over quantity should be the 1st thing on posters minds before posting when discussing an actual storm.

[Cyclone1]

So... we're setting a post minimum? Uh.. ooookay. This isn't the best idea in my book. In fact, it's by far one of the worst. This is ridiculous. Setting a rule that says, basically if your post isn't so-and so sentences long, it's not important? Come on, guys. Honestly.

[Hyperstorm]

So... we're setting a post minimum? Uh.. ooookay. This isn't the best idea in my book. In fact, it's by far one of the worst. This is ridiculous. Setting a rule that says, basically if your post isn't so-and so sentences long, it's not important? Come on, guys. Honestly.

It's the fact that they keep repeating themselves, saying the same thing in different wording. Do they have to do it in every single page? Think about it.

[Cyclone1]

So... we're setting a post minimum? Uh.. ooookay. This isn't the best idea in my book. In fact, it's by far one of the worst. This is ridiculous. Setting a rule that says, basically if your post isn't so-and so sentences long, it's not important? Come on, guys. Honestly.

It's the fact that they keep repeating themselves, saying the same thing in different wording. Do they have to do it in every single page? Think about it.

I guess not, but this just seems wildly unnecessary to me.

[Bluefrog]

Downdraft ... you misunderstood my point of this being a "message" board. I gain alot of valuable information here. If I didn't I wouldn't come here 200 times a day during hurricane season. My point is that it is a message board not only for in depth discussions but for other comments as well. If I had to read posts that were 100% discussions and analysis of the freaking weather ... I wouldn't even pull up this website let alone post on it.

[Cyclone1]

Downdraft ... you misunderstood my point of this being a "message" board. I gain alot of valuable information here. If I didn't I wouldn't come here 200 times a day during hurricane season. My point is that it is a message board not only for in depth discussions but for other comments as well. If I had to read posts that were 100% discussions and analysis of the freaking weather ... I wouldn't even pull up this website let alone post on it.

My thoughts exactly.

[flwxwatcher]

The simple truth is this forum has a lot of people on it and is also about peoples ideas and thoughts, you can't just get rid of posters because they aren't capable of making longer posts because some just don't have the knowleadge to do that sort of post like some can.

I'm a host on another board so I do have some experience, cut out the "I agree" type posts because they are just a waste generally but other then that there isn't much you can relaly do and when people are excited I have noticed people are quite prone to doing pointless one-liners but then again this is a message board and thus you can't really persicute those who haven't got enough knowleadge/experiance to put a longer post in....remember there are bound to be a certain amount of newer people about as well. For waht its worth think the 'useless posts' aren't that common and theposts with something to say far outweigh the ones that don't from what I've seen.

SS---thats the way it tends to go when you get more members on a board and more stronger personalities and bigger egos.

I agree with your point 100%. I mean you get what you pay for:):)

[tigergirl]

I don't feel comfortable about this idea. Just writing my opinion about it is making me feel uneasy. Lets say for instance, I have a question about a particular topic, being a storm or not, I may not ask for fear of being bashed for not enough words which may prevent me from learning.

[Bluefrog]

[Chacor]

So... we're setting a post minimum? Uh.. ooookay. This isn't the best idea in my book. In fact, it's by far one of the worst. This is ridiculous. Setting a rule that says, basically if your post isn't so-and so sentences long, it's not important? Come on, guys. Honestly.

It's the fact that they keep repeating themselves, saying the same thing in different wording. Do they have to do it in every single page? Think about it.

I guess not, but this just seems wildly unnecessary to me.

There's a difference between length and quality of posts. One-liners can be informative, just as long diatribes are often useless. This distinction needs to be made.

[canegrl04]

How about making a category for "general chat" for each storm.

[Downdraft]

So... we're setting a post minimum? Uh.. ooookay. This isn't the best idea in my book. In fact, it's by far one of the worst. This is ridiculous. Setting a rule that says, basically if your post isn't so-and so sentences long, it's not important? Come on, guys. Honestly.

I haven't seen anyone suggest a post minimum. I think the consensus so far is if you don't have something significant to contribute why contribute at all? And, no one is suggesting people asking questions to learn shouldn't keep doing so. A great strength of this board is the interaction between pro mets and amateurs. As for the thoughts about the tenor of the board changing over the last few years that's obvious and probably can be traced back to 2004 when the board was swamped with new folks and the old timers became the minority. Such is the price you pay for progress. Looks to me like so far we for the most part we agree it's the one-liners or just a smiley post that most would like to see gone.