New(ish) members and FLAMING

I like the fact that BLF is ‘self-moderated’ and I understand that it means we must moderate our own ‘self’ for it to work best. But I think it should be okay for ‘mature’ members to help ‘moderate’ others by gently reminding of the rules. Notice, I didn’t say by arguing or by “shouting down” anybody. To me, it would be preferable to use that kind of gentle reminder as a ‘warning shot’ before using the ‘Report’ button.

I don't even know if BLF has any moderators. I know only of Mr. Admin sb.

pinkpanda, I agree with your post. Thank you for bringing this up and posting about it so sensibly. The self-moderation you mention (and some of the old-timers in general) are what make this community so unique on the internet in my eyes. Reading a troll-containing thread recently, I found myself wanting to only post about the positive things I was reading, and for the other things I used the "Report" button instead of "Reply" - a button which I've rarely even thought of using here. I like Mr. Admin's policy, and I think clicking "report" instead of "reply" really is the best way to deal with trolls or otherwise hurtful people here.

I will also say that it is admirable and impressive to see some of our community being so kind in the face of vitriol aimed directly at them. I don't know if I could be able to act as a role model in such circumstances. But I also know that the kind of things we're addressing in this thread, are the kinds of toxins that can seep in around the edges of a community until nothing good can grow anymore. In my experience, the nicest people I've ever met are also often the most sensitive. They are not likely the type to fight back against a troll, but instead the type to no longer enjoy a community with trolls and to quietly back away. The community then gains trolls, and losest its most treasured members, slowly and quietly, until one day it is unrecognizable.

So I think: If you see someone is being attacked, reach out to them. In PM or in the thread, address that person in a positive way, but don't address the attacker. For the troll, click report.

Agreed. Thank you from myself as well. I saw the trend and just decided to not get involved in those post. The only negative to this was my spending less and less times on BLF. I now think I’m up to once a week and, not really contributing anything of value. I have given away most of the lights that I had put aside for giveaways on BLF. Just couldn’t bring myself to login and do it. Knowing I would most likely miss the end of the giveaway, I didn’t even start it.

See y’all next week.

To me, the main issue for BLF, or more precisely, BLF members, is that some of us aren’t willing to make compromises and listen to advice on certain things.

One of these things is politeness, which some lack, like treating people of trolls and saying U should stop trying to help him and going as far as insulting people.

The one thing that makes my blood temperature boil for a second or two is people not willing to learn about anything and hiding behind a wall.

I try to be as considerate and as convincing as possible, but it doesn’t always work, even if I vulgarise things a lot.

TLDR: Being reasonable is the way to go.

I’m a relative newcomer here at BLF, although I’ve been around many other forums in the past. Never felt unwelcome here, actually I look back at my first few posts and chuckle how noobish I was. With that said, forums will always have noobs, trolls, veterans, and admins, it’s just a thing.

This place is awesome and the technical knowledge here is great. For those that can’t deal, my personal opinion is, grow some thicker skin. I will say that I agree, to really understand this place, you gotta put the time in to learn, which is always a good thing.

What would this thread be without BLF’s most talkative member? :smiley:

I guess it may have been noticed that I have not been here much the last few months. The reason is directly what this thread is about… I got tired of the petty bickering and name calling. Misstheolddaysbutwhatareyagonnado?

My Dad was diagnosed with Kidney cancer in Feb, after having already lost a kidney back in ’81 to cancer. At 90, he just wanted to let things run their natural course so he was here at home under Hospice care. It wasn’t easy on any of us. My “internet skin” got thin, so I simply stayed away. Modded a few lights and helped friends all the same, but pretty much only responded in PM’s.

Dad passed away on June 23 this year. It’s taken some time but I am getting back into the swing of things and my post count sorta shows it! Lol Perspectives shift but the primary goal for all civilization remains, simply, be nice. It’s a big picture thing. :wink:

As my first born used to say ( gone now over 14 years) Peace Out!

In this vein, what bugs the crap outta me is when someone asks for help, yet leaves out critical information, and instead just shoots down idea after idea after idea. Why bother wasting your time remembering, looking up, copying, then replying, if your idea is only going to get shot down?

“Where can I get XYZ?”

So you answer, no clue either in the person’s sidebar info nor in the message as to his location, and then get, “Oh, I live in Canada/Guam/Portugal/a-raft-in-the-Pacific/etc., and can’t order from there, or shipping costs are too high, etc.”.

“What light should I get?”

Same, then get one shootdown after another. “I don’t want a side-clicky.” “A twisty? Ewww.” “I don’t want a 21700.” “It only comes in black??” Warm white, cool white, moonlight’s too bright, turbo’s not bright enough, too much knurling, not enough knurling, ad nauseam.

Like, say so up front what your requirements and/or limitations might be. Is that so hard to ask, rather than keeping people going in circles trying to help?

Sometimes you just want to smack the living crap outta them. Seriously.

Being a n00b is fine, as we’ve all been there, but it’s worse when people who should know better do this. (Actually, most n00bz who want to learn will if anything be apologetic, vs those who get snotty in reply at daring to be questioned.)

/\ . +1:+1: .

This is a “newb”: Somehow how doesn’t know too much because the person is new to the business. It’s not a bad thing.

This is a “noob”

:smiley:

I saw first hand about what you are talking about Lightbringer, if I remember it correctly it was a member who was working on a film and was trying to figure out a light that suited his needs. He gave I think very little info to work with and kept shooting down most suggestions until you said the quote you said earlier about just being upfront about what you want and turned a bit snotty at your response.

Like, why didn’t you say the specifics in the first post?

I didn’t want to point specific fingers. :innocent:

But among others, yeah.

Even little stoopit things, especially the “where can I get X?” queries. Okay, so you point to, say, Amazon, then get a snotty answer that amazon.mn doesn’t carry it, or anything, beside yak butter. (As in Mongolia, not Minnesota.)

Ooookay.

Yeah, my apologies. I tried to vague as possible as to avoid the member seeing it and starting another petty argument. As someone with little to no experience with software/hardware/modding I avoid adding my input in threads because I don’t know enough of a subject to add helpful feedback. As a new member I tend to google the terminology and stats first or look at previous comments from the thread to avoid redundant information. If all else fails I finally comment my problem or ask for help if youtube/google has no results.

Sorry to hear that Dale, God bless him.

Talkative and inspirational even after all the things you’ve gone through!! :face_with_monocle:
Sorry to know about your Dad, but I hope you’re “well”, as well as you’re family, Dale!!

I won’t comment on the thread as I feel the same way some have expressed above. I remember someone showing a “meme” or something alike some time ago: this is internet, you can just let things go!!! This is what I do whenever I feel I will “flame” the comments even more! Just let them go :beer:

Now to the interesting things of BLF:
DB CUSTOM aka DALE!!! You’re almost 20.000 posts! What will you GAW? :smiley:

(Yeah, I’m trying to flame this UP :smiling_imp: )

Thank you all for allowing this place to be a learning space in the “outer” space or our “inner” lives :wink:

Too bad the image cut her off at the knees. Might’ve been red shoes? :laughing:

She got big thighs.

Nah. Most of those types are just smash’n’grab posters. They don’t stick around once their immediate needs are met.

Depends on the forum. Go “elsewhere” and you might be condescendingly ridiculed for not being an immediate expert. Here? Ask something which sounds silly on its surface, and people will generally be helpful and informative.

Granted, sometimes people will ask “whut’s a aspheric lens?”, and “GIYF” is an appropriate answer.

Ask what’s “flashing”, though, and yeah, that term’s vague and ambiguous enough that a quick goggling probably wouldn’t help without putting it in context… and hopefully not getting arrested for trying it.

reminds me of Beverly “Crusher” :person_facepalming:

The next question would be ,what’s GIYF?
Best to spell it out , it’s a good job I’m so intelligent though because it only took me about 5 seconds to work it out , but not everyone is blessed like me

GIYF = Google is your friend

(though I had to Google the acronym to figure it out.)