The future of the forum

[Papasito Bruno]

I must admit to being very desensitised to the plight of a poster who claims destructiveness of an argument on a simple graphic interchange format; I mean if you can't take it I guess stay off the internets,maybe go someplace where it's safe?

What plight would that be, I wonder?

Are you perhaps reading stuff into my comment that isn't there? If so, I can clarify. Free use of graphics adds to the mess. Mess makes it more difficult to follow the threads of the discussion. That leads to the discussion being dropped or derailed - perhaps before it reaches some actual goal/conclusion/resolution. Off-topic half-liner comments in serious discussion threads often serve the same purpose. My opinion? It sucks, but not enough for a response beyond "fuck it" or, in this case, these few words on the subject.

What distinguishes a serious thread from one that isn't serious?

[Magdalena]

I blame all the gifs. (I KID, I KID! I just remember that was once a source of controversy.)

In threads like this one, for instance, I do blame them - or at least see them as potentially destructive to the serious nature of the argument.

**Ahem***
I would like to apologize for having the power to destroy the serious nature of an argument with a silly dancing hippie GIF.
 

[Magdalena]

...I'm sorry, what are we arguing about, again? 

[Papasito Bruno]

...I'm sorry, what are we arguing about, again? 

Ahem, we were having a serious discussion here Magdalena not an argument.

[Magdalena]

...I'm sorry, what are we arguing about, again? 

Ahem, we were having a serious discussion here Magdalena not an argument.

Oh! 

I just remembered...Sorry, it takes me a while.

It’s about:
Not getting new members.
Not being able to retain new members.
Banning new members.
Not wanting the “silly ones” we have, doing silly things.
High profile members 'retiring'.

…and the future of this place.

I "see" things, and...The sky looks "gray," in the future. 

[Guardian85]

I'm the same way Ali. When I first joined I was all about the atheism and now it's really not that big of a deal.

And I keep forgetting that G85 came out your way. Wow G85, you've really been around the block. 

I also don't engage as much with atheist subjects anymore. I still keep an ear to the ground, but the goings on in the atheist movement are less interesting then when I got in.


And yeah, Buddy.
I've been around a fair few blocks. 

[xSilverPhinx]

I'm the same way Ali. When I first joined I was all about the atheism and now it's really not that big of a deal.

And I keep forgetting that G85 came out your way. Wow G85, you've really been around the block. 

I also don't engage as much with atheist subjects anymore. I still keep an ear to the ground, but the goings on in the atheist movement are less interesting then when I got in.

Me too. That initial zeal has seemed to wear off. I'm still interested in atheism and religion but not nearly as much as I used to be.

[Asmodean]

What distinguishes a serious thread from one that isn't serious?

Those squiggly things inside.

[Firebird]

I blame all the gifs. (I KID, I KID! I just remember that was once a source of controversy.)

Hi all,
Xoxoxox Alex asked me to come back and give my thoughts on why I don't visit the forum much any more. First of all, I don't consider myself an ex-member. HAF4Lyfe! And it's really nothing to do with the forum. I've always loved this forum and how it was a virtual hang out for an international group of friends. I met G85. Buddy, G85, Tank, and Siz met up. Claire and John found love! This place is awesome.

I think the problem for me is just that I'm kind of in a different place in my life right now. When I found this place, I was still pretty "into" my atheism. And I wanted to talk about it!!! These days, I'm still an atheist, but a pretty apathetic one to be honest. I just don't have much else to say on the topic at the moment. I also don't have a ton of time for the Internet any more. I used to work a job that necessitated about 2 hours of work and about 6 hours of Internet surfing a day, so that made it easy to keep up. Now I have a job that works me to the bone most days, and then for years I would go home and be a single parent to two small boys, and have to take care of them and dinner and all of the housework, and by the time that was done, I just wanted to fall asleep watching a movie or something, and not have to interact with anyone.

But! Good news! I think most of you are my FB friends, so you probably already know, but I'm engaged and living with my fiancé. So that part of my life has changed again. Not saying I have a ton more time now, as we have 4 boys between the two of us (3 year old, 8 year old, 11 year old, and a 13 year old, Asmo help us) but at least I have someone to share a stressed out crazy smile with when things are hectic.

Anyway, I guess that's an explanation and an update all at once. I do miss you heathens, and want to be a better HAFer. I'll definitely try.

Well, congrats! At least you're busy for a good cause.

...I'm sorry, what are we arguing about, again? 

Ahem, we were having a serious discussion here Magdalena not an argument.

Oh! 

I just remembered...Sorry, it takes me a while.

It’s about:
Not getting new members.
Not being able to retain new members.
Banning new members.
Not wanting the “silly ones” we have, doing silly things.
High profile members 'retiring'.

…and the future of this place.

I don't know that we've totally figured it out either. FWIW,  this one is 8th on the list of Google sites for "atheist forums" for me, so maybe it's lower in the US. Maybe getting that higher would help? More use of metatags, perhaps.

[Buddy]

HAF was the first link to show up when I searched for atheist forums back in 2011.

[xSilverPhinx]

I don't know that we've totally figured it out either. FWIW,  this one is 8th on the list of Google sites for "atheist forums" for me, so maybe it's lower in the US. Maybe getting that higher would help? More use of metatags, perhaps.

It's fourth for me.

[Bad Penny II]

Sixth here, I don't know if google is weighting for my preferences though, if there were more threads featuring goats it might have been higher.

[Essie Mae]

I like the forum as is and enjoy both the atheistic and general comments, although I have no experience of other forums.  Here in the UK, atheism is no big deal so there's not much to kick against; not like the big deal it appears to be in the US as reported by Patheos Friendly Atheist daily.

I do find it a bit intimidating at times that everyone else is either very witty/extremely knowlegeable/ intelligent or all three but then you all need someone to appreciate that - we can't all be sparklingly funny, butyou need someone to laugh at/wonder at/respond to your posts.  I'm the sort of person who thinks of the deadly riposte about 6 months too late, but I'm OK with that. I feel a bit out of the loop because I can't join the meets, but I'm never around on my own to be able to do that, but I'm glad for those of you who can take part.  HAF is entertaining, frivolous, serious, cross, and many other things. I don't have to read the car thread so I don't, but it's good that there is one.

As for moderation, people can argue what they like as long as they do it cogently; personal insults using bad language (I'm not talking about the casual expletives that some HAFers pepper their posts with - not bothered by that), are just unintelligent and boring. Do I really mean that though? The idea of censorship is repugnant, but just what do you do about someone who puts forward racist/homophobic/sexist ideas/ opinions? I don't mind people being severely critical of me or others, as long as they back their criticisms up with reasonable arguments.

Yes, it would be good to have new members, and I'll try to think if there is anyone I could introduce.  So, HAF is good as it is, and I hope it continues. (And I love the jokes).

As for bloody FB, that has caused me a big problem just yesterday when one of my athiest relations commented on a post by one of my DIL's friends in which my DIL was tagged, in a way that upset her so  much she removed the original post and my DIL unfriended my relation. I respond to very little because of not wanting to reveal my true belief, or lack thereof.  With HAF, WYSIWYG, and it feels good.   FB and HAF are just different things altogether.

[No one]

I may be relatively new and more than likely the least liked member of the community , but I would like to interject an issue that I see.
This forum is incredibly slow. Now I realize that we all have lives outside of this place.  Jobs,  errands, loved ones that take up our time. People don't have the time to consistently wait around for someone to reply to their reply, only to reply to that reply.
But,  there will be a topic that generates some traffic, there will 3, 4, 5 comments,  then nothing for hours. This can be a serious turn off to those who hover around contemplating becoming a member.

 A lot of of other forums I have visited, have a games section,  something to keep members entertained in between the serious discussions. That doesn't seem to exist here. Also something that I just don't understand is how people get upset at comments that veer off the main discussion "derailing"  the thread.  That's how conversation works in the real world. If you are hanging out with your friends, buddies, pals, guys, chum, co-conspirators discussing something the conversation twists and turns and often covers several subjects. I agree that if someone is being blatantly ignorant, or just plain mean,  there is a problem. However, if one says something that opens the door to sarcasm or even an innuendo, again that's how it works in the real world.  If you say something that your friends can pounce on,  true friends normally do.

The beautiful thing is,  you don't have to reply.  But we are not very good at keeping our opinions to ourselves. We want to through in our two cents.  To make sure our voices are heard.  While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that,  people shouldn't take offense to what is said here in cyberspace.

I am completely rambling now,  lost focus of where I was going. I could be wrong (it's been known to happen) but I believe that most of us here are nonbelievers of all all powerful judgemental creator. Honestly though, how long can a talk of what is the main thought we all share on the subject maintain momentum before it becomes stale.

Back to my original point, if there was a bit more liveliness, maybe a section of the forum that would allow for new members to become comfortable, before they jump into the thick of things,  it may attract fresh blood. But, I'm an idiot, so why would anyone listen to me?

[Recusant]

I may be relatively new and more than likely the least liked member of the community , but I would like to interject an issue that I see.

OK, I don't know that you're the "least liked member," but your comment on this topic is very welcome.

 

This forum is incredibly slow. Now I realize that we all have lives outside of this place.  Jobs,  errands, loved ones that take up our time. People don't have the time to consistently wait around for someone to reply to their reply, only to reply to that reply.
But,  there will be a topic that generates some traffic, there will 3, 4, 5 comments,  then nothing for hours. This can be a serious turn off to those who hover around contemplating becoming a member.

Yep, that's an issue, but it's the result of having few active members, and even the chattiest members have, as you say, lives outside the internet.

A lot of of other forums I have visited, have a games section,  something to keep members entertained in between the serious discussions. That doesn't seem to exist here.

That's a worthwhile idea, thank you. We can look into that.

Also something that I just don't understand is how people get upset at comments that veer off the main discussion "derailing"  the thread.  That's how conversation works in the real world. If you are hanging out with your friends, buddies, pals, guys, chum, co-conspirators discussing something the conversation twists and turns and often covers several subjects. I agree that if someone is being blatantly ignorant, or just plain mean,  there is a problem. However, if one says something that opens the door to sarcasm or even an innuendo, again that's how it works in the real world.  If you say something that your friends can pounce on,  true friends normally do.

Maybe I've missed it, but I hadn't noticed anybody complaining that much about derails, though it was mentioned in this thread. 

The beautiful thing is,  you don't have to reply.  But we are not very good at keeping our opinions to ourselves. We want to through in our two cents.  To make sure our voices are heard.  While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that,  people shouldn't take offense to what is said here in cyberspace.

As long as comments don't violate the rules of this site, offense that might be taken "shouldn't" be a huge problem. 

I am completely rambling now,  lost focus of where I was going. I could be wrong (it's been known to happen) but I believe that most of us here are nonbelievers of all all powerful judgemental creator. Honestly though, how long can a talk of what is the main thought we all share on the subject maintain momentum before it becomes stale.

Back to my original point, if there was a bit more liveliness, maybe a section of the forum that would allow for new members to become comfortable, before they jump into the thick of things,  it may attract fresh blood. But, I'm an idiot, so why would anyone listen to me?

I actually do appreciate your contribution to this thread, thanks again. Not going to bite on the "I'm an idiot" thing.