This is going to really hack off some people here!!

[shortcuts]

This is going to be difficult to say what I without really p**sing some people right off but I just have to get it off my chest so here goes.

Why when someone asks a question don't people posting replies simply answer the question as opposed to giving opinions. If you don't have an answer to the question posed then leave it alone instead of hi jacking the thread and turning it from it's point into a moral debate. This seems to happen time after time and I make no apologies for getting this off my chest.

A classic example recently is the thread posted by utterchaos with regard to diving at a shark feed. He did not ask for opinions on the ethical issues involved. He simply wanted to get some advice as to locations etc. But the same small hard core of members here (you know who you are) who allways seem to have an opinion jumped straight on it and turned it into a minor which hunt because you disagreed with his chosen pursuit. Why?

I can almost picture the small clique of you sitting in front of your keyboards like demonic fish wives with pursed lips tut tutting and feeling the outraged need to jump on it !

Get a life, this is a forum and we don't need to be reminded time and again that we have to conform with your, sometimes, small minded points of view!

I fully expect to cop a load of smelly stuff for this but what the hell, bring it on!

There I feel slightly better now and await with baited (no pun intended) breath as the smelly stuff prepares to be hurled in my direction!!

Live and let live

[Bobco]

Yep your right, some things will be taken off the rails right away, they tend to be about Dumb things (my opinion) like hand feeding sharks

The other reason is that opinion is what most knowledge boils down to, for one position you will find that in fact you have more than one if fact on equipment you may have dozens.

New members should speak their minds as you are doing, this is not a private club it’s a forum, and its tag line is that it networks divers, which over the years it has done very well, it may look a click but its not it’s a group of people, some of which know each other though diving quite well, which for a web forum is bloody good going.

Well done to all of you who get involved, and more that to Pete for making it all happen in the first place

[Davey_Willo]

Thats life, especially on internet fora, we are all opinionated in one way and another and can/will voice those opinions when the need/desire arises.

A conversation in any pub, club or social gathering will very quickly deviate from one subject matter into another, thats the way things happen when adults discuss subject matters, I'd be very very suprised if you yourself had never been guilty of being party to similar situations throughout your life.

As I first started reading your post I was smiling and agreeing with your comments as what you described i.e. a simple question becoming a multi paged thread quite often discussing something totally unrelated to the OP's first post is defacto in fora worldwide, but I repeat its what humans do... more often than not its what makes fora fun and informative to read.

But then you started getting personal.

Quote:I can almost picture the small clique of you sitting in front of your keyboards like demonic fish wives with pursed lips tut tutting and feeling the outraged need to jump on it

Quote:Get a life, this is a forum and we don't need to be reminded time and again that we have to conform with your, sometimes, small minded points of view!

At this point you lost my vote, based on your opinions I'd suggest that you remove the link to UKDivers from your bookmarks and move on should the core community here offend you. I hope that you're fortunate enough to find a forum that will give you what you want, although I seriously doubt it as it doesn't exist...

Regards
Dave.

[O2 Steve]

shortcuts Wrote:Get a life, this is a forum and we don't need to be reminded time and again that we have to conform with your, sometimes, small minded points of view!

Pot
Kettle
Black....

This is an free discussion group for anyone who has an interest or view on any given subject. If somebody posts an emotive thread (even unitentionally) then people will respond.

Taking your argument to its fullest conclusion, if someone was to post saying something like "so wheres the best place to go for child porn?" the readers should not be dismayed but should help said poster find some.

[purple vonny]

I know what you mean and the vision of the tut-tutting pursed lipped internet diver is very funny (and often true!!!)

However, it does keep things lively when we give our opinions. And it can be informative sometimes. Perhaps we jump in and give a different view that the original poster hadn't thought of.

I haven't seen the thread you are referring to but maybe, just maybe, a new-ish diver might not have considered the implications of shark diving or what feeding them does to alter their behaviour.
I'd never do it but don't jump down the throats of those who chose to do it.

The reason I use this and one other dive forum is that I have, over the years, made some good friends and dive buddies from the sites.

The banter might sound as though we are a bunch of tight knit harradans but we are simply friends. Like a load of mates in the pub having a chat.

But you make a good point!!!

[EllieCee]

shortcuts Wrote:I can almost picture the small clique of you sitting in front of your keyboards like demonic fish wives with pursed lips tut tutting and feeling the outraged need to jump on it !

I don't think this Clique you talk about exists, the problem appears to be ( like many forums ) there are far more 'lurkers' than posters... Take my smoking thread, 42 posts but over 460 views....

If peeps want just direct answers without any opinion then maybe posting on 'Yahoo Answers' would be a better option?

Anyway I'm off to try Badger Baiting... catch ya later

Ellie

[Badknees]

I hope I'm part of the hardcore of opinion pushers and tut tut er's and a fish wife, I always like to be part of the IT crowd!

UKD is welcome to all even DIR and bsac divers everyone is and should be made welcome.

Should we agree with everything people write on here or should we just become an directory for divers. Is this what you are asking of us?

A lot of members meet up regularly to chat, dive,and argue.
We encourage other UKDers to meet up also, god forbid we even like each other (well some but only the ones in our special clique )

Many members on here often offer out there services and equipment to help fellow UKDers. we are a family ...not very close but i like to think of that way. Peter the dad and Willo the mother hen

If UKD became as you wish a directory for diving it would be dull as fook.

I'm trying to be nice about this but i do feel a rant approching so will take a deep breath............

Bk hardcore fish wife.

[Badknees]

EllieCee Wrote:I don't think this Clique you talk about exists, the problem appears to be ( like many forums ) there are far more 'lurkers' than posters... Take my smoking thread, 42 posts but over 460 views....

If peeps want just direct answers without any opinion then maybe posting on 'Yahoo Answers' would be a better option?

Anyway I'm off to try Badger Baiting... catch ya later

Ellie

As for the smoking one I'm very dissapointed no one has biten to my rant.

oops was that a hijack,

Bk

[shortcuts]

Ok I did say that I was expecting some smelly stuff to be aimed in my direction!
If I could reply to some of the points made which would probably be easier to address them in the order in which they appear.

1} Bobco
New members should speak their minds as you are doing, this is not a private club it’s a forum, and its tag line is that it networks divers, which over the years it has done very well, it may look a click but its not it’s a group of people, some of which know each other though diving quite well, which for a web forum is bloody good going.

That is one of the points I am trying to make, and having spoken with many divers who visit but don't post, it is seen as being very cliquey and the reason why a lot of visitors don't post. More lurkers than posters somebody said.

2} Davey_Willo
based on your opinions I'd suggest that you remove the link to UKDivers from your bookmarks and move on should the core community here offend you.

A bit harsh don't you think? I have no intention of leaving what I consider to be an otherwise very good site voluntarily. If you wish to have me banned then so be it, and trust me I have no desire for an argument on a personal basis, but I suggest that course of action will say more about you than me. And in this instance I do apologise if you find that remark offensive but it has to be said.

3} O2 steve
This is an free discussion group for anyone who has an interest or view on any given subject. If somebody posts an emotive thread (even unitentionally) then people will respond.

I agree people will respond but is it the right place to respond within that thread rather than opening a seperate thread and canvassing opinion there and leaving the poster with a hi jacked thread and no answer to the origonal question.

Taking your argument to its fullest conclusion, if someone was to post saying something like "so wheres the best place to go for child porn?" the readers should not be dismayed but should help said poster find some.

Please. Actually I'm not sure it's worth bothering with that one!

4} Purple Vonny

Purple I fully respect what you say and only have one point to make to you and that is when a member has read a page or two about the opinions of others when, as in the case in point, a direct question is asked, he/she has forgotten what the question was. Consequently the first poster never gets a reply and possibly never comes back.

5} Elliecee

Anyway I'm off to try Badger Baiting... catch ya later

What can I say.

6} Badknees

If UKD became as you wish a directory for diving it would be dull as fook.

I didn't suggest that. The rest of your post I have no issues with.

..............................................

I hope I have gone some way to defending my point of view and that it can be respected as such in the same way I respect yours. If there are other posts on here before this goes live that I haven't seen I am sorry. I am not ignoring them. Anyway if I don't get back to you on this it is only because I will be away diving in The Maldives for a fortnight from Sunday 6-4-08 and I'm sure you will wish me luck and hope that I thoroughly enjoy it !!
Hopefully I will get to have another look at this before I go but If not I wish you all well and will see Davey _Willow's reply on my return. If I can get onto the site!!

[EllieCee]

Ahhh The Maldives....

Have a great time , Its Fabby!

Ellie