Do you belong to any other forums?

I would say you, like me, are a 'teenage poster' Anniebach

LizG, thank you, i do like that . Mustn't turn into a Kevin though

I use about three expat forums, but tbh they have got pretty boring with about six regular posters. They were useful when we first arrived and needed to know things, but now they seem to have a lot of boring threads and bad-tempered exchanges. I like Mumsnet; clearly I don't read or relate to all the threads, but I do find quite a lot of interest. There are, for example, far more posts on the book threads and I find out about new authors. It can be rude, aggressive and sweary, but also very caring and supportive. Best thing is that there are masses of people on it so you don't feel that it is the same people saying the same things all the time.
Hope this helps.

There's a site that has a special section where anything goes. I think it is Ship of Fools.

Maybe that's the answer, Petallus? An 'anything goes' section where all the vitriol and provocation can be posted in the certainty that it will be thrashed out without upsetting other Gransnetters who don't want to see it going on. It would suit me to have such a section where I could choose not to go, instead of hoping to enter a general discussion that is sabotaged with such comments.

Here's the section that Ship of Fools has:

forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=3

Now THAT really is aggressive!

Yes, Ariadne not for me, but some Gransetters seem to prefer this style of posting and could be catered for without causing the constant complaints we have all been enduring for a long time.

At Pharyngula, P Z Myers has different comments sections - the Lounge is where you are free to discuss anything - but 'kindly', and the Thunderdome which is only 'lightly moderated' - where the flame wars take place!

Yes, I've mentioned this before!

I think it makes a lot of sense. I NEVER go to hell, purgatory is where you find robust, intelligent debate (plenty of atheists there to tangle with), heaven is for fun and All Saints for support.

There's also private forums for LGTB, those with mental health problems and so on. You have to have made a number posts before you can apply to join those.

This forum is 'hosted' completely by volunteers. It's not a business, and they read eery post. Every so often, members can volunteer to send one of them a small gift to show appeciation. It's not atask I would take on.

I have just had a quick Google of that. It sounds like Hell indeed!
Trolls trolling each other!
Which sounds to me like a pointless exercise! As all the trolls would be winding each other up and not upsetting anyone who might get upset. They would probably not even notice that it is not working.

I suspect Trolls, being the sort of people they are would not even notice the irony of it.

Isn't there a Swiftian scenario like that or is is in Alice in Wonderland.

I joined the Sainsbury forums to fight their "Take an Old Bag Shopping" campaign, but after a while they banned me.

I don't think there is any difference between members who were in at the beginning or new members, but I think it is a good idea for people to observe 'from the sidelines' for a while until they get the general tone of the forum.
I don't think men are badly treated unless they break the rules, and women members would be banned for the same reasons. Feetle seems quite happy to post his intelligent remarks and his gender is not relevant.

It is quite possible to post something you think is entirely innocuous and have it totally misinterpreted - I am thinking of my threads about the Stupid Footballer and the Belgrano, where I was forced to defend myself against grossly unfair comments.

Greatnan (( hugs ))

Thanks, jingle - much appreciated.

Could somebody tell me exactly what a troll is supposed to be.

I thought I knew but it's not what nelliemoser is seeming to suggest.

My own definition is somebody who goes on line simply to cause trouble, but other people might have their own views. It isn't somebody who just happens to have strong views on certain subjects and chooses to express them.

This is a comrehensive explanation:

netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebculture/f/what-is-an-internet-troll.htm

Greatnan, what are new posters expected to observe ? Just what is the general tone of this forum? Perhaps you would explain please.

Do you mean look for any 'She who must be obeyed ' posters , or those with 'I'm in charge badges '. Perhaps study and learn who has a problem with anyone disagreeing with their opinion. No need to observe these, they are on every board and every forum, one expects to meet them.

I ask because I assume when one joins a forum one reads the 'the forum guidelines ' I did

In my opinion asking new posters to observe from the sidelines is such an unfriendly greeting .

Anniebach - I was thinking of a recent member who posted something that very many of us found unacceptable. Perhaps he misjudged what kind of things our members would find offensive.
I don't know any 'She who must be obeyed' or 'I'm in charge' members and I really don't think that using such terms is conducive to making a pleasant atmosphere.

Its called observing the group norms anniebach. We had a member once who drove many people mad starting lots of new and very lighthearted threads every day for instance - not a group norm to do this on GN, or to keep starting new threads about the same subject several times a week, or use four letter words etc etc

But was that against The Rules? Whose Group Norms? That particular poster did not drive me mad so I'd rather you didn't assume the collective voice position JessM

Anniebach says she has read the forum guidelines - is there a subsequent version we should know about?

Who used four letter words jess?!

Unbelievable!

I am very new to GN, I have been observing the past few days with great interest. The way I see it is, its like starting a new job, its not wise to jump into anything to fast, or to loudly, you have to slide into things