Posting on forums

Since it's been a bit quiet here (lol), I wanted to create a new topic. Basically, I'm curious to know how often you all post on forums and how comfortable you feel doing so as well as any other forum characteristics, like big vs. small forums, etc.

For those who know me, I used to be quite the forum poster. However, circumstances have changed. Part of the reason is that I'm just more addicted to Facebook nowadays. I can't help it. But aside from that, this is something I've noticed and more so recently. I'm not sure whether this has always existed or if I'm paying more attention recently. But I've observed that on big forums, there tends to be some pretty mean people. Well, I mean, they make mean posts. One can kind of get that feeling from reading them, you know? I don't mind people being honest and open but being mean for the sake of being mean is just hurtful, I think. Like today, I was checking out a big gaming forum (and no, it's not where people think-I'd never go back to that place lol) and I was reading this one forum area and people were being mean towards this game developer. Now I happen to know that developer and I know that whatever happened, it wasn't done with the intention of hurting or deceiving others. But there are some idiots only determined to see things in a negative view and thus made attacks. I kind of did want to step in and post but based on past experience, those kinds of mean people only want to attack back so I just don't bother anymore although reading those posts bothers me a bit.

So in my case, I feel most comfortable posting on small forums like SFG and a couple of other places I go to, where members have similar interests, are friendly to one another and can have fun. Those characteristics are what I look for when I want to express myself without fear of attack.

So yup, those are my feelings about posting nowadays.

Hmm I differ with you a little, phoenix. Big forums don't exactly to have mean people, and they if do have, then it's only the admin's fault he/she lets such people around without any sort of punishment.

Personally, I don't really post on forums at all nowadays (except this one, of course xD) because mainly, I don't have time and I am just not as interested as I used to be. But I did use to post on some big forums and not necessarily they have mean people.

I suppose that on some big forums, such mean posts are considered to be constructive criticism although personally, I don't think that criticism has to be said in a mean way. But mostly they are not really meant to be mean, rather their way of pointing out what's wrong.

But again, I don't think big forums necessarily have mean posts around and it's very possible to see a small forum with such posts around, too. I think it only depends on the management and admin who set the rules and watch the forums.

Yeah... of those the advices you gave me... Ignore is the best solution...

Some people are just online trolls... They won't stop until you stop posting.

I've experienced before of course! Lotsa times of it... Hate to go back that forum...

And I quite agree with Love some points... it's the admin's fault... they tend to oversee the older members' action... I just hope the admin should ban that person forever who attacked me... Now I still feel uneasy to beta-test...

Yeah, I see what you all mean. Of course, not all big forums have mean people. I guess I've been unlucky in that I've met some mean people. Ironically, I haven't met such mean people-well, not too many of them lol-in real life. And I do agree that constructive criticism doesn't have to be said in a negative manner. I have this philosophy that people can be blunt but without being mean, if that makes any sense.

And yeah, it's definitely up to the admin and mods to oversee the environment of a place and it's pretty obvious that some places are neglected.

mika, I think you know what advice I'd give you regarding that person. Don't let an idiot ruin a good experience for you.

well... I did chose to ignore... unbelievable someone who is supposed to be brainwashed by someone try to get rid of me...