Posted by fallsfall on February 8, 2004, at 9:00:36
In reply to Re: small town boards, posted by Dr. Bob on February 8, 2004, at 7:32:18
So, if I am understanding right, Dr. Bob, these small towns would be for posters who were "invited" by posters who were already members. But anyone could read these boards. It is just the select "members" could post. Why would that not invite members to discuss things that are unkind to nonmembers, with nonmembers not having the opportunity to respond? It is sort of like now, if someone is blocked, people can talk about them and they can't respond. But at least in that case you can justify that they can't respond because they did something "bad" to be blocked. In your small town case, the only thing "bad" they did was not be popular enough.
I have personal contacts with a number of people who I met on this board. We have connected through email and also communicate through IMs. These conversations are private between us, and I really like the opportunity to discuss some things that are too private to put on a public board. Sometimes we also get a little catty about some of the other posters - and sometimes we get concerned about other posters and try to come up with a way together to help them. I have not found it difficult at all to have conversations with smaller groups of people. But I have done it without excluding anyone, and I have done it discreetly.
I think that one of the best things about Babble is that everyone can participate - the loud and obnoxious, the shy. Those with lots of knowledge and those who are just starting to learn. Those with just one question, who need support right now, and those who need long threads of in depth study. And everyone is welcome.
I have read the 2000 board on occasion, and sometimes wanted to join in, but I couldn't. The 2000 people seemed elite, and some of them wouldn't post on the regular boards. That meant that I could meet and get to know people who I couldn't talk to. If that's not exclusion, I don't know what is.
I don't see the "problem" that you are trying to solve. Could you please explain to me how the smaller boards would be "better" than the boards WE have now? I honestly don't see the advantage, but I do see disadvantages. Granted, in the time that this was being debated I was not feeling well and, while I read the posts I might not have understood them well. But perhaps you could summarize for me what the advantages are.
Are those advantages worth the hard feelings, exclusion, and longtime posters leaving?
Falls
poster:fallsfall
thread:300134
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040112/msgs/310853.html