This is topic Time to Close Hatrack - It's all been said. in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=025041

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
[rant]

Ya know, I really hate it when someone says a topic has been "done to death" or "we don't need another thread about. . . "

Isn't one of the beautiful things about an internet bulletin-board the fact that hundreds of different topics can be discussed in their own little compartments? Isn't it also nice that if you don't care about a specific topic at a specific time in your life you don't have to open it? You can skip right over it, or, if having read it and found nothing of interest, you can simply click to the next topic.

I mean really, if someone started a thread, clearly there is at least that one person who still has an interest in discussing it. If you don't have interest in the topic do you really have to jump in to voice your disapproval of their interest? Are you incapable of restraining the impulse to manage conversations that don't even interest you?

There are several reasons why I think it's good to re-hash an issue that has been discussed before:

1. Some people's opinions change over time. I know that's a mystery to some, but it happens. (If you truely can make a chart that lists all active Hatrackers and their positions on all the hot topics you really need to see someone about your Hatrack OCD.)

2. Some people need the reassurance that others share their opinion, and they need it dynamically, not in some stuffy archived discussion they themselves might not have been able to participate in.

3. Some people just like to voice their opinion, and they want to do it in a new thread rather than in a two-month-old thread that most people won't bother to look in again.

4. Some people may have a different take on an issue that might fit under the broader topic of another thread but is tangential enough to merit a thread of its own.

Why is this a problem? Is it really an inconvenience that your pet thread isn't in the top 10 because of another abortion thread? 'Fraid you might have to look on the second page?

Should the moderators put all the hot topics (Gay Rights, Abortion, Capital Punishment, etc) into a permanent archive and tell all the people who want more out of Hatrack than "The Last Post Thread" to just lurk?

Do newbies have to be reprimanded and told implicitly that in order to join us they need to read six months of old threads to make sure they don't offend our jaded ears with repetition? What a nice welcome to the community.

Hatrack is a place of conversation. If your co-worker starts talking about abortion do you roll your eyes and hand him a printout of the last conversation you had with someone else about abortion? Bet you're lotsa fun to work with.

[/rant]

[ June 11, 2004, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: KarlEd ]
 

---

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
That was directed at me, and I deserve it.

I apologize.

That said, I do want to point out that when I was a newbie, and lurked for over a week on this forum, reading and re-reading many many threads from the past, reading everyone's landmark and getting a feel for the place before posting.

And I just wish others would do that as well before they jump in.

Farmgirl

[ June 11, 2004, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: Farmgirl ]
 

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
That was not directed at you, or anyone else specifically. I see it all the time from several different people and I'm just feeling snarky right now.
 

---

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
Snark on, brother! You've got to get these things out during the introspection phase or people will think you're just a troublemaker!

Dagonee
 

---

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
But I had just said that exact thing in michaele8's death penalty thread. (which I have since edited) So I deserved the reprimand.

forgiven now? (kiss and make up)

Farmgirl
 

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
 
"It's all been said"?

That reminds me of:

"Everything that can be invented, has been invented." -- Charles Duell, the Commissioner of the U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

And also, in a way:

"640 K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981

[ June 11, 2004, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: Ron Lambert ]
 

---

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
 
I love KarlEd.
 

---

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
 
Hmm... I'm sure this has been done before... What a waste of first page space !!!
 

---

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
 
Cheers KarlEd!
 

---

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
KarlEd, thanks for posting that. You put very eloquently into words how I feel on the matter.
 

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
Please don't love me. I'm still feeling snarky. Nothing ruins a good snark like being loved.
 

---

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
 

quote:

---

Please don't love me. I'm still feeling snarky. Nothing ruins a good snark like being loved.

---

I feel exactly the same way. Something like this should be on Philotic Web more than here though. They have a larger problem with this than Hatrack does.
 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
How about if instead of posting "We just had a thread on this" we post "You are an idiot and a troll"?
 

---

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
 
I'm going to assume you're joking, becuase if you were not, I would say simply that there are plenty of circumstances that warrant responses other than those two.
 

---

Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
 
Wow, Nick. I think you just proved Icarus' point from his post on the Hatrack Cliques thread.
 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
You know, I used to like you, Nick.
 

---

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Now, now, gratitude and love are two different things. Thank you for feeling snarky!
 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
I love that Hatrack taught me the work "snarky." And "squick."
 

---

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
"Squick" is a real word? I was surprised when I looked up "snarky" and it was a valid word.

*goes to online dictionary*
 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
It is now. We worded it.
 

---

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
 
I didn't mean to be snarky, but I couldn't tell if you were kidding. Sorry. I never was very good at discerning that online...
 

---

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Despite all the times I have seen it in context, I have no idea what "squicky" means. To me, it is kinda like the word "smurf".

"Well was feeling just squicky today, but then some one squicked me on the way to work and I thought, 'Squick. Now I need a squicky donut.'"
 

---

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
 
It's a combination of "squirm" and "ick". It describes the physical reaction that happens when you encounter something icky that makes you squirm.

It is relatd to disgust, but does not necessarily entail a moral judgement. It's just a description of the feeling.
 

---

Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
 
To me, squicked out means "wierded out".

 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
It's stronger than wierded. It's a cross between wierded and grossed.
 

---

Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
 
Ok. That makes the above sentance rather interesting.
 

---

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
 
Squick is-
Really old men dressed in Japanese school girl uniforms
or
Yaoi stories about band members... dang that squicks me out... It's more than I need to know. (Despite the fact that I like non-band yaoi which is not something anyone really needs to know, but oh, well.)
It also is the feeling I get when I see pink and orange together.
 

---

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
KarlEd, I was really glad that the mods decided to delete past threads after a significant period of time. The expectation to read up on all the old stuff that had already been said seemed too daunting to newcomers.

It is really great when someone bothers to get up to speed on recent conversations, but the weight of those total archived conversations was beginning to add up to something scary.
 

---

Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
 

quote:

---

If your co-worker starts talking about abortion do you roll your eyes and hand him a printout of the last conversation you had with someone else about abortion?

---

Karl, I love you in all your snarky glory.
 

---

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
Karl,
 

---

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
 
Bev! That was great!

Heheh... squicky!
 

---

Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
 
KarlEd
 

---

Posted by Ophelia (Member # 653) on :
 
I didn't mean to ruin your snark. Sorry.
(Doesn't change the love though, regardless of the snark.)
 

---

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
It's good snark.
 

---

Posted by Armoth (Member # 4752) on :
 
Im not sure anybody knows who the heck I am, and I barely have posted here, though Ive read a lot of posts.
I agree with Farmgirl, AND the originator of the post. I agree that its wrong to bash the newbies that bring back threads that have been discussed and over-discussed, but I agree with Farmgirl, that as a newbie, it might be wiser to sit and listen for a while before standing on the soapbox.
I know that I havent started very many threads on my own, and thats fine, im okay with responding to the posts of others.
My two cents...
 

---

Posted by BlueJacsFan (Member # 6590) on :
 
From the newbie perspective, I appreciated KarlEd's comments. It's difficult enough for us newbies to keep up with the current threads that are rolling out faster than I can read them (one of these days I'm going to learn to speed read!). If it's not on the front couple of pages or so, chances are I'm not going to see it for quite some time.

I've only been around for a week, and have only read a couple of landmarks (which were actually newer ones that just got posted within the past week or so). I wasn't aware of that tradition until I came a cross the first one earlier this week. I had notice the archive, but hadn't ventured in there to see what it was about. For all I knew, it was just a bunch of really old threads (archive) that someone thought were really cool and had saved them for posterity, but didn't have a clue how they were significant or why they warranted being kept.

I didn't really lurk much here before posting, but I haven't posted any new threads as of yet either, and probaly won't until I've had a chance poke around a bit more. I've jumped into several ongoing conversations to toss in my 2 cents worth. A couple of those conversations have been pretty lively, and has helped to give me a good feel for who some of the players are around here.

On other boards that I've been a part of, it hasn't bothered me that someone repeats something from an older thread, unless the original thread is pretty recent. If it's something that was discussed 6 months ago, who cares? If it was just last week, OTOH, I think some snarkiness is definitely in order.
 

---

Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
 
Sorry you're still feeling snarky, KarlEd. 'Cause I'm gonna say I love you anyway. You said something that needed to be said, and how can I not love someone for doing that?
 

---

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
*agrees with the Boojum*
 

---

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
 
In honor of your wonderful rant, I think I'll start a homosexual abortion in the liberal media thread about Mormons.

Edit:
With special reference to the Ender's Game movie and newbies.

[ June 12, 2004, 07:31 AM: Message edited by: Bob_Scopatz ]
 

---

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Or you could start a new pun smackdown....pretty much the same thing, right BoB?


 

---

Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
 
What the heck is yaoi?
 

---

Posted by Damien (Member # 5611) on :
 
*snerk* Why don't you google it?
 

---

Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
 
Wow, Damien. That's not right. The easily squicked should NOT google this word.

What is it with animated porn anyway? How can you get turned on by fake sex?
 

---

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 
I don't hate newbie conversation, Karl. I just hate the newbies.

Is that so wrong?

(But if they kiss up to me then they're in my good books. For the record.)
 

---

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Is that so wrong?

---

quote:

---

do you hate children?

---

Depends.

Do they think I'm hot?
 

---

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
I LOVE Ralphie.
 

---

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 
And Ralphie <hearts> Icarus.
 

---

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
 
:heart: KarlEd

You never know when someone's iteration of a thread is going to surpass the old version. Like CT's newbie thread.

But I think the intelligent response to the impulse to squish a newbie or youngling would be to actually bump a really old thread, rather than snark on their thread.
 

---

Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
 
Mabus thinks Ralphie is hot.
 

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
You like me! You really like me!



By the way, I'm not feeling snarky anymore so you can pour on the love with impunity.
 

---

Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
 
Ralphie, I think you need to recruit some more minions to let everyone know about the Ralphie love. Just let them know that for each convert they make, they'll receive a small portion of the Ralphie adoration. For each minion they recruit, they'll receive another small portion of Ralphie adoration.

Kinda like Amway, but with spankings.
 

---

Posted by tt&t (Member # 5600) on :
 
Waitaminutehere. When did Ralphie lose her reputation?! And who forgot to tell everyone?!

Ralphie the Hawtie:
 

---

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
 
Ralphie, you know the problem isn't a lack of newbie love. It's that that love is a cold and hollow love. They've loving is parroting of the adoration of your original fans in an attempt to seem cool and fit in. Congrats, you're still a celebrity! Only, y'know, without all the half naked men and truckloads of money.
 

---

Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
 

quote:

---

Only, y'know, without all the half naked men and truckloads of money

---

Are you sure about that?
 

---

Posted by Armoth (Member # 4752) on :
 
*shudder*
 

---

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
 
Seriously, Armoth. That much money is downright creepy.
 

---

Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
 
Depends on the truck, really.
 

---

Posted by Frisco (Member # 3765) on :
 
And I'd like to add my support to Ralphie's subconscious scouting for newbie minions.

Much like a top level executive in a pyramid scheme, I like to see each of my minions actively recruiting. I can totally live off of residual admiration.
 

---

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
 
Ralphie still has the power to turn a KarlEd emo thread into a Ralphie hawtness thread.

KarlEd
Does this look like a minion spanking?
 

---

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
ROTFLMAO!

 

---

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 
Sorry, Karl.
 

---

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
 
Seriously, Ralphie. Less Karl thread-hijacking, more Bokonon thread fondling.

-Bok
 

---

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
Thread, huh? Feeling inadequate are we?
 

---

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
 
Ooooh, kinky.
 

---

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
 
I was talkin bout my leather, freak.

Don't be jivin' me. For real like.

-Bok
 

---