Your Opinion? bans- when should they be permanent??

[mfo]

I can probably name 20 that have left since I came here, maybe more

It is the nature of the forum that people come and people go

Sometimes, they come back
Sometimes they don't

Focusing on a limited slice of time and making judgements belies the true nature of the forum

This is an "entry level" science forum.
As people mature, they tire of the repetitious nature of the inquiries and look elsewhere.

The truth is, that veterans were leaving before you came here and will be leaving after you and I are gone

The exaggeration comes from labeling 5 as "many."
EVERY day, over 5,000 people visit this forum
5/5,000 doesn't constitute "many" to me

Even if you just want to focus on veterans, there are ~150 veterans
5/150 still doesn't make it to the label "many."

Peace,
dave

I look at it like this.

There's three categories of people here.

You have the people that come here for info, you have the people deemed "vets" because of their post count and then you have the true assets to these forums, people such as yourself and a few others who actually go out of their way to provide data/services for the better of the community.

Most people fall into the category of people that come here for the info, some fall into the "vets" and few fall into the true assets. With that being said, I've been here for about three years now and I'd say that's a pretty long time to make an observation. What I've observed for the most part is this forum is slowly declining (of course someone in your position would never admit that, but I'm sure a lot of people feel that way even if they don't want to come here and straight up admit that). Sure, it still generates plenty of traffic, still generates plenty of profit for Avery and sure, there's still plenty of information to be had here, but a lot of people here are at each other's throats (and I don't even know why to be honest with you [well, I sort of have a feeling why]). What I'm trying to get at is the quality of the material here has tarnished more and more as time progresses. These forums are not what they used to be and I doubt they ever will be again. I know a decent amount of people here agree with me, I just hope others step up and speak their minds so I don't look like an ass by myself.

With that being said, I refuse to get into a pissing match with a mod, especially after what happened with IE, so I'm done :beer:

 

[daguin]

I look at it like this.

There's three categories of people here.

You have the people that come here for info, you have the people deemed "vets" because of their post count and then you have the true assets to these forums, people such as yourself and a few others who actually go out of their way to provide data/services for the better of the community.

Most people fall into the category of people that come here for the info, some fall into the "vets" and few fall into the true assets. With that being said, I've been here for about three years now and I'd say that's a pretty long time to make an observation. What I've observed for the most part is this forum is slowly declining (of course someone in your position would never admit that, but I'm sure a lot of people feel that way even if they don't want to come here and straight up admit that). Sure, it still generates plenty of traffic, still generates plenty of profit for Avery and sure, there's still plenty of information to be had here, but a lot of people here are at each other's throats (and I don't even know why to be honest with you [well, I sort of have a feeling why]). What I'm trying to get at is the quality of the material here has tarnished more and more as time progresses. These forums are not what they used to be and I doubt they ever will be again. I know a decent amount of people here agree with me, I just hope others step up and speak their minds so I don't look like an ass by myself.

With that being said, I refuse to get into a pissing match with a mod, especially after what happened with IE, so I'm done :beer:

You are just in the "tiring of the repetitive nature of the inquiries" category
You went away for awhile
Then you returned
Now you see that it is pretty much still the same as it was when you left
You are focusing on the past and the negative

You will either accept the nature of the forum or remain unsatisfied and eventually leave again

You need to look deeper
Some of the work that DTR, Lazerer, RHD, Ehgemus, awlego, Trevor, Seoul_lasers, et al are doing, is just as creative and "science" as was done by many of the "old timers" who have left or gone "less active"

Peace,
dave

 

[Things]

What I've observed for the most part is this forum is slowly declining

As a member of LPF for almost 5 years now, I disagree.

Sure, the good info is becoming increasingly cluttered and buried under repetitive noob posts, but the number of overall contributors here has increased fairly dramatically.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Some of the work that DTR, Lazerer, RHD, Ehgemus, awlego, Trevor, Seoul_lasers, et al are doing, is just as creative and "science" as was done by many of the "old timers" who have left or gone "less active"

Peace,
dave

I agree. All those guys have brought this forum to a level I have not seen in a long time. We have all kinds of new drivers, diodes, hosts, batteries. Way more than a few years ago. Plus they have brought down the cost of the hobby significantly. These are great times.

Even the drama is less. There used to be way more drama in the past. We have some going on now, but it will ebb in time. It always does.

No one has to be here. If people want to focus on the negative, and are not having a good time anymore, then there is nothing saying they cant leave. Why would you stay in a place you're not having fun at anymore? Its a single forum in the endless ocean of the internet.

You could say you dont want to leave because of "friends". But how many of these people do you call everyday? How many do you meet and hang out with on a regular basis? How many do you share your deepest secrets with? Exactly how many do you have relationships with off the forum??? In reality we are pen pals, who share the love of lasers. If you want to rap your life up in the way the forum runs, and how people should act, then you need to get a life my friend. Because there are soooooo many other things in REAL life that you should be concentrating on other than the petty crap that goes on with this forum, and its members.

 

[millirad]

I would have "killed" to get a 445nm pointer at 1+ Watts, in the "old" days. Now they are routinely built on our glorious site, approaching 3 Watts lol. As soon as another wavelength comes along that can get up to 445nm power/pricepoint, I'm all in. :beer:

Oh yeah, where is CrazyJay anyway? j/k

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Back in those days we had multiple groups of people arguing. The whole forum was in flames. We had ban polls too, which caused even more fights. Since the Mods were enlisted its been relatively quiet. There is really only one drama show going on now, and hopefully that has ended. I cant believe I'm saying this, but I'm getting tired of the petty bickering and soap opera. I dont mind the heated debate, but this latest round has sunk to a new low.

 

[Dave934]

Back in those days we had multiple groups of people arguing. The whole forum was in flames. We had ban polls too, which caused even more fights. Since the Mods were enlisted its been relatively quiet. There is really only one drama show going on now, and hopefully that has ended. I cant believe I'm saying this, but I'm getting tired of the petty bickering and soap opera. I dont mind the heated debate, but this latest round has sunk to a new low.

:gh:Well Spoken Tech-Junkie and :gh::gh::gh::gh::gh:Group huggs to all in the forum.
lol

 

[Varsis]

not this again...

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Not what again?

Dave was here at those times. What just passed is nothing compared to the way it used to be.

 

[Varsis]

THIS THREAD. lol zombies are coming for your bRAINZ

 

[daguin]

THIS THREAD. lol zombies are coming for your bRAINZ

They can have mine today

They are hurting me

Peace,
dave

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I AM the ZOMBIE.

Except I eat rep points, not brains. Brains are so 1960's.

 

[daguin]

I AM the ZOMBIE.

Except I eat rep points, not brains. Brains are so 1960's.

IIRC we did have brains in the 60's

However, I also recall that we were doing our best to find creative ways of turning them day-glow paisley

Peace,
dave

 

[Tech_Junkie]

My brain was 2 years old in the late 60s, LOL. The only creative thing it was doing was regulating the poop in my pants. :tinfoil:

 

[00Giorge]

^^ That's an important function, if it wasn't regulated your pants would over flow and some older people have that same problem
The 60's were ok, but the 70's and 80's were full of mind altering substances, but I wouldn't know anything about that

 

[Tech_Junkie]

My best decade was the 90s. I was making insane money, traveling, partying, and living large in general. Plus I met my GF in 98'.