jeff kushner
Well-Known Member
Most of the folks here who "know me", know that I'm well-aged at 63.
My little bit street cred;
I built my first computer in my 20's with a 8088 chip, my next with the 8086.
Before the Internet, we used Bulletin boards to communicate via message with people all over the world., along with 150 then 300 baud modems. A single 640x480(State of the art at the time) picture took several hours to obtain so it encouraged leaving worded messages only. The only people doing this were the "Bleeding edge" folks with the latest & greatest stuff. We all wrote our own Config.sys and Executable files....remember those? We had to because some equipment and software would only run in specific combinations with specific settings, all self-taught by trying different combos. I have watched and been part of each step in the way information is shared in the world, or not.
I am a true believer in personal freedom ........but it goes both ways, you also hold yourself accountable, no one else should need to do it for you.
I have been a member of well over 3 or 4 dozen forums over the years since that 1st 8088 and lurked on countless more. Most of course have been related to my hobbies, writing politics, building 2 stroke engines and restoring vintage bikes. Or, whatever whim I'm investigating (this week was 3D printers)...lol
I have seen all types of people on forums and have met many, many forum friends over the years. Some forums are designed to provide information and often members there will terse & short but to the point in many cases. Despite nearly 35 years of the "Net, folks still don't comprehend that body language and sarcasm don't transcribe with the typed word. We've all watched keyboard-imagined Warriors say things to one another decent folks wouldn't. Some forums allow for it and some do not.
In some forums, the older members will not reach out to help newer folks, waiting instead for the new guys struggling, to ask for help. In some forums, especially engine-related forums, "knowledge" is treated as a secret to be taken to the grave. Some forums are so filled with incorrect information that in my mind, they actually pose a threat to people's safety, especially for the massive number of stupid people we seem to have today. Maybe we should get rid of safety labels as that comic suggested.....it would remove quite a few......lol
Some forums seem to be a little more.....the folks are a little more generous with their time, the talent is there, folks self-moderate as they should......those are the ones I enjoy & the kind of people I like, they enjoy those kind too...
As we all know, "News" isn't evenly covered anymore. What you read and see online is truly controlled by 7 firms, Seven. I'm not getting into any of that here.....
The point I am making is that good forums, the really good ones are a breath of fresh air for those well read......
Many forums have begun to now censor words as you post and in many cases, lose the meaning of the sentence. I do not remain on those forums, regardless of how much I may have liked it......I cannot contribute to written censorship, ever.
I hope this one doesn't go that way...............like I tell my Kerry..............."I like hanging around with you"
jeff
My little bit street cred;
I built my first computer in my 20's with a 8088 chip, my next with the 8086.
Before the Internet, we used Bulletin boards to communicate via message with people all over the world., along with 150 then 300 baud modems. A single 640x480(State of the art at the time) picture took several hours to obtain so it encouraged leaving worded messages only. The only people doing this were the "Bleeding edge" folks with the latest & greatest stuff. We all wrote our own Config.sys and Executable files....remember those? We had to because some equipment and software would only run in specific combinations with specific settings, all self-taught by trying different combos. I have watched and been part of each step in the way information is shared in the world, or not.
I am a true believer in personal freedom ........but it goes both ways, you also hold yourself accountable, no one else should need to do it for you.
I have been a member of well over 3 or 4 dozen forums over the years since that 1st 8088 and lurked on countless more. Most of course have been related to my hobbies, writing politics, building 2 stroke engines and restoring vintage bikes. Or, whatever whim I'm investigating (this week was 3D printers)...lol
I have seen all types of people on forums and have met many, many forum friends over the years. Some forums are designed to provide information and often members there will terse & short but to the point in many cases. Despite nearly 35 years of the "Net, folks still don't comprehend that body language and sarcasm don't transcribe with the typed word. We've all watched keyboard-imagined Warriors say things to one another decent folks wouldn't. Some forums allow for it and some do not.
In some forums, the older members will not reach out to help newer folks, waiting instead for the new guys struggling, to ask for help. In some forums, especially engine-related forums, "knowledge" is treated as a secret to be taken to the grave. Some forums are so filled with incorrect information that in my mind, they actually pose a threat to people's safety, especially for the massive number of stupid people we seem to have today. Maybe we should get rid of safety labels as that comic suggested.....it would remove quite a few......lol
Some forums seem to be a little more.....the folks are a little more generous with their time, the talent is there, folks self-moderate as they should......those are the ones I enjoy & the kind of people I like, they enjoy those kind too...
As we all know, "News" isn't evenly covered anymore. What you read and see online is truly controlled by 7 firms, Seven. I'm not getting into any of that here.....
The point I am making is that good forums, the really good ones are a breath of fresh air for those well read......
Many forums have begun to now censor words as you post and in many cases, lose the meaning of the sentence. I do not remain on those forums, regardless of how much I may have liked it......I cannot contribute to written censorship, ever.
I hope this one doesn't go that way...............like I tell my Kerry..............."I like hanging around with you"
jeff