How did THR become irrelevant?

Answer: overmoderation. It's good to remove posts that contain name calling, but when threads are closed for no apparent reason, and when people are banned out of personal spite, with no appeal process, on a "one strike yur out" policy, people just leave. I notice a lot of new members, but they don't stay around long enough to get to the post count in the thousands.

"I notice a lot of new members, but they don't stay around long enough to get to the post count in the thousands."

Just curious, but your join date is this month, how have you noticed the new members who do not stay around? I am a fairly new member, not much of a post count.

There are a fair number of threads about how THR managed to start the self destruction process. The reasons for it are opined about at length elsewhere.

I have my own thoughts on just what it is really about that I have opined about privately.

Its clear to me that the majority of those posting most vehemently have absolutely no first hand knowledge at all. With one notable exception, those who do have at least some first hand knowledge say little publicly.

I have had PM's from mods telling me my thread will be moved to another forum. (Okay) Then the mods in that forum lock the thread. I see disarray within the site.

I'm a trouble maker and I'm still here !

I have met some really nice folks from this site and have always though a lot of it. That being said, it needs more forums on specific topics like:

Leverguns
Marlins
Winchesters
Deer hunting
Elk hunting
CAS
etc

just some examples, but I find it more difficult to find specific topics to contribute to here than at other sites.

I have had PM's from mods telling me my thread will be moved to another forum. (Okay) Then the mods in that forum lock the thread. I see disarray within the site.

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Man that is infuriating, and people wonder why members either leave or just lurk.

I have met some really nice folks from this site and have always though a lot of it. That being said, it needs more forums on specific topics like:

Leverguns
Marlins
Winchesters
Deer hunting
Elk hunting
CAS
etc

just some examples, but I find it more difficult to find specific topics to contribute to here than at other sites.

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Too many sub forums ruins boards. Just take a look at arfcom and gunsnet

Maybe one titled "sporting purpose guns" for those topics you listed

Removal of the political forum limits discussion of the single most important aspect of the shooting community AT THIS TIME. It may not always have been that way, but THR seems to me like a person who ingonres one aspect of itself until that part just goes away. Good example is one with diabetes ignoring a wound on the foot eventually losing a leg.

Hopefully the political part will become less important as we get more of the politicians on our side. this may take awile, like four years or even eight years or more. For now limiting discussion of the most important part of shooting leaves those wanting to discuss NEW and EVER Chaning events out in the cold.

The other forums contain much repitition, as new members look for information that has been discussed many times.

The site sucks. You want a real gun forum go to m14tfl forum

Quote:
"Too many sub forums ruins boards. Just take a look at arfcom and gunsnet"

Not true. Check out 24hourcampfire and Marlinowners. Both what I would call thriving sites with lots of sub topics.

I still think the forum is relevant, otherwise I wouldn't still be here reading and posting threads. Edited to add: I do think a couple of subforums have become irrelevant.

However, I think there are some real problems with certain moderators in certain subforums, that definitely have curtailed activity and overall desire to participate.

There is a streak of self-righteousness that is almost comical at times from certain mods.

On the other hand, if someone even hints at something political, we get the usual complainers and whiners policing all the activity that deviates from that which they would like to see.

I understand the need for moderation, rules, and focus, but at times I say, "give me a break".

The other thing I have noticed is an inability of some members to just not post anything or read certain threads that obviously bother them, but instead of staying out of the thread, they have to whine and complain about it.

Strange.

Power corrupts. There's also no check and balance on forums.

I remember a while back the moderation was ridiculous. Thread locking like crazy, people getting banned for the most retarded reasons, it was just insane. Yet, it was funny how all you needed was your username to be emboldened then suddenly you were Saddam Hussein. And I don't think it subsided until thr.us came into play. Or maybe I'm wrong and I'm going to get banned today for speaking out. Check members list if you don't hear from me in a while.

The only reason I stayed was because the rifle forum here is so great and filled with intelligent folk I learned a great deal from.

hmm, see sig...

Many people have whats called "A Life". Now this might be new to some of you but "A Life" normally involves friends, family, the outdoors, and for me, a bunch of time at the range. Now this "Life" does not warrant itself much time for quibbling on the internet like a bunch of babies when the last cheerio disappears. It involves spending time away from a keyboard, and while politics, Why a Glock can blow up the world, and when the zombies come I will have my _______ (I left it blank because many of you would comment on my choice of gun and ignore the rest of the reply) There really are more important things in the world.

When you look back, did somehow arguing on the Internet make you a better person? Did learning about Condition Orange make you a better CC holder???

I find time to come on here in between a summer spent on the river, a fall spent in the woods, a winter spent reloading, and a spring sent picking up all the brass I lost in the snow. I know, its a horrible life, I don't know how I can live. But hey, somebody has to do it.......

sb45, your post was funny, correct, and made me a better person

Know what would be cool? If this didn't turn into a bash the mods/why I personally hate THR thread, kinda like the "best rifle for x" threads always devolve into "what is your favorite rifle" pissing matches. I'm not hopeful.

Whatever the traffic stats say, I have noticed a big slowdown in posting since the forum split. We may have roughly the same number of people visiting the site, but a lot of valued posters seem to have been replaced by lurkers. Irony, thy name is THR custody battle - that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Re: moderation, I feel that, if anything, the place is undermoderated. Posting standards seem to have slipped, which I imagine is both driving some established members away, and giving the guys doing the subpar posting a bit of an "anything goes" entitlement complex which drives them away if the mods happen to see some of their more egregious posts and tell them they're being silly or immature (which, as far as I'm concerned, 'splains the "overmoderation" complaints).

Sad but, unfortunately, all too common, among gunnies as much as any other group:

The political forum should be allowed..... If the higher ups think it might offend someone then do as I saw on another forum board that had a disclaimer...
Enter at your own risk and no whining if you get your feelings hurt.

Another thing that hurts ALL forums are the people who always have to throw in the you could have used the search and found topics on this already
Thats fine and good but Ive seen people reprimanded for it and its their first or second post here. Guys, you could at least welcome the new person first before slamming them Yes some of you were born perfect, but the other 99.9% of us werent.

You also have the mag vs clip correctors... and the do you know how old this post is people but if you repost a new post on X subject then it goes back to the search slammer.

With that said id like to see the political forum again, and on the sale page Rifles and shotguns seperated.

I don't generally comment on this kind of stuff. However......

As far as I know there's no law keeping people from starting and running their own site where they can opt for having absolutely no moderators at all. And I'm not a moderator, nor am I likely to ever become one!

Things change.

The economy booms and busts.

The climate cools and warms.

Stuff happens and stuff mutates.

Change is the one thing you can count on.

Get involved in what you like here, ignore the rest.

It's not going to be the same forum a year from now that it is today. Or two years from now that it will be in a year.

It ain't complicated or avoidable.

Rmart30 said:

If the higher ups think it might offend someone then do as I saw on another forum board that had a disclaimer...

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This is a great example of having no idea what you're talking about, no offense.

L&P was closed because THR's mission is to be a public example - for anti-gun and on-the-fence folks as much as for gunnies - that gun owners are not all stereotypical slovenly, bloodthirsty rednecks. The contents and direction of L&P were, of course, pretty much in direct contravention to that. It had nothing to do with THR members getting offended, and everything to do with projecting a positive image to those who ought to see it.

Think about that next time you post a "SHTF Part XVII: what rifle to kill people at 800 meters because you can" thread and wonder why it gets locked.

Arrogant moderators,overly obsessed with the closed button!