Uncle Gizmo has also left the building

[Isaac]

Jon's hybrid model appears to be the only game in town.

And why not make it that sweet hybrid of social interactions + technical help? After all, that's the way the world is going, if I am to look at many other informational-focused apps and communities, it's half social media/comments/subscriptions/chat and half serious

 

[Vassago]

And why not make it that sweet hybrid of social interactions + technical help? After all, that's the way the world is going, if I am to look at many other informational-focused apps and communities, it's half social media/comments/subscriptions/chat and half serious

That's what it was before... 2015/16ish maybe? Sure, we had the little knocks at Americans from the Brits and vice-versa. It all felt like it was tongue in cheek. It was fun banter. But when social interactions have turned into political fights, that's no longer a social community that's fun to participate in. Besides moving on from Access and Jon being around the site more, it's the reason I stepped down from Admin. I hated seeing people I used to have fun banter with not be able to put politics aside for ONE SINGLE site.

 

[Isaac]

That's what it was before... 2015/16ish maybe? Sure, we had the little knocks at Americans from the Brits and vice-versa. It all felt like it was tongue in cheek. It was fun banter. But when social interactions have turned into political fights, that's no longer a social community that's fun to participate in. Besides moving on from Access and Jon being around the site more, it's the reason I stepped down from Admin. I hated seeing people I used to have fun banter with not be able to put politics aside for ONE SINGLE site.

I sympathize with what you're saying. I see your POV. I'd call for a middle of the road approach though, where politics (being a big part of Social) isn't 100% eschewed, only reigned in to the mild mentions here and there, like it probably used to be. To say all of politics has to be set aside 100% is too draconian for my taste, as politics has to do with just about everything in life - you can't turn around without being touched by it and it rightfully concerns all of us (on all sides) these days. But I would agree that changes were needed. The endless severe fighting, yeah, no good comes from that. The mildly stating your position and some evidence or reasoning for it, I'd still support that, I hate to cut out such a large thing completely. And as far as "one single site", this is the ONLY site I visit, so that would leave me with no outlet. I don't use social media, except LinkedIn for job purposes only, and for good reason - it's poison

 

[isladogs]

After Tony's abusive outburst against Edgar, I sent a private message to both of them copying in TDM and Jon.
I stated that in my opinion, both Tony and Edgar were in the wrong (in different ways) with regard to what happened in that confrontation.
Ironically, I very much doubt Tony ever read that PM as it would appear he'd already made his decision.

Moderators are expected to act at all times as 'the adult in the room'.
Although he was a hard working and diligent moderator, there had been many instances where Tony had failed in that respect.
Moderators do not have the 'luxury' to delete posts they don't like.
They do have the responsibility to exercise their role as a moderator fairly and 'in moderation'.

Tony's moderator role really was untenable in the light of his frequent failure to grasp that difference. However, I'm sorry to see him both leave the site and to put other moderators through all the work needed to comply with his request to remove all posts.

Overall, I genuinely believe the site is now in a much healthier position that it was a few months ago.
I also believe that the change for the better is significantly due to the departure of two long-standing members who were both moderators.

In my own case, over the years, I have at times felt frustrated by exchanges with other members.
Undoubtedly in some cases, the fault was mainly or entirely mine.
Whenever this happens, I take a break before returning to the site.
Sometimes I have felt tempted to leave but never to demand all my posts be deleted.

I have also encouraged many other developers to join this site. Several who did so later left citing disillusionment due to negative behaviour by other members. Several more refused to join due to the forum's reputation for contentiousness, not just in the watercooler and politics sections, but also spilling over into technical areas.