Open Forum Discussions and Debate

being made available...

I fail to see many people 'vigorously objecting', except for one anonymous soul on the previous page. Most people have posted reasoned remarks (however badly taken) and have attempted to offer alternatives, within the current system. Many say that they themselves do not use a chatroom, but they are not objecting to one if the powers that be deem it so. However there seems to be only one non-member actively pushing for a new chatroom. Maybe that is not enough incentive for Gath to go to all the trouble that he has outlined in his post to create it.

Mary, when the old chatroom was active (for about a year), it was very busy, and a lot of people very much enjoyed using it. As others have said, it was a big part of the spontaneity and fun of the site. What's happened in the months since is that many of those people have left the site. Although only one non-member is 'actively pushing' for it, it may be that there are other folks out there (either lurking or spending less time on the site) who would gradually get involved again if the chatroom were open again. I honestly don't know, and I don't know how much time I myself would spend there, but I think it would be interesting to see what would happen...

going back to andré's post:
"The new chat room could be a 'no holds barred' version, so anyone going in there would understand the implications of going in and thus no complaints if another goes in who is not to their liking, causes offence etc."

Which would mean that if Gath did set it up - he should not be inundated with any emails containing gripes, whinges, snivels, etc - but only good stuff...I suppose if anyone enters to cause mischief/hurt it is up to any other person in there to either leave or confront, but in the full knowledge that it may happen, and if it does, there is no recourse...

Not sure how we can overcome the cost aspect unless I send him over a carton of beer and we all chip in...

as for the 'old-style' chatroom not being used much, i think the new one is being used even less...but i also think (geez I'm doing an awful lot of thinking) that once upon a time the site was new and there was the novelty factor...many of us have been here for quite awhile now and we have become accustomed to it, and like all things familiar - we take it for granted and apathy sets in. In which case a 'new reinstated old-style chatroom' may still not be as popular...but it still gives us the option.

What thinkest thou? says she going back to her lecture...

...and apart from apathy setting in - we have lives to live which doesn't necessarily revolve around this site...(just thought I'd add that bit).

Well Billy. me thinkest you really may have hit on something. There was a time past, when the easy page also saw more spontaneity. Much of it was the novelty of interacting with people worldwide. I never thought there would be so much said about the original idea that André put forth......boy was I wrong! What will be will be...life continues....Peace

So basically it comes down to a question of how those who actively want it can convince Gath to organise it?

furtherest pondering...

Yes Mary - he has asked us to put our thinking caps on - all I had was my tiara, which due to its unique design - has allowed for unparalleled thought so early on a sunday morn...I guess what I am trying to do is address problems that have occurred in the past and how we could best address them in the future without involving Gath.

Another problem that was quite vexing, was people impersonating people. Generally speaking -many of us 'know' each other well enough to perhaps recognise if something is not kosher...if there is a whiff of something smelly about a person's name being misused, it can be clarified on their own personal page perhaps?

Seriously, billy, I am imagining you at your kitchen table, wearing your tiara and sipping something breakfast-like, typing away. This is a bizarre and yet oddly delightful image.

porridge goes well with a tiara

anne...green tea infused with vanilla - i'm hooked on it - there is something custardy/puddingish about it that satisfies my sweet-tooth without giving me the sugar rush that would spoil my ruminations.

wot? with the tiara on? couldn't possibly be an anti-ruminational moment.

of course we could just stand at the door to the chatroom and thwack the bad guys with a plank of wood... wearing tiaras obligatory although the guys may protest too much... they could wear ladenhosen or fluffy socks...

Mary how do we wear the porridge, is it a sort of dribbled on look under the tiara?... .
I just want to look my best...

Gath - do you need more input from others to be convinced positively or negatively? I'm truly tuckered out with all that thinking.

I wasn't sure how to respond to Mary as I have an irrational aversion to porridge when I'm well and love it when I'm not...and ONLY with demerara sugar...
...both the laderhosen and fluffy socks, and most importantly - their nose hairs must be trimmed...

Ahhhh, demerara sugar..dribble, drool.
BTW how does one write the noise that Homer Simpson makes when he's thinking about pork chops or doughnuts? It is very important in speech (well, mine anyway) but I am unsure of the correct spelling.

Silly André, one WEARS the tiara, BENDS one's little finger and SHOVELS the porridge no holds barred. It's all in the speed of the arm action

no no no.... the porridge tiara combo is destined for failure, unless of course one tilts one's head forward (the angle is critical, because fully ducking one's head will cause all porridge contents to slosh forward over one's smock, frock, or frock-like garb). I prefer when it comes to porridge to wear a closely fitting full crown, which, although somewhat snug, keeps all porridge neatly contained above-board. Some seepage may occur, but no one has commented so far.

André:

What makes you think that it was only "guys" who were the demons in the old chatroom? I distinctly recall only one guy and one woman/chick/broad/lady/dame et cetera who used that ploy, and it wasn't for long. The kind of acting that takes is worthy of an Oscar, and that talent just isn't here.

Ok Ian you got me. It should read guys and goiles(said with a popeye accent, even though I don't have any spinach to hand)...

porridge and tiaras aside, what about the following modest proposal...

Open up the current chatroom just one day a week (perhaps a weekend day). This would give old friends an opportunity to catch up, limit problem posters, and maybe most importantly allow everyone to just how much interest there really is in the chatroom. It would also concentrate activity, since everyone would know when to meet.

But I also think that maybe we all need to return to posting more comments on the regular comments pages...

open it up, that is, to non-members... 'guests,' using the sign-in that Gath had set up for a while.

Sudoscars? you may have something there Ian...i can feel another smilie coming on...a gold sudoku grid as an award for ....well, for anything deemed worthy of an award, but should not be handed out willy nilly...but with the greatest of deliberation - at least 30 secs worth...

or maybe just a 3 month trial period anne? not sure how tricky it would be for gath to put it on for weekends only - and what if he goes away?!

Perhaps a variation on Anne's suggestion: at random, unannounced times, make the existing chatroom available without signing in, and for varying periods of time (or maybe a specific time, like two hours). Perhaps have a little notice on Easy that the chatroom is "unsecure," right beside the "Chatroom" button at the bottom.

And the beat goes on....-lol

Perhaps Gath could do a trial new chatroom and see how it goes with the general sudoku crowd. You could have a visitor count to see how many actually use it. We could have a page just for comments when someone feels that the chatroom has been violated and do a count from that. If it becomes unviable then it could be removed from the site.

Mamacita 2 isn't that the Whispers song 'And the beat goes on'?

André, I was thinking more Sonny and Cher at the time.....but the whispers do count....I GOT YOU BABE

I have joined Curves, and have been going a month now, first weigh and measure today.
lost 7cm (2.75in) and .5kg.
on my way to a slimmer, fitter me !!

oops wrong page ignore the above. helps to put the specs on read what page I am on . hehe

It would be nice to see some of my old playmates in a new chatroom... those were the days! Sigh!

-.-- . ... --..-- / .. - / -.-. . .-. - .- .. -. .-.. -.-- / .-- --- ..- .-.. -.. .-.-.- / -... ..- - / .. / ..-. . .- .-. / - .... .- - / - .... . / .- ...- . .-. - . -.. / . -.-- . ... / --- ..-. / - .... . / - .. -- .. -.. / .... .- ...- . / -.. --- --- -- . -.. / - .... .- - / .--. .-. --- ... .--. . -.-. - .-.-.-

so what happens now? Gath??? cooooooeeeeeeeee...

Perhaps we should email Gath with the suggestions individually so he can see them, he may not visit here very often and we could be waiting a long time.

A very long, long time...

I reckon Gath made his feelings pretty clear in his post last page. I know he asked for suggestions but ultimately, it is only he who knows whether it is worth the effort and possible consequences that it involves.

Perhaps the request for suggestions was not meant to be taken seriously.

oh!but the list says there are 757 comments with Ian/boston being the last visitor..whats this then?? like SA 1,2, this is open forum 2?? if so wheres 1? confusion for me this sunday morning..ok will chk later..

hey I made that post in the page that said 'be the first to post'!!!!!! strange..and funny..anyway have a good day all
cheers

I see the forum is back up. But nothing knew has been posted. I have an idea for a discussion topic. Everyone who was alive and able to comprehend the attack on Pearl Harbor (12/7/41) - the day that will live in infamy - remebers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about it. The same goes in America on JFKs asassination (11/22/63) and on 9/11/01. And probably many will recall 8/31/97 - Diana's death.

It would be interesting to hear from people what they were doing on these dates - their feelings, what they did and how it personally impacted them, then and later.

The other day I told appy, that I was numb the entire day after the attack on 9-11.

Maybe another date is significant to you that had a drastic affect on your life - that you will never forget. (I'm not refering to a marriage, birth of a child - but an event the world noticed or should have - like the bombings.)