Reminder about photo.net forum policies

While I recently announced that I am taking a less active role

in moderating the b&w forums I want to make it clear that I have not

abandoned the forums. There are other moderators and the forums are

still being observed. Please don't assume that because inappropriate

personal remarks and off-topic comments are not immediately addressed

by moderators that forum participants are free to continue with

impunity to turn photo.net into usenet or any other chaotic,

unregulated discussion forum.<p>

 

The vast majority of photo.net participants do not want photo.net

forums to be like other discussion forums. After reading photo.net

for several years and being an active participant for nearly as long I

think it's safe to say that most participants here don't want the

anarchy of news groups or the tedium of tepid oatmeal forums full of

endless questions about which film is best for which subject matter.

We have to strike a balance between being accessible to newbies while

avoiding the extremism that often plagues "experts", who have

forgotten what it was like not to know everything.<p>

 

The b&w forums are usually among the best on photo.net, IMO.

Participants are generally helpful, respectful of others' opinions and

of forum and site policies. Naturally there are occasional lapses,

which is why the forums are moderated.<p>

 

However because I have less time to devote to moderating these forums

the most expedient approach for the time I can spend here is to

arbitrarily delete inappropriate comments and entire threads. I no

longer have the time to send personal e-mails to everyone explaining

why I've edited comments or deleted entire threads. Rules for forum

participation are simple and clear so I don't see any need to

continually explain why I've deleted questions about which color film

to use or which inkjet printer to buy.<p>

 

Other moderators have been kind enough to step in and keep an eye on

the b&w forums while I take time off to recover from back and neck

pain, a recurring problem since an automobile accident a few years

ago. I'm not going to take advantage of their generosity by creating

more problems for them, which includes giving the impression that I'm

neglecting these forums.<p>

 

Please feel free to continue to participate in a construtive, positive

manner. I try hard not to be a net nanny and I don't mind a bit when

discussions involve differences of opinion. But differences can be

expressed without degenerating into personal attacks, no matter how

indirectly expressed or cleverly couched.<p>

 

For the record, anyone who's followed my own comments long enough

knows that I have strong opinions of my own and have occasionally

lapsed into responding to the person rather than to the idea. However

I try always to remind myself that once I've expressed myself by

responding to comments from others it isn't necessary to endlessly

reiterate my remarks in an effort to overwhelm the discussion through

obstinate verbosity. Obviously that's enough of a challenge for me on

the best day. Anyone else could probably have written these remarks

in three paragraphs.<p>

 

Thanks for your understanding. -- Lex

Good to hear from you, Les. I continue to read much more than I post, but appreciate your contributions both in your knowlege of photography, and in your desire to maintain civilty. I pray that you are recovering. Thanks for what you do!

Lex; I respect your remarks particularly the one concerning 'newbies vs experts'. As the input to this forum is generaly of high calibre or extreme interest I think it important to help those that are new to the medium.We must be carefull not to brush off irrelevant questions too quickly.With increasing costs to process black & white it requires a great deal of commitment to stick with this artform/hobby.

Good work.