New Forum Thread

[williegunn]

I have deleted the New Forum Thread as I cannot see why this forum should encourage members to leave and go elsewhere.

I would have deleted it earlier but have been away salmon fishing.

Springer's timing was very good as he knew Graham and I were away for a week.

[robmason]

Yes it did seem like a bit of a coincidence..........
Good week on the Lochy Malcolm?

[williegunn]

The boys had an excellent start to the week with Graham excelling at finding the pods of sealiced grilse and the odd summer salmon.
We finished with 19 of which I got on the score sheet but bearly.

[robmason]

Well if you go again next year I'm happy to tag along to make you look good.

[hornet]

Agree,

No point.

What's done is done .

Hornet

[robmason]

I think let them get on with it. Quite clearly the ethos of over moderation is key on the other board.

[davewallbridge]

Malcolm,

I'm a little bit surprised at your action.

Regardless of what we feel about how appropriate the move to set up another forum is, it now exists.
In removing the thread in this manner it does look like we are afraid of competition (if one thinks of it in those terms) and are as guilty of an excess of 'moderation' as some feel the new forum will be.

A similar situation arose a couple of years ago when the Sea Trout Fishing Forum was set up ( seatrout.proboards21.com/index.cgi ) as a complimentary forum site to The Sea Trout Fishing Forum©, but even Hoppy, a master of forum moderation, did not take a similar action to yours and ultimately has become a member of the 'new' forum and now contibutes on a regular basis.

I believe it is possible that the new forum may, over time, be seen by many of the members on here to be complimentary to this and the many other internet Salmon fishing forums that exist.
Just because it does exist does not automatically mean that I and others will leave this site and move over exclusively to it.
Whether I will make any contibutions to it's content is a different question and will depend on just how it will be run.

Finally, a rather important question.

Should your action, in removing the thread and the links to the new forum, be taken as an indication of a new policy on this site to not allow 'live' links to be posted to any other Salmon internet sites (or other fishing sites) on these boards?

If not, in the light of your action, why not?

Dave.

[rpsalmon]

The setting up of the other board was well planned and it was also planned to poach members onto the other board. Before someone started a thread on this site I was informed of its existence by a friend of that thread's author and asked to register! I won't go into their motive. I have also been informed that I was not unique on this forum in receiving emails/PM's to attract them across to the other forum.

When the costs of running this site have to be covered by advertisers, and the operators of this site are even by default in competition with the other site, there has to be a degree of competition. Surely therefore, and even if it is just to protect the wealth bank of information/knowledge on this site, it is valid to remove the link and enticement to the other site. In consideration of the constructive and intelligent posts/threads of various contributors that have already been removed on the other site, I can not conceive that they would tolerate a link to this site.

If a link to another website promotes discussion on this site, and does not detract from it, then I can't see the problem. For instance, I made a posting today in the General section that contained numerous links to videos that weren't about salmon fishing. I think these links are relevant to the thread topic of "hooking" in question and consider that these videos would contribute to that and other topic discussions.

[williegunn]

davewallbridge said:

Malcolm,

I'm a little bit surprised at your action.

Dave.

Dave
I might not have taken the action if I had been asked first, but rather than ask the action was premeditated and timed to occur when both Graham and I were off line for a week.

admin said:

If you would like your website added as a link please contact me with the site url and i will add it for you.


Colin.

Covers the point nicely

davewallbridge said:

Regardless of what we feel about how appropriate the move to set up another forum is, it now exists.
In removing the thread in this manner it does look like we are afraid of competition (if one thinks of it in those terms) and are as guilty of an excess of 'moderation' as some feel the new forum will be.


I believe it is possible that the new forum may, over time, be seen by many of the members on here to be complimentary to this and the many other internet Salmon fishing forums that exist.
Just because it does exist does not automatically mean that I and others will leave this site and move over exclusively to it.
Whether I will make any contibutions to it's content is a different question and will depend on just how it will be run.

Dave.

It is run with a fist of iron, I have posted 3 posts to defend my action in removing the thread, all 3 posts have been deleted along with the threads.

I suppose a Springer is the greatest; post might last!!

davewallbridge said:

Finally, a rather important question.

Should your action, in removing the thread and the links to the new forum, be taken as an indication of a new policy on this site to not allow 'live' links to be posted to any other Salmon internet sites (or other fishing sites) on these boards?

If not, in the light of your action, why not?

Dave.

No all live links that do not aim to drag members over to an oppersition web site or premote porn etc will be allowed to stand.

Colin's rules here seem to apply.
salmosalar.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=links&action=display&thread=1139330005

[davewallbridge]

williegunn said:

[

davewallbridge said:

Finally, a rather important question.

Should your action, in removing the thread and the links to the new forum, be taken as an indication of a new policy on this site to not allow 'live' links to be posted to any other Salmon internet sites (or other fishing sites) on these boards?

If not, in the light of your action, why not?

Dave.

No all live links that do not aim to drag members over to an oppersition web site or premote porn etc will be allowed to stand.

Colin's rules here seem to apply.
salmosalar.proboards80.com/index.cgi?board=links&action=display&thread=1139330005

So what is the criteria for deciding if a live link does "... aim to drag members over to an oppersition web site ..."

Might the link I included in my previous post not be seen to offer the opportunity for members to go and sign up there?

I have to say that I think your action is somewhat petty and uncharacteristic of your usual sensible, sensitive and neutral moderation.

Dave.

[robmason]

I think Dave has a point, after all the forum will sink or swim depending on how it is moderated with the personalities involved. The sea trout fora are a good example of 2 "rival" boards existing side by side.

[hornet]

Dave,

If members of this site want to move then they will. A secret ploy was set and executed to move to the new site and it was for certain members only. Why?, who knows and who cares.

How long do you think it will take for fall outs and disagreements to start. Back slapping and well done mate have already been scrapped to private emails as they do not meet the approval of being meaningful or helpful towards fishing posts. Deemed as clutter.

As i said before what's done is done.

So onwards and upwards and all that mince.

Hornet

[davewallbridge]

hornet,

I agree entirely with all you say.

I just feel that it is inappropriate that this site's moderators should feel it necessary to indulge in unnecessary censorship and in so doing appear to be taking it down a similar road to the new one.

One of the reasons why I like this site is it is accepted that it is a public one and all contributions, provided they are presented in a considerate and civil manner, are welcomed even if they are critical of the site or of it's members.
I may not always agree with others views (or, in a few instances, of how they express them) but I will firmly defend their right to hold those views and have them remain on here.

As you intimated, the new site will survive or fail based upon how it is run.
If it is subject to covert censorship (as appears to be the case at the moment) then I, for one, will not even bother to visit it just to read let alone post contributions - there would be little point in doing so would there as I would never be confident of how much of the content had been manipulated.

That is the main reason I never visit one of the two Seatrout boards.

Dave.

[stuart]

Both forums contain some excellent items and I currently look at both. I don't see a problem with being a member of both ones as the focus is slightly different in each one. One might be more relevant than the other depending on where you fish.

I hope people stop trying to think of "us" and "them" and get on with proper postings.

[castelforte]

stuart said:

Both forums contain some excellent items and I currently look at both. I don't see a problem with being a member of both ones as the focus is slightly different in each one. One might be more relevant than the other depending on where you fish.

I hope people stop trying to think of "us" and "them" and get on with proper postings.

Could not agree more. I too am following both sites and keeping an open mind as are many others.

I think this site should post a link to the other forum and vice versa, to show there are no hard feelings.

CF

[altmor]

I agree with above - don't have a problem with either forum - both good in my opinion - check out and post on both - different slant on both agreed, but hey wouldn't life be boring and routine if we didn't have variety. Link the posts and lets all learn for the better.

Altmor

PS - WG - If the tactics adopted to start the new forum don't accord with your ethos, don't let that stand in the way of progress - every cloud has a silver lining

Altmor

[williegunn]

I am not the owner, just the puppet, Colin owns the site and asks for all links to be sent in before being posted, I let most slip but when a new forum is set up when I am away I have decided to be petty minded.

If anyone wishes to PM me I will tell them the address.