The Five Commandments of Aussie Stock Forums

[Gringotts Bank]

The General Chat forum creates serious problems in two ways:

1. It dilutes the focus of this community which is, or should be, a stock market focused community.
2. It creates a toxic, unpleasant atmosphere as a result of the ideological bile spitting and general incivility between (some) forum members when it comes to topics concerning politics and religion.

There is a desperate need for change. I have made several appeals to the community to no noticeable effect which makes me think that diplomacy is not the answer. So now I am seriously considering closing the General Chat forum altogether.

The bottom line is this: ASF is not sustainable as a general chat forum. Unless it can get back on track, and the focus can be restored, it might soon be time to put the old girl out of her misery.

I'd support that. It would prevent me posting rubbish and useless chit-chat. I only go into 'general' threads when I'm bored or in drawdown, so the quality of my posts tends to reflect that anyway. Better I do something constructive.

 

[SirRumpole]

The General Chat forum creates serious problems in two ways:

1. It dilutes the focus of this community which is, or should be, a stock market focused community.
2. It creates a toxic, unpleasant atmosphere as a result of the ideological bile spitting and general incivility between (some) forum members when it comes to topics concerning politics and religion.

There is a desperate need for change. I have made several appeals to the community to no noticeable effect which makes me think that diplomacy is not the answer. So now I am seriously considering closing the General Chat forum altogether.

The bottom line is this: ASF is not sustainable as a general chat forum. Unless it can get back on track, and the focus can be restored, it might soon be time to put the old girl out of her misery.

Why not just take GC off the Recent Posts list, so the only posts that appear there are stock ones ?

 

[Zaxon]

1. It dilutes the focus of this community which is, or should be, a stock market focused community.
2. It creates a toxic, unpleasant atmosphere as a result of the ideological bile spitting and general incivility between (some) forum members when it comes to topics concerning politics and religion.

I'd agree with all that. These are the exact reason why a number of us never go near general chat.

Plus, I've noticed there are a number of people who relentlessly post in general chat, who I never see post outside it. So I always wonder what are they doing here in the first place?

So now I am seriously considering closing the General Chat forum altogether.

I don't have a problem with that.

 

[Joe Blow]

Why not just take GC off the Recent Posts list, so the only posts that appear there are stock ones ?

To be fair, that's worth a try. So I've gone ahead and removed General Chat from the Recent Posts widget. I've also removed General Chat from both "New Posts" and "Recent Posts" searches.

Now the only way you can find out what it happening in the General Chat forum is to go in there and have a look.

 

[tech/a]

What a great idea Joe!

 

[Joe Blow]

I'm starting to like it the more I think about it.

Now, if those who wanted to could add General Chat back to those features on an individual basis we might very well have a system that works for everyone.

 

[SirRumpole]

What a great idea Joe!

Yes, great idea Joe !

 

[Joe Blow]

Yes, great idea Joe !

Yes, I think we might be onto something and I'm a little more confident that a win-win solution may be able to be crafted here.

I've even flicked the switch back on so new threads can be started in General Chat again.

I suspect this will be a custom coding job but I'm making some enquiries to see what is possible.

 

[qldfrog]

I also put the thread on ignore earlier this morning, but Joe, if I can add a different opinion,do not underestimate the importance of the general thread:
I hate facebook, am on wechat due to chinese work assignment and am so upset by the garbage we get from both ABC and news ltd that every morning I log here to look at market and shares related events but also look at various stocks unrelated threads: who died, what has just happened, etc etc;
we have a pool of people with higher than journos knowledge and i prefer my news feeds from these persons than following a propaganda stream.
If this disappears, I will probably log once a week, quickly give up with my stock system thread as I will soon feel unconnected and probably end up using ASF as a repository..a live encyclopedia...log search exit with no will to share or post.
I am not usually representative of any majority, so maybe no one else is feeling the same, but that is in all honesty, my view
The general thread builds the community, and I feel i belong on ASF as part of this sharing

 

[Joe Blow]

I also put the thread on ignore earlier this morning, but Joe, if I can add a different opinion,do not underestimate the importance of the general thread:
I hate facebook, am on wechat due to chinese work assignment and am so upset by the garbage we get from both ABC and news ltd that every morning I log here to look at market and shares related events but also look at various stocks unrelated threads: who died, what has just happened, etc etc;
we have a pool of people with higher than journos knowledge and i prefer my news feeds from these persons than following a propaganda stream.
If this disappears, I will probably log once a week, quickly give up with my stock system thread as I will soon feel unconnected and probably end up using ASF as a repository..a live encyclopedia...log search exit with no will to share or post.
I am not usually representative of any majority, so maybe no one else is feeling the same, but that is in all honesty, my view
The general thread builds the community, and I feel i belong on ASF as part of this sharing

There are very strong feelings on both sides of the General Chat fence. I have copped quite a few sprays and had quite a few people leave over the dominance of the General Chat forum at ASF.

The flack I have copped over it, mostly over my indecision or inaction, has been hard to take sometimes. The reason is because, as administrator, I strive to make decisions that please as many people as possible. No matter which way I turned this issue around in my head, I just couldn't figure out a way to make both sides happy. It seemed to be a problem that was impossible to solve. Yet people seemed to be getting angrier about it all the time. The combative and discourteous mood of the General Chat forum was spilling out into the rest of ASF and turning people off, especially newcomers. It was really starting to get me down and I'm sure people could sense my frustration.

But today I think we finally might be getting somewhere and a real, workable solution may actually be in sight. This proposed solution is:

1. Have the General Chat forum excluded from the Recent Posts widget and the "New Posts" and "Recent Posts" searches by default; but...
2. Have a setting in people's user preferences that allows them to enable General Chat in these areas just for them.

This way, most people don't see the General Chat threads unless they choose to by enabling that option. So it's a win-win situation for both sides. It seems to be a solution that will make both sides happy and will most likely reduce the amount of posts in General Chat as those who don't see the threads in their searches won't get drawn into them.

 

[Smurf1976]

I was coming up with a different solution but it seems that the one Joe and others have in mind is simpler and likely to be more effective so lets' go with that one. Seems like a good idea and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't work and bonus it's straightforward and simple.

The one comment I'd make is that I do think the GC threads fall into two categories in that there's some in there which do have possible relevance to those looking to invest in certain industries or understand related issues whilst others are clearly off topic so far as investing is concerned.

Eg buildings cracking up or catching fire does have potential relevance to anyone considering investing in high rise apartments, builders, developers etc if they want to understand industry wide stuff beyond any individual company. Same with a few other things. Those approaching their investing from a technical perspective would likely see that stuff as a distraction but it's potentially useful to those looking at fundamentals.

 

[qldfrog]

Joe's solution is better as it has no need to determine where the limit is
Quick example and purposely on a hot topic
electric cars
Cost wise /economically a no go vs ICE.but our cadmium copper rare earths mining relies on expected growth there :critical for the asx

The KEY reason: GW threat based on the assumption CO2 emissions are killing the planet
And that the population believes this

What if someone proves that this is not the cause..and many argue with science on their side, it is not?
And the GW thread is a very divisive one
So Joe: perfect solution
Well done

 

[Smurf1976]

Quick example and purposely on a hot topic
electric cars
Cost wise /economically a no go vs ICE.but our cadmium copper rare earths mining relies on expected growth there :critical for the asx

Good example yes and many other implications too given the many companies involved across automotive sales and maintenance, fuel, electricity, mining and so on all of which are affected one way or another by that technology change.

 

[barney]

Nothing to add here … but happy to endorse the many productive comments made

 

[Ann]

Now the next major question is....How do we get Joe elected as the next PM of Australia?

The one question I would ask of Joe...are you anti-nuclear power?

(no I am not dead folks...busy in my garden and creating the perfect trading plan, which is pretty much the same thing! Be back soon-ish )

 

[SirRumpole]

Now the next major question is....How do we get Joe elected as the next PM of Australia?

He wouldn't be any good.

He doesn't bullsh!t enough.

 

[Ann]

He wouldn't be any good.

He doesn't bullsh!t enough.

I am so over bullsh!t artists, this is why I am here. He thinks, he weighs and I believe he disassociates regardless of who has flung dollars at him.

This is a great man. I love him....suck it up Joe, don't care if I embarrass you.

If I am 'influenced' by alcohol, feel free to delete/alter/change/fix up.... be ware if you get it wrong, I will wack you! Or perhaps I will ask you nicely to sort it. Bless Joe!

 

[Joe Blow]

Now the next major question is....How do we get Joe elected as the next PM of Australia?

The one question I would ask of Joe...are you anti-nuclear power?

(no I am not dead folks...busy in my garden and creating the perfect trading plan, which is pretty much the same thing! Be back soon-ish )

Ann, I'd be a terrible politician. I can't lie with a straight face, nor am I any good at double talk or obfuscation. I also feel terrible when I let others down. To top it all off I have no desire for power, political or otherwise. I'd be an abject failure.

These days I mostly dream about five acres of fertile land and a little cottage so I could spend my days growing vegetables and listening to the birds and the sound of the wind whispering through the leaves on the trees.

As for nuclear power, I prefer renewables. We have this huge ball of energy sitting only 150 million kilometres away that sends us all this sunlight for free. You'd think we'd be able to utilise it more for power generation than we currently are, especially given all the empty land we have in this country.

 

[Ann]

Ann, I'd be a terrible politician. I can't lie with a straight face, nor am I any good at double talk or obfuscation. I also feel terrible when I let others down. To top it all off I have no desire for power, political or otherwise. I'd be an abject failure.

These days I mostly dream about five acres of fertile land and a little cottage so I could spend my days growing vegetables and listening to the birds and the sound of the wind whispering through the leaves on the trees.

As for nuclear power, I prefer renewables. We have this huge ball of energy sitting only 150 million kilometres away that sends us all this sunlight for free. You'd think we'd be able to utilise it more for power generation than we currently are, especially given all the empty land we have in this country.

Man after my own heart!

If I was a decade or two younger I would propose!

Do what you do best, run an amazing community!

Joe, bless and keep. We need you.

 

[SirRumpole]

Ann, I'd be a terrible politician. I can't lie with a straight face, nor am I any good at double talk or obfuscation. I also feel terrible when I let others down. To top it all off I have no desire for power, political or otherwise. I'd be an abject failure.

These days I mostly dream about five acres of fertile land and a little cottage so I could spend my days growing vegetables and listening to the birds and the sound of the wind whispering through the leaves on the trees.

As for nuclear power, I prefer renewables. We have this huge ball of energy sitting only 150 million kilometres away that sends us all this sunlight for free. You'd think we'd be able to utilise it more for power generation than we currently are, especially given all the empty land we have in this country.

I think I love you too Joe.