Pick and Mix

[arsenal]

A few points I would like to make,none of which really need a thread of their own.

1) This board is now a bona fide business looking for sponsors and advertisers, hence the new (fantastic) look. In order to attract people to pay it needs hits because in internet advertising hits are the equivalent of hard currency. :laughing3:

2) Gaybutton. Its HIS fucking board and he can do what he likes with it. :sign3:
3) He and the rest of em actually hate each other :angry4:
4) I think they sit in the same bar with their wi-fi enabled laptops having arguments over the internet with someone who is on the next table. :lam:

5) Jinks: I think you should have a seven day period between a new member joining and being allowed to post. Some of the posts recently by new members are, in my opinion suspicious and remind me of a well known poster.

I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining

[bao-bao]

I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining
As Arsenal noted above in his first point (and as myself and others have said here for years) it's all about click-through traffic [Arsenal said "In order to attract people to pay it needs hits because in internet advertising hits are the equivalent of hard currency"]. Look at the usual grisly buffet of reality shows spread out each new television season: mayhem, abuse and gossip... but the viewer ratings show it gets watched, and the sponsors like that.

But you're right, scottish - it's a "red sky in the morning". I'll let our resident Professor Irwin Corey wannabe Google that.

[cdnmatt]

I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining

Yeah, the amount of censorship that took effect on this board is a little off putting, that's for sure. Seems like everytime I look at the board, there's more posts gone.

Watch, midnight now, I'm about to get some sleep. When I wake up, this will be gone. Can't have posts that DaBoss feels don't attract advertisers anymore, I guess.

[Thai Dyed]

I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining

Yeah, the amount of censorship that took effect on this board is a little off putting, that's for sure. Seems like everytime I look at the board, there's more posts gone.

Watch, midnight now, I'm about to get some sleep. When I wake up, this will be gone. Can't have posts that DaBoss feels don't attract advertisers anymore, I guess.

I guess I'm not the one who noticed that. I'm glad you mentioned it Matt.

[Beachlover]

Totally agree regarding the posts and threads that keep disappearing. It's gotten very noticeable and too off putting.

The more that gets deleted, the less members will want to contribute and eventually, participation will dwindle.

Most if not all the problem members/stalkers are gone now. There's no good reason for continuing to delete posts and threads. Let things flow naturally. Nothing should be deleted unless there's a strong and indisputable reason for it.


I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining
I think they're doing a lot of things and making a lot of hasty decisions. It's obvious they screwed up in a few areas, which is understandable. Give them time to fix it and get a better handle on things... just my opinion.

[Neal]

The recent agreement between GayButton and Sawatdee Gay Thailand was recinded.
I am not sure who originally thought of the idea and it is unimportant at this time. The letter was approved by myself and it was ultimately my error.

SGT will continue as its own forum and make its own decisions as to spamming, flooding, flaming and may, at its own discretion, warn or ban the offender(s). Posts will be edited, locked or deleted based upon the Posting Rules and Guidelines and reasons for the above will be explained.

I wish to apologize to both jinks and GB as I did not think this through when it was first proposed and caused both of them to look poorly in the eyes of the members of both boards.

DaBoss

[lexusgs]

The recent agreement between GayButton and Sawatdee Gay Thailand was recinded.
I am not sure who originally thought of the idea and it is unimportant at this time. The letter was approved by myself and it was ultimately my error.

SGT will continue as its own forum and make its own decisions as to spamming, flooding, flaming and may, at its own discretion, warn or ban the offender(s). Posts will be edited, locked or deleted based upon the Posting Rules and Guidelines and reasons for the above will be explained.

I wish to apologize to both jinks and GB as I did not think this through when it was first proposed and caused both of them to look poorly in the eyes of the members of both boards.

DaBoss


Thanks for the 'heads up'. Touch of class there when one can admit a mistake. I'd like to see the KQ/Smiles back though. Those guys were pretty intelligent posters.

...Posts will be edited, locked or deleted based upon the Posting Rules and Guidelines and reasons for the above will be explained.

DaBoss


Great news - now why was your own Topic entitled "Coordination" (which had around 6 responses) deleted immediately after I pointed out the deficiencies of the post you had made?


:sign5:

[cdnmatt]

...Posts will be edited, locked or deleted based upon the Posting Rules and Guidelines and reasons for the above will be explained.

DaBoss


Great news - now why was your own Topic entitled "Coordination" (which had around 6 responses) deleted immediately after I pointed out the deficiencies of the post you had made?


:sign5:

Christ, you're right, there goes another one. I think there's more posts being deleted than created on this forum these days. Not exactly a great trend.

Matt. it gets better - the "Coordination" topic reappeared briefly about 10 minutes ago with a comment from Beachy telling me I was paranoid.

Then as I composed a reply, it was taken down again, and by the time I pressed "Submit" the topic did not exist.

You couldn't make this stuff up.

:sign5:

[Neal]

Again my profuse apologies!

I allowed jinks to handle almost 100% of all the deletions, edits and topics being moved.
I was just viewing two threads that had been made invisible to members for the moderators to look at and decide what to do with.
I successfully moved Gaybutton/LMTU back into Gay Thailand, but then only temporarily moved Cooridination back. When I tried to delete Coordination from the invisible forum, it deleted it from Gay Thailand. It was my intention to reactivate both threads.

Again, it was not due to moderation policies but due to my trying to right a wrong and reverse what had been done prior.
I contacted ES and tried to capture Coordination in the deleted bin but it was dumped. I will try to learn quicker, I promise.

[bao-bao]

Now the entire Posting and Guidelines section is gone. :dontknow:

[Neal]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Posting Rules and Guidelines has been restored.
Please understand that there is a great deal of work being done on the forum 24/7 and occasionally a mistake in programming leads to something else being temporarily broken. In this case tech support was trying to fix the problem in Gallery which temporarily moved some forums into sub forums. ES has reported the error has been fixed.

If you see any other errors, don't be so quick to blame it on espionage but report it on the proper thread so we can look into it and try and fix it. ES, jinks and I have been working very hard to bring a new look with many features to your fingertips. Sometimes things will break until we are notified and can hopefully fix them.

[Brad the Impala]

While glad that the "mutual deletions with GB" policy has been rescinded, I find it extraordinary that it was ever thought sensible. To tie the policies of the most free wheeling forum to the most moderated forum never made sense at any level. It is the variety of styles in the Gay Thailand forums that keeps them going, and to purchase this forum without appreciating that is surprising.

While being grateful for the fact that someone has bought this forum, and is keeping it going, and while being appreciative of the unpaid work that jinks has done as moderator, in my opinion jinks' moderation has historically tended towards the erratic and the unexplained, and the latest manifestations of this are making this forum feel like a haunted house, with long dead threads exhumed, while new and living threads are buried. We have even created a category now for deceased posters, while the concerns of long standing current posters, including the most longstanding of all, are ignored and as a result are leaving. Meanwhile the triumvirate are rearranging the deckchairs as the iceberg that is self destruction looms.

[bao-bao]

If you see any other errors, don't be so quick to blame it on espionage but report it on the proper thread so we can look into it and try and fix it. ES, jinks and I have been working very hard to bring a new look with many features to your fingertips.
It's not "espionage" anyone's concerned about, but yes - a BIG thank you to Spike for sticking around and doing the behind-the-scenes stuff.

PS - I would have posted a heads up to the proper place, but that was the very area that was missing. :blackeye: I figured it would be back up eventually - in one form or another. Thanks for the reply.

Oh Brad, I hope you are not going to join the world's coming to an end group!
Seems like things are improving although sometimes a bit irratic. Promises of a new moderation policy to mirror the rules and guidelines? I think that's a plus! No more deleting, editing and disappearance of threads that for one reason or another someone does not want to be seen? Explanations! My posts not being randomly locked and deleted! A recent post by the famous Beachlover about Jim Lumsden's new hotel was edited and an explanation was given as to the board policy it violated but how to post again so that it could remain? Shit, when was the last time I saw that!? I think that's a move in the right direction. Threads reappearing that suddenly had disappeared for one reason or another? Sure so one thread disappeared that went into the bin and they were unable to restore, at least an explanation was given.

Opening the gallery to everyone and asking them to share beautiful photos rated G and R? Some sweet looking boys and scenery that makes Thailand so beautiful. A move in the right direction.

Seems like alot of work is going into the forum to improve it and point it into the right direction. Going back on an agreement to ban users? Someone listened, and it was stopped. I don't understand how someone can say that they are NOT listening.
I guess I for one want to hold on and give them a chance, see what they can do and maybe just maybe Kevin and smiles, the only two who jumped ship, will come back. Who knows where the wind will blow. :dontknow:
:tif:

[arsenal]

Yes Justme. That is correct.
I am sure all our hearts sank with the original announcement. It was changed very quickly and the owner has apologised several times. He (I assume) cannot do any more. time to move on I think. :wav:

[Khor tose]

Oh Brad, I hope you are not going to join the world's coming to an end group!
Seems like alot of work is going into the forum to improve it and point it into the right direction. Going back on an agreement to ban users? Someone listened, and it was stopped. I don't understand how someone can say that they are NOT listening.


I agree, and think everyone should give the new owner the opportunity to make and recover from his mistakes without having a hissy fit and leaving. He is trying, and his willingness to say whoops and apologize, marks him as someone I feel very comfortable with. Come on, this is not a control freak. The man has more then proved he is someone we should all work with, and I see a bright future for this board.

[Neal]

Thank you all for your votes of confidence. I promise I will not let you down.

[lonelywombat]

One of the big failings of LMTU was he posted as person one and then answered as person two, agreeing with his first post.

This is what I call forum ping pong. When person two replied to LMTU I saw red. It was an insult to all members.

I hope that this practice is now put to bed, as the regulars that visit this forum every day, the practice is so obvious. Hopefully was!

[Beachlover]

The sudden change in the moderator's attitude is fantastic.

I really respect jinks has been carrying a pretty thankless task. He's kept it up through thick and thin, during the board's darkest days, without dropping the ball, which deserves a lot of gratitude. But I also think the approach to modding has to evolve. Now is a great time to address the complaints, which have been ignore for so long about the lack of care, erratic decisions and unjustified and thoughtless locking, wiping of posts/threads...

It looks like the new owner is taking it seriously and respecting members' desire for a little more care and explanation to be given.


The recent agreement between GayButton and Sawatdee Gay Thailand was recinded.... SGT will continue as its own forum...
Well done. Any management who can acknowledge a mistake and rectify it so quickly and without ego issues is to be respected. You can make a dozen more mistakes and probably will but the most important thing is how you deal with them.


While glad that the "mutual deletions with GB" policy has been rescinded, I find it extraordinary that it was ever thought sensible. To tie the policies of the most free wheeling forum to the most moderated forum never made sense at any level. It is the variety of styles in the Gay Thailand forums that keeps them going, and to purchase this forum without appreciating that is surprising...
It looks like it was just a really hasty and poorly thought through decision. They dealt with it well, which is what counts most.

One thing is interesting... The new SGT owner/s quickly revoked the policy because members here reacted quite angrily and adversely to it. Anyone with any clue would've known this was how members would react. If you remember the way the announcement was worded, you'll notice everything was done to prevent and discourage members from voicing their opinion in any way.

It's as if whoever designed the announcement did so with the aim of preventing the owner/s of SGT from ever hearing any honest feedback from the members about it.... possibly a very cunning move on GB's behalf.

The sudden change in the moderator's attitude is fantastic etc.. etc..

I'll ditto what Beachlover has posted, and also add that if SGT had gone down that route with GB then they might as well of handed power over to GBhimself who would have just loved to have moved in with his Iron Glove!

[christianpfc]

Where is the Coordination thread?


I think the Big Three need to worry more about members leaving, not joining
Don't worry, as long as scottish-guy and Beachlover stay here, I will stay as well.

I just notice, I forgot to congratulate Beachlover to his 5000th post on this board. Congratulations!

Where is the Coordination thread?
DaBoss gives an explanation of this on the first page of this thread.
:idea1:

[the1]

I forgot to congratulate Beachlover to his 5000th post on this board. Congratulations!

He reached the MASSIVE 5000 mark a few weeks ago and a few of us congratulated him on this achievement

If it had not been for the mods deleting a few posts recently then I am sure he'd be half way to the 6000 mark my now.

No problem though, it wont be long I'm sure.

[Dodger]

Brad the Impala wrote:


While glad that the "mutual deletions with GB" policy has been rescinded, I find it extraordinary that it was ever thought sensible. To tie the policies of the most free wheeling forum to the most moderated forum never made sense at any level. It is the variety of styles in the Gay Thailand forums that keeps them going, and to purchase this forum without appreciating that is surprising

I couldn't agree with you more.

The freedom to share out thoughts and opinions openly, evan when it sometimes resorts to hair-pulling and mud-wrestling, is the true signature of this forum - always has been - and hopefully always will be.

I don't see the "policies" of this or any other forum as being the defining factor (never have). These "policies", in-and-by-themselves, are nothing more than a set of boilerplate rules which should sit on a back shelve and be taken off that shelf only in rare situations where some idiot is blatently violating the policies or to remove an obvious troll - not as a set of tools used to control and manipulate the free-flow of dialog between members - regardless if the forum moderator(s) like what they're reading or not...and that is where the real challenge resides. Not only does a good moderator have to use good common sense - but he also has to have the ability to not want to "control and manipulate" - but rather to "monitor and steer".

A message to our new "DaBoss" - with all due respect:

We are an unruley bunch - meaning, we don't like rules. We sometimes fight amongst ourselves and prefer to just be left alone. Sooner or later the dust settles - we kiss and make up and don't need a moderator sticking his nose in our squables. Sometimes we use crude terms like shit, cock, suck, fuck, and don't need a school teacher slapping out wrists with a ruler either. We are "free Spirits" and would really appeciate it if you acknowledged that. If we feel the need to have our thoughts and voices corraled in a nazi concentration camp we know where to find it. This is "Sawatdee Camp"...home of the free...and not for the faint-hearted. Join us and support us and we'll remain the #1 Gay Thailand Forum.

[CoffeeBreak]

Bodes well for the future of this forum that the new owner sounds bright and sensible.
I will not make any comment re another forum but the difference between SGT and another is like chalk and cheese......

[Neal]

I have seen cock, ass and all those other comments and they do not bother me. I see squabbling and name calling and have done nothing about it. I will step in only when it degenerates into a full blown squabble and needs to be calmed down.
I will step in when a post can be inerpreted as libel or any coment about The Royals.
When I move things, I will give a reason. When I edit or delete posts there will be a reason. If you disagree with the reason, you are welcome to have a "sane discussion" with me as to why you disagree. When I view your reasons, I have the option to restore or to continue to disagree. If I am unsure, I will make it invisible until both of the other moderators and I can discuss it. At the end of our discussion we will either restore the post to its original form or explain why we "all" still disagree.

Name calling about moderators or their actions will not be viewed lightly as it is absolutely unnecessary.
I intend to steer this ship and plot a new course. One where moderators will be held accountable for any action they may take.
To continue to allow free speech and discussion. I hope you will enjoy it and believe that if you give me a chance, you will.
Please feel absolutely free to contact me with your concerns, suggestions and comments and together we can develop SGT to one hell of a board.

DaBoss

DaBoss's comments sound good to me. Good luck with it all. Oh and Spikes seems to be doing a good job getting all the little faults sorted out too.

[cdnmatt]

I intend to steer this ship and plot a new course.

Just a quick word of caution on your above post. This is not YOUR board, and if you ever view it like that, it will resonate throughout the membership, and you will quickly destroy the board. You may have moderating ability, but we have posting ability, which is just as much, if not more powerful when it comes to the success of an online community like this.

No disrespect intended, but so far from what I've seen, you seem quite heavy handed. This is OUR board, not YOURS. If you view it as YOURS, you'll quickly end up with a board that's yours, and yours alone. Just sayin...

[Neal]

CD, I cant even know where to begin with your post above. You just do not know WHEN I started with this board and therefore have absolutely no knowlege of what heavy handed moderating I have done and what is to be blamed on the prior staff. If you were privy to that information you would see that you are so wrong. But that's ok. Soon but not now all those dirty little stories will come out and be explained; the who's and why and all that dirty crap. For now? No. So please don't blame moderating policies and decisions on me for nothing that you really know for sure because I did not start moderating until the letter of agreement with GB was posted, the day AFTER kQuill and Smiles resigned from the board. I have spoken with both and do believe now that they understand everythng, its only a matter of a few days that they will return.
Therefore the ONLY moderating from me was on the Jim Lumsden new hotel thread and the error in trying to move one other post thinking it was in the wrong forum. Heavy handed? I think not! Everything else was allowed, unlike the previous moderation policies.

[Brad the Impala]

CD, a point well made. For all the bells and whistles, it is the content that will attract and hold, and the posters that provide that.

It saddens me that we have already lost the founder of this forum, and the writer of some of the most generally informative posts about Thailand,and relationships with Thai Guys, in Smiles. I am guessing that the mutual moderation decision would have been a factor in this, and I am pleased to read that Daboss has been in touch with him and with another lost and knowledgeable poster in KQuill, to explain the rescinding. I hope that both return.

[Neal]

As stated above, both Kquill and Smiles are the only two that resigned from the board. After they were aprised of what happened and who, when and why, they have in sorts agreed to come back. Kevin has been logged in and watching and so has Smiles.
Several that have knowledge of what occured have agreed to help. Now it really is time for this to end and move on to nicer times and welcome both back.

The ship has been turned around and back on its original course.

Hopefully both Kevin and Smiles will return, I think it was obvious that quite a few members would have left if the GB 'thing' hadn't been sorted and dumped.

Matt makes a reasonable point, but let the new captain set his sails and we'll see just which way the ship is going to go.

i have only been a member of this board for a couple of weeks so dont really know the history of whats gone on before .. but in my short time here i think i have already been able to work out those who make comments worth reading and i would include kquill and smiles in them so im glad to see them come back onboard ..
i can also work out who are the slags and sluts are :party and i can honestly say most of what they say is also very informative information for anyone going to thailand :hello1:
and the few trouble makers . but i think most of these also have a place on here because they get topics turned upside down at times .. and give out information they maybe dont mean to ...
sorry not sure if that last bit made any sense but i know what i mean :tongue3:
im also glad MR OWNER has said what he has.. its kept me on here .. not that ive had much imput yet.

[Neal]

I think everyone has a value to the board and although many might disagree with me, and that's ok, I did enjoy LMTU.

[Beachlover]

I agree with what Dodger said about the free wheeling nature of this board, allowing free flow of dialogue between members and letting most arguments get to their end naturally. I think this is exactly what DaBoss is doing so far.

I also agree with Cdnmatt that it's the posters and the content they deliver that make the board.


No disrespect intended, but so far from what I've seen, you seem quite heavy handed. This is OUR board, not YOURS. If you view it as YOURS, you'll quickly end up with a board that's yours, and yours alone. Just sayin...
I disagree... what you say is true for what it was like 1-2 weeks ago but in the last few days it's been totally different. Hardly anything's been deleted and anything edited has been done so with an explanation. I also feel the moderator is more approachable and rational now.

I get the feeling the new owner is learning as he goes and perhaps didn't have a complete handle on everything at first, which is understandable.

Since the GBT policy was killed, there seems to have been a major change... much greater care, reasoning and accountability and very little being deleted. It bodes well for SGT!

[lexusgs]

I think everyone has a value to the board and although many might disagree with me, and that's ok, I did enjoy LMTU.

I agree with you :tongue3: I assume he is still posting?

[Neal]

No he was banned just prior to me taking over. I think he was set that he can reapply but no more than 5 posts a day.
what does everyone else think. I used to enjoy most of his stuff unless he went off on a tangent. As I said, I think evryone is fine and has something to add. If many people agree I can remove hos ban and invite him back.

[lexusgs]

No he was banned just prior to me taking over. I think he was set that he can reapply but no more than 5 posts a day.
what does everyone else think. I used to enjoy most of his stuff unless he went off on a tangent. As I said, I think evryone is fine and has something to add. If many people agree I can remove hos ban and invite him back.

Thanks for the info Boss.. :salute:

[christianpfc]

If many people agree I can remove hos ban and invite him back.
Yes, please bring LMTU back.

bring him back ... he will have you on your knees and not for sexual favours im sure
*beg bitch beg* i expect the reply will be something like that