Is This a Direction Fauna Should Go?

In light of recent events and Rich's efforts made last year to elevate the standards of the site and insure quality dialog, I would like to know if this is a direction that Fauna should go.

RE two recent threads that many of us found troubling and in poor taste.

In Lonely Hearts: Couple Looking for FWB in MD/DE/PA/NJ
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=80719

In Photography: Whatcha Like Shooting (besides your load)?
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=78082

I think it is better if interested parties read the threads for themselves and come to their own conclusions.
Is this the type of subject material that will serve the ideals of FaunaClassifieds?

There is real potential that this discussion will include strong opinions. Please, maintain a posture of decorum.

I'll go first.

Whether I am truely a prude or not is of little consequence.
I was and remain behind Rich's efforts to establish, insure and maintain high standards on this site. IMO subject matter and language as exhibited in the threads referenced above will undermine those efforts and the intent of this site.

I do believe that opening up the site to sexual topics and language is one way for increasing traffic and membership. It's risky though. And personally, I won't find much use for such increased content. I also believe that it will soil the stellar reputation of Fauna. I don't want to see this site become one more internet vehicle for the sexual exhibitionism of those with boundry issues.

It may happen that I am alone in my opinion and desires on this issue. If so it will be a great disappointment to me.

Is it, "just what this forum needs to give it that jump start"?
Please, add your thoughts.

I think both of those examples are vile. I'm no prude, either. At one time I actually put a dating profile on some dating site. I don't remember the exact site, as it was just a "whim" thing and I decided I really didn't feel comfortable meeting people like that. I've also looked at pics of nude women on occassion, so I'm not some bible thumping, righteous prude. I just don't think those two examples, belong on this site, especially when it can be viewed by anybody. I made my opinion on one of the actual threads, but it's apparently of no consequence.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the direction of one or two forums, and in particular one or two lone threads, does not lead this entire site by the nose. To even suggest such a thing defies rationality. Actually no one here even has to go into that forum or read any particular thread unless they specifically choose to do so. So exercise your own free will to move on to somewhere else other then THAT thread,or THAT forum. Threads do not open themselves up and tackle you as a reader. YOU have to specifically click on it to open it up and read it. So if you see the title of some thread that looks like it may contain something offensive to you, please don't let it twist your arm or wrestle you to the ground in order to make you read it. Resist it, as impossible as that may seem to do.

But that being said, I did make a concession in that I have changed the permissions for that forum so that only registered members can even see the Lonely Hearts forum, much less read anything in it. I have the registration (and have for a long time) set to refuse to allow registration of anyone 13 years old or younger. But if "little Johnnie" lies in order to get registered and then can read that forum, then that's just the breaks. There is no way to verify that information. I have no intention of trying to rubber baby buggy bumpering this site to try to please everyone's opinion of every thing they can think to complain about. So as for those children within the tender years of 14 thru 17, well I don't know what your children are like at that age, but when I was that age, I doubt anything being talked about in any forum here would have gotten my hormones torqued up much. And I do believe that things are considerable different now then they were back in those days.

As for the threads and forums in question, I gave the moderators of those forums the authority and discretion to treat posts within them as they see fit.

Oh, and please note that the way this system is designed, if you report a post, that report ONLY goes to the moderator(s) of that forum. No where else and to no one else. This is known as "division of labor", and quite frankly, I prefer it that way. I don't want to have to micro manage every aspect of this site. So I delegate whatever I can.

Thanks Rich. I wanted to know where you stood.

Originally Posted by coyote

I'll go first.

Whether I am truely a prude or not is of little consequence.
I was and remain behind Rich's efforts to establish, insure and maintain high standards on this site. IMO subject matter and language as exhibited in the threads referenced above will undermine those efforts and the intent of this site.

I do believe that opening up the site to sexual topics and language is one way for increasing traffic and membership. It's risky though. And personally, I won't find much use for such increased content. I also believe that it will soil the stellar reputation of Fauna. I don't want to see this site become one more internet vehicle for the sexual exhibitionism of those with boundry issues.

It may happen that I am alone in my opinion and desires on this issue. If so it will be a great disappointment to me.

Is it, "just what this forum needs to give it that jump start"?
Please, add your thoughts.

The thread in "Lonely Hearts" is absolutely ridiculous.

The thread in Photography is okay but the title is not appropriate.

I don't really see the point in having a thread like "Lonely Hearts" on a reptile related website, it just begs for posts like the one made recently.

Originally Posted by Scott Ashton

I don't really see the point in having a thread like "Lonely Hearts" on a reptile related website, it just begs for posts like the one made recently.

Personally I don't see that forum "begging" for anything of the sort. The few times I checked in there, it appeared that the people participating within it were having a lot of fun there.

I strongly suspect that it would be quite possible to find someone who could find each and every aspect of this site something with which they could not see the point of having here. Everyone is different. Everyone has their own opinions. It is quite impossible to cater to all of them.

As for the Lonely Hearts Club Forum, there are 4,668 posts in that one forum alone. So obviously some people have found reason enough for it to be there.

Originally Posted by coyote

Thanks Rich. I wanted to know where you stood.

Now you do. I am not swayed by a vocal minority voice. I have long ago given up any idea whatsoever of pleasing everyone.

The downside to posts like the one referenced above in Lonely Hearts as well as the inappropriateness of the thread title in Photography is that they will quickly get your site filtered as "Adult Content".

Originally Posted by WebSlave

Oh, and please note that the way this system is designed, if you report a post, that report ONLY goes to the moderator(s) of that forum. No where else and to no one else. This is known as "division of labor", and quite frankly, I prefer it that way. I don't want to have to micro manage every aspect of this site. So I delegate whatever I can.

What if there is a post that a mod feels needs to be given points, as you said if wer report it it comes back to us so we have to PM you to decide, that seems to be a PITA for you to have to do.

I know that I have sent you some and have found that I am a lot more hard assed that you are but what if.... there is one and even if I am more hard assed and would give points when you would not. Will that be something a mod can do at some point.

I am really undecided about giving the forum mods the power to assess warning points. I get quite enough nasty grams myself from them, so something tells me that doing so would greatly increase the hate mail I would be getting trying to convince me to overrule the mod's decision. This could cause a lot of feathers to get ruffled, especially if the mod is much more "hard assed" then I am and I find myself disagreeing with the mod's opinion.

Assessing warning points is rather easy to do. Rolling them back is a real pain in the butt for me to have to do. And honestly, I just am not looking for more work to have to be doing......