Mission Statement

[tyrion2323]

I disagree with your post, ClassicMagger. I understand where you're coming from, and I appreciate you speaking your mind, but I really disagree.

Regarding B/S/T - Perhaps to some people an X-Valve for $175 is a great deal; however, to most paintball players it's not. Entire new AGD guns sell for 300-400. AGD did that to itself, and there's no use blaming users for selling their equipment for good prices. Most likely they all WANT to get the most money; however, there just isn't the demand to warrant such high prices. The same thing with all mag equipment. Without a steady demand, you can't expect to garner high prices. People will just "look somewhere else."

I agree on the intelligent conversation, but let's be honest - in the past two weeks there have been like 10 threads about "What AGD/AO Should do." More threads aren't going to help. It's up to AGD to actually DO SOMETHING. A small band of followers won't resurrect AGD from its grave. Only AGD can.

I think the anger stems from a mixture of a few things. We have been experiencing an influx of newer users. Despite what they may say, a lot of the older guys on the forums look down on them and regard them as if they don't belong. So the newer players strike back. Neither group is really acting very maturely about it. In a sense, the old AO community has helped get rid of the "friendly atmosphere" that they seem to miss so much.

If you want my ideas for helping AO, here they are:
- NO "look at my new gun" threads. We'll sticky a picture thread.
- NO "What gun should I buy?" threads. Use your own mind.
- NO "What color should I anodizing/how can I upgrade?" threads. See above.
- NO more threads whining about BPS/Cheat Boards/Cheating. Threads won't stop it, so stop complaining.


THOSE stipulations will actually make this forum better. That and stricter mod control.

As for the Thorums - they stink worse than AO or PBN. It's like watching a bunch of adolescents rediscover their ability to swear and act like morons. I thought that was why we had Dynasty's forum on PBN, but apparently the Thorum members took it upon themselves to outdo them.

Peace

[SAW]

TP: Point taken. I understand where you're coming from.

[Creative Mayhem]

First off... I think Kevin is full of it.. he doesn't know what's going on in his own home let alone AO...

OKAY... now that I got my cheapshot in... I couldn't agree more. AO has deteriorated and i think its up to the people who used to make AO what it was to help bring the level of posts, or family feeling back up to a normal level. Can this be done with the influx of PBN/PBR tards? Who knows... I do believe its worth a shot though. I have met soo many good friends here on AO, and through AO at meets that I honestly don't think I would have done so any other way.

[rkjunior303]

As for the Thorums - they stink worse than AO or PBN. It's like watching a bunch of adolescents rediscover their ability to swear and act like morons. I thought that was why we had Dynasty's forum on PBN, but apparently the Thorum members took it upon themselves to outdo them.

Where were there any mention to the Thorums in any of this? What does that have to do with Kevin's original post regarding AO? Nothing, as far as I can see -- so why bring it up? The Thorums is a different site. If you don't like it, don't go there.

[peewee]

[Target Practice]

Where were there any mention to the Thorums in any of this? What does that have to do with Kevin's original post regarding AO? Nothing, as far as I can see -- so why bring it up? The Thorums is a different site. If you don't like it, don't go there.

I mentioned it. We are a family, whether you like it or not. Some people just have to put down the things they don't understand.

[SCpoloRicker]

Why? Let's face it. Some people are stupid. It's a fact. Why should we coddle the morons? There are a couple of posters who come to mind. They have completely meaningless and trite threads, polls we've seen scores of times, and they ask the same questions over and over again. I've asked it before, and I'll ask it again...why should we have to deal with it? Why should we have to deal with stupidity, bad grammar, and poor spelling?

We shouldn't.

I agree with the issues you raise. It does, however, beg a few questions;

Most, if not all, users of BBSs go through a progression in terms of behavior and thought process with the content of their posting. Often, younger/newer users don't understand how irritating some of the content of their posts can be. Do we slice people out for lack of experience?

I think that the expansion of users is the main irritant here. There is no longer an implied "I am playing with this guy next month"; so people no longer respect each other.

#1 solution I propose: Go to an AO day. Play with each other. Hell, if you don't have one convenient, organize one! We had over 30 guys out for our farewell to Steelrat. Know what? When I see a user I've played with, I care more about what they have to say...

[SCpoloRicker]

I mentioned it. We are a family, whether you like it or not. Some people just have to put down the things they don't understand.

Family in the drunk uncle sense?

[tyrion2323]

I mentioned it. We are a family, whether you like it or not. Some people just have to put down the things they don't understand.

There's a big difference between not understanding something and not liking something. I don't like the Thorums. It doesn't mean I don't "understand" them.

Perhaps you should take the time to "understand" the difference between the two.

[PumpPlayer]

Spelling Question...

About the whole spelling (or lack thereof) issue:

I don't know about everyone else, but it's a lot easier for me to type "Noob" than "IV003". Try it yourself. See? That just took a lot of time to figure out how to type. Without a translation, possibly even longer to read. And the whole "pVVn3D" thing? I just don't get it... spell 'owned' for goodness' sake!

Now, acronyms like "woot" I can deal with. Of course, they were mostly developed for gaming when typing time comes at a prime... But I can put up with their use in everyday life to some extent.

But honestly, why purposefully misspell words??? Doesn't that make sense to anyone else? I feel like I'm on crazy pills here! Thanks for hearing me out, just trying to throw in my thougts.

L8r, l^0xx0rz...

[rkjunior303]

I mentioned it. We are a family, whether you like it or not. Some people just have to put down the things they don't understand.

agreed... and i just saw it. i guess i should start reading your responses instead of skipping over them jk bro!

[SCpoloRicker]

If you want my ideas for helping AO, here they are:
- NO "look at my new gun" threads. We'll sticky a picture thread.
- NO "What gun should I buy?" threads. Use your own mind.
- NO "What color should I anodizing/how can I upgrade?" threads. See above.
- NO more threads whining about BPS/Cheat Boards/Cheating. Threads won't stop it, so stop complaining.


THOSE stipulations will actually make this forum better. That and stricter mod control.

As for the Thorums - they stink worse than AO or PBN. It's like watching a bunch of adolescents rediscover their ability to swear and act like morons. I thought that was why we had Dynasty's forum on PBN, but apparently the Thorum members took it upon themselves to outdo them.

Peace

Agree very strongly with your suggestions on improving the forum here. Disagree with your comments on the Thorde. If AO is family-friendly and pg-13, which I do appreciate, then the thorums are your local bar. A bit rougher around the edges, but profanity does not a moron make. The politics section is actually quite well thought out, even if hasty is a pinko-commie and newt is a "guns dont kill people. Apes with guns kill people!" era Heston.

[Target Practice]

[quote]As for the Thorums - they stink worse than AO or PBN. It's like watching a bunch of adolescents rediscover their ability to swear and act like morons. I thought that was why we had Dynasty's forum on PBN, but apparently the Thorum members took it upon themselves to outdo them.
[quote]

If you "understand" them, don't post things that aren't true, and which derail the thread.

[Cristobal]

FooTemps post alluded to this a bit, but I think part of the problem facing AO today is that there isn't much new happening at AGD.

When I joined the forums discussion in PBTalk always seemed to revolve around the next new product, or Tom's latest Tech Tip, or a poll that asked what we felt regarding ____ part of marker design. That kind of stuff what what pulled me into the forums in the first place. Now, instead, we have Tom posting that sigs are getting turned off. The quality of the content here has dropped, and I think its due in no small part to the fact that AGD is kinda in a holding pattern while (I assume) they figure out what they're doing.

I've never been a prolific poster, but over the last few months I've found that there's a lot less interesting material to read around here... so I just haven't been on the forums all that much (I know what GOTM stands for, I haven't followed any of the apparent controversy).

As a corollary, I was saddened the other day when I looked in deep blue and saw hardly any threads. I can remember when it was a happening forum, with phenomenal discussions about paintball spin physics, or cledford's attempt to set up a board to test regulator manufacturer's performance claims. I'm left wondering where the intelligent discussion went (in deep blue and otherwise).

my two cents.

[tyrion2323]

FooTemps post alluded to this a bit, but I think part of the problem facing AO today is that there isn't much new happening at AGD.

When I joined the forums discussion in PBTalk always seemed to revolve around the next new product, or Tom's latest Tech Tip, or a poll that asked what we felt regarding ____ part of marker design. That kind of stuff what what pulled me into the forums in the first place. Now, instead, we have Tom posting that sigs are getting turned off. The quality of the content here has dropped, and I think its due in no small part to the fact that AGD is kinda in a holding pattern while (I assume) they figure out what they're doing.

I've never been a prolific poster, but over the last few months I've found that there's a lot less interesting material to read around here... so I just haven't been on the forums all that much (I know what GOTM stands for, I haven't followed any of the apparent controversy).

As a corollary, I was saddened the other day when I looked in deep blue and saw hardly any threads. I can remember when it was a happening forum, with phenomenal discussions about paintball spin physics, or cledford's attempt to set up a board to test regulator manufacturer's performance claims. I'm left wondering where the intelligent discussion went (in deep blue and otherwise).

my two cents.

I definitely agree with this. As AGD stagnates, so will intelligent conversation. It's intuitive, actually. When a company is churning out innovations and products, those products tend to dominate conversation. With nothing to talk about, we turn inward on ourselves and nit-pick about stupid things.

If you "understand" them, don't post things that aren't true, and which derail the thread.

I guess it comes down to the idea that "truth" is a pretty subjective construct. The reason I mentioned anything in the first place was because the Thorums were cited as a "family" sort of forum. I disagreed, and posted my thoughts. I didn't insult you, or any individual member specifically, but I'm glad to let it go.

Just remember that next time you ignore a post about PBN, or make a statement yourself.