This is a strange (but helpful) newsgroup

I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find many
helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I read,
most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and then they just
deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious name calling). At that
point I just stop following the post because it usually just gets worse. It
seems that this happens much more frequently on this newsgroup than any
other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

Tom

Tom from WI wrote:
I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find
many helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I
read, most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and then
they just deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious name
calling). At that point I just stop following the post because it
usually just gets worse. It seems that this happens much more frequently
on this newsgroup than any other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple who changed their
posting handle at the drop of a kill file.

Are you familiar with other usenet groups where it's a lot different?
Ones that aren't a very narrow interest, that is.

--
john mcwilliams

On 07/27/09 10:53, John McWilliams wrote:
Tom from WI wrote:
I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find
many helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items
I read, most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and
then they just deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious
name calling). At that point I just stop following the post because it
usually just gets worse. It seems that this happens much more
frequently on this newsgroup than any other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple who changed their
posting handle at the drop of a kill file.

Are you familiar with other usenet groups where it's a lot different?
Ones that aren't a very narrow interest, that is.


It's no different than the radio, antique, or the many of the
automotive groups. Some are better than others...more civil...less
angry, but that depends on the personalities of the most active
members. Usually, if an new member gets mouthy, in a largely civil
group, he/she/it gets shouted down pretty quickly. If the group
dominated by heated members, it becomes a Three Stooges short in
very quick order.

Bear in mind that photographers are by and large an artistic
bunch. They tend not to be quite as impervious to provocation as,
say, mechanics. Photographers have styles, opinions, procedures that
are as based in talent as they are in skill. The difference between
talent and skill, is that skill does what it does through learned
behaviours, scientific understanding, and experience.

Talent does what it does by instinct. Frequently, not really
understanding why it works.

Talent tends to be a bit more defensive.

Skill tends to be more reserved.

Skilled talent tends to be more arrogant and dismissive. And
that's usually where the name calling starts.

The best tip I might offer, is to read what's useful, ignore
what's not, and be amused. Be very amused.


memberfdic.

"Tom from WI" wrote:
I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find many
helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I read,
most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and then they just
deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious name calling). At that
point I just stop following the post because it usually just gets worse. It
seems that this happens much more frequently on this newsgroup than any
other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

It isn't that they are angry, it's just, well...

1) Techies have no social skills at all, and
2) Artists are emotional cripples.

And photographers tend to be a bit of both...

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)

Floyd L. Davidson wrote:


It isn't that they are angry, it's just, well...

1) Techies have no social skills at all, and
2) Artists are emotional cripples.

And photographers tend to be a bit of both...

....that you pick on us with a completely unfair genralisation you
[CENSORED]. ;-)

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

I follow three microsoft newsgroups and 6 other newsgroups (1 for photoshop
elements, 2 TV oriented, 1 hardware oriented, 1 carmaker and this one). This
is the only one that has a high frequency of angry foul language responses.
But, like I said, it is very helpful sometimes.
Tom

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
...
Tom from WI wrote:
I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find many
helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I read,
most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and then they
just deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious name calling).
At that point I just stop following the post because it usually just gets
worse. It seems that this happens much more frequently on this newsgroup
than any other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple who changed their
posting handle at the drop of a kill file.

Are you familiar with other usenet groups where it's a lot different? Ones
that aren't a very narrow interest, that is.

--
john mcwilliams

On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:53:29 -0700, John McWilliams
wrote:

snip

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple who changed their
posting handle at the drop of a kill file.

I always wonder about the name-shifters. Is it really so important to
them to be heard by people who don't want to hear them that they have
to dodge kill files? Quite an odd psychology behind that behavior.

"Tom from WI" wrote:
I follow three microsoft newsgroups and 6 other newsgroups (1 for photoshop
elements, 2 TV oriented, 1 hardware oriented, 1 carmaker and this one). This
is the only one that has a high frequency of angry foul language responses.
But, like I said, it is very helpful sometimes.
Tom

Check out a few techie oriented newsgroups. Try
alt.electrical.engineering for example! :-)

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
...
Tom from WI wrote:
I have been following this newsgroup for several
months now and find many helpful answers to
questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I read,
most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful
comments and then they just deteriorate into name
calling (sometimes very vicious name calling). At
that point I just stop following the post because it
usually just gets worse. It seems that this happens
much more frequently on this newsgroup than any other
newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group
would have so many angry(?) people.

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple
who changed their posting handle at the drop of a kill
file.

Are you familiar with other usenet groups where it's a
lot different? Ones that aren't a very narrow
interest, that is.

--
john mcwilliams

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)

In article , Tom from WI
wrote:

I have been following this newsgroup for several months now and find many
helpful answers to questions. One thing I have noticed: On items I read,
most will go to about 5 - 10 postings of helpful comments and then they just
deteriorate into name calling (sometimes very vicious name calling). At that
point I just stop following the post because it usually just gets worse. It
seems that this happens much more frequently on this newsgroup than any
other newsgroup that I follow.

I wouldn'tr have thought that a photography group would have so many
angry(?) people.

Heh! Same here. It *is* a tough room this.

I follow lots of tech groups where S/N is far higher, and the abuse is
done with far more style.

You know who you are. If you want to be rude and obnoxious, at least
try to be funny.








Some of the time.

--
To de-mung my e-mail address:- fsnospam$elliott$$
PGP Fingerprint: 1A96 3CF7 637F 896B C810 E199 7E5C A9E4 8E59 E248

"rwalker" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:53:29 -0700, John McWilliams
wrote:

snip

We don't. Just a handful, and of that group, a couple who changed their
posting handle at the drop of a kill file.

I always wonder about the name-shifters. Is it really so important to
them to be heard by people who don't want to hear them that they have
to dodge kill files? Quite an odd psychology behind that behavior.


Very odd indeed, it is a sickness but hey what are you going to do they keep
us amused. :-)