Can I please remind all members to keep all differences of opinions civil and mature when debating about certain things.
Please do not name call or get into personal in house fighting. We all have our own views on certain matters
which can be extremely subjective. While other things are matters of fact.
If in future i see any comments or postings that are getting out of hand I will have no hesitation but to delete
such comments or posts.
Its a shame really as it not fair on other members and a bit off the mark to view these on here. We are a new forum after all.
So please try keep it a friendly forum and enjoy our unique hobby and interactions with each other and share accordingly.

Once you start deleting and censoring what people in a democratic society write and think you are becoming Big Brother, no-one should have the power to do this on a forum because it can become selective and a rule for one and a different rule for another.

I will only delete posts and comments I view to be of an intimidating or provocative nature directed towards any individual/s.
Big Brother or not .Even Democracy has its rules and limits.

Then you know what you can do pal, go play with Andrew, and massage his ego.

This is the statement from Dan Lail's 8mm Worldwide Forum, which I think is a good one. "Our mission is to provide a "free" forum for all members. This forum will not delete, lock up, or edit any posts. On this forum, you are "free" to question any statement that is not understood, and debate any differences you have with another member. We only moderate when a member will not back up his accusations. There are no condescending attitudes from the Administrator or the Moderator. You will be treated with respect " He set up his own forum after being removed from Small Format Film Forum, over a dispute with Osi Osgood; his right to reply was denied him when the thread was deleted.

Steve that was un- called for and most unecessary.

Robert, that sounds good, but do Dan Lail's forum accept rasism, personal attacks and such? That is not okay, is it?

I do understand Steve's frustration and not sure Andrew intentionally mean to put anyone down, but obviously Steve feels this

It is when my post's are being deleted, but then the same happened on 8mm forum, some-one has a spat with him and gets the thread deleted. How would you feel if I came a long with a big rubber and thought to myself I don't like what David just posted, it don't matter what any-one else thinks, I think I'll get rid of it, no you wouldn't, I never name called I just wrote rules for what Andrew has kept banging on about on every forum, whats wrong with that?, it's just putting the rules in writing, come on...

Robert ... there is a world of difference between debating and personal attacks and insulting behaviour on individuals and their views.
If you don't agree with something someone says or thinks yes you are free to disagree or stay silent.

So let me get this straight, what you are saying some people can post what they want because they are in the clique, but God help anyone who has an opinion about them or their post's, so I have a very high chance of having my post's deleted yes?, but others and you know who I mean as I don't want to 'Name Call' can post what they fanciful like. What was the saying about power?.

Vidar, we haven't seen any racist attacks that I am aware of, regarding personal attacks, the Admins state that they will only step in when the accuser can't back up his statements.

On a personal level I don't like getting called " pal" and told where to go. So steady on there.

No, no Robert. No rasism has been done, I only wondered if Dan would delete such? It should not be allowed I feel, so some censorship is necessary

Steve Let me assure you that there is NO CLIQUE on this forum. If there was I would not be on here.

Now where have I heard that before,' I can assure you there's no clique here', let me see, every school when there's a problem, the work place when there's a problem, people just do not realize that they are in a clique, a clique is a naturally forming group of people, it only becomes a clique when you tackle one of it's members.

I think I know what the problem is here.
I think it has something to do with the clocks going back an Hour here in the UK....

Steve ... thanks for the Sociological analysis . However let me reassure you and state once more" there is no clique on this forum".
However it does not matter what i say because you would not believe me anyway.
I await your response.

I have been a moderator in a non film related forum for years. Repeatedly we have had problems. It seems that any forum online, no matter what the hobby is, will get into this trouble from time to time.

A forum can be destroyed super quickly by just a few members spreading negativity. Here is my thoughts on the subject:

1. Sometimes it is difficult for a moderator to know how to handle it. In the forum I am a moderator we have a moderator forum where the other members can not read. This is used to discuss how to handle problems.
2. From time to time it is necessary to kick out members. This should only happen after first being told to change the behaviour in a PM. An official warning (still done in a PM) should have been given before a member is banned unless the member has acted very very bad.
3. I think it is necessary to have very strict rules. To draw the line on just racism and directly personal attacks makes many gray lines. Repeatedly making unfriendly posts should be enough.
4. A forum is NOT a democracy, and you can not use the "free speech" and "censor" as a reason to say whatever you want. It is privately held forum. The free speech right in a society gives you the right to say whatever you want, but not to choose the medium. You can not pick a random newspaper and say whatever you want. Create your own forum, and then you can say whatever you want. This is your free speech right. Off course you should be able to disagree, have other opinions and say so. The key is to say this in a "non personal attack" way. If you can't handle that, go another way. The forum owner is to draw the line. Many will disagree in your decisions.
5. Some people WILL be offended when they are told to keep a friendly tone. Some people WILL be kicked. There is no forum where this will not happen in the end. Failing to do anything to correct a very unfriendly tone in a forum will make many members leave. I have seen it first hand.
6. A forum can off course have bad moderators. This is also a golden moment to start a new one. The best run forum will get the most members.

Being a moderator is really tough. It is often not easy to know what to do. But failing to do anything will kill a forum very very quickly. We have run the forum with simple, but strict rules for years. Other forums have come and go. Many forums have died because the tone has become unfriendly. So my advice:
1. Keep corrections in PMs if you can
2. Be strict, but wait a bit and think it through with other moderators.
3. Be fair. Same treatment to all members.

If you feel badly treated by a mod; start a new forum.

Eivind ... Thank you for this post. I hope others will read it and keep it in mind.

Now who's baiting, waiting for my response, never once have asked or even wanted a response, I just say it as it is, I don't dress things up, I also do not set out to start trouble, but some people have a subtle way of goading reactions, they find out your personality and work at it, they know what ticks you off and continually fly around your head like an annoying midge in the summer, that you just can't swipe. I see the artillery has logged in now.

I hope I didn't offend you Steve, if so I apologize. I am so sorry for all this, would love to have discussions, but about film

Im not offended at all, like I said I've had all sorts of abuse, so this is a walk in the park.

THE END ... I hope !

I would strongly suggest that everybody stopped posting in this thread. Go out for a walk, and get some fresh air. I haven't posted much in this forum, and I do not know the full story of this, and I don't belong to any "side". But if this continues, the forum will die. Please think twice before posting anything more.