First posters

[KRoff]

Hi all, I have not been a member on the ED for any considerable time but I have looked through most of the sections and one thing I keep noticing is that new members who post messages seem to be targeted by other users, this doesn't seem very fair and could put off potential new users and as this site seems unique its also helped many users and would be a shame to loose anyone. Do not get me wrong there does seem to be some dodgy posts but there are many that seem fairly reasonable.

What are all your thoughts?

[KidKruger]

Oh sod off.

[Louisa]

Here we go again. Yawn.

Louisa.

[Loz]

Yeah, yeah... or should I say: blah, blah.

For potential new users: the poster crops up every now and again with a new name, tries (weakly) to stir up trouble and then flounces off.

Please don't let this recurring troll dissuade you from posting here. It is really quite a nice place.

[jctg]

You can stick it up your bollocks. As somebody once said.

[steveo]

It's not possible to flounce after just one post. It requires critical mass

[Blah Blah]

Sadly Kroll the site is full of miss marples like Loz who now thinks I am you and also a recurring troll??!!!??? And yes it does put new people off. Mocking people seems to be the sport of a small group. It's there for everyone to see but those people are so blinded by their own self importance they can't see how nasty they really appear. All forums have them. Sad really that they have nothing better to do in their lives than wrongly accuse people they know didley squat about.

[Penguin68]

New people tend to be 'attacked' if:-

They appear suddenly and immediately strongly endorse a local commercial enterprise - they are suspected of partiality

They open with very challenging or tendentious statements which appear to wish to stimulate or trigger heated debate - 'Why is everyone in ED a racist?' 'Is ED worse than Peckham?' - Possible troll

Their first post is immediately rude or dismissive of a regular poster (or even another new poster) - Possible troll

They seem to be picking up where a known and now disappeared troll left off. Possible re-occuring troll.

Sometimes entirely genuine first posters get caught by suspicions that they belong in the first 4 categories.

There is also annoyance when a very common topic is re-newed, when a simple search might well have found relevant threads. That's probably just people reacting to what seems like a lazy attitude.

[James Barber]

Every year we aim to knock on every East Dulwich ward door - circa 5,200. So we speak to a lot of residents every year.

I often get people telling me they view the forum but from their feedback only about 1 in 10 say they ever post anything on the forum. Generally the feedback is they don't want the negativity or even aggression they fear aimed at them. It's a real shame this aura exists. The forum could be even more successful without this fear.

[Otta]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> There is also annoyance when a very common topic

> is re-newed, when a simple search might well have

> found relevant threads. That's probably just

> people reacting to what seems like a lazy

> attitude.

That one actually annoys me. So bloody what if it's been discussed before, if the subject is no longer of interest then the thread will be ignored, if it is of interest then people will post.

Linking to a thread from 3 years ago, full of posts and in jokes by people the new poster won't have a clue about is pointless IMO.

RE: Recurrent trolls / posters (not all trolls, some just can't get along with anyone), it's hard to know for sure, but there are certain people that I'd be willing to bet you'll never see in the same room.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Remember the parable of Gingerbeer folks. A genuinely lovely individual who I have met several times.

[Otta]

What happened to Gingerbeer?

I also know nice people who have been really put off the forum, but that doesn't mean that it's some evil place run by gang of bullies.

And the whole clique thing just makes me laugh. Certain people would probably put me in a clique, but the people they'd probably put me in that clique with are people that I regularly disagree with on various threads.

[Salsaboy]

Don't mess with the EDF mafia. Or Admin.

[edcam]

There has always been something of a clique here. A few smart arses who think they are blessed with special insight. Most of them are in reality sad goons but at the moment I don't know if it's as bad as it was 2 or 3 years ago.

First time posters usually only get a hard time if they behave according to Penguins post above. If the trolls attack and it's unwarranted, there are usually one or two here who will come to your defence!

[Alan Medic]

Hi Kroff. Maybe if gave some examples of what you are talking about it would clarify what the problem is?

[Otta]

edcam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> There has always been something of a clique here.

> A few smart arses who think they are blessed with

> special insight. Most of them are in reality sad

> goons but at the moment I don't know if it's as

> bad as it was 2 or 3 years ago.

But for me, the word clique suggests that a group are somehow working together in a coordinated way. As far as I know that's never been the case here.

If I post something which no one agrees with, I wouldn't start calling them a clique when they all told me that I was wrong.

BUT, I do think there have been times when there have been lots on in jokes and people probably felt a bit excluded.

[Blah Blah]

But co-ordination can sometimes just be a group of regular posters 'in joking'. And if those in jokes are targetting someone then depending on the tone of ridicule, can sometimes be seen as a kind of bullying. That's just from my experience of other forums (and I DO think all forums are the same in that respect). Just because people are anonymous and don't know each other in the flesh does not mean some kind of relationship of familiarity hasn't formed over time. That could be seen as a clique I think.

I think James barbers comments reflect my own impression, in that most of the people I know, who are aware of this forum, warn about what they call the nastiness of certain sections. It's great for buying and selling they say, or for finding out what's on. But don't get involved in the debates. There are some not very nice people in there.

[Louisa]

To be fair, I think the clique isn't necessarily one group of people all in agreement. But occasionally, certain people almost gang up on newcomers or even old timers like me to make a point. I think DulwichFox is often 'hunted' for want of a better word, by the EDF fox hunting brigade baying for blood. I remember not so many years ago I was the target of a witch hunt too just because of my forthright views and opinions. However, I think the poster above is almost certaintly the same infamous poster who trolled the forum vigorously not so long ago.

Louisa.

[Blah Blah]

Louisa I have never been on this forum (and that the last time I'm going to say that) before and that's exactly Krolls point. It's why I probably won't stick around either. Why can't you and Loz (and the other one Aquarius Moon) just accept you are wrong? It's like some kind of playground nah nah nah. Who cares anyway! It's a forum. People can come and go as they please.

[El Pibe]

a good troll can be good entertainment. I always enjoyed allfornun's variously unhinged incarnations, and it's always a bit duller without snorky.

You louisa are forum royalty!!

[bawdy-nan]

I think the forum is at its best when it isn't just an internal digital opinion roundabout; when it is about sharing real world information. Through the forum I've been able to borrow things, give things away, find someone to look after my kids, get help with information about schools, health service and council stuff, stumbled across a gig or an event I didn't know about, etc etc etc. I've seen people supported and helped out and the opportunities for collective endeavour are great too - setting up schools, setting up a food coop, organising all kinds of events etc.

[maxxi]

I know locals who read but don't post on the forum - not because they think people might be 'nasty' or that they fear being bullied - but because they can't be arsed. They usually air their opinions/vent the odd spleen on other social media where they are certain to be read by friends &/or colleagues rather than anonymous strangers.

When I first started posting I was suspected of being someone else and of being a 'bot' (it was an odd day) and over time I sometimes found the "things were better in the early days" a little tiresome and have had little spats with some of the regulars/old-timers but they never lasted long (the spats)*.

I think any real bullying is likely to be spotted and condemned - even the most troll-like posters (Udt) have had their defenders - and while it may sometimes feel, to a new poster, like walking into the (fictional) Slaughtered Lamb it can be diverting, amusing, and sometimes not at all dull.

*Still never posted in the Family Room though - that's another ballgame.

[Penguin68]

That one actually annoys me. So bloody what if it's been discussed before

I don't have any personal issue with some re-appearance - after time I am sure there will be new 'best Indian take-aways/ restaurants) etc, - a subject worth re-visiting regularly - but I do find some 'can anyone recommend a plumber' questions in this particular forum annoying when a simple search would take them to multiple recommendations in a more appropriate part of the site - it does, I'm afraid, just look lazy.

[Otta]

The family room is like a totally separate forum, and has had some absolute classic threads. But I also know people that have stopped posting there.

[Otta]

Sorry Penguin wasn't actually directed at you. You were just laying out the facts.