Other forums - why bother anymore?!?!?!

[CanuckSARTech]

So, in the last year or so, I've had the occasional looksee at other forums. Sometimes, it's due to a member and/or friend from here or elsewhere sending me an e-mail with a link to another forum, be it Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Family, Puff, OLH, etc., etc., etc. I've had a few looks at some stuff specifically in the last few days, and it just makes my head spin a bit.

My question is for those of you who are members here, and also members at other forums....why bother anymore?

Seriously.

The filth and degenerate attitude exhibited in some of these other forums is pathetic, and should be seen as embarasing to our hobby / culture / lifestyle as a whole. We have some members here who are stand-up ladies and gents, both here and on other forums. But yet there's others that act like immature little children elsewhere, and then come here to be safe. Recently, as I've observed this get mildly worse in the past calendar year, it has slowly been shifting over to here as well. If not for the efforts of this forum's community to self-police, and the active referreeing by our admin and moderators here, I've no doubt that the actions of a vocal couple-of-handfuls of members would spill over to here.

I've been asked to take part in other forums. I couldn't bother. I'm here, on a Ridgid power tools forum, and on a policing forum (not overly active on either of the last two, but been on them ages longer than here). But this forum is the one that gives me that "community" feeling. So...why bother with other cigar forums in their current state?

Now, I know this is speaking in generalities, and perhaps painting all members with the same brush. Forum admin everywhere have a tough job also, and I'm not trying to disparage them. But it seems like there's a relative lack of wanting to deal with the problem on some forums, from the member level or from admin. It seems that if someone isn't a newcomer/"troll", that bans or suspensions aren't being dished out - if a member has a higher post count, they can act how they want, and little is done about it (IMO, being a troll has nothing to do with being new, and is not post-count exclusive).

I ask all this as....I'm afraid. I'm afraid since I personally feel it has been spilling over to here in the last year or so. I'm afraid that our mods can or will only do so much before feeling like they're rushing against the tide, and screaming "Uncle". I'm afraid that as more and more of the world is online, that this online footprint of those that enjoy cigars is starting to paint us more and more in a negative light. I'm afraid to think that there's BOTL's/SOTL's out there that I may simply one day not want to even share a cigar and a drink with, because of something stupid that was said or done online.

So here's what I put forth for discussion....

1. If you were a member here first, and then joined other forums, what are your thoughts and impressions?
   
2. If you came here after being on another forum, do you even bother with that other one anymore? What's the appeal to remain?
   
3. How can we fix it, as a community?
   
4. And lastly, should the actions of members from here, when they're on other forums, affect their standing here on FOH?
   

[El Presidente]

i think we have taken out most of the trash albeit there are a couple of bins that are close to being picked up.

It doesn't bother me. i would rather toss a wanker out these days early than provide too many chances.

if you don't read other forums it is difficult to know the character of a new individual. It doesn't take long to find out.

Again it is always 5-6 individuals who provide 99% of issues. Note however those 5-6 are different today than the 5-6 difficult individuals earlier in the year. Most of the trash was taken out and others have complied to the culture.

FOH should evolve but not change it's core essence. We are all custodians of the culture. We can't go back to 2008. You need to look forward to 2015 and see what you want.....and then execute it.

[Ophidion]

Because I can buy stuff from other members openly on other forums. I just stay away from the discussion part of it.

That and this one website doesn't have enough information for me to digest. Sure there are a lot of posts but not every post is a thought provoking essay so I need to get more content from a variety of sources.

[dafrey23]

You know, this is an interesting observation. I spent a lot of time lurking on other sites before I stumbled upon this site. Frankly, I don't spend any time on those other sites anymore unless I'm looking for something very specific. This place has a unique feel to it that I like. Adult, respectful, relaxed. Exactly what I want. I really only spend time on one other site these days, and that's to get my golf fix. On to the questions.

1. I was a member other places first and then abandoned them when I came here.

2. Nope.

3. Active leadership within the forum. Whether that's from moderation or just self policing. If the forum has rules it's up to everyone to enforce them and let people know what won't be tolerated.

4. Ideally, yes. I don't conduct myself any differently here than I do in real life or on any other site. Anonymity isn't an excuse to be a jerk.

[Blakes]

This is the first cigar forum I registered on, (and the only one) I did have a look at other forums but they never appealed to me. I love the community here and the respect everyone shows to each other. I came here after watching the reviews on youtube were I first became aware of FOH. Another reason I think is its mainly for Cuban cigar enthusiasts which I am, so cuts out a lot of the clutter (NC's) which the other forums exhibit LOL.

The only time I ever visit other forums is if someone has linked a forum or I have specifically searched a topic on google and they have come up, and then most times I'm reminded of why I don't visit or join them.

[Skyfall]

So, in the last year or so, I've had the occasional looksee at other forums. Sometimes, it's due to a member and/or friend from here or elsewhere sending me an e-mail with a link to another forum, be it Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Family, Puff, OLH, etc., etc., etc. I've had a few looks at some stuff specifically in the last few days, and it just makes my head spin a bit.

My question is for those of you who are members here, and also members at other forums....why bother anymore?

Seriously.

The filth and degenerate attitude exhibited in some of these other forums is pathetic, and should be seen as embarasing to our hobby / culture / lifestyle as a whole. We have some members here who are stand-up ladies and gents, both here and on other forums. But yet there's others that act like immature little children elsewhere, and then come here to be safe. Recently, as I've observed this get mildly worse in the past calendar year, it has slowly been shifting over to here as well. If not for the efforts of this forum's community to self-police, and the active referreeing by our admin and moderators here, I've no doubt that the actions of a vocal couple-of-handfuls of members would spill over to here.

I've been asked to take part in other forums. I couldn't bother. I'm here, on a Ridgid power tools forum, and on a policing forum (not overly active on either of the last two, but been on them ages longer than here). But this forum is the one that gives me that "community" feeling. So...why bother with other cigar forums in their current state?

Now, I know this is speaking in generalities, and perhaps painting all members with the same brush. Forum admin everywhere have a tough job also, and I'm not trying to disparage them. But it seems like there's a relative lack of wanting to deal with the problem on some forums, from the member level or from admin. It seems that if someone isn't a newcomer/"troll", that bans or suspensions aren't being dished out - if a member has a higher post count, they can act how they want, and little is done about it (IMO, being a troll has nothing to do with being new, and is not post-count exclusive).

I ask all this as....I'm afraid. I'm afraid since I personally feel it has been spilling over to here in the last year or so. I'm afraid that our mods can or will only do so much before feeling like they're rushing against the tide, and screaming "Uncle". I'm afraid that as more and more of the world is online, that this online footprint of those that enjoy cigars is starting to paint us more and more in a negative light. I'm afraid to think that there's BOTL's/SOTL's out there that I may simply one day not want to even share a cigar and a drink with, because of something stupid that was said or done online.

So here's what I put forth for discussion....

1. If you were a member here first, and then joined other forums, what are your thoughts and impressions?
   
2. If you came here after being on another forum, do you even bother with that other one anymore? What's the appeal to remain?
   
3. How can we fix it, as a community?
   
4. And lastly, should the actions of members from here, when they're on other forums, affect their standing here on FOH?
   

You're on another forum for tools.....that sounds about right Keith!

Haha

This is the only forum I'm a member of, I've heard tales about issues and ****-bots on CA , but it all sounds miserable and a massive waste of time to me.

[Habana Mike]

In response:

If you were a member here first, and then joined other forums, what are your thoughts and impressions?

I was on a couple of other forums before coming here and used to be quite active on those. Joined a few more at the time, and like here was not so active initially as my time and other interests came in to play.

If you came here after being on another forum, do you even bother with that other one anymore? What's the appeal to remain?

Besides only a couple I still occasionally visit, I have not hit a number of sites I registered for in some time. Forgot the logins for many. Those I still drop in on from time to time are primarily due to keeping tabs on some friends not on FOH, catching a little political discussion or toilet humor not present here, or to find stock unavailable from commercial sources.

How can we fix it, as a community?

I think we're doing just fine. Between members admonishing posters when appropriate and the occasional kick to the curb our moederators perform, I don't really encounter much offending content or undesirable members here. I can name several off the top of my head from some other forums.

And lastly, should the actions of members from here, when they're on other forums, affect their standing here on FOH?

Only if they do something egregious.

[Lotusguy]

I'm on a German cigar forum and one dedicated to cigar trading. I used to be on CA (that's where I started out) but I don't bother anymore.

[Colt45]

I can't really speak about other forums - as mentioned in the guidelines, no denigration of other forums, and I'm not a member elsewhere. Very briefly, subjectively, there is no question that things here have changed over the past few years. The base core tenets remain, but for me, the bigger picture feeling of some kind of closeness, the familiar, has surely dissipated............

We can't expect our moderators to step in, but then crap on them for doing so. I imagine they don't relish being police or baby sitters.

As RA mentioned, and as has been stated for many years, the forum is what we make it.

[assassin]

This is the first cigar forum I registered on, (and the only one) I did have a look at other forums but they never appealed to me. I love the community here and the respect everyone shows to each other. I came here after watching the reviews on youtube were I first became aware of FOH. Another reason I think is its mainly for Cuban cigar enthusiasts which I am, so cuts out a lot of the clutter (NC's) which the other forums exhibit LOL.

The only time I ever visit other forums is if someone has linked a forum or I have specifically searched a topic on google and they have come up, and then most times I'm reminded of why I don't visit or join them.

Likewise, the insults and lack of respect on some other forums is mind boggling--as Rob mentioned its not life or death its supposed to be fun and pleasurable and here at FOH it is

Thanx to all

[ramon_cojones]

More information? I like variety though I don't post elsewhere really.

[CanuckSARTech]

....FOH should evolve but not change it's core essence. We are all custodians of the culture. We can't go back to 2008. You need to look forward to 2015 and see what you want.....and then execute it.

WE CAN DO THAT HERE?!?!?!?! I thought that was just a work perk!!!!!!

[TiminBC]

I looked around at first and found this forum and a large American one about the same time. I restarted my interest in cigars around February and concentrated mainly on NC because of a visit to the US and hence the American forum. This is a great site but most have an overwhelming love of CC as you would expect given the site. I have yet to see the light completely. I have started smoking more CC cigars and am starting to form my own opinions about the differences. I also visit a small Canadian site since I am interested in meeting other BOTL members in my area. I have noticed that of those people are members here but are less involved on a daily basis.

On the CC side I look no further than FOH. While my curiosity for NC continues I will likely continue looking for a wide range of opinions.

[CanuckSARTech]

I can't really speak about other forums - as mentioned in the guidelines, no denigration of other forums, and I'm not a member elsewhere....

Good thoughts in your post, Ross.

It made me want to clarify something.

In listing off some of those other-mentioned forums, I don't mean to belittle or disparage them. I re-read my initial post, and not saying that you were insinuating I was denigrating those forums per say, but re-reading my initial post I realize it could be interpreted that way. Every different forum has quirks and quarks. I only listed those ones off as those are the larger ones that came to me off the top of my head. I was more or less talking as an overall online-cigar-community standpoint, and not just an FOH versus CA stance, for example.

Just wanted to clarify that. Although I don't like CA at all, that's not my main point behind the above.

[dangolf18]

I'm on a German cigar forum and one dedicated to cigar trading. I used to be on CA (that's where I started out) but I don't bother anymore.

x2 on not bothering with CA anymore. I'm on this forum 80-90% of the time now. CA should be ashamed of itself for letting trolls run the forums at times.

[jrb5783]

I was on this site first

I use two other "forums"/ sites for cigar buying/selling/trading but thats all I use them for.

[rfenst]

I behave myself on CBid and here. I have old cigar friends and enjoy mixing it up a little there, but what makes this place best is rules against discussion of American politics and social issues. Whenever new members post here who are also on CBid, I cringe a little and tell them this place is special and not to ruin it or the source for good cigars. Most get it.those who don't have left from here.

[sk00ts]

I first signed on for CA as a cigar Noob. Really helped me out, met some great people who taught me a lot. Did some great trades for cigars I would never have tried. Within the past year, especially 6 months, the place has turned into a garbage dump for A-holes. And it is starting to be a ghost town. I still do go there everyday, but rarely post.

FoH however is fantastic, great people who love the leaf, love to help and get this, are civil to each other. Weird hey

[ogus]

Safety and friendliness has assured me this is a great source to help in the pursuit of this hobby. I have proof in a box at home. Thanks Rob

[CdnLimitada]

I have one other that I am a part of that really has been great. US based but none of the ones mentioned so far. I would say that they sawed off at least 5 years of "learning the hard way" in this fantastic obsession.

FOH has been great so far too. Haven't tried any other. Lucked into both.

[bresdogsr]

I joined another forum about 12 years ago. At that time I had little intrest in cubans, so it suited me well. I still visit there daily and post most my NC trades there (trying to sell to buy cc's). For me it is a comfort zone. I don't post alot for example I usually won't just +1 a post or add a lame comment. I read to learn. I am not the best reviewer so I don't usually post reviews. Couple of great cigars pushed me in this direction even though I have been registered since 2005. I feel very comfortable here, none of the supid arguments or boasting which realy turns me off. I think I have found my cc home to coexist with my nc home.

[stogieluver]

I first signed on for CA as a cigar Noob. Really helped me out, met some great people who taught me a lot. Did some great trades for cigars I would never have tried. Within the past year, especially 6 months, the place has turned into a garbage dump for A-holes. And it is starting to be a ghost town. I still do go there everyday, but rarely post.

FoH however is fantastic, great people who love the leaf, love to help and get this, are civil to each other. Weird hey

X2.

I still go to CA almost daily to see if I can learn something new. I recently posted a question there that can't be asked here regarding shipping issues. But skOOts and others are right about CA turning into a cess pool. Life is too short to live it like some on that forum do. It seems they live for confrontation and putting others down.

[Rushman]

This is my only cigar forum and my only forum period.

I visit FOH at least once per day. I don't post as much as I used to when all I did was sit and smoke/sell cigars.

It's home!

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.390054,-81.404457

[1fastmach1]

X2.

I still go to CA almost daily to see if I can learn something new. I recently posted a question there that can't be asked here regarding shipping issues. But skOOts and others are right about CA turning into a cess pool. Life is too short to live it like some on that forum do. It seems they live for confrontation and putting others down.

I'll agree to this as well. That forum got me interested in cigars. Most of the people I have met on that forum and became friends with, no longer post there.

[mash]

I am guilty as charged. Letting my buttons get pushed repeatedly instead of leaving. Thinking of what I do in my day job, I'm embarassed. My apologies for my role in the melee.

Reset the perspective button, and try again.