Post by Jim Boylston on Mar 22, 2011 13:28:16 GMT -5
To all members:
As many of you know, I’m still a full-time worker bee and spend most of my life on the road, living out of a suitcase. My duties as forum administrator/moderator are generally performed on my laptop during breaks or late at night, bleary eyed, in some nondescript hotel room.
Juggling my work schedule, family obligations, and my research and writing commitments for another book leave me with precious little down-time, and moderating an internet forum of nearly 400 members has become untenable despite the able assistance of the other moderators, all of whom volunteer their time.
Consequently, after some lengthy conversations with the staff, I’ve decided it’s time to reevaluate the forum and make some changes.
Among other ideas currently under review, you can expect to see the following changes:
• The size of the membership roll will be reduced. Accounts of members with no posts credited to their profiles or members who visit infrequently will likely be deleted.
• Threads and categories that are inactive or infrequently used will be deleted. Some new areas will be added and others consolidated.
• The forum will renew its founding commitment to emphasize Texas history and will no longer host discussions on the Plaza renovation or DRT controversies. These subjects have political underpinnings and discussions have proven to be divisive and rancorous.
• Forum rules will be revised and updated.
Temporarily, with the exception of the FAQ and the Rules and Regulations, this forum is closed to guests and is accessible to members only. We are considering making this change permanent.
The Alamo Studies Forum was founded with the hope of providing a space for the free exchange of ideas among participants who are devoted to the serious study of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution. We expected passionate debates, conducted in a professional, civil manner, where participants exhibited respect for the opinions of others and avoided personal aspersions, even when disagreements arose.
Unfortunately, the shield of anonymity provided by the use of fictitious user names has sometimes emboldened members to wield a sword against others without fear of damage to their own reputations. The moderators are considering options to rectify this situation. In the meantime, we would encourage members to use their real names on the forum and to seriously consider the effect your posts may have on the feelings and reputations of others before publishing comments.
As always, your participation in the Alamo Studies Forum is appreciated. The success of this site is solely due to your input.
Thank you.
Jim Boylston
Forum Administrator
As many of you know, I’m still a full-time worker bee and spend most of my life on the road, living out of a suitcase. My duties as forum administrator/moderator are generally performed on my laptop during breaks or late at night, bleary eyed, in some nondescript hotel room.
Juggling my work schedule, family obligations, and my research and writing commitments for another book leave me with precious little down-time, and moderating an internet forum of nearly 400 members has become untenable despite the able assistance of the other moderators, all of whom volunteer their time.
Consequently, after some lengthy conversations with the staff, I’ve decided it’s time to reevaluate the forum and make some changes.
Among other ideas currently under review, you can expect to see the following changes:
• The size of the membership roll will be reduced. Accounts of members with no posts credited to their profiles or members who visit infrequently will likely be deleted.
• Threads and categories that are inactive or infrequently used will be deleted. Some new areas will be added and others consolidated.
• The forum will renew its founding commitment to emphasize Texas history and will no longer host discussions on the Plaza renovation or DRT controversies. These subjects have political underpinnings and discussions have proven to be divisive and rancorous.
• Forum rules will be revised and updated.
Temporarily, with the exception of the FAQ and the Rules and Regulations, this forum is closed to guests and is accessible to members only. We are considering making this change permanent.
The Alamo Studies Forum was founded with the hope of providing a space for the free exchange of ideas among participants who are devoted to the serious study of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution. We expected passionate debates, conducted in a professional, civil manner, where participants exhibited respect for the opinions of others and avoided personal aspersions, even when disagreements arose.
Unfortunately, the shield of anonymity provided by the use of fictitious user names has sometimes emboldened members to wield a sword against others without fear of damage to their own reputations. The moderators are considering options to rectify this situation. In the meantime, we would encourage members to use their real names on the forum and to seriously consider the effect your posts may have on the feelings and reputations of others before publishing comments.
As always, your participation in the Alamo Studies Forum is appreciated. The success of this site is solely due to your input.
Thank you.
Jim Boylston
Forum Administrator
