General Chat

Well put CB and thanks. Debbie

Trish, I complained about 'Thought Police' on the Board a few weeks back on a thread I started and was insulted for it - in spite of my having said I'd just suffered a bereavement. Having then tried to explain privately that the person responsible had got the wrong end of the stick, it was blown up into a big issue and became unpleasant, so I deleted the thread, but it was brought up again afterwards. I've now made peace with the person concerned, only to find that another far worse row, involving other people, has begun on a Friday evening and been dragged out through the whole weekend. I've only been with GR for 6 months, but there has always been an obvious 'undercurrent' simmering, just waiting to erupt at the slightest provocation. I've said that differences of opinion make for lively discussion and everyone should be entitled to have their say and so have others, but there seem to be long-standing feuds going on between people on the Board, some of whom, apparently, left a long time ago and have returned simply to antagonise and/or control others. I find that very sinister. I don't mind GR laying down rules, and I will stick to them, but I fail to see why some Board members get away with laying down the law and being nasty, when others don't. It needs to be sorted out - and very quickly! CB >|<

Hi Trish, That's always been the solution, as far as I'm concerned, or read it and leave it at that. But some people just don't seem to be able to that. Debbie

Hi Jacky, That's exactly it. If moderators 'policed' the boards, only the offensive.abusive etc, messages would need to be removed. Hi CB, I realise I may be over simplifying things, but this is my point. This is a huge site, with thousands of members. Surely at £7.50 a piece (and £9 apparantly for newbies!) there should be some revenue for a couple of moderators. Or maybe volounteer moderators, that are already members? Obviously working from extremely well laid out guidelines!! Debbie

I do agree to moderators but not to threads being deleted. Using last night as an example, I emailed GR when 2 messages were posted that I predicted would cause 'trouble' on a thread that had been going along nicely. Had those messages and people been deleted from that thread, what followed would have been avoided. Things need to be nipped in the bud without bulldozers being sent in. Jacky

I've suggested this before and been told that they only have a small number of IT staff. I also understand from other members that GR's team don't work at weekends. As most of the 'troubles' seem to kick off on a Friday evening and drone on through the weekend, maybe they should work at weekends - through 24 hours per day! CB >|<

Hi Linda, I agree, it's very sad that this keeps on happening. All goes quiet for a while, and just as you think it's gone for good........ Back it comes! Debbie

Hi Helen, Like you, my participation on this particular board is vitually nil, now. And I too, nearly didn't renew my membership, because of all the bad feeling at the time. I did renew though, because generally this is one of the best genealogy sites around, but now I mostly stick to the Tips and Record Office boards. Debbie

Hi Trish, There are plenty of people on here, that 'think' they know what is offensive, abusive etc, to themselves and others, and those that 'think' the exact opposite. This is the problem! As I said before, Genes make the rules, they should be the ones to enforce them. Not wait until someone contacts them about something 'think' isn't right. They only way this can be done is by moderators. I am extremely broad minded, and have not had a problem with some of the threads that have been complained about and subsequently removed. But this doesn't make that complaint unjustified. People will have different opinons, that's life, that's the human race. Debbie

Hi Deborah, I've been a member of this site for over 12 months now & used to post alot on this board, but over the past months my participation has dwindled because of all the nastiness & I agree wth you I think that there should be moderators on here who have the facility to remove threads when they start becomng nasty. My renewal is due next month but I'm not sure whether I will be doing it. Helen

I agree whole heartedly Debbi ann Glos

I agree Deborah, I have emailed GR to ask if maybe it's about time the GenTops board was moderated. It may be horrible for us all but might save upset in the long run.

I have been sitting watching the goings on of today, mainly caused by the rumpus, last night, which I missed (thankfully) I only have one comment to make. On a site of this size, surely we generate enough money to have one or two people policing this board. Other, much smaller sites, manage it. The Genes team make the rules (talking about abuse etc in particular) and then leave it to the members to report what they consider abuse! What one person finds offensive, another won't. It's a ridiculous, unnecessary situation. Genes make the rules, they should enforce them, by using board mediators! Debbie