Re: UKHA Overmoderated?

["Ian Lowe" <ian@xxxxxxx>]

From: "Mick Furlong" <hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx>
> I have to agree with a lot of Phillip's comments, I thought that the
last
> time this "off topic" issue came up that the outcome was to
let them run.

What are moderators to do? It's fairly obvious that an argument that's
turning increasingly personal shouldn't be left to consume bandwidth for
other people... I have been on the receiving end of having a thread cut
short, when personally, I didn't feel there was a problem. I have to say
though that I don't feel hard done by, and I think the moderators do a
pretty thankless job.

> I am getting a little tired of the constant arguments on here .....I
have
> the wife for that I don't need any extra!
>
> Can we get back to the nice calm non-confrontational group we used to
have?

I fear not.

It's a simple big group thing. When there were only a few hundred of us,
the
number of incompatible personalities being pushed together was small. As
the
group has grown, so have the number of abrasive people who just can't leave
it be, who always have to come back for one more bite, or who think the
world owes them a living.

Personally, I'm less annoyed at the moderators than I am at the general
attitude in the group... It seems to be less about HA these days, and more
about bargain bucket nonsense. The Bulk Buys that have been arranged are
great, but the bloody frenzy that ensues every time an e-tailer misposts a
price, or someone finds an ever cheaper supplier of tat is just downright
infuriating..

I have watched the O2 hoster thing unfold, more amazed that people seem to
be clamouring so much over a service that can be purchased for *buttons*
online. I pay my hosting company 15USD a month for 8Gb transfer, 100Mb of
webspace, PHP, MySQL and a CC payment system.

Woohoo if Joe Punter can get a special UKHA discount and save a whole 50
pence a month less. Good for you. But turning into a pitchfork wielding mob
at the first hint of ACTUALLY HAVING TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR SOMETHING!!! I
mean, come on... Someone was doing you a favour, with no ulterior motive,
it
fell through, now move on. It's cost you what? A family meal at McDonalds?
A
half round on a Saturday night? the cost of a decent takeaway meal?

HA is a fringe hobby, and like all fringe hobbies attracts a premium. The
constant "price price price, cheap cheap cheap" gets a little
tiring, and
needs a good solid dose of prespective.

The current degree of moderation is only required because people are not
moderating themselves on these issues.. It's in our own hands to make
moderation of any sort redundant.

I.