Hi, everyone!
The mods have been doing lots of thinking, reflecting, and discussing about where the forum is at heading into 2009 and the Stargate franchise's transition into a new weekly show. We've also been listening to your comments and suggestions about how we do things. We've decided that it is time to make some changes.
Our long-time members seem to largely agree that GateWorld has grown too negative, particularly in the last year or two. We hear more and more frequently that many people just don't like coming here any more because it is too negative -- or they retreat into their safe and comfortable threads and forsake the rest of the forum. That's what we are out to reform.
It is difficult to "enforce" such change by simply implementing new rules and policies. That's not what this is about, though there will be new policies to help us out. Really, it's about finding a vision for what we -- all 37,000 of us -- want this forum to be, and then setting out to make it happen. Our community at large has to want this sort of change, and get excited about it.
We also don't want to make these changes all at once. It would be jarring for you to log in one day and see a new set of rules for behavior on the forum, and suddenly be held by the mods to a different standard. Also, we recognize that Atlantis is coming to an end in just a few weeks. We want to respect the grieving process at losing the show, and give people a place to mourn, and even to yell and scream a bit.
So this is going to be a gradual change. We'll have the rest of December for everyone to post their thoughts about the vision statement below and suggest changes, and during these final days of 2008 the mods will begin to encourage everyone to change the way we do things. When January arrives, the new policy will be officially "on." But even then, we're going to make the change gradually, start with Stargate Universe. More space, more grace and leniency, will be given to the other areas of the forum. We all need time to get used to the changes, and (I hope) commit ourselves to making the forum what we want it to be. After a few weeks the mods will start to close the few "Anti" threads that we still have for SG-1, and a few months from now for Atlantis, as well.
I realize this is a lot to read. Members who feel that this is an online home for you should carefully read and reflect on it, and offer a comment if you feel you have something to contribute.
In the next post, I offer the working draft of our "Vision Statement" for the community's future. The main statement is the paragraph at the top, and the rest provides some background history and explanation. It's not final. Since the community really belongs to all of us, I want to put it out early and let the "family" see it and talk about it. If you just have questions, the mods will do their best to field them.
Thank you!
The mods have been doing lots of thinking, reflecting, and discussing about where the forum is at heading into 2009 and the Stargate franchise's transition into a new weekly show. We've also been listening to your comments and suggestions about how we do things. We've decided that it is time to make some changes.
Our long-time members seem to largely agree that GateWorld has grown too negative, particularly in the last year or two. We hear more and more frequently that many people just don't like coming here any more because it is too negative -- or they retreat into their safe and comfortable threads and forsake the rest of the forum. That's what we are out to reform.
It is difficult to "enforce" such change by simply implementing new rules and policies. That's not what this is about, though there will be new policies to help us out. Really, it's about finding a vision for what we -- all 37,000 of us -- want this forum to be, and then setting out to make it happen. Our community at large has to want this sort of change, and get excited about it.
We also don't want to make these changes all at once. It would be jarring for you to log in one day and see a new set of rules for behavior on the forum, and suddenly be held by the mods to a different standard. Also, we recognize that Atlantis is coming to an end in just a few weeks. We want to respect the grieving process at losing the show, and give people a place to mourn, and even to yell and scream a bit.
So this is going to be a gradual change. We'll have the rest of December for everyone to post their thoughts about the vision statement below and suggest changes, and during these final days of 2008 the mods will begin to encourage everyone to change the way we do things. When January arrives, the new policy will be officially "on." But even then, we're going to make the change gradually, start with Stargate Universe. More space, more grace and leniency, will be given to the other areas of the forum. We all need time to get used to the changes, and (I hope) commit ourselves to making the forum what we want it to be. After a few weeks the mods will start to close the few "Anti" threads that we still have for SG-1, and a few months from now for Atlantis, as well.
I realize this is a lot to read. Members who feel that this is an online home for you should carefully read and reflect on it, and offer a comment if you feel you have something to contribute.
In the next post, I offer the working draft of our "Vision Statement" for the community's future. The main statement is the paragraph at the top, and the rest provides some background history and explanation. It's not final. Since the community really belongs to all of us, I want to put it out early and let the "family" see it and talk about it. If you just have questions, the mods will do their best to field them.
Thank you!
Comment