RDF Front Page

[95Theses]

As we are now seeing this debacle appearing in real respected online news outlets, such as the times (twice, including on the front page of www.timesonline.com) and the guardian, it's going to be interesting to note what the policy is regarding them on the front page of the RDF.

I can't see the articles themselves yet, but people are already linking the articles in their comments, people who I don't recognise from the Forums.

Here is one comment :

Wonder what they'll say on the fundie forums.

After reading up a bit I get the impression that Josh has handled it perhaps too heavy handedly. There is no reason to erase people's contact information so that they can't even pm each other.

I don't know how involved Richard is in all this, he is a busy man and you can't expect him to be informed of all that has gone on in this site, especially if the allegation by irate forummers is true that there has been an attempt to black out all information regarding the complaints and protests.

However, there has been letters sent to Richard by former forum admins and staff in an attempt to present their side of the story and apparently Richard hasn't replied. Maybe he just needs some time to investigate before he could formulate a response?

The response he gave so far, the announcement entitled "outrage" certainly didn't endear him to the grievous forummers. Instead of saying something like I will look into it, he quoted a few extreme posts and gave the impression that it was the norm of the forum while apparently they were posted on other sites after the forum was shut down (one was apparently quote mined according to the author who posted his side of the story on PZ's blog) All the while there was no attempt by Richard to address why people are so upset to begin with.

One thing he did get it right though, I think it is true that he is not part of the internet generation and therefore doesn't quite understand its culture. As a result he perhaps underestimates the importance of support he gets from the online community.

I have no love for the forum. It actually makes me smile to see pricks like Richard Prin being on the receiving end and I can only treat with disdain the desperate cry that they need 'hard working moderators' to keep everyone in line. (BTW, it is nice the see "topsy" finally talks at least a bit more like a person rather than some rule citing robot) But this implosion is much bigger than the forum. It certainly is a PR disaster for RD.

From : http://richarddawkins.net/articleCommen ... e36#463923

I've posted below it as you will see if you follow the link, but I don't expect it to stay long so I've screen shotted it.

Now, what do we think the reaction is going to be?

Ban the articles about Dawkins?
Allow them but heavily censor comments to be pro-Josh only?
Free speech?

Either way, it's worth those of us with Forum accounts keeping an eye out, because it's going to be hard to remove our comments as off topic or trolling when they are specifically in response to an article from the times about the debacle.

[Matt H]

I don't know what Josh will do with the front page but I'm not expecting a favourable response for us.

Front page and forum were always divided, with the front pagers not that fond of the forum, and more inclined to absolutely agree with whatever Josh says. I think they'll side with him on this one.

Still, I've posted here, I've posted on The Guardian, The Times, and Pharyngula, this is far as I'm going to go now.

[klr]

I don't know what Josh will do with the front page but I'm not expecting a favourable response for us.

Front page and forum were always divided, with the front pagers not that fond of the forum, and more inclined to absolutely agree with whatever Josh says. I think they'll side with him on this one.

Still, I've posted here, I've posted on The Guardian, The Times, and Pharyngula, this is far as I'm going to go now.

The Front Page is where the future is at it would seem, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a significant tightening up in terms of what can be posted there. Since it will be the only visible face for the RD.net community from now on, it had better sharpen up IMHO.

All of which assumes people are thinking logically of course, and TBH ...

[AshtonBlack]

So it becomes nothing more than a front page, with one column of ego articles and the other ripped off various news sources?
I get better news with fast flip.

[95Theses]

So it becomes nothing more than a front page, with one column of ego articles and the other ripped off various news sources?
I get better news with fast flip.

i think thats the plan for the 'Forums 2.0'

Right now I'm more interested in what's going to happen with the times and guardian articles on the current front page.

[klr]

So it becomes nothing more than a front page, with one column of ego articles and the other ripped off various news sources?
I get better news with fast flip.

Correct. Viewed that way, it's hard to get excited about it. Sure, the FP built a community of sorts. The forum was just light-years better. Are you listening, Mr. Timonen?

[Ilovelucy]

Some of the front pagers are gloating about the demise of the forum. There was always a bit of a tension between the two groups. Thing is though that they don't seem to realise that the front page is going to be replaced too. It's the entire website that is being overhauled. Things are going to change for them too, so in a way, I'm reading the gloating with interest. In many ways, they have reacted worse than the forumers when slight changes have been introduced before, and these changes are going to be a lot bigger.

[klr]

Some of the front pagers are gloating about the demise of the forum. There was always a bit of a tension between the two groups. Thing is though that they don't seem to realise that the front page is going to be replaced too. It's the entire website that is being overhauled. Things are going to change for them too, so in a way, I'm reading the gloating with interest. In many ways, they have reacted worse than the forumers when slight changes have been introduced before, and these changes are going to be a lot bigger.

My take as well. I'm sure they'd like to interpret it is a victory for them, but in reality it's only Josh/RD doing as they please, and they are but pawns, despite getting their way last year. Interesting that RD showed no sensitivity at all back then in the face of the torrent of abuse that was hurled my way, all of which he could see for himself. I haven't forgotten that, or other things.

One thing that always struck me about the FP - going back years - was that in comparison to the forum, it was no contest as to which I would prefer to use to present RD.net in a good light.

[Ilovelucy]

Some of the front pagers are gloating about the demise of the forum. There was always a bit of a tension between the two groups. Thing is though that they don't seem to realise that the front page is going to be replaced too. It's the entire website that is being overhauled. Things are going to change for them too, so in a way, I'm reading the gloating with interest. In many ways, they have reacted worse than the forumers when slight changes have been introduced before, and these changes are going to be a lot bigger.

My take as well. I'm sure they'd like to interpret it is a victory for them, but in reality it's only Josh/RD doing as they please, and they are but pawns, despite getting their way last year. Interesting that RD showed no sensitivity at all back then in the face of the torrent of abuse that was hurled my way, all of which he could see for himself. I haven't forgotten that, or other things.

One thing that always struck me about the FP - going back years - was that in comparison to the forum, it was no contest as to which I would prefer to use to present RD.net in a good light.

Yep, the FP looks awful, even before you look at the narcissistic pricks posting there. It looks like the bedroom wall of a homicidal Dawkins stalker.

[klr]

Some of the front pagers are gloating about the demise of the forum. There was always a bit of a tension between the two groups. Thing is though that they don't seem to realise that the front page is going to be replaced too. It's the entire website that is being overhauled. Things are going to change for them too, so in a way, I'm reading the gloating with interest. In many ways, they have reacted worse than the forumers when slight changes have been introduced before, and these changes are going to be a lot bigger.

My take as well. I'm sure they'd like to interpret it is a victory for them, but in reality it's only Josh/RD doing as they please, and they are but pawns, despite getting their way last year. Interesting that RD showed no sensitivity at all back then in the face of the torrent of abuse that was hurled my way, all of which he could see for himself. I haven't forgotten that, or other things.

One thing that always struck me about the FP - going back years - was that in comparison to the forum, it was no contest as to which I would prefer to use to present RD.net in a good light.

Yep, the FP looks awful, even before you look at the narcissistic pricks posting there. It looks like the bedroom wall of a homicidal Dawkins stalker.

And with that thought in my mind, I'm outta here for a while. Later ...

[laklak]

Know what? If they don't want all us crude, vulgar proles in their shiny new ultra-hygienic site, then fuck 'em. I'd rather stay down here in the mud and the beer. Too much high-falutin' sciency talk makes my head hurt.

Seriously though, I think they'll find their new site a sterile and boring place, particularly with the rules about pre-approving threads. They're saying it's only thread creation now, but I'll bet dollars to doughnuts it won't be long before you'll need approval to post. Can't have some 5th columnist inserting sneaky digs or insults into the "discussion", can we?

I'm very interested to see how this all pans out.

[M]

I don't understand the front page. I mean really... I can't work it. How on earth does anyone participate there? I just looked at the RD.net opening page and had a chuckle at the bit where they encourage people to join the forum:

If it's your first time here, be sure to check out The Forum, which is growing every day by leaps and bounds. Create an account, and you can use it to post messages there in the forum or to comment on articles. We have a whole team of volunteer admins and moderators in the forum who are there to help if you have any questions. They can be contacted through the tech support forum.

We have a HUGE database of articles, videos, audio and pictures, so be sure to check out the archives. Search by author, title, keyword, category, or date. If you'd like to see all of the articles on this website written by Richard Dawkins (some exclusive) click here.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the website!
Josh Timonen / Upper Branch Design

[klr]

I don't understand the front page. I mean really... I can't work it. How on earth does anyone participate there? I just looked at the RD.net opening page and had a chuckle at the bit where they encourage people to join the forum:

If it's your first time here, be sure to check out The Forum, which is growing every day by leaps and bounds. Create an account, and you can use it to post messages there in the forum or to comment on articles. We have a whole team of volunteer admins and moderators in the forum who are there to help if you have any questions. They can be contacted through the tech support forum.

We have a HUGE database of articles, videos, audio and pictures, so be sure to check out the archives. Search by author, title, keyword, category, or date. If you'd like to see all of the articles on this website written by Richard Dawkins (some exclusive) click here.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the website!
Josh Timonen / Upper Branch Design

Ooops ...

[Pensioner]

I do not give a shit about the front page, the back page or the back passage page. Most of the newbie’s will be directed to the latter.

[klr]

I do not give a shit about the front page, the back page or the back passage page. Most of the newbie’s will be directed to the latter.

Made my evening has that.