Do you feel there is something missing in the Community that you would like to see? You may place your thoughts here about anything except saying more members as this has been discussed rigidly elsewhere.
I think what is missing is a more laid back atmosphere. I completely understand why all the rules are in place and I have obviously followed them or I would not be here. But there are so many rules that are enforced so strictly that it tends to scare people away. No one likes to live under the constant fear that they are going to do something that will cause them to be in bad graces and eventually get deleted. I am not the person who gets intimidated or one that lives in this type of fear. But their are others who are and they could add allot to the forum but either don't join, or leave early on because of being told that they are breaking the rules or something of the like. If I would say something is missing, it is a laid back community type atmosphere. When you first join, there is a feeling of having to pass the test to stay. After being here so long, I feel like part of a family, but new comers rarely get that when they first sign on.
I agree with you, however it is so easily said. We actually used to be like that, but then 'Peter has to pay for Paul'. What you recommend for users that join that simply wish to spam, entice with sexual innuendos, be profane or join RPGs and post all kinds of nonsense? When you delete them the first thing they say is "Where does it say I cannot do that?". So then the rule / policy is formed, more of as a reason to STOP them before they commit the act and a reason to delete them if we have to otherwise they think we are just discriminatory. So if you come up with ideas do share.
Unfortunately, I don't have a good solution to the problem. On other forums its either feast or famine. Your going to have to put up with the spam and junk you don't want, or you have to lay down the law. I don't know which is better and thats why I wont run a forum. Ill try to give more thought to it, but the more I think about it, the less I think there is a good solution.
Well after years of experience and many forums the solution at hand is what we have now actually. Keep in mind that within every Community there is only a very small percentage of users that actually post Constructively and that is what we are after --> that small percentage.
I rather look over the Board and view enlightening posts by a few than a load of 'crap' (for lack of a better word) from many. It is also very time consuming to be editing, deleting, modifying and merging posts of users who simply do not want to take the time to see how things operate here - so it is better to not have them not enter anyway.
Lastly, I believe someone that is truly Constructive and Intellectual will like you, not be offended by the rules and 'barriers', but will actually see the awesome benefit that comes from actually seeing it enforced. in fact, many have joined just because they saw our rules.