Revisiting E Cafe ...

[KOSTACC]

...

This place seems kind of like a oppressive dictatorship. Even though I was never a member before not long ago I remember how it use to be very active years ago and lots more enlightening and enjoyable. Forgive me for being so blunt.

[Maria]

...

This place seems kind of like a oppressive dictatorship. Even though I was never a member before not long ago I remember how it use to be very active years ago and lots more enlightening and enjoyable. Forgive me for being so blunt.

Dear Kostacc,

I always remembered E Cafe and OC.net as places where one dared not go unless dressed in anti-flame clothing. The rhetoric could get quite intense in both places. As a result, many people would join, post one or no responses, and then leave. Look at our list of members, most are lurkers. At OC, there are far more lurkers or people who have stopped after only one or two posts.

When Dr. Gress came on board, he tried to remedy this situation. At first he suggested a Private Forum, but several people became irate and irrational, so he scuttled that plan and we suffered through years of degrading posts and ad hominems that would not stop. However, through the years, several of these bellicose True Orthodox people established their own blogs. As the blog wars began, E Cafe began to experience a little more peace. After the few remaining people here encouraged Dr. Gress to establish the Intra-TOC Polemics Private forum, he finally did so.

We could go back to the good old days where there were no rules, so I checked the Mod Archives to see what happened then. Without rules, posters did not know what was expected of them. They violated one unwritten rule, and were warned. Then they violated another unwritten rule, and were banned for one or two days. However, whenever they violated a third unwritten rule, that took the cake, and they were either banned for a week or permanently banned. Those banned for one week never returned. Would you like that option? I certainly would not. We were labeled DRACONIAN.

[searn77]

I think this place has definitely improved in the past few years. I remember looking at posts from years ago & it was a hateful place. Under the new ownership & moderation, threads stay on topic and personal insults and ad hominems are rarely employed by members.

[Maria]

I think this place has definitely improved in the past few years. I remember looking at posts from years ago & it was a hateful place. Under the new ownership & moderation, threads stay on topic and personal insults and ad hominems are rarely employed by members.

Thank Searn,

I feel the same.

[Barbara]

That's a good point about the unwritten rule violation resulting in banning. There was almost a cronyism going on here.
I think E.C. WAS very dictatorial. There is no other word for it ! We need to be honest, not cover up the problems
which were apparent even to casual readers like me, dropping in once in awhile.

I am glad Maria is in charge here now. I hope those who were treated unjustly earlier may catch word of this change here and want to come back.

I also think we ordinary members should feel free to speak out about anything of concern to us, as Kostacc did. The fact that we aren't usually, or let's say we haven't been allowed to, in any recent memory, is not good. There should be feedback asked for by the owners and administrator.
This hasn't occurred once in my time here.

A little give and take would be really nice. It's always been edicts handed down. Why not check with members and ask them how they feel about such and such a new rule ?!

There also seems to be too much treating the members as unruly children. As I say, I used to read here awhile back and it seemed civil enough, at least, at that patch. I am not equipped to say the same about every epoch of E.C.

To me, a little arguing is not a big deal as long as nothing approaching unpleasant language is employed.
The combative interactions I recall seemed to be more like arm-wrestling matches, generally fun. Not snide or mean in tone.
Am I wrong ?

In conclusion, we want to make this a mature, intelligent Forum which can be trusted to provide interesting material, and addresses true life problems or questions related to True Orthodoxy. But in doing so, we don't want, it seems like,
members to feel stifled. Nor the Administration to feel embarrassed that members are making the Forum look bad.
So, we have to compromise maybe a hair on each side.

[Jean-Serge]

I remember the times of the famous Kollyvas... things were hot then! Very hot!

[Maria]

I remember the times of the famous Kollyvas... things were hot then! Very hot!

Very hot? Did you enjoy those times?