Chatterbank Hits All Time Low!!!!!

[bruce5755]

Sorry all, but I cant help thinking that "Chatterbank" seems to have lost it's way!  In the few weeks since it was set-up, it appears to have gone downhill and is in danger of turning in to one of those dreaded bl**dy awful chat rooms!!  I have noticed how lots of the old regulars seem to have abandoned it already, and I fear that it will not be long before it is soley inhabited by people wanting to say "good morning is anyone up yet" and "goodnight"!  I suppose that this was inevitable to some degree, but that it has happened so fast is beyond me! 

AB in its original guise was a site where intellectual, genuine, questions and answers were posted and often debated.  We all seem to get to know each other and generally got on well, and because of that, we looked forward to a section where we might get to know each other a little better!  But this sadly has turned into a boxing arena on many occasions of late.

I have a feeling that many people are "googling" chat rooms, and ending up here!  Now, here's a suggestion that I'm sure will get many peoples backs up, but here goes.  When a new user joins the site, as well as being a "greenie" how about a two week delay before Chatterbank can be accessed?  This may seem harsh but it may put off those people who just want to ask if you want a beer etc.  If they then get "a feel" for the site and like what they see then lift restrictions, and hopefully everyone will all be singing from the same songsheet so to speak!  I dont want to appear to be elitist in any way, but I think many people feel like me as well but dont want to say so! 

I love AB and I dont want to see it ruined by mindless plebs with nothing more to do than watch paint dry!

[SC00BY]

Here Here, but it could also be the novelty of it at the moment? If a good debate was going on I would be the first to join in. But things like 'what time is it?' Is there any need!

[woofgang]

I think that its a phase (we've been through then before on here) Can I suggest that you do the usual and ignore what you don't like? If you want to post something different on CB then do...like minded souls will join in

[libertie]

Yep, tend to agree, although I have contributed to Chatterbank (twice I think) I do find it a bit tiresome and quite boring! I generally have a wee look at the questions and don't usually bother looking at the replies!  Pre Chatterbank I quite enjoyed the odd chatty thread, especially on a Friday! Have never visited a chat room before so don't know if Chatterbank is typical of one or not! Having said all that, each to his own I suppose but its not my cup of tea!

[netibiza]

I also agree with you although am very guilty of mindless ramblings in the early days of Chatterbank, but it seems to have been hijacked recently and loads of rubbish being put about. It can be fun but seems to have veered in another direction now.

[Artful]

Well said, bruce and how diplomatically put. I think many agree with you, a number of people have said so although maybe less tactfully (certainly I did).

Your idea seems reasonable but maybe it's a little late perhaps to implement such a tactic, the damage has been done...

[jno]

It does seem to have split AB pretty much in two. Users who post on ChatterBank seldom answer questions in other sections, and vice versa. There used to be one community; now there are two. Before CB was set up I worried that this might happen, and it has. The good news of course is that all the other sections of AB are still going as before.

I don't see banning people from CB, however temporarily: it's there to be used, and people are using it. I do think it detracts from the AB 'brand' but that's for AB Ed to worry about. I'm going to go on responding to  questions when I know the answers, and I may even add to CB threads that aren't just private parties if I find any. I suggest you do the same bruce5755. But I know what you mean.

[Glossopswift]

It may surprise some to hear that I agree. Over the past week I have come to realise that the thing that irks me most, and it has been mentioned before, is that a decent thread disappears onto page 2 or even 3 within hours of being posted. However, I do like the people that post the witterings and would in no way want to completely alienate them or stop them posting completely. I don�t want to see them disappear altogether, but less would be preferable to me. I have also started to become more selective in what I post to and have noticed that others have too. I�ll keep up my strategy and see how it pans out. If it is obvious that CB is going to become a typical chatroom I�ll spend more time in t�other sections and think �fair enough, that�s the way it goes�. I have noticed that chatrooms on other sites are now being bandied about and so maybe they will become the main forum for this sort of thing and CB will go back to being how it was a month or so ago. Love to all.

[AB Editor]

Hi All,

Thank you for your valuable input. The current situation in the ChatterBank is, shall we say, "interesting". What all users of the site should remember is to please limit their postings to as few original threads as possible, thereby allowing all users to have an equal opportunity at getting their Question or Chat thread listed near the top. A redesign of the Chat category may be in the works to allow a more fair and equal access. But this is in the future and I wouldn't be able to speculate as to when. In the meantime, I would agree with some posters that this is probably just a phase and the traditional subject categories are still going strong and many interesting debates have been recently showcased.

In response to the original suggestion, we wouldn't want to prohibit people from accessing all parts of the site.

Thanks again for all your suggestions and contribution to the AB.

AB ED 

[ICEMANSAV]

Good call ABED!

[rod]

Good news AB ED .

[woofgang]

sorry jno but I disagree. I and others like me post in both "trad" AB and CB!!!

[libertie]

Yes, good news ED!

Hi woofgang agree that some ABers post in both but also with jno that some of the newer CB users only seem to regularly visit CB ~ wonder how long it will take them to find this thread?!

[justineo]

Why do you all not start some interesting threads going, then?

[Bandetta]

Start us off justineo:-). Well done ED. 

[redshoot]

How about a voluntary question limit of 1 or 2 questions a day on chatterbank? That would encourage longer threads and slow down question movement. Looking forward to the improvements, ABED. 

[VINNY100_2]

Could we not limit the questions on ChatterBank to 2 per person per day.Perhaps then these newbies would concentrate on one or two threads and the questions would not shoot on to the next page at the speed of light like somebody else suggested:I do miss not chatting to the regulars. but I think they are just put off at the moment(:)Keep up the good work ED.( :)

[VINNY100_2]

Ah great minds think alike Redshoot(:)

[jno]

agreed woofgang, I said seldom rather than never (as I mentioned, I myself do venture into CB occasionally, usually cowering behind a blather deflector). But I reckon we're in a minority and I think that's a shame.

[Chillum]

I'll just add my nod of agreement with Bruce's original post.

[wellhungjock]

qualityquestion  Don�t change it Ed! they are making my questions look good! :-) Just to start them off I have posted a quality question again! I agree improvements needed to slow things down.