Date: 8/22/99
From: Blinker

I have HAD IT.

Buffyboy's departure was the last straw. This place has been going downhill since the JOC board drew away so many of our finest members, but now it's on the verge of collapse.

Anyone remember the eight or so pages of 'evil newbie posts' that accumulated during the Unstuck Man premiere? We survived that.

Remember the MST3K board and Executive/Daniel_2 spam attacks in April? We survived those.

Remember RealSlider, RealRealSlider, ThomasMallthus, TemporalFlux1, Snort, NICK14, and countless other troublemakers? We survived them too.

We were unbreakable. Even the FLAMERS knew this, for smeg's sake. Look what Executive had to say in his first Daniel_2 post:

"Well don't worry everybody, I'm not here to destroy this board. I know this place will remain standing because you seem to be a strong group and your messages keep things moving along nicely!"

The thing is, THIS is the board new members come to. Not "Fans of the Show" or whatever. They happen across the official Sliders site, click "Bboard," and this is what they get.

A few months ago, they found a thoughtful, co-operative community of fans. *That's* the community that I joined. TemporalFlux, SL4ever, Mychand, BritSlider, Chaser9, Slider_Sarah, ThomasMalthus, HurriKain, 1013shan...

Now? They find a bunch of fifteen-year-old kids, fighting with a bunch of S5 bashers. (No offence to the fifteen-year-olds: they're the good guys in this mess.)

Just last week, a new poster tried to join the group. He/she was flamed into never returning, for disagreeing with commonly held opinions on the best and worst seasons. THAT would not have happened with the Old School posters around.

Here's something Chaser9 said back in June, that sparked a touching tribute to the Golden Age by Mychand:

"Yes, the name of the BOARD may be SLIDERS, but it's more than that. This board is a place where friendships have been forged. If not for this board many of us never would have met. Yes, we are all tied together by the same thing, a love for the show SLIDERS. But that's not what this board is really about. It's about people with a common interest getting together, discussing the show, airing their ideas, entertaining others and forging friendships that could last a lifetime."

We're not going to achieve that by breaking off into a thousand different splinter boards.

The line must be drawn HERE.

I encourage all of you intelligent, mature posters to continue on. Fight the good fight, just use a little restraint. I'm going to be making an appeal for reunification to the other boards over the course of the day.

Sorry to go on so long, but this has been brewing for a while.

Long live Sliders.

- Blinker 7:-I
galacticdefence@hotmail.com

Amen and amen. (end)

Date: 8/22/99
From: QBall79

AMEN.

Q-Ball79
http://go.to/SSN

Actually, I agree

Date: 8/22/99
From: Slider_Sarah

It always seems to be flaming here, it never used to be like that. I've realised that when the US is in rerun Hell or between seasons, there appear to be less bungee posters. Yes, there were problems, but we got though them as you said.

Despite being an active member on the JOC board, which has proved itself to be a strong board of nice posters, I have continued to visit, but find less and less I can reply or post to. Perhaps it is being without Sliders here for so long, but I doubt it. Many of the veteran posters are still around and occassionally post, but we don't get the same reaction as we used to.

Perhaps I shouldn't look at days gone by and say 'I want it like that' but what I really want is the atmosphere back then. It was warm and friendly and newbies were wlecomed. There were problems, sure, but not to the same extent as there are now.

So I say, Amen Blinker!

Sarah.
http://www.valdez.co.uk/sarah/

P.S. Sorry Blinker, SL4ever already said I could post his story.

Where did everybody go?

Date: 8/22/99
From: Parajo

When I first started here in the early spring, there was a great group. It must have been the USM premiere that drove everyone away. I always thought that they were all in one place, but I guess not. It seemed to me that most of the ladies went to that JOC board, but I decided my place wasn't there. Maybe this Fans of the Show board is a good common ground for all of the mature, intelligent individuals from all of the boards. Well, here's to the old days which I was only a small part of for a short time.

Parajo- the guy who very vaguely remebers how it was

Bravo Blinker Bravo !!!!(end)

Date: 8/22/99
From: Marvello

coudn't have put it even better!!!

sliding thru,
Marvello:-)

Oh Blinker.....

Date: 8/22/99
From: Mychand

Well, I agree. The JOC board was originally just for JOC topics that were offensive and being flamed for here. Now, it has become a safe haven....a fun place where we can hang out as friends and not get flamed for opinions or fan fiction(I read it isn't "allowed" here anymore). The bickering and spamming got to be too much and this place just isn't the same. I miss the fun we had here too and all the friends that use to post here. This was a great place to "hang out". That is why I did the tribute. When the fun stopped I basically left. Looks like a lot of others did too.

I e-mailed you with an idea. Let me know what you think.

Long live Chaser's comment!!! He was soooo right.

Mychand

Nicely Said

Date: 8/22/99
From: SafariJoe

I am in agreement about what the quality of this board is ( and im NEW). I think if people would be nicer to each other this board would be a better place
SafariJoe

Hugs and Kisses to you Blinker!

Date: 8/22/99
From: JessieMallory

You put it perfectly! :-)

Fine. I'll stay...

Date: 8/22/99
From: buffyboy

but this problem isn't going to go away by being "nice" to the flamers and s5 haters. I have zero tolerance for them. This WAS a great place, but the s5 bashers ruined it. Since I am staying, I will not tolerate them. The problem lies in them. They are like a cancerous tumor. What do you do with a tumor? Remove it. I will go into I'm-gonna-kick-you-ass-you-stupid-dip-shit mode whenever I come across and unruly s5 basher or whatever. Its the only way to make them leave. its the only thing they UNDERSTAND. They have to be stopped, and I can't do it alone.
BB=:~)

amen blinker.(end)

Date: 8/22/99
From: Jericho_Y2J

i only wish I could have said it so poetically

Time for a new tack, Buffyboy...

Date: 8/22/99
From: Blinker

Flaming them back hasn't worked. Heck, they actually seem to enjoy it.

Back in the old days, we'd just keep on posting as usual.

We had to deal with RealSlider for MONTHS. He pretended to be Jerry O'Connell and Marc Scott Zicree, he took on countless different handles... once he even pretended to be his own brother and told us all he was dead. Real tasteful, eh?

Didn't matter.

As long as we were all here, sharing fanfic, episode commentary, speculation and humour, there wasn't a soul in the world that could bring us down.

The board is still here, the people are still around... all we need is to recapture that spirit.

I'm going to address the JOC board now...

- Blinker 7:-)

My perspective...

Date: 8/22/99
From: sleepingtiger

I began posting here in January under a different handle. It didn't take long for me to bail after feeling as tho I had been unfairly flamed. I deleted that handle and occasionally lurked. I went thru that twice more. Finally I settled on sleepingtiger and found the JOC board a short time later. I felt "safe" and accepted there. No one flamed me for my opinions or thoughts, even when they were a little different. I haven't ever felt that here.

The occasional regular (origional) has made me feel welcome, but I've never felt really accepted, so I've stayed away for the most part. I do occasionally reply to posts over here. Maybe there are others who've felt the way I do. It might explain why some of us are more comfortable on other boards.

Blinker: Thanks for making me take another look at posting on this board.

PLnH
st

About Mychand's idea...

Date: 8/22/99
From: Slider142

I think it's great. I used to browse this board and read posts regularly back in the good posts days. (I didn't post as much,unless you count the story game:-). Anywho, now I hardly visit it anymore, except after new episodes. Every few posts, there's one good post, but that's it. It's really gone downhill. Kudos Blinker for reminding us.
:-)
Slider142

I haven't been here that long and.....

Date: 8/22/99
From: KareFree

there does seem to be a disregard for the feelings of others if they do not agree with everything that some of the posters think. I can understand that it is sometimes difficult to refrain from answering an antagonistic post but to insult someone intentionally is only falling into the plans of the person who posted it. It also sends some people running for their lives and, at a time when SLIDERS needs all the viewers that it can muster, it may even stop them from viewing the show. That would be a shame. There are some who seem do understand this and do their best to soften the words of those who either speak before they think or intentionally want to hurt the feeling of others .

Thasnk you, Blinker, for bringing this up. It was sorely needed.

The Main Board

Date: 8/22/99
From: MTwain

This is the first place I came to, a little over a month ago. So I agree with Blinker's comments. I wasn't too thrilled with the content and was referred to the JOC board that same day. I've been there ever sense. I love that board. Thanks Blinker for reminding me that I should give the main brd a second chance. I will.
MTwain

You go Blinker!!

Date: 8/22/99
From: Slidersfreak

I totally agree with you! Let's make a difference and change our board back!!!!!

Slidersfreak
http://www.egroups.com/group/slidersfreaks/info.html
http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1337

RIGHT ON!!!!

Date: 8/22/99
From: Maximilli0n

That was well said.

I agree with everyone else. <END>

Date: 8/22/99
From: s_the_great

.

Fear of Flames!

Date: 8/22/99
From: sflite

Blinker, I can understand where you are coming from! I miss the way this board once was=(But, it got to the point, where i was too scared to even post a question!People b#tch@n at you that it was irrelevent or "already answered"...in not such nice words!I still "lurk" here, I love to see peoples opinions of the new eps and such...But I like what i see less and less!Constant bickering, flaming newcomers, plain out obsenity!Alot of the females(and a few brave men) have found a safehaven on the JOC board(and No, its not only about Jerry)...Its a great community where we are ALL friends!But, I will try to participate more here...K?BUT! The first time I get flamed for having an opinion that differs from someone elses, asking a "stupid" question, or being off topic...Im outa here!
SF

I agree

Date: 8/22/99
From: nole9

~~~

True, but...

Date: 8/22/99
From: jersey_slider

...I think if we (the s5 lovers and true Sliders fans) leave, the result would be a huge mistake. There is one simple solution. We have to ignore all of the s5 haters and Slider bashers. All we have to do is ignore their posts. Eventually they will give up. We need people like you, buffyboy, Qball79, informant, temporalflux, and all other true fans to encourage intelligent and thought provoking posts on this board. What if Sci Fi or another network sees this board and sees nothing but Slider bashings. That would erase any hope of bring the show back. I know it is a lot to put up with, but it will go away. I am asking you and all true fans to not give up any hope. Please stay and encourage others that left to come back.

Talk to you soon,
:)

THANK YOU BLINKER!!

Date: 8/23/99
From: KllyWlls

We leave, they win. So, we won't leave! KW

I Very Much Agree...

Date: 8/23/99
From: SliderT

You make some very good points. I was flamed the very first time I posted here for my opposing views to the new season. I feel this board is here to discuss the good and bad of Sliders. I have stuck around and I check this board on a nightly basis but I haven't posted in awhile because there are some on this board that have one point of view and if my conflicts with theres they try to chase me off of the board and tell me how stupid I am and that I am not allowed here. This board is for all Sliders fans, all with different opions and I plan to continue with mine without flaming anyone unless they start it....

Old School? What a GOOFBALL!!!

Date: 8/27/99
From: Cabo

Old School? Are you kidding me. That's funny. The internet hasn't been around that long. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the fucken kitchen!!! This is a place for people to voice their opinions, whether good or bad, about sliders. Its not a place where you wet your Depends!!! Good god man!!! GROW UP!!!

Screw you, Cabo! |n/t|

Date: 3/8/2000
From: Blinker

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Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/10905
Nominated by Blinker

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