ATTENTION: FORUM MEMBERS

Okay, I've been around here quite awhile, and I consider myself a forum veteran here, and I used to be content with the quality of the posts here, blah blah good conversation and all that, but I also used to believe that every internet forum had to have its trolls and scum and bottom of the barrel and such. It has since come to my attention that THIS IS NOT THE CASE. I refer you to the following page of the following thread in the Employee Lounge, where I have quoted a poster's response to Putz asking him to please put all of his worthless posts into one (only in a much nicer way than I have stated):
http://www.guidetothepoint.com/thepoint/cpplace/thread.asp?ForumID=3&TopicID=6873&page=4

So, when people like this begin to fester and breed on Internet forums such as this, I ask "Why?"

Jeff Putz does NOT have to provide this gathering place for us. He is not paid to do it, and it seems that all he gets is grief and sometimes an occasional suck-up. This thread is not meant to be a suck-up-to-Putz thread as he does not like those and neither do I, it's a personal thing that I've been carrying around ever since I became a contributing member to another set of forums that I would much rather visit nowadays.

Now, back on the subject, I think some of you need to take some time to read the following forum rules, taken from www.somethingawful.com, where the forums cost $9.95 for a membership now, and the member list is up to around 8,000:
http://www.somethingawful.com/forumrules/

[warning - that link contains a little bit of vulgar language, not much, just a passionate webmaster not wanting his forums to be filled with garbage]

I think some of you need to read #10 on the first list, #12 on that same list, and also the list of ways to be banned from those forums. It may look Machiavellian to some of you, but guess what? THOSE FORUMS ARE IN MY OPINION THE BEST FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. I will now list why:

1) People THINK before they post, rather than just posting to see their own words on the screen.

2) People UNDERSTAND that the site is a privilege and not a RIGHT and their PRIVILEGE to post and be a member of the forums can be taken away at any time for any reason.

3) Did I mention people THINK before they post?

4) People fear the mods slightly because they know that their posts can be edited and their accounts can be deleted if they don't respect the fact that some of the members are moderators and these members have proven their integrity as forum members.

5) When the mods ban people just for being, for lack of a better term, STUPID, it weeds out those people and makes the overall community THAT MUCH better.

6) THINKING before you post is so important, ladies and gentlemen!

Now, with all that said, I do want to take a minute to say that I am not addressing all of you, as those of you I actually choose to associate with outside of these forums KNOW who you are and you already KNOW these general rules, but some of the newer people, and some of the people who've just annoyed me from the start (you know who you are too, it isn't like I hold back at all) need to take their fingers off the post button for a few minutes and PAY ATTENTION to the simple rules of forum etiquette, one of which has ALWAYS been this:

Multiple posting is bad, it takes up more server space and bandwidth, if you are going to respond to more than one post YOU CAN DO IT IN ONE POST.

COMMON SENSE PLEASE, THINK BEFORE YOU POST, THAT IS ALL THANK YOU!

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Natalie
Mine Ride '99
Thunder Canyon '00
Millennium Force '01
"When it's all said and done
It's real and it's been fun.
But was it all real fun?"

Got it.

I certainly wouldn't put things in those kinds of terms, but deep inside I think she said some of what I feel. Well done.

Thank you all for being part of the quality, and not the problem.

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Hi....first time poster here, but long time lurker. I must say that one writer definately lacks some class (and any understanding of what it takes to run a site like this). I am a member also of a board dedicated to my favourite musician, and unfortuately the same behaviour is sometimes displayed there.

That is possibly one of the greatest posts I have ever read on this site, and I have been reading these forums for a long time. It puts into words exactly how I've felt for awhile. I agree, please just think before you post,. That is why I hardly ever say anything here; I feel that a majorty of the time, what I have to say is best left unsaid. Maybe some other people should consider that also.

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Brad Wagner
The Ohio State University
2002: Snake River Falls

Totally agree here.....thinking is the key! :)

Natalie I applaud you for finally saying what a lot of us have wanted too for quite some time..You are my new hero for the moment

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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
Fear the Mullet!

Natalie rocks! :)
Bravo! :)

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)

Nice job Natalie...Someday EVERYONE will realize it is a PRIVILEGE to be part of this FREE site and not some God -Given right to be able to post here.

Natalie, I am glad you said it. I have thought it for a long time but I didn't want to be perceived as a jerk. Now if we can just stop the "CP has no more room" posts I will be ecstatic!

Well thought out, well said. I hope it makes a difference, but frankly I'm pessimistic.
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Duane Cahill
All opinions expressed are my own.
For a small fee they can be yours too.

**Applause** True, so true. Possibly the only thing left out was: *in a whiny voice* "Why was my post deleted?"--people.
Great job, Nat.

*** This post was edited by CP_bound on 2/27/2002. ***

Very Well Put,What you said inspired me to think before I post,as you stated,from now on.

Well, Natalie, when i saw your post that said "youre not good enough for area 1 rides", i just thought you wer mean as ever, but now i see i was wrong. You speak your mind and i respect that. You just helped make the forum better for newbies like me! Nice work!
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First year at THE POINT BABY!!!
Challenge Park 2002!

Wow, Natalie, I think I can speak for everyone saying that really opened my eyes.

I also want to thank Jeff for making GTTP. It's a big part of our lives!

Thanks for breaking the ice Nat. You have really hit some points that I have felt for a long time. Remember we can make or break this site. As long as we all think before we post and handle the newbies, and trolls the right way everything will be all good. I love this site and it has really changed my life in more ways than one.

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Danny J
Magnum Count: 2166
www.spiritofthepoint.com

I have been here for about 4 months and I agree with Ride of Steel. Thank you for making this topic. I feel like I let out some steam.
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Thank you Jeff for your work to make and run this site!

Thanks Nat, that really needed to be said.

I don't always agree with Jeff, in fact I don't think I'd ever care to meet Jeff at the park because I think there would be a major personality clash... But not too long ago I realized that Jeff was paying for my voice to be heard in a crowd of people who love what I love, Amusement Parks and Roller Coasters.

I have a much better understanding (I think, anyway) of how this whole online forum thing works when someone is shelling out the cash and time to maintain it. The least I could do is thank him for the giving me an outlet to talk, because God almight knows Coasterfolk are the only folk who'd give a rat's*****what I have to say about roller coasters and parks. So that's why I decided to include "Thank You Jeff Putz" at the bottom of all my posts.

Thanks Jeff, I couldn't of done it without you.

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes MCS
"Thank You Jeff Putz"

Ride of Steel said:
"This thread is not meant to be a suck-up-to-Putz thread as he does not like those and neither do I, "

And then Zero-G said:
stuff stucking up to Putz

Konichi Wa, Zero-G. Welcome to my thread.

READ.COMPREHEND.POST

Just like that.

Thank you.