How has what you post changed?

[skybytch 273]

This thread is discriminatory. It is directed to and for those who've been posting here since before Jan 1, 2002, since those are the people who've watched and been a part of this community during the past two years of explosive growth. I'd say sorry to those of you who haven't been posting here that long but I'm the Bytch so I don't have to.

Okay, with that unpleasant duty out of the way, those of us who've been dz.commer's since the days when 200 new posts was an insanely busy day on the forums... we've watched this community go through some amazing growth since then. Has that growth caused you to change what you post in the forums over the past two years? If it has changed, how and what changed?

How and what I post has changed over the past two years. I used to post a lot more personal stuff here. Today the same stuff I would have posted in early 2002 I'll send to my friends here via PM instead.

Why? "Back in the day" this community was a whole lot smaller - fewer people posting and fewer people lurking. Today the community is huge in comparison, not to mention the google spiders taking our posts to an even wider audience. I guess for me it's kinda like telling something personal to a small group of friends compared to standing on a podium announcing something personal on a microphone to a stadium full of people.

The growth has been a good thing, don't get me wrong. With growth has come challenges and changes for the community to deal with and overcome. Change and challenge are good, for communities and for people.

Finally, thanks to all of you who were around when I started posting here. You welcomed me into the community, listened to what I had to say, challenged my opinions on many subjects, taught me much, been my support group and cheerleaders, and become some of my closest friends.

I'd add a suck-up thanks to HH here, but he already knows I appreciate him.

[Zeemax 0]

oh come on.. the shop cant be that quiet.. surely?

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[skybytch 273]

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Registered: Jan 27, 2003, 9:16 AM

I posted that before 9am... you should know I don't open the doors before 9am ever.

[turtlespeed 226]

Since I have only been here a year - only half of what I say counts.

I notice that I post a little more seriously (not much) but it's getting to the point that you see whats here and have seen it - Not specifically mind you, but generally you see the same things over and over and over . . .

I also started lurking more in the "Non Talkback Forums"

So there!

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[fudd 0]

I've only been a member since august 2002, so I'm a little out of the target group your refering to.

I've been here for most of the growth, though

- I posted more newbie quiestions.
- I posted less bullshit

Generally what i post hasn't changed so much as what I read. In the very beginning I read close to everything. At least to a quick glance at all new threads. Now I just pick out a few that I read that seems worth reading for me. Kind of a mental spam filter.

One suggestion for HH to considder is a chat'n bullshit forum with autopurging of posts or threads after a short time. Let's say 24 hours. Maybe autolocking of threads after 50 or 100 posts.
Then maybe some of the noise in talkback can be reduced. It will also stop the database of posts to grow so fast. All the one liners in talkback really ain't that interesting to access when they are 2 weeks old anyway.

Noticed I've becommed an addict now Haven't paid any attention to post numbers lately, but I look at them once in a while, and think: "Dear god, I need to get a life!"

There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[craichead 0]

Hm, I guess my repsonse only half counts, too. I registered in April 2002, but I didn't start posting until December 2002. I did a lot of post-whoring to get myself off of "Newbie" status, and then backed off after I reached about 150-200 posts.

The main reasons for reducing posts were 1. My productivity is being monitored at work and 2. There is way too much crap to sift through now. Most of the talkback posts are, as turtlespeed said, repeats.

_Pm

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[Stacy 0]

I've been here since before '01, the profile date shows registration after the *first* revamping of these things. waaaay before PMs, emoticons, and avatars were even glimmers in sangiros eye!

IMHO, things were much better back then. There was a core of regulars, no more than 50, who actively posted. No one got shot down for saying something, it was a very supportive community. Threads were about skydiving and related events, not what people had for dinner, politics, and forwarded email jokes posted on boards. I think back then everyone had pretty much met each other, not at large events, but people travelled to each other's DZs.

Like Bytch said, I used to be a lot more personal in replies, etc then as well. the community WAS personal. I won't do that now, 50 people who knew my circumstances was one thing, 50,000, no thanks. I'm definitely not as active here as I was in those early days, and it's kinda upsetting that some of those old faces have disappeared.

just my opinions, nothing more than that.

__

[Zeemax 0]

or even after 9 if you've been drinking the night before

hows molly?

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[AggieDave 6]

Since none of the other old timers posted, I'll post my opinion.

I think the site has better information on it, due to the larger number of people reading and correcting, as well as the larger number of instructors/riggers/industry leaders on the forums now.

I agree with you though, it is much less personal and although I don't necissarily change what I post since then, I am concious about it.

Shit, I remember when 30 posts in a day was a happening day here.

Back when Pammi, Merrick, FFF, HH, myself (as "Dave)", TXWingnut, lew and a few other were the hard-core regulars. I think between all of us we had 100 jumps total, though.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[AndyMan 7]

I can't even remember when I registered, I think it was sometime in the summer 1999, not sure. The "registered on" dates don't go back that far...

I remember when there were 200 new posts after a busy weekend, never mind in a busy day. Since then this site has grown faster and farther than any of us could have imagined.

In that time, I've been in countless abortion and gun debates, they've gotten tired so I don't do that anymore. I've seen a handful of people come here claiming they've got hundreds of jumps, only to really have none, so I'm less trusting now. I've seen threads grow to sizes in excees of 3 thousand posts, I'm simply not interested in reading that many opinions.

A recent thread in the incidents forum grew to over 500 posts. Somehow we expect people to learn something by reading that thread. It would take probably 3 hours to read that thread...

I used to consider some people here some of my closest friends. At the time this was great, I'd moved to a new city and didn't know people. Meeting online was an easy way to socialize. Now I'm more content hanging out with people that I see regularly, people I don't have to fly accross the country to meet. The relationships I've formed with "real" people are far stronger then any I had on dz.com. I now realise how silly I'd been devoting so much of my life online. I'll still come to the gatherings, but the online relationships have taken a backseat to the offline ones, as they should.

I've gotten married, so I would rather spend time with my new wife then post-whore online.

A lot has changed. Some of it has been with me and my circumstances, but a lot of it is the growth of the boards.

The growth of dz.com is clearly a good thing, but what's unfortunate is what its lost. We used to talk about it being a family and everybody would nod in agreement. Looking at the boards today, I don't see anything that resembles a family. I only see a large group of people, most of which have a single common interest. Too bad.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[flyhi 24]

I post to Talkback less. The mood/attitude has changed. Many people have agendas and are not afraid to promote them. More closedmindedness (is that a word?) in many areas. Almost a wreckdot feel at times.

Swooping and Canopy Control is a great forum. Used the Photo forum extensively to get into videoing. RW, Safety, and General Skydiving are also good.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[Stacy 0]

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Since none of the other old timers posted, I'll post my opinion.

I replied before you. I'm definitely a geriatric dz.commer. i shold be collecting social security on here.

__

[AggieDave 6]

D'oh, sorry, I overlooked your post.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[freefallfreak 0]

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Since none of the other old timers posted, I'll post my opinion.

Yours is almost a twin to mine.

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I think the site has better information on it, due to the larger number of people reading and correcting, as well as the larger number of instructors/riggers/industry leaders on the forums now.

Very true and it's appreciated by me (most of the time, except for the times when I'm wrong about something and don't want to admit it, lol).

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I agree with you though, it is much less personal and although I don't necessarily change what I post since then, I am concious about it.

Much less personal and that sucks...but I still come here to learn. I just don't post as often cause as someone pointed out, it gets to sounding like rec.com at times.

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Shit, I remember when 30 posts in a day was a happening day here.

Lol...and we didn't know what we were talking about, either...lol.

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Back when Pammi, Merrick, FFF, HH, myself (as "Dave)", TXWingnut, lew and a few other were the hard-core regulars. I think between all of us we had 100 jumps total, though.

I wouldn't have traded those days for anything, tho. I really had a great time flirting with all the chicas and getting nowhere, lol.

TripleF
(FFF)

[Push 0]

I haven't been here that long, since August '02 I believe. I used to post silly replies and somewhat personal stuff, especially since I lurked for a while and felt like I really knew some of you folks. Then I had a tough semester at school, come back here and there's so many new faces. Now I post my opinions in the serious threads, but I rarely say anything in the flirting threads.

Still, Nick yelling Push instead of Eugene across the packing area at Burnaby is pretty funny. I'm trying to get people to do an all Canadian dz.com bigway in the summer. The community lives on.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[PLFKING 4]

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Has that growth caused you to change what you post in the forums over the past two years?

Definitely. It's very rare now to see something posted that hasn't been posted a million times before. But growth is good, too....in the early days, this information only reached a relative handful of folks, whereas now there are thousands and thousands of people reaping the benefits of what Sangiro envisioned when he started this site...that new skydivers would never have to pay for information that could save their lives.

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Shit, I remember when 30 posts in a day was a happening day here.

Agreed. You could log in on Monday morning, and read ALL the weekend posts in about 15 minutes.

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Back when Pammi, Merrick, FFF, HH, myself (as "Dave)", TXWingnut, lew and a few other were the hard-core regulars.

And Freaksis and mikeD10270......Mike kept me in stitches, plus gave me help anytime I asked for it....that was extremely important to me as a new jumper.

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Swooping and Canopy Control is a great forum. Used the Photo forum extensively to get into videoing. RW, Safety, and General Skydiving are also good.

In my opinion, that's the absolute best thing this site has provided to the general "lay" skydivers (fun jumpers) -- such a large base of knowledge to draw on. So many leading figures in the sport post here so often, and we should be grateful for their input. Do you think you could just e-mail Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, and ask them for help with your game ?

Don

"When in doubt I whip it out,
I got me a rock-and-roll band.
It's a free-for-all."

[pop 0]

My habits havent really changed. I try to stay away from getting into serious discussions in the forums. Personal stuff, as always, is done through PM's. It used to be that I knew just about eveyone who posted, now I look at all the names and its like I just joined. I barely know anyone anymore. Where have the good ol's days gone?

7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer

[Pammi 0]

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Back when Pammi, Merrick, FFF, HH, myself (as "Dave)", TXWingnut, lew and a few other were the hard-core regulars. I think between all of us we had 100 jumps total, though.

ROFL! So what's changed? LOL! Hey I'm above 100 jumps now!

I can't even keep up with the posts anymore. I end up making a comment then losing track of it within a day. I haven't figured out if I just don't have as much time, or if there's just that many more posts now. I think both :)

I *do* spend less time here then I used to, tho I can't stay away completely. I've made too many good friends here and I'll never forget how people helped us out when we moved so far from home and family. It has been, and still is, amazing what people from here do for each other.

Merrick has absolutely no time online anymore, and barely even checks email so I can talk shit about him here all day long and he'd never know.

Wow, we weren't even married when we first started on here. Weird!

Pammi

[kmcguffee 0]

Well, I was on here only shortly before your cutoff date. I registered on "Aug 5, 2001, 7:23 AM ". I lurked for a few months before that.

I've definately stopped posting personal items on this forum because of its growth and due to some of the types of people that post regularly. I also don't post here as regularly as I used to. Talkback just isn't as fun as it used to be (for me anyway).

I think access to the technical aspects of skydiving has increased dramatically. The wealth of skydiving experience here is tremendous. DZ.com is my main source, away from the DZ, for skydiving related information but it has lost a lot of the feeling of community it used to have for me.

Coupling these changes with a career change and a move to a different city has resulted in a dramatic decrease in my time on this board. I've went from a lurker to a participant and now almost back to a lurker.

"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

[Slowfaller 0]

My posts went from pretty regular to few and far between. That's probably the biggest change and I don't flirt w/ the ladies any longer because I'm w/ a wonderful woman right now and have been for the past 2 years. I regret not going to all of the boogies and meeting the ppl that did make up the small dz.com community but its never too late to start, i suppose.

Chris

--"Someday you will die and somehow somethings going to steal your carbon" -MM

[Michele 1]

I started posting much later than your deadline...and even tho I really respect you, Bytch, I think I will answer.

I got here just before the big blow - it still hadn't gotten too hectic like it is now.

I do miss some of the people who used to post here but will not now - like DZbone, and a couple others I can't think of right now - because it's far too big to get to really know people. I miss his support, encouragement, and teasing.

I still put incredibly personal stuff up here, but I do that for a few reasons. One, sometimes I just really need the support. Two, sometimes what I can say about something might help people understand different perspectives. Three, some people may be dealing with similar things, and will find support in something I say.

But I have to say - sometimes, it feels like a big argument. And there are so many trolls now, lots of name calling and personal attacks and insults. It wasn't like that before. Newbies were accepted, and not ridiculed for helping others. And oldies were welcoming, and genuinely glad you were here. If you went off track, you were given help/advice, and brought back on track - but not by making fun and ridicule. There was less "I am special because", and more "hey, I'm scared of the door, what do I do now?"

And there was not the overflow and peurile "boobies", are you a "hottie or nottie", "post your bum" going on. It was about skydiving, not body parts. It was about developing friendship within the community, not who got the most drunk and who slept with who. Yes, I know, there are other forums, and I use those, but sometimes, I miss what used to be.

How has what I post changed?

~I'm not writing stories like I was, because they get thumped off the front page really fast;
~I use pm's a whole lot more than I used to;
~I am less willing to ask questions/offer opinions, because people call names, and say "you're dense" and whatnot. Just not willing to subject myself to that.

So that's how what I post has changed...

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Kolla 0]

Well.... Bytch's post got me thinking (what a way to start the new year!).

I've been a member of dz.com for a good while - mainly as a reader, but lately I've started to chime in every now and then.
I monitor the forums partially because I like to see what is going on out there, but it's also a part of my job working in the skydiving industry.
In the past year I feel that I've seen a big increase in the number of posts - and with that a big increase in bickering and fighting.
For the new year - if you guys and gals would grant me a wish, I'd really like to see the dropzone.com community become a little bit more tolerant and kinder.
The forums here are a great place for skydivers worldwide to come together to educate and be educated - but the harshness of some of the posts can drive people away.

We all come to this spot on the web because we share the love for skydiving. Many of us are people of strong character and we can tend to be loud and opinionated at times, but we should make a point of treating each other with kindness and respect - regardless of jump numbers or accomplishments in the sport.
It's ok to disagree at times - and debates can be healthy - but keep it civil.

I hope to see dz.com continue to grow - but at the same time I hope we can re-introduce the feeling of a friendly dropzone on these pages
Happy new year to all!
Namaste,
Kolla

Blue Skies Magazine

[Muenkel 0]

I logged on 11 days after your cutoff date, so I have nothing to add.

Chris

_________________________________________
Chris

[diverdriver 7]

I actually try to participate in some more Talk Back stuff than I did at first. I heard that because I mostly stuck to safety topical threads and incidents that I might be lacking in depth of personality. It's a fine line between "passionate" and "zealous". I hope I've shown a lighter side and that I really am human.

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registered: Mar 14, 2001, 3:26 PM

Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

[ernokaikkonen 0]

Personality? Bah! Humbug.