Reply to: What did internet forums ever do for us?

[d000hg]

Social forums maybe are a bit pointless, but specialist ones - technical or guitar playing or cooking, ..., are very good. As a hobby game programmer, I learned a massive amount this way.

Although is a discussion forum useful... or is something like StackExchange or StackOverflow a better model for cutting out the chat and focusing on the facts?

[Wodewick]

This thread is now the first result

Is it? Who wudda thunk it!

I was just wondering - Why did RC post the link originally?

[NickFitz]

Actually...

LMGTFY !

This thread is now the first result

[cojak]

Hey say something that I can at least look up in the dictionary or, as EO would say, I will turn japanese (meaning I will say something that doesn't make any sense in japanese to you so that you also feel uncomfortable too)

[Marjorie Dawes]

No I can't... what?

Did anyone get that?

[/Marjorie Dawes]

[Wodewick]

... it might be a substitute for having a life.

I spend more time on this and other forums (sic) when working away from home and/or when on tulipy contract (without interweb filter/bans)

So I agree with the having a life sentiment - if I had real people to talk to I would normally choose that over online chatting.

I do however find some of the and bunfights on CUK amusing - most other forums I use are either hobby related or professional related. CUK is just fun although to be fair the serious pages are useful at times.

[Francko]

I find CUK valuable for my own mental health, oddly. Both when on the bench and when at a ClientCo where there are no tame contractors to talk to.

But ... it might be a substitute for having a life.

Actually I think CUK is a much better place than many other forums as it's a very specialised forum so most people share a common view. However I still think that time for forums should be limited as most of it is just a waste otherwise or an occasion to

[RichardCranium]

I was just thinking that afterall, all internet forums (not specifically criticising this one) are mainly a big waste of time and that's it.

They provide a community for like-minded people to exchange ideas, despite those people being anywhere on the planet.

They provide confirmation that one's ideas and views are valid.

I have made friends through CUK, depending upon how you define 'friend'. There are people I will go and drink with if I possibly can.

Sometimes getting wound up is relaxation: having a good old rant about why black is white ... and then being re-educated that there is just shades of grey and that everything's OK really.

I find CUK valuable for my own mental health, oddly. Both when on the bench and when at a ClientCo where there are no tame contractors to talk to.

But ... it might be a substitute for having a life.

[Pondlife]

Actually...

LMGTFY !

[Wodewick]

Actually...

LMGTFY !

I take back my

hth

and add a

[RichardCranium]

Nobody ever found CUK by googling "AtW's housing advice" or "DP's tips on winning the lottery".

Actually...

LMGTFY !

[Francko]

Too much navel gazing, that's your problem.

Hey say something that I can at least look up in the dictionary or, as EO would say, I will turn japanese (meaning I will say something that doesn't make any sense in japanese to you so that you also feel uncomfortable too)

[cojak]

I was just thinking that afterall, all internet forums (not specifically criticising this one) are mainly a big waste of time and that's it.

After all the purposes that we go for suddenly are revealed false:

1) Knowledge - it's just the same old 3 or 4 people to tell all they think they know over and over. No need to verify arguments with data since they know it's all correct. A pity that you can find everything and the opposite of everything so it's difficult to understand what is correct or not. In general, there are several specalised blogs/website which do have a lot more information and often much more accurate and verified

2) Friendship - I have never really become a real friend with anybody on the forum - we exchange emails from time to time and that's it (with the exception of Ajp who was in Rome in the same period but that's more of an exception and anyway with all the time spent here I would have got a lot of friendship outside). Sure that might be possible but in any case it's a very ineffective way to build friendships.

3) Relax - most of the time debating on internet forums is no relaxing at all as many people will try to cover you with dirt or ridiculize you or simply have some fun to fill their shallow lives

Anybody feels that mine is a misperception and that in reality they managed to gain a lot from internet forums? Or is simply just an addictive substance like nicotine that you keep thinking you need but in reality you don't really, you are simply addicted to it.

Too much navel gazing, that's your problem.

[Wodewick]

Wrong. The origins of 'pedant' are Greek, not Latin.

Loser (Old English.)

hth

[Pondlife]

Dunno, but the Romans taught us the plural of forum is fora.

I believe they also taught us that to be a pedant was not a particularly good thing

That took you some years

Wrong. The origins of 'pedant' are Greek, not Latin.



Loser (Old English.)

Sorry, I retract my last post. You're right.... it's pointless.

[RichardCranium]

I believe they also taught us that to be a pedant was not a particularly good thing

Wrong. The origins of 'pedant' are Greek, not Latin.

Loser (Old English.)