Calling all CPF veterans - CPF needs our help!

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js

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
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5,793
Location
Upstate New York
OK. As of eight days ago, I am no longer a newbie! I have been here longer than 2 years, and have more than 2,000 posts. So I think I have earned the right to make this post.

Here's the deal:

It has seemed to me of late that CPF hasn't been as fun as it used to be, and that the atmosphere is a touch darker and more care-laden and less clean. It also seems that many people would agree with me on this.

So,

Instead of shaking our heads and getting depressed about it, let's make efforts towards putting out some positive content and energy. This place--even now--is still the best collection of forums and people on the internet. It was raised on the backs of perhaps only a dozen good-hearted people, and that's all it will take to make a huge and dramatic improvement in the atmosphere and "feeling" of CPF over the next month or two. But we need to do something! which means we need to post something!

Lately I've been rather busy with the USL and M6-R projects and have spent a lot less time here than I used to, and I will admit that lately I haven't been exicited or overjoyed about the little time I have been spending on CPF. Most threads I've been simply passing over, and the few I post in, have not seen my usual level of enthusiasm. And I was maybe (well, definitely) getting a bit down on CPF. But then I was like "What the heck? I'm just expecting someone else to post a threads on subjects I'm interested in? And I'm just sitting back and not posting good stuff to the threads that ARE on the boards? And somehow I think that there's nothing to be done about my feeling that CPF is in a bit of a slump?"

No, no, no!

And seeing how hurt and upset raggie is also greatly motivated me. The angel of our city needs our help!

So, I'm calling out to all of you long-time CPF'ers: don't be down. Don't sit on the sidelines. Let's add some energy back to CPF. Let's take some simple steps to make it continue on as the best board on the internet. Here is what I suggest:

1. Forgive and forget. If you have been upset or angered by someone lately, take a deep breath, visit the ocean, take a walk in the woods--whatever--and clear your air, and come back to CPF with a new attitude.

2. Ignore and avoid. Is there someone or someplace that is obnoxious or a cesspool? Put that person on your ignore list or simple don't go there. Paying attention to such people and places only feeds them. Ignoring them and moving on deprives them of fuel.

3. Give thanks and support. There are many people and projects here needful and deserving of our suppport. Give it to them! I can tell you that when I am working my butt off on developing a flashlight project and I log-on to find that no one has posted anything at all to my threads or answered my questions or given me any thumbs ups or support, that it sometimes can be a bit of a downer. Whereas if people post with comments and questions it is a major boost. I don't mean this for myself. Right now my project has matured and I am busy soldering and assembling and brazing and so on. So I'm fine and I don't expect anyone to post to my threads, unless their order didn't arive or something (LOL). I mean this for the people that are in the midst of various projects. Let's try to take an interst in what they are doing. That's what I'm saying.

4. Post and reply. There are a lot of great people here. A lot of great veteran people here. And I haven't seen as much of them lately as I used to (and I include myself in this). Look guys and gals, we can't not contribute and then complain that CPF has "changed". Of course it has changed! Nothing living can avoid change. Since it is going to change, let's put our $0.02 in. OK?

So I urge you all to POST. Been thinking of doing that great review of XXXX light? DO IT! Post it. Been wondering about something or other? POST about it!

And keep in mind that there are a great many of us here on CPF who do not want to go elsewhere for our discussions of off-topic content. Many would prefer to stay here on CPF. So don't assume that because some topic might be more active on another board that you wouldn't be better to post it here in the CAFE. Post it here and keep it civil and mature and friendly. I for one am not of the opinion that giving free-reign to anger, spite, and resentment somehow cathartically releases these things. I suspect they seep up from underneath at an even faster rate and in an even more insidious manner. But YMMV and it's just my opinion. However that may be, the point is simply that if we want to influence CPF for the better, we need to be active on CPF!

So, this is my request and my plan and I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thanks everyone!
 

KevinL

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
5,866
Location
At World's End
I haven't been here all that long, but I'm still here, still posting, still believing that there is an overwhelming ratio of good to the bad here on CPF.

If you're just getting stressed out by Underground postings, give up your account and leave. I'm sure the administrators would understand if you asked for your account to be locked or removed. Alternatively - change your password to something you can't remember. Hit some random letters on your keyboard. Select them and cut them. Then when they ask you to type your password in twice, PASTE that stuff twice. Even you yourself won't remember it, and it will pass the validation check. You're locking the door and throwing the key down the well.

This isn't "running away". There is NOTHING wrong with walking away from what is a genuine mess. To those who still insist it's running away, face it: if we were to fight EVERY battle that we came across, there would truly be no end. We wouldn't even have our lives. Pick the fights that do matter - the good fight, not the pointless one.

Stay here on the main forums where everything is still aboveboard and clean.

Above all I'm appealing to the strong sense of integrity that I KNOW CPF still has. It's that sense which distinguishes right from wrong and motivates us to do the right thing. So do it - do the right thing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif
 

cy

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
8,186
Location
USA
Jim, many thanks for posting this.

of late I've been pretty disillusioned due to blatantly false comments posted about me underneath. especially since I try my best to follow rule of not posting anthing bad about anyone.

Don't get me wrong, we all can have bad days and I've certainly had mine.

well surprise.. what do you think it does to your willingness to contribute.

Yes, I have benifited from the cpf knowledge base. but I've also feel I have given back with 4,000+ posts, a good number being detailed technical ones.

JS is right, it does take enthusiem to do a proper technical post with enough details to matter.

And yes I have taken the tack of "let it go" but it takes more than that.

I'll try to do better.

thanks,
 

Empath

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 11, 2001
Messages
8,508
Location
Oregon
While JS's post has some good advice, it's also based on off board activity that doesn't need to be brought into CPF. CPF is healthy, and running with the same enthusiasm as in the past. Finding battles in the Underground, an IRC chatline, or another forum and then bringing it's feelings and attitudes to CPF isn't going to be allowed.

This thread itself is a perfect example of why off-board activity shouldn't be brought here. The Raggie situation mentioned had nothing to do with CPF, other than members of CPF were involved. His problems involved stuff that occurred apparently in email, chat, the Underground, and another flashlight forum. By bringing those problems to CPF, it creates the illusion that the problem is here.

Leave your off-board problems off CPF, and don't bring them here.
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