Woodworking forum or coffee shop?

[Popeye]

I'm not likely to lose sleep over this nor does it effect my paycheck but....
am I the only one that's noticed on any given day it seems 75% or so of the posts here have nothing to do with woodworking, the BT and it's clones or anything close to sawdust? "Including this post"
Just a casual observation at "O'Dark Thirty" Pat

[cabinetman]

Makes you wonder doesn't it. Makes me wonder why there's very little response if any to WW'ing tips, suggestions, and procedures. I figured that the major populace of active members already know all that stuff and it's boring for them to read, no less respond to them one way or another.

But hey, if you want to get a response, a post about morality, or what a 10 yr old girl can read, or if a plane can take off on a moving conveyor, that brings 'em outta the WOODWORK.
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[Pappy]

I don't agree that the responses aren't made to woodworking posts, but the 'other' types seem to get more. Seems to be a new poll every other day.

[LarryG]

I agree with Pappy. Woodworking, tool, shop, and home improvement questions virtually always get the responses they deserve -- they always have, and still do. The real reason for the imbalance is that in the last two years, we've had too many people join whose main interest is clearly just trying to be the life of the party.

[DaveS]

The real reason for the imbalance is that in the last two years, we've had too many people join whose main interest is clearly just trying to be the life of the party.

Hey! I'll drink to that! [lamp shade placed on head]

I originally ended up finding this board when I got my BT3100 a few years back.

I found a kind, lite-hearted, helpful community.

It seems to me that all the questions get good answers, and they come without the, um, harshness, that some other sites are known for.

When someone says "how do I make X?", there are only a few responses, because, well, there may be only one or two ways to do something.

Also, many questions are already answered with a quick search.

A site like this isn't just for woodworking/saw questions. It is a place where people with like-interests can interact.

It doesn't have to be all wood-all-the-time.

For most of us, woodworking does not consume the majority of our time (although I think we would all agree, that it would be heaven).

As such, we have other things we want to talk about, with people we know we have something in common with...

that's my $0.02.

[cwithboat]

I would not have found or would not visit this site if it was not for the WW info. Not only can I search for information, I get a variety of viewpoints on how to do stuff. That is much more educational than some guy on TV with 10's of thousands of dollars worth of tools telling me his single point of view.
The coffee shop stuff is just a lightener and is fortunately segregated to its own corner.

[gsmittle]

Agree with most of the folks already posted--I came for the woodworking (this site convinced me to buy a BT instead of some POS "jobsite saw") and stayed for the genuine helpfulness and respect of the community.

I hardly ever hit Woodnet because of the flame wars left and right. What irks me the most is somebody posting "Well, for only $2000 more, you can get the SuperDuper WidgetWonder 5000, which is well worth the money." Yeah, like I can go $2000 over budget for something I use for a hobby.

Anyway, I don't mind the ATCP posts, because I don't have to read them if I don't want to.

Besides, most of my immediate WW questions get answered before I even know I needed to ask!

g.

[Uncle Cracker]

Anyway, I don't mind the ATCP posts, because I don't have to read them if I don't want to.

Hear, hear...

Folks should realize that, just as people are all different, this board cannot be all things to all people. We should just be thankful that it can be anything to anybody...

Other than wishing a well-deserved spanking upon the occasional flamer hereabouts, I just think life's too short to worry about it.

The board has evolved over the years, partly because the BT saws are less in use. If we had stuck to that kind of exclusivity, then this board probably would have been discontinued along with the BT's. So the focus has expanded to include, firstly, all things woodworking, then all things handyman/mechanical. Then, we have come to rely on some very smart people hereabouts who are generous with their knowledge of computer problems/hardware/software (without which none of us could even contact this board). Now the board is every bit a knowledge base, which I think is great. As long as posts are properly titled and categorized, there should be no distraction for those who can just look past those items they have no interest in.

Bottom line is that we are a community. We advise each other, we support each other, we console each other, we sometimes tease each other, and we make each other laugh. But it also means we accept each other. I hope this does not change.

[crokett]

I think BT saws being in less use is only part of it. Yes, the BT and Getting Started Topics see less traffic than they once did, but Project Discussions, Finished Projects and Home Improvements I think all have the same amount of traffic. Mostly it is that when a question is asked about a technique, there are only N ways to do something and if there are N responses that cover them all I am not going to post another unless I think one of those already posted needs clarification or correction.

Off topic on any forum gets the most traffic by nature. There are infinite off topic topics to post on, and there are infinite opinions to those. We actually get less than most since we don't allow politics, religion or NSFW postings.

[LarryG]

DaveS is correct ... it doesn't have to be "all wood, all the time." I would not want it to be. This section plays a large and important role in making BT3Central the wonderful virtual community that it is. Crokett is correct, too: the sheer number of potential off-topic subjects guarantees that this section will get a lot more traffic than the others.

BUT.

This is a user-supported site. The OT stuff may be confined to its own section, but it still consumes bandwidth and it still has to be paid for. The main reason we're all here -- well, most of us, anyway -- is to talk about woodworking and subjects closely related. This section is provided as a courtesy for those times when we occasionally need to kick back, or blow off steam, or ask a question of people we know and trust about subjects that don't necessarily relate to the primary topics. Most online discussion forums have an off-topic section, recognizing that their members cannot be (and should not be) deadly serious all the time.

But it is also standard Internet etiquette for the members to recognize that the OT section is just that: a courtesy, and one that should not be abused. Each of us needs to ask ourselves, every time we start a new thread or reply to an existing one, "Am I really contributing anything genuinely useful with this?" If the answer is No -- that's okay. Up to a point. But if the answer is No more times than not, you might want to ask yourself whether there is a more appropriate venue than a site that is supposed to be about woodworking.

[OpaDC]

As a relative newcomer let me give you my perspective. Even though I don't own a BT3 (TS3650) I joined this forum first because of what seemed to be decent people. I don't ask lots of questions because I use search a lot. There is a lot of good archived information. When I have asked questions there have been good responses, even if it just leads me back to the archive to something I missed. Being crass or acting superior seems to be almost nonexistent here. It makes you feel welcome. Other forums seems to have a lot of tool snobs (mine is bigger/more expensive/fancier than yours). I agree with what gsmittle said

I hardly ever hit Woodnet because of the flame wars left and right. What irks me the most is somebody posting "Well, for only $2000 more, you can get the SuperDuper WidgetWonder 5000, which is well worth the money." Yeah, like I can go $2000 over budget for something I use for a hobby.

... most of my immediate WW questions get answered before I even know I needed to ask!

g.

On a final note ( C# ) the coffee pot really helped me get a feel for the forums users and even though I do belong to a couple of others, the Ridgid forum for one (re:TS3650) this is where I spend most of my time. I appreciate both the civility and the help.

[gsmittle]

On a final note ( C# ) .

Or D-flat...

In another post I'll tell how I used to drive one of my housemates crazy with music theory.....

g.

[cabinetman]

On a final note ( C# ) the coffee pot really helped me get a feel for the forums users and even though I do belong to a couple of others, the Ridgid forum for one (re:TS3650) this is where I spend most of my time. I appreciate both the civility and the help.

An excellent point Opa. From some of the comments some may take this forum, and maybe life waaaay too seriously. We certainly have had a variety of posts and posters. Realizing the character and personality of members can only help us enjoy their humor or seriousness when applicable. As someone used the words..."life of the party", it sounds like there is something wrong with that. Well, I disagree that a robust interjection of intellect, and thought provoking subjects, including humor has any impact on the cohesiveness of this forum.

To recap CP's rules:
This forum is for any topic that you would normally talk about at the office "around the coffee pot". Jokes, tall tales, and true stories are welcome as long as they are clean and in good taste. I only ask that you steer away from topics on religion or politics. Go ahead and pull up a chair and pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation.

I would not like to think an admonishment for the selection of importance of a post in this forum will prevent those from posting their contributions. As it has been said, members can sidestep any post they care to. I've seen it on other forums where, I think they're called fuddy duddys complain a lot. It doesn't help the forum much at all, and creates ill will. "Off topic" forums on sites are exactly that, and are usually very popular. If more controls other than the S,P & R are required, then forum rules can be made more specific.

In the meantime, I look forward to members posting in "CP" and the woodworking forums, even if it is a little lopsided.
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[Tom Slick]

I enjoy the fact that I only read and respond to the posts I want to. I don't read everything around here, but close to it! I like the OT posts, If you look at them as a whole they are still fairly technical, just not WW related. I've certainly seen worse on other sites.

I think there comes a time in every forum where the guys who have been around start to sit back more because others have come in and can answer the questions being asked. There is also a certain amount of documented information that doesn't need to be rehashed every time, demonstrated by the FAQ and search features. I've been on boards that don't do this and they have the exact same members replying to every post and it becomes their ideas/answers/opinions are law, anything contrary is dumb. We don't see that much here.

as for newbies becoming instant experts, I call them "internet experts"; no real experience but they know everything about the subject the internet has to offer. Similar to the "I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night" or "I read a book about it, once" expert.

[poolhound]

Lots of great posts already that show the diversity that makes this forum so great. I, like most, joined when I bought my BT. IMHO its the best group of liked minded (WWking) folks with valuable experience and opinions.

Somebody already mentioned it but the virtually total lack of Flamming and the true feeling of community is what keeps me comming back day after day.

If I have a question it is always answered either directly or through a search. The coffee shop is a nice feature, sometimes I contribute, sometimes I dont but it is the woodworking that keeps me here.

I think we should pat ourselves on the back and say thanks to our thoughtful and sensible moderators for helping to create a true woodworking community.

Sounds a bit cheesy but I mean it