I doubt we've ever had as good an excuse to pretend we're partying, when in reality we're just sitting at our computers feeling good about ourselves and smiling at our good fortune.

Or something like that.

It's strange how no-one ever posts here, then.

?????? Im really confused. It says currently that there are 926 memebers, how can this be????? Can accounts be terminated. Can people quit there account. Its really odd...

yeah...it is at 933 now?

Whats the deal?

I don't know this for a fact because I'm not into the software end of things, but InfoPop had been running tests and debugging things. I don't think we "lost" any members, but I think it's one of the glitches which has happened lately. My post total went to Zero last week, and at a few posts. it still says zero. Some other members post totals are messed up. On the other hand, I see a marked improvement in the accuracy of all the time stamps of the recent posts in the various table of contents pages, and now, when I'm logged in, I can still see the times of all the posts where before they disappeared. I hope and believe when all this testing is done in another week or so that everything will be updated and accurate.

P.S. I just checked the member listings, and there's 1089 members.

I just checked again, and no matter what it says (1002 members I believe), we now have 1172 members! That's 83 new members in the last 12 days. Yowza!

Is that 1172 from the administrator's section, mark? If so, that's not bad... I wonder how many of the 83 are spammers?? Anyway, it seems like we have a lot more "guests" on the forums at any given time. What fun is it just reading posts when you can join in yourself?? Register, people! Throw in your two cents. Make it controversial, too...

Yes. I want to know why we've had an extreme increase in guests since about two weeks ago. There must be something new on the Net linking to the Forums, but I can't understand what it might be. It's not like we have any dirty pictures to look at around here.

Anyhow, I would also like to say to some of the guests to join and post what you think about our various topics. Just remember not to try to sell anything or blatantly advertise anything because if you do, the odds are you'll get deleted.

This is why we need more arguments. Nothing attracts people more than the need to push their opinion on everyone else. I've noticed a lot of the discussions here are "I like this, what do you like?" Nothing wrong with that but I don't think it'll attract too many people.

I still think the number of forums can be overwhelming for people at first too. I know that was the case for me last year at least. It's nice and organized but it's hard to appreciate unless you've been posting for a while. Also it just gives the feel that the forums aren't active at all when it's just that discussions are scattered.

quote:

Originally posted by Call to Apathy:
This is why we need more arguments. Nothing attracts people more than the need to push their opinion on everyone else. I've noticed a lot of the discussions here are "I like this, what do you like?" Nothing wrong with that but I don't think it'll attract too many people.

So, what we should be aiming for is "I like this...you don't? You're wrong!" I'm not sure what that accomplishes, except for attracting trolls to the site. If you want to convince me to why Barry Manilow is the greatest living songwriter, you're gonna have a tough road to hoe. Same thing if you're gonna try to sell me on Fiery Furnaces.

Arguing is not the same as childish contradicting like "NO! I'm right, you're wrong. I can't hear you!" Anybody who's watched Monty Python's Flying Circus knows this. There's a big difference between the two. Sure, you're going to attract a troll or two every now and then but that's where the moderation kicks in. You can't have a popular discussion board without someone trolling once in a while. But they can be dealt with.
I just think disagreement is more engaging in discussion boards that specialize in media and literature. It's not things like "What are you listening to right now?" that attract people. The thread is popular among members but it's not going to be the reason someone registers. I really think people would be more likely to register if they saw a thread that insulted their favorite band rather than a thread asking for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Call to Apathy:
Arguing is not the same as childish contradicting like "NO! I'm right, you're wrong. I can't hear you!" Anybody who's watched Monty Python's Flying Circus knows this. There's a big difference between the two. Sure, you're going to attract a troll or two every now and then but that's where the moderation kicks in. You can't have a popular discussion board without someone trolling once in a while. But they can be dealt with.
I just think disagreement is more engaging in discussion boards that specialize in media and literature. It's not things like "What are you listening to right now?" that attract people. The thread is popular among members but it's not going to be the reason someone registers. I really think people would be more likely to register if they saw a thread that insulted their favorite band rather than a thread asking for it.

Personally, I'm ambivalent. I'm sure Metacritic would love more participants, and I'm all for their success, so that's a plus. But I just don't see much incentive for me to jump into a thread built up around an insult to my favorite band. If you don't like it, what point is there for me to try to defend why I like it? If you start a thread that claims that Paul Westerberg is an talentless hack (to pick one of my favorite artists), I really won't be able to say anything that will change your mind, nor would I really care to. I could try to cite songs to change your mind, but that's really not going to change anything. So, what's the point? I'd much rather have some other Westerberg fan turn me on to some new artist that I might like than get into a musical pissing match. But you might be right...maybe that would bring on more participants.

I'm far more interested in what things other people like than what they dislike...other people's likes often encourage me to find new music, but I rarely ever choose to buy a record because someone hates it. But that's just me. And it's not because I mind the debate...I just find debates about aesthetic matters to quickly devolve into "I'm right...you're wrong." Or, more commonly (here) they devolve into playground namecalling and personal attacks. Maybe that's exciting to others, but I don't care for it. I don't frequent any political boards simply because there's rarely any DISCUSSION going on...it's merely people shouting mission statements at each other. If these boards were the same way, I probably wouldn't hang out here much. But I'm more interesting in forming friendships with people who have similar interests than shouting my mission statement across the rooftops, and I know others have different motivations.

exactly...even though i sometimes resort to childish name calling...it usually only last for a few posts and then i appologize or just stop replying.

But once again i think pe has hit it on the head.I would never come back here if there was just arguing.I come here to read other people opinions and find new music...and vice versa...hopefully help people find good music out there.

In this day in age where music is so flooded it is very hard to find a credible and reliable source to keep coming back to for comments and suggestions.I think that is a credit to all metacritic users and participants in the forums.

I like where we are at know.If the mebership could be halted i would not care.I think this is a good group...that polices itself very well.I am glad to be apart of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Call to Apathy:
This is why we need more arguments. Nothing attracts people more than the need to push their opinion on everyone else. I've noticed a lot of the discussions here are "I like this, what do you like?" Nothing wrong with that but I don't think it'll attract too many people.

Isn't that why you and I are here? I like arguing but have little patience for simple useless banter, like you I assume. On the other hand, I do like to find out about new music from people with like tastes so there's prolly a time and place...or all together. Hey, maybe I don't actually exist.

quote:

Originally posted by Imprezu21:
exactly...even though i sometimes resort to childish name calling...it usually only last for a few posts and then i appologize or just stop replying.

Me too. Sometimes I let certain people or topics get under my skin. I have found that my online persona is pretty different from what I'm like in reality. Forums are a good substitute for human contact some days.

Imprezu and Eric, I think you all are very different from the majority of people who browse the internet, and God bless you for that. But I'm not trying to tell you what makes the ideal community, I'm just saying what will attract the most people. From my experience, people are more attracted to controversy in discussion boards.

quote:

Originally posted by Filmore Holmes:
Isn't that why you and I are here? I like arguing but have little patience for simple useless banter, like you I assume. On the other hand, I do like to find out about new music from people with like tastes so there's prolly a time and place...or all together. Hey, maybe I don't actually exist.

It is the major reason why I am. I don't completely ignore the threads where everyone shares his or her favorite whatevers. I just think those discussions are more appealing once you've settled in. I mean, people who want to find some quick suggestions for what to listen to can just look at the "What Our Users Said" section of each review. And I've even seen small debates break out in that section.

I think you are right, Apathy, that I'm in the minority. I think noisy shouting does sell, both on the web and in other media (what else can explain the popularity of The O'Reilly Factor, Hardball, and the like?).

While I'm tempted by Imprezu's suggestion that, since we have enough members, we should close up shop, it reminds me of the debates about having indie bands going major-label. It's selfish of me to want to keep a community that I'm close to small and secure when it could get bigger and more popular, but I can't help being drawn to closing the doors.

If things get more combative around here, I guess I'll adjust. I might not care to Moderate anymore, because I don't care to play sandbox referee, but I'm sure I could adapt and survive. I think one of the really bad things about the anonymity of the Internet is that it allows people's inner a-holes to come out. People say things, under the guise of an assumed, anonymous identity, that they would never say to a total stranger. I'm sure the majority of trolls and fight-pickers are just insecure little people who can't speak their minds to real people, but act big and tough on the 'net because there are rarely any real consequences.

I agree noise attracts people also, but not the sort of people that a calm forum like this could handle on an everyday basis. Anonymity seems to be a popular term recently, maybe pE is talking about me, maybe not. However, that's not the point, the point is that people will be people and the Moderators may have to strengthen and change the way they run the place.

I've been on forums where if you say something worthless and incompetent, they just erase those posts. After a while, if you are still being an idiot they just kick you off.

Well, I have no intention of kicking anyone legit off. Spammers, we make an example of, but maybe we should just kick them off. People who don't understand the rules, maybe we should freeze them, and explain to them what the rules are. People who express their HONEST opinions, without being personal or obscene, we need to leave alone. Simple. I hope EVERYONE pays ATTENTION!

quote:

Originally posted by Nickel-Z:
Anonymity seems to be a popular term recently, maybe pE is talking about me, maybe not. However, that's not the point, the point is that people will be people and the Moderators may have to strengthen and change the way they run the place.

I've been on forums where if you say something worthless and incompetent, they just erase those posts. After a while, if you are still being an idiot they just kick you off.

I wasn't referring to you at all, N-Z. Despite our dust-ups, I don't think you're a troll. Maybe your argumentative style isn't to my liking, but you certainly seem to have every intention of being a good member, an honest citizen here. The guy who posted a comment in the Xbox thread about the video game people "moving out of their mom's basements" was more what I had in mind.

I don't ever want to delete anyone's posts. It's not my place to comment on whether a post is worthwhile or competent. I've only ever deleted spam posts, and I hope that's all I'll ever have to delete.