There's little left to talk about

John's post about the "stupidity" of the camera name "Rebel" got me to
thinking; but only after I looked at the long list of responses. Reasonable
posts by naive beginners can get abused here with acerbic and curt replies,
yet the name of a camera gets all sorts of detailed attention. Totally
off-topic posts (e.g. Islam) are also doing a great job of garnering
numerous and lengthy responses.

My conclusion is that there is that not all that much left to talk about
regarding DSLRs (or debate) because the new cameras are so much better than
most user's skill sets.

Tear me up and set me on fire.

Happy Holidays!

 

Charles,

It's not just this newsgroup.

Usenet in general seems to be going through some kind of bizarre
sociological sunspot cycle.

I subsribe to photo groups and groups related to flying and being a private
pilot. I realize that Usenet is the electronic equivalent of the wild, wild
west but all of these groups are just baraged with the most inane crap these
days. Trolls, baiting, name calling and a complete lack of (and disregard
for) educated opinions that foster discussion. Instead, all I see lately is
"I'm right, you're wrong and F*ck You if you disagree..."

The old joke used to be the screen that would someday pop up and say "You've
reached the end of the Internet, please go back."

I think it ought to read, "You've reached the end of Usenet as a source of
entertainment or information, good bye and good luck."

YMMV...

Regards,

Jay Beckman
Chandler, AZ
www.pbase.com/flyingphotog

 

eh, usenet should allow people to speak freely and respectfully. But
distance and annonymity allow some of the worst spirits to break out.

I've been lucky over time to personally meet a few of the long distance
friend and aquaintances from this and other groups and will certainy
meet more over time... that makes the NG's as rewarding, nay, moreso, as
the purpose of the NG's themselves.

Cheers,
Alan

 

Citizen's Band of the new millennium.

 

That's the reason right there - people know it ain't cheap these days.

 

I've seen that analogy before and it's fairly accurate. As in the real
world, most people are civil and respectful, but there are always a
few mouthy jerks who think they know it all (like me). And since
they're behind a computer monitor (or CB mic) they feel untouchable
and do whatever they want.

But that's why we have twit filters.

 

And this is different from how usenet has always been.... how?

--
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a
reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating
the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for
independence.
-- Charles A. Beard

 

Can't speak for all of usenet but the rec.aviation.* newsgroups have
traditionally been an oasis of calm, rational, helpful discussions (election
years not withstanding...) against the sea of insanity that can be and often
is usenet in general. But 2006 has seen the s/n meter just peg with
inumerable OT bombardments, cross posting to and from the most illogical and
nonsensical other groups and a general disregard for the respective charters
of each group.

I've been on usenet for a fairly long time and until this year, I'd never
even established a kill file. This year, I'm having to wrack up names
faster than Death himself.

The photo groups have also been (by and large, IMO) relatively sane by
comparison but it's getting so that you can't even ask a basic photo
question without the dicussion decending into OT flames.

Maybe I'm just getting old but those who play the online equivalent of class
clown(s) (every group has at least one and regulars know who they are) who
run on about the same old crap over and over and over again have ceased
being funny.

I really do think maybe the OP is correct... There just isn't anything
worth talking (typing) about any more.

Jay Beckman
Chandler, AZ
www.pbase.com/flyingphotog

 

Naw, most of Usenet's always been that way, _especially_ ever since the
Endless September started (Today's Current Date: September 4843, 1993).

I'll admit that back in the early 80's, most of Usenet was sane, but
that was because you actually had to have a clue to even figure out how
to get on it, and the clueless n00bs hadn't even HEARD of "the
internet"(it wasn't to be known as that for some time), let alone
Usenet. Also because you knew, at least by third person, a very large
number of fellow users who often were sysadmins - and they could screw
up your peerage if you pissed them off - you were polite for the most
part, but flame wars were not all that uncommon even back then, either.

That again is fairly common. You just have to consider the source,
ignore the flamers, and persist. Just hold your conversation outside
of the flamers, as if they didn't exist, and eventually they usually
stop tying to bait you.

Yup. Ignore 'em.

Totally diagree. There's lots of stuff to discuss, as long as you
stick to the topics at hand and don't get distracted off into some
pointless discussion over plastic vs. metal or some other silly
obsession that whoever might poke their nose into a thread might have.

--
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a
reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating
the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for
independence.
-- Charles A. Beard

 

Ken,

Good history lesson. You've renewed my faith in my fellow cyber man...well,
mostly.

Regards,

Jay

 

Indeed. I was stunned by the number of responses. I regret having written
that post.

It happens on a lot of newsgroups where people spend *way* more time talking
about the equipment than actually using it. I wonder how some people ever
get around to actually doing their thing when they spend what seems like the
entire day posting.

I believe that the true professionals rarely spend any time on newsgroups.
My son who quite accomplished in his field rarely, if ever, reads newsgroups
because he spends all day actually working; he doesn't have time to chit-chat.

Me? I'm just getting back into photography after a very long hiatus. I'm a
certified amateur and I have a lack of credentials to prove it. I read the
newsgroups in the morning during coffee time and have picked up a few good
tips now and then. I simply ignore the wacky off-topic threads.

 

Newsgroup burnout.

I've only been out here for about 11 years, but I get the same feeling from
time to time. Fortunately, there is still a lot of first-class information
here, if you find it amongst all of the crap you really don't care about.

When the Islam posts get to you, when you become overly annoyed with the
constant bickering in threads that began as on-topic and wandered off, when
the purposeless crossposting trolls foul your mood, walk away.

Take a break.

Tomorrow there will be new topics to explore.

dwight

 

Well, those of us who responded over the top should be the ones. It's
nice to put [OT] in front of a subject line, tho.
Interesting theory; I wouldn't dispute it.

Quite. For some of us at some times, NG posting can be addictive, or
avoiding going out and doing something.

I came here not for chit chat, but real help. I got it. And I do chit
chat and chide at least my share.

Good practice. And thanks for not getting bent out of shape over the
howls. I hope you find value here. Sorta an exercise of the wheat and
chaff thing, if you will.