Participating in IIS

skwinty (Steve) · #1 18-02-2008, 08:53 PM

Hi All
What is expected of a person who is not Australian and wishes for meaningful participation in this forum.
I have been a member of this forum for a few months now and have to date posted 40 messages.
I get the distinct impression that as I am not Australian I am not considered worthy of participation .

For example, I posted 4 attachments on various issues where i felt that certain detail as stated by members was incorrect. I had 35 downloads of the attachments and not one reply or comment in return. I was hoping that the time i spent collating these attachments would elicit something in return, even if it was a rebuttal.

It seems to me that to elicit a response one has to either praise someone or indicate displeasure at sarcasm or facetious attempts at humour.

I find it a real pity as started out enjoying the IIS experience but am now asking myself whether I should participate any further in what appears to be a cul de sac.

I hope this does not come across as puerile but rather a questioning of the validity of my contribution.
Kind Regards
Steve

erick (Eric) · #2 18-02-2008, 09:01 PM

Hi Steve

I'm sorry if you feel there has been a lack of response to your input. I just checked and I believe that you have started one other thread before this one. That thread seemed to give you quick and useful response on the questions you asked.

Perhaps try starting new threads with issues and ideas, rather then adding to an existing thread. I know that I look more closely at new threads then older threads that are still wandering along via all sorts of tangents. New threads may get viewed by more members and therefore responses?

Just my thoughts.
Eric

matt · #3 18-02-2008, 09:05 PM

Hi Steve.

I can assure you that your location/nationality are not used in any way as a measure of your 'worth' here at IIS. We have members from all over the globe who happily participate on this site.

Sorry you are feeling ignored. I'm sure it's not intentional.

Just keep posting away and joining in threads.

People will get familair with you and then it's a case of regular posting.

As far as the sarcasm or facetious humour goes? That can sometimes just be the Australian way of having a laugh. It's in our nature to be irreverent and our wit can at times border on the robust! As they say in the classics...'we mean no harm'.

Welcome....

iceman (Mike) · #4 18-02-2008, 09:06 PM

Hi Steve
I'm sorry you feel that way, but in no way does being an Australian count towards any favouritism. In fact we have many members from the US, UK, New Zealand and elsewhere who participate actively.

In fact I'd love to see more participation from our other southern-hemisphere counterparts in South Africa.

There are hundreds of new posts every day on IceInSpace, and sometimes threads get missed and questions don't get replied. Don't take it personally and don't give up.

IceInSpace continues to grow and there'll always be a lot of fresh faces with questions and just as many fresh faces with answers - whether they're from Australia or anywhere else.

I look forward to your continued participation!

How's the 12" on EQ6 going anyway? Have you got the rings sorted yet?

skwinty (Steve) · #5 18-02-2008, 09:13 PM

Hi Eric and Matt

Thanks for your response.
Please understand that I am not looking for apologies or sympathy.
I just want robust debate. Being South African I have had the apology scenario up the Ying Yang for the last fifteen years.
I would just like to know that if i post a technical reply or attachment, that the people who download it at least say something otherwise i dont want to go to any trouble to do it again.

Kind Regards
Steve

norm · #6 18-02-2008, 09:22 PM

Welcome to the forum Steve

xelasnave · #7 18-02-2008, 09:30 PM

Hi Steve sorry if I missed a debate on something

pick a subject I will happily share my opinions and I will have one you can bet

.

I feel embarrassed that we could be seen that way cause we are not ...at least we feel that about ourselves

... and so I say we have good hearts and I am happy that you shared your feelings so we may see ourselves as other do.

It hits me hard because we think we are friendly and outgoing as a nation

.
It is all good

.

alex

matt · #8 18-02-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skwinty

Hi Eric and Matt

Thanks for your response.
Please understand that I am not looking for apologies or sympathy.
I just want robust debate. Being South African I have had the apology scenario up the Ying Yang for the last fifteen years.
I would just like to know that if i post a technical reply or attachment, that the people who download it at least say something otherwise i dont want to go to any trouble to do it again.

Kind Regards
Steve

Ah well. What can you do?

sheeny (Al) · #9 18-02-2008, 09:44 PM

G'Day Steve,

I'm sorry if you're feeling like you don't fit or don't belong. I'd be even sorrier if you felt it wasn't worth participating in IIS. I guess it really comes down to whether or not you feel it is worthwhile for you.

Being an aussie site of course there's a strong aussie contingent, but I think we'd all lose if it degenerated into a closed shop. There's a quite a lot of traffic on IIS these days, so I know I have backed off on the number of threads I reply to. Basically these days I'll post if I have something to offer (i.e. start a thread) or I can help someone or I disagree with what's been written. If previous posts cover basically what I want to say (i.e. I'm not offering something new) then I refrain from posting unless I feel quite strongly about it. I dunno, but maybe there are others doing the same thing... so I wouldn't assume that since you didn't get any replies that you're being excluded. I'd be pretty appalled if I thought anyone was being excluded because they weren't aussie, and I'm sure Mike would be the same!

I know I've offered up threads and posts sometimes that I've thought might get a good response (one way or the other!

) only to have them die pretty quickly. I think it's largely due to the amount of traffic on the site. It's not practical to respond to every thread, I don't even come close to responding to every thread I read!

I guess it comes down to what you're looking for from the forum.

If the forum doesn't give you want you are after, then I suppose you have to do something about it - either suggest an improvement or, if that doesn't work, move on to look for something to fill your need.

I enjoy hearing about and seeing what people are doing all around the world - the internet is such a fabulous tool for that. I can't come to terms with someone being excluded cause they aren't an aussie... certainly not by me, and I think a lot of people here would feel the same (I hope so!

).

Hang in there mate! I hope to see you around the forum fo a while yet!

Al.

PS Man, I type too slow...

... no one had responded when I started this!

skwinty (Steve) · #10 18-02-2008, 09:53 PM

Hi Mike
With regards to my 12" Gso. Yes i do have the rings now although even with a hargreaves strut still a bit wobbly. Looks like i will have to try and strengthen the dovetail / ring attachment some how.
Have still not cut off 5cm from the ota as I am waiting for the 5cm focus extender and pillar extension from Steve at MyAstroShop. I dont want to cut and not be able to use visually hence the waiting for all bits and pieces.
Thanks to all for you recent encouragement to persevere on this forum.
I shall do that and post on in anticipation.
Any replies are welcome even if they state that i am horribly wrong. Then we can debate the issue.
Kind Regards
Steve

Kal (Andrew) · #11 18-02-2008, 10:18 PM

The only way that I can see someone who is not Australian feeling isolated is if they don't understand the 'culture' of this forum. I'm sure I speak on behalf of 99%+ of the forum members when I say that member location, be it Australian or overseas, has no bearing on how you treat them. The internet is a great way to break down borders and distance!

However, these forums most certainly do have an Austalian nature to them in that the members, while brought together here with a common passion for astronomy, quite often are here simply to socialise and will often post in threads with not only useful information, but with humour, sarcasm, and to use an aussie term, 'just mucking around'

While it is still a valuable resource for the astronomy community, it is also a place where I'm sure alot of people come on every single day to 'spend some quality time' with some chit chat type discussion

Perhaps you have a preconception of what to expect from these forums and because your experience doesn't mirror this preconception you feel isolated?

Outbackmanyep · #12 18-02-2008, 10:30 PM

I have often thought that you really don't get to know the people on the forum until you get to meet them.....and that's what i hope to achieve at the next IISAC, as for participation it takes a while to get the "feel" of the place and i have had many interesting discussions that have helped bond to the people here......it's great!!

skwinty (Steve) · #13 18-02-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skwinty

For example, I posted 4 attachments on various issues where i felt that certain detail as stated by members was incorrect. I had 35 downloads of the attachments and not one reply or comment in return. I was hoping that the time i spent collating these attachments would elicit something in return, even if it was a rebuttal.

Steve

Hi Outback
This is the reason i posted the way I felt.
Of course i feel isolated as i am far removed from Australia and in South Africa I have yet to find a forum as active as IIS. I enjoy reading all the posts be they chit chat or serious topics. I post these attachments in the thread in which the issues arise. Some of the posted attachments were in response to comments made by members in that thread. I just felt that a lot of thought and effort went into collating those attachments and then having them ignored was frustrating. I would like to hear the thoughts of the members who downloaded the attachments. They may well disagree or think them worthless but it would be nice to get some feedback otherwise what's the point.
Kind Regards
Steve

PS I would love to visit Australia and meet some of you guys but unfortunately that is unlikely to happen given my financial position.
I would rather spend a huge amount of money on a PME and Tak refractor.

Kal (Andrew) · #14 18-02-2008, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skwinty

PS I would love to visit Australia and meet some of you guys but unfortunately that is unlikely to happen given my financial position.
I would rather spend a huge amount of money on a PME and Tak refractor.

Now this I can understand!

I'm torn by wanting to travel while I'm still young enough to enjoy things (like rollercoasters at six flags magic mountain

) and wanting to get some nice equipment to observe with before my eyesight start going on me

I'm sure I'll find a balance inbetween

h0ughy (David) · #15 18-02-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skwinty

Hi All
What is expected of a person who is not Australian and wishes for meaningful participation in this forum.
I have been a member of this forum for a few months now and have to date posted 40 messages.
I get the distinct impression that as I am not Australian I am not considered worthy of participation .

For example, I posted 4 attachments on various issues where i felt that certain detail as stated by members was incorrect. I had 35 downloads of the attachments and not one reply or comment in return. I was hoping that the time i spent collating these attachments would elicit something in return, even if it was a rebuttal.

It seems to me that to elicit a response one has to either praise someone or indicate displeasure at sarcasm or facetious attempts at humour.

I find it a real pity as started out enjoying the IIS experience but am now asking myself whether I should participate any further in what appears to be a cul de sac.

I hope this does not come across as puerile but rather a questioning of the validity of my contribution.
Kind Regards
Steve

Steve i will admidt I don't think i have seen one of your posts, except for this one. I will endeavour to go through all your posts to find out why, but with a heap of stuff going onto the forum every day, it is easy to miss a few, I know I have not read every post on the site - far from it. There are whole areas of the site I just dont go to all that often.

Zuts · #16 18-02-2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kal

Now this I can understand!

I'm torn by wanting to travel while I'm still young enough to enjoy things (like rollercoasters at six flags magic mountain

) and wanting to get some nice equipment to observe with before my eyesight start going on me

I'm sure I'll find a balance inbetween

I love astronomy but, your eyesight will be good enough by the time you are 70, but i reckon travel is the thing, when you are young, if you havn't done much of it before.

Paul

acropolite (Phil) · #17 19-02-2008, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Steve i will admit I don't think i have seen one of your posts, except for this one.

I'm with h0ughy on this one, I couldn't recall seeing any either, but having gone back through your old posts I recognise quite a few. Keep posting, some images of your country and surrounds would be good....

skwinty (Steve) · #18 19-02-2008, 08:34 PM

Hi Phil
Will post some pix of my gear and location in the near future.
Regards
Steve

Hi Houghy and Mike
Thanks for your comments re an old posting.
Have sorted out those issues and waiting for 5cm focus extender and eq6 pillar extension from myastroshop.
Perhaps you can point me in the right direction for stabilising the ring to dovetail fitting as it is quite wobbly.
I have the eq6 pro and as yet have not found a problem with the alt/az bolts.
Regards
Steve

leon · #19 19-02-2008, 09:29 PM

Here we go again,

why do some spit the dummy, because they are not instantly responded too.

Leon

skwinty (Steve) · #20 19-02-2008, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leon

Here we go again,

why do some spit the dummy, because they are not instantly responded too.

Leon

Hi Leon
Here I go again.
It just shows that some cannot read the posts properly.
I made reference to the fact that I posted 4 attachments over a period of 3 months. To date there has been 37 downloads and no comments good or bad. Perhaps to some a millenium is but a twinkle in the eye.
Regards
Steve

PS rather spit the dummy than choke on it