How do you feel about the forums right now?

[Kiki]

The question is addressed more to people who have posted over one year now. If you haven't you can still talk about how you feel about the forums I guess.

I feel like there are battle lines being drawn across the forum. Something feels a bit more icy this year and while the forum is not going through a massive storm, the waters are choppy.

Do you feel this place could be more happy?

[JMan]

YES by far. I'm not usually a happy camper.

[Magikarp]

I'm new but the forums seem good so far. I haven't had unfriendly conversations with other users yet. Nothing too bad is happening here as far as I've seen.

[Guest]

A couple of things need to change around here for there to be happiness all around. For one, people need to think twice before starting a thread and be more aware of things they say that could potentially be misconstrued. On the same token, the users who regularly rip other users to shreds for hasty comments that aren't really meant to do any harm need to chill out.

[nutso42]

Offenses taken need to be dealt with in PM's, not starting a battle in the threads.

[Guest]

[Patman360]

I'm rather enjoying the forums as of late, may be a bit too quiet at times but I guess that's to be expected at times. The enthusiasm for tournaments (New and old) has been breathing a bit of life into the site too, with numerous users getting involved and it's led me to some interesting new album discoveries. Overall I feel the forums are not bad at all now compared to recent months, such as that period where everything became a 'shitstorm' with users leaving and being banned regularly and where every thread revolved around this versus that, etc. (Though admittedly there was one fantastic week where every thread seemed to become inspired and led to some great discussions). I hope the forums continue to improve and that my enjoyment continues to increase. Thanks to everyone for contributing in them, it's what makes BEA such a great site.
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2023
2022

[JOSweetHeart]

[Saoirse]

I think the forums have gotten a lot better than say where they were a few months ago, as everything got rather chaotic and nasty, and it seemed like every thread in the forums were being dominated by a few users. However, it has gotten much more congenial, and the forums aren't being completely drowned out by a bunch of needless threads about is x artist better than y or personal why are you messin' with me retorts between users that for some reason had to derail an entire conversation rather than be settled in private. However, most of us are guilty with occasionally engaging in a petty dispute with a user in public or starting a stupid thread that does little to inspire conversation, though when it becomes the norm like it did a little while ago that is a big problem.

I think at times the forums have kind of seemed like they were in a holding pattern, but recently I have seen a lot more positive energy than negative, as the revival of the games section as well as lots of talk about personal music-making and 2013 albums have focused attention on the music and what people have to say rather than critquing and harasing each other's persona in general, and hopefully that direction is sustained.

And again, yes it's not okay to attack other users, but there's difference between an attack and someone giving a contrary opinion or constructive criticism, and occasionally there's still threads being derailed because of a temper-tantrum over someone criticzing a user's chart or saying something earnestly that's opposite a poster's beliefs or heartfelt opinion or whatever, and it can turn an interesting conversation to a yo mama-like standoff. There's being cordial, but there's also freedom of speech, and I think if you're here to express your opinions you gotta accept someone might have completely disagree with you at one point or another, and if there being completely reasonable and polite there's no reason to get hysterical. Sans vie.

[Mother Nature's Son]