This is quite interesting :-/ Ive been a member of one or two forums (more car related than anything else) one for many years until fairly recently - and they are all the same, even on this one i can see similar things happening!
So although i havent been here for years and years, i feel slightly able to comment as its not long ago that i was a newbie myself, and i can remember it! - and i think people forget that just because your new to here or somewhere, youve not been elsewhere for many years and have experince of forums....
Although im not going to 'have a go' its just how forums are. Theres always a few who have been there longer than others and semingly stick together.
I could tend to agree with the point that certain people post just about anything screenshot wise and it always gets a good response, others post seemingly good shots and dont often get good responses, or no responses what so ever. Its just how it is and nothing i think will change it.....
Also certain people post shots and reply only to certain people who tend to also reply only to them, but rarely do they reply to other people, who may not be part of the 'group' but again, thats just how forums are.
With vehicles it was posting pictures of said vehicle - it could be a shed, but as long as you were part of the 'gang' or 'group' then no matter, it was fantastic! If you were not however......
The sad thing is 'the group' would eventualy start disagreeing, as they felt that because they had been there for so long, then they had some sort of say in how the forum was run, and, inevitably, the bad feeling starts, and the split happens and the rival forum pops up and the original forum suffers and you sometimes, in extreme cases, lose good friends, for no other reason than a daft car forum!!
Ive seen it happen three times at least on one car forum that i was on, it caused such a problem that many leave and never come back, the 'rival' forum prospers then collapses as many realise its just a load of garbage and a way of getting back at other people.
It ruins the whole community, as in where we would have huge meetings all over the country, somtimes in excess of 100 cars at certain shows
from one forum you end up with five or six little gatherings and small groups of cars not connected at shows - but this is only relevant to the car forum world i guess, but the principle is the same, the feelings they cause are the same, if you get to involved anyway!!!!!
The saving graqce on this forum i think is staying power. If you can get over the no response 'period' and keep contributing, reply to peoples posts positively, eventualy you become accepted. Its maybe not the way it should work, but its often the way it does work!
I note Harold got some bashing in one of those youtube threads, but to me he always replied to most of my early attempts at screenshots, with advice and critique, and i thank him for that!
I do try to make a point of replying to a lot of things in the screenshot forums, mainly because the example was set by Harold to me in my first days here - not maybe with harsh bashing, because i dont think that helps people, although if i have any advice i will offer it - but i think sometimes you have to judge the situation and choose your words carefully.
Occasionly i wont reply though because its difficult to appear helpful and at the same time not 'up your own arse' - its a tricky thing dealing with people, especaily with somthing they have put a lot of time and effort into, and be critical, but helpful at the same time!!
I still get a zero on the reply screen occasionly when posting shots or repaints, but rather than wonder why, i think its best to move on and try harder with your next shot! Its not really anything to get upset about
Sorry post over!!
by waspiflab » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:20 am 
). However, many of the posted comments do nothing to help us improve and become more accepting. they just discourage potentially new members from joining. 
