This is a great place. They allow me even though I don't own a SIG. And I've ticked off Para a couple of times, too. I check it out multiple times a day.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I’ve been here for slightly over 17 years. I’ve tried to keep my nose clean as I’ve always felt like I’m your guest. I’ve felt you’ve been a fair host during this time. Mind you, I’ve read things I’ve disagreed with as I’m sure you have read from me. But, who doesn’t have disagreements with friends and family? However, as a guest, I’ve always thought I should be respectful of your time, money and effort - which I appreciate. And, after 17 years, if I didn’t think it was run well, I’d be gone. Thanks!

My thoughts are similar to BB61's. It's the only forum I frequent regularly; it's my only form of "social media". Of course we have our disagreements; I have my disagreements with my own family but they are still family.
Only once have I had a thread locked or nuked when I couldn't understand or strongly disagreed with the reasons why, but I quickly got over it.

SIGforum is a great place to share experiences and to learn from people of all walks of life and all socio-economic and geographic areas. We share an experience with firearms but most of all we share a love of liberty.

A place with many like-minded people who periodically have different opinions? Almost like a civil society? This is my refuge from all the craziness in my day, & I'm sure many others.
Being like-minded here means there are many type-A Alpha's, and we mostly get along because of similar ethics, morals & values.
When someone jumps that line, it does get called out & deservedly. I'm background noise here, at the same time, the forum is the place I go to to enjoy, even the edge.

Happy New Year to All.

I think one of my first posts on this forum was related to the 556. I had just decided that gun ownership was important, and having grown up in the suburbs of Grand Rapids, I was not exposed to firearms or their care and usage at all as a child or young adult. Needless to say, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after my visit to Lexington and Concord, where I had my eyes opened to all things 2A, and ingesting everything I could about this new community I had discovered. Plus I had recently seen the 556 promo material somewhere and something about the piston "AR" just hit me in the right place.

I googled it and ended up here. My first post was something like, "Hey guys! Have you heard of the 556?! Do you know when it's coming out?!" (Yeah I was that guy.)

The point is, it garnered some eye rolls, and even an "Oh shit..." post from someone. I later (much later) realized that this was probably the 10,000th NEW thread created about that rifle. For better or worse, that thread, and many like it were what Para has once-upon-a-time referred to as "self policed" by a mixture of members who were helpful, snarky, maybe scoffed a bit, etc. It always struck me because it was a small window into the forum and how it often works.

It's not that it's necessarily rough and tumble. It's not that it's necessarily a free for all. It's not that it's necessarily rigid in rules.

The best way I could describe it to my wife was that, if there had been an online forum in the Victorian era, the discourse would have sounded a bit like SigForum. Sure, there are scrums and guys can go fisticuffs now and then, but 9 times out of 10 people come to an agreement and walk away with a better understanding of each other. Members don't get personal. They usually don't get rude for the sake of it. They don't get vicious. They're truthful, honest, and speak their mind almost all the time, and usually people don't cry about being offended.

That doesn't just happen in this world. It's intentional. And it almost always comes down to leadership. Sure, Para, you're at the head of the table, but LDD and Arc have also added flavor to it. So I guess this could be construed as a "Thank you" but it's probably more of a "some of us have noticed that..." and it sure is a nice place to hang, and because of that I love that guys are like, "Hey relax a bit and spend time reading threads before you come in here with your muddy boots." That also comes out of the flavor of the board. If this is the thread to say so, I'd prefer the forum not go ass over apples because some guys can't handle hanging out in a place like this. I know there's not a chance of that happening, but sometimes even saying so can be a way of saying, "this place is pretty awesome as-is".

Also, for what it's worth, Para, a few of us enjoy your film perspectives and I believe there was a Terrence Malick film you said you had intended to speak to. Whatever the case or reasons for your abstinence, when you do step into film discussion threads, it's easy to tell you've spent some brain power on motion pictures.

I would just like to say Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this society.

Jim

I’ve agreed with actions taken. I’ve disagreed with actions taken. I haven’t felt the need to argue about it. Shrug, move on, whatever. Sounds like real life doesn’t it?

You’re a real son of a bitch Para. Don’t change a thing.

Best forum on the internet.

Like many others, I have a low post count, but a daily intake. This forum is really among the best I have ever found, and not only for firearms or Sig specifically. Among my group of friends, I have been told on many occasions that "You're the smartest person I know...". But I come here and I find people that dwarf me in so many ways, intellectually, experience wise, and on many occasions with personal engagement of others with problems and concerns. I don't think that this space would provide that without a conscious effort to manage the amount of interactions that happen daily. I think the moderation is more than fairly applied.

The amount of knowledge on this site is astounding. Just as an example, the thread this week where it was posted for help in identifying a certain firearm by only listing some of the weapon's characteristics, with no photos. It took all of 16 minutes for the forum to identify that this weapon was a converted blank gun into a possibly-firing weapon without a single photo being provided. I just sat back and shook my head. I'm hoping that someday I will have that level of contribution, it would be great.

People do a search and this forum comes up, and they just hop in and start posting like every other gun forum, and I am sure that they never even bother to read the rules or the forum etiquette before posting. Well, this forum is NOT like every other forum, and while spirited discussion, opposite viewpoints and agreeing to disagree are acceptable outcomes, the forum suffers from the lack of respect that individuals bring into it. I don't know what the answer is, except making new users read and take a test on the rules before they are allowed to post.

I have not had to feel the wrath of Para to this point, and if I do, I'm sure it will be due to a misunderstanding of something on my part. But I just wanted to say that I enjoy being here and the site provides continual learning that I also enjoy. Thanks to those who manage it, moderators as well. Happy New Year.

This is a great forum, and I've received a lot of valuable knowledge and friendly advice from the members here. Regarding management, I don't see how this place could be administered any better than it is right now. Thanks.

SFN it's where I get my news

Hell, it’s where I get my recipes! A tremendous group with conscientious, active moderators. I don’t always understand the whys until later, but I’ve learned to sit back and learn.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
So, please, have at it. It's the end of the year and this is my gift to all of you. Say whatever you wish, because I've had my say and now it's your turn.

Parabellum you do a fantastic job running a clean forum. It's no easy task. I know from experience, a forum is a real can of worms. No way to make everybody happy. The new normal of internet whiners who know there is no chance of a face to face encounter where someone smacks them in the mouth.

I hope you can keep up the good work. I would have been burnt out after a couple years. God bless and Happy New Year!

I stepped on it early on. I learned the rules and even tho' we don't agree on things which is normal, complying with the rules is what has to happen (even if you don't want to).

Thanks for a great site for humor and education.

Tinyman

So what happened, did HR have you and the mod's attend a Sensitivity Training class, tell you to get some 360 degree peer feedback for your next review? A month ago Arc asks for input and now you are.

All joking aside....

As others have stated this is a great place, full of genuinely good, knowledgeable and generous people - some having been here for a very long time. I think this reflects highly on the person running it all. Would so many return and freely stay at the home of a tyrant. The number of main topics and sub-thread discussions is quite remarkable, so many that I have never read them all - yet you guys manage them and keep them under control and moving. Of course there needs to be rules and guidelines. With the time and money you have invested in this it is perfectly understandable you would run it how you see fit to keep your baby/dream/vision alive. All that said, I do enjoy your wit and sense of humor. To tell you how to run your board seems akin to telling DJT how to run his twitter posts. He is who he is and is successful in spite of what everyone else says he should do or say. Like wise you and this forum are successful because of your guidance - that is what keeps people here. So keep up the good work.

I'm fine with how Para conducts his forum. Have a safe happy New Year everyone.

Anyone who complains about how this forum is run has never moderated an Internet forum. Plain as that. (I have, and probably never will again, I lack the requisite patience of Job.)

This place is special, one of the very few I would "pay to play" if a membership fee were required.

you get grief? try being me for a month

no one that has invested as much time and effort in to running a website/forum as fine as this has (I would bet) criticized you in a manner which you should be any kind of offended.

ask their credentials .

The amount of triple nickles and tenners that hang out here says volumes . and

its called the world wide web,
if they can not absolutely see the big picture of what this forum offers

they are free to check the entire world for another forum any where near as good.

keep up the good work ,

No online experience is going to be perfect or universally agreed upon. But comparatively this place is leaps and bounds better than the dumpster fire that most online message boards, social media, or god forbid comment sections.

This place also has a much greater sense of community than anywhere else I have experienced by far. That is a testament to how well it is run.

Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by CaptainMike:
Anyone who complains about how this forum is run has never moderated an Internet forum. Plain as that. (I have, and probably never will again, I lack the requisite patience of Job.)

This place is special, one of the very few I would "pay to play" if a membership fee were required.

Exactly. I used to moderate an off road forum. Ever wonder why pirate4x4 is so harsh? Because people are manipulative jerks when they think they are anonymous. This place is run right with not only the right attitude, but the right unique policies. Those policies may not make immediate sense to everyone, but with experience and consideration, always prove out. I can see that they are well thought out. There are times when initially I thought I would do things differently or address an individual differently but waiting until I had the full picture showed me I would have been wrong and the right thing was done. No, I think we enjoy the environment here for a reason. Second guessing how things are done is a bit like moving out of cesspool into a nice neighborhood but wanting to bring a bit of the cesspool with you. (clumsily put to avoid politics in a non political thread)

The only thing I regret is forgetting a rule and participating in trespassing it. The 24 hour waiting period was the most recent one. I feel bad when I do it because I'm bringing a little sewage into the room.

quote:

Originally posted by CaptainMike:
Anyone who complains about how this forum is run has never moderated an Internet forum. Plain as that. (I have, and probably never will again, I lack the requisite patience of Job.)

I have too, and had to walk away. It was the political forum within a larger firearms forum. The herding cats comparison seems appropriate.

Thanks, para