Seil Chat

I have not been on this forum long and do not have much experience with chat rooms period. However, I have spent some of my lunchtime reading through the forum topics and reading some of the responses. Coincidentally there was a programme on the radio about internet websites and chat rooms, good or bad? One point worth some thought was that chat rooms can be a way of isolating ourselves and strengthening our prejudices. I thought chat rooms were a way of bringing people together; does anyone have a comment on this subject?

Well, these online communities are the same as ordinary communities - there are people whose posts you enjoy reading, and posts from others which make you wonder if that person is really like that in real life, and if they really 'get off' on upsetting others. You soon get to know who they are

There's always the 'ignore' button that Nick has provided if you really feel like strangling a member who always posts messages that make your blood boil.

Most members who post on here are interesting, friendly and amusing. There's always one though ...

Only one...?

Thanks for raising that salient point RubberSeil....

....judging from some of the nonsense on here, I think you have a valid point......

maybe you can ask nick b what the purpose of this website is???

I am not sure myself what the purpose of this web site is can anyone tell me

maybe you can ask nick b what the purpose of this website is???

I am not sure myself what the purpose of this web site is can anyone tell me

The forum is just part of the Seil Online site, grassman.

The overall purpose of the site is to provide information about Seil and in the process to help local businesses that have websites by listing them in the Directory.

This section of the site, Seil Chat, is for everyone and its purpose is decided by you, the users.

If you find it serves no purpose, grassman, then there are lots of other places your web browser can take you. Vote with your feet. (Or your mouse).

Hope this helps!


- NickB

grassman wrote:maybe you can ask nick b what the purpose of this website is???

I am not sure myself what the purpose of this web site is can anyone tell me

You beat me to it, Nick.

Grassman, you appear to think that everything posted here is puerile and stupid. There is a solution - you can always start your own interesting and earth-shattering thread. I'm sure we'll all read it and join in accordingly.

I was not asking the purpose of this particular forum, I think that is well defined by its name: Seil chat. I was questioning chat rooms in general, they can be useful tools but a certain degree of netiquette is required for them to be used in a way that welcomes all web goers.

One thing I have noticed is that interpersonal perception on this forum is very difficult to achieve and maintain because many of the users go from being ridiculous to serious or vice versa and some can not be serious at all. In a climate like this it is hard to feel comfortable when contributing.

rubberseal wrote: One thing I have noticed is that interpersonal perception on this forum is very difficult to achieve and maintain because many of the users go from being ridiculous to serious or vice versa and some can not be serious at all. In a climate like this it is hard to feel comfortable when contributing.

So what you're saying RS is that one has to remain serious all one's days, or be the life and soul?

Surely real life is not really like that - sometimes you see the funny side of things, but there are times when you're more serious? It'd be a miserable and funny old world if one person was always dour and another was continually making jokes.

I think Seil Chat should mirror the way things are in life. OK, there are people here who I'd like to kick round the carpark, but you just have to ignore them if you find them annoying (which is why Nick added the 'ignore' button inderneath the posts).

Don't contribute until you feel comfortable about it; on the other hand just join in. It's not a matter of life or death, the forum isn't policed by Sadam's death squads. (If it is, I'm dead!) Honest

aha !!! - I think we can safely say that "mouse" has been on the 'empathy' course through the Social Work!! - or was it anger management ???

Neither - I managed to get the cheese out of the mousetrap and am full and happy

rubberseal wrote:..... because many of the users go from being ridiculous to serious or vice versa and some can not be serious at all. In a climate like this it is hard to feel comfortable when contributing.

Isn't that a wee bit like the behaviour of real people? I can be deadly serious on a topic which provokes serious thought, flippant, ridiculous, perhaps even puerile when the mood takes me. Thus it is in reality, thus it is in the virtual world. Would you rather we each selected a "serious" or "ridiculous" persona, and then stick with that no matter the topic? If you do not feel comfortable with people who are not consistently one thing or the other, you must have difficulty in the real world too. Perhaps it is time to expand your comfort zone?