Cyber bullying

[digitalscream]

If you can laugh at yourself then we can have a good laugh and be friends.

Indeed I can.

However, did you actually read my post in the other thread? It was *after* the guy had started getting shirty with everybody who'd suggested that it wasn't really very good, and I didn't have a go at him at all - I just gave some pointers on where he might want to concentrate to improve, since *improving* was the idea. If he wants to improve, he clearly has to put more effort in.

Personally, if I'd posted a bad video thinking it was the best thing since the fall of Hendrix, I'd want people to tell me so I could put it right and stop embarrassing myself - hence the "fluffing his ego" comment. Yes, I was pretty blunt about it here, but I guess that's one of the benefits of talking about people behind their backs

Just for the record, I also didn't think he was trolling - I just said that it wasn't a massive leap to work out why other people might think he was.

As far as I'm aware, this is pretty much the accepted definition of "trolling":

In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion

I honestly haven't tried to do anything of the sort. In the other thread, I gave suggestions on how to improve (albeit a bit bluntly, but that was due to being in a bad mood and the OP being an arse whenever anyone suggested he wasn't the next Slash), and in this thread I've directly replied to the OP. Not trying to be inflammatory or upset anybody, just talking about things I've already been involved in (since Rocker was talking about everybody who responded to the other thread and those who disagree with him, both of which apply to me).

[Rocker]

If you don't agree with what I write or wrote, simply pen your comments on what was written. Friends can say what they like to each other but this is a public forum not a private get together or jam session.

Frankly it is safer to say nothing or fall in with the general bullshit comments that pass as humour. I am not that type of guy, never have been and I don't think I ever will be.

I enjoy posts about members doing something new, something outside the box. Like building a guitar amplifier. Or a FX pedal. Or the making of a pedalboard. We all learn from these posts. My experiences with hi-fi and music kit [cables etc.] might be of interest to someone. In a similar vein, if someone posts about the tonal differences in power valves - are they classified as loonies because such notions are considered imagined by the poster? Opinions about pickups, nuts etc. are merely that, the opinions of the player. How does changing a pickup on a guitar differ from changing a cable on a hi-fi system? If the user gets greater enjoyment from his guitar/hi-fi does that make him a total bollix? Posting about the results, which could help someone out there, is when one gets it in the face.

As unshockable as I am, I was disturbed by the forum response to the guy who posted the SCOM post. Reading his responses I do not think he was taking the piss. As far as I could see/hear he was playing his guitar and having fun. The helpful responses of some members will help him improve his playing if he so desires but the slagging on other posts was excessive and needless IMHO.

Whatever the official definition of Cyber bullying is, the ganging up on a member [like the SCOM poster] is uncalled for and is bullying. No two ways about it.

[digitalscream]

If you don't agree with what I write or wrote, simply pen your comments on what was written. Friends can say what they like to each other but this is a public forum not a private get together or jam session.

That's exactly what's happened with every thread you've posted. However, this is the Internet - other than the Terms and Conditions of this site (none of which have been violated, as far as I can determine), there are no special rules as to what can and cannot be said here purely because it's a public forum. OK, so there's the whole libel thing, but that's not relevant here either.

Whatever the official definition of Cyber bullying is, the ganging up on a member [like the SCOM poster] is uncalled for and is bullying. No two ways about it.

Could you define "ganging up on" as it applies here? Seems to me that, both in your case and that of the SCOM thread, the only problem was that the vast majority disagreed with you (and in most cases, with considerable justification). The fact that a whole bunch of people's opinions coincide against the OP of a thread does not make it bullying. In all likelihood it makes the OP wrong, but it's not bullying. Unless, of course, those people have conspired outside the forum to work on making the OP's life difficult, of course, but I seriously doubt that's what happened in either case.

Just so you know, I have no axe to grind when it comes to you - if I'm being totally honest, I think you're a bit of a loon when it comes to your cables, but it's nothing personal against you in particular (I'd think the same of Sporky if he said something similar; of course, he thinks the monkeys are talking to him, so draw your own conclusions). Hell, look at the religion threads where a significant number of people disagreed strongly with Manic (myself included) - that wasn't bullying, and it was borne out by the fact that he and I spent a fair bit of the night out in Walsall chatting over a beer.

Try not to take it so personally - as I said, if you're going to set yourself up in opposition to a large group of people in public, you have to be ready for the fact that people are going to strongly disagree with you, and that they're going to tell you what they think pretty bluntly (especially if they can back up their thoughts on the matter and you don't).

[ddlooping]

... (I'd think the same of Sporky if he said something similar; of course, he thinks the monkeys are talking to him, so draw your own conclusions)..

Monkeys talk to me too.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

If you don't agree with what I write or wrote, simply pen your comments on what was written.

Which is exactly what I've done. And in several threads I've pointed you in what I've hoped has been a helpful direction - the MP3 player, when you needed a PSU of a particular spec and I think a couple of others. I disagree with some of your opinions but I don't dislike you - I actually admire your passion (though in some respects I think it misdirects you).

I enjoy posts about members doing something new, something outside the box. Like building a guitar amplifier. Or a FX pedal. Or the making of a pedalboard. We all learn from these posts.

I don't remember you commenting on any such thread though. If you have, my apologies.

How does changing a pickup on a guitar differ from changing a cable on a hi-fi system?

It's quite easily provable that different magnets, different coil structures and different pickup constructions have a measurable effect on the signal coming out of the guitar. There is no measurable evidence that changing mains cable has any effect on the signal coming out of a hifi system.

Posting about the results, which could help someone out there, is when one gets it in the face.

Not true. Claiming incredible results from insignificant changes certainly does attract robust responses - abusive ones I don't and won't defend - because as has been said over and over and frickin' over again it is impossible to make valid subjective judgements of the effects (if any) of such changes on sound. You've also rubbished the science of acoustics, along with my own education, experience and expertise and that of others - this is every bit as rude and dismissive as the behaviour you're accusing others of.

I'd think the same of Sporky if he said something similar; of course, he thinks the monkeys are talking to him, so draw your own conclusions

They don't literally talk to me. It's more like telepathy.

Monkeys talk to me too.

Yeah, but I'm their favourite. Most of what they say to you is fibs.

[ddlooping]

Originally Posted by ddlooping
Monkeys talk to me too.

Yeah, but I'm their favourite. Most of what they say to you is fibs.

'cause you're a banana.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

They're going to peel you open and devour your sweet, sweet insides.

[ddlooping]

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Sorry, I meant "sweet, pasty insides". My bad.

[thereformant]

Aw I missed this one was out playing a gig. Just took a look at the SCOM thread and to be honest the hostile remarks were mostly from relatively new posters. All the forum old timers seem to be providing constructive crtiticism which I think is fair enough.

Saying the pattern of cyber bullying is A - consistently evident and B - perpetrated by those with high post counts seems a little exaggerated to me.

From what I've seen many regulars post some of them are really really great players so listening to their advice is probably a good way to improve.

And you know what everyone fucks up from time to time and when it happens live you need to be prepared to take a bit of stick for it. We've had a previous gig where we were told that it was "a shame about the drummer" in our band because he ballsed up 1 intro and we had to restart the tune. Tonight I forgot how we ended black night and accidently solo'ed off the end of the track which was met with a few laughs from the crowd but you know what, I'm not going to make THAT mistake again