The old days (was Re: Why are Potter-Haters Still Here? (Ranting)

[potioncat]

> Geoff:
> I would respond by saying, don't give up on Main. There are many of 
> us who think positively about the books who are still around.


Potioncat:
I second that.

Geoff:
> I think some of the present problems date back to the publication 
of 
> HBP in 2005. At that time, there seemed to be a sea change on the 
> group and instead of a wide swathe of threads running in parallel - 
> often short and sometimes humorous, we began to get long, deep 
> threads about Snape, Horcruxes and the manner of Dumbledore's 
> death. One recurring problem is what I have been credited with 
> defining as the "tennis match" exchange where the thread runs 
> along the lines "Oh yes it is", "Oh no it isn't " with the same 
arguments 
> being reiterated ad infinitum.

Potioncat:
Was that also about the time that the list-elves and membership 
decided (after discussion) to go to a 5 post a day limit, and to more 
carefully avoid one-liners? We used to have running gags all the 
time.    

If you're checking in fairly often, those runnging gags can be lots 
of fun. If you're reading everything posted at the end of the 
day/week---those short posts aren't very interesting and take up a 
lot of time.  (But I do miss them.)


> Geoff:
> So I believe that those of us who feel positively about the events 
> should be prepared to hang in and add our ideas to the mix. As 
> far as I am concerned, after my first read of DH, I felt that I had 
> got very mixed feelings. A second read has left me feeling much 
> more positive. 

Potioncat:
That's been my experience too. Except that I haven't re-read the 
whole book yet. I did re-read the last 1/3 of it.


> Geoff:
> I hope, as I said at the beginning, that the naysayers will not 
drive 
> away those with a more positive view. I have enjoyed being on the 
> group over the years. I have made a number of friends and I would 
> be saddened if members felt unwilling to put in their twopennyworth 
> (or more) for fear of being rubbished or patronised by contributors 
> holding opposite opinions.


Potioncat:
I agree. I would like to see the board friendly to both the happy and 
unhappy. So that both groups respect the views of the others.