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Very Unfriendly Place
- Thread starter ILikeTurtles
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Indeed! When you have people of opposing mindsets and personalities brought together, you get conflict. That's part of what is happening here.
With the introduction of the iPod, iPhone and iPad, the Apple community has become inundated with new types of people. Prior to the introduction of these devices, Apple users tended to be like kin…a close community, at least in spirit. People who truly cared about Apple and its products. People who saw fellowship in other Mac/Apple users. In general, Mac users tended to have more in common with each other than they did with people who used PC’s.
With the introduction of the iDevices, the Apple community has seen the arrival of outsiders…both PC users and people who are not adept with technology. Even people who had hated Apple and Macs for many years (or still do). Many of the newer people bring their prejudices, hate and attitude into the Apple community. The kind of things that the Apple community had little of, previously (at least within). Now, you are seeing more rudeness, arrogance and bad attitudes within the community. However, things like this always become more common when any community grows. Especially, when a community has an influx of non-traditional users.
The core Apple community still exists. Many new Apple users fit in nicely with the traditional community. However, there are also those on the fringe. Those who don’t care about civility, community or respect for others. Unfortunately, rude people, attention seekers, complainers and trolls tend to be the loudest. Those kind of people stand out.
In terms of MacRumors, specifically….yes, in my opinion, there has been some decrease in civility and an associated impression in the increase in attitude/rudeness. It slowly started with the iPod. However, it seems to have really shot up since the introduction of the iPhone. However, most people on here seem to be normal, helpful, respectful people. The rude people are the tiny minority.
While I too think it's a bad idea, I don't think many users actually reply to get ups. I'm sure some do, though.
Gotta agree with this, after the iPhone this place just exploded and changed, often not for the better. But popularity comes with a price, as we all know. I still like to converse on MR, but I don't frequent as often because it isn't really the same place I joined 5 and a half years ago. That's OK, I know it won't return. And to be fair, as long as you stay out of certain forums, the community as a whole is still very helpful and fun.
I definitely agree with what many of the other posters said. It's probably either boringness (Of what I say) or a huge amount of posts, but most of what I post doesn't really get any replies. Which is definitely fine, of course. And yes, I do not get the thing how some people keep on thumbs-downing everything! It almost makes me wonder what Facebook would be like with a dislike button.
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Agreed. I tend to ignore the comment section on Engadget, BGR, etc. as they are simply not worth having to wade through all of the crap.
Agreed. While it isn't perfect here, I like that the mods keep things pretty civil here.
I've always found the iPad/iPhone/Mac hardware sub forums a lot less friendly than the other community based sub forums (with a possible exception being the Power PC forums)
There are just too many people looking to try and out-do each other.
Although, on the other hand, this place is a paradise compared to any Linux forum, or the rant-only threads at the official Apple forums
There are just too many people looking to try and out-do each other.
Although, on the other hand, this place is a paradise compared to any Linux forum, or the rant-only threads at the official Apple forums
I don't see that having an overall impact on how people comport themselves here at MR.
Since we already have a thread regarding voting buttons lets keep these two issues separate, i.e., use that thread for the voting buttons and this thread discussing people's behavior.
I disagree. The voting buttons do correlate to the overall feel of this place. When you discuss how friendly this place is the implementation of the voting buttons is absolutely assisting in driving people away. It is sad. You can separate the two all you want but if you get a member here that posts something and is down voted a number of times then do you really think they aren't justified in feeling like this is an unfriendly place? Coincidentally, I just had my mini rant about it in the set up thread. A mini-rant that is sure to be deleted but it was fun hearing myself type all the same.
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14632709&posted=1#post14632709
Perhaps its my perspective that is coloring my opinion in this. I do use the up/down voting but I pay very little attention if my post is down voted. Its not even at the point of taking it personally but rather knowing that it really doesn't mean anything [to me].
If people are taking this a bit more personal, I'm not sure what I can say
^ You can't say anything but you cannot separate the two at this point. If any one member, admin, or mod truly believes that the voting buttons (down voting specifically) aren't contributing to the overall "friendly" feel of this place then I would love to see if they can say that with a straight face. I feel, at best, that would be the most delusional statement anyone can make regarding the subject.
But you are right, there is nothing you can do about someone getting their feelings hurt over a silly vote, but those voting buttons are distracting from some of the threads to a point where members are asking who down-voted a post and why in the middle of a flowing conversation. That alone should be a clue that the voting buttons are doing more bad than good. People do pay attention to them, not all, but enough that it is a systemic issue on this site and it should be addressed within.
But you are right, there is nothing you can do about someone getting their feelings hurt over a silly vote, but those voting buttons are distracting from some of the threads to a point where members are asking who down-voted a post and why in the middle of a flowing conversation. That alone should be a clue that the voting buttons are doing more bad than good. People do pay attention to them, not all, but enough that it is a systemic issue on this site and it should be addressed within.
I think people can use the voting buttons as an excuse for the negative posts but many of those people who do, would generally be posting negative, unfriendly stuff anyways.
As for the voting system being a distraction and not adding to the overall quality of MR is a good point.
Arn really needs to step in and decide what he wants to do with these up/down voting buttons. When it was implemented, it was said it was a test, and that a decision would be made later on how to use it or or how to improve upon it. A number of sites I've been on have "thanks" buttons, which would seem to be a better system than the up/down voting.
Actually, forget everything I've said about e-holes on here, etc. MR is a pretty friendly place, I think the majority of people on here, want to help. Others are here to discuss, and others are here to brag how long they've been a part of MR. But at the end of the day, we're all one big happy family!
I see no point in the MacRumors "ranking" system. The more you post the higher you rise. Unfortunately, there's nothing that speaks to the quality of the posts, their usefulness, or the respect and courtesy with you treat other forum members.
I also find it extremely inappropriate that one member is able to change the post of another member when they are quoting them. Typically this is done to "fix" the post, ostensibly when one member disagrees with another.
I also find it extremely inappropriate that one member is able to change the post of another member when they are quoting them. Typically this is done to "fix" the post, ostensibly when one member disagrees with another.
On the story pages the most ranked posts have both a number of up and down votes. If anything it helps to show a balance which I think is a lot better than the total given in the main forum.
The problems probably started when Apple started gaining market share.
I have know Apple/Mac fans for most of my life, but before 1999, the avg fan was a reasonably well informed, sometimes slightly odd enthusiast that didn't usually go out of their way to impress their belief structure upon folks who disagreed with them.
Then the iphone came out, lol..... and if that weren't bad enough Android came out (and started getting market share).
In my personal opinion, today's apple fans are largely following the cues of the former CEO, who got plenty of press for speaking his mind at the expense of other people (or even the facts). ...or maybe folks like to argue about anything? It used to be blu-ray vs HD-DVD or LCD vs plasma. Maybe we'll be seeing gasoline vs electric engine arguments 10 years from now
Anyways, most of these neo-fans are iPad and iPhone owners, so it makes a lot of sense that those are the forums with the most vinegar in them.
Separate the wheat from the chaff. Go in with the mentality that everyone posting flunked out of clown college and lives with their granny and you will find yourself less infuriated by what you read there.
I have know Apple/Mac fans for most of my life, but before 1999, the avg fan was a reasonably well informed, sometimes slightly odd enthusiast that didn't usually go out of their way to impress their belief structure upon folks who disagreed with them.
Then the iphone came out, lol..... and if that weren't bad enough Android came out (and started getting market share).
In my personal opinion, today's apple fans are largely following the cues of the former CEO, who got plenty of press for speaking his mind at the expense of other people (or even the facts
). ...or maybe folks like to argue about anything? It used to be blu-ray vs HD-DVD or LCD vs plasma. Maybe we'll be seeing gasoline vs electric engine arguments 10 years from now Anyways, most of these neo-fans are iPad and iPhone owners, so it makes a lot of sense that those are the forums with the most vinegar in them.
Separate the wheat from the chaff. Go in with the mentality that everyone posting flunked out of clown college and lives with their granny and you will find yourself less infuriated by what you read there.
I've been around a while, and with the influx of users the past few years, starting a little after the iPhone came out probably, the forum has had more rude users, and some posters who previously were very polite have started to get more snarky at times (probably in response to the newcomers who were being rude). I know, because I'm one of those. If you look at my early postings, I was rarely ever snarky with anyone, but I've noticed that I've been making people angry more often the last ~2 years. In looking over my postings, it seems to be nearly an even balance between me making comments I shouldn't have (sometimes because I didn't realize it and sometimes because I just got upset for some reason), and people getting angry because they disagreed with me (which isn't really necessary, but I understand because I've done it myself).
So all that to say, yes, I feel like there are more rude and snarky comments than there used to be, but there's also a lot more helpful comments as well. Comes with the site's growing popularity. Sometimes you just have to take the bad with the good.
jW
So all that to say, yes, I feel like there are more rude and snarky comments than there used to be, but there's also a lot more helpful comments as well. Comes with the site's growing popularity. Sometimes you just have to take the bad with the good.
jW