[email protected] How have things changed?
 

Checking back in after a few months of no log-ins, and just now registered. So how have things changed? Are people nicer? A lot fewer trolls? Better advice? What do you think?
Ciao
Sia

Sia,
What do you mean by "no log-ins"?

Slow. Boring. My computer at work got changed, and the old password did not work, had to re-register using a similar name. Same questions repeated over and over, and nobody dares to say: do a search. But the people here are still very helpful.

Less BS (some still, but much less...). Loved it.

Actually things are pretty civil until someone uses the "F" word. Oh yeah, the "F" word refers to France. It seems the mere mention of this country turns otherwise normal human beings into raving lunatics, no matter which side of the aisle they come. If you can refrain from getting involved in the France/anti France name-calling posts and stick to messages about travel, there actually is a lot of information to be gleaned here. If you want a written version of the Jerry Springer show, go to the posts that refer to France, anti/pro-Americanism and see the venom for yourself. All that's missing are the thrown chairs.

It's just not the wild west it used to be. But that was only one of the things I enjoyed about this forum.

I would say people are a little bit nicer, there are definitely fewer trolls, and the advice is excellent, as always. There is still humor, but not as out there as before. The Europe board is still pretty quick moving, but Asia and Latin America have really slowed down a lot since registration.

And I do not miss some of the sicko persecution that was getting kind of scary.

I agree with Marilyn. Before, some people were getting really nasty...so much so that I hesistated to offer my opinion at times (even though no one really knew who I was, but the way some people reacted felt so mean-spirited at times.) I think people have been much kinder (as they should be) since registration.

Sia.... Overall, I'm pretty dissappointed with the board. Way too much snipping and useless appends. I'm thinking of dropping off....

I miss Elvira. Come back!!

Still the most useful overall travel board in existance. The sheer volume of archived info is amazing to me.

As a new fodorite I've obviously missed out on some "interesting" postings but I have to say that at least here you can express and open opinion without the fear of being "deleted" as another travel site does when your travel philosophy or experience doesn't agree with the "web-master's"!!

Sia, I appreciate the change. I check the site out nearly every day and read a few posts of interest on the Europe board. I have not read ANY overtly nasty posts since registration. In the months preceding registration I could tell just from reading the subject line which posts would attract the trolls and avoided reading many. Some of the most innocent questions garnered such vehement comments it ceased to be a relaxing place to experience a virtual vacation or daydream and instead became the mirror into troubled souls.

I was a "victim" of such a slam when I posted a question about the Scavi tour at the Vatican and made (what I thought was) a self-deprecating remark about the relative importance of my question. One troll jumped out from under his/her bridge to enlighten me about current events and malign my choice in vacation destinations. In my response I questioned Fodors for its apparent lack of concern with the increase in virulent, off-topic posts. I guess they listened.

Re: "Still the most useful overall travel board in existance"

And, IMO, also the best design of any travel message board I've seen.

Best designed, I dunno. It's certainly an improvement over what we had before. But certain things such as being able to edit your posts would be nice.

Since registration have missed the trolls. Not the mean-spirited ones, but the ones who injected a great sense of humour to the site

I have noticed that I've been pretty testy lately.

RAR, if you preview your reply you can edit it. Once you've actually posted on the board, how could you edit it?

I'm no computer whiz, but it would seem to me that if you could edit your posted reply you could also change other things on the site, no? I suppose there is some way to control this, but it would seem pretty complicated.

I, for one, am pleased with the recent improvements fodors has made -- the preview option, the jump to most recent post option -- these are very handy. But being able to pull up all threads you've posted on by clicking on your name is the best!

Most message boards have an edit function that let you go back and correct grammar/spelling mistakes that you may have overlooked, or to add info you forgot about. But you can only edit posts made by your account.

Interesting. I have never gotten hooked on any other forums or chat rooms. Fodors is my first and so far only addiction, so I have nothing to compare it with.

I think the decision to not allow editing of posts that have already been made was deliberate. It was brought up before. Something about if you could edit posts AFTER people have responded to it, then this becomes possible:

I post an offensive message,
hundreds of people respond negatively,
I edit my message to say I think people should help blind old ladies cross the street.

Now, the hundreds of people look like idiots. I think that's the rationale behind not allowing editing of posts after others have seen them.