Well said, Lucy. Second the sentiment. I'm much happier with this board, especially because even the idiots are largely "behaving themselves." There is no particular "free speech" function for this board, so complaints about censorship or "Big Brother" are stupidly irrelevant. The only thing that would threaten the validity of it would be if the only posts that were run were ads for sponsoring interests and there were "censorship" of all pro-competitor comments or criticisms of the sponsors. If that started to happen, it would be very obvious and we'd all slip away in the night.

I'm grateful for the vast improvement in tone here, although I hope the occasional whimsy isn't scratched out too quickly. There's fun and then there's gratuitous nastiness.

And then there's incessant whining, which even registration won't cure.

Yeah. I bet this place shuts down as soon as Matlock is over.

How is it I'm supposed to know something is nasty and therefore not read it without reading it?

I am still wondering why those of you who don't like it here anymore are still here.

I really don't miss the nastiness. I know that I could have chosen not to read it but how I am supposed to know that 3 of the 5 posts were going to be mean?! I now feel like I can participate more and even have a typo or two without being ridiculed and made to feel so stupid.

I do think there might be a tad less humor but then I have read some that were pretty funny too.

It sure makes replying faster since I don't have to type in my bogus e-mail address anymore!

I peruse, but I have pretty much stopped posting. Not because of registration, but because of 2 other things. 1. I just can't take the repetitive questions--Which is the best musical on broadway? How would I know what you would find to be the BEST on broadway? I am going to NYC in 3 days, should I buy Lion King tickets now, or take my chances when I get there? Where is the best pizza? Can I bring my 6 month old to a casino? Which hotel on the strip has the biggest rooms? I just think that if you really are a traveler, you would have done SOME investigating prior to asking these questions again and again. And 2. I rarely, if ever, get any feedback from ANY of my suggestions, and I have been on this board for over a year. So, apparently no one is taking my suggestions, so I gave up wasting my time typing. I do like to read some of the more interesting posts and trip reports though.

I don't see my new posts and that makes me feel like I won't bother anymore. I posted a Key West trip report twice but it never appeared for example. When I tried to find out why I never received a reply from Fodors. I can only assume because I didn't say the right thing about a place everyone on the board here raved about. My experience unfortunately was no as pleasant at this expensive B&B and I wanted people to know. My post was not rude or strange, just my plain facts. Now I'm guessing that perhaps Fodors is turning into a regular paid for advertising forum like most other magazines so I will not take the time to contribute any longer. I'm searching for another travel forum.

I can't imagine for a minute that Fodor's removed your post because they didn't agree with your views!!! Did your post ever appear? Maybe it was too long to post in a single post, maybe it was one of the many times when the system was down. Or did it post and maybe like many others, you couldn't find it later because it had sunk so many posts for lack of further comments, and it wasn't yet indexed in a search function. There are a number of reasons for a post not to be here or be difficult to find, but editor's removing it because it wasn't about a "paid" sponsor is nothing short of implausible.

I agree with Tansy.

Give me the trash talkin' trolls any day.

-darvy

I have to admit it has really become boring.

To Connie who stated "I am still wondering why those of you who don't like it here anymore are still here"....I say it's better than nuthin' at all and it really is hard to leave here after you've been hooked for so long, even if you think it's boring.

Wintertraveler--If what you wrote was too long, it just won't post. It looks as if it is going to, (you are returned to the main screen) but it doesn't. Try again, and this time if it doesn't show up immediately, break it up into two parts. Post the first part as a new thread, "Key West Trip Report" or whatever, then post the second half as a reply to the first. Bet that will solve your problem.

You could not more obviously be a (current) troll. You know this is a "touchy subject", yet you declare that you "haven't visited the sight in over a year"??? There was never any mention of registration over a year ago.

And, that you haven't contributed to ANY of the recent Boston inquiries would confirm that.

If you're gonna be an upstart, you're not subtle.

Since this is the only thread you've posted to "wintertraveler" since registration began, it is hard to imagine why you were even doing a trip report. If you really want it to appear, are you going to try again? Or was that under a different troll name?

OliveOyl--It's good to see your name--I changed my screen name upon returning (Lucy is my Boston Terrier). A lot has happened in six months, including a computer crash resulting in the loss of your email address. Hopefully you still have mine and we can re-establish contact. Alot has happened in 6 months. I'm going to be at the big Time Warner bash at your hotel next month!
"Sal"

I think the board is much improved since registration. The vast majority of the posts are specific and informative.

I am surprised at the number of people who seem to post questions about destinations without doing any research, such as "which is the best Hawai'ian island?" No one can answer that, though some of us do try.

tazlor, people were calling for registration well over a year ago as things deteriorated here. BostonLucy just gave the name she used prior to registration and she was a regular providing good info on the Sarasota area.

Hi Sal!! I wondered what had happened to you. You seemed to have dropped right off the edge of the earth. Hope everything is OK. If you still use the same rr address, I've got it and will re-send mine. Welcome back--hope you can stick around. Things have improved dramatically and the board needs someone who knows Sarasota inside out!

Olive-yes it's still the same, starting with a g. Can't wait to catch up.

It is now wimbledon without John McEnroe.

Patrick-for what its worth, I enjoy reading your posts. You seem intelligent, mature, and not nasty. There are plenty of ill mannered people in this world and I would prefer not to deal with them. And yes, I confess that some of the nastiness is amusing. That is until it strikes close to home. So lets leave it out of our conversations and talk about travel.

(Patrick, on my way to Florida in 3 days. Keep it warm for me, ok?)

11 AM in Naples, 78 degrees, perfectly sunny, and a light breeze. Will hit mid to upper 80's this afternoon. Couldn't be better. But better hurry -- we don't know how long this might last!