Portobello Matters - new forum

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:08

Portobello Matters is a new open forum, created to focus on the most important issues in the Portobello area. Undoubtedly, the biggest single issue of the year has been the proposed superstore. The development of the Pitz site (and all its ramifications) is another huge and contentious issue.

These, and other important topics, sometimes get lost in the general discussion forum. Portobello Matters addresses this problem by giving the big debates on local matters the prominence they deserve.

I know from feedback that I get regarding the forum that a significant number of local people are put off from posting because they feel that the content has become too trivial. They are entitled to that opinion and I'm sure that we all want our community forum to be as inclusive as possible.

So now you have a choice. Serious issues will continue to be discussed on Portobello Online and it will remain a friendly and welcoming forum where you can chat, exchange news and gossip, post pictures and jokes, re-live memories and much else. The only change you will notice is that a small number of topics has been moved over to Portobello Matters. I'm also sure that, myself included, most people will contribute to both forums.

Topics are selected to appear on the Portobello Matters forum at the discretion of the moderators. Any registered member can post but you may not create a new thread on this forum.

It's a bit of an experiment and if it doesn't work it will be easy enough to change it back. I will now be delighted to hear from those critics of the Portobello Online forum, who tell me that they don't have time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Here's the wheat.

Post by **wangi** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:22

Probably want to punt the Bath St development thread over there too?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:24

Please can I be in charge of the chaff.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:28

Dadaist wrote:Please can I be in charge of the chaff.

Which one's the chaff?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:30

Obviously a huge issue but I didn't move it because I feel that it's a dead issue, since the important decisions have already been made and the building is now with us. That's not to say that there aren't lessons to be learned but I think that's a separate debate.

In the same sense, once the superstore issue has been resolved one way or another it too will be moved back to the main forum.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:35

Bob, I just tried to post a new topic in "Portobello Matters". Its restricted to administrator only. So we now have a situation where some people who choose not to post here are shaping the forum and when I want to post a serious topic I have to post in the chaff department. Its fecking bonkers. Stay off the Pernod.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 12:40

Bob wrote:Topics are selected to appear on the Portobello Matters forum at the discretion of the moderators. Any registered member can post but you may not create a new thread on this forum.

So what happens is that you start your new thread on Portobello Online as normal and if the moderators consider that it's a very important local issue then it will be moved to Portobello Matters.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:00

Its still bonkers.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:03

I know from feedback that I get regarding the forum that a significant number of local people are put off from posting because they feel that the content has become too trivial.

Hope all you critics out there live up to your promise and start to post fast and furiously - now that you have got rid of us light-weight, gossipmongers

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:16

Don't get me wrong, I think the forum is positive experiment. I just do not like being treated like a child. Its an unneccesary restriction. People should post topics where they wish and if the mods feel its inappropriate then move it. Stop playing God.

Can you imagine an institution that has a lot of customers, who enjoy certain freedoms. Suddenly the institution restricts the freedom of its existing customers to ameliorate its non-customers. Bonkers is the word and I'm p issed off about it.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:37

When you sack Porty as a mod can I be one. I promise to behave.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:41

Porty's a Mod? What else did Bob decide last night then?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 13:58

Don't get me wrong, I think the forum is positive experiment.

Great, and I'm sure most people will agree with this.

I just do not like being treated like a child. Its an unneccesary restriction. People should post topics where they wish and if the mods feel its inappropriate then move it. Stop playing God.

If we moved a topic then we would still be playing God. The restriction is necessary because otherwise we just end up with Portobello Online part 2. I don't expect there will ever be any more than a dozen topics on Portobello Matters because there simply aren't that many burning local issues at any one time BUT at least you will now be able to quickly and easily find them. I don't envisage that there will be too many arguments about what consitutes an important local issue but time will tell.

Can you imagine an institution that has a lot of customers, who enjoy certain freedoms. Suddenly the institution restricts the freedom of its existing customers to ameliorate its non-customers.

Only 51 members have posted 20 or more messages. It's not enough. This might be a way of attracting new posters. Let's give it a go.

Bonkers is the word and I'm p issed off about it.

I think that this 'restriction of freedom' is less of a problem than you imagine it to be, but I'm happy to listen to other opinions.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 05 Dec 2004, 14:00

Marya wrote:Porty's a Mod? What else did Bob decide last night then?

Oh - oops. My bad. I thought he was in the inner sanctum but now I find out he's just a grubby prole. Not sucking up to him any more.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 14:21

Marya wrote:Porty's a Mod?

Always had him down as more of a rocker myself. And no, I hadn't had that much pernod.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 19:55

Here's the feedback I've had so far:

Thanks Bob -I visit only occasionally recently, this is a great way to let me (and others like me) focus on local issues.

A Great decision.

That's great Bob, a sensible exchange of ideas on various topics could be really useful. I think we'll now find PAS members, the Councillors, even CC members (!) perhaps, taking part.

I'll post any more I get, positive or otherwise.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 05 Dec 2004, 19:58

Dadaist wrote:When you sack Porty as a mod can I be one. I promise to behave.

There's a mad logic to it somewhere. What do other people think?

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 06 Dec 2004, 15:56

Wangi wrote:

Probably want to punt the Bath St development thread over there too?

Not sure that this thread is dying off Bob. The application for change of use from commercial to residential has ressurrected this as a live issue.
I'm with Wangi on this (mind you, there's an awful lot of posts for folk to catch up on!).

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 06 Dec 2004, 15:59

Bob wrote

What do other people think?

Is this a serious question or are you toying with Dadaist's emotions here?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 18:09

Bob wrote:If we moved a topic then we would still be playing God. .

Bob, moving a topic from one forum to another is a management job. Deciding who can post what and where is censorship. Look at the issue with the flats at Bath Street. You unilaterally decided that the topic is dead as the building exists. Yet there has been a number of posts today on potential planning developments.

John a member with only a few posts decides to write a quite lengthy and well constructed new topic on what is quite clearly a portobello matter. Can he post it in the Portobello Matters forum? No, he has to do so in the general forum and wait for you to decide what is and what's not a Portobello Matter.

There's more: The "serious' forum exists to encourage those people who feel that the general forum is to trivial to post in. However, the only way that they can begin a new topic is by posting in the general forum. They don't have the right to create a topic in Portobello Matters. What sort of sense does that make?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 06 Dec 2004, 18:46

Porty's trouble. Demote him.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 06 Dec 2004, 18:57

A poll

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 06 Dec 2004, 19:39

Porty wrote:
Bob wrote:If we moved a topic then we would still be playing God. .
Bob, moving a topic from one forum to another is a management job. Deciding who can post what and where is censorship. Look at the issue with the flats at Bath Street. You unilaterally decided that the topic is dead as the building exists. Yet there has been a number of posts today on potential planning developments.

Not sure I follow your logic here. If everyone posted whatever they wanted on Portobello Matters then the mods would have to make a decision in each case whether that was the appropriate forum, and move the ones that in our opinion didn't belong there. I can't see the difference between that and what we are doing, except that the latter is easier to manage.

Bath St - the discussion continues but I dont' see it as a 'live' issue in the way that the Superstore and Pitz developments are, because in these cases we still have an opportunity to influence the outcome.

John a member with only a few posts decides to write a quite lengthy and well constructed new topic on what is quite clearly a portobello matter. Can he post it in the Portobello Matters forum? No, he has to do so in the general forum and wait for you to decide what is and what's not a Portobello Matter.

I can only assume that John wasn't aware of the Pitz thread on the Portobello Matters forum, otherwise he could have posted there, which is where it has been moved. (wangi?)

There's more: The "serious' forum exists to encourage those people who feel that the general forum is to trivial to post in. However, the only way that they can begin a new topic is by posting in the general forum. They don't have the right to create a topic in Portobello Matters. What sort of sense does that make?

The idea of Portobello Matters is that we concentrate on a very small number of important local issues and discuss them in depth. I don't envisage new topics each day on this forum and if I've missed an important issue I'm sure that someone will soon let me know.

I'm very pleased with the response to Portobello Matters so far and I'm encouraged by the feedback. But I can't please everyone, no matter how hard I try!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 21:57

Bob wrote: But I can't please everyone, no matter how hard I try!

I would prefer if you didn't attempt to personalise this debate.

So YOU decided that Bath Street is a non live issue on which we have no influence. Yet the thread was still attracting posts. On the other hand YOU decide that the Phoenix House thread (no posts since oct 19) is suitable. (What influence can we have on that one?)

Riddle me this; why do you feel that the people who use POL cannot be trusted or are incapable of creating a new topic (as distinct from just posting) in the approprate forum?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 21:59

Dadaist wrote:Porty......... Demote him.

Why? Are you lonely down there?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 06 Dec 2004, 22:51

Porty wrote:
Dadaist wrote:Porty......... Demote him.
Why? Are you lonely down there?

Not only do I have a newfound competitive desire for promotion, I desire to crush you on the way to the top.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 06 Dec 2004, 22:56

Dadaist wrote:
Porty wrote:
Dadaist wrote:Porty......... Demote him.
Why? Are you lonely down there?
Not only do I have a newfound competitive desire for promotion, I desire to crush you on the way to the top.

Just how heavy are you Dadaist

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:02

Foxy, I think he means intellectually.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:04

No. Your defeat will be absolute.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:04

Porty wrote:Foxy, I think he means intellectually.

Whatever he means it sounds like fighting talk to me :blackknight:

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:08

foxy wrote:Whatever he means it sounds like fighting talk to me.

There is more chance of him and I being banished to an exclusive forum than fighting.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:13

Porty wrote:
foxy wrote:Whatever he means it sounds like fighting talk to me.
There is more chance of him and I being banished to an exclusive forum than fighting.

Should it be called "Porty Doesn't Matters"

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:18

foxy wrote:Should it be called "Porty Doesn't Matters"

Great idea, now all we need is someone to filter out the undesireables.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:21

I agree. Undesirables we do not want in our forum. Purge them.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 06 Dec 2004, 23:55

I have had an idea on forum organisation. We have the capability to have any number of forums or sub forums. So lets make a forum for each street, and within it a list of threads for each house. Then it would be easy to locate, for example, the recent plans by Tesco for a sauna on John Street.

There would be less of a community atmosphere and more emphasis on some areas being nicer than others, and people would know their place. Like on a monopoly board.

If a chat started at your "house", it would be like having someone round for coffee. With each homeowner being moderator of his or her own "house" then unwelcome callers could easily be defenestrated, and streets could organise themselves into a posse to similarly delete unwanted residences.

Thus would evolve a nice neat neighbourhood with a place for everything, and Bob could be like the Scottish Executive, having the final say when it comes to new buildings.

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Portobello Matters - new forum

Portobello Matters - new forum

Re: Portobello Matters - new forum