When did this happen?

[H. laoticus]

who would determine whats advanced?

I am guessing the mods, although they can get advice on that from the advanced members themselves. There should be a sticky in that subsection informing members what should and shouldn't be posted (sometimes that doesn't work too well as we all know). Any inappropriate or misplaced threads/posts will be moved to their appropriate locations or removed.
My hope is that noobs will glance over the subsection and just post in the main "scorpions in general section" while more experienced members will go to the specified subsection to converse with one another, make more advanced threads/posts, etc.

Heck, the mods can filter out newcomers by the number of posts (although not the best method) in which members that have for instance about 100 or more posts can contribute while the rest (noobies) are limited to only being able to read/observe. If they want "in", they can request access from the mods. As for the experienced members who don't post very often, they can be given VIP access to the subsection by the moderators.
Moderation is essential for this. Feel free to expand on these ideas as they are still very basic and have qualities of elitism although that is not the goal.

 

[Nomadinexile]

My hope is that noobs will glance over the subsection and just post in the main "scorpions in general section" while more experienced members will go to the specified subsection to converse with one another, make more advanced threads/posts, etc.

Heck, the mods can filter out newcomers by the number of posts (although not the best method) in which members that have for instance about 100 or more posts can contribute while the rest (noobies) are limited to only being able to read/observe. If they want "in", they can request access from the mods. As for the experienced members who don't post very often, they can be given VIP access to the subsection by the moderators.
Moderation is essential for this. Feel free to expand on these ideas as they are still very basic and have qualities of elitism although that is not the goal.

These are good ideas H.L.

For the sake of debate, I want to elaborate a little though.

1. That's a lot of extra work for the mods I think. This site works mostly on donation, and I can only assume that mods are volunteers. They have their own arachnids, lives, jobs, girlfriends and boyfriends, husbands and wives, or kids. Maybe I'm off base here, but I don't think we can or should rely on mods for everything. I don't want modding here to become a chore, and the good ones we have here get frustrated or worse move on. Again, I could be wrong about the time commitment needed etc., but there are diminishing returns at some point.

2. I don't think a newbie sub-forum is a bad idea. I worry about it a little though on a couple of levels. First being the obvious elitism which could frustrate new members. Second being, that more advanced members might not go to the newbie sub-forum, and do we really want newbies answering newbies? Thirdly, it would be really hard to decide. There are new people here who are fairly advanced keepers. And there are some people who have been around a while, who still aren't all that advanced. How can you tell someone that has hundreds of scorpions and many breeding success' that they have to stay in the newbie forums? Do they have to answer the same 2 questions over and over before we allow them into the club? I think there is probably a workable solution, but I don't know what it is.

The best I can come up with right now, would be something like this...

Your idea of the first sub-forum being first is really good.
It could be the Emperor/Newbie/Mom gave birth what do I do?/Wish list~ sub-forum. It could also have stickies for many basic questions. Kind of a crash course so to speak. After maybe 20 posts there (something reasonable for those that are new here but more advanced than some), AND, a short "test" of basic knowledge, then you could switch.

Maybe that's too complicated or too much work for the mods. I don't know. Just trying to throw out some ideas I've though of along the way.

I have often though that a newbie forum with the 10-20 most often asked questions would save me a lot of time. I don't want to be rude to newbies, and I don't want to be elitist. I was new once too. Some of the problem is the search ability of some. A list of stickies there with clear titles answered thoroughly would cut out a lot I think. When you are a newbie, searching here is a little tough, especially when you aren't familiar with a lot of the terms etc. That's why I think a big list of stickies would be good. Heck, how to search here would be a good sticky too!

There's my 2 more cents.

 

[AzJohn]

I don't think anyone would need to be kept out. Really a gentel reminder of the subforums purpose and a reminder of were the thread should be posted should be enough. The mods might have to move a few threads but I can't see it being a whole lot more than 3 or 4 a week. Once people get the idea they'll figure things out on there own. Unfortunatly I'm not sure it will happen. Every other subforum wants the same thing. The tarantula folks have been asking of and on for a while.

 

[neubii18]

you could do the natural thing and just blame the economy lol. That's the easiest thing to do in a situation like this.

amen to that!

 

[cacoseraph]

declining academic standards in america


when i was in schools i still scored 99 percentile when i took tests drunk, hadn't slept for days, etc

got (and still get) made fun or or at least teased for using three syllable words


most of the posters on AB are USA'ers

seems pretty straight forward to me =P

 

[Offkillter]

declining academic standards in america


when i was in schools i still scored 99 percentile when i took tests drunk, hadn't slept for days, etc

got (and still get) made fun or or at least teased for using three syllable words


most of the posters on AB are USA'ers

seems pretty straight forward to me =P

The world needs more people like you.:barf:

 

[Redneck]

I sure wish I was here back in the day.. Back when there were more old timers... Ahh... What seems to be the good ole days...

 

[JC]

I vote for noobie sub-forums.

Everyone is a noob at some point, having a separate forum for feeding/molting/husbandry issues would defiantly clear up make the reading experience easier for the experienced users.

There are two major changes at work here that are producing the quality results of the threads here :

1. Technological Advancement-

- Today practically everyone has internet connection. More people have access to forums. More people from all walks of life asking questions.
- It is easier to order stuff on-line, thus cheaper to get a hold of a G.rosea or P. imperator. Most people entering petshops today buy stuff out of emotion not really caring what the animal needs or it's habits.
- Simple/incorrect care-sheets designed for simple people resulting in big problem down the road.


2. Cultural Change/Excess Wealth-

- The emerging American life-style has managed to turn this country into the international crap bucket. The things going on in the minds of the average youth today would make any grown man gag.
- Today if you are in your teens and don't: have a girlfriend/boyfriend,drink,party regularly, wear name brand cloths, watch BS reality shows(The Jersey Shore?!? I would cut my wrists if I were forced to watch it), then you are considered gay,weird, crazy. and an outcast. So where is the motivation for future generations to sit down and read a book about arachnids(heck, or any science for that matter) when I will be ridiculed and laughed at by my friends and mainstream society?

KUJordan, do you want to see a academic revival in this American forum? I say don't count on it. And in the meantime start learning some German and Japanese.

Oh and I blame the socialist governments in America.

 

[J Morningstar]

declining academic standards in america


when i was in schools i still scored 99 percentile when i took tests drunk, hadn't slept for days, etc

got (and still get) made fun or or at least teased for using three syllable words


most of the posters on AB are USA'ers

seems pretty straight forward to me =P

Funny enough, I see we went to a similar school, or at least addressed learning the same way...
After feeling the mental slime and disgust that the intellect of my classmates in high school left on me, kind of slough off as I escaped their influences, I realized the reason I was a freak was not my radical clothes or my alternative look but the fact that I wished to think and grow made me a bigger outcast than if I looked like Marylin Manson in Amishtown.

 

[HepCatMoe]

us noobs still want to learn, and just because there are some tools out there doesnt mean we are all bad. scorps in particular seem really hard to identify. i have read that there are over 40 species in az, yet i have not found an "easy" field guide.

i have found a pretty good academic field guide, but i think i need a magnifying glass to use it. in the mean time, it would be nice to know what species i have, and if somebody wanted to help me that would be great.

at some point in time everybody has to get their first scorpion. also, dont reply to a doofy thread if you dont want to. just reply to the threads that are interesting. and if there are no interesting threads, then you should start one.

 

[J Morningstar]

it's not so much that "doofy" threads anger us, it's that it is frustrating when someone does NOTHING before buying, sometimes a potentally deadly or perhaps in the wrong hands dangerous animal, with no other reasoning than....It was "Bad Ass, or "sick".......
These things are not only depressing, but makes us fear for the future of the hobby and our rights.

 

[cacoseraph]

The world needs more people like you.:barf:

bringing up school GPA's, competing in math and computer programming competitions, starting local bug groups?

yeah, i reckon it does


you don't have to believe me. look at intercountry standardized tests. the USA gets WORKED! you know who my main competition in school was? imports! there was only ONE born and bred american that ever gave me any trouble. there were like 6 chinese (yes, chinese, no i don't mean asian. i don't know why we had so many chinese. just lucky i guess) that could give me a run for my money and one that was smarter. damn you Xi Hou!


the USA is sorta famous for it's anti-academic sentiments in all the obligatory school levels

 

[JC]

damn you Xi Hou!

lol. yeah they are good. Same experience in my school. Like I said, its all in the culture.

 

[Offkillter]

bringing up school GPA's, competing in math and computer programming competitions, starting local bug groups?

yeah, i reckon it does


you don't have to believe me. look at intercountry standardized tests. the USA gets WORKED! you know who my main competition in school was? imports! there was only ONE born and bred american that ever gave me any trouble. there were like 6 chinese (yes, chinese, no i don't mean asian. i don't know why we had so many chinese. just lucky i guess) that could give me a run for my money and one that was smarter. damn you Xi Hou!


the USA is sorta famous for it's anti-academic sentiments in all the obligatory school levels

Intelligence is something to be proud of and I agree it is under appreciated in this country ,but some of your statements make you come across as having a superiority complex. Being smart is important but sometimes acting your I.Q is more so.

 

[AzJohn]

Intelligence is something to be proud of and I agree it is under appreciated in this country ,but some of your statements make you come across as having a superiority complex. Being smart is important but sometimes acting your I.Q is more so.

I my opinion this part of what's driving away some of our more experienced keepers. Good info can be given, but if it's not nice enough or lacks sugar coating, people get upset. Instead of evaluating the content we would rather talk about tone and how someone comes across. We would rather be talked nice to by a fool than lectured by an expert. Some of the best info I've gotten on this sight has been from people who can get testy with noobs every now and then. When noobs get upset at corrections to there skills as a hobbiest it's there loss. For me even a rude remark that makes me a better hobbiest is appericated. When someone without any real experience lectures an expert about there tone or how they come across, well why bother.

Now I'm not advocating rude behavior by our experienced keepers. I don't see it happen all that much. I do see noobs get bent out of shape when corrected, much more often.

John

 

[JC]

Intelligence is something to be proud of and I agree it is under appreciated in this country ,but some of your statements make you come across as having a superiority complex. Being smart is important but sometimes acting your I.Q is more so.

I don't see anything egotistic about his post, only that it show some personality.

I don't mind having more cacos around!


{

int caco, human;

human = 6000000000;

for (caco=1; caco < human; ++caco)

printf("\n%d, cacos!\n", caco );

return 0;
}

 

[Offkillter]

Personally I'm all for constructive criticism,but to degrade someone strictly based on his or her experience level is not what these boards should be about.Everyone can learn and it is in everyone's best interest they do.This is supposed to be a community of like minded individuals sharing knowledge and collective "experiences" .We all come here to be amongst our people, experienced or not there are no dumb questions only inpatient answers.The current noob like it or not is the future of "your" hobby,I for one would like to see it flourish in a respectable manner.

 

[JC]

I for one am all for constructive criticism,but to degrade someone strictly based on his or her experience is not what these boards should be about.Everyone can learn and it is in everyone's best interest they do.This is supposed to be a community of like minded individuals sharing knowledge and collective "experiences" .We all come here to be amongst our people, experienced or not there are no dumb questions only inpatient answers.The current noob like it or not is the future of "your" hobby,I for one would like to see it flourish in a respectable manner.

But, I also agree with you!

 

[H. laoticus]

I'm not one to boast about my GPA or anything of the sort to showcase my intelligence, but I agree with the decline in academic standards. It was extremely easy for me to get above a 4.0 gpa in high school. I would literally sleep all day when I got home from school and go back 30 mins early the next day to do all of my homework before classes started. The essays that were given 2 weeks in advance were done the night before. This went on for all the 4 years of HS and it's not something I'm necessarily proud of as I have come to see what little numbers and letter grades mean. I don't agree with GPA or IQ being a determinant of one's intelligence and defining intelligence in itself is a difficult task--not to mention school works for some and not for others, but that's a different matter.

 

[Michiel]

I'm not one to boast about my GPA or anything of the sort to showcase my intelligence, but I agree with the decline in academic standards. It was extremely easy for me to get above a 4.0 gpa in high school. I would literally sleep all day when I got home from school and go back 30 mins early the next day to do all of my homework before classes started. The essays that were given 2 weeks in advance were done the night before. This went on for all the 4 years of HS and it's not something I'm necessarily proud of as I have come to see what little numbers and letter grades mean. I don't agree with GPA or IQ being a determinant of one's intelligence and defining intelligence in itself is a difficult task--not to mention school works for some and not for others, but that's a different matter.

When we speak of IQ, in most cases we mean the cognitive IQ. IQ is divided into three "divisions": cognitive IQ, social IQ en emotional IQ. At least this division is used in Europe, don't know about the states.

The fact that you are able to reproduce litterally what you have learned is not necessarily intelligent, the fact that you can apply what you have learned in different situations, shows a level of intelligence.