General Chat

I'll go along with that Lynda.

I am sure that any newbies will head toward the other boards in time......lots of idle chat on the other boards by those who profess to be genealogy board purists. I can't be bothered flitting from one board to another too often these days.

If someone needs help and there is no-one about, I will give it to them. Maybe one day someone will come up with a decent phrase that will not seem so officious when directing newbies to other boards......hasn't happened yet in my opinion.




Edit.....wow...in the time it took for me to write that....loads more posted

LOLOL Stephen...me , wicked? never ! ;-)

By reading the comments above, it looks like we all use the boards to suit our own purpose, some only use long running threads, where others never tread :-)I've seen that some people only use the site to chat, and don't even do family history, so it's each to there own it seems, and that's why I don't think it matters that folk ask for family tree help on here, after all it is a genealogy site, it all adds to the pot :-D

I know what Ann and Stephen mean about staying away from the battles... but for me personally I would see that as 'giving in' lolol.

Ann you've always posted a lot of 'your own' threads as well as being on those by other people, and some of the long running ones... but I do see a lot of names on the long threads who never post their own threads...I'm not saying they should, or 'have' to, but it would add a bit more 'variety' if they did perhaps? :-D

Well, I post on several long running threads and also put up new threads and post on others. I don't think there are many who don't emerge from the long threads. Mainly those that stay on those threads do so to avoid the trouble that bubbles up occasionally.

Rose,
I agree re changing the order on 'board summary' and suggested as much on......the suggestions board (how very sensible of me LOL) but the idea was poo pooed by another mere member. Cheek of it! :-|

Apart from being away, I haven't posted much on GENERAL CHAT for a few weeks because the board was over-run with threads complaining about the changes with some new posters being downright rude.

I can't say I've noticed too many requests for genealogy help on general but I did pm someone a record recently because it was likely to be living person/s. This was opened while the enquirer was still active on their thread but did I receive a simple 'thanks' for what transpired to be helpful? Did I 'eck as like! :-| :-| :-| No more help from me madam!

Newcomers don't join in on 'short threads' trust me, I post on them.

Members generally stick with who they 'know' and it is hard to break through that.

I would suggest that the fault partly lies with GRs listing of the boards... people new to the site would benefit if the listing went:

1) Find Ancestors
2) Living relatives
3) Genealogy chat

and then the other boards following .... ie the boards most relevant to site purpose coming first.

I don't think the odd genealogy query will kill this board, but I would like to see more varied postings... absolutely no offence meant to the long running threads that people post on, but I think the way to keep the board moving is for more of us to sometimes come out of those threads to post 'topics' that those who don't visit those threads, particularly newbies, can add to.

I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with the long threads where members chat, not at all, just that many who join in on them never post their 'own' thread...and often I think newcomers won't join in a 'chat' but would respond to a shorter 'topic' thread ,if you see what I mean
:-D :-D

edit: I think when I joined and for the first few years there seemed to be more 'short topic threads' which kept the board moving faster and gave everyone a chance to spot something that interested them .

If GR had done what they promised when the boards were redesigned, then look up threads would have been moved.

So in the first few weeks/months, regulars were trying to persuade posters to repost where intended, only to have someone else come in and provide the look up.

Accusations aside of being Board Police, its a case of, if the propriators aren't bothered, why should we do their job for them? (however irritating it might be)

AnninGlos

My thought exactly ! :-)

Joy, yes that was better. I sometimes wonder if people don't look closely. Genealogy and General are very similar if you are in a hurry.

Ann, What do GR have designsated pages for such as Finding Ancestors, Finding Living Relatives, Announcements, Success Stories, if not to use for that purpose. So, yes I agree with you. The title of this page is General Chat, not Geneology Chat. Why cannot people differentiate between them all. This page is supposed to be for people who wish to talk about all matters other than geneology. To get away from it, and have a break from it. Not to drag it on.

There still a few of those kinds of birthdays that are posted, occassionally.

Julia in Derbyshire

Yes I realise that general also cover genealogy Lynda but all I am saying is it is not that long since we were told that they have given us these new boards and wrong threads on each board will be removed. Not my decision I didn't decide, Genes did. The reason being that if a genealogical question is put on this board and it is not immediately picked up, it will go to page two, not all people check past page one and therefore a question will be missed. Because most of the helpers are on the dedicated boards most of the time, a question is more likely to be picked up.

I really don't care one way or another it doesn't affect me at all, but it can affect those asking for help.

With regard to the birthdays of people not on the boards and not related to posters I thought that we had decided some time back that we wouldn't put them on. Personally I only respond to the threads regarding those I know or those I know are close relatives of board members. :-)

I wish the genealogy chat board was still called the tips board.

But this is a general chat Ann, most things go, in fact I'd rather see genealogy chat on here, than some of the postings I've seen on here that aren't deleted. I sometimes ask a genealogy question on here, and it's always been answered, once it has I usually delete the thread, or it goes into oblivion :-)

The strange thing is, if somebody posted a general chat thread on any of the other boards I am pretty sure it would be deleted.

People who join GR, and other sites don't always look at all boards though, and as we pay £15.00 to join I don't suppose many people care where they post.

If you think about it, how many people, compared to how many members there are, actually use these boards regularly, not many, some people join, ask a few questions then never post again. I also see people telling others in an off hand way where they should post, and they mustn't post on a certain board, I really don't like that, it's rude, nobody on here is paid to help, we do it because WE want to, if GR have a problem with people posting let them tell members off.

I think some of us assume that because we have been here forever, we want the boards run how we think they should be run, it isn't up to us.

Does it matter that an odd question on chat is about genealogy, I don't think it does, I like answering some of the questions. If there were more threads, then the genealogy questions, like all threads would quickly move off the first page.

I say this, not meaning to sound rude, it isn't meant to be, but a lot of people on here are in there "later years" me included, and some older people don't like moving on, the chat board is for everyone, young, older, and positively ancient :-D it's also for chat about anything, from Aunt Fanny's heirlooms to recipe of the day to my mum is really my dad, and also chat about , has anyone knowledge of where is Uncle Walter in the 1841 census.

I maybe in the older folk category but I like a bit of different chat on the boards ;-) and in the scheme of things, does it really matter?

I've wondered why people keep on posting queries on this board. Looking at the board summary there are 'Find Riving Relatives' board and 'Find Ancestors' boards. For those queries that don't necessarily related directly to either board there is a 'Genealogical Chat' board. I do wonder why people don't use this one before using 'General Chat' :-S

Maybe it's the way my mind works :-D but it would make more sense to me to use 'Genealogical Chat' for a genealogical enquiry before 'General Chat'.

Ann, I do so agree with you, particularly you last two points. I have been there also.
I suppose I notice more because, when I have to disappear to " St. Elsewhere", and then come back, it seems that less and less people are posting on the Chat, than before. Yes I do appreciate it has just been the children's six weeks holiday, and also that people possibly do more things in the summerne than at other times, thus not bothering with the computer.
But, there is becoming a marked difference.

Lynda, what I have said is just my opinion. I did not expect everyone to agree, but I do agree with you in respect of the birthday threads.

Julia in Derbyshire

You beat me to it Ann. Wish i could type quicker.

Emma

Lynda, but that is why we requested and got a genealogy chat board.