SANParks.org Forums

Hey MN,

You took advantage of me in a rare moment of openness. Get back on your broomstick

Hey BB.......it is in for a service !!!! But we better stop yelling at each other before somebody shouts "Off Topic"

Quite a bit actually. Let's see:
- a lovely wife;
- tons of information;
- a new hobby (twitching);
- a lot of work;
- a lot of laughs.

(And if my employer finds out what I do in his time one letter firing me....)

I found a place to share my passion for nature with people who feel the same way. I found my best friend aka husband. I've found some real friends and unfortunately just as many who are less than impressed with me So what do I get out of it? An interesting place to browse round in quietly, secretly, with tonnes of good laughs and info

Many new and few dear friends

Henk, thank you for a very pertinent input.

Unlike Arks, I think networking is the centre of the forum.
Even as I write, having a sense of who Arks is, or anyone might be, composes the core of the forum. As Saraf says, it is the reason why we can be vunerable.
There is a power of human connection.

MM!

Henk...apart from being so humbly thankful for ALL that this forum means to me....
wear a yellow ribbon every time you walk the Struisbaai Plaat...see you there !
En bring sommer kaas saam asb.

MM, you may think you have a sense of who I am, but I assure you that you don't. In fact, those few times that you have presumed to "know" what I mean, you've been dead wrong.

Unlike most of you, I'm not particularly "addicted" either to this forum or to SANParks. Yes, I'm an enthusiast and actively support the parks wherever I go, but there's a great deal else of greater importance in my life — SANParks and the forum is not the centre of my world. And while I've enjoyed meeting those forumites I've chosen to meet, there are many other forums/websites/online communities for "networking". Indeed, the excessive chit chat, and the frequency with which threads now get taken over by irrelevant chit chat, has really put me off this forum.

I come here to share information about the parks — not about members' private lives. I also try to share what little knowledge I have, particularly with first-time visitors and those from North America, since often our concerns and challenges in traveling to South Africa are quite different from European or Saffie perspectives/solutions. And while being friendly and welcoming to newbies is important — as well as only polite — the amount of space now taken up on this forum with threads that have little or nothing to do with SANParks and conservation seems to me way out of balance.

Therefore, I no longer bother to look at Chit Chat, Webcams, Quizzes (these were ruined for me by the endless caption competitions), Polls and even Member Activities, since those areas now rarely contain any posts of substance. If SANParks wants the forum to be primarily a social networking site, fine, but that wasn't my impression — and it certainly isn't why over the years I have spent so much time here.

and what is so terrible about making connection

and sometimes a bit of laughter.

Life can be tough and the forum has had its fair share of tragedies. Were it not for the connection between the members, this vital area of support would have been lost.

As for "posts of substance", I find that an extremely judgemental statement.
How does one define "substance"? G*d forbid that people should be too afraid to write because of a matter of "substance".

I personally feel that personal matters — and personal connections — are best left to private communications, email, PMs, whatever. I really DO find all the chit chat and public airing of personal matters very off putting and to some extent inappropriate. I don't come to the SANParks forum to read about the ups and downs of members' private lives.

As for "substance", I refer to posts providing information, advice, etc, as many still do. For me, that's what this forum should be (and used to be) about. It's what I first came here for and it's why I've stayed, but as that becomes less and less the preponderance of forum traffic, I feel less and less interest.

I personally feel that these forums should be focusing exclusively on matters of conservation and information that provides further knowledge about nature and conservation in general and SANParks in particular, as well as a resource for planning visits to the parks — and clearly a lot of the information here is useful to frequent visitors as well as newbies. I personally feel that all the social networking stuff on the forum should become purely private communications, or failing that, moved to an entirely separate area, where those of you whose wish to can network to your hearts content — perhaps it can be called the SANParks chat room. Then this forum could return to being focused on nature, the attractions and activities of the parks, and conservation.

You used the appropriate words, Arks, "I personally feel". If that is your feeling, you don't have to read what leaves you uncomfortable. However, it is important to accept that each person is going to have different needs met and place a focus on what best suits them.

The forum is also a vital community medium. Many fund raising initiatives have come about as a result of this aspect. In terms of knowledge, the forum has served a very important function in creating awareness, often in an informal way.

My own personal favourite is the "Trip Reports". It allows me to experience the Parks vicariously and gain enjoyment through other peoples eyes. It is emotion more than knowledge that ignites enthusiasm and action.

Some excellent points, Arks, and many would agree, including myself!

However, one is not "forced"' to make oneself public property, in fact many "forumites" purposely provide bogus information, which annoys me no end.

On the other hand, the forums are superbly structured so that you can zero in on what you like - don't like it, don't watch it!

You are a valued contributor on serious issues, in my eyes, and have a responsibility to do that, I guess!?

Also, newbies have their place in the sun, and should eventually find the right balance between "work" and "play"!

Really, I thought there was a very high level of integrity on the forum, except where fun was being poked and the angel waffle threads

Any examples, without getting personal to back up your assertion. I believe none of the regulars would calculatedly deceive others.

Supposed sightings of Narina Trogons, of course remain a joke.

I've been around since the beginning and I've never experienced that before. Every member I've had the honour of meeting in person were great people, openhearted and far from providing bogus information. If there's queries bout something reported it's sorted out quickly in a bantering manner.
As largely non-active member I scan through the forums hidden these days and still find it the same.