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Are we elitists?

11K views 102 replies 62 participants last post by  mad_machine 
#1 ·
Our system sends out reminder notices to people who joined Sailnet but have not visited the site for 90 days.

Today I received this response to one of those reminders...

I removed their name to protect their identity.

Perhaps we should have a welcoming committee because we certainly want to make everyone feel welcome here regardless of their level of knowledge, sailing experience, etc.

I DO NOT think this person is being overly sensitive at all and take his observations very seriously.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello,

I am going to take a chance and reply to this reminder. I'm not sure if this is an automated message.

I have left SailNet primarily because not one person welcomed me to the community when I introduced myself. I tried and tried to welcome others who were new and received a few nice responses. However, I found out that the rest of this particular community are not very welcoming to folks who are new nor are they very friendly. It appeared to me that unless you are a liveaboard circumnavigator, you aren't worth the time and effort. That said, I think there is a lot of good information at your site but I just could not continue going to such an unfriendly place.

Regards ~ xxxxx (xxxxxx)
 
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#10 ·
Bahumbug! Go away bildge rat! :laugher

LOL just kidding, welcome to sailnet. I'm a relative newcomer myself.

As to the OP some people need a lesson in internet protocall, not everything is a snub & it can be difficult to discern sarcasm.
 
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#3 ·
I never bothered with an introductory thread myself (I don't think?), though to be honest, I'm more of a listener, and generally speak up if something is of particular interest to me.

Any time I've needed any sort of response, I've recieved it, and very promptly and politely as well. I don't think you're (we're) elitists.
 
#4 ·
Gosh, I've been lurking around since 2008 and primarily come here to get info and see what others are doing with their boats. I've laughed out loud at some posts and not agreed with others but never got an unfriendly feel from the place. Obviously I don't post much so maybe I'm not the correct demographic, but I like SailNet.
 
#6 ·
Sounds to me like someone with thin skin. This forum is a lot more friendly than some of the others that I frequent. Not the friendliest of them all, but way, WAAAY far from being what I would call "unfriendly."

The fact is that a lot of people come on here who have a very romantic notion of buying a boat and sailing off into the sunset--everything being easy, cheap, wonderful, and safe. Sometimes those people get annoyed and defensive, and accuse others of trying to "kill their dreams" or "burst their bubble" when they are offered a more realistic look at what it is like, and what is involved. I have to wonder if this person is one of those.
 
#7 ·
There are many bloggers here with very strong opinions. On some threads I can almost predict who will blog next and what their response will be. But I am so impressed with the knowledge base, no other site compares. The strong opinions I think are just a side effect of a group who is so impassioned with the topic. It can be a bit intimidating but so is boat ownership, making a crossing, or sometimes just doing a day trip with fresh wind with friends and family aboard. To do those things; it requires some hutzpah and bringing that type of people together on one blog the end result is predictable, IMHO. While I appreciate everyone’s opinions, sometime I just think, “Meh, my way is better”. You need to be able to do that and just move on.
 
#8 ·
I joined about 15 months ago and now feel this is my second home. Almost everyone has been very welcoming; more than enough to make up for the few that were 'rough around the edges'.

To be fair, anyone here is going to give you a reality check if you're plans or dreams are way off the mark; we are quite free with our opinions.

I can believe that no one replied to his welcome message (might have been really good weather that day; you can guess where most of us were) but 'unfriendly'? I don't think so.

I haven't seen any 'big boat bias' or snark because the member only has a 15' daysailer. I've seen some snark (I've written some of it :rolleyes: ) but always in good fun.

I'd call this guy thin skinned, but that would be rude.

Ken
 
#9 · (Edited)
I am not surprised. Many come here to ask questions and are often treated as though they should already know or how dare you ask.....

Why should some one have to have "thick" skin to be here?

I try to post where I can help, especially where I have had experience, if I cant I stay away and let others chime in. Others not so much, and to be quite frank are rude and obnoxious in their replies, here's a hint, their post counts are usually quite high...meaning they arent out sailing! :rolleyes:

What I find even more amusing about this post is you(admin) sound surprised. There have been quite a few long timers here that have made it quite vocal that this is not the friendly place it once was and have picked up and gone elsewhere.

Personally I like it here, contribute when and where I can and often use the forum for information which it is full of, good and bad!
 
#17 ·
I try to post where I can help, especially where I have had experience, if I cant I stay away and let others chime in. Others not so much, and to be quite frank are rude and obnoxious in their replies, here's a hint, their post counts are usually quite high...meaning they arent out sailing! :rolleyes:

!
I can't speak for others here, but my post count may be higher, and my post frequency increases at this time of year, precisely because Cruiser2B is exactly right:
I am not out sailing.
But he is not right for the reason he may think.
I'm not sailing because I can't.
Here's a hint- the water is simply too hard to float a boat. :rolleyes:

;)
 
#11 ·
I see several of the "old timers", myself included, welcome noobs to the forum so it's difficult to believe that someone didn't get any welcomes, although I'm sure that somehow it could have slipped through the cracks. What I don't understand is the attitude of "no one welcomed me so I'm leaving all the experience and knowledge that is here and going home". Just jump in and start asking questions, or answering them, and join the community. It's not a requirement to introduce yourself and I'm sure many skip it. This is a good heads up though for all of us to take a few seconds and welcome someone new instead of leaving it to "them".
 
#12 ·
I very new to the forum, I did enter a "hey I'm new post" Did have a couple of welcomes. All in all I have received some very good help with several issues. There has been some minor netiquette issues but nothing that bordered on elitist.

I have solved my:

Local vetted waypoint/navigation issue: garmin BlueChart with Activecaptain(don't trust for true NAV for CARIB) but awesome for the Chesapeake.

Found out a great way to have people on board that had issues with boarding a dingy (ladder design)

Need to check my engine curve to find my best cruising RPM to match my prop.

and many others.

Me thinks that the larger issue is not noticing there is a "new user" area. I just bought my first "big boat" and have found boatloads of help here.

rbt
 
#14 ·
I'm a new(er) member and haven't found the place unfreindly at all. I stay away from the politics/gun posts, things may get more heated in there - but for the most part I find a ton of info on archived posts and if I ask a question I haven't seen I get responses very quickly and it is always great advice - even if they just put up a link to an older post.
 
#15 ·
I am one of those jerks who has been hanging around here for some time with a rather surprising post count.
I actually enjoy commenting to new users who have smaller boats or dinghies as I used to sail on such boats myself. A lot depends though on how an introductory post is phrased. If not enough information is given or the post is vague then how should I respond or should I even respond at all? Sometimes knowing when NOT to post is the better part of valor. To that end I ask the admin or OP of this thread to supply us with this initial post with the names changed or hidden - to protect the innocent.

There is also a thing called a 'bell curve' which describes a lot of things in our human world. Many of us fall under the median of the bell curve and some of us are enigmas and fall under the very thin lines at the edges. Not everyone will get the welcome mat rolled out for them and some people just cannot be satisfied, no matter how hard one tries. Without seeing the initial introductory post and how it is worded can I really comment on whether this 'community' missed out on a warm welcome or if that initial post was full of attitude or vagueness.
 
#16 ·
I'm new to Sailnet myself, and I had been a bit hesitant to join at first as I don't actually own a boat, and also I'm from India, which never features very high on cruising plans of most boaters. Still, I didn't face any snobbery and was never made to feel out of place.

Did Mr XXXXX expect do be given the keys to the city and a welcome party? I can't believe anyone can be so thin skinned as to be so upset about an ignored thread as to get up and go off in a huff!
 
#19 ·
I can say from experience there are some fantastic people here, I met a few personally and the information found here and first hand knowledge is a great resource.
Welcoming new people is always on a new posters thread some where on the first page.
Sure there are a few grumpy ol bazturds, but there every where even in the grocery store complaining they have to put a quarter in the lock to get a cart.
But if i missed ya, then Welcome to sailnet, home of the elitists, where were all just regular folk
 
#20 ·
An interesting question.

I tend to ignore the Introduce Yourself threads. I've posted several welcome notes, but those have generally been in other threads when I've seen that the new poster has recently joined. I could certainly do a better job of greeting folks.

That said, I think that anyone joining a web community and expecting a welcoming committee probably has unrealistic expectations.
 
#21 ·
I would think that most browse titles of threads that interest them, not all of them. Some read, some reply. Is it elitist to not read every single Intro post? I don't think so.

Would a new poster assume that everyone read their post and decided not to welcome them? That's narcissistic.

Come to think of it, would you walk into a bar and expect all the customers to welcome you? We don't work here. :)
 
#22 ·
+10 on staying away from non sailing issues. My wife always told me...stay away from politics,religion and BJs while having sociable conversations. teflon advice!

Pretty wild seeing +1000 posters, yet 5000+ posters. I would expect that there are many answers here...OBTW....meaning of everything=42. Which is the name of a boat that I did not run into, mine is called "hallucinations".

I have no issue at all with someone saying "RTFM page 5!". I'm happy, I'll look at page 4 and 6 while I'm there.

Look forward to not running into anyone in the chesapeake/BVI/etc. but would enjoy chatting.

rbt
 
#26 ·
I think the 'introduce yourself' forum is just that, a place to make yourself known to the members, and a well written one can let us know what your circumstance is (old timer/new sailor/wannabe/curious/ etc) what boat you own if you do, just some general info so that when you do ask a question elsewhere, there's somewhere to go to get an idea of where you're coming from as a new member.

If someone answers such a post with a 'who cares?' (note - never happened as far as I know) well THAT would be unfriendly.
 
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#28 ·
I'm elitist and dislike anything new. If you aren't still in the womb, haven't circumnavigated in a canoe you built yourself, equipped only with granite counters and the guns you manage to conceal about your person, then you aren't worthy of a response.

Or something like that anyway :D
 
#33 · (Edited)
Well, I never posted in introduction, and never expected a formal welcome mat either. I'm here out of cruising and maintenance interest mostly, have no political, religious, demo/repub, gun totin, beer brewin interest. So I watch n read mostly, largely keep to myself, jump in when I feel I can contribute from experience, share a little bit o Canadian humor - eh - and hope everyone here is getting the value I am enjoying.

Sorry the OP is offended. Doubt SN or any individual singled him/her out to ignore. Learned a long time ago to grow a thick skin and let all the BS (real or perceived) go.

There is so much value to SN for beginners, armchair dreamers, coasters, world girlding cruisers living their (and some of our) dreams, and I bet that includes those that used to sail, can't anymore but are happy to stay connected to a huge part of their life. SAIL ON!:D
 
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