Please read and don't take offense

In a split second I've seen a community of smart, friendly, funny people turn completely upside down. People are blowing things out of proportion over nothing. I'd like to say that most of us are adults here. In fact, I don't know too many people in here that aren't if any at all. I'm not here to make enemies and/or offend people. That is not my goal, nor should it be anyone elses. If someone is offended by something I say, they have every right to speak out and ask that I not continue with that. I will gladly oblige, as should everyone else. I also believe, that if someone takes much pride in something they have accomplished here in the forums, no matter how insignificant it may seem to others, we shouldn't insult them and make it worse, like in Leuv's case. I'm upset about the change in the belt system as well, but I also understand why it was done and applaud their effort for that. So what I'm saying I guess, is let's act like adults, go with the blows and carry on in a friendly way. We have too good of a time here to let it be thrown away by something so petty. Take care, I'll see ya all around.

JMH

everybody read "who moved my cheese". .. and then understand it.

i'm down with that JMH

@JMH: Thanks for saying this, I think it needed to be said. I personally don't care a rip about the belts, I'm here for the relationships and code help. The belts were fun, but this forum is much bigger than the black colored pixels in the shape of a belt that could have eventually appeared below my name.

Perhaps I am just not as in-touch with my forum-self as others are, but I see no reason to get all worked up over cosmetic changes such as those that have happened here recently.

Nor would I be ready to drop everything and leave if JC suddenly decided to change the Forum name to "Dev ASP " or somesuch-- is it that important to the community what the signpost says or what the shape of your nametag is that you are willing to abandon friends and partners over a small change or two?

Perhaps someone will say that I have nothing invested here and thus little to lose or be concerned about, but I think I have a lot invested-- maybe not so much in here as elsewhere in and thoroughout the Dev domain-- and I am not going to boycott JC and Co because of a few aesthetic modifications. Modifications which, btw, have been called for since the belts were introduced-- all these people bitching and moaning about how much the belts suck, and karate belts have nothing to do with the technical nature of the forums, and blah, blah, blah...

Or perhaps it's the other way around... I have too much invested here and the complainants really aren't here for community, just are bored and want someplace to complain about stuff... no personal investment whatsoever, and so leaving isn't that big a deal.

Whatever; with friends like that...

I wouldn't go so far.... what made you feel this way??
I think we handled the situation quite well, nobody has really left and looks
like the change has passed OK, in the bottom line.
If anybody still hold grudge or have something to say, this may be the place.

Well said!

J

Perhaps I misunderstood the way people meant what they were saying. I just saw what seemed to be "attacks" on certain members for feeling the way they did about this situation. Anyways, my point was that the members make the forums...nothing else. So we shouldn't let things get to us like that. Like I said, I was a bit disappointed in the change, but I also welcome it as I thought it was also a good idea. Regardless, ASP Free, or whatever it may be called in the future, will always have me as a member, just as long as the good members we have don't leave. I don't want to see people getting into fights over something so small.

So far I know only about Leuvenaar who got seriously offended, and later on
came to "fight" with certain other members because of that. If it would have
happened in thread I monitor maybe I could have done something earlier, but
luckily it looks like this one is now solved.

While any and each of the members is important part and I don't want even one
member to get offended, I still wouldn't call that complete disaster...
Unless there are more cases like this that I'm not aware of?

(what I mean is, that look at Memnoch for example. While his leaving has great
impact on the forums, it's not like the whole community has turned upside down.)

I think it was just taken too far. Maybe some of the things that were said weren't meant with bad intentions, but just poking fun. I just don't like to see people who have made good friends here get into things like that over something so small. Perhaps I am incorrect when I say it all turned upside down, but that is just how I perceived it by the things that were said. Anyway , if it's all over now I suppose it doesn't even matter anymore.