So what is the community now?

[AviatorMoser 353]

A community is nothing without mutual respect. Too many times I see members patronize others for flawed arguments, naivety, inexperience with the hobby, computer illiteracy, different choices for addons, or just differing opinions. The worst part is when others comes along and condone that kind of behavior, as if it is acceptable. It isn't. You should never have to resort to patronizing or ridiculing others. There is always a better method.

[Kuragiman 227]

You are right about the "Mine is better than yours" crowd.   I am in said crowd and freely admit to saying stuff along those lines but in defense, it usually never starts out that way.   Someone always comes in tell us why our decision to move away from FSX was a stupid waste of money, hidden in a snide remark about how awesome their FSX/SE/Train Simulator runs and the manner in which it is said makes my fur personally stand on end and requires a re-education of said person or persons.   I was never good at learning what Queen Elsa from Frozen taught; Let It Go~

 

I agree that it shouldn't be about that but no one likes to be told they are wrong when they invest a lot of time and money into ANYTHING, whether they are wrong or right.   I think our problem is we lost the ability to respectfully disagree with each other and give valid points of why we think so and then agree to disagree.   Instead... the monkeys start howling and poop starts flying and we thump our chests and hop around on Samsonite Luggage and toss it around like savage baggage handlers.   

 

This community helped me tremendously get my sim and my overall enjoyment of flying where it is today in just a short 2 years.   Good, bad and ugly, I love it here and really haven't put anyone on my meteor strike hit list yet.   For the most part I still think the community runs like a good machine that just needs some WD-40 here an there.

[propsfan 52]

I think over the last while I've come to the realization that from my personal point of view there is no community in the definitive sense of the word left around here. There's just too much sniping and negativity here for me, too many keyboard warriors convinced of the inherent superiority of their own personal positions on everything. There are of course still some extraordinarily helpful and constructive individuals but they are hugely outnumbered. It's a shame. I'm gonna take up programming instead.

[Psybear 23]

Like any other group I've ever encountered, be it social, business, athletic, religious, etc., it's always the same. After a while, if you are paying attention, you learn who can help you, who you can help and those ever present individuals who you should avoid.

 

The vast majority of flight sim related sites I participate in are very focused on a particular product group. For the most part they are communicative, helpful and friendly. They are like little cafes that are charming and intimate. That said, there are maybe only 10-15 folks who stand out as reliable on any consistent basis.

 

Then there is Avsim. It's sort of like walking into a big brash bar in a big brash town. You'll get the latest news, maybe you get the drink you ordered made right, maybe you meet a girl or maybe you just get into a fight.

[Ebs 114]

from my personal point of view there is no community in the definitive sense of the word left around here. There's just too much sniping and negativity here for me, too many keyboard warriors convinced of the inherent superiority of their own personal positions on everything.

 

Just over a month in and you're already leaving?!

 

Matthew, what you're describing pretty much sums up every single web community out there and (without wanting to get too crass) Humanity as a whole. You're always going to get the selfish idiots who do everything they can to try and ruin your day, it's doesn't matter if it's this community, Graphics cards (seriously, check out nVidia's forum), World of Warcraft...Social networks...You've seen YouTube comments right?...doesn't matter where you go, Each community has their good members and their bad. I think a lot of it comes down to trying not to take things too personally. Since the Internet really took off, a common saying has been "Anonymity + Free Speech = complete A******" and you've got to admit that it's true.

 

The only thing you can rely on is the moderators of a particular community. The mods here sometimes take some flak from elsewhere for their perceived 'heavy handedness' but at the end of the day, with as many members as AVSIM has, sometimes you have to be a bit stricter than normal or it all descends into chaos and the "keyboard warriors" take over. That's the last thing we want!

 

I've just checked out your site where you mention moving on to learn programming and sure, that's a great and productive hobby but I do it for a living and unwind with Flight Sim and there's no reason why you can't do the same. if the website is taking up too much time then quietly retire it but carry on simming! There are plenty of news sites out there but it's always sad to see a level headed, new member leave so soon.

 

and by the way, I wouldn't start with C++ starting out. Give Python a go!

Anyway, don't make any rash decisions just yet. At the very most, take a break and come back in a month.

EDIT: Psybear posted a second before me...

Then there is Avsim. It's sort of like walking into a big brash bar in a big brash town. You'll get the latest news, maybe you get the drink you ordered made right, maybe you meet a girl or maybe you just get into a fight.

 

That is brilliant!

[Poppet 708]

 

 

You'll get the latest news, maybe you get the drink you ordered made right, maybe you meet a girl or maybe you just get into a fight.

That pretty much sums up life really 

[HiFlyer 9,359]

That pretty much sums up life really 

 

Big brash towns are not nearly as dangerous if the sheriff and deputies are diligent.

 

I think the deputies here keep order pretty well, and the streets are fairly safe for children and womenfolk.

 

Unfortunately we will need a new Sheriff.  :(

[propsfan 52]

Just over a month in and you're already leaving?!

I won't retire my account or anything, just fade into the background while I concentrate on something new. Perhaps I should follow your advice regarding C++ and Python but I won't, even though I know it's solid well intentioned advice for which I thank you SIr!  I like the idea of taking on what to me represent bigger challenges because the payoff on getting to the point you've set for yourself as the point at which you'll have succeeded, is commensurately great.

 

Unfortunately you are undoubtedly correct in your assessment of online communities in general. There are still many helpful contributors (you all know who you are) in this community for whom I have the utmost respect, including the mods around here, I don't envy them their difficult jobs. There are unfortunately more of the unhelpful variety (I doubt you know who you are). I tend to be someone who believes rational conversation and action should be able to surmount any problem, alas it is not, I don't deny that reality but the idealism is still strong in this one. Idealism however is, more often than not, disappointed as is the case here.

 

Thanks folks!

Edited May 22, 2015 by n4gix
Trimmed excessive quote.

[Steve Dra 7,588]

 

 

we thump our chests and hop around on Samsonite Luggage and toss it around like savage baggage handlers.   

 

Hey Brian,  I'm old enough to remember that commercial when it aired.  And looking it up to replay it on you tube (everything's on you tube), it was actually an American Tourister commercial, hehe.  But, I was totally with you on the Samsonite because it sounded so right.  There is even a website that talks about how everyone mixes the companies up, and in a twist of fate...according to Wikipedia:

"In 1993, American Tourister was acquired by Astrum International, which also made Samsonite luggage.^[4] Astrum was renamed the Samsonite Corporation two years later.^[5]"

 

So, retroactively, it WAS a Samsonite commercial!  

 

As for this post, I feel a community can consist of many "factions", and they will be prone to in-fighting. However, when someone or something endangers the community, they will put their differences aside and fight for the common cause.

Good example was when I was in the Navy (no pun intended, hehe).  In the states, if I walked into a bar with my Navy buddies and there were groups from other armed services there, you can bet there would be some friction.

But, overseas, if we were all in the same bar and any service member was in danger from the locals, we stood together as Service Members. 

 

I would imagine that if there was something that endangered all of flightsim, we'd ban together.  :smile:

[HiFlyer 9,359]

 

 

I would imagine that if there was something that endangered all of flightsim, we'd ban together. 

 

Alien attack!!!!

[compilot16 13]

I just feel that sometimes because we are a small community that things say can feel a bit more personal, unlike some of the other communities mentioned above, other than that I love Avsim, due to it being a highly valuable resource for any flightsim information.

[Jimmy RFR 406]

 

 

Alien attack!!!!

 

Your voice is all detached on a radio-wave breeze
We have another caller with a Bachelor's degree
Talkin' alien invasion as the only chance for unity
Well, sorry to interrupt you, caller
But that's a physical impossibility...

(Tragically Hip - Emperor Penguin)

 

Sorry, couldn't resist. :blush:

[Holdit 551]

For perspective, you might try taking a look at the newsgroup alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim . AVSIM will look like  a haven of fluffiness, happy thoughts and group hugs in comparison.

[Jimmy RFR 406]

For perspective, you might try taking a look at the newsgroup alt.games.microsoft.flight-sim . AVSIM will look like  a haven of fluffiness, happy thoughts and group hugs in comparison.

 

Oh my gosh... or just alt.anything even!

[HiFlyer 9,359]

Your voice is all detached on a radio-wave breeze

We have another caller with a Bachelor's degree

Talkin' alien invasion as the only chance for unity

Well, sorry to interrupt you, caller

But that's a physical impossibility...

(Tragically Hip - Emperor Penguin)

 

Sorry, couldn't resist. :blush:

 

*waggles eyebrows*