Ok folks, someone has got to say what we're all thinking...? AoS has gone right off the boil the last few weeks. Sorry if you don't agree, (and I doubt many people will get to read this thread before it gets deleted) but there you go!
Well, of course it goes without saying that all of the following observations are "IMHO" - and please can I make it absolutely clear that whilst there is "mod" in my title, the only thing I moderate is the AoS Facebook and Spotify pages, and nothing to do with the forum apart from the music section, where I've had a non-existent need to do any moderation! These thoughts are mine, and mine alone.
So, where do I start? Well, in the interests of trying to keep this constructive and to quote an old favourite "playing the ball not the man" I shall avoid mentioning names. However I doubt you will need to be Einstein to work it out...
OK, well if you've been banned from every forum in Christendom, and you suddenly get an opportunity to return to a well established one, it would make sense to settle yourself in gently, get to know the natives, and tread carefully, no? Blundering in with an obnoxious attitude and creating conflict at every opportunity would not be the most sensible approach, if it was me. But then, I don't have an agenda, or a product line to promote, do I?
And then we have the "tedious" (I borrowed the word from a fellow forum member with whom I have been discussing these issues - and believe me - there are many... has anyone noticed how many stalwarts have suddenly disappeared off the radar - either completely or partially?) "let's post a load of new threads with links" approach... OK, so some of the subjects may be of interest, but blitzing the forum with attention grabbing headlines dilutes those topics that are of real interest (remember, dear reader - all IMHO... ) and it is easy to slip one in that plays to one's own agenda...
And the straw that will surely break the camel's back (well mine, at any rate) is that now we have endless circular debates (again!) on cables and their virtues (or not) and whether the fact that you or the cables are sprinkled with the dust from an Elf's scrotum make them sound better or not... (apologies for belittling the subject, but trust me, if you've read every post on AoS for the last month or so like I have you too would be at the end of your tether...)
Marco - I appreciate as a guest in your "house" this is very rude and improper of me - however, I don't doubt that "knowing" me as you do, you will appreciate that I have not made this post lightly, and nor is it done with any malice whatsoever. For almost 2 years I have logged on to AoS every day, and on each of those days, felt the desire to get involved with the community, either to offer some guidance if I can (rarely! ) or otherwise join in the fun. The past few weeks, I have not felt the same compulsion.
It could be me. Maybe I'm approaching the menopause... On the other hand, it could be the way the forum has evolved in the past few weeks...
You decide.