I'd agree with that one Cheri! I have an iPhone that I use for texting, a very occasional phone call, to do a look-up when I'm outside, and check OB in the event I need to do something. It's too small for anything else. I'm used to a BIG monitor and more content that can be shown on a phone screen.

I agree with you and Cheri both! I'm not old, but am rather old school in my way of doing things. Phone is for phoning, messaging and reading stuff on the go. I want a small-ish phone to fit in my small hand and even smaller jean pockets. If I want to watch videos on the sofa, I have a tablet. For everything else (emails, editing photos, orchidboard, gaming...) I have a desktop PC with a nice large screen and comfy desk chair.


Though big updates to the forum would be nice just to fix the likely gaping security holes...

I haven't read the whole thread, but I've read enough to know that I'm less likely to bother answering or commenting on anything. I can scratch getting more active in orchid forums again off my retirement to-do list.

It is very sad that some postings in this thread could discourage one of the most knowledgeable members of the Board! Your comments are among those for which I have the MOST respect! I hope that you will reconsider.

I fully agree with Roberta's comment above! Yes, the thread is completely off topic (and maybe it should be moved to that sub forum), but it it stayed generally polite, was insightful (at least for me, from my admin perspective), and it can be enjoyable to discuss non orchid things. I do hope you'll stay with us for the other 99% of orchid related posts!

Can I third that emotion?

and i would fourth, even tho my opinion is inconsequential, biodiversity is good and great. forums are made better when more people post, imo, even if it sarcastic drivel like my posts usually are. so please don’t stop posting!

as a newb i looked around the webs and tried several forums (im the online techs half of the growing team) and this was the most organic, laid back, yet informative of the orchid forums i found. it would be a real shame if the board slowed or died, i would then be forced to look at endless pics of people hybridizing cattleyas and vandas. maybe someone knows of another orchid discussion page similar to this, but i don’t think it exists. and i certainly am not about to start going into the german orchid forums! no offense, but that pool is too deep for me, and the water here at ob seems just right

In the tone of the OP in this thread, I don't think I have any fancy title, and probably no purdy liddle flowers by my name, and you can think me a noob if you like (I really don't care about that), but my oldest orchid is a vanda I've had more than 28 years, and a number (also vandas) of others about that old. So, if you wanna disregard my comments on culture, thinking I'm a simple noob, then go right ahead. I'll continue growing my stuff.
I like Ray's take on culture advice - what works for me may not work in other areas; you need to know your conditions, and pay special attention to 'micro-climates' in your growing areas, too. What works in one corner, may not work in the opposite one, and only you can know your conditions that well.

I'll echo three or four other members above in hoping you'll tell us what it was about this thread that has turned you off to the OB? :dunno:

You've been a member here for a very long time, and as far as I recall, you've always made knowledgeable, thoughtful posts.

Please tell us? I will not be offended if you say it was one of my posts, but I think, when a long-time member says he is not going to post here anymore and does not say why, we are all left confused.

I have been wondering why this thread continued so long after the OP changed the first post. The subsequent replies didn't match the original post anymore. Personally, I'd like to see the whole thread scrubbed. If it chased away a long-time member, how do you think newbies will react? Just my :twocents:

failure to read a whole conversation and then making a conclusion about the whole conversation is not a flaw in the thread....

It continues because it's a place for a lot of folks to drop their opinion about what's good or bad, what they like or don't, about Orchid Board. Sometimes the most unlikely thing "goes viral." And we all know how folks like to give their opinion. :biggrin:

And we don't scrub posts here that don't break the rules... it's not a US History class. :rofl:

I remember when I first started to want to figure out how to improve my results I was looking for "hard facts" and so many people would throw in a story about their dog or their walk in the park or anything else not "important" to my quest to find useful growing information.
New members come here to learn how to grow their plants and it can seem like an endless minefield of information, some good, some less and hard to tell one from the other. I can fully understand the frustration of reading about something not related to growing but the other side of it is that we all love talking about orchids but orchids can be quite slow growing. In winter a lot of times they go into a rest and there is not much to report.
So people start filling the forum with discussions or banter or whatnot.
This hobby requires patience and those that seek the information patiently enough eventually stumble upon the information.
You can't learn this hobby over night. One of the most useful things is watching how other people grow and that requires just observing what they do at different times of the year ans also putting up with non essential orchid chattery like this discussion which I don't mind at all but while I was thinking I still have about 1000 missorchidgirl video's to watch, so many care guides to study and there is not enough time in the world I don't want to scroll through an 8 page discussion that isn't related ;)

I'm still puzzled by why people read threads or posts within a thread that they are not interested in. :dunno: We all understand there is an "Off-Topic" section of the forum, so nobody should go there expecting to read about orchids. But occasionally, a thread in one of the orchid sections of the forum will veer off the original topic. It happens. Why not just skim over those posts and spend your time reading what interests you? Just because one is a member of the forum does not mean you are forced to put up with "non-orchid chattery like this discussion." ;)

Very well said and I agree.:)

And yet, eight pages later you're still here! :rofl:

---------- Post added at 10:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 AM ----------

And Imma say something right here about this thread...

:badh: :badh: :badh: :badh: :badh: :badh: :badh:


Y'all may not have to read it, but a moderator does and I've got orchids to water! :rofl:

I am amazed at how often something I say gets interpreted completely the wrong way.

As you will have seen I said I don't mind at at all.

What I said was 6 years ago that was me and you will have noticed I was echoing the sentiment I was feeling coming across the forum from someone making such a complaint, not that I was the one making the complaint.

Geesh, everything I say in a sarcastic manner never gets understood online

and just for full clarification it is the same member who wanted to get me banned for chatting too much.

and I also have to wonder why come back to an off topic just to voice their disaproval lol

Edit: Maybe this shouldn't be in the beginner section but in Off topic :hmm

:scratchhead::hmm I no longer have any idea what this thread is about, either. I'm outta here...........:waving

I saw/see this. When someone asks a question on this forum it is not unusual to see them get carpet bombed with opinions. Not infrequently the questions that need to be asked to properly assess the situation are not asked before the opinions are given. One of the assumptions often made -- incorrectly -- is that the person asking is a completely clueless noob.

I think it is likely that this forum has trouble bringing in and keeping new people because they come here for discussion, but instead get told, and told, and told, and told, and told. Because of the rush to be the first to give advice, the advice people receive is often conflicting, and sometimes point blank wrong.
-Keith

:bowinghahaha, funny story since this thread has gone astray anyway, sometimes threads attract people because humans like drama.

case in point (the story), i am also a sailor and used to frequent one particular sailing forum where i never read or posted to any other thread except one about an arguably mentally unstable old guy who wended his way in begged equipment around the world on the seas. completely an animal it’s own from the general sailing info forum, but by far the most amazing thread/story i have ever read online (and i should add like thousands of post counts higher than any other thread on the forum iirc)

if you like boats and water and sailing and internet entertainment, i suggest you check out the thread about remus in sailing anarchy. you won’t be disappointed....so, sometimes i feel threads like these have their place!

this is so true but it does make sense a little. I know it can put you off even wanting to ask a question just in case it makes you seem like a beginner lol.

But most of the times someone asking a question is less clued up. This is just how it is most of the time.. I know full well what you mean as you are one of our most recent active members but you have been growing longer than most on this forum so to start with we didn't know you and assumed you were one of the 100 new members that ha just started to develop an interest.

Since seeing some of your plants , especailly that monster phal you showeed recently we know you have a good green thumb but we couldn't possibly know that when you joined so I know it will have felt insulting but you can't fault the forum overall for assuming someone asking a question doesn't know the answer.

It is a valid point though.

True, but people trying to help often guess what the problem is (be seen as an expert) rather than ask the questions needed to determine what the problem is (be helpful). The result is multiple different guesses that a new person is ill-equipped to decide between.

Actually, I disagree. I think it is better not to assume and find out by asking the questions needed to understand the problem. People will tell you what they know if you ask questions such as "do you have any thoughts about what caused the problem?"


Real experts don't guess at answers, they ask the questions needed to determine the answers.


In case you're wondering, I don't have anyone in mind when I'm posting on this topic.



-Keith

Thread has been moved to the "off topic" forum, where it belongs!

I bet Higgins would be a senior member, supporter and likely a mod. The question is whether or not one could count on his cultivation advice. In the end, all we really have is our own agency in determining what is worth listening to. :hmm

A practice which is often even more poisonous to harmony than actually acting on ill motives.

You're a great resource, Ray.

-Keith