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Idiots on AI


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You raise a few interesting points relating to how different people use forums

No I don't. I raise some (potentially) interesting points on how people (ab)use this forum and insult another. It is astonishingly shallow to extrapolate from my specific comments any general point, especially when you have - as you admit - no knowledge of the forum that I'm talking about at the cor of things. Your posting is off-topic (another no-no according to the rules that no-one obeys here) as well as insultingly ill-thought-out.

Had I wanted to discuss how different people use forums I would have had the politeness to start a new topic to do so, and I would have structured my content acordingly.

I raise very specific points. Please have the courtesy to address them (if they are relevant to you) or have the basic decency to stand back while those to whom they are addressed do so.

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The rules are applied in the spirit in which they were intended rather than heavy-handedly by the letter.

Fair enough, but then why have them?

perhaps they should have used their real name so they can be identified

Mr Dordogne - my name is Cherry and the "Zen" part is a nickname. If a forum expects people to use their full names (such as Tony F Dordogne) then it normally insists on them doing so, and doesn't have moderators identified by nicknames. 

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As one of the "Idiots" who uses AI, with the same user name I might add, I have found it quite useful over the years and have also bought and sold a few things via the site. One good point about it is that at least you know approx what area members are in.As we all know ,rules and regs that may apply at one end of  France, may not be adhered to at the other. Like this site,you can pick what you choose to read or reply to and you don't have to denegrate the members who don't know it all, of these I put myself in that bracket.A little humour can help sometimes.

Regards.By St Malo.

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Different forums suit different people.

Thanks to zencherry for pointing out all of the things that he/she feels are wrong with this one. The comments have been read and noted.

At least we have a published code of conduct, even if he/she doesn't like most of it. And his/her contributions will be allowed to remain here, unlike other discussion places. Being involved with magazine publishing, we are very well acquainted with libel and defamation law. We have members and administrators who live in many countries, including long-term living and working in France, and not all read the magazines which host this forum.

I have no problem if people prefer other forums so please do not criticise and insult us for preferring ours.

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Mod hat off

From the trouble Mr/Ms Cherry has taken to quote examples on this site I think a previous poster to this thread suspects that they have another user name here ? No matter.

When a post is removed on this site the author is contacted and a reason given, I wonder if Mr/Ms Cherry knows why A1 doesn't extend that courtesy ? Or in fact answer users enquiries as to why perfectly innocent posts are deleted, how are users supposed to know what the have done wrong if answers are not forthcoming?

Isn't it also a fact that A1 is a commercial enterprise, bought and sold at fairly regular intervals in some instances, which has lead to a lack of consistency, not only between different areas but sometimes in the same area over a short period of time ?

I would also hazard a guess that should Mr/MsCherry have posted such a critique on A1, it would have been deleted in very short order!

 

 

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Surely, zencherry, you have highlighted exactly what Will has said, that both forums have their place and won't necessarily appeal to the same audience. In a world of free speech, its is healthy to have the opportunity within this forum to discuss any other. To get all hot and bothered about it, however, serves no practical purpose.

I, like many others, have migrated to this forum from AI and, personally, find it a more comfortable and imformative place. I also agree with gastines that a little humour from time to time is a most welcome. The one thing I have learnt about living in France, is that whilst there are a lot of rules and regulations about everything, it is widely accepted that there is a degree of discretion when and where these rules are applied. The same should apply to the rules of a forum and I believe Will and the other mods on this forum manage to strike a good balance.

It should be remembered that AI is run on a different basis from this forum. It is a commercial venture that derives its income from advertising. The franchisees have paid money for their franchised region and are looking for a financial return. Therefore, it is understandable if not always helpful, that strict censoring of unauthorised free advertising takes place. The principle director of the AI brand, (screen name Mike,who often posts and moderates within all the AI sites) is clearly very knowledgeable about French law and chooses to adopt a very strict policy across the AI sites ensuring all content is as 100% legal as possible. This is his choice - some might call it prudent, some might call it jobsworth but there it is. In the end, we all have a choice of what we participate in.

I still participate in AI from time to time and I am often amused by the content of some of the postings, wondering, like others, why some people move to France. I much prefer this forum and would recommend anyone  just starting out on the process of moving to France to make use of it. IMHO there is far more useful and accurate information available on the Complete France Forum than any other I have visited.

Zencherry, I hope you will choose to join us here and will reap benefits from what you read. You don't have to choose between the forums, you can belong to both. If you decide that Complete France isn't for you then I'm sure we would all wish you well and hope that you continue to find what you are looking for on AI.

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[quote

user="zencherry"]

You raise a few interesting points relating to how different people use

forums

No I don't. I raise some (potentially) interesting points on how people

(ab)use this forum and insult another

[/quote]

 

Different people will interpret what you said

differently.  I thought there were some

interesting general points raised but you don’t – do I care what you think

?  Fortunately nobody on this planet has

exclusivity on being right (neither myself nor yourself).

 

[quote

user="zencherry"]

Had I wanted to discuss how different people use forums I would have had the

politeness to start a new topic to do so, and I would have structured my

content acordingly.

[/quote]

 

This is not your thread. 

There is not concept of “ownership” of threads – they are open to

everybody.  You have no rights over

dictating what can and cannot be discussed here.  In fact you just joined in after several pages of posts.  The nature of forums is that they are

open.  when you make a post you may get

a wide range of different responses – some you will like others you may not

like.  Participating in a forum means

you have to be able to handle those you like as those you don’t like (or agree

with).  If you cannot cope with that

then maybe a forum is not something you will get on with in life.

If you want a forum where you can dictate what people can

and cannot post then maybe start your own.

 

[quote

user="zencherry"]

I raise very specific points. Please have the courtesy to address them (if

they are relevant to you) or have the basic decency to stand back while those

to whom they are addressed do so.

[/quote]

 

In any forum nobody has any right to “demand” answers.  In fact in many forum communities demanding

answers in such a manner will cause you to be alienated to a degree and you may

find that people start not bothering to answer you at all.

But then there is the real question you indirectly raise: What

are you trying to provoke with your posts on LF ?  Different people might make different assumptions with regard to

your motives.

Ian

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Different forums suit different people. Thanks to zencherry for pointing out all of the things that he/she feels are wrong with this one.

I did no such thing. I pointed out things that I feel are wrong about this thread.

At least we have a published code of conduct

Which you seem to ignore, so why bother?

I have no problem if people prefer other forums so please do not criticise and insult us for preferring ours.

I didn't. I criticised you for knocking another one, and doing so with clearly incorrect information.

What are you trying to provoke with your posts on LF?

Perhaps a little self-awareness? The original post has an offensive title and content that is abusive and incorrect. Various bandwagon jumpers have then weighed in with comments that were, as often as not, Loud, Confident and Wrong (including those from the "moderator"). Since I had to read through this site's code of conduct before reading this, I found the whole thing kinda ironic, to say the least. (I will ignore the pointless manifesto of how forums work in the mind of one individual).

In a world of free speech, its is healthy to have the opportunity within this forum to discuss any other.

Thank you for a reasoned post, Eslier. Indeed, such a thing is possibly healthy. But is an ill-informed slagging-off session? I don't actually think so.

BTW, why do people keep commenting that AI is a "commercial venture"? I checked the domain out and completefrance.com is owned by Archant Ltd (which I'd guessed, because I thought I was on Living France's forums). Last I checked, Archant Ltd was a commercial venture, and the flashy things at the top of each forum page were called "adverts".

 

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Eslier - thank you for that, very well said.

Deimos, I thought your 0044 post was pretty well balanced and thought out too.

The point about commercial considerations and advertising revenue seem to have come to the fore. Living France and France Magazine both depend on advertising revenue for their continuing existence, so the owners of this forum naturally enough want to protect the income stream of their paper-based core products (sorry to lapse into publishing management-speak here) and have a no-unsolicited-advertising policy online. Those who have been with us for some time will know that the policy was debated on the forum at length, in true democratic tradition, so that we have achieved a policy that best serves both forum owners and members. That is to say, free advertising matter that would be likely to appear as paid-for display or classified in the magazines (including French Property News which is in the same group) is not permitted on this forum - lower-profile material, such as a single, not-too-blatant link (and without tag lines) to a forum member's gites in their signature is permitted. So we apply, naturally enough, different standards from those applied by AngloInfo - both sets of standards suit the particular product. When we feel the need to alter or delete something (which happens comparatively rarely), we tell the person concerned, and, if necessary, mention it on the forum so that other readers can understand why things might read a little strangely as a result. In fact I have done exactly that this morning in another topic.

I have to say that I didn't particularly like Nick's use of the word 'idiots' in the original posting, neither did I like Ty Korrigan's rather inflammatory contribution. But each of us is different, and the posts did, I think, reflect the on-line persona developed by each of those contributors, so the admin team let them stand. The alternative is a homogenised, sanitised forum that reflects only the moderators' own attitudes and sensibilities.

That may be what some people want - there are places, other than here, where they can find it. Despite the jibes about adolescents I think this forum treats its members as adults.

Edit - I see that since starting this post at least two others have appeared. This whole debate is getting rather introspective and repetitive and we would be quite happy to remove it if that is what the members, rather than the site owners, want.

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[quote user="Will the Conqueror"]

I have to say that I didn't particularly like Nick's use of the word 'idiots' in the original posting,.....

[/quote]

It was certainly provocative - and we should remember that idiots are everywhere, not just on the aforementioned  forum (allegedly).

I have never bothered buying a copy of France magazine, because they  sent me a complimentary copy a couple of years ago and the first thing I read was an article about the Pas-de-Calais by some idiot who obviously hadn't actually bothered to go there and look around before writing it.

Patrick

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  • 1 month later...
[quote user="ChezShells"]

Hi

On one of the AI forums I had my signature (http// only) removed because they said it was advertising, on another AI forum its ok!

Noticed a drop in posts on ere tho, probably people bored with the - I'm better than you and I know more than you attitude.

Oh well, we just try to plod on.

[/quote]

 

Well being a newbie to all these French forums I have had a look at as many as I can and so far I am liking this one the best [:)]

I found "the other place" somewhat rude and lacking in humour the above quote seems to sum it up quite well [;)]

 

Had a good browse on "the other place" and found the attitudes quite disconcerting generally in fact I have just had my 3rd and final post deleted for calling a "pompous ass " a "pompous ass" (is it OK to say that on here? [:$])This person presumed to know what my post said although they stated they had not read it all ??? and was exceedingly rude in their response to me .What else can you call someone like that????? In consequence I don't think I'll be going back there LOL

Maybe their problem is a lack of emoticons ??? this can make all the difference to how posts are perceived !

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I too came here from let's just say, another french forum, after tearing my hair out at the mindless drivel and constant clique-driven personal attacks on various people. Plus of course, the misinformation all too often delivered up as fact.

I am very encouraged to see how the mods have allowed political threads to run: and more importantly, how members here, can argue and debate with each other without resorting to flame wars and personal jeering. My only eventual conclusion on such tactics was ignorance: they actually didn't understand the debate and its constituents, or couldn't be bothered, but simply loved to see themselves in print!

I do believe that people airing political views is important, since if you are considering living here full time (or are) it is a bit critical to try and understand the political system and the economy, in order to perhaps, make personal adjustments and plan ahead and quite often, someone elses's perspective can help us all to see something in a different light and learn, too. That is or should be, surely, the value of debate?[8-)]

Also, here, I very much appreciate the far higher level of literacy and use of correct spelling: shows people actually bother.

Perhaps one explanation is that other fora are territory-specific and some areas in France do seem to encourage a certain type of wannabe and escape artist: could be because they were,originally, far cheaper for property a few years ago, owing to the level of accessability and cost of travel. Don't know.

There certainly are a preponderance of football juveniles and satellite addicts: the number of threads on "Will my UK TV work in France?" are unreal!

Still, I like it here, it's, well sort of, adult![A]

 

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Hello,

 Does any-one strongly suspect that 'Zencherry' is a representitive of A.I...?

  There has been an interesting development in the U.K with a person actually being sued for libel for abusing some-one she fell out with in a chat room.

 I think though, that the hard words doled out here are a long way off being used in a court of law.

 This forum certainly is a cut above the others in terms of the quality of users... generally....

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"Quality" - yes on here 100% better. Couldn't believe my eyes yesterday when I read a question on there asking if it was allright to bring UK chicken and poultry to put into a freezer in Brittany. Doh! Have they never done any shopping here or seen the huge quantity of poultry farms in the depts and a whole lot better tasting too I bet. Its those sort of stupid threads that get people's backs up especially when an idiot starts on about not being able to get Marmite,Cheddar etc.

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As one of the idiots who use AI and under the same name, I find the For Sale and Wanted columns useful and that you know roughly which area of France you are dealing with. I try and be helpful to anyone, if I think I may know of a solution to their particular problem. Yes there are some bright sparks on both sides and plenty whose knowledge leaves a bit to be desired. The best one being:Where is Rennes; but for the life of me I can't remember if it was on A.I. or on a higher forum.

I suppose I should be thankful for my 4 G.C.E. O-Levels.

Regards.B&B St.Malo.

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Just to clear one small point; The "idiots"   I referred to (in my original post) were specific, as I think I suggested in my posting.

Although quite some time has passed since my OP, little has changed on AI and I am still awaiting replies to emails sent to both AIB "admin" and the Franchisee.

Aren't we about due for another change of ownership of AIB?

Oh & to follow on from Val's point; My favourite AI posting was the "I've just bought a house with the postcode 29XXX, where is it?". Priceless. Perhaps we could have a "Coleman (or AI)-balls" section on this Forum....

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Dick, in view of comments in another topic you might be interested to hear that on your local AI forum the other day there was a post from somebody accusing a person from an estate agency in the area (who turned out to be her husband) of being a child molester. The post managed to stay live for some time, long enough to attract some more interesting information about the couple concerned. Talk about washing dirty linen in public...
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Just had a look Will, its a hoot isn't it  Apart from one thread demanding "Name Tags" (I thought we just wanted to know if it is Mme Tag or M. Tag),  there is this gem, it has been a little edited to protect the innocent

" I am posting this for a neighbour. He arrived in France last night [25.03] from the UK, ( on horseback?) put his horse in the barn,  then checked him at 0100. This morning he was gone.  ................................ Please keep a look out for a horse you don't know [:^)]

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