Since this conference began several years ago, and before TalkGraphics.com when it was the Xara Conference on the late, great, i-us.com, I have been amazed at how well the members get along with one another. The degree of co-operation between the members and the unselfish help and sharing of information has, from the beginning, been incredible. The Xara conferences have always been marked by a lack of axe-grinding, egoism and friction.

Recently, however, it seems we have had an influx of persons, who post anonymously, provide no identification or means of contact, and seem bent upon stirring up trouble and starting arguments. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed this?

Instead of a conference where people help other people learn how to use Xara, a lot of the recent posts now are aimed at discrediting Xara. Have you noticed that? Or is it just me?

I have noticed that people who post anonymously, that is provide no contact information except a User name, tend as a rule to be more disruptive. And while debate is a good and necessary thing in any conference, in my opinion, a great deal of anonymous posts border on being rude and mean-spirited as opposed to being productive and useful.

It is the same thing when some people get behind the wheel of a automobile. They suddenly become a more aggressive and hostile within the anonymous confines of their automobiles. Face to face they are more docile and less argumentative.

I wonder if it would make sense to require all members of this conference to provide valid e-mail addresses before they can participate? The WELL, (www.well.com) one of the first on-line conferences does this, and it tends to keep the conferences more focused and more honest. People don't just shoot off nasty comments knowing no one will know who really posted them.

I know a lot of people don't want their e-mail addresses on the Internet because of the SPAM that often results. But you can always add NO-SPAM to your e-mail address in your Profile, e.g. gary@NO-SPAMgwpriester.com. Conference visitors can edit out the NO-SPAM and then send private messages, questions, comments, to other members.

What do you think?

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


The Xara Xone