How lucky we are in this forum

Off-topic
1

I guess most of us know it, but maybe it needs saying “out loud” from time to time. This forum is a fantastic resource.

Whatever activity I get involved in, I tend to find a forum and read and post regularly. I have been involved in this forum for several years now, and although the balance changes from time to time, it has consistently been a pleasant place to visit, and I feel I have many friends here even if I have not met them all.

I was until recently a regular contributor to a motorcycle forum. The person running the forum was constantly trying to sell me stickers and other stuff advertising the forum. Now, there is a charge to use that forum! I have of course simply deleted it from my favourite places as a result. About 50% of the posts were from people saying how unhappy they were with their bikes anyway, and any attempt to get some general banter going seemed to fall on stony ground.

I was an occasional contributor to Mudcat, a folk music forum. Several times over the years, including recently, I have logged off and deleted it from my favourite places simply because no one seems to be able to have a bit of banter without becoming personal and unpleasant. Playground insults are exchanged between people old enough to know better, over stuff that barely matters.

I was an occasional contributor to a fencing forum, but sometimes the forum could go days without a post. Hardly a place to drop in with a spare half hour to fill “chewing the fat”!

Ditto with the melodeon forum. It’s generally friendly, but with only a trickle of posts. The concertina forum is good, with some interesting technical discussions (on a similar level to the best stuff in RSU) but again, there is only a trickle of posts.

And the list goes on.

But good old Unicycling Community just goes on and on, with sometimes 30 or more people all posting at once, lots of banter and teasing, the occasional minor spat, but good will on all sides - and it’s free. Thanks to Gilby and the moderators, and to all of you.

I’ve barely had chance to ride for the last few months (I did a good MUni ride on Sunday, though) and it is this forum that has kept me feeling like a unicyclist when work, age, bad weather, darkness, and other commitments have conspired to prevent me riding.

Thanks.

2

preach it :slight_smile:

haha
its not nearly as immature as most other forums either, we are generally accepting of different people and beginners. i’ve alson seen more help given on this forum in a day than any other forum (i visit) in a month.

keep that in mind when you think about the “general” agegroup, MOST of the most frequent posters are in thier teens, yet it is still a very reasonable place to post concerns, discuss differences and engage in random pointless conversation (maybe thats the immature part, but hey, its not that bad)

also, there is not much BS on here, i’m starting to catch a little of it, but for the most part everything posted is legit. if there is anything i really dislike about forums its that a serious topic gets posted and ends up being a joke. I’m glad there isn’t much of that on the fora.

:slight_smile:
-stephen- where else would you call someone by their name.

3

Praise Godby!

This site makes the world seem much smaller to me. I doubt I’d ever talk to, let alone make friends with people from so many different states and countries, without these fora.

4

Amen. Without this site, I’d never have had any of these adventures.

Yup, time for me to click on the Donate button again.

5

These forums are Great

I would have to say that this forum is a great tool for unicyclist all over to keep in touch.

For many years I’ve ridden unicycle, but it wasn’t until I started using unicyclist.com did I fully explore the world of unicycling.

I feel like a neanderthal before these forums.

Never did I know whats possible, what resources are available, tutorials, information exchanges.

My hats off to this site and the community that attend.

6

I’ve been lurking these forums for over a year, but only recently started posting. I think it’s a great forum to find out about uni’ing. Every forum has it’s faults, but all in all I was so happy to receive such positive feedback in the REC. forums. People are encouraging here!

7

I’m thankful we have BillyTheMountain.

8

…and I’m thankful Dave hasn’t sent a hitman after me. Yet.

9

I don’t get it mikefule.
everything you write.
is interesting to read.
and yes,
we are quite lucky!

Chase

10

Yes I’m lucky that I post on the same forum as Mikefule. Those other forums just don’t know what they’re missing. Fools!

I also have to agree that these forums are lovely. I lurked in some juggling forums once and it was exhausting - constant competition and back biting.

11

This was the first forum I’d joined, and like like legtod2 I had been riding for a while before finding it. I know now I could have reduced my learning time to a fraction had I found the site earlier, and quite probably have more of my original shin skin still in place :astonished:

Also, like Mikefule I subsequently joined other fora for interests I had, assuming they would be the same. Alas, no. Neither the great breadth of experience or spread of nationalities and other interests we find here.

I’ve also found the JC forum a great place for quick and reliable information about everything from Beach Buggies to PC problems.

I’ve not been posting for a while, and my unicycling posts seem to have dried up :frowning: but coming back here is like coming back to your home town after having spent some time travelling - some old friends have moved on (where’s Catboy these days?) and new faces have moved in to join old friends.

Despite my recent postings on the smoking ban thread, I also really like the way Gilby lets the forum police itself despite fairly regular requests for more moderation. Could this be forum utopia? :sunglasses:

12

Thanks for reminding us of this great privilege, Mike.

Donation sent. :slight_smile:

13

Our differences are long in the past. And my recent fuming in the smoking thread (sorry) was a joke (needless to say?).

I like your views on personal responsibility and <others that don’t come to mind at the moment>. So, basically, you are free to live. Carry on.

14

My family and I have met so many of the forum’s great people over the years and have even had the honor of entertaining a number in our home. This forum is a priceless tool to use to keep us in touch with family and friends.

My thanks to Mr. Gilbertson! (I still think winning the Coker was rigged :))

15

Unicyclist.com > all other fora

It’s simply the best there is, and I’m thankful for it every time I come here.

16

I think I might be the only one here who actually finds this forum to be of less quality than another one I frequent…although admittedly, this one is still very informative, as well as a good place to chill. I probably would donate if I had paypal.

17

Maybe not the best, but very good.

I recently joined the Bleach (anime) forum, and its a lot bigger than this one, so its more moderated, and built a bit better with sections and stuff. It still has freedom and self-moderation, so religious discussion, and tons of other discussions still take place just like they do here.

The one thing I liked is that I went to the noob section, where you are supposed to post that you are new and can introduce yourself. I got three pages of people saying hi and being interested about my unicycling and music. I wasnt expecting that at all.

This forum is great. Help out Gilby. Donate.

Godby for president-2008.

18

Yeah, that’s sort of the same for me and my #1 favorite forums, BlenderArtists.org. The people there are INCREDIBLY helpful and friendly, and my unicycling videos were very well taken in the off-topic forum. It could just be that I’m more into the 3D art thing than the unicycling thing, but I love going on the blender artist forums and browsing through both WIPs (works in progress) and finished projects and reading critiques and such, as well as posting my own and getting friendly, constructive criticism, as well as praise for the techniques I’m actually doing right.

And I know I’m gonna get shot down for this, but I greatly admire forums with a dedicated team of moderators that patrol the site vigilantly for misplaced threads, senseless flame wars, spam, etc. and help keep the forums clean, on topic, and friendly for all, while still being a part of the community as regular users, submitting their own work and whatnot.

I do respect what Gilby’s done (or I guess not done) with this forum, a la the whole self-moderation thing, and really, it’s a good online social experiment. The downside to that is that we’ve seen the unfortunate effects of self-moderating forums through the numerous threads that are hate threads, purely pointless threads, etc.

Again, I admire what Gilby is trying to do with these forums, and again, if I could donate, I would. :slight_smile:

19

Thanx for the reminder Mike.

20

I have been a member of a few Juggling forums for the last few years, but have recently been getting rather annoyed with them. The competition and back biting is really becoming too much, and the Art vs Sport juggling thing is really getting to me. As a result I don’t bother much with any of the juggling forums anymore.

Unicyclist.com forum is a great, refreshing change and have found everyone to be very helpful. :smiley: