Internet Caution
I read this the other day and thought it was quite interesting....
Some of the bulletin boards on various websites are full of so much crap it is truly alarming - more so because the bulletin boards' anonymity enables people with a vested interest to make comments that they would no way be able to make in a genuinely public domain ie, a letter to the Editor of the magazine, newspapers or any other professional print media.
There, the Editors aware of the rules and regulations about publishing, defamation and slander (written and unwritten), look at each letter or email and consider the legal ramifications or veracity of the comments or statements being made.
Nevertheless, some of it does get through and I would caution readers to view the contents of these Internet bulletin boards with a real "firewall" of scepticism.
Much of what is put out as 'the truth' on these bulletin boards or comes across as first hand experience, is more often than not a load of BS and very often psuedo 'private comment' comes from professional writers working the Internet for Brand A, with instructions to bad-mouth Brand B at every opportunity....several companies are actively working the Internet in this fashion.
Internet bulletin boards can serve as a fantastic forum for the exchange of views, experience and opinions - BUT they are utterly reliant on the experience, wisdom, patience and skill of the moderator to sort the wheat from the chaff, whilst ensuring the threads remain cohesive and focused on the subject of concern.
Bottom line?? Take everything you read on the bulletin boards with a grain of salt - very few of those contributors have anything like the experience they would like you to think they have and frankly it shows.
Editor Fisherman & Boat Owner
Peter Webster
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15648
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Thanks Peter
Thankyou for your opinion and comments Peter / Scott.
As the moderator of this website I actively pursue constructive comments and opinions from my members. I have had a fair bit of experience with people who have tried to contribute for their own benefit, also others with a whole lot of off topic rantings, my role as moderator and owner of fishwrecked is to provide an environment where everyone feels comfortable to share their opinion/knowledge/experiences and then it is up to the individual to discern what is BS and what is real.
I have a copyright and privacy statement which also covers certain legalities that you have mentioned.
http://fishwrecked.com/node/218
I think your statement exactly reflects why this website is successful and people enjoy it, those that contribute are fishermen, enjoy their fishing, love everything to do with fishing and are willing to share their opinion/knowledge/experience for the benefit of others, something that I am here to protect.
Cheers,
Adam Gallash
Moderator
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Interesting first post Scott
What mag did you get that out of?
Peter Webster has been around for a long time and is very well respected in the boating and fishing fraternity. Is this one of his editorials from one of his mags?
I agree with Adam, whilst you can't deny that all public forums can be abused by vested interests and such interests are not always disclosed or easily ascertained, these people eventually get found out and lose their credibility pretty quickly.
I think this site has a wide breadth of knowledgeable fisher folk who enjoy nothing more than talking fishing with like minded people. Sharing knowledge and learning and trying out new techniques. It has been invaluable for me as one of the old brigade fisherman as I have learnt so many new techniques that a lot of our members have been pioneering (not literally) with some great results.
I think Peter's comments are sound but they perhaps negate the inbuilt firewall we all have (its called a brain) that sorts the wheat from the chaff ourselves. Maybe I am just naturally sceptical but I will read every post and digest that info and decide if it is relevant and valuable or I ignore it. Much the same way as we all manage our e-mail inbox. We delete the crap and read the interesting stuff.
Lets also make this clear that those comments appear to be directed at forums in general and definately not specifically targetting ths one. I think we all have done a great job of keeping these forums clear of all the backbiting and nipicking that goes on in other forums. So a big "WELL DONE" to Adam and all the forum contributors, I think this site deserves a meritorious award for avoiding a lot of what Peter has observed. Prove me wrong but we have seen plenty of healthy tackle debate over recent months and to have the CEO of Penn join in I thought was excellent. He didn't bad mouth any other products just made his point and engaged in the conversation.
Its all good. Lets try and keep it that way.
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
Nealez
Posts: 1220
Date Joined: 08/05/06
Applause!!
I strongly agree that this site is one of my very fovourite and in my opinion one of the best going, mainly for the fact that there isnt alot of "chest beating" or sledging matches, there's been a couple of times when the discussion has drifted to piontless banter but it has to be expected that not everyone is going to see eye to eye 100% of the time.
I do say from time to time that one product may be shite in comparison to another but this is purely my opinion based on what ive come into contact with and shared info between mates
Plenty of relivent info, honest opinion's, and plenty of valid advice to piont you in the right direction.
The picture quality is on the up and up with people taking more time and effort to display quality "green" fish looking their best (the fish), which of course cant always be helped in the heat of the moment.
So dido, and a big hand to adam and eveyone else involved in keeping this one of the best sites if not the best going around!!
Tackle Dangler
jay_burgess
Posts: 4648
Date Joined: 18/08/05
Amen to
Amen to that.
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Jay Burgess
scott
Posts: 2
Date Joined: 14/09/06
Andy Mac
Fisherman & Boat Owner is the name of the mag and yeah that was in the latest of Peters editorials
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Thanks Scott
I thought so. Interesting article for sure. Welcome to the forums. Are you Scott of Coral Sea Carnage fame?
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club