what a night on OUT

jochenSun 31/07/11 05:20

This is going to be a bit longer, sorry for that

Well that was a lively night, Saturday 30th July, 2011 (Sunday 31st later in the morning for me)

There was a fair bit of ‘shooting from the hip' going on, some good and rational arguments and some less rational or constructive. However, that's just my opinion.

Let me try to contribute a few thoughts from my perspective. A perspective which has been formed over the last 9 years as a member of this site without a break during that time.

OUT in general: I like the site which is why I have been a member for almost a decade now. I don't use any other social media sites, like facebook or twitter or any gay specific site other than this one here.

I live on the ‘other' side of the world, in Australia and in a fairly remote location in the context of things and as such I am probably a somewhat exotic ‘animal' amongst a membership which is fairly UK centric. Over the years I have made quite a few friends through this site and some of those friendships have traversed into the real world and are ongoing. And I value those.

It happened on OUT in 2003 that I met one of my friends in Uganda and out of that developed, what I would call, a ‘private social development project' where I support in a variety of ways a core group of 14 gay men in a country where being gay, in particular openly gay, can be a health hazard, to put it mildly. My support has extended over the years to also include families and relatives of my friends in all sorts of ways. And in the process I have become very fond of this country and many of its people (have been there 17 times since 2004). This might sound strange to some of you, but it's real life and it would in all likelihood never have happened without OUT

FORUMS: It is often said – and I can't verify the number – that only about 5% of members use the discussion boards. It does not sound a lot. However, value is not always measured in numbers only.

Some contributions to some discussions might be negative or plain silly. Sometimes people wind each other up. I have a reasonably well working personal ‘weapon' for that, it's called 'ignore'

I wonder sometimes, how many social media websites there are, where you can ask a more or less simple technical question, factual question, question about almost anything and within a short period of time you can be reasonably sure you get a meaningful answer to it. That is a significant value to me which has little to do with …just 5%....

Contributions to forums often describe, typify, characterise individual members, you learn more about them, their views, their attitudes. Often far beyond what is contained in the writing sections of their profiles. I know I started quite a few individual contacts via the forums.

I guess the best example would be our ‘wonderland' a thread which is close to 2 years going now and has some 24.000 individual contributions. And I met the core group of this ‘cyber construct' last year in London and we became friends beyond this website. And yes it started on just one seemingly inconsequential discussion board.

Some years ago, a couple of OUTers came to Australia for a holiday. And it so happened that I became their ‘tour guide' for about 2 weeks. By way of messaging forth and back a few times a day I told them what to do, where to go, what to see, gave them directions, answered their questions. And it all started on the discussion boards.

Conclusion: there is more value to these boards than can or ever will be measured in numbers or percentages. And it happens within a reasonably controlled, gay friendly and, to many, familiar environment.

To me OUT would loose a substantial part of its value without the boards. But what the hell, I am only 0.000something% of the membership.

bassetSun 31/07/11 06:10

*offers big floor-cushion, cup of black tea*

Tell me, what has prompted such a considered posting?
A short look through what's on here seems to tell me that something happened, of which I am otherwise unaware.

I was not on this site last night. More important things intervene, like cooking/eating chicken with whole spices and flavoured rice, then pistachio icecream and apple pie.

Currently we have a lovely pal staying with us and he needs looking after. And today I won't be on this site much either: I've got to do the animals, then we're going to a Thompson and Morgan open day for plant seeds, and then to a forest. Then its big afternoon tea with home-made cake and mourang.

While I'm away, gather the information for me so that I can have the auspices taken. But if they aren't good - I warn you - I shall simply use the wisdom of Solomon and have everything cut into halves.

*end of audience, chiming of bells, short burst of hydraulis, release of incense, closing of purple chiffon curtains*