Having consolidated a couple of boards (i.e. our link from boomtownrats.co.uk) here in recent months, it appears you want to fragment it.

I would have thought the point of a forum was to have one place where people go to, not various boards that all address the same subject, especially when this forum has no more than about 50 viewers (check list all users -> last access from start Sept).  Given the declining number of views/comments/new users here, I think this is the place to discuss Geldof/Rats.  At least there is a small audience!

It's not the first time this has happened. In the last eighteen months, Stipey's Bob's Bedroom, Tina's new board and a few others have come on here with new forums.  At the time this forum was disassociated from nogeldof.info, there were discussions about a new board, but it was decided for various reasons that it would be best to stay put, mainly because people know this board.

If you want to delete your account and leave (still can't see why) that's fine, but encouraging people to go to a private forum because you have a gripe with other forum members isn't. 

There have been numerous discussions on making this forum private, but again, it was decided that this wasn't the best way forward as that would effectively close it to new members and make it more difficult to find. Strange but true, most people find this board through google searches on the topics.

I have had a lot of grief with regard to this board.   I fought the censorship/control from nogeldof.info, had them disassociate themselves from the forum because they didn't like me calling ithe web site nogeldof.info, then had lickle Willo have TIna send me a message calling me a knob/knobhead.  One day they want me to do an interview with Geldof for the site, the next I'm a knob/knobhead.

Having fought the good fight, the last thing I want is people deleting accounts and creating their own forums.

I will leave the links up.  I've had my say.

rekamarkovics wrote:

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I meant other boards which are not related to Bob. For a favourite band, interest, hobby.

I made that new board so I could talk about my other favourite or can I talk about Ferenc Gyurcsany on this forum?

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First of all, welcome back!

My point is that this sort of activity would fragment the forum.  On your board there are three topics, one of which is Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats, so that is related (33% related).  It is also members-only, and you deleted your account here after posing a message saying goodbye. 

You can discuss Ferenc Gyurcsany here if you like in the Other Stuff forum, but I doubt many, if any, of us would be able to contribute.  So it would make sense to have a separate forum.

To direct people to your own members-only forum for Geldof & the Rats and then delete your account is a snub to which I felt I had to respond.

I have no problem with other boards, and if you all want to go off and create your own, feel free.  I'll even leave the links here.  I just think it misses the whole point which is to have a common forum where people can freely express their views.   

I have have disagreements with practically everyone on this forum, including those I consider to be friends.  So you've had a disagreement with Tina, fine.   You're not the first and probably won't be the last. 

There are many here who sympathise with your position, and you have this platform to expresss your views.  You may not like what Tina has written, and she probably does not care too much for what you have written either.  But you are both free to express your views.

As the token American who usually misses the point, I didn't believe for a second that ArrGee would ever tell anyone where to go or not go (except for Bob's management, that is...).  I apologize if that's what my message sounded like.  [E-mail is an imprefect form a communication at times.] 

And I want you to know I do have a link to this forum in my Ric O Yahoo group under links.  I have found that some Cars fans are also Rats fans, but many are unaware that Bob has done solo work.  [Of course, I let people know about Bob's solo work whenever possible.]  I really think this is a good forum with a marvelous mix of people from different countries and backgrounds.  That always make for interesting discussions.

Boards become fragmented for many reasons.  Sometimes it happens when some people feel under attack and unsupported in a discussion that becomes to heat of the moment.  Sometimes it happens when the core group is not open and receptive to newcomers.  Sometimes it happens when there isn't too much to discuss and so people start misunderstanding each other's intentions and motives.  Sometimes, if the group is too small, it isn't going to grow and survive.  There are many other reasons too; these are just a few examples of what I've seen elsewhere. 

Since I don't know the details, I'm certainly not going to speculate in this case.  I would also like to say for the record, that I think people have been friendly on this board to me (so in my mind that strikes at least one of the above reasons off of the list). 

I wish everyone well and hope we can all walk into happiness together without bickering. 

peace & take care,

debm