Updated House Rules

[Mr Pee]

I completely agree, Mandryka. Possibly the feeblest and most tiresome response is when someone just posts a 'yawn' or 'sleep' smiley. It adds absolutely nothing to the discussion, except to invite contempt for the person posting it.

[aeolium]

Not in the context of a discussion on what constitutes an 'unproductive contribution'. Otherwise, yes

I disagree, ff Posting a yawn or sleep emoticon is in itself an unproductive contribution but it adds nothing to the discussion about unproductive contributions and so, even here, is an unproductive contribution

Flosshilde: I don't even think posting a yawn in response to a yawn is productive as it simply increases the number of contributions that add nothing to the discussion. I'm not against posts that just contain emoticons, only those which constitute 'threadc****ing', in the infelicitous term mentioned by Mandryka.

[ahinton]

A hat-trick of them, I see; has someone put you to sleep, by chance?

[Flosshilde]

Do not disturb.

[french frank]

I may very well remove the yawn emoticon. It's too 'useful'. (I gave, I can take away)

[Flosshilde]

Frenchie, how does it feel being omnipotent?

[french frank]

Frenchie, how does it feel being omnipotent?

Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent - tbh, life begins to pall a bit

I may have to clarify what I had in mind over 'provocation' - though I know it when I see it!

[Flosshilde]

If you do, & revise the rules, just make sure Simon doesn't see it

[ahinton]

I may very well remove the yawn emoticon. It's too 'useful'. (I gave, I can take away)

Indeed, but would it not still be possible for a member sufficiently determined to use it to copy it into a post from another source? (in which case there'd be little obvious point in doing this).

I can't be bothered with the things meself; I'm more interested in emotions than emoticons.

[Ariosto]

A hat-trick of them, I see; has someone put you to sleep, by chance?

I really do hope no one will say they hope so...

As someone who has been put into detention for breaking house rules, I also have to admit to very occasionally using the yawn symbol, or the ZZZZZZZ ... but that may have been in the old BBC forum days, sometime in a bygone century. But with some musical or otherwise performances, and with some composers, the yawn symbol is quite useful.

So I must be a person of insufferable crudity and whatever else. (Don't all come to my defence, it would be too embarrassing ...)

I do think we are in danger of being too nice, and too polite with our posts, but then I'm still learning how to push the knife in and twist it at the same time ...

Oh God, I used them thingies again .. . what am I really saying. (I've no idea in case someone asks me).

Apologies f-f ... I'll go back to kicking the wife and the dog for a bit.

[Mr Pee]

I do think we are in danger of being too nice, and too polite with our posts

I agree. I think a bit of good natured verbal jousting should be encouraged. And sometimes a little provocation or "mickey taking" can enliven and re-invigorate a thread. I'm certainly man enough to put up with it- (hope that's not sexist!)- and I'm sure others here are too. We're all grown-ups, aren't we? Sticks and stones etc....

I think it would be a very dull and moribund messageboard if there was no room for the odd lively exchange.

And FF, please don't remove the icon. How else to sum up Berlioz without wasting valuable space?

[scottycelt]

I'll go back to kicking the wife and the dog for a bit.

The DOG?!!! ... how dare you, sir! ... we want no dogist comments on this Forum ..

[MrGongGong]

And FF, please don't remove the icon. How else to sum up Berlioz without wasting valuable space?

you seem to be very fond of the "Gerontius" icon !

(we could do with one that has more than a hint of pomposity !)

[ahinton]

And FF, please don't remove the icon. How else to sum up Berlioz without wasting valuable space?

To what extent would you (or anyone else, for that matter) even want to "sum up Berlioz" (even assuming that such were possible in a mere forum post) in a thread that had nothing to do with him or his work? That said, I'd not yet noticed that the notion of "wasting valuable space" was one that seems to bother you any...

[Ariosto]

The DOG?!!! ... how dare you, sir! ... we want no dogist comments on this Forum ..

Ha, ha!! I sadly haven't a dog these days and I never kick dogs anyway, only wives ...