Will there be an OT

[jocww]

I used the OT the most at Calguns for the past few years will there be one here as well?

 

[shovelon]

I used the OT the most at Calguns for the past few years will there be one here as well?

I agree. Where is the Off Topic hangout?

 

[Malibu]

I agree. Where is the Off Topic hangout?

The site owner has pretty much said that any sort of “off topic” will be limited to certain current events, and not much like the old failed site Calguns had. There was some banter about it in the recent past.
I actually enjoyed it over there, but some here have expressed that they didn’t like it for a variety of reasons.
Grandmothers will be grandmothers.

 

[ikeo1]

It's the younger audience that doesn't want the OT section and the "older" folks who want to have a section to hang out.

I'm still waiting for CGN to figure their issues out. I may consider doing a private section here for OT that requires the ghost badge, so people can opt in or stay out.
The main issue is over moderation. I don't want to have to moderate a lot since the site is focused on 2A. I don't want to spend time babysitting or have problems associated with OT, CGN is heavily right leaning and this place is more moderate with most of the members coming from Reddit. There's the assumption that most people here are from CGN, but only recent signups. Majority is mainly from Reddit who were fairly vocal that the r/CAguns subreddit was in large part created because of what was happening in OT.

I'm totally cool with discussing events and some things, but i really don't want to waste $ and resources on things not associated with 2A.

From a financial perspective, let's look at Calguns. They have 24 million posts 9 million from OT 1/3rd of the traffic was from there, possibly. Their bill was $800/mo assuming simple math it cost them $800/3= $267/mo in July just to run OT. Let's say the other 1/3rd was for marketplace and the rest for the remainer of the forum. The current server they're paying for is the ELITE which is $219/mo.

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I guess, would you guys be interested in paying for an OT section, to cover the resources used?

I get some donations from subscriptions for the site which a lot of people like to support the marketplace and advertisers for the forum. I know some supporters are for it, but throwing this out there since Calguns is still not working and it doesn't look like the owner has been around for a month. I spend a bit on hosting the site with all the advanced features and licensing for software + the cost of the hardware. If you cover your share, I'd consider it.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

If there is OT, please make it no holds barred.
Or a subforum of OT that is for mature thick skinned people.

Of course, nothing related to graphic sex, deaths, drugs, -philia topics.

 

[shovelon]

It's the younger audience that doesn't want the OT section and the "older" folks who want to have a section to hang out.

I guess, would you guys be interested in paying for an OT section, to cover the resources used?

I get some donations from subscriptions for the site which a lot of people like to support the marketplace and advertisers for the forum. I know some supporters are for it, but throwing this out there since Calguns is still not working and it doesn't look like the owner has been around for a month. I spend a bit on hosting the site with all the advanced features and licensing for software + the cost of the hardware. If you cover your share, I'd consider it.

Actually I think the OT was a loss leader for Calguns and brought in a lot of traffic. I would go there just to read the OT threads and got a lot of useful info along with the belly laughs. I also got an eyeful of popups and advertising along the way.

But I can understand your point.

 

[ikeo1]

Actually I think the OT was a loss leader for Calguns and brought in a lot of traffic. I would go there just to read the OT threads and got a lot of useful info along with the belly laughs. I also got an eyeful of popups and advertising along the way.

But I can understand your point.

If more supporters, folks who are CA Supporters(subscribers) want this then its more likely to happen in the way I mentioned, opt-in and not open to the public. IMO I think its a mistake for that kind of stuff to be public on the internet. Mainly I want to make sure we have sponsors for what's suggested. In OT over there, the ones who barked the loudest weren't contributing to CGN. Otherwise I focus on other features that people like using. IE. Search here is advanced and pretty expensive. Between that and the Marketplace software, it adds up annually since these are annual licenses.

I've said this in our Supporters group that there are several bots scanning information from every page. It's important to be conscious about this as some are govt's, business, individuals, etc.

Notice our extremely low guest count. This is done on purpose. We also limit what guests/unregistered users see and what search services they have access to. The larger we grow, the more we move towards a member oriented site. Sites like FB and Reddit are full of bot accounts and now AI accounts, this place is a smaller and more niche.

I want to make sure we can service the CA 2A community, so we don't need a lot of eyeballs just the right ones.

 

[davidj]

Just expressing my opinion on a OT section. I would be for this, put it behind a separate sign in section, immediately ban any "dock heads" who attacks other members. Members would know your serious and more than likely behave because of that. That is my one complaint about Calguns not doing that unless it is really severe. I have been a Lifetime Contributor on CG and I have been very patient with what has been going on, never had criticized it. I have 90% moved on to other 2A sites that I have been checking out for a very long time, but OT always brings me back to CG's. If CG's is dead and this site picks up to replace CG's and has a OT section, I would do as I did with CG's and become a Lifetime or annual contributing member here.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

One of the reasons why I like this site is because there is no off-topic. IMHO off-topic is nothing but a trolls playground attracting the most repulsive and hateful juvenile locker-room rhetoric you can imagine: racism, homophobia, chauvinism, xenophobia. If that is how you want to market this site to others trying to get into the 2A community, well good luck. You're just going to end up with a bunch of curmudgeons bullying everyone under the guise of being tough and masculine, even though they are easily triggered by even the slightest criticism. It's just going to be nothing but drama. Who needs more drama in their lives? I like the idea of keeping this site chill and laid back. Not full of bickering over politics, lifestyles, differences in personal beliefs, or generational perspectives. Or a bunch of circle jerks, whining about millennials, bio labs, the jab, women's rights, virtue signaling, transgenderism, abortions, 10% for the big guy, TDS, Q-anon. Basically, a lot of people who don't even live in CA wanting to burn the world down because they are so unhappy with their lives. I think it would be a shame to allow this site to devolve into that.

 

[ikeo1]

One of the reasons why I like this site is because there is no off-topic. IMHO off-topic is nothing but a trolls playground attracting the most repulsive and hateful juvenile locker-room rhetoric you can imagine: racism, homophobia, chauvinism, xenophobia. If that is how you want to market this site to others trying to get into the 2A community, well good luck. You're just going to end up with a bunch of curmudgeons bullying everyone under the guise of being tough and masculine, even though they are easily triggered by even the slightest criticism. It's just going to be nothing but drama. Who needs more drama in their lives? I like the idea of keeping this site chill and laid back. Not full of bickering over politics, lifestyles, differences in personal beliefs, or generational perspectives. Or a bunch of circle jerks, whining about millennials, bio labs, the jab, women's rights, virtue signaling, transgenderism, abortions, 10% for the big guy, TDS, Q-anon. Basically, a lot of people who don't even live in CA wanting to burn the world down because they are so unhappy with their lives. I think it would be a shame to allow this site to devolve into that.

Did you miss the part where it’s opt in? I notice you have very strong opinions and to an extent the opposite side of the same coin. While I understand your concern, i do miss the days of legitimate discourse. I think you assume that I'll let it get to that point where it's like CGN's OT.

I think there's a good reason to have an OT, IF people can be mature. With Opt-in, we have the option of kicking people out of there if they get out of line. OT would be an extra perk, not a base part of the site.

I personally don't agree with racism/xenophobia/homophobia/chauvinism. I think like many other here, I'm annoyed at both far left & right. I'd like to put this out there for the people who want OT, what's the best way to deal with this aspect? Are you ok with moderation on these topics? I think there's benefits to OT with the diverse knowledge, but we don't want to bring the baggage.

I still think the best case is if we were able to get the Calguns domain. This site could remain as is with the main feature as the marketplace. I'd remove the marketplace from CGN and move it here and combine the logins and keep the forum side there. In many ways the sites need to be split to handle the traffic for each. I'm not kidding that the forum and marketplace take 1/3rd of the traffic each. Having the ability to move or scale each entity individually in crucial for longevity and maintainability.

Again, I'm open to the idea but it needs solid support from the community here and we need to make sure its not net negative to the site.

 

[Sal0327]

I think with or without OT here, I like this site im going to stick around.

 

[jocww]

I like the idea of OT as I guess I am getting older... 39 now. I do actually get most of my news from OT. I too agree that there should be moderation. There is no room for hate and I agree if it starts going that way to nip it. With that being said there also needs to be some toughening up. I remember reciting sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. So a Yes vote from me for OT.
I didnt realize that 1/3 of the bandwith was for OT thats pretty amazing.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Did you miss the part where it’s opt in? I notice you have very strong opinions and to an extent the opposite side of the same coin. While I understand your concern, i do miss the days of legitimate discourse. I think you assume that I'll let it get to that point where it's like CGN's OT.

I think there's a good reason to have an OT, IF people can be mature. With Opt-in, we have the option of kicking people out of there if they get out of line. OT would be an extra perk, not a base part of the site.

I personally don't agree with racism/xenophobia/homophobia/chauvinism. I think like many other here, I'm annoyed at both far left & right. I'd like to put this out there for the people who want OT, what's the best way to deal with this aspect? Are you ok with moderation on these topics? I think there's benefits to OT with the diverse knowledge, but we don't want to bring the baggage.

I still think the best case is if we were able to get the Calguns domain. This site could remain as is with the main feature as the marketplace. I'd remove the marketplace from CGN and move it here and combine the logins and keep the forum side there. In many ways the sites need to be split to handle the traffic for each. I'm not kidding that the forum and marketplace take 1/3rd of the traffic each. Having the ability to move or scale each entity individually in crucial for longevity and maintainability.

Again, I'm open to the idea but it needs solid support from the community here and we need to make sure its not net negative to the site.

I don't agree that I'm the opposite of the same coin. I do value legitimate discourse. But over the years that has proven impossible as more people have really gone off the deep end (MAGA, Qanon, pro-Putin, conspiracy theorists, etc....) Off-topic will just be a lot of drama for you to deal with. See the post above wanting a "safe space" for "mature thick-skinned people." I've observed that those who claim to be "mature" and "thick-skinned" post the most juvenile locker-room content and are instantly enraged if someone calls them out on it. Physiologically, they are probably geriatric, but mentally and emotionally, they are still stuck in middle-school.

 

[Gunsforevery1]

If there is OT, please make it no holds barred.
Or a subforum of OT that is for mature thick skinned people.

Of course, nothing related to graphic sex, deaths, drugs, -philia topics.

That’s not for mature thick skinned people then. I agree with the last one though.

 

[RustyIron]

I think like many other here, I'm annoyed at both far left & right. I'd like to put this out there for the people who want OT, what's the best way to deal with this aspect? Are you ok with moderation on these topics? I think there's benefits to OT with the diverse knowledge, but we don't want to bring the baggage.

I'm ambivalent. One one hand, I come here for guns. I don't care what you think about Kylie Jenner or the latest X-Box game. On the other hand, sharing personal off topic stuff can build camaraderie among the users. Hearing about your latest hod rod or puppy will solidify relationships. What's best? I certainly don't know.

 

[P226Scorpion]

Did you miss the part where it’s opt in? I notice you have very strong opinions and to an extent the opposite side of the same coin. While I understand your concern, i do miss the days of legitimate discourse. I think you assume that I'll let it get to that point where it's like CGN's OT.

@ikeo1,

Unfortunately, there are users who seem to believe that others on this network ought to care about their opinion. Whether such a user is opining on the prospect of your creating an 'opt-in' and thus, private off-topic (OT) forum, or about the marketplace and the current status of transactions being done on this network. In discussions on such topics (and others, to be sure), such a user is there to write an overly long post wherein he rambles about his opinions, and like a true modern sophist, always with a sense of superiority and a modern thesaurus by his side.

One of the reasons why I like this site is because there is no off-topic. IMHO off-topic is nothing but a trolls playground attracting the most repulsive and hateful juvenile locker-room rhetoric you can imagine: racism, homophobia, chauvinism, xenophobia. If that is how you want to market this site to others trying to get into the 2A community, well good luck. You're just going to end up with a bunch of curmudgeons bullying everyone under the guise of being tough and masculine, even though they are easily triggered by even the slightest criticism. It's just going to be nothing but drama. Who needs more drama in their lives? I like the idea of keeping this site chill and laid back. Not full of bickering over politics, lifestyles, differences in personal beliefs, or generational perspectives. Or a bunch of circle jerks, whining about millennials, bio labs, the jab, women's rights, virtue signaling, transgenderism, abortions, 10% for the big guy, TDS, Q-anon. Basically, a lot of people who don't even live in CA wanting to burn the world down because they are so unhappy with their lives. I think it would be a shame to allow this site to devolve into that.

@Tere_Hanges,

Firstly, I recommend that you read 'Politics and the English Language'. I suspect that it will make no difference in your writing; however, there is always hope. Secondly, please stop with your trying to bully users on this network into not discussing the prospect of having an 'opt-in' OT forum. It is clear that "under the guise of being" understanding, apolitical, nonjudgemental, truth-bearing centrist, etc. (your words in quotations), you are mainly trying to instill a sense of anxiety or apprehension about the plausibility of having an 'opt-in' OT forum. If an OT forum is created, I am confident that this network will be just as fine with or without your presence.

 

[doser]

I'm ambivalent. One one hand, I come here for guns. I don't care what you think about Kylie Jenner or the latest X-Box game. On the other hand, sharing personal off topic stuff can build camaraderie among the users. Hearing about your latest hod rod or puppy will solidify relationships. What's best? I certainly don't know.

This is the main and only reason we talked about an OT forum. Talking only about guns can get rather repetitive and dry. If we decided to do it, the benefit of an opt-in format here is you won't see the OT forum unless you have the appropriate permission to view it. We're thinking about leveraging the ghost badge for this purpose.

Unfortunately, there are users who seem to believe that others on this network ought to care about their opinion. Whether such a user is opining on the prospect of your creating an 'opt-in' and thus, private off-topic (OT) forum, or about the marketplace and the current status of transactions being done on this network.

We actually take in a lot of feedback from users. @ikeo1 and I talk about it but generally speaking those who help support the site financially have a little more say since it does take up more resources. Overall though, it can be ok if done right. We just don't want it to get out of hand, which is why we're thinking opt-in and hidden unless you want to be there. If you FAFO you get the boot for bad attitudes, 1 warning. Don't take the bait kinda thing.

 

[Eatdirt]

O k .
I understand the problems connected with the O T sections

The 'ol Cal - Guns forum became less and less about guns
And more just a bunch of chattering teeth

But , how about a section about Current Events ?
I used to get a lot of news and current events from the O. T.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

If you FAFO you get the boot for bad attitudes, 1 warning. Don't take the bait kinda thing.

Will this apply equally between all members or will there be favoritism amongst moderators and members and/or contributing members, etc? That's what Calguns was wrong, as they seem to favor some over others, some might get a warning, some might get outright ban, some might get banned from off topic subforum, and others from site as a whole, it goes on.

That is why I asked about a no holds barred. Where these favoritisms can't play a part.

 

[ikeo1]

Will this apply equally between all members or will there be favoritism amongst moderators and members and/or contributing members, etc? That's what Calguns was wrong, as they seem to favor some over others, some might get a warning, some might get outright ban, some might get banned from off topic subforum, and others from site as a whole, it goes on.

That is why I asked about a no holds barred. Where these favoritisms can't play a part.

I think it goes without saying we’re hesitant. FAFO is about as fair as it’s gonna get. You know that saying becareful what you wish for.

No holds barred for you or us? We want to run a 2A community site. CGN was like roadhouse.. no bias exists now. We want to build a community, not troublemakers. Honestly, I still don’t want politics or religion, because I don’t want it to turn into a right vs left thing with a lot of tension. It’s distracting, but I do want to open up discussion.

O k .
I understand the problems connected with the O T sections

The 'ol Cal - Guns forum became less and less about guns
And more just a bunch of chattering teeth

But , how about a section about Current Events ?
I used to get a lot of news and current events from the O. T.

We have current events section. It’s just really light.