to think that Off The Beaten Track was a mistake

[rolandweary]

this isn't a thread about a thread, it's a thread about a topic, and some of the threads in it

so hopefully not bad form

I think it was amistake - it seems to be used for all the wrong reasons. For example the shiney crew feeling they ought to post on there because people were complaining about them being a clique - that seems wrong to me, MN is public and nobody should feel they have to retire to a private area. And the BoM thread which is full of personal attacks and insults - people seem to retire onto that thread to make the sort of remarks they wouldn't make on the main boards

I think it should be got rid of. What does everyone else think?

Penelope: but the wankers and the ivory cape swishers aren't all about bitching, or about bitching at all. It seems silly to complain about the whole topic because of one thread in it.

The problem is not a problem, but a warning:

be aware that anythin that is written on Mumsnet can be read by any member of Mumsnet

anything that is written anywhere other than OTBT can be read by anyone at all, and is googleable

at Shiney

oh i agree. can't see much point to the topic but if it makes people feel safer to post in it then it has its place.

I do think it is silly that people think it is ok to openly slate other posters under the illusion they are safe from inspection.

but yes, i think it will all go caboom any minute.

well it has been quiet on here for all of 30 seconds so why not

Oh man, it is going to kick right the fuck off in a minute.

The topic is useful because threads disappear entirely very quickly and it can't be googled.

If people have a problem with a particular thread in any topic, they can (and probably should) bring it up in that thread. This is a thread about a thread, and it's a bit ironic to be starting a thread to complain that other people have started a thread where they complain about other people/threads.

I suppose the 'problem' is when there is bitching about people who have total access to the thread and may well read it.

It would be like me saying Good God, have you read that stuff by LadyTremaine? God she's a who does she think she is

It wouldn't be nice, would it?

It's one thing to vent privately, it is quite another to vent about members of mumsnet in what is a public space where said members can read it.

It just creates bad feeling.

I think that something is happening on mn. A breakdown between parents and step (bonus) parents. Not everyone, I'm not saying everyone, but I can clearly see increased hostilities. It's not nice.

It happened between general mn users and those who just stuck to exchanging prams between each other (didn't folks call them the "pram huns"?) that ended up quite nasty and don't they now have a totally separate area for selling?

I don't think it would be nice to end up with a breakway step-mumsnet.

But if I start a thread to complain that you started a thread to complain about other things, some of which may be threads and some of which are not, and you go back to complain about this thread on that one.....

well i have no idea about the other thread you talk about Mj.

I do understand what you are saying about personal info, especially if you are worrying about your step kids mum coming on and finding you saying something she dislikes baout her dearest darling or whatever.

But some of the stuff on that thread...wow.

If you had posted even half of it on the main boards you;d be walking round with fork wounds up your arse

OOh I'm a bit bored tonight ...someone PM me if it kicks off

Penelope, I like you!

But OTBT is still part of the main boards, and people would do well to remember that. OTBT is there as a safe place for vulnerable posters WHICH IS NOT GOOGLE-ABLE.

That's it. That's the remit. If you are being stalked and you don't want stalky stalker to find you then going into OTBT only means that stalky stalker won't come across your threads in google or in active conversations.

They are still searchable (to my knowledge) within MN and anyone who has been here half a minute knows about that section.

To have a thread on there slagging off other mumsnet members and being generally awful is just being as dull as a brush IMO.

surely you can all stop yourselves 'oversharing information'? no?

Mj - i think you will find that others have tried that and failed.

moldies anyone?

Cheers Bellavita i do try

Tiffany - I don't think the "oversharing" is a problem as much as the blatant and flagrant bitching about other members.

heehee