Is this a security forum or what?

bellgamin · Cadet Joined: Nov 10, 2002 Posts: 9 Location: USA

Is Computer Cops a security forum or a political soapbox?

From its title, I thought "Homeland Security" would discuss the very real problems & needs for internal defense of our nation. Instead, what I find are lengthy snips from newspaper articles, some of them leaving me wondering if somebody is trying to get readers to vote for or against
something.

If I wanted to read politically slanted news articles, I wouldn't be looking for them at a site that *purports* to deal with security matters.

Computer Cops will probably never be in the same league with wilders or dsl reports by making itself a forum for political stuff. But perhaps that is just fine with whoever runs this place.

aloha..........bellgamin

Paul · Admin Joined: Feb 22, 2002 Posts: 5719 Location: USA

You have emailed me concerning this very issue and I replied back right away asking you to show me your concerns. Per my email I stated I am open to suggestions and feedback so I hope your thread here can help make this forum either grow or may disappear.

As for comparisons to other sites, I am "Zhen-Xjell", an administrator at WildersSecurity.com, and I also am a moderator at BroadBandReports.com. So I understand how these things work: listen to the members.

JackBenny · Sergeant Joined: Jul 12, 2002 Posts: 140 Location: USA

One thing that would help is actually starting a conversation. Articles and opinions have been posted to start discussions relating to the articles. Some receive a lot of views, but still nobody comments. If someone doesn't like or want the type of posts being seen, the thing to do is start one and try to get some of these lukers to open up.

Complaining to management is one thing, but starting the types of discussions you want to see is even better. As long as nobody wants to make any comments, or start their own threads, this place will remain a place for a very limited number of actual participants with everyone else peeking in the window, waiting for something to happen.

Paul can only do so much, after that, it's up to the rest of us, posters and lurkers alike.

bellgamin · Cadet Joined: Nov 10, 2002 Posts: 9 Location: USA

JB - It is my belief that if one wants a good steak, he should not go to KFC to find it. Neither should one seek to have political discussions in a security forum.

You say, "Articles and opinions have been posted to start discussions..." In other words, I go to a steak house. You put a hot dog on my plate, then sit down and say, "Let's talk."

[Goodness, I should have had breakfast. All my analogies deal with food.]

As for Paul's comments - You asked for examples, so I posted a thread in this category for the simple reason that this category within your forum is, itself, THE example. In my view, it makes Computer Cops kind of the UC Berkely of security forums. To each his own.

aloha and peace to all..........bellgamin

JackBenny · Sergeant Joined: Jul 12, 2002 Posts: 140 Location: USA

Paul · Admin Joined: Feb 22, 2002 Posts: 5719 Location: USA

bellgamin · Cadet Joined: Nov 10, 2002 Posts: 9 Location: USA

This is all a public service venture right now. I don't know precisely what people want so I threw up some forums which since have been combined or removed.

When one arrives, the CC forum over all doesn't have the look & feel of a popular place.

I think that feeling is intensified because CC's board presently is compartmentalized into several categories [such as a category for firewalls, another for AV, and so forth]. In a new/small board, such compartmentalization means that, under ordinary circumstances, any given category will have only a very few active threads. It gives one sort of a deserted feeling, doncha know? Plus [for someone on dial-up] it's a drag to click into a category only to find that nothing much is happening there.

Contrast that with dslreports, where there are NO compartments in the security forum. It's much easier to browse, and it *looks* busy. Of course, it truly IS busy, but even so the lack of compartmentalization makes it look even busier than it is.

Other than special cases like mailwasher, I think you might consider dumping most of the security topics into a single category [as dsl rpts does] and then -- perhaps every so often, harvest the older threads into archives and compartmentalize THOSE [the archives that is].

Compartmentalization should be done when the number and variety of threads demands it. Not before. At least that's my $.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

There are *other* ideas, too. But I dislike long comments so I'll cease.

aloha.......bellgamin
~~~~~~~
A man who moralizes is usually a hypocrite. A woman who moralizes is invariably plain. [Oscar Wilde, "Lady Windemere's Fan"

Paul · Admin Joined: Feb 22, 2002 Posts: 5719 Location: USA

Letting your post sink in...

JackBenny · Sergeant Joined: Jul 12, 2002 Posts: 140 Location: USA

Now there's a plan......downsize. Good idea Cool

alephNULL · Guest

Funny how people on the right don't want the political issues haunting Homeland Security to be discussed or even mentioned. 'Just obey the President and don't look.' But that is backwards. Freedom to desent has always been a vital part of democracy. Let's not demonize it now.

By the way I always thought of CC as being more like the corner deli than a steak house. There is a lot to eat here and if you see something you dislike then don't put a fork in it.

bellgamin · Cadet Joined: Nov 10, 2002 Posts: 9 Location: USA

alephNULL · Guest

bellgamin · Cadet Joined: Nov 10, 2002 Posts: 9 Location: USA

First alephnull says that those who disagree with him are "people on the right" then he asks, "And just where is the center." If he doesn't already know left from right from center, how does he term me a rightist? Finally he challenges, "why don't you post a convincing counter argument?" In other words, he wants me to waste my time arguing with him instead of learning about dull stuff like firewalls and AV & AT & wormguard and privacy et alia -- that very stuff that I thought I was signing up for when I became a member here.

alephnull makes my point exactly. This is becoming a forum that solicits political arguments, if not eventual flame jobs, & allows visitors to be mudslinged as rightists.

If I come to CC forum I come to learn about and discuss computer security. Not to engage in arguments. Not to have a political diatribe. Not to be called names.

I think I shall hang my hat elsewhere for a while. No offense. I wish you folks all the best of .... whatever it is you think you're doing.

Goodbye.

alephNULL · Cadet Joined: Dec 21, 2002 Posts: 2 Location: USA

Oh! I see.

JackBenny · Sergeant Joined: Jul 12, 2002 Posts: 140 Location: USA

[quote="bellgamin"]


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