Oginme
Grandmaster Brewer
I want to address some of the tension which has surfaced on this forum in the past few weeks.
First of all, I am saddened that several people who have been giving good advice on this forum have let me know they will no longer be participating due to the recent activity. As with any on-line forum that I have participated in, there is always an ebb and flow of people who join and contribute to the discussions which take place. I can understand when they feel that their opinions and experience are dismissed or not valued that they may decide to move on to a more welcoming venue. In the end, it is a loss to this forum and to those of us who may stay.
Second, I have always tried to participate with the idea that I should be helping, informing or increasing the value of this forum to the other members who participate and read the active threads. There have been many times I have typed out a reply and then reread it and deleted it because it did (1) not further the conversation, (2) not add to the information being presented, or (3) I was basically being a dick. Posting a reply which does not meet this standard is really just wasting people's time and band width and does not reflect favorably on me.
Third, most people here who answer the posts have a fair to excellent amount of experience both in using the software and in brewing. To dismiss their experiences, opinions, and data with a blanket statement is basically rude, in my opinion. Everyone has something to contribute and your answers should reflect what you know and have experienced. At the same time, I always post from my experience bases with the knowledge that my experiences and understanding is not what everyone else has experienced and understands. In that sense, I always try to respect others thoughts and opinions with the thought that I might be the one that is wrong. Likewise, if I am wrong or mistaken, then it serves as a great way for me to expand and learn about this hobby we share. In short, be prepared to be wrong and relish it as a learning experience, don't get defensive but think about the new information and either absorb it or reject it WITH REASON.
Fourth, always respect the other people on the forum, mostly because you may be the one in the wrong. Realize that what might work for you, might not work for others and vice versa (I thought that was erotic Italian poetry, but learned differently). There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways of making wort, growing yeast, fermenting, and packaging. Yours is not the best or the worst, it is just another way. If it works well for you, greater power to you. If other methods and processes work better for other people, more power to them. If they get the beer they want out of the process they follow, then great!
Fifth, just don't be a dick. Life is too short and it takes away from time brewing or consuming our fermented beverages. Remember that you have two ears and only one mouth, and eight fingers and two thumbs to hold over that mouth before it becomes full of foot. Besides, while you are holding your fingers over your mouth to stop from saying something stupid, you can't type something stupid!
Sixth, although I have covered many of the points here I invite everyone to check out https://elearningindustry.com/10-netiquette-tips-online-discussions. It is not the best list , but it is short and concise (which at times I have not been).
Seventh, give credit where it is due. This extends into admitting when you've made a mistake or said something poorly, was ill-conceived, or just plain worthless. It also acknowledges those people who have given a good response, even when you think yours might be better.
I check this forum frequently and have tried to be of help to those people seeking advice because I feel that I do have something to offer. I have worked as a process engineer, process control engineer, product development chemist (engineer), goat breeder, and product development leader. From this background, I think I have developed a fairly good understanding of how the BeerSmith software operates and enjoy aiding others to make it work better for them. Along the way, I always hope to learn more myself, and often do. [OK, I can hear some of you thinking "goat breeder? How does that help?"-- well when you play at mixing and matching genetic traits, you quickly realize that they don't always work out the way you want them to.]
In the end, this forum is what we, the users, make of it. Brad may own it and oversee it, but it is ours to make it somewhere virtual where we all want to hang out. I am on enough other forums where people act like dicks that I really don't want to see this one go that way.
First of all, I am saddened that several people who have been giving good advice on this forum have let me know they will no longer be participating due to the recent activity. As with any on-line forum that I have participated in, there is always an ebb and flow of people who join and contribute to the discussions which take place. I can understand when they feel that their opinions and experience are dismissed or not valued that they may decide to move on to a more welcoming venue. In the end, it is a loss to this forum and to those of us who may stay.
Second, I have always tried to participate with the idea that I should be helping, informing or increasing the value of this forum to the other members who participate and read the active threads. There have been many times I have typed out a reply and then reread it and deleted it because it did (1) not further the conversation, (2) not add to the information being presented, or (3) I was basically being a dick. Posting a reply which does not meet this standard is really just wasting people's time and band width and does not reflect favorably on me.
Third, most people here who answer the posts have a fair to excellent amount of experience both in using the software and in brewing. To dismiss their experiences, opinions, and data with a blanket statement is basically rude, in my opinion. Everyone has something to contribute and your answers should reflect what you know and have experienced. At the same time, I always post from my experience bases with the knowledge that my experiences and understanding is not what everyone else has experienced and understands. In that sense, I always try to respect others thoughts and opinions with the thought that I might be the one that is wrong. Likewise, if I am wrong or mistaken, then it serves as a great way for me to expand and learn about this hobby we share. In short, be prepared to be wrong and relish it as a learning experience, don't get defensive but think about the new information and either absorb it or reject it WITH REASON.
Fourth, always respect the other people on the forum, mostly because you may be the one in the wrong. Realize that what might work for you, might not work for others and vice versa (I thought that was erotic Italian poetry, but learned differently). There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways of making wort, growing yeast, fermenting, and packaging. Yours is not the best or the worst, it is just another way. If it works well for you, greater power to you. If other methods and processes work better for other people, more power to them. If they get the beer they want out of the process they follow, then great!
Fifth, just don't be a dick. Life is too short and it takes away from time brewing or consuming our fermented beverages. Remember that you have two ears and only one mouth, and eight fingers and two thumbs to hold over that mouth before it becomes full of foot. Besides, while you are holding your fingers over your mouth to stop from saying something stupid, you can't type something stupid!
Sixth, although I have covered many of the points here I invite everyone to check out https://elearningindustry.com/10-netiquette-tips-online-discussions. It is not the best list , but it is short and concise (which at times I have not been).
Seventh, give credit where it is due. This extends into admitting when you've made a mistake or said something poorly, was ill-conceived, or just plain worthless. It also acknowledges those people who have given a good response, even when you think yours might be better.
I check this forum frequently and have tried to be of help to those people seeking advice because I feel that I do have something to offer. I have worked as a process engineer, process control engineer, product development chemist (engineer), goat breeder, and product development leader. From this background, I think I have developed a fairly good understanding of how the BeerSmith software operates and enjoy aiding others to make it work better for them. Along the way, I always hope to learn more myself, and often do. [OK, I can hear some of you thinking "goat breeder? How does that help?"-- well when you play at mixing and matching genetic traits, you quickly realize that they don't always work out the way you want them to.]
In the end, this forum is what we, the users, make of it. Brad may own it and oversee it, but it is ours to make it somewhere virtual where we all want to hang out. I am on enough other forums where people act like dicks that I really don't want to see this one go that way.