For goodness sake!!

[jac extreme]

Ok. My first comment is to Geeg and Mum. I think you both know that I love women with balls.................and that's how I would describe you two. Spunky, feisty gals who shoot from the hip and who don't stand for any bo**ocks. Hooray for fricking Hollywood.

HOWEVER................what you've got to realise is that it's a little different for you two to voice your opinions than it is for most of the rest of us geeks.

Why? Because your word is God. In actual fact, I cringe at the way many of the geeks suck up to you both and I'm sure that you must find it a little uncomfortable at times yourself. If for example this post was started by I'm A Nail Whore Geek, would there be as many replies? I doubt it. In fact, that would be a good little test if you both went in under another name sometime to see if you get the same response. Also, to some of the newer geeks, you may come across as being a little scary. Now pick your bottom lips up off the floor girlies.

You may have noticed that I've been laying low over the past couple of months....................Er, hello...................Did anybody notice? The reason is that I'm bored. I'm sick of the mindless posts and the childish comments from a small minority. It seems that some can't blink without asking all the other geeks if they've already blinked that morning or if their right eye blinked a bit quicker than the left. Please..............give us a break. What must people think when they're just popping in for the first time? It's like a school playground.

People take things too personally on here. We all do at times and I can be as sensitive as the rest, but with some it's constant. If you're going to post on a public forum, then stand up and be counted. Be brave. Be bold. You don't have to know everything but bite the bullet and ask a straight question and take a straight answer.

Finally, I'd like to do away with the rep system as that causes more trouble than it's worth. There are people high on that list who never post on here so where do they get the pos rep from? Anyway, that's another thread.

as always Kimmi, straight to the point, no sucking up from you girl. I have missed you on site.

 

[Lellipop]

Well I always give my opinion and I dont suck up or hide away from speaking the truth, I see it like this Ok we have some well known industry figures on this site but they are only people like the rest of us so no need to suck up . My opinion is that every geek as a right to express an opinion and the people who start ganging up etc on others are normally the techs with the least nail experience anyway who have nothing better to do then be judgementally about others posts.

 

[Kim Lawless]

You've probably lost me any friends I ever had on the site now by saying that ... all my friends will now be too frightened to speak to me in case I think they are sucking up.!!!

No no no Geeg, don't take me out of context. You won't have lost any genuine friends, I can assure you.

 

[ValencianNails]

Im another regular geek who has stepped back from this site of late as i got sick and tired of little hitlers PM'ing me when i ever i "Aired my opinion" telling me "YOU CAN'T SAY THAT or YOU'LL REGRET SAYING THAT ON HERE".

Well NEWSFLASH if i was going to lose sleep over something i have said on here i would never of said it in the first place.

what exactly do you mean Lisa?

 

[cuticles]

I think Lisa is extremely clear and to the point. I think she means that when she says something that someone objects to, she is subjected to private messages etc.

Cathy

 

[*Glynis*]

I too love this site, and I have learned so much from it. But... what I am really bored of at the moment is threads about "Threads/Posts" like this one. I don't find most the chit chat stuff interesting so I don't read it. I find it frustrating though when I log on and all the recent threads are non-nail related. But there you go. Lets just get back to proper posting.

As I have said before, I think half the problem is people (and I know I did it myself in the early days :smack: ) posting tons of pointless stuff to get Geekmolians.

I agree with loads that Kimmi said, particularly the stuff about the Rep System. Mum, the reason people are careful with their comments, or cage them with a "sorry" or "don't mean to offend" etc. is because they don't want to get bad rep.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I've read all the replies on here and there are some great responses. My girls always say to me, mum it's not what you say it's the way you say it! If I really wanted to give my honest opinion I would have been banned months ago! You won't believe how often I have sat with my mouth on the floor incredulous at what some people have written. BUt I am a tactful person (on the whole) and as in real life I try and treat people how I would like to be treated - with respect.

That doesn't mean I have to agree with everything. BUt if I disagree with someone then I try not to get personal and keep it constructive - debating my point againt theirs. It doesn't mean I'm right, but hell how am I going to learn if I can't comfortably ask questions?

I saw a recent thread where someone's education was obviously lacking in standards. She, as a new person on the board, was genuinely asking for help and the reponse she got was appalling, unfriendly and unhelpful - with comments like "OMG" or "can't believe you don't know that" type of thing. I mean, how is that helpful? It's not constructive, it's not helpful, it's certainly not going to help her learn and she'll probably never come back adn remain uneducated. So what if she hasn't had the same type of education we have had? Let's remember the primary aim of this site is to raise the professional standards within our industry by giving out sound advice based on facts.

Which leads me onto the rep system. I actually believe it has made me a more constructive poster. I hate getting neg rep and so I go out of my way to post honestly but fairly so I don't get them. If they weren't there I would be far more blatant in my answers, and I think that as a whole there would be far more sniping and unnecessary comments on here. I spend a hell of a lot of time on here passing on the advice I have so eagerly learned from here and it is great to get +ve rep points for people to say thank you. Not saying I want a medal for it, but it does feel warm and cosy when you get one and encourages me to keep going.

Finally for those of you who can only say "do a search", have you ever actually tried doing one? Go on have a go! It's a bloody nightmare. The main problem being is that people cannot give the title of their threads a proper freaking (to quote GMG lol) title. So you are presented with zillions of threads with "help!" or "advice needed" and you have to trawl through each and every one going through the posts saying "I'm going to watch this one with interest" or "I agree". or "do a freaking search"!!!!!!!!!!! It is damned hard to extract the answers because people, by trying to be uber friendly, clutter up the site.

So to sum up, when posting ENGAGE BRAIN BEFORE PUTTING FINGER TO KEYBOARD!!!

 

[Urban Geek]

You say it so well Sarah and so diplomatically.

Why does the rep system bother so many peoplel. I love getting positive reps but I have had a few neg reps too and c'est la vie but yes perhaps they do encourage some drivel. Perhaps GMG or one of the moderators could retract reps if the thread is pointless.

I am one of those people probably guilty of saying "do a search" cause it is so exasperating when something has been discussed a zillion times and it is usuallly obvious that the person hasn't tried to search. However, what you say is true and when I do a search, I usually do an advanced search against a Geek who I think may have put input on the subject, otherwise yes there are often too many threads to search without difficulty. I promise to be more patient and more helpful in future.:hug:

Finally, I responded to this thread not because of who initiated it but because it was a worthy thread. Geeg and Mum are going to submit thought provoking threads because they are industry leaders and I do pay particular attention to what they post as I usually learn so much from what they have to say. People who interpret responses as 'sucking up' or the like have a problem themselves.

 

[Leslee]

Ok. My first comment is to Geeg and Mum.

*snip*

what you've got to realise is that it's a little different for you two to voice your opinions than it is for most of the rest of us geeks. Why? Because your word is God.

*snip*

In fact, that would be a good little test if you both went in under another name sometime to see if you get the same response.

*snip*


You may have noticed that I've been laying low over the past couple of months....................Er, hello...................Did anybody notice? The reason is that I'm bored. I'm sick of the mindless posts and the childish comments from a small minority.

*snip*


Finally, I'd like to do away with the rep system as that causes more trouble than it's worth. There are people high on that list who never post on here so where do they get the pos rep from? Anyway, that's another thread.

1. I agree, Kimmie. Their word IS God, of sorts, and they wouldn't get the same level of respect if posting under a different name. In fact, I was edited and reprimanded in a "page" by Geeg for saying the same thing that was posted in another thread by another member... which led me to feel that what I said was okay. Wrong. It wasn't okay for me. Instead of bringing it up publicly, I chose to PM Geeg privately about it.. and never heard back from her. Pppfffttt. Stupid newbie me didn't rate the simple common courtesy of a reply.

Do I care? No, but it was rude and she made her point to the stupid newbie on the board. There was once upon a time though, as a total newbie to the message board world, that my feelings would have been really hurt and I probably would have stopped posting after getting a smack down from God that the other folks didn't get.

Message board life isn't any different than real life. There are nice people, funny people, serious people, popular people, trolling people, flaming people, sh*t stirring people, and people who have power over all of them. Some people with power are fair and equitable, and some people with power don't realize that power is nothing without control. And there are people who don't realize that without their power...they'd be nothing and nobody... just like all the rest of us.

2. I did notice you haven't posted much. Hated that because I always like to read what you have to say, and you usually make me giggle! Missed that in my daily world where sometimes I don't have a lot to giggle about!

3. I'm not sure what the rep system is all about to tell you the truth... Um....? Took me a while to even notice it, and now... when I read something that makes me laugh, or I can appreciate their pain, or find something I like... I really try to remember to boost a rep. But... as a lowly newbie... I do sometimes forget.

WE ALL NEED A BOOST. Even if it's a reputation COUNTER on a message board, yanno? There has to be somewhere you can go and feel like people LIKE you, RESPECT you, and VALUE you as a person.

I'm not sure if that needs to be done away with, or if we could all make more effort to add a rep boost to other people besides the "core" group. The "core" group would be pretty boring without the rest of us popping in and out. Ya think?

 

[Kim Lawless]

People who interpret responses as 'sucking up' or the like have a problem themselves.

Seeing as I'm the one that posted that, I'll take it you're referring to me personally so I'll respond. I'm sorry you read it that way Chrissie as it seems to have been taken out of context.

I'm not going to keep explaining myself in this thread and I hope that Geeg and Marian know that my great fondness for them both is on a personal level, as women to aspire to and kindness of heart ...............nothing to do with nails. I would have thought that it goes without saying that I respect them on a proffessional level.................who wouldn't?

It's little snidey comments like that that cause bad feeling on this site and stir up trouble.

 

[GreekNails]

Hi Geeks - what a good thread.

This is a professional site for professional people - Im not sure of many other industries / trades that have such a unique opportunity to share ideas, ask questions, learn the latest ideas and seek feedback. In a normal "high street" environment or market such information would be your competitors advantage, so it is great that we can be so open with our business issues like this. Im not sure if there is a plumbers "geek" where you can discuss the latest size of waste pipes etc!!

The other side of the coin is that we should be having fun too. We work hard, so lets play hard sometimes. However, I see so many posts that have no real place on the Nail Geek and are really only "school playground" type comments or threads.

For example, I was given a bad reputation point the other day for saying that I did not understand the language that had been posted (text talk again!!). This is a worldwide site for worldwide geeks with English language as its base. Maybe I should not have posted a reply saying that I did not understand it, but I hate to see our site downgraded in this way.

Lets keep the Nail Geek site professional, customer focused and enjoyable.

Eva

 

[Urban Geek]

Seeing as I'm the one that posted that, I'll take it you're referring to me personally so I'll respond. I'm sorry you read it that way Chrissie as it seems to have been taken out of context.

I'm not going to keep explaining myself in this thread and I hope that Geeg and Marian know that my great fondness for them both is on a personal level, as women to aspire to and kindness of heart ...............nothing to do with nails. I would have thought that it goes without saying that I respect them on a proffessional level.................who wouldn't?

It's little snidey comments like that that cause bad feeling on this site and stir up trouble.

You weren't the only one that made that sort of insinuation Kimmi and sorry if I took it out of context.

I didn't say that you didn't respect Marian or Gigi on a professional level and I know how fond you are of them.

My comments weren't snidey - they were responding to YOUR snidey comment about people responding to this post just 'sucking up'. That to me is the snidey comment, not the response.

Anyway, you know I love you LOADS and I value what you say, although I don't always agree with you. You better not go in a cream puff with me - now that would get me upset!:Love: :Love: :Love:

 

[ValencianNails]

the reason people are careful with their comments, or cage them with a "sorry" or "don't mean to offend" etc. is because they don't want to get bad rep.

i think you're right with that comment... some people do say what they have to say constructively and don't worry about the reps, others don't and complain about receiving them, then you have the rest of the peeps who do a bit of both, sometimes saying things offhand without thinking.
what seems to have been forgotten here is that everyone has the choice to disable their rep, so if they're scared of getting a neg rep (which is quite frankly silly IMO) they can switch it off.

there have been some fab and interesting replies and the one thing that stands out to me personally is that on threads like this one people seem to give an honest opinion, whether we all like those opinions is another matter but that comes down to individuality and us all being different.
there's over 9000 members of this site, if only 10% of those people post regularly then that makes 900, we can't expect to get on with 900 people can we, we all have our differences.

 

[Leslee]

For example, I was given a bad reputation point the other day for saying that I did not understand the language that had been posted (text talk again!!). This is a worldwide site for worldwide geeks with English language as its base. Maybe I should not have posted a reply saying that I did not understand it, but I hate to see our site downgraded in this way.

Eva

It seems to me that written words are lacking in voice inflection, facial expression and tone... therefore are easily taken in ways that are not necessarily meant by the writer, and are easily misunderstood by the reader. Especially when you don't KNOW the writer, and the writer doesn't know the readers. Like my sister could IM me or email me and say something that I'd know... but if she were to say the same thing here and people don't know her... it might easily be taken wrong.

Does that make sense? I don't think posting to say you don't understand what was written makes you bad. This site seems to be predominately UK based and posted... but there are many other countries too... and we all use the English language so differently! We all have our slang and our catch phrases... that others may not understand, or could even be offended by.

*sigh*

 

[CadenceAlex]

as long as no one goes out to DELIBERATELY offend then i think everyones entitled to their own opinion and they will more then likely have reasons for that opinion.x

There are some lovely people on this site who really do help and are adult enough to respond to debates/differences of opinions in an articulate manner - however, there are other members who just like to be antagonistic.

I strongly feel that some members see themselves as superior, gladly carping whereever possible.

Obviously this hasn't gone unnoticed judging by this thread.

The nail industry that many of you strive so hard to be recognised and taken seriously, can only be continued by 'newbies' learning and being educated. Some people think the 'buck' stops with them and are so highly opinionated with self inlated ego's... that they seem to forget that there are many good nail technicians in the making.

<~~~~ runs away and ducks

 

[MINKUS]

however, there are other members who just like to be antagonistic.

I strongly feel that some members see themselves as superior, gladly carping whereever possible.

I think i agree somewhat with the person who said that as in text messaging 'posts' on the site have no 'tone'

Ive said this in a number of different 'tones' to myself and still cant get it to sound any different!

 

[River]

Hi Sassy,

Once again I think mixed messages are being sent.

On the one hand we are told you need to do a search before you post a thread as chances are, that topic has already been discussed. Especially the ones that keep coming up over and over again.

On the other hand, we are told that doing a search is futile because threads are not properly titled.

Now on this point I TOTALLY agree with you. I have mentioned this myself a couple of times and I know what it's like when you do a search and about 15 pages comes up and basically lose the will to live because out of those 15 pages, maybe 1 page is worth you while.

I know this has been mentioned numerous times and to be honest, I don't know how to overcome the problem. Newbies make mistakes, no if's or but's about it because they are not familiar with the site. But I would expect them to do some reading on how things are done on this site. Secondly, a lot of more established Geeks are equally as guilty about not titling their threads properly only adding to the problem.



River

Finally for those of you who can only say "do a search", have you ever actually tried doing one? Go on have a go! It's a bloody nightmare. The main problem being is that people cannot give the title of their threads a proper freaking (to quote GMG lol) title. So you are presented with zillions of threads with "help!" or "advice needed" and you have to trawl through each and every one going through the posts saying "I'm going to watch this one with interest" or "I agree". or "do a freaking search"!!!!!!!!!!! It is damned hard to extract the answers because people, by trying to be uber friendly, clutter up the site.

So to sum up, when posting ENGAGE BRAIN BEFORE PUTTING FINGER TO KEYBOARD!!!

 

[geeg]

I think everyone should get back on topic and re-read Marians post again,
rather than using this valid topic as place to aire personal or vague comments about individual geeks etc.
It's getting petty, people. In my very humble opinion.

 

[River]

As for chit chat and the Main forum,

I have alway thought that chit CHAT was just that....a place nail geeks can go to CHAT to one another if they have something else they would like to talk about ?

If we chat about nails why not call it MAIN FORUM 2

Thats my opinion anyway

To be honest, I agree with the above statement.

Yes, this web site is a Nail Forum first and foremost and I would like to keep it that way.

However, I assume Chit Chat was given to us for a reason (i.e. to post non-nail related threads there, so they don't get muddled up with the main nail discussions).

Having said that, I can also understand where Geeks are coming from (me included) that somedays when you log on, there is nothing BUT Chit Chat and no nail related topics at all.

In that event, I do find it dissapointing, because yes, we are such a great community and feel like all the members on this board are extended family and friends and a great place to hang out, that sometimes we don't "think" that maybe asking what I should cook for dinner isn't really appropriate.

There have been some really insightful Chit Chat threads, but equally, there have also been loads of Chit Chat threads where I just couldn't believe what I was reading - there is pointless and then there is pointless !

So I think what some Geeks are saying is, that we don't mind Chit Chat (or non nail related topics) but don't let THOSE topics take over the site. Afterall, it is a Nail site ..........


River

 

[naturalnails]

OK I thought I would add my tuppence worth.

I have been a member of this site since it began (more or less) and it has grown in both good ways and bad ways.

One thing that should be mandatory is the filling out of profiles. If for instance a new technician came on here and posted a question and was responded to by someone like Geeg, Mum, Ruth, Samuel etc. etc who have oodles of experience and knowledge then this reply should be taken with the respect it deserves. If however that post was replied to by someone who had no training whatsoever and was recommending using Super Glue for example, then this reply needs possibly a different reaction LOL.

If you post publicly asking for homest opinions then you should accept those honest opinions - no matter what they are if they are given in a constructive and respectful way.

I dont believe ANYONE can put their hand up and say that they have not become a better nail technician from being here. Even if the information they have been given has hurt their feelings.

I am only really talking about nail related advice.

I personally try not to get involved in too many of the chit chat threads - especially the too personal ones. I learned at a very early age not to get involved in peoples relationship problems LOL.

I have had my fair share of neg rep - but so what - if someone doesnt agree with what I post then that is their problem. I give honest opinions based on my experience and facts and I would never knowingly hurt someones feelings.

I dont awlays agree with some of the posts but I respect education, experience and knowledge.

I too loved the Nails only day - ok the shming shmong was a bit of fun but it was fantastic to get so many people involved with it.

here's to more nails only days.

I'll leave it there as I could go on for days on this one LOL.