analog

To all:

I have never really had a problem with the Pet Forum as an idea. I love my dog, and I like the topic of pets in general. This personal interest in the topic has nothing to do with my opposition of it as a forum, for the many reasons i've attempted to outline over the course of the many threads that have started on this topic.

Sidenote: pointing out that someone expressed they wanted something, didn't get what they wanted, and now threaten to leave because they didn't get what they wanted, is not an insult. I'm not sure how that could, in any way, be taken as insulting. It's pointing out the pink elephant in the room. It's not even anything about a person's character, it's as plain as the noses on our faces.

The point is, Lady Sage, I apologize if you took that to be an attack. It was not meant as an attack at all, and I do value your contributions on TFP. The problem is the text of the internet, and that it makes it difficult at times to point out things you find odd in conversation without making it seem like something huge.

Despite my interest in seeing such a forum exist, I do not allow my personal desires to overrule my more important desire to serve the board as a whole in its best interest. I did not believe that creating such a forum was in the best interest of the boards, for the many reasons I've shared in the past.

I have, however, stated at least three times (and perhaps four) in the moderator discussion thread on this subject, that we just go ahead and do it. I said to go ahead and do it several weeks ago when this all last came up.

--> I'm not the person who can implement this change. It is incorrect to think that I am the one who decides whether this actually happens or not, or that I was the only mod to disagree with the idea of a pet forum. The one who decides whether or not we have one is Halx. Not me. Despite my saying it's a bad idea, I've said to go ahead several times now, and it hasn't happened.

In all seriousness, have I ever said, "No, you can't have one"? I've simply provided reason upon reason as to why I believed it was a bad idea for the board as a whole. I did, however, change my "vote" to "go ahead" the last time this came up. The reason that there still is no Pet forum is not because of me, even if my vote had stayed no.

jorgelito: For the record, I never considered your efforts spam, even if I said it didn't help to prove a "need". I applaud your effort to do what you felt was good for the board, and to help your cause. I have chastized others in the past for making a few threads all at once, but that was because I'd just taken a long post to explain, in detail, why we need to be shown over time a need for the forum, and that had never happened, any of the times it'd come up to discussion. When you did it, it was totaly random.

Thank you for taking the time and energy to try and get things moving. Regardless of what the numbers say, you gave it an earnest shot and worked hard in many of those threads to keep the conversation going, and that's awesome.

To those who have agreed with my points and have felt similarly as I do, I thank you for taking the time to express it and let people know that you agree.

Whether you agree with the implementation (not the idea itself, because I've always agreed it was good as an idea) or not, I thank you all for your candor on this subject. I assure you that we, the mods, are discussing this with the intention of getting the right person involved- Halx- to ultimately make this decision.

Since the subject sort of died for a few weeks, I've decided that I would be remiss if my involvement in these matters did not see some definitive conclusion, and I promise you all right now that it's my #1 priority to make sure this gets followed through. You may all feel free to PM me requesting updates, and I'll see that each of you receives the best update I can give you at that time.

You see, when it comes down to it, I really am a nice person. Some of you will say that's bullshit, and that's fine. I can't change your mind, and I'm ok with that. I wish that you could all see what so many do, and that's that I am honest, and I enjoy a good conversation.

I appreciate every discussion I have with each and every one of you. You guys and gals are fantastic, and the reason I love this place. It's also the reason I love this place enough to help keep it as nice as I can. Everyone learns life lessons- in this case, it's perhaps that the text of the internet just doesn't allow for some people to see that I'm just having a civil conversation with them; and in that case, I should just agree to disagree and take my leave of the conversation.

I learn things all the time, as we all do, and I think that the most important thing i've ever learned is that you cannot please everyone. *shrug* I wish I could make them happy, but I can't.

For the very few people who feel that i've truly wronged them (and I count only 3, maybe 4), I offer my most sincere apology, though I know I will likely not be forgiven. For my lot, I forgive you all for when you attacked me personally, my character, etc., in public. I forgive you, and I am sorry for whatever may have been my part in what you felt was an attack to you.

I hope, now that I'm comitted to seeing this subject to resolution, that there will be a bit more peace in this topic, and others throughout the board, as I'm keeping this subject from fading into the background again.

Take care,

- analog.