I think you've missed the point. Last time I checked, those forums didn't have the digital equivalent of a skull-and-crossbones and "members only" painted over the door.

I would imagine that scummunity is not the part of the site that generates those ever coveted "unique hits" you keep talking. 90% of the posts in scummunity are by the same people and soapbox can be a rather repulsive place at times. So, are you posting habits comparable to those of the BETers, no. Are they similar, yes.

And again, the SPCI is one of the more friendly and welcoming places in all of scummunity and we regularly gather new posters that stick around for awhile. Combine that fact with the number of lukers we have and I think you could make a pretty good case for the SPCI being one of this sites greatest assets. I think some kind of award, or even honorary status is in order.

I would imagine that scummunity is not the part of the site that generates those ever coveted "unique hits" you keep talking. 90% of the posts in scummunity are by the same people and soapbox can be a rather repulsive place at times. So, are you posting habits comparable to those of the BETers, no. Are they similar, yes.

And again, the SPCI is one of the more friendly and welcoming places in all of scummunity and we regularly gather new posters that stick around for awhile. Combine that fact with the number of lukers we have and I think you could make a pretty good case for the SPCI being one of this sites greatest assets. I think some kind of award, or even honorary status is in order.

We've been over this before.

You guys are the Little SPCI Achievers, disadvantaged users without the means for the necessary means to succeed in the BET. Proud we are of all of you.

You are making me/everyone want to post in the BET, it seems the only way I can call myself Elite.

I shall start promptly.

no it isn't.

do not.

Remember when I did so then doc feel good started spamming long ass posts in the SPCI, and you guys laffed?

Haha.

Oh yeah, then I did the exact same thing in BET and you guys cried.

Haha.

Oh yeah, and then a mod told me to stop or I'd be banned?

Haha.

Oh yeah, great modding.

Hah, then INC posted that quote from War and Peace and I was like "damn, that's some good writing" and went to the library to get it. Good book.

Thanks, INC!

Hah, then INC posted that quote from War and Peace and I was like "damn, that's some good writing" and went to the library to get it. Good book.

Thanks, INC!

p.s. that was some baaaaaalin' modding.

ballin' has two Ls.

Also... I think that often posters have a life cycle on sites. I don't think this site is very informative any more.... <snip> Maybe that's why cracklover's friends bailed, because there was no new meaningful content.

What it boils down to is that the maturity level of the discourse was so low as to make it an unpleasant experience to participate. Noobs giving bad advice, people being rude to each other, a large and vocal group who treat the whole site and the posts in it as a big joke for their amusement.

And to top it all off, there were the frequent changes (seemingly every couple of years) in management, with major (and sometimes not fully implemented) site changes, new draconian restrictions on content and inline images, fights amongst the moderators resulting in mass layoffs....

The whole package left a bad taste in the mouth and these guys had limited patience for juvenile BS. Especially since they could be (and now are) spending their time online with people who respect them - at other climbing sites.

but, if they're only going to PM him, and not either contribute something worthwhile, or at least complain to a mod who could potentially but won't do something, I guess they don't get a vote.

I quickly joined the Mass Climbers thread which was basically the original BET thread with a slightly different vibe but basically the same principle.

The primary purpose of this thread is to organize climbing with each other. Secondary is to share beta on the climbs of the region, and encourage each other in our progress. Third, of course, is social. It's hard enough for those of us who do have valid contributions to stay on track here. So if you do have something valid to add, please step up. If not please step out.

For the record, actually, no, the principle of BET is not "basically the same" as the Mass Climbers thread. Here are a few key aspects I can think of that differ.

The Mass Climbers thread is/was:

1 - Totally inclusive, and actively welcoming of new posters (unless they wanted to grid-bolt all the routes in Quincy Quarries, lol)

2 - First and foremost a method for organizing climbing outings.

3 - Way off topic stuff was actually discouraged. From the OP:


4 - I can think of a few posters who seemed to mostly join rc.com to post in the MC thread. I'd even go so far as to say that for folks in the region, the Mass Climbers thread was a nice entrance to rc.com: A way to get local beta, meet some folks, learn a little about climbing, and then start playing in the other forums outside of the Mass Climbers thread.

Four ways in which the MCs thread is/was pretty radically different than the BET threads.

GO

I said it had a different vibe. It is still at heart a social thread. Mass climbers was threatened to get shut down since it was in a Partner forum if it didn't stay on topic.

You are mis-remembering. It *was* shut down. And it always was beta/get-together/partner oriented, more than it was social. Right back to the beginning.

As for BET having meetups, I can't speak to that - I wouldn't know. I think I've looked at a half a dozen posts there in however many years it's been going on. Remember, the thread(s) are explicitly hostile to anyone who wants to visit.

GO

It does help if you climb with some of the folks in there. Like i said before. everyone except INC has climbed with a half dozen or so of the folks in there. Kaboom even made a chart. it was amazing.

and people do periodically join. maybe half? of who posts there regularly now is original. i'm not. 'biner's not. bombz is not. jake is not.

and people do periodically join. maybe half? of who posts there regularly now is original. i'm not. 'biner's not. bombz is not. jake is not.

I'm not either.

technically, nobody is original there, except the chossmarmots. They really got butthurt about the invasion of the Californians back in the day. Diversity! Melting Pot! E pluribus unum! A nation of immigrants!