Forums Closed

I have an update about the forums I’ve been running here for ages.  In short, I’m closing them.

Around Jun 12 I got a pile of private messages from various members complaining about other members on the forums, saying I should delete them, or remove their posts or whatever.

That was the final straw. There’s been a lot of angst on these forums over the last few years. It’s been a constant pile of complaints about others, and honestly, there’s been no fun in being the overall admin in QUITE a long time. As folks who have asked me would tell you it’s not the first time I’ve thought about just nuking the forums.

I set them up originally as a fun place for people to talk about Black Sabbath related things, and perhaps a few other subjects. But the inability of people to police themselves, and de-evolve into personal insults and things of that nature sucked all the fun out of these forums.

It’s no secret I’ve been pretty hands off on the forums for awhile. I was doing that because I was annoyed at all the bullshit. TJ Swoboda & Damian M have handled things for awhile. I’d only get involved when there was a real nuclear level problem that required my attention.

The problem is mostly when 100% of my actions are dealing with nuclear level problems, I just want to nuke everyone involved to make the problem go away. I don’t care about cleaning it up because well over a decade doing this tells me people don’t change. they might quiet down for a short period, but eventually they’ll end up causing some other problem.

So in June 2021 I just had enough. I turned the whole damn thing off. I just don’t care anymore. I really didn’t want it to go down this path, but the constant abuse of others, the never ending flood of bullshit just ruined any desire I had to want to do this anymore.

So they’re closed. They’re not deleted – if for some reason I ever felt like coming back I can turn them back on, but I have to say – these forums are no fun anymore, and at age 55, I just don’t want the headache anymore.

Those of you who did what I’m talking about might not even THINK you did anything wrong, because you’ll see it as “the other guy” did something. But it all contributed. Thanks for making it no fun anymore.

That’s why they’re closed, and I can’t see a compelling reason to undo that.

— Joe