Dicussion on the current rule against the use of DD DS DH ect

Ickle Magoo

simu wrote: »

So people won't be able to jump in because they will have to get used to the "little nuances" first. No one (trolls apart) likes to get bollocked for a first post.

There is a general rule on boards about text speak, why is it okay to ask someone not to speak in text speak when they are pouring their heart on PI, but a question about nappies getting a request not to use short-hand is going to be deemed a "bollocking"?

simu wrote: »

tbh

I don't understand. "tbh" is an internationally accepted acronym, it's not forum nor topic specific. The demographic of boards is different to the demographic of the majority of parenting forums and I think that needs to be recognised and respected.

parsi

simu wrote: »

Did you ever think you might be wrong in your perception? Do you really think the thousands of parents who use those acronyms on other Irish and international parenting forums are like that?

My perception is based on the content of posts in fora that are deluged by DD, DS, DH etc.

Broadly speaking I associate these acronyms with a particular type of poster.

That's the way it is for me. Of course maybe because I disagree I'm automatically a misogynist...

Sleepy

simu, try to look at it from the average man's perspective. The phrases the acronyms refer to are ott text speak that the vast majority of men (and many women) will not be able to take seriously and read as the preserve of the vacuous blondes we see on The Hills (or read about in Ross O' Carroll Kelly novels). Irish men are already undergoing a crisis of sexual identity, as a group we've seen the role our fathers took in raising a family eroded. In some ways that's a good thing, studies are already showing that modern men spend far more time with our kids than our fathers did.

Many men of our generation are already feeling emasculated enough without turning a resource that promotes some of the positive aspects of our changing role in society into an overly "feminine" environment.

Maybe there are some people out there who'll be put off by this forum if we're negative towards the dd/ds/dh type acronyms but there are already resources out there to cater for those people and I'd be of the belief that their number is probably a lot lower than the number of those who'll be more put off by them. If I can be so bold as to sexually stereotype, without being accused of misogynism, I think you're putting the considerations of a relatively small subset of (potential) female posters ahead of the vast majority of their male counterparts.

Deliverance

So what is the bottom line folks? It is there for those that have read this thread and have been a part of this forum. In my opinion: get over it for the pedantic people, Enjoy the forum for the overusers of shorthand but get used to the aforementioned etiquette (not enforced but expected).

Anyone can join the party, Get some advise, make the odd opinion and get an equally odd reply etc. That is the forum ya know?

All this shorthand argument stuff has run it's course, people get it. It has been got. Time to face the facts: this thread is getting v.boring because everyone has got the point. Time to move on.

Unless of course my DW disagrees;)

di11on

My opinion on this is that I do not see what purpose the rule serves.

I too hate text speak and I'm glad it's not allowed but I don't think you can reasonably classify DD, DS etc. as text speak - more like a short hand convention/acronym used universally on parenting related sites across the net.

If the only reason is to differentiate the Boards.ie parenting forum from "more frivolous parenting sites" then I don't think it's a good reason and the unwelcoming effect it will have will far outweigh any benefits, in my opinion.

delly

tbh, its a shame to see so many people upset by what I would see as a fairly harmless trait. I don't use them myself, but I had always seen them as a way of avoiding the use of your childs name while also not refering to 'daughter' five times in a post. I personally use 'delly jr.' if retelling a story or similar and that works fine for me.

At the end of the day we are all here doing the same job or at least hope to be doing it soon enough, and if the use of said abbreviations takes away from that then i'm a bit miffed.

Khannie

Right....I think this has run its course. There's no new information being added so I'm stepping up to the plate to make a decision or we'll be here all year.

My reasoned take on it is this:

While some people have no problem with them and / or can't see why they shouldn't be allowed, there are quite a few active members of the community who fairly seriously dislike them. As such I think the best course of action is just to be nice to those people and just press ahead as we are. Nobody is going to get rapped over the knuckles for using them. They'll just be gently asked not to.

If anyone has a real problem with this decision, let me know by PM.