Forums... Going the Way of the Dodo?

A few years back,I was a member on Puff.Y'All remember them,they're still there.
Anywho,when they went offline for over two months I went looking for another group.
I first went to PSF simply because I had already been a member on that site.A few
of the guys from Puff started a forum in order to finish some trades and box
passes that were in progress when puff went off.The piping community on that board
is definately the minority and at times quite stagnant.I will always have a fondness
for them and that forum for reasons of community generousity.At a time of extreme
depression,they bomb the k-doodles out of me.I can Honestly say that Pipe and Cigar
Smokers are the most generous souls on this planet.On PSF I had asked the Admin about
a contest or recognition for a member espousing the quailities of a member who had
recently passed away.I was told "That would invite the wrong crowd".Now,the member I was
referring to was Mr Moo.REALLY,,,someone as generous with his time and knowledge,as
expierienced as Mr Moo.That is the "Wrong Crowd"?Anywho,I got banned for telling the
whole forum that they were spoiling my smoke.One thread,no questions,they didn't care.
They just banned me and deleted the thread.Kewl,I've been kicked out of worse places.
(For better reasons )

I had stated in another thread here about questions.I agree with slowroll and @lady Maragret
on this issue.Answer the question and then point out other threads that may offer differing
opinions.But post a link to the threads for them.We tell newbs to "Keep It Simple",then we
complicate the learning curve with the ever present obnoxous search box.Rather than being
offended that a question is repeated,use each occurance as an opportunity to start a
conversation and mentor a new Friend.

Here,this forum,I've found that the Admin and Mods are engaged, and participants of the
conversations.Whether in jest or in fun,they take the time to read and reply.The rules are
simple,and the infractions are met with courtisy (I'm a redneck,we don't spell good)and
respect.they are not allowed to become blown out flame wars.I applaud them in their skill
and diligence.

With what I've seen of the members here, it certainly shouldn't go the way of the dodo. Unless of course the Internet collapses.

LoL! You could have fooled me! I've never had any issues with PSF and IMO they are the hot board and my first and last read of the day. I really like we have a thread for Castello guys to geek out without annoying the general crowd. Woody was a little uptight early on but he has relaxed and he's paying the bills. Mr Moo's thread went on for pages so I don't know what the issue is? I've lost four friends from the real world hobby in the last two years. Guys I've spent countless nights in smoked filled hotel room across the country not some guy on a page I've never met. Life goes on and again IMO Moo got his due on PSF. 

I'm still here, Charlie

Can't argue with that logic That's why we like it here

Agree with you on most all of your points, except for one, and that is that it is not over-moderated. It is a good forum, with a lot of cool, smart, and knowledgeable people. I was a member for about 5 years. I was banned simply because the ban happy Moderator to whom you refer advised me that my post had been moved to another location. Who cares that it was moved! I simply requested that he tell me to what post it had been moved. Here is the response that I received from the sob, and I quote!.........

"If you would have posted it in the right place I wouldn't have to clean up after you. Like I don't have enough things to do."

Apparently he had just sent me this message while he was still online, and as I was in the course of writing a message back, I was banned for 'Arguing with Staff'. I had not even completed writing (or sending) my response, which indicates that he was monitoring my activity, much as others have said that he does. Not quite fitting for a good moderator.

So, yes, other than its Administrator, it is a good forum,, with a wealth of knowledge and information.

Sparks, on the other hand, handles things here on a much more rational, intelligent level. He will let you know if you're out of line, and deal with it accordingly. In fact, if you read his last post in response to why the Patch shows PSF in their Community Feed, he responded "it has been my goal from day one to make this the go to place for information, even if it's about another forum. It is why I regularly link back to posts on other sites such as PM.com. They may not return the favor, but I can sleep at night knowing I'm making an effort to support the community as a whole, not just my little fiefdom."
There is a real man, and a great Moderator (along with his fellow moderators PAPIPEGUY and CRAPGAME), who make the BRIARPATCH a great place to park your pipe(s).

I'm still a member at PSF and I was active there for a year. It was the second pipe forum that came up from a Google search with the first being PM.

I didn't join PM because of the Pipe Babes section. I'm not against men looking at pics of women, but as a woman it felt weird to be a member of a forum that has that section.

I liked PSF, like @chico said, there are some really great people there. There was one person I didn't really appreciate but I figured it's bound to happen in a large group of people, no big deal. I even attempted to get past my own feelings and interact with said person. And then that one person drove half of the members I liked away, so here I am at this forum instead thinking I should have trusted my initial instinct. I think my biggest hurdle here has been putting time in to get to know everyone. I put in a year's worth over at PSF and now it feels exhausting to start over.

I like the FB groups. At first they bugged me but I've been getting to know them better and even found a smaller group with some really good people. I don't find the women's posts on FB to be fishing for compliments any more than the men's posts. But I do agree that the forum platform is easier for conversations and better organized than the FB groups.

I will apologize to the group as a whole for my part in what seems to be
a bashing contest.I like Justin's attitude that the information is more
important than the source.Linking to other sites to further our hobby is
of great benevolence.It helps me to find other answers to questions that
I haven't thought of yet.His style is commendable,and I Thank him and his Mods
for their efforts.

May thebriarpatchforum.com flourish and prosper. . . . . thebriarpatch.com is another entity.

I know I love hearing from the international members here. Every morning Sid and antb post their morning smokes. Sometimes, if I am up late, I catch their mornings before I go to sleep.

That this club lists more smokes than other forums speaks well of this club. Not ill of other forums, but just great here. This gives me/us many ideas on pipes and tobaccos to discuss and hunt for. This topic alone is very engaging and with fried eggs... very fun

Not sure how this has turned into a bash fest and how that then turned into a lot of " Oh Yeah! What about(fill in the blank)!" With finger pointing and smug faces with crossed arms. Let's get back to pipe smoking and enjoy the fellowship of this great forum that many members call home.

4 Noggins has haters all over. That's why I stuck it in the middle of the thread

Crapgame, I don't feel comparing one forum to another is necessarily bad. I know we don't discuss politics here, but I feel many of us bit our tongues, wanting to post sympathy for the mass shootings and other recent disasters, yet no one did.
Many of us, especially older and infirm, use these forums for news and life.

When someone mentions a president, senator, pastor, or teacher, someone always compares to someone else. Often you get, "don't compare that." To me, all of life has comparisons built in.
That said, the other forum will be brought up no more.