Well... where to start???
This topic is something that I've thought about quite a bit. I'm just going to give personal feelings. Some of you may have the same feelings. Some of you may not. That doesn't matter though. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I'm just posting how I feel about the current situation. If you do relate to what I'm going to say... cool. Maybe we can start a club
I've been a member here for a little while, and I have noticed things have changed on the forum. I've been a member of this world for 25 years and 8 months and I can't help but notice that many things have changed in the world in that time too. Things change. I'm not going to get all broken up about it. I will just try to make the place/time that I'm in, a tolerable place/time to be a part of.
I do think that the biggest part of what has changed around here is that quite a few people have left. Some of them were people that were regulars here that made the place what it was. But they are gone, so now it's different. Many times in this thread it has been said that this forum used to have a very "homey" feel and that it is gone now. Have you ever lived in a home where the older kids went off to college? It takes a little time to re-adjust and get that feeling of home and family back after part of that family leaves, but it happens. It's time for all of the rest of us kids to step up to the plate and get that family feeling back, rather than bicker and complain that things are different.
And I think that to feel that the Chat thread didn't have a huge part in this big change is kind of silly. It drove a few people out of here. Whether the chat thread was the only issue, or just the straw that broke the camel's back is neither here nor there. People did leave because of that thread. And I'm not hesitant in saying that I was pretty disappointed with the people that completely left because of it. That thread was so stupid and silly and I couldn't believe that people were taking it so seriously.
And yes, I do agree that hobbyist breeder/pet owner ratio has changed. And it will change again. And again. And again.
Sorry pet owners, but the topics that interest me most are the breeder oriented topics. No offense, but I deal with MANY pet owners everyday at work. I don't come home to get on the computer and do the same. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't think that you should post about your pets. Post away. I'm glad that you love and are caring for your animals. But I am less likely to read the pet oriented threads.
Now to the breeders. *whispers* Just wait a couple of months. Half of the pet owners will be breeders.
Dean said it himself. Most of us started out as pet owners. We came here for info and to share our pics of our pets. Then we got out of control and bought a million snakes. The only thing that has changed is that there are a few less breeders here. Again, a bit of a change on our forum that we are still adjusting to. Give that a few months. We will see who the next Dean's or Trevor's will be.
All in all, I think the changes that have come up recently have been taken too seriously by too many people. Things change. Let's not let it get to us. Everyone being uptight about things having changed is causing people to lash out, which is causing more unpleasant change.
To all of the old timers that are sick of the n00bs, and to all of the n00bs that are asking "wut is rong wit mah sanke?!?!?!111"...
Let's make this place home again