Has this forum lost its way
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:03 pm
My dear fellow AW forum members . I am writing this post with the intention to hopefully assist in keeping this forum going , for it to prevail as a useful site for various likeminded people to continue with the furtherance of nature conservation , and continued assistance for interested persons in getting to know nature and what can be available all nature lovers , especially in South Africa and elsewhere .
When I joined this forum way back in October 2013 , it was vibrant , with a lot of quick wit passing around , at the same time with great communication across the board between members , open speaking , good constructive criticism etc .
Perhaps I have become too old for this , but certainly , over the past 5 years this forum has become rather tame , and frankly , boring and uninteresting .
Previously active members are no longer posting on threads , and some threads just do not make sense anymore . Take for instance the three quizzes “ What is it ? “ , and “ Can you see the animal ( aminal ) ? “ , and a the third one “ Where in Kruger , with or without animals “.
Now , to my mind , these three threads should actually be used to create interest and knowledge in the furtherance of nature and nature conservation conscience , which of course tides in well with how I see this forum should be and the principles that its members strive for .
My criticism is that photographs posted on these , are being modified to the extent it takes only very lucky guesses from persistent participants to “ solve “ these riddles . Pictures are cropped and only the tiniest portion ( pixels ) are used , the reduced , or increased , blown up in size so the only thing you see is a blur of something that could be anything , whatever your imagination could dish up .
Instead , I feel that such a pic should , although maybe only displaying a small part of the whole , should , however immediately whet the appetite to find out more . “ What is it that I see here ?“ .
It should be educational , and something about it should surely be sufficiently clear to give one some indication of what it might be , and not something , that may as well be a grain of sand in the middle of the Sahara desert , as see from a defective Hubble telescope from outerspace ?
What is the sense in trying to make it so difficult ?
And maybe one should go further . Once the object ( not that grain of sand ) is identified , the poster should then give a nice explanation about the specific object . Now THAT would be educational instead of completely off-putting .
Another thread “ Can you see the animal “ , the pics are also modified , reduced in size so as to hide that supposed animal from the viewer’s sight .
Animals in the wild already are often difficult to see , so why should you go further in trying basically erase it from view . Try to show such a pic to a young child , and I guarantee his interest will not last longer than 3 seconds .
But , show that child how that animal is using his surroundings to blend in , the way you actually see it from where you were sitting when you took that pic , and again , that child will now try to assist you next time . He will be much more interested in what is happening out there .
Just think “ Daddy , what do you see ? “
Answer “ Listen kid , I’m not going to keep on feeding you . Look at the scenery out there . You have at least 10 000 hectares in front of you and if you cannot see the tiny mouse hiding behind that hill , then next time , just go and hang around at the mall with your friends “.
Be informative , be educational , whet the viewers appetite te see more , learn more and to take part in what is happening .
When I joined this forum way back in October 2013 , it was vibrant , with a lot of quick wit passing around , at the same time with great communication across the board between members , open speaking , good constructive criticism etc .
Perhaps I have become too old for this , but certainly , over the past 5 years this forum has become rather tame , and frankly , boring and uninteresting .
Previously active members are no longer posting on threads , and some threads just do not make sense anymore . Take for instance the three quizzes “ What is it ? “ , and “ Can you see the animal ( aminal ) ? “ , and a the third one “ Where in Kruger , with or without animals “.
Now , to my mind , these three threads should actually be used to create interest and knowledge in the furtherance of nature and nature conservation conscience , which of course tides in well with how I see this forum should be and the principles that its members strive for .
My criticism is that photographs posted on these , are being modified to the extent it takes only very lucky guesses from persistent participants to “ solve “ these riddles . Pictures are cropped and only the tiniest portion ( pixels ) are used , the reduced , or increased , blown up in size so the only thing you see is a blur of something that could be anything , whatever your imagination could dish up .
Instead , I feel that such a pic should , although maybe only displaying a small part of the whole , should , however immediately whet the appetite to find out more . “ What is it that I see here ?“ .
It should be educational , and something about it should surely be sufficiently clear to give one some indication of what it might be , and not something , that may as well be a grain of sand in the middle of the Sahara desert , as see from a defective Hubble telescope from outerspace ?
What is the sense in trying to make it so difficult ?
And maybe one should go further . Once the object ( not that grain of sand ) is identified , the poster should then give a nice explanation about the specific object . Now THAT would be educational instead of completely off-putting .
Another thread “ Can you see the animal “ , the pics are also modified , reduced in size so as to hide that supposed animal from the viewer’s sight .
Animals in the wild already are often difficult to see , so why should you go further in trying basically erase it from view . Try to show such a pic to a young child , and I guarantee his interest will not last longer than 3 seconds .
But , show that child how that animal is using his surroundings to blend in , the way you actually see it from where you were sitting when you took that pic , and again , that child will now try to assist you next time . He will be much more interested in what is happening out there .
Just think “ Daddy , what do you see ? “
Answer “ Listen kid , I’m not going to keep on feeding you . Look at the scenery out there . You have at least 10 000 hectares in front of you and if you cannot see the tiny mouse hiding behind that hill , then next time , just go and hang around at the mall with your friends “.
Be informative , be educational , whet the viewers appetite te see more , learn more and to take part in what is happening .
Unfortunately RP is right about social media. We have lost a lot of once-active members to Facebook where feedback and pats on the back are immediate and and probably more prolific. Other members have things going on in their lives which makes it difficult for them to spend time on the forum. 
the snake!