Chattiquette

[Grimlock]

On the chat.

So, it definitely sucks that Tom feels he has to recuse himself from the chat.

And I totally see his point. If 25 - 50 people were watching me work, and simultaneously commenting, often negatively, on what I was doing, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown. Tom held on, to his credit, for a long time.

And even further to his credit, he didn't shut the chat down, or act like a jerk about it.

"The Chat stays, I go."

The question is, is their a way for those who congregate in the chat to "self-police" back to a point of civility, or is it just a doomed process?

I would suggest a few rules, implemented successfully over the next few months, say, with Mike as a judge, could pave the way for a succesful re-integration of the Chat and the Best Show.

I don't know what those rules are, but I'd be more than happy to live by them.

What I think those rules are has to do with common courtesy, respect for each other, and respect for Tom for bringing it every week.

If that means banning, a dress code, etc., perhaps it's not such a bad idea.

I'm on plenty of other forums (mostly work-related) that limit things like language, politics, etc. Of course, there we're talking shop about technology or whatever, but no one breaks the rules, and if they do, they get removed. Pretty simple.

It's called courtesy. And I, for one, would like to start extending it!

[Andy]

Rule #1: No Bad-mouthing our Commander in Chief, GWB.  Have some respect!
Rule #2: No discussion of the show or it's contents.

[Tom Scharpling]

Grimlock -

I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not necessary. I'm not going in the chat anymore. For all I will know/care, people can be in the chat, hating or loving the show as much or as little as they want. They don't even have to be listening. Because I won't know what's going on in there.

Tom.

[Chris L]

There's an "ignore" function in the chat, that should solve just about every problem (other than Tom's), right?

[jane]

Rule #1: No Bad-mouthing our Commander in Chief, GWB.  Have some respect!
Rule #2: No discussion of the show or it's contents.

So you're saying that the chatters shouldn't discuss the show? I thought that the purpose of the chat was to discuss the show and that other conversations were considered off-topic and inappropriate.  I'm confused.  I guess I've never really understood why the chat was there or why Tom was reading it during his show.  I know that in the early shows Tom would read out emails once in a while then later started making comments on air about the chat. 

I've been listening to Tom live since the fall of 2004.  A friend and I would get together every Tuesday night promptly at 8:00 to listen in.  Strangely, we'd sit on the couch staring at the computer (anyone else do this?).  Last February my friend decided to take a class on Tuesday evenings which left me listening alone - not much fun.  I clicked on to the chat one night half-expecting to be torn apart by the chatters, but people seemed pretty nice and very funny.  Sure, there are loads of peanut shells on the floor of the chat room some evenings, but the chatters are, for the most part, probably Tom's biggest fans and supporters.

[Sarah]

Rule #1: No Bad-mouthing our Commander in Chief, GWB.  Have some respect!

Agreed.

Rule #2: No discussion of the show or it's contents.

As a favorite road sign of mine says, are you crassy?  Of course, we'll talk about the show and its contents. 

[Eric]

So how did the first sans Tom chat go last night?

I clicked on to the chat one night half-expecting to be torn apart by the chatters, but people seemed pretty nice and very funny.  Sure, there are loads of peanut shells on the floor of the chat room some evenings, but the chatters are, for the most part, probably Tom's biggest fans and supporters.

Yea, my experience was much the same the couple times I stepped in. I didn't expect everyone to be accepting as they were either. People can get really possessive of things like this that they've been into for awhile. I figured it'd be like my macroeconomics class where everyone except me has known each other for 2+ years and having only transferred in this past September, I've kinda considered just talking myself. But the FOT's have been really cool. I like how it is like a community. I hope to be part of it someday.

That said, I understand Tom's decision too. This is a good deal for everyone.

[GetOffMyBone]

Tom Scharrpling