Nik - I notice you've drawn David's attention to the old thread in the Lounge about this. Perhaps you should send him a quick WWmail to point him at this one, too, if this is where the debate is going to be held from now on ?

Why are you assuming that because the majority of members don't post in the Lounge, that means they are happy with the way it is ?

If they're not happy, this is their opportunity to say so.

(sorry, this is rushed because I'm at work!)

I tend to agree with griff - i think the majority of members aren't bothered because they don't use the lounge that much. If they were really happy with the way things are and don't feel things should change they would post and say so - it cuts both ways.

Casey

Just a heads up to say thanks to everyone for this very interesting discussion. This thread in particular has shown how it's possible to have such a range of differing but well thought-out opinions. They're certainly difficult issues to get right, and the choices made affect the tone and style of the site in deep ways. The WW team will be having a meeting shortly to discuss all this and I'll report back what conclusions we come to.

I don't really have a strong opinion on the subject either way but I suppose if I had to choose I would rather that things stayed as they are. I think it might be useful to be able to do a search back on certain subjects for example with the name of an agent to see what other people's experience has been in the past or with a particular technical subject or whatever.

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cross with DB

Thanks David.

Without wanting to sound self-aggrandising, if you google me, you get among others things WriteWords, and I've had journalists do it, I know because they've picked up on things I haven't said elsewhere. That's okay, because I'm pretty careful these days about what I say on the public side, but there are times when it's my writing/technical self which I want to keep private.

Yes, but this is a growing problem for lots of people on writewords. There is a flush of deals now on the site. If you feel like that I don't see why lots of people don't. But I think, therefore it is a general problem about the privacy, not a personal problem for you, Emma.

I prefer to post in the lounge too. Because of all the reasons I've stated earlier and on the other thread.

Plus, if something is permanent, you don't know how a site might change it's nature. At the moment it seems like a little writery community. But that might chance - and have different mixes of people, people using it for different things.

The published writers are concerned about being quoted or have things they said used (and that has happened), but that is a concern for anyone who in the future hopes to be published, surely?

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I do think a lot of the forums are dead a lot of the time. The people who joined the same sort of time as I did - plus myself - used to post in them. And now we don't - we have moved to the lounge. For myself I was a little surprised when I found that everything was so searchable from off that site and wasn't sure if I wanted to discuss loads of stuff in a completely public (as opposed to public but slightly more limited) way. The publishing forum is a good example of one that has this problem. The ethical one is problematic as it can start rows (so most of those take place in the lounge too now.)

I agree with Griff - I can't see how you can claim the majority think anything, Dee. You have no way of knowing. I suspect a lot of people join and a lot of people leave. We don't know what people think of the site. I also think people are not fully aware of these issues. Every time it has been mentioned numbers of people are surprised that threads are open to the outside and that their profiles are also. (A lot of people have been unaware that their names could potentially be available to search also.) I think, whatever happens, things need to be a lot clearer. You can't demand people take responsibility without letting them know what it is.

Snowbell, I wasn't suggesting that I'm alone in worrying about things I've said being publicly visible, I was just describing my experience, because it was deeply disconcerting, even alarming, at the time. My point was that threads don't divide neatly into safe impersonal technical ones and unsafe, potentially regrettable chat.

And, as you say, with the recent rash of deals there'll be more rather than fewer WWers with worries on this front.

Emma

I'm all in favour of a chatroom, though.

Could someone please explain the difference between a proposed 'chatroom' and the Lounge.

Ta,

NaomiM

I think the only difference between the proposed "chatroom" and the existing Lounge is that posts would be automatically deleted from the chatroom after an agreed interval.

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And users would be encouraged to use the chatroom for non-writing discussions only.

Yeh, the lounge would be for casual chats about agents, publihsers etc whilst the chatroom would be for those 'god i'm in a mess' type threads.

Casey

Yeah but I hate those instant things where it scrolls up the page. You get so confused as to who's said what and when. It would be great if it had the same format as the Lounge but just deleted pretty sharpish.

THanks Griff. So basically a chatroom would be for what the Lounge was originally set up for.
Hmmm, somehow I can't see the Powers That Be changing the status quo just for that. People will just move from the Lounge into the Chatroom if they are guaranteed deletion at the end of 6 months. Then the Lounge will be as dead as half the forums.

I still think David should move non-chat threads out of the lounge. It's not fair on part members, who do not have access to the Lounge, to be denied access to certain technical info. or info. on book launches, competitions, get-togethers, etc. which sneak in there from time to time. If anyone wants to make a private comment on a thread, they can always open a new topic in the lounge and post it there.

I can remember starting on a WWfreetrial and getting involved on an interesting thread posted on the childrens forum about a writing comptition, which was promptly moved to the Lounge so I had no access until I paid my membership fees. And the Lounge was a pretty daunting place back then. I used to creep in, post something and run away without daring to come back and check it it had recieved any replies

Ah, those were the sweet and innocent days.


- NaomiM

It would be great if it had the same format as the Lounge but just deleted pretty sharpish.

Yes, I think that's the plan... still keep the "chatroom" in the same messageboard-based format
as the rest of WW. I don't think anyone wants a completely different layout/interface for the "chat room".

THanks Griff. So basically a chatroom would be for what the Lounge was originally set up for.

Yeah, it's basically exactly the same as the Lounge, but with the chance to nuke regrettable postings after 6 months.

Alternatively if David just wants to enable editing of your own posts in the Lounge as is, that would work just as well for me.

People will just move from the Lounge into the Chatroom if they are guaranteed deletion at the end of 6 months.

I dunno. I think people are quite capable of deciding:

1 - I am posting something very specific to Comedy, or Technique, or Hist Fic, so I'll post in the relevant group

2 - I have a query about something about the publishing industry which I don't want the whole world to read, but I don't mind my post hanging around forever - I'll post that in the appropriate place (ie the Lounge ?)

3 - I want to have a scrap about how much I hate Gordon Brown / Harry Potter / chick lit / religion / whatever - it could get messy - so I'll post in the Chatroom.