Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

The latest news and updates about the Dhamma Wheel forum.
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zavk
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by zavk »

andre9999 wrote:
Jhana4 wrote:LOL :) Um, Dude, that picture of the head on a stick doesn't exactly make me feel at home either :)
What kind of person doesn't like PEZ candies?!
I used to get suckered by those things (i.e. whatever characters they were featuring) only to realise that 'Wait a minute, this doesn't taste that good.' But I'd do it over and over again.

On a different note, a friend on FB posted something which might be relevant here:
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With metta,
zavk
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Dan74
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Dan74 »

Suggestions for improvement?

1. At ZFI we had an Ombudsperson for a while, whose role was to represent disgruntled member and mediate between members and the mod team when conflicts arose. In some ways it was valuable because disgruntled members felt they had someone "on the inside" tuned to their concerns. One of the concerns was what power should the Ombudsperson have? A vote like a moderator, more, less?

2. Another thing that was once suggested is to allow some specific space for discussions of the board, including mod actions, with a a least a modicum of civility. That was voted down but it would have been interesting to see it tried for a little while at least to help transparency.

3. Get-togethers are happening, perhaps other community-building initiatives would be good too. There are study groups already, but perhaps also a meditation journal thread, synchronised sits, temple visits + dana etc..?

Just a few possibilities that popped up.
_/|\_
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phil
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by phil »

Personally I wouldn't care if some idiot chose to blog that the Buddha is a XXX , so I certainly don't care if someone chooses to spend valuable time during his or her rare human existence to blog about an internet forum. I've spent quite a lot of time in internet groups and while I'm sure we all agree that it's great to have a place to exchange appreciation of the Buddha's teaching, there is a tendency to get attached to these places and they become central to our practices which is a bit weird/unwise when you think of it.

But I do appreciate Dhammawheel. Thanks.

edit- I removed the blasphemous image I presented of the BUddha, a bit overboard.
Last edited by phil on Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kammalakkhano , bhikkhave, bālo, kammalakkhano pandito, apadānasobhanī paññāti
(The fool is characterized by his/her actions/the wise one is characterized by his/her actions/Wisdom shines forth in behaviour.)
(AN 3.2 Lakkhana Sutta)
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andre9999
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by andre9999 »

All I really got from this thread and the blog is...

If DW is the worst experience you've ever had on the internet, maybe you should check out 4chan for some perspective.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Dan,
Dan74 wrote:Suggestions for improvement?
Yes, suggestions for improvement. Nice to see we're back on topic. ;) Mawkish will be pleased.
Dan74 wrote:1. At ZFI we had an Ombudsperson for a while, whose role was to represent disgruntled member and mediate between members and the mod team when conflicts arose. In some ways it was valuable because disgruntled members felt they had someone "on the inside" tuned to their concerns. One of the concerns was what power should the Ombudsperson have? A vote like a moderator, more, less?
This has been raised before but it was decided that as site owner, David is in effect the ombudsman, but ombudsman not in the sense of "rooting for the little guy" but in the sense that the word ombudsman is used in the dictionary. Namely, "A man who investigates complaints and mediates fair settlements, especially between aggrieved parties such as consumers or students and an institution or organization." We have a complaints procedure, and David is the last point of escalation on that. For what it's worth though, I think Clyde did a great job of that role @ ZFI.
Dan74 wrote:2. Another thing that was once suggested is to allow some specific space for discussions of the board, including mod actions, with a a least a modicum of civility. That was voted down but it would have been interesting to see it tried for a little while at least to help transparency.
Well, in essence that's what the suggestion box and reporting procedure is for... as outlined in the original post.
Dan74 wrote:3. Get-togethers are happening, perhaps other community-building initiatives would be good too. There are study groups already, but perhaps also a meditation journal thread, synchronised sits, temple visits + dana etc..?
We're all for this sort of thing, if people are motivate to instigate such things. The Study Group for example, was originally suggested by jcsuperstar who was at the time not a member of staff. We set him up so that he had the tools required to enable him to manage the group appropriately. Alas, for the current staff, our efforts are consumed with moderating and administrative activities (and regrettably, dealing with malcontents).
Dan74 wrote:Just a few possibilities that popped up.
Appreciated - thanks.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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phil
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by phil »

Annapurna wrote:
alan wrote:If anyone can tell me how to respond to Hannze without mocking him, I'd like to hear it.
Once, twice, OK. Three times, 6 times? How about every time? Let's face it--if every post is laughably dumb then the only response is to treat it like comic relief. Sorry if this offends those with tender senses, but Hannze has made no effort to clarify his thoughts, good-natured though they may be. Why should I take them seriously?
Alan,

This is not so much about offending others but about harming yourself.


:goodpost:

One of the best I've seen at Dhammawheel. Harsh speech is akusala kamma patha, so thinking it is kind of cool to be rough and easy expressing our views is just burning ourselves. And by harming ourselves, we set up conditions to harm others.
Kammalakkhano , bhikkhave, bālo, kammalakkhano pandito, apadānasobhanī paññāti
(The fool is characterized by his/her actions/the wise one is characterized by his/her actions/Wisdom shines forth in behaviour.)
(AN 3.2 Lakkhana Sutta)
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christopher:::
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by christopher::: »

phil wrote:Harsh speech is akusala kamma patha, so thinking it is kind of cool to be rough and easy expressing our views is just burning ourselves. And by harming ourselves, we set up conditions to harm others.
I think so too.

I also feel that Jhana4 made some good points earlier. Situations like this come with the territory, of people communicating with one another anonymously, online. We really can't know how people are behaving out in the "real" world. Some may act the same, many might behave quite differently.

But most of us (whether online or offline) will at times hold tightly to our opinions, positions, wishes, identities, expectations, likes, dislikes, etc. Everyone does it, that's the mind clinging, creating self-centric perceptions. "I think this, I have been hurt, I expect this, I dislike that, I am misunderstood, He's a jerk, They are the cause of my suffering, He did this to me, etc."

We can't force one another to drop these perceptions, stop clinging. When we're ready, when we see the futility of blaming others, of holding on to grievances, see the suffering we're creating for ourselves through our attachments and misperceptions, we let go. It's always up to each of us. This is what our dhamma/dharma practice is about, not just the theory, the real meat and potatoes.

In my view the DW staff has gone way out of their way to address Jechbi's grievances, give him space to air his views. Tilt has apologized, now its up to Jechbi to accept that and let go, move on. Until then, he's got his blog, he can vent for as long as he needs to, the DW staff doesn't have to respond to him or satisfy all his expectations and demands. Neither do they have to silence or ban him.

Just let go, and let him work it out in his own time.

:anjali:
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
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christopher:::
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by christopher::: »

zavk wrote: Image
:goodpost:
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
Kenshou
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Kenshou »

In the context of the general state of the internet this forum is pretty high-quality.
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Aloka
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Aloka »

Kenshou wrote:In the context of the general state of the internet ......
Oh blimey....is that the time....what day is it?

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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Kenshou »

Skeleton smoking a cigarette while using the computer day?

Eh?
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Aloka
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Aloka »

Kenshou wrote:Skeleton smoking a cigarette while using the computer day?

Eh?
It's meant to portay internet addiction .....

Don't fret, it was only a joke to be taken lightly, and its well past my bedtime now ! :)
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Kenshou »

D'oh, I get it.
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Jechbi
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by Jechbi »

I should have made this much more clear earlier in the thread: Tilt, please know that I do very much appreciate and accept your apology. I regard your apology as a generous gift. I don't believe I've ever directly asked for an apology. At those times when I've felt that you "owed" me an apology, I have tried to let it go. I have never expected an apology. Since you have offered this gift, I am very happy to accept it now. Thank you very much.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

Post by tiltbillings »

Jechbi wrote: Thank you very much.
You are welcome.
Jechbi wrote: I have never expected an apology.
I know the feeling all too well.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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