Open invitation: Help us improve your DW experience!

[Jhana4]

I've only been here a few weeks. I haven't had any problems yet.

[Mawkish1983]

I suspect most of the users here are extremely grateful for the generous gift that is Dhammawheel: a financial gift because David provides it for us all to use for free; a gift of time because I know running and moderating a forum can be a time-draining endevour; a gift of Dhamma because I continue to learn a tremendous amount from the administrators and moderators as well as the other users.

If I'm ever not happy with a gift, I ask for the receipt and take it back to see if I can have it exchanged (or I simply say 'thank you' and accept that sometimes we are given things we don't necessarily like). I don't start a public internet blog devoted to demonstrating to the world how unhappy I am with the gift. I just... wow. Stunned.

Sorry, back to work I go.

[Adrien]

I am extremely gratefull with the organisation of this forum. I like the fact that everybody cannot say what he wants where he wants. I've seen how "total free speech" results in a french forum, and I can tell you that it's not pretty to see (and as a consequence, this forum closed). I am sure that moderators must have done some mistakes, but it's unavoidable when you need your personal judgment to controll things. Not everybody feels the same way about the same things. I didn't have any problem, but that's logical considerating that I'm more a reader than a writer. The dissatisfaction of some is the price for the good quality we have here. Keep on the good work !

[Jhana4]

Greetings members,

Over recent months, one Dhamma Wheel member has expressed grave dissatisfaction in relation to the way this forum is managed, via a blog specifically designed to target this forum and its volunteer staff.

Lest it be soddened by the rain
http://dhammawheel.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... llo-world/

I've used and ran many types of internet forums. I once had a person put up a hate blog about a mailing list I took over. This was years ago before I started my current practice. The whole event felt magnified in my mind. One thing I learned from the experience is that disputes on internet forums only matter to the people involved. Nobody else cares.

I think that is healthy.

[tiltbillings]

One thing I learned from the experience is that disputes on internet forums only matter to the people involved. Nobody else cares.

A good reality check. Thanks.

[PeterB]

I've been here since the beggining and only have two major cases where I've been displeased with a moderator or another member: the case which was the reason to create two more subforums for meditation. In that case the moderator said he was sorry in the thread he ruined so no problem there. And the other one is when people make fun of Hanzze, namely alan.

Apart from that I'm quite satisfied with this forum in the years I've been here. And let me take this oportunity to thank David Snyder for the forum he has provided us with and to the moderating team for doing an excelent job in general.

I think that the mods and members including alan, are EXTRAORDINARILY patient with Hannze, who despite a number of very reasonable requests has made no effort to either improve his English or to glean even a basic knowledge of the Theravada.

I will join you raising a glass of non alcoholic beer to David and the Mods.....thats sounds like a 70's band.

[PeterB]

One thing I learned from the experience is that disputes on internet forums only matter to the people involved. Nobody else cares.

A good reality check. Thanks.

True that. Just the people who are involved and the occasional person who likes to play Eric Berne's

" Lets HIM and YOU fight "....

[tiltbillings]

One thing I learned from the experience is that disputes on internet forums only matter to the people involved. Nobody else cares.

A good reality check. Thanks.

True that. Just the people who are involved and the occasional person who likes to play Eric Berne's

" Lets HIM and YOU fight "....

Warm Fuzzies all around.

[Monkey Mind]

If agreement with the authority figures in my life was a prerequisite for participation, I would never leave my home. I do not always agree with the opinions expressed by various mods or admins of this forum, but in the places where I did not agree I learned a lot about the diversity of opinion that exists within Theravadan Buddhism. I've learned a lot about critically examining the teachings of any particular teacher, whether that be Ajahn Sumedho, Brahm, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Goenka, or any other. I have also learned a lot about why differences of opinion can form over the same sutta: issues with translation and interpretation, etc.

Anybody who focuses on the meta of the discussion here at DW rather than the content is missing this benefit altogether. I want to join the others in expressing my gratitude for DW, the staff that maintains it, and the people who participate here.

[Annapurna]

I've been here since the beggining and only have two major cases where I've been displeased with a moderator or another member: the case which was the reason to create two more subforums for meditation. In that case the moderator said he was sorry in the thread he ruined so no problem there. And the other one is when people make fun of Hanzze, namely alan.

Apart from that I'm quite satisfied with this forum in the years I've been here. And let me take this oportunity to thank David Snyder for the forum he has provided us with and to the moderating team for doing an excelent job in general.

I think that the mods and members including alan, are EXTRAORDINARILY patient with Hannze, who despite a number of very reasonable requests has made no effort to either improve his English or to glean even a basic knowledge of the Theravada.

I will join you raising a glass of non alcoholic beer to David and the Mods.....thats sounds like a 70's band.

Ahhh, Peter, my dear, do you ever post in a forum NOT using your own language?

If not, you have NO idea what a challenge you are facing!

It is so hard to improve on one's English skills, especially, because you are never aware of making a mistake! Perhaps after a while you think about a sentence and think: That sounds wrong....but when you submit it you think it's good.

Please bear with us, who at times cripple this beautiful language beyond recognition!

We think we write well, while we are--lacking.

[PeterB]

Sorry Anna...not buying it . If my French, German, Italian, was as poor as Hanzze's English I would not even attempt to communicate on a website in French, German or Italian...on at least 20 occasions he has had feedback from a number of different people saying that they have no idea what he is trying to communicating. Several people have made the point to him that if he spent just part of the time he spends posting in improving his English everyone including him, would benefit.

Then there is the other point, he has made no attempt to grasp even the basic points of Theravada Buddhism and instead refers to a weird hybrid of Mahayana and Animism of his own devising.


I simply read past his posts without stopping at them. I cant be arsed.

If at anytime he appears to be making an effort to understand the Theravada view instead of delivering lectures characterised by banality and gibberish in equal measure, I will start reading them.

PS YOUR English Fraulein Anna is better than many of the English speakers on the forum.

[Wizard in the Forest]

Frankly, from the short time I have been in this forum, I have not once been dissatisfied with it.

[Jhana4]

Deleted.

[Modus.Ponens]

Sorry Anna...not buying it . If my French, German, Italian, was as poor as Hanzze's English I would not even attempt to communicate on a website in French, German or Italian...on at least 20 occasions he has had feedback from a number of different people saying that they have no idea what he is trying to communicating. Several people have made the point to him that if he spent just part of the time he spends posting in improving his English everyone including him, would benefit.

Then there is the other point, he has made no attempt to grasp even the basic points of Theravada Buddhism and instead refers to a weird hybrid of Mahayana and Animism of his own devising.


I simply read past his posts without stopping at them. I cant be arsed.

If at anytime he appears to be making an effort to understand the Theravada view instead of delivering lectures characterised by banality and gibberish in equal measure, I will start reading them.

PS YOUR English Fraulein Anna is better than many of the English speakers on the forum.

Still no reason to say that he's good for comic relief.

[Wizard in the Forest]

Okay, I might be out of line, but this isn't a Hanzze thread, so how about it be kept a little more organized around the OP?

Personally I think this is one of the best forum's I've ever been too, if not for the format, it is BECAUSE of the wise decisions of the moderators. I have been to quite a few, and never really felt welcome or like a part of it really, so this is really something I value. Don't take this criticism by the EX member too seriously.

[Annapurna]

Retro, I do find it wonderful that you ask for our opinions.

Dear all,

like Peter, I am concerned about meta discussion and wrong speech.

Whilst Retro has my full respect for facing and addressing the issues, I think, the blog is a defensive reaction after feeling pain, and I feel compassion for that pain.

Things like that are of a delicate nature and benefit greatly from 'in chambers diplomacy', using as much tact as possible.

We have a saying:

He who defends himself, accuses himself.

In other words: If you take criticism so seriously that you feel it necessary to defend yourself, then you put on the shoe,- because it fits.

Something inside of you recognized something, and provoked you.

You have a button, and somebody found it and made it public.

Now, will you react in the same way, and engage in the same thing that bothers you?

What did the Buddha say in the Akkosa suttha?

"Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It's all yours. It's all yours."

I would therefore recommend to let it go, as HARD as it may be.

At best, approach the blogger with patience and compassion and try to learn from his complaints, ACCEPT, but don't make it an expanding steppe fire.

I would back off, guys. But I am not giving YOU advice, you are free to dismiss my opinion or to consider it, I am fine either way.

4. "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.

5. Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.

6. There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.

Best wishes to all involved.

[Annapurna]

Sorry Anna...not buying it . If my French, German, Italian, was as poor as Hanzze's English I would not even attempt to communicate on a website in French, German or Italian...on at least 20 occasions he has had feedback from a number of different people saying that they have no idea what he is trying to communicating. Several people have made the point to him that if he spent just part of the time he spends posting in improving his English everyone including him, would benefit.

Then there is the other point, he has made no attempt to grasp even the basic points of Theravada Buddhism and instead refers to a weird hybrid of Mahayana and Animism of his own devising.


I simply read past his posts without stopping at them. I cant be arsed.

If at anytime he appears to be making an effort to understand the Theravada view instead of delivering lectures characterised by banality and gibberish in equal measure, I will start reading them.

PS YOUR English Fraulein Anna is better than many of the English speakers on the forum.

Thank you, Peter.

I'm aware your patience is at times challenged, as is mine, by many factors, but it also has a good side!

We can practice more patience, more compassion, and then we can reward ourselves--- with more chocolate!

[Jhana4]

Greetings members,

Over recent months, one Dhamma Wheel member has expressed grave dissatisfaction in relation to the way this forum is managed, via a blog specifically designed to target this forum and its volunteer staff.

Lest it be soddened by the rain
http://dhammawheel.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... llo-world/

On his blog, the author goes so far as to say, "The bottom line is that my experience at Dhamma Wheel has been by far the most negative experience I’ve ever had on the web."

FWIW, I use the same kind of blogging software that this person does. If his service is the same as mine he gets a list of URLs where links to his blog are posted.. In my experience the kind of feelings he has from this conflict gets fed by attention. I wouldn't have known about his blog, the particular conflict or any conflict on DW if not for this thread.

[tiltbillings]

FWIW, I use the same kind of blogging software that this person does. If his service is the same as mine he gets a list of URLs where links to his blog are posted.. In my experience the kind of feelings he has from this conflict gets fed by attention. I wouldn't have known about his blog, the particular conflict or any conflict on DW if not for this thread.

We had talked about it some length among ourselves. It was only a matter of time before one or more of DW's regulars would run across this blog. We felt that since it was out there, we might as well acknowledge it and in the process acknowledge that is the DW participants who do have questions and issues with how the DW is run, they certainly can use that blog as a forum for expressing that without fear or reprisal; however, we would rather that any concerns would be dealt directly here.

There is a formal grievance procedure set up that works rather well, as well as using the msg report function and PMs. Basically, we do want the members to feel that they can turn to the management for assistance and help. If a complaint is against a moderator or administrator, that individual recuses himself from any deliberations and is dealt with as is any other forum member. Quite frankly, our concerns here the health of Dhamma Wheel as a forum for discussing Buddhism. We are not unsympathetic to the feelings expressed in the blog and they have been seriously considered, but the responsibility for the blog is with its creator. Our responsibility is with the functioning of this forum, trying keep it an alive and healthy place.

And all of the feedback we have gotten and will get is greatly appreciated.

[Annapurna]

I'm happy here, and when I wasn't, I always found open ears and a bit of compassion. Which was very nice.