The Demise of Dawkins.Net

Fanny Cradock · 01-03-2010 9:57pm #1

I certainly wont miss the manner in which some opinions were expressed, yet I think that it is sad that people who have invested so much in something they feel strongly about have been jerked around. Before anyone gloats (and, yes, it is difficult to resist that feeling of Schadenfreude), it could happen to any forum - Christian or otherwise. As a mod I have a respect for fellow mods and posters who are willing to give a sizeable amount of their time to a cause they believe in.

Maybe this thread will generate discussion, maybe it wont. However, I think it is an interesting development nevertheless. Interesting article here: http://shipoffools.com/features/2010/atheist_website.html

Ickle Magoo · 01-03-2010 10:07pm

Not exactly the demise of Dawkins.net. According to the man himself:

The new Discussion area will still permit users to start their own threads, and to post comments. The only significant difference between this and the old forum will be that new threads (note: not the comments) will have to be approved before they appear. This is purely and simply to ensure that all new threads are on subjects relevant to reason and science. It is akin to the editor of a specialist magazine accepting only articles that are relevant to the topic of that magazine. Our old forum contained many excellent discussions on reason and science and related topics, and we certainly don’t want to lose the facility for those. However, it also contained some threads that were potentially harmful to the website’s (and therefore the Foundation’s) reputation. Our goal is to retain the valuable aspects of the old forum, the parts that actively promote the causes for which the website was set up; whilst losing those parts that do not. There will be no pre-publication moderation of comments on our new site: we will just be ensuring that all new, user-instigated discussion threads are on subjects relevant to reason and science.

http://richarddawkins.net/articles/5165

Fanny Cradock · 01-03-2010 11:16pm

In it's current form it certainly over.

doctoremma · 01-03-2010 11:25pm

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

In it's current form it certainly over.

That might not be such a bad thing. The sheer amount of trolling in there was amazing....

Ickle Magoo · 01-03-2010 11:34pm

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

In it's current form it certainly over.

The format of the public discussion area changing still doesn't = the demise of RichardsDawkins.net though, does it?

Zombrex · 02-03-2010 12:16am

Interesting blog post about this

http://realityismyreligion.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/locked-entry-will-open-soon/

Seems the problem with the site was disinterest and mismanagement from the team Dawkins put in place to run it.

Not particularly unique to RDF, this sort of thing happens all the time with internet forums.

strobe · 02-03-2010 12:34am

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

I certainly wont miss the manner in which some opinions were expressed, yet I think that it is sad that people who have invested so much in something they feel strongly about have been jerked around. Before anyone gloats (and, yes, it is difficult to resist that feeling of Schadenfreude), it could happen to any forum - Christian or otherwise. As a mod I have a respect for fellow mods and posters who are willing to give a sizeable amount of their time to a cause they believe in.

Maybe this thread will generate discussion, maybe it wont. However, I think it is an interesting development nevertheless. Interesting article here: http://shipoffools.com/features/2010/atheist_website.html

It's an interesting situation alright. Awful, awful article though. More so because the guy verges on making some very good points throughout and then ruins it by cluttering it up with cheap attempts at point scoring. Having a go at the National Secular Society for not having an interview with the Pope, is he serious? Suggesting the forum (in his view) failed because atheism isn't enough to base a forum on? Anyone want to link the guy to the A&A forum on this site?

Fanny Cradock · 02-03-2010 12:55am

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

The format of the public discussion area changing still doesn't = the demise of RichardsDawkins.net though, does it?

No, I guess it doesn't. I should have worded my post more carefully. Still, it wasn't my intention to get into an argument.

Fanny Cradock · 02-03-2010 12:58am

strobe wrote: »

Having a go at the National Secular Society for not having an interview with the Pope, is he serious?

I don't think so.

PDN · 02-03-2010 9:32am

As I heard a few people say around these parts recently, "It's sad if your beliefs are so weak that you have to change the rules on an internet forum to protect yourself from those who disagree with you." :pac:

Ickle Magoo · 02-03-2010 10:50am

Yeah, they should just start waving the ban stick around if anyone says anything they don't like.

Fanny Cradock · 02-03-2010 1:32pm

In certain ways I can understand why Dawkins agreed to change things. Perhaps in its new guise (dare I say "resurrection") RichardDawkins.net will be a place I would feel comfortable visiting.