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[garyfotodiver]

As a final note, I ask you all to remain decent in your posts and with your comments. Clearly sidebars are something some of you do not like at all, that is fine but rather than cursing or "yelling", please try to state your opinions in a civil manner, I am far appreciative (and understanding) towards a nicely worded post than one that tells me how bad I am.

With respect to you, the discordant notes are simply the fault of the moderators and owners who have done nothing to keep the material here "family oriented."

It is possible, and has been done so in English for most of the past several hundred years, to express oneself without resort to four and seven letter words.

As I have written before, I would not let my junior diver read this BB, not because she is shielded, but because I want her to develop a finer sense of English writing. She knows all the words, in two or three languages, but I do not want her to use them or to see them in writing.

 

[RichLockyer]

I think one thing that makes the sidebars less tolerable is the placement and orientation of the user data box ALSO being on the side, which compresses the message further.
I know that most VB systems are following this format, but one in particular that I've always been very happy with is Tundrasolutions.com.

They have advertiser support, but use small block graphics, rather than banner ads. This allows them to put up to 12 ads in the place normally occupied by one banner. These are generally non-rotating.
http://www.linkline.com/personal/rlockyer/Main.jpg

For the user's data block, it is horizontal, at the TOP of the message. Sidebars might be a bit more tolerable with that format if they are absolutely required.
http://www.linkline.com/personal/rlockyer/message.jpg

Personally, I'm here for the forums. I don't mind a site having an opening page that offers links to other areas such as the gallery (which I also enjoy) and other areas, but when banner ads become commonplace WITHIN the forums, it's time for me to say goodbye, as I have to RCUniverse and other forums.

 

[Ted S]

Thank you for all of your comments (we welcome any ideas), I am certain that you will all find our new layout and new sidebars to be much more ideal then the ones we currently run. With that said, it is evident that side bars are a good default but not for everyone. With this in mind there will always remain a layout option with full functionality and without sidebars for those users who simply do not wish to have them.

 

[jonnythan]

Thanks.

I actually feel much better hearing you say that users will be able to keep sidebars off of their screens, instead of what you implied earlier.

 

[JDostal]

Funny - I just jumped over to this board to ask what was going on w/ the sidebars...here I am at the end of a long conversation already.

 

[Tiny Bubbles]

I selected the Custom Theme - No Sidebars, but the sidebars won't go away. The sidebar is full of advertisements for stuff I don't want, not site navigation. It makes the scubaboard content smaller and more crowded. Yes the sidebars are awful. Please make them go away.

 

[cornfed]

this will be changing in the near future so please bear with us.

Fine... as long as "bear with us" means we can keep complaining until you do what we want.

 

[Kim]

OK - let's take bets: How long before this thread gets moved to 'Whine & Cheeze'?

 

[cornfed]

I think they should just merge the W&C and support forums.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

With respect to you, the discordant notes are simply the fault of the moderators and owners who have done nothing to keep the material here "family oriented."

You are ... I hope ... kidding.

We moderators donate hours of our time each day trying to keep this board civil.

The discordant notes are simply the fault of the people posting them ... people who don't really care what anybody but themselves think, and feel it's their "right" to express themselves with as much rudeness and vulgarity as they want. On those occasions when we moderators do edit their posts, we get to take abuse from those posters and their supporters for "censorship" ... and more vulgarity and rudeness follows. If we remove their accounts, they show up a day or so later under a different account ... exhibiting the same behavior.

So tell me Gary ... what more would you have us do? The Internet attracts people who like to misbehave while hiding behind the anonymity of a keyboard ... people who would never consider expressing themselves in a similar manner to someone who is looking them in the eye at the time.

Blaming anyone other than the person who is misbehaving is simply absurd ... whatever happened to the concept of personal responsibility?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)