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[BW 2011 Changes] 1. New Directions For Our Forums - Must Read


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New Directions For Forums

A) New Posting Guidelines - More sections for postings by members only

- Personals, Massages and Biz & Services sections become only-members can post

B) No Change in the Number of Sub-Forums

A) New posting guidelines - Changes

BlowingWind (BW) is probably one of the very few, if not the only forum in Singapore that allows Guest to post.

Guests postings was and still is a tradition in BW. Many years ago, due to privacy and cost issues when many readers actually accessed BW via their office computers, fears of being tracked or traced by "govt" people, etc, prevented many readers from registering a nick that could somehow be traced back to them. Even now, I think some readers still may have that fear.

However in the recent past, with the tremendous drop in laptop/netbook prices with their wifi and 3G via thumbdrive modems features, and the mass availabilty of smart phones and tablets/IPADs, it is very easy to get access to the internet and BW without using office computers.

The society as a whole in Singapore had become much more open-minded towards homosexuality. One can see by the numbers of young members who are not afraid to show their faces in their Profile Pics. The government, if they want to, will still be able to trace everyone's postings, whether the poster is a member or a guest. So the supposedly safety of being anonymous, where the authorities is concerned is therefore moot. So if they really want to know who post a certain comment, whether you are a guest or a member, they will be able to find out.

Therefore, the only reason not to register and still post as guests, is simply convenience and anonymity against other readers knowing who are the people making the posts. There are countless valueable postings from guests over the years. At the same time there are also way too many guests postings that are mean, flame-baits, trouble-making, trolls, spams and just simply fakes.

Sections that only members can post but all including guests can read :

At the last mods meeting, we have agreed to maintain the original spirit set by our founder - Blowingwind, the man, to continue to allow guests postings.

However, due to the numerous abuses by guests, the following three additional sub-forums of BW will with immediate effect be changed to Members-Only postings. Guests can read but cannot post. The three section are :

1) Personals - it had turned into a cruising for sex in public places section. There are postings made by guests who invite others to meet at "weird" places at odd hours of the day while they may or may not be there. Wild goose chases were led by anonymous guests.

2) Massage - Numerous complaints (whether valid or not) made by guests against masseurs. The mods often wondered if these postings by guests were actually envies against more popular masseurs. Same for guests postings praising certain masseurs which are often fakes made by their friends.

3) Services, Biz and Useful Web Links - All pink or any businesses wishing to advertise here should have a members nick to identify who they are. All feedback about such businesses, whether positive or negative, should be made by members only.

Therefore including the Members' Lounge, there will altogether be 4 sub-forums of BW that allows only members to post.

Sections that everyone, members or guests, can read and post:

The mods have agreed to allow guests to continue to post in the Main Forum. The Main Forum is the most popular and busiest in BW. This had been so since Blowingwind the man started this bulletin board/forum back in 1997. To maintain his spirit, we will continue to let guests post there.

Beside the main forum, guests are allow to post in these 5 sub-forums:

1) Blowing Wind IT Rest Room

2) Blowing Wind Imperial Kitchen

3) Travellers Hut

4) The Flamming Room

5) Test Forum

Over the years, many members had urged us to ban guests postings. We had often explained the reasons why we can't and should not. From this change to increase the number of sections that allow members-only postings while maintaining the spirit of our founder, we hope to satisfy all readers whether members or guests.

B) No Change in the Number of Sub-Forums

SucklingPig recently suggested in a thread if we could invite social organisations "to lead a sub-forums. It would be a great shopfront for them, and give them the real online engagement with the community that I believe they are aiming for".

Other readers in various ways had also asked if we could cater something for the various interest groups like the "younger generation", "music lovers", "various racial groups", "serious discussions"...etc.

We believe that our social and community goals are best achieved by letting the Responsible Social Groups like Oogachaga free run in the Main Forum, Their messages are exposed to majority of our readers. Even the readers don't click in, by scanning the topic-title, they already have got the gist of the message. We will continue to give full support to any non-profit community and charity groups if they want to publicise their activities in the main forums. Such groups, please contact the mods.

Our experience with sub-forums in BW tells us that the contents of the sub-forum must be Compelling and "juicy" in itself to draw audience to those sub-forum regularly. eg The Massage and Personal sub-forum. On the other hand, our Travellers Hut sub-forum, draws a much smaller sub-set of audience. Some readers tells us they visit there only when they are doing research for their own travel. In fact, we previously had a sub-forum, "Pets and Plants" that was removed because of poor responses.

The younger folks may be in a hurry to get things done here. We would advise them to slow down a bit and understand the history of this forum and what this place is all about. This forum was started by a middle-age man way back in 1997 primarily for the readers to share their sexual experiences. Over the years, it had grown into a gathering place for the matured and the chubs. The young and the beautiful were often won over by Trevvy and Fridae instead.

In the last year or two, for some reasons, we had a tremendous influx of young people, many in their 18's to early 20's. Along with them they brought their "culture", "topics", " strange expressions", "lifestyles" and "unique responses". This forum welcomes all and eventually if this new group of members and readers stay longer, we hope they will understand us better and eventually blend in enough to be the next group of moderators to run this place.

In essence, we would much prefer readers to integrate, share and be exposed to all kind of weird and interesting facets of the gay community in Singapore. We hope the older will tolerate the younger, the younger to understand their elders, the various races and religious to mingle in harmony, and for everyone here to give and take a little so our community can continue to grow.

At this point in time, we really do not see the need to add sub-forums to dilute our aspirations for our forum.

Please play safely! Use a condom if you are having anal sex.

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