New Board Update

[LucyG]

Same feelings here. Though I don't post in RL all that often, I read it daily, and I enjoy contributing when I can. My hope is that the new board can make room for those of us who are faithful readers, though maybe not frequent posters of pictures, etc. Though I can completely understand the rationale of those of you who have set up the new board (and I know it's been a big job!), it makes me sad to think that I might not be invited to join, even though I have been a loyal BBB member for nearly 3 years. I contribute what I can to RL, but my DD's clothes are usually not the latest and most popular styles. I try to chime in on advice and opinions when I feel that I can! Still, I really enjoy this forum, and I hope to contribute more in the future, whether it be on the current RL, the new board, or both.


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]
2 years and counting!

[AvasMama]

I am speaking only for myself here and NOT as a mod on the new board, but I wanted to explain my personal feelings about this issue. Given that I work in the online world and have for years, I shouldn't have been so naive about this, but I was. I posted pics of Ava here all the time, as well as on another public board. I felt that in doing this, I was sharing my love of my daughter and my enjoyment of choosing her clothes with my friends.

The recent issues here have opened my eyes to the fact that it was not just my friends who were looking at these photos, but anyone out there with an Internet connection who wanted to see them. That turned out to include: a couple of people who don't like me; lots of people who just want to see the latest Naartjie/J&J/Hanna and don't care about me or my DD; possibly some perverts and god knows who else.

I am sympathetic to lurkers -- I started here as one myself. But this is first and foremost a community, and if you are not contributing, you can't really consider yourself a member of this community. You may be the nicest person in the world, you may have watched my daughter grow from a newborn to a toddler through my pics here over the past year and you may feel like you "know" me a little because of that. But if you don't post, *I* don't know *you*. So why should I feel comfortable posting pics of my child for a bunch of strangers to look at?

I don't mean to be harsh, but this is an important issue for me. For me, the new board is not about popularity or excluding people or hurting feelings. It is about knowing that the personal info and photos I share are being seen by people I know well and not out there on the Web for anyone to see. I owe that much to Ava; it is *her* privacy too.

Robyn & Ava

[papal]

Excellent work girls!
If there are any invites left, I would love to get one too! :)
Leela's wardrobe depends entirely on what Ava is wearing. heehee.

[tigalig]

I may be even more harsh here, but if I am lurking on the feeding board and they decide that for their own safety, they will begin a private board, I would accept that as a lurker with little time for one board, I don't need to be on yet another board. The whole lurking business is what gets people like me paranoid about who is looking. It's not just friendly mamas who can lurk here. . .

And I don't envision the new board making this board die in any way. I usually get and try to post sales/new lines news here first. Nothing will change that.

[kelly ann]

I don't consider myself a lurker, but I have been more active in the lounge lately rather than reality layette. Partly because I could not get excited about any of the clothes (I had a boy). But now that I have a newborn girl, I have wandered back to RL.

Maybe once you feel more comfortable with the setup, would you consider establishing different criteria related to one's activity on BBB (not just RL)? Just a thought...

Thanks for hearing me out and hope your new board provides more security and comfort for posting pics.

[deenass]

THe new board that you are creating is obviously "your" board and you have the right to determine who you will invite to participate.

With that said, I am wondering how you will determine the criteria for "regulars"? Will you do a search to see who has posted a lot? Or base it on who asks to be accepted (and then review their "stats").

An explanation of your "qualifications" would be appreciated.

[ehmom]

first, i want to say that i understand and appreciate all of the opinions discussed here so far. i have not been a picture poster for sereral reasons. the main one is that i would never want to do anything to jeopardize my child's safety or privacy. when the picture-stealing thing came up recently, i was more convinced than ever that i should not have ever posted pics. if that eliminates me from being invited to the group, than that is a price i am more than willing to pay. no amount of conversation, community or bargains is ever worth placing my children in harms way. i'm just saying this to encourage any posters who do not get invited. if you felt like you shouldn't have allowed posts to get too personal for this reason, don't feel bad for being left out. be encouraged that you were making the best decision for your family. and, also to say i understand why a smaller group would be formed by people who feel that they know each other well. anytime smaller groups splinter off, some feelings are going to be hurt. we can have a very active board without pictures of our kids.
jmho, em

[murpheyblue]

I love the scoop in RL. I'm an occasional picure poster. I participated in the photo "contests" (or whatever the name was) but as a WOHM I don't usually get to the stores to get the first crack at new lines so by the time DD gets them, they're old (at least by this boards standards). Hence, not a lot of photos of DD in her new outfits. I hope posting photos isn't the only criteria as I try to be active in other posts in RL.

I'll miss everyone if they leave but I hope that if I don't get an invite they'll be a group that continues to hang out here and keep RL a great place.

[squimp]

Thanks for doing this - I am really missing being able to post pics and see pics of other babies and get ideas for new clothes. I hope you guys will take a broad view of those folks who have posted, because it is a big community of really helpful folks.

And I also really really hope that people will still come here to post questions, new lines, wish lists, etc. I'll still be coming here and participating in this board. This is such a great place, and I've loved getting to know all of you!

[C99]

>another board. The whole lurking business is what gets people
>like me paranoid about who is looking. It's not just friendly
>mamas who can lurk here. . .

I've been involved in online communities since 1998 and I wholeheartedly agree w/ this. It's always bothered me.