This being a SENIOR board

AZ Jim

R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
It occurs to me there should be a place here (not just a thread) where we can inform the members of our intentions permanently. Example: If AZ Jim doesn't post for 30 days he maybe hospitalized, If he doesn't post in 45 days, he is gone (passed on). We could all have an idea as to what to expect should we miss a member for awhile by checking there. Also If the member is going offline for any reason he could let us know there. This wouldn't be a foolproof method of keeping tabs on our friends but it's better than nothing. Let's face it, we do die. What do you think?
 

I don't think we need worry about this Jim, people will realise after a while that we are either gone ( in any sense) or in hospital etc or extended holiday if we don't post for a long time.
 
I think it's a good idea tbh Jim, because we're more like an extended family on here than a discussion board per se..... if a regular poster hasn't been seen for say a month and hasn't posted their intention of being away, perhaps admin could drop them an email to just to remind them we're all missing them. Admin are the only people who have everyone's email addresses..
 

I don't think we need worry about this Jim, people will realise after a while that we are either gone ( in any sense) or in hospital etc or extended holiday if we don't post for a long time.
Maybe, but I think some of us might like a guidline.
 
LOL.. OA, I think we all do that a little bit, if we're just not in the mood to post..or if we're not well for a few days or even if your PC is down for a while, but if it's someone who posts regularly for months or years and they suddenly disappear for weeks without letting us know they're not gonna be posting.. I think we would be letting ourselves down by calling ourselves friends to not at least try and find out if they're ok.. :D
 
LOL.. OA, I think we all do that a little bit, if we're just not in the mood to post..or if we're not well for a few days or even if your PC is down for a while, but if it's someone who posts regularly for months or years and they suddenly disappear for weeks without letting us know they're not gonna be posting.. I think we would be letting ourselves down by calling ourselves friends to not at least try and find out if they're ok.. :D

I do agree with ^ If someone hasn't posted in a while, whom I'm used to seeing post more than a little of the time and there's a sudden stop, I do wonder if they're ok, I don't always make my concern known, but, I do think about the person, if it's someone I have a regular dialogue with, I would hope they would appreciate a little bit of the concern, I know I would, but, I respect the right to privacy and not to be bothered as well. People could always include such a detail in their profile if the change were to take place. It could read, "STHOOMB :D
 
I understand the rationale behind Jim's idea but my philosophical leanings don't allow me to fully embrace it. If I don't post for a while then either I've "retired" from the board, I'm out of reach of a computer or I'm hospitalized or dead - in none of these cases could anyone change my circumstances, just offer condolences (that I wouldn't see) which, while fuzzy-wuzzy, wouldn't help.

I also wonder what the good is of knowing if someone is deceased - it isn't as if you're going to attend the funeral. Isn't this more just a nod toward our innate curiosity?
 
I do agree with ^ If someone hasn't posted in a while, whom I'm used to seeing post more than a little of the time and there's a sudden stop, I do wonder if their ok, I don't always make my concern known, but, I do think about the person, if it's someone I have a regular dialogue with, I would hope they would appreciate a little bit of the concern, I know I would, but, I respect the right to privacy and not to be bothered as well. People could always include such a detail in their profile if the change were to take place. It could read, "STHOOMB :D

So it that a yea or nay?
 
Agree with oakapple and SiFuPhil, but to expand:

This is an internet message board/forum – not a place where anyone has to check in on a regular basis or keep others informed about their plans. If someone wants to do that, fine, but :shrug: I may be wrong, but I don't think everyone keeps track of who hasn't posted for whatever period of time.

I think maybe too much is being made of someone not posting for awhile. Maybe they’re busy, maybe they just don’t want to post (they prefer to just read), maybe they have medical issues which they prefer not to share because it's nobody’s business, or maybe they no longer want to participate (gasp!) and don't care to post a "Goodbye Cruel Forum" farewell. Or maybe they found a different online community that they like better (gasp!). It happens.

Just because members are seniors doesn’t obligate them to let everyone know they are alive and well, oe that they have a busy scuedule on the horizon. That’s for people in our real lives.

And what if someone is not “okay”? What are SF members supposed to do about it? On one hand it might be seen as ‘nice’ that someone is ‘concerned’, but exactly what are they going to do about it? There are no real names/phone numbers/in case of emergency contact information, etc. I think an email from a message board administrator is a very bad idea….definitely a “Big Brother” watching vibe. (Do the administrators have that kind of free time?) And no one needs to reply to such an email and come to the board and post/explain. Some might think "wtf" :confused::rolleyes: and ignore.

People of all ages get busy, travel, and live their lives. Just because someone hasn’t posted doesn’t mean they are seriously ill, fell down the basement stairs, or that they died.
 
So it that a yea or nay?

Neutral, either way is fine by me, I think it's a nice idea, but if most find it intrusive, than, whatever, take it to the mods and if people feel very strongly about it on the yay side, I'm cool with it, as long as there's an option for those who don't like the idea to opt out.

But if I had to vote, I would vote on the yay side.
 
Phil asks "Isn't this more just a nod toward our innate curiosity?" Answer: Substitute the word "concern" for "curiosity" and the answer is yes.
 
Neutral, either way is fine by me, I think it's a nice idea, but if most find it intrusive, than, whatever, take it to the mods and if people feel very strongly about it on the yay side, I'm cool with it, as long as there's an option for those who don't like the idea to opt out.

But if I had to vote, I would vote on the yay side.

The option is to not opt in. I said voluntary. It was just an idea. A trial balloon, nothing more.....
 
I think that I'll tell my adult kids, that should I die, send the forum a message to that effect.

I'm sure that a few would be interested and many couldn't care less.
 
I think that I'll tell my adult kids, that should I die, send the forum a message to that effect.

I'm sure that a few would be interested and many couldn't care less.

Most of us would care John.
 


Back
Top