Birthday Greetings and the Like

[bilbous]

There is perfectly good messaging functionality with the forum. I do not see why people feel it is necessary to create a thread  to offer best wishes, tearful goodbyes or overjoyed welcome backs. It seems a little narcissistic in that "everyone must see that I expressed these sentiments and know I am special." I am sure it is not really that way but that is how it looks and then other people feel they too must get on the bandwagon to show they, too, are in the clique.

Anyway if you have a problem with the policy to close such threads relatively quickly this would be the place to discuss it without reference to any particular thread but in general only.

I do not have a problem with the policy and it would not bother me overmuch if the policy was to lock or delete them immediately. I am not advocating that the policy change, either, though.

It would seem that an announcement would be sufficient so people know to send their PMs. In the case of Birthdays such an announcement is already on the main page and does not need its own thread, genreally speaking.

[Parallo]

Too true. I agree completely, but in a much nastier and self-righteous tone.

[Lolitra, Celorrim Purrty Twins]

Did I miss wishing you happy birthday?    [heheheh]

[Suno_Regin]

Did I miss wishing you happy birthday?    [heheheh]

Niiiice. Wish I'd come up with that...that's pretty much my thoughts on this thread.

[Parallo]

Actually, I wasn't around last time I had a birthday. I don't really care for a heap of people saying 'happy birthday' over and over again and I don't see the need for it. Its the same as those three word story things.

[bilbous]

Actually my birthday is not listed. I have other ways to feed my narcissistic tendencies such as posting a lot. Hopefully most of what I post is productive but I am positive that not 100% is.

I thought this thread might allow those of you in favor of such threads to show how much support there is for them and possibly get the rules relaxed somewhat. If people do not wish to do so then I hope I can expect to not hear any more complaints when the policy is followed as is. The moderator(s) does not need the grief.

[LigH]

Some like it. Some don't like it.

What is a community that gets forcefully reduced to on-topic threads. I wouldn't feel welcome in that case. The feeling of "being important enough to receive a personal thread", which makes you proud, can be a strong glue.

If you are afraid that those threads could litter the board ... I know board software (maybe "hacks") where threads in a specific forum are automatically deleted after a specific time. If not automatically, well - even manually would not be an issue. I'd vote for about one week of deadline. How about a subforum like "Public personal messages" in the offtopic group.

[Parallo]

Is public personal not an oxymoron?

[LigH]

In contrast to "private" as "non-public", but still "personal" as "directed to one person".

[Liadan]

Some like it. Some don't like it.

What is a community that gets forcefully reduced to on-topic threads. I wouldn't feel welcome in that case. The feeling of "being important enough to receive a personal thread", which makes you proud, can be a strong glue.

If you are afraid that those threads could litter the board ... I know board software (maybe "hacks") where threads in a specific forum are automatically deleted after a specific time. If not automatically, well - even manually would not be an issue. I'd vote for about one week of deadline. How about a subforum like "Public personal messages" in the offtopic group.

that would be neat...deleting birthday threads after a week of them being posted. this insures the well-wishes being done quickly, and not 6 months after teh date (which personally i find annoying..DUDE his birthday was 6 months ago! wait another 6 before you well-wish him!)

From what I can tell, this is an issue of introverts vs extroverts.  Introverts would rather NOT have everyone congradulating them on growing older. Extroverts thrive off it, as they do with any social interaction.  It's like why is there birthday cards for some people passed around at work/school, but not for other people? well because like LigH said, some like it and some don't. It's a community ppl...we all have to give some to get some.

[Waylander]

I don't really see a reason to close them, to be honest.  Besides to feed the little grinch in you.

Somebody is trying to do something nice for their friend's birthday is all.  It's in the right section...

All the same, I don't decide the policy here for a reason (most of you would be banned )

[bilbous]

Well we could just make a sticky thread "Happy Birthday To Those Born On This Date!" That way everyone would be able to look and see who wished them well on their birthday. Being pretty generic you might need to have a bot posting happy birthday every day so everyone would get at least one bday wish.

[Draklar]

To be frank, I'd be more happy with a single email or PM, than an entire thread of happy birthday wishes. I mean, the latter is so impersonal. Are you wishing the happy birthday to someone in particular, or the entire community?

[Waylander]

Come on... does it really bother you to see "Happy Birthday name" as a thread?

Are you that grinchy?

Maybe in a few years, if the community gets too big... but then just have birthday wish forum

[LigH]

In the video discussion board where I am super moderator, we even try to "recycle" birthday threads; we continue them in the following year if possible.