Posted by Todd (64.34.202.197) on August 22, 2001 at 09:13:06:
In Reply to: This needs our attention! posted by Ken Hubner on August 22, 2001 at 08:25:55:
Morning, Ken-
While I agree that there is too much personal stuff and certainly way too much bickering and childish arguing here, I suspect the "culture" of chmb is pretty much set in stone at this point.
Given Mary's input, as well as the lack of posts from medical professionals that other folks have invited here, it does seem that we're hindering our own progress with regard to OUCH and its' aims.
My suggestion is that the new OUCH bumperstickers being considered by the BoD should point to www.clusterheadaches.ORG for just this reason. Additionally, I'd suggest that when any of us decides to talk to our docs/nurses about cluster awareness, we direct them to the OUCH site, and stay mum about this MB. Call it putting our best foot forward. They'll find their way here eventually if they are truly interested, and hopefully they'll come here pre-disposed to help after seeing the more focused tone of that site.
"But its HERE that they will truly see how these things affect our lives!" ,you say. "Here they can see the angst, the pain, the desparation, the disruption of careers, relationships, homes and lives."
True. But there is another place to see all of that side of CH, and often in a more poignant, touching manner - the Guestbook. Perhaps the OUCH site could add a Guestbook also. We could 'seed' it with a few (real, not faked) entries that express the overwhelming emotion of finally finding a place where people understand - the tone we see time and time again on the GB. Most people tend to follow the lead of existing entries in deciding what they should write.
I think BobP has done a fantastic job with the OUCH site, and he continues to improve and refine it. It began as a sort of off-shoot of ch.com, almost without an identity of its own in the beginning. It is now a site that stands on its own feet in the sense that if a newbie finds OUCH first it 'makes sense'. Going a bit further in this direction, it could easily become 'the' gateway for CH, with one of its roles being to direct sufferers and supporters here for kinship and direct communication with fellow afflictees. In this way, new visitors to this chmb would be pre-conditioned to an extent, and hopefully less likely to run at first sight.
Nearly every message board I visit on the Net has an existing personality that is somewhat intimidating. Compare it to a soap opera in this sense only - if you've never seen "Guiding Light", tuning in for 5 or 10 minutes doesn't do much for you. You don't understand the characters, story, interactions, history, etc. Try it - type "message board" into your search engine and drop in on some board you've never seen before. Topic is irrelevant. Chances are you'll read a few posts, feel lost and bolt.
Just my opinion.
KTSSU,
T