News

[ronald]

I've been wanting to join the discussion for some time but I resisted because big changes are coming up and it would be pointless to say or do anything without having something concrete and real in hand, as it run the risk of sounding hollow. Now that we are just about ready to start I can post.

So here it is:
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At a recent Italian lifestyle event in London, called "La Dolce Vita", we asked visitors to fill in a simple card that asked them to complete the phrase "I love Italy because...". The results were some brilliant replies, which we will be sharing, but by far the most interesting part of the exercise were the discussions we had the chance to have with people about Italy, their favourite parts of Italy and their relationship with Italy.

It also highlighted the fact that we were not having many of these discussions on the forums - and we have known the answer to that problem for quite some time. While our forums are great in that they have a long history and a lot of people have gone through them they are also notorious because quite simply few people manage to stick around. The level of infighting is so high that it is just an unpleasant place to be in. We are entirely to blame for this - community is not something to be done on the side or "by the way", especially when there is a small but very vocal group of people that find fighting on the forums an enjoyable past time that makes constant moderation the only possible solution.

We need to do offer the right kind of community to all the people that have been a positive force on the forums but simply could not take the fighting and quite rightly moved on and provide a place that can accommodate the discussions we have been having with a much wider group of people outside the forums (both face-to-face and online).

The forums are quite simply not the right place to have such a community experience. There is too much baggage and too many tangled webs. Too many members with all sorts of duplicate accounts that refuse to simply not use these forums, a long history of different fights between different people making it impossible to judge who is right, inconsistent application of regulations that makes any application of regulations pointless, etc. Clearing the air and untangling everything is a huge task on its own. The main reason, however, is that the forums are not really the best place and means to have the kind of discussions we are interested in. The kind of discussions that will get us active in the online community once again - rather than simply observers and administrators.

We are looking for clear, focused, on topic discussions that in the end offer everyone interested in the same things. Useful and easily accessible information that helps in visiting and living in Italy and connecting with the people who have done so or also want to do so.

It may not be the kind of community that everyone registered on these forums wants. To some people it may appear boring, dry or restrictive. However, if we are to run a community with passion it needs to be a community we believe in.

So the only answer is to start over.

Our forums will be closing to all posting on the 15th of June - member registration will be closing on the 15th of May. The archives of the forums will remain as a point of reference to everyone as there is tons of useful information in here and it borders on criminal to delete it.

A new community website is being created - anyone who cares can join us today - we've set out a simple statement of purpose and some rules for this new community to help define it. However, it should not really be about the rules - it should be about being positive, constructive and useful. As such there are not really going to be drawn out processes on violation - if someone flies off the handle twice it probably means that this is not the place for them.

We have laid out what we hope is a clear registration process - the main difference is that there are different membership levels depending on the level of involvement one would like to have with the community and inherent in the registration process is that this should not be considered just an anonymous online place. We are not interested in registration numbers or page views - most content will be closed off to search engines and the like. We think that a group of people that is into talking about Italy in a constructive way (even if it is just 10 of us) is far more powerful that claiming huge registration numbers.

Beyond that the next few days will be a bootstrap process for the new community - each member joining now will be able to discuss how they would like the community to shape up and what they would like to see.

Each account will be reviewed by either me or Valentina (whom you can meet on the new website and will be the co-community administrator). We want to know all our members - especially those that want to be involved with the community to any great extend - we would like to connect with you not just anonymously over a website but in real life and work together towards improving our knowledge of Italy, connect with others and offer back to Italy as well.

For ITALY Magazine and the reasons to do this it are quite simple. We cannot claim to offer a "bridge to Italy" if we are not having positive conversations with the people that take this journey everyday. Your experiences will help inform and shape what both the online and print magazine should deal with.

I would just like to repeat that this is not us rejecting ALL that has gone on in these forums. It is us recognising that there have been a lot of great things on here and that do not do anyone justice by not providing a better environment where all the positive discussions (and actions) can continue.

Before responding to this thread please consider this - are you interested in joining such a new space? If so visit the new website ITALY Community | The community for lovers of all things Italian, have a look at the statement of purpose and join there. We can continue the discussion there. If you want to clarify a couple of things before joining please e-mail me at webmaster@italymag.co.uk. If you are not interested then take this opportunity to move on.

[CaveMan]

Ronald I am really sorry that you have had to take this step but I suppose it was inevitable. As you say, this forum is an invaluable resource and I hope it goes from strength to strength.

[Ghianda]

Thanks Ronald for letting us know what is/has been going on behind the scenes, and what is now to follow, shame we couldn't have known earlier.

I, Ghianda will be registering on the new site and I hope all my friends will be too so that we can continue to share this esperienza virtuale. (spelling, chi lo sa)

Love, peace, braci, baci, e Forza Italia (but not in the Berlusconi sense).

[Cinghiale]

Thanks for that Ronald.

Can I please grab the name 'Phoenix'?

[Lollita]

I shall be

Tallulah does the hoola in Hawaii

Drat already taken.

[juliancoll]

Originally Posted by Cinghiale

Can I please grab the name 'Phoenix'?

It's not fair! I want that name Cingy, I've been banned more than you have.

Oops, no fighting in the Piazza allowed - the blood shed will stain the new cobbles.

[Charles Phillips]

Is there any money in registering for this 'dialogue with you and Valentina'?
It sounds very much to me like an embryonic Italy Magazine online edition, using free journalists....

[Gala Placidia]

A new start and changes are always challenging. For this reason I have applied to join. I guess that there is no problem keeping our old names if we wish to do so if accepted.
I have seen that there will be groups. Obviously, membership will depend on who gets approved as a member. Granted that not all the groups were a success, but you only have to have a look at the number of members and posts to see which ones would be worth creating again. Some of them had very interesting information and I do not know whether we could transfer it to the new format.

[Cinghiale]

Originally Posted by juliancoll

It's not fair! I want that name Cingy

OK - but only if I can be JC next time!

[juliancoll]

Originally Posted by Cinghiale

OK - but only if I can be JC next time!

Cingy - can you carry the burden? If so - go for it - 'cus I have a very weird feeling JC aint gonna get into the Piazza anyway.

The one GREAT thing about this new "community" (when did we become a community Ronni?) is that you have to earn your salt to get a PM facility!

I guess that's some compensation for all my screeching - and for that reason alone I say well done Ronni.