Quick question: Have torrenter become lazy?

[SAM]

I definitely think that both more experienced FST members and FST as a forum can help in educating new members. I believe that in the last few months, more and more established members are trying to give advice from their experience to new users. If more site staffers would stop bitching about how FST is such a lousy forum and actually take some time to share their thoughts and experience here then things may actually improve with time.

FST as a forum with a strong BT community can also help in educating new users. For example, a nice PM (translated to multiple languages) explaining basic private tracker rules and code of conduct could be automatically sent to every member gaining entrance to the invites section.
To sum it up, my point is that people can learn and evolve with proper guidance. In "people" I include FST members, in case you've wondered.

this reply is really great
yes, we should all help each other out, i guess that's what bittorrent community is all about .
by the way, not all new trackers begging for users in another forums and play the propaganda game here in fst.
some of them really looking for quality members that's why they don't give invites to every one knocks on their doors.
and yes, there is no need to collect trackers.. i used to think the more trackers i have the more content i can get
but i found out that most trackers has the same content and sometimes i go and download stuff from public trackers such as pirate bay.
really 4 or 5 trackers are enough , you just need to read trackers' reviews and ask ur friends and your fellow members before you try to get invites .

[pandabear]

Honestly i think its as simple as this. Most 0day trackers have more or less the same content (in terms of xvid and tv shows), so even tho they can manage on any site, they say why can't i have the best etc.

but always hated those "fake" goody-goody ppl here who beg for rare sites for their "community" .seriously wtf .

they actually piss me off more than traders. Atleast traders admit to what they are, unlike these collectors who are in self denial.

[whitmar]

Should the education start at FST? or should they be invited to the private tracker to learn the hard way?

FST as a forum with a strong BT community can also help in educating new users. For example, a nice PM (translated to multiple languages) explaining basic private tracker rules and code of conduct could be automatically sent to every member gaining entrance to the invites section.
To sum it up, my point is that people can learn and evolve with proper guidance.

I love this constructive thread!

My own perspective as a newcomer, upon entering the invites thread, was that I was witnessing some kind of bazaar in which members were haggling with each other about what would or would not constitute an even, fair trade. In some threads, the OP might be accused of cheating or scamming in the past. Others might say the tracker being sought is much too precious to even consider trading for such a common and worthless invite. Then there were those offering high level accounts with large buffers and seeking equivalent "possessions." I thought that's how it was supposed to be done!

Thankfully, I tend to read threads a lot (lurk) and I read enough of them with free giveaways and invite requests--the minority, I think--to notice anti-trading signatures and several comments about how trading violates most tracker rules. If English hadn't been my native language, I could well have missed some of those subtle nuances and jumped on that trading Merry-Go-Round, and ended up cheated, disillusioned, banned, and branded a trader.

I know this has been discussed and rejected by the FST staff before, but I feel if we could sequester the "wheeler-dealers" from the "learn who's interested and worthy of certain trackers" group, we'd not only make it easier for tracker staffs to spot and rid themselves of rule-breakers, but also for invite seekers to spot their desired giveaways without having to sift through an endless parade of "merchants" peddling their "treasures". I heartily endorse pro267's ideas for the indoctrination of newcomers, so that they can make an early, educated choice whether to become a valued member of the community or a rule-breaker.

[Artemis]

I agree with pro's post, it more succinctly put what I was trying to say but I don't think new users should be 'indoctrinated' or assimilated for that matter, it is still a choice to trade or not, if not I try to help if they do I try to persist and explain that trading has a glass ceiling, but it is still a choice!
People are different that is what makes this a dynamic and vibrant place to be, even when the spam is flying or the latest drama is unfolding, it is still a strong community in itself the traders and non-traders both, there are traders and ex-traders who do genuinely try and help and be a part of the community, and then there are the grab it & run artists, but they aren't hard to spot.
The focus of this forum has changed & evolved since I have become a member and there are more members here who are trying to help and show new users the choice they have and help them if they can so there definitely is a positive side.
I think staff at some trackers recognise this because there have been more comm reps posting and commenting in the forums as well. I do hope this continues and that there are more members who do take the time to talk to new users and hopeful foster friendships and a sense of community.

[pandabear]

I think--to notice anti-trading signatures and several comments about how trading violates most tracker rules.

Giveaways on public torrents violate just as many rules, but no one puts that in their signature.

[sear]

well,
i agree it wasn't like that 3 or 4 months ago but we have to pardon new members .

I think it's been like this for some time...certainly longer than four months.

I think one of the major problems is that the median age of BT users and FST members in particular is getting younger and younger. I'm not trying to say that people in their early teens can't be good members, however people in that age bracket tend to act like kids. Generally speaking they're just not mature enough to give a shit. So to them hit and running or keeping a good ratio is like your parents telling you to eat your veggies it just goes in one ear and out the other.

Another issue (and this holds true for any age) is that human nature dictates we want what the other guy likes. People come here and hear how cool F**whatever is and think hmmm, I'd like to be there I should try and get an invite. I was lucky enough to cotton on to this pretty quickly and came to the realization that whatever happens happens and if a mate wants to invite me they will...or I'll do something else. Though i have asked for a couple of invites I would prefer to get them from people I know, because lets face it they all have the same content give or take a few torrents so if you don't have mates there what's the point.

As for FST having a responsibility to educate new members well that's a different can of worms entirely. As Artemis likes to point out it's kind of like the wild west here. You get all sorts the good, the bad and the ugly. But that's what makes this place special and interesting and keeps me coming back. I think it's more up to the members to influence others. So it's best to lead by example and give a nudge here and there than to expect FST staff to do it

[DefX]

So it's best to lead by example and give a nudge here and there than to expect FST staff to do it

Just like you can't expect cops to give seminars on morality and be your life coach.

[Cheffy]

DV8type Is correct. When the new anti trading wave hit FST people are just requesting their asses off.
People how i not read one post of are in asking for the rarest trackers.
If you dont know anyone in the trackers you want into and decide to request it here atleast try to make some posts here and get to know some people.
Its not like a request = sudden invite.
Of all the requests made i guess only a few % of them actually got the invite. And those that go them were active users here that actually made some friends.

As for requesting other high level trackers, i guess people dont actually care about the communety nor what the tracker has to offer. Its mostly race to get all the trackers.
The grass will always be greener on the other side of the fence.

[briand5379]

If you expect a member to act a certain way then I think it's the trackers job to educate the member so they can act accordingly. FST isn't going to do it for you.

[whitmar]

I appreciate the experienced FST members sharing their broad views here, based on the observation of evolving trends over a prolonged period of time. There is obviously no easy answer to these problems. Pandabear, thanks for showing me those rules from FTN. They are much more explicit than those shown in the WTAW thread. In fact, I see so much of that prohibited behavior in the invites section, I'm surprised there haven't been massive bans of FTN members. (Maybe there have been--I'm not in a position to know.) So I'm still a little confused. I know most tracker staffs have a presence here, and can see their own rules being frequently broken. What is their overall attitude toward this behavior?

I completely agree with everything that has been said here and elsewhere against indiscriminate free giveaways of invites. The consequences of inviting someone with a bad agenda is the same as trading an account to that same person. However, after about a month in a certain level 2 music tracker, I received 27 invites. I don't know anyone in real life who does bit torrent file sharing, and I don't know 27 people here who don't already belong to that tracker or a different one they prefer. So there is a temptation to start a mass indiscriminate giveaway thread, especially when such a value is placed on high rep point counts when judging a persons fitness as a prospect for membership in higher level trackers. I have given away only 2 of these invites after checking the recipients' profiles. I have not publicly offered any higher level invites I have available.

I also agree that it should not be left to the FST staff to lecture and educate newcomers. They are overworked as it is now. I also think my use of the word "indoctrination" was too strong and should have been substituted with "orientation". The consequences of trading and irresponsible inviting should be discussed early on, however. What would be wrong with a sticky closed thread containing recommended guidelines of behavior that would be conducive to the best overall experience at FST and at trackers in general? This could help well-meaning n00bs avoid behavior they may later regret.