The Backpacking Forum Complaint Dept.

http://jasonklass.blogspot.com/2008/04/backpacking-forum-complaint-dept.html

Good one, Jason! I'll try to remember all those when I get tempted to pontificate too much!

I also was once an English teacher (actually ESL). I also get rather upset by simple spelling and punctuation errors. I can relate to typing errors, of which I make my share. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Fortunately this forum seems not to have attracted the simplified spelling folks ho as u no cant be botherd to rite anything out

IMNSHO that sound may be a Law & Order copyright infringement. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I think most of my future posts will just be a link to that video. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Good one, Jason.

As annoying as the "advertisement posts" are and it is true most of us can spot them a mile a way, I disagree with the assessment that the people who use them do not understand marketing. On the contrary, this type of marketing does work and is not employed by people who just do not understand marketing. So while I agree with you as to the annoyance, I disagree with the assessment of why they do it.

Very clever video, Jason... although it won't kill you to smile once in a while... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

IMNSHO I love the law and order sound. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Nice.

Hey Oregon Mouse,
I totally agree with you that this forum is better than most when it comes to more mature and responsible posting.

I was also an ESL/EFL teacher and TEFL trainer and most of my students had better spelling and grammar than a lot of people on other forums. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Hi DTape,
I guess what I was trying to say is not that they don't know where to do their marketing, but how to do it within a particular context. I work in a marketing dept. and we also happen to do this same type of organic marketing in forums, etc. We do it in a way that is upfront, honest, and doesn't insult the intelligence of our demographic with some thinly-veiled attempt to pretend we're not representatives of a company (unlike the ones I've seen on the backpacking forums). That just ends up doing more harm than good to your brand. I probably should have elaborated that point more in the video. But, hey, I was mad! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

The reasin sum of my spellin aint so great is that its' cloas enuf for folks to undirstend what i meen an i get go on to readin or posting somewheres else; Stopp gradin mine cause it aint gonna help none no how. '
otherwize i liked your'e post real good.
go to whiteblase if you wont some reel stuff to complane about.

Yep, that place is the WORST! Not only because of the bad spelling & grammar but also because there are so many immature people there who get into fights. I stopped going to that one a long time ago.

Hey I completely understand. Those things bug me too. In fact I thought your video was kinda short and left out "a whole buncha stuff". It was funny too though. See you on the trail.

Yeah, it was kind of short but I didn't want it to drag on. Thanks for pointing these things out though! Next time, I'll try to clarify things more.

Jason, pretty funny.

However, I must point out a couple of things. IMHO (oh, the irony of it all), the golf analogy doesn't quite work. It's more like "I need a car, what should I buy?" or "I want to go to Europe for a week, what should I wear?"

The whole viral marketing thing annoys me too. Sometimes it is hard to spot if done right. We usually can spot it here, but on occasion, some probably gets by. It probably works better in person where the usual distraction is a hot model type with some gizmo in his or her hand they are showing off to their "friends," aka accomplices.

This is most insidious when an EPK (electronic press kit) is sent out by someone like a drug company or the goverment and is presented as if it was a real news story. Our local stations here in LA show them on a regular basis during local newcasts. After a while, you can spot them. Propaganda masquerading as news is a lot worse than a fake post for camping gear.

TomD:

Our local news here is rampant with that cheap "provided" news, too. But even the majors are not exempt. On Tuesdays, ABC evening news has a single sponsor with "fewer commercial interruptions" -- just one big commercial in the middle by a pharmaceutical. What are the chances of objective reporting about absurdly expensive drugs in the US when your sole income for that news show for that day is the industry that you should be investigating? Where are we in the midst of this corporate backslap?

Liked the video, Jason, although I'd have preferred you doing your very civil rant at Mt. Evans or Longs Peak (can you do chroma key with that camera?) I was squirming as I watched it, wondering if you'd mention those annoyingly verbose posters who get off-topic and then ramble on, and on, and on (and on!) -- but was relieved to see the final credits without it being brought up. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Video clips that are brief and concise are great, be they to explain a DIY project, a trip report, or an op-ed piece like this one. Keep them coming; you've got an audience.

Funny, but these complaints aren't limited to backpacking forums.

Thanks man! Well, maybe the off-topic ones would be a good addition for the next rant! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You can use any of my posts as your example.

Ha, ha! Well, you're going to have to do a worse job of spelling then! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I usually like the ocassional info and knowledge you provide. But, the video was petty and generally iritating. No, I don't bother with spell check and never wanted to be an english teacher. I have an aunt that is and she is a know it all.
I did like your other videos though.

Maybe now you'll make me famous too!

Imagine if ebonics was accepted as part of the english language?

wutcha b tokkin bou dawg?!?! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

It's OK. I'm certified to translate ebonics into English. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

When I moved from California back to Memphis 30 years ago and was place in school, I could not understand the locals with their slang. After all this time, I still have a problem with the locals here. A good friend of mine and fellow musician, owns a recording studio and most of his work is with Rap, Gangsta Rap and Gospel. I have to listen closely to understand what they are saying and what message they are trying to convey. Maybe I've listened to too much proper english to long to acclimate. But not to single out a certian race, I also have a problem with Ozzie. Not only is ebonics hard to understand, but I feel it's sad that we have to be forced to try to understand. And as soon as you think you've picked up some of the special lingo, it changes. What was once Bad is now good. And WTF is crunk. I think it means Good.
So in closing, Chill. Don't worry be happy.
oi3h4oti0wqiwndf'l;;askdqp4hklewntmsdfs ,vouw;ikklakle vmcdkekpalmfro.

NAWNAWNAW dawg....

Crunk is buzzed so happy (on whatever) that you "jus' don' kay [care] nomo".

"Crunkin' " is a herky-jerky dance that looks like a standing siezure.

Oh, BTW, we're both off-topic and have failed to answer the OP's question. Sorry Jason <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yeah! Off topic. Jason, you just go on with yo bad self. It makes thing's fun and interesting.

Jason,

It was so nice to hear you use the alcohol stove user as the example of the know-it-all that doesn't answer the question.

If there is ONE topic on backpacking forums that irritates my nether parts it is the endless posts of alcohol stove users about how great alky stoves are. And if someone like me suggests they prefer ESBIT tablets for UL stoves it's as though I'm an unwashed heathen trespassing in the Vatican. AAarrgghh!!

Seriously, alky stove users need their own "exclusive" web site with a forum. (Or am I blissfully unaware of it?) I believe that alky stove users are closet pyromaniacs that just love playing with the little blue flames and stoves that make them. What else could explain their endless fascination with these tin can stoves?

As for spelling errors, I too am an English major, but MY misspells are merely typos. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Eric

I usually use Esbit because I'm afraid of what would happen if I knocked over my alcohol stove in the forest. But I admit that I may be a closet pyromaniac who just loves playing with the little blue flames and stoves that make them, and use them when car camping for making tea on the picnic bench.

My spelling checker says "Esbit" is misspelled.

I was just offended by the idea that Microsoft would be held up as the standard bearer of the English language. While I am typically a horrible speller, I refuse to trust a program company that thinks that eliminating the menu bar was a good UI move (office 2008). It took me over a minute to find out how to save a stinking file?! Plus their grammar check is pretty dumb (of course, so is mine most days). But to be frustrated that people don't necessarily use a $500 to post messages on a forum, that seems a bit picky.

Well I just sort of took it as tongue in cheek. Firing off office for a bbs posting is kind of like hunting gophers with F15 strike eagle. perhaps effective but expensive messy and inefficient.

I don't see what the problem is - I use FireFox - it has a built in inline spelling checking.

(Now fascinating enough Guess which ^^^ word is the only one in this posting that it flags as misspelled <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> )

I now open the Official Complaining about The Backpacking Forum Complaint Dept., uh, Dept.

Complaint: people who complain.

HEY!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> No snivelling, you! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />