What makes an excellent forum?

@Paulina
Your "excellent" examples are really nothing special (not to mention most of them don't work in mobile). You've made almost 1.5K posts on PF; how many total messages did you post on all these "excellent" forums combined? It seems you take marketing claims as facts, which probably doesn't help in your overall judgement. You cite their forum "rules" which are in many cases the same as on PF and assume they are followed 100% (which is not true).

Talking about Facebook; do you know really smart people who use it, considering their privacy implications? Essentially, your every word (written or spoken), click, and mouse move is being analyzed by their scripts to package and sell you to the highest bidder (or to all kinds of enforcement agencies). It is impossible to post in public on Facebook without self-censorship, unless you're interested in trivial topics. It takes one (out of thousands) of "trigger" keywords to put you on the "watch list" and then possibly scrutinize your life.

How many times did you "leave" PF in the last years to come back over and over again? I've been on many different forums too, but to me being "polite" while providing little value is not interesting. There may be 100 people in a room, but if they have the same experience, watch the same TV channels, or read the same books, the world becomes small. You may "feel" you belong to these groups, but when you try to challenge them, your friends become your enemies because such "excellent" communities can only thrive when there is one common voice and little of real diversity in opinions.

Besides, you appear not to know how posting works, unless you mean 100% pre-moderated forums. Anybody can go to the forums you mentioned and post p***** rants. You're obviously fascinated by PF, so you aren't likely to notice the rants on your "favorite" forums, but I can assure you that they would stay much longer, possibly days or weeks there, than they stay here.


polishforums.com/po-polsku/ - you can talk in Polish as much as you want.

Exactly. Opinions are the ONLY thing that makes us different and, presumably, interesting. Raw information is a commodity: cheap and boring.
Plus: men like to compete. Always and everywhere. Forums included. Holding hands and smiling - no way.


I am interested enough to notice how some here are oh so eager to help people who should never be in Poland find their way to it. For that fleeting moment of feeling good, some of you go out of your way to assist in giving Indians, Pakistanis and others like them the information and the encouragement to move to Poland and add to the minorities already there. If asked how many of them would you like to see move in, you never say because any limit would imply that exceeding it would be bad for the country.

A perfect example of mindless virtue signalling at its worst - a moment of pleasure without thinking things through.

Yes, yes, of course. PF is, however, very "special" lol
Admin, you asked (I'm guessing it was you) and you got an answer. You don't have to agree with my choice of forums or anyone elses, but I'm curious then - what are your examples of excellent forums? Not "special" ones, but "excellent".

Or maybe it's only PF that's so great and perfect that doesn't need any improvements? If that's the case then why it's doing so poorly in comparisment to those "not so special forums" which don't work in mobile?


Not many. I didn't post much on foreign figure skating forums because I had my own figure skating forum to attend to as an admin and a mod. It was very time consuming. I wasn't posting much on dws.org.pl because I wasn't that interested in WWII in general - I was mainly discussing WWII topics with Russians on Russian and Polish-Russian forums and blogs. I'm not that crazy about cosmetics to write about them on daily basis but wizaz.pl is a great source of information and a forum for women in general. I'm simply interested more in other topics. I didn't even register on socnet.com - I'm just reading it from time to time - I'm not an American SEAL or a Ranger, you know :)))

These are simply examples of good, successful forums that are being run well, in my opinion.

As for PF - I'm guessing that I made much more comments on various Polish-Russian and Russian forums and blogs than here.
Don't get me wrong (and don't get offended), Admin, I think PF always has had potential. But I think you're wasting it. God knows why...

As for my leaving PF for good - I think only once, but I came back when it improved for a while. Like I did now (johnny_reb and Dirk suspended - yay!).

I'm not sure what being "polite" has to do with anything. What kind of "value" johnny_reb, Dirk, Rich Mazur and the peado provide to PolishForums, for example?

I don't think Facebook was mentioned in this thread. I don't even have an account there lol

No, Admin, it's here that the peado is allowed to post again and again despite being banned a few times already. Can you explain this? Is there no such thing like a permanent ban here?

And the number of my posts on PF - it could be more. And this forum could be better. Just saying.

Btw, Rich, what do you have against those forums I've listed exactly? All of those forums have Off Topic sections where you can discuss what you like. Only on dws.org.pl you can't discuss politics and religion. I'm not in favour of such solution personally (although our Admin tried sth similar here to an extent at some point - no religion discussions in Off Topic or sth, if I remember well) but I guess they had their reasons for making that rule.

On fsuniverse.net you have this section, for example: fsuniverse.net/forum/forums/politically-incorrect.77/ The topics seem to be more varied than in PF's Off Topic section. The thread about Trump's presidency has 425 pages, wow...

Neither do I, which is a shame because PF has the potential to be so much better if the existing rules were actually enforced to some degree. I think people here have become so blind to the racism, misogyny and general abuse, that they just see it as normal and acceptable when very clearly it isn't ( except to those trolls dishing it out of course, and those people have little to no interest in Poland ).

With the return of old members and the suspension of certain other posters, PF has actually become quite pleasant and the number of threads actually pertaining to Poland has increased :)

I just wish admin would actually listen to complaints and see the bigger picture of how things could be, instead of going on the defensive because it's easier to do that than address the the actual issues that members have. It is far from being just me who is complaining, and there is a noticeable lack of abuse, trolling and general nastiness when certain members are suspended.

Nice to see you back Paulina, if only for a while lol :) :)


Agreed, but you often don't share opinions or debate, you shout people down time after time, and when they don't agree with you, or you have lost the argument, you resort to insults or pulling people up on their grammar and use of the English language. I don't mind debating with people who don't share my opinions, but I draw the line at having to put up with personal abuse, such as being called a vindicative skank or a stupid wh*re, two of the last insults I got for sharing my opinion. Since when did this become acceptable? And let me guess, the reply will be that I am a snowflake, because PF is so riddled with this type of abuse that some members wonder why I am even complaining.

How to make this an excellent forum? Get rid of the trolls and posters who aren't here to discuss Poland, don't allow guests to have multiple accounts so they can come back when they're banned, and have consistent moderation. It doesn't have to be like school, but it could be much better than it is.


He can't be banned becasue he's posting as a guest and has no account now. It would be hard to stop him posting because from what he has written, he's posting in public places such as cafes and using their wifi, so the IP address changes every time and it's not possible to keep blocking one address after the other.

I do agree that his comments should be deleted though.
A permanent ban will only happen if a poster has p!ssed admin off enough ;)


Paulina used to be a regular poster here. Now she comes back once in a blue moon simply because of the often toxic nature of this forum.I wonder how many members PF has lost because of this............


None whatsoever. Between the lot of them, they are determined to make PF a hate site.

Pam, I agree with everything you wrote.

And it's always nice to see you too :)) I always wonder though why normal people like you keep coming here, even if rarely... I guess you're genuinely interested in Poland :) Pity there isn't a better place to discuss it though...

Btw, Admin, I've just checked - on LiveJournal alone I wrote over 1300 posts and that's only one place where I've discussed with Russians and Poles. There was also inosmi.ru forum, inosmi blogs, the infamous Ursa's forum (delph provided a link to that place - they've translated some posts from PF over there), a forum for Russians in Poland and many, many comments and notes on Polish-Russian blogs on the Polish internet.

So, in comparisment, 1452 posts over a 10 years span on PF doesn't prove such a great fascination, I'm afraid. As I wrote - it could be more.

I wonder that myself at times I must admit, although there's more than a few here who probably don't think I'm normal lol ;)

Lately, I come here more often than I used to, as there are more interesting threads to read or contribute to, but I guess I have a love/hate relationship with PF as probably many of us do. At one time I didn't come here much at all, as I was very put off by all the sh1t to be found here, but I guess with more Polish related threads to read now, the balance has been somewhat redressed, although there's still a long way to go;). Yes, I certainly do have a genuine interest in Poland, I wouldn't be here otherwise :)


To be honest, In the time that I've been a member, I've learned tons of things from PF, mainly concerns with language and food, my two great loves :)

I'm sure that you would consider coming back on a more regular basis if there wasn't so much crap on here. Admin, please take note, there is a lesson to be learned here!

Well why don't you focus on joining in on the interesting threads and just ignore the off topic stuff that you call crap.

As they say one mans meat is another mans poison.

There is plenty here and in real life that I don't like, I just either make my position clear or ignore that which offends me.

Try the Poland in pictures thread it's fun, you must have some holiday snaps you can post as a brain teaser?

It's not always that easy Dolno, as you well know. I am tired of the personal abuse which no-one here should have to put up with, as well as all the other crap, that's the point I'm trying to make. If you're honest,you can see that there is less abuse here when certain members are suspended.

As for focussing on the interesting threads, that's what I try to do, but there are posters who often hijack them so that even the most innocuous threads are suddenly all about Muslims, Jews etc, and there is no debating with these people. They ignore all rational and factual posts to make it all about their obsessions. Then threads get closed and people wonder why. I have given up posting on many threads for precisely that reason.


I have hundreds and hundreds of photos from all the places I have been in Poland, but I've forgotten how to shrink and upload them now. I have a picture resizing website saved somewhere, but it's so long since I uploaded photos here, I've forgotten how to do it. Would need to ask.

You shouldn't have to put up with that, and it is the job of the mods to make sure no one (Unless they instigate abuse) has to suffer it.

As to the other crap yes there are people who are concerned/obsessed about certain issues be it religious or racial, but you can't set out to change people , not everyone wants a open multicultural / multi faith society and they get angry when they see it creeping in to their lives, but they have the right to feel that way, as much as those who wish to see a world without borders.

If things take a turn on a topic and you are not happy with it just do as Bratwurst or as I do now and just say "I'm out of here" you can always return later when things have calmed down.

As to pictures I also could do with help maybe a mod could post a "How to" set of instructions, same with vids and smiley icons.

I don't shout. And I never lose an argument because my targets are brainless, fact-deprived, touchy-feely leftists. Debating them is like flushing a toilet. That easy.

You know why? It's because facts with numbers are damning for the leftists. From abortion to "xenophobia". Just in this thread....


do you think I will ever get an answer from a virtue signalling moron libtard?
Just an example.

BTW, I just looked at my posts listed on the first page in my profile. No a single one where I shouted down anybody.

Finally, there is one fundamental difference between sexes: women seek consensus and hold hands. Men look for competition and use hands to punch. If they don't find the real kind, they invent fakes - like sports.

This forum replicates life.

An excellent forum is one that allows diversity of opinions and doesn't have a hidden agenda.

The single most important reason why I have ever stopped participating in a forum was the fact that certain voices were not allowed due to the forum's "partnership" with advertisers or sponsors. For example, there was a great, established forum (webmaster/tech topics) that allowed objective opinions about all corporations. Then one of the corporations have become a "sponsor" of the forum. All of a sudden, true (but negative) voices about the corporation have been quietly removed and new ones have been pre-moderated which meant only selected new topics about the corporation saw the public eye. New moderators have been added that scrutinized members who had negative experience with the corporation. "Likes / Dislikes" have also been added that were the moderators' weapon to promote positive messages and demote negative messages about the corporation. It has become clear to me that it's impossible to continue being a part of this environment.

On PF, we welcome genuine users who love or hate Poland. Some members "left" because they realized we are not a pro-Poland propaganda and that it is not patriotic to allow negative opinions about Poland or Polish lifestyle. Still, we believe that only through both positive and negative comments, Poland can become as great as it can be.


Just because someone doesn't post doesn't' mean they don't come here to read every day.


Probably as many as those who felt offended in the New York City because someone shouted on a street.

Which is a breath of fresh air and a sanctuary considering that many countries no longer allow a diversity of opinions.

Perfect forum = a forum where I set the rules and decide what is hate speech.
It's also a forum where I am the only "voice of reason". It's known as my bathroom.

@Admin
Diversity of opinions is fine -even if I don't agree and argue ;) but personal attacks are not.

There is no such thing as "personal attacks" on forums where the poster ID is just a string of random letters like k a p r y s and nothing else.

You all are cowards and chickens hiding who you are. In many cases, you (editorial) don't even reveal where you live or how old you are - two facts that would be helpful to other posters in choosing subjects and words.

I am the only one here posting under my real name and never once did I complain to the mods when called a liar and a thief who stole somebody's identity.

So, remember that you are not a person but merely six letters on my screen. You would be if standing in front of me so that I can see your face and how you feel. That is why never text and I don't accept texts.

But Rich, you're so much better than the rest of us.
What makes you think that it wasn't you I had in mind as the one who was the target of personal attacks? :)

Maybe because I got used to it, I deserve it, or I don't care because I cannot be offended. Or all of those at once?

This is true and everyone has a right to be heard regardless of whether they love or hate Poland, this is not my argument as well you know, but you still fail to address the issues that I and many others have raised here over the years. No-one should have to come here and be subject to abuse, but the perpetrators often in many cases are not even warned. The trolling here is also at an all time high, and much of it has nothing to do with Poland at all.


You don't know that. PF has lost many good and interesting posters over the years, but I guess you don't want anything to change here. It is pointless me saying anything more. It seems to me that you would rather have a bunch of posters obsessing over Muslims, Jews, gays, insulting anyone that dares to cross them, rather than have members who are actually interested in discussing Poland, the supposed subject of this forum.

Why does it have to be either or. I can and did both.


Read #45 above and you will feel better almost immediately.


If that's the case, as a teaching moment, cite a couple - preferably really bad cases. It should be easy if it's so massive.

One hundred percent behind Paulina. She is so right on many counts, and the demise of this once popular forum confirms it. And admin moved that abusive and disgusting post to Random rather than deleting it and banning the poster.

That's the low class of this admin!

There's a fine line between free speech and hate speech.

Terseness is for the gods. Everyone else is expected to be more verbose.
Or did you just run out of the daily allocation of keystrokes?


Can you define "popular"?

Since Chemikiem decided to ignore my polite request for a sample, maybe you will be able to cite a troll post.

Also, why would you spend any time on a doomed forum that faces demise?

Could you define these two simple terms that you use so often: abuse and trolling. Then I'll be able to address your question.

Topics unrelated to Poland, like religion, are not only in the Off-topic section but they are not available to the public. Also, anybody can choose not to see Off-topic discussions (most of them will eventually be moved or removed anyway). 90-95%% of topics are and have been related to Poland; the on-topic ratio couldn't be any higher on any Internet forum. For example, visit a forum about some other country and you'll see that the off-topic threads (not related to this country) can make up 30% or more.


Please define: "hate speech" in simple terms so that I or anybody could understand.

Of course and you are the one with the expertise to make the definition, bit like stalin and hitler who felt they were qualified to decide what was acceptable.

I was on this forum few years ago and I remember there were some nasty sometimes personal posts here. I think it is much better now.

It is difficult to find fine line between hate speech and some blunt statements. I don't think there is hate speech now but some statements are blunt and not always thought through.

There is a fine line between pretend wisdom and meaningless bullsh*t.
I have plenty more of that if anyone wants them.

To be fair, today there was this nasty post by a certain poster that can't be seen anymore so the admin must have deleted it.

As for the nasty post about Paulina, I think it should be deleted, too.

I have spoken to you about this before. If you cannot see that my being called a stupid wh.re, for example, is abuse, then what else is there to say? I am not the only one to have been spoken about in this way either. I, and anyone else, should be allowed to post an opinion without receiving that kind of comment for it. That particular comment was removed and the offender banned for a week, but other posts have remained.


You haven't noticed the trolling? Posters such as Dirk and Rich hijacking threads so they can bang on about Muslims, Blacks , Latinos, Jews, just to provoke a reaction.

I get called stupid on a regular basis, so what we can't all be smart in the eyes of our peers.

Because I live here? And Poland is my second home, and I get some comraderie out of this forum? What's it got to do with you anyway? Raining in Moscow, is it?