Insight? Has anyone noticed?

Question

Just checking in--passing by--to see how my old friends are doing (many of whom have vanished), & I wondered if you've seen how few of your contacts have posted anything for awhile? What do you think this indicates? I have a prediction, but I'd l'd like to hear from YOU. Thanks!

phil8656>Darn. I don't have your direct email, so, once I'm gone, it's FOREVER. I won't tell until this question is over!
(I had to go to my page to see if I had an answer! I've emailed them at least a dozen times, asking why I don't get alerts, & they won't even give me the courtesy of an answer! ) But I am FREE! It doesn't matter!

alchemy>Oh, not so! " People are doing other things for now!!!" Too much hard evidence to disprove that, believe me. Perhaps you haven't been in "that" loop, or you'd know. I don't jump to conclusions.

epistemology>Of course "We all have lives outside this service and we do want to live them." That isn't my point at all. Increasing deleted accounts & diminished interest is the indicator of something quite different. "Yahoo Answers is a good service"??? If people were so busy with their lives, why did they come here at the beginning & now are leaving? The pattern is clear. The reasons are clear. You may be as clinical as you like. You haven't got the message.

answerthis>You're funny! You haven't got a clue, do you? Oh, so happy happy happy! I've done my research. Have you?

KH>At last, a comprehensive & understanding answer. Thank you! I wanted to help, too, & there were things that I learned from others. I've been on Yahoo two years 1 March. The "scales" just don't balance. People weren't even told what they were accused of. The most kind & civil people zapped, no appeals, even with overwhelming support from "responsible" users, (whatever "they" mean by that). Yes, we've found a place where there aren't rewards or punishment, no invisible Ruler. NO ONE is mean, ever. I tried to "balance out the energy" but when one finds a beautiful place to be...well. I'm not judging anyone who stays. Just keep doing what you do best! Happy New Year to you!

achenbreakin>DEAR friend! We all worked so hard for you when they zapped your account. YOU know what this is all about! Gyps totally agrees with you! I have friends here that I don't want to leave. Wish they'd jump over the fence where the grass is TRULY greener! If they only knew! MAGIC!

Mack>Thanks for answering. I understand how much you've got on your plate. I admit I was a little suprised by what you said about Muliply. I find the interactions there incredibly fun & interesting--of course, I love Fourfold, too. You write so wonderfully, & with such wit--it "seems" the perfect place for you. But, if you like 360 best, that's up to you! It "is" easier to ask or answer & then let it be. "We" go on endlessly! I think the "fed up" part addresses the main issue. I truly wish you good health, my friend, & if time allows, we can email now & again.

Zelda>Great! Go for it! They're in for a wonderful surprise! (Sorta like being released from death row.) It would be difficult for anyone to imagine how great it is, until they get into it. A true cyber-island. We can enjoy each other without fear of any bashing or smashing, no trolls, really get to know one another--the Fourfold page itself is so enchanting, I often find myself just "gazing" at it. Whoopee! No invisible anarchist! No anarchist, period. So many of my friends on Y/A are "hiding" (justifiably) & I can't email them! Good onya, as Mack would say! Any friend of yours is a friend of mine!

Psychic Cat>What a surprise! Thank you for your pragmatisim! You're absolutely right. (As usual.) I'm just always curious about how people feel--not just myself! You're right about "There are none so blind as those who will not see"--except, perhaps a few haven't had the opportunity to see? Hardly seems possible...so much happenig for so long. But, thanks!

pollanna>By far, the most understanding answer, as I would have expected! Cat is pragmatic. But truth be told--it SHOULD be told, & you know I don't "hang back." No, some will 'never get it,' & 'let's leave them to it' is part of my prediction. There's one more line that makes me see a sign of caution. "We invite you to come over." ONLY if you want to share, to care, & never be a "nuisance" who hurts others. The very only "rule" is to be NICE!

Doc Watson>No, we don't have to "put up" with trolls & jerks. There's another place where you can be yourself, & not let "bullies" stop you. I understand your need for personal time. This isn't at all what I'm addressing. Things to do, & lives to live...I know all that! I know the reason why people vanish, or taper off. I've done the research. I would never try to dissaude you from being honest & trying to help. Everyone must do what fits them best.

Doc Watson>That's okay; I didn't want to say too much & get deleted before I got some good answers.

soundproof> Thank you. You clearly understand. "...the gentlest of people..."
That's what finally got to me. I've literally spent days with help from my friends to restore their good accounts, but Y/A ignores us all, having fun with their silly little new features no one wants, & the new rules that make it far easier for the trolls. I've never been suspended, this isn't about me. I'm a fighter, but can't fight the "invisible" team. Just too depressing.

Answer 1

Hi my Gypsy friend,
I come here so rarely too so I hadn't noticed your question. You mentioned it recently so I came looking for it! So much has been said that I'm not sure I can add any more. I think you know how I feel too. Psychic Cat's answer is excellent and I agree with him absolutely. There are some other good and honest answers too. But what I wanted to say I think is just reading this emphasises how some just aren't on the same wave-length at all. They want to 'prove' or 'contradict' 'challenge' 'get angry' but WHY? People reproach the questionner for 'asuming' too much when their lengthy answers that have little to do with the question but everything to do with demonstrating their own buried fury and taking this out on someone (a really loving and understanding person) who is asking an innocent question.
Suddenly it has come to me that no matter how much we try, there are some who will 'never get it' who if they don't understand, still have to get in their pennyworth. Whereas what you are saying is everyone is different with their own needs and what suits one might not suit the other. Maybe if people accepted that here and left those with their own beliefs/feelings to mix with those of similar beliefs it would be a nicer place. Instead there are too many out just, like Psychic Cat says, to score points, get prizes which ultimately mean nothing at all. The real reward? If we can't help people ... none!
I will really miss my friends here who haven't moved over to Multiply ... any contacts that read this, if you're interested in joining us, we invite you to come over. We've made a beautiful place of our own. Your question: fewer contacts, what does this indicate ... it's not the place it used to be. Those who need something more fulfilling and rewarding will move away ... for some, I know there is still some value through the questions and answers ... but there's no escaping those who are malicious and who will deliberately cause a nuisance and there is no real control to prevent the innocent from getting hurt. Let's leave them to it!
Pollyanna
p.s. 'hi' to all my friends on here, you know who I mean ... oops I might get wrong for chatting!

Answer 2

I have a prediction, too. Let's see whose is true!
I couldn't resist this, & wondered why you didn't get more stars as there are so many out there, who understand your question adequately.
While I "try" to respect all opinions, I feel compelled to say: "There are none so blind as those who will not see."
The majority of people require "feeling the pain" to have any empathy, or even any curiosity. All I will say, is, who cares?
I really don't comprehend why you even bothered. Your mind is made up, you've evaluated, & so have I. I have far better things to do than banter, ignore insults, or try to contact YAHOO! What a waste of time. Yours, & theirs, & mine.

Note: I want to clarify what I meant by "stars." The only worthwhile thing they represent, is that someone considered your question interesting, the issue or point vallid, related, & so answered.
Otherwise, these--like all the other little tidbits to entice, as if we were not more than five years old; points & levels, Top Contributor, ( unless you stray from a category, or stay away a few days), Leaderboard--does anyone actually look at this? 5,000 answers or more, to some celebrity! It's really quite pathetic, & insulting our intelligence. (??)

Answer 3

I understand perfectly what you are saying and agree with you. I am saddened and I know that I am going to miss out on learning from the very people who made Philosophy what it used to be. A wonderful group of people who attempted to share their knowledge and learn from each other.

I need to grow my internal design and I am finding it difficult obtaining this any longer on here. I have even resorted to asking silly questions as I stumbled to understand this, something which my own conduct has bothered me.
I never want to offend but the trolls, the removed innocuous questions from some of the gentlest of people without explanation have gotten to me.

All that I really want to do is better myself,a never ending journey and help someone if I can.
I treasure and value knowing some of my contacts on here, Zelda and Doc and a few others come to mind.

I am saddened and feel a loss that I will not be able to prosper from the kindness and knowledge of people like you, Physic Cat, Pollyanna and many others who have now gone.

I wish you the best and a peaceful New Year.

Answer 4

Oh Gosh dear Gypsy. I've been plugging away still, answering questions sporadically, between another stroke (small), and medicos, and Xmas shopping, and doing my various tax books for accountants to decode. So I haven't noticed the subtle movements of the tribe, though I noticed they seemed to be less active. I put that down to Multiply, which I find much more difficult to handle, time consuming, and far less interesting, than 360. But maybe we're tiring of the game, or we're fed up with recent unfair dealings and lack of responses and courtesy from Big Brother - or have we fired all our bolts and furled our sails? Well, we can exchange email addresses and play over the fence. It would be like wagging school, and I was good at that! I must focus on drastically reducing my library and "junk" and finishing my memoirs in 2008. But I would not want to lose my Y/A friends, though I might have to reduce the list.

Answer 5

I think it is a combination of many things....and many different answers you shall recieve! I, for one have had many busy days with a new job and a very loving boyfriend :) I stop by off and on before I sleep or if I have the time to and I usually like to help others with their questions....I think it is a shame that people who use to be on here are no longer here because of unfair treatment or something stupid that yahoo accused them of.....this could be the reason that many are no longer on, they have possibly found somewhere else to help each other?? :) Sometimes I find myself getting upset because I want to help people but see that others want to destroy each other..... I think this is a reason I don't get on very much anymore, I'm tired of the users who are not answering questions and are being horrible and mean!So perhaps all of the bored and destructive ones get on here more often to make themselves feel better? We (the helping users) still carry on and do what we do best! I love to balance out the energy here on Q&A....I wish you the best Valac Gypsy and hope hear from you off and on :) Happy New Year to you and all the yahoo users!!! I'd love to hear what you predict here on yahoo.....:)

Answer 6

Yahoo Answers is a good service, but there is something as diminished returns. We all come here, obtain the hoped profit, then leave when the price we pay in terms of work surpasses the benefit obtained. We all have lives outside this service, and we want to live them.

Answer 7

I can't speak of others who posted in YA a lot and then seemed to either taper off or disappear altogether. Perhaps YA was providing them with an extended family that filled some form of void in their lives and the void is being filled through other means now? Perhaps they moved on to other things that caught their interest? Perhaps YA was a passing fad, a passing fancy, that they feel they've outgrown? Perhaps they've filled their lives with new interests that doesn't provide them with as much free time for Yahoo these days? I don't know.

I've been e-mailed and asked by YA regulars what happened to me, why have I suddenly stopped posting as much. There is really nothing political, anti-Yahoo, anti-social anti-whatever about why I haven't been here lately. In my case it has to do with the personal time I have for myself. For the past few months I've been on a creative binge where most of that free time is spent painting. If I were in Yahoo more I would be painting less.

Edit: As to the more negative aspects of YA, like the trolls and jerks we have to put up with from time to time, I don't let them bother me. They are simply ignored. And I would never let cyber playground bullies stop me from being who I am, from being myself, from being honest or trying to help when I can.

Edit Again: I'm sorry if I misread the tone of your question. After reading through Cat's and Polly's replies I understand better now what issues you are addressing.

Answer 8

Yeah, been there....done that....I mean I'm almost done here....I'm wishing i could find all the nice friends I've had in Y/A in that other side of the web....where there's more fun, and stuffs are cooler --- no troll nuisances, no stalkers....just warm, friendly atmosphere.....right, Gyps?
Com'on, guys,...just join us there!!!

Answer 9

Yes I have noticed. When I am feeling better, I'll try to make an effort to go get those friends I value here to join me on Multiply.

Answer 10

Alchemy is right...and valac does jump to conclusions. Yahoo is a happy place.
Dear Valac, Thank you for the compliment about me being funny. 500,000 stars for you! Bravo. And you sound so happy happy happy too! I know what you meant by research....you checked out my questions and answers...that sounds a little nosy to me. My brother-in-law, was separated from his wife and daughter for a time...she dated another man, then split up from him. When my brother-in-law got back with his wife, there occurred a ''love triangle''. The boyfriend came to my brother-in-law's home with his cousin and parked their car at the end of the driveway...my sister-in-law sensed trouble, so she called 911 on her cell phone...these two men cut the telephone wires, smashed a window in my in-laws home and entered... one of them started smashing my brother-in-law over the head with a crow bar, practically bludgeoning him to death, my sister-in-law tried to pull this ******* off of her husband, but was thrown to the floor and was told that she would be next, all of this done in front of their young child. My brother-in-law has since ''recovered'', but can no longer work...he suffers from temporary blindness and massive migraine headaches. I've done my research...I read your question and you apparently believe you're a hero coming back onto yahoo and ''saving people from it". Well, I'll tell you of real heroism... a girlfriend of mine was going to be beat up by a man with a baseball bat as she was sitting in a coffee shop with her man friend. The other man was calling to my girlfriend to come on out. Her man friend, totally unarmed
went out and faced the man, but was beaten with the baseball bat and he went down as the other guy was beating him up...a shop keeper came to his rescue...my girlfriend's man friend was taken to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder...to this day, I call him a hero because he took the beating that was meant for his girl friend. No matter how much research you have done, you, nor any one individual can know EVERYTHING...because that is impossible.
p.s. if you're so miserable on Yahoo Answers, then go back to Multiply and fourfold since you claim it's SO FRIENDLY.
p.s. "Rule to be nice?"...hmmm