phantom vacuum

[aeoliandave]

"<a name="start_19836.221801">And my spell check has it set to always change it to tomaro" </a>


 


Every spellchecker I have used, on computers, smartphones and tablets have an 'add to dictionary' option, which pops up when you edit a red-lined & highlighted mistake.   Oh wait, you don't edit. 970 posts in a year and you're not familiar with or care to conform to preferred Forum conventions? Shame on you, or shall we blame the Education and Parental system that dropped cursive writing and grammar instruction from the curriculum...  



"<a name="start_19836.221820">And I shouldn't have to use correct spelling". Yes, you should.

</a> "<a name="start_19836.221814">i asked my friends if they knew what i mean by tomaro and they understood". Clearly they are sailing on the same leaky boat you are.

</a> <a name="start_19836.221820">"it probably pisses others off when you do it to them". Yes, it does the first few forgiven times but most accept constructive teaching moment criticisms with good humour and amend their bad habits.

</a> Get used to it; it's the 'new normal' here among the adults, who by the way and not to split hairs, are discussing in written form, not 'talking', tweeting or texting.


 


Dave

[this post was last edited: 3/4/2013-21:28]

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Ok, this needs to end right here and right now. Evan, you are out of line. Everyone here but paid VCCC members are guests on this website. Most people -- members and guests who posts on this website "get it" and know how to at least edit what they post so it resembles the English language.

Based on your profile, you're only 13 years old. So stop talking back the adults on this website -- they're just trying to help, whether you realize it or not. They're not expecting perfection -- just put forth some effort so we can carry on intellegent conversation. This forum isn't a Twitter account or Facebook page. Here at VacuumLand, we thrive on conversation -- not one word, misspelled replies.

If you don't like it, then you really don't have to continue to post here. Come back when you can string along a sentence.

 

[singingrainbow]

spelling etc

I cannot believe you guys are going after a 13 year old for spelling and grammar.  Grow up you guys.  You know what he meant.  The younger club members are the future of our club if you did not realize it.  They have a right to post just as much as you do...if you don't like it then quit the club.  It really makes the club look bad when you go after people, especially younger kids, on the posts. 


This is not what VCCC is all about.  Get with it.  Barb MacMillan

 

[eurekaprince]

I have to agree with Barb here.

The internet has forced many people, both young and old, to become writers and users of keyboards. Many of us have been blessed with good writing talents and skills, and great classroom teachers and mentors. Others have not. For some internet users, English is a second language which makes participating in the internet world even more challenging. There are also "differently abled" people who have learning disabilities and dyslexia and vision problems and even problems with keyboards.

With that in mind, we need to be more tolerant of writing that is not perfect, or characterized by lots of errors here. We can't assume that every participant in our Vacuumland world has the ability to be a good writer. We should give everyone the benefit of the doubt and try to make our club as warm and accepting and loving as possible. If you want to help a poster improve his posts, why not volunteer to proof them for him before they are posted?

I think we all know what it is like to be criticized or laughed at for our love of vacuum cleaners. That has often made our childhoods uncomfortable for many of us. I would have loved to have found a VCCC when I was 13 years old! . But it's only because of the keyboard based internet that many of us have found like-minded cleanerphiles.

I, too, am a bit of a rebel against the obsession with email and social networks and even the inhumane pace of the contemporary workplace created by the internet. But kids today are no different than when we were all young - we all want to be loved and accepted by our peers and so we need to participate in whatever is cool for our generation ( whether it's good for you or not).

It is imperative that Vacuumland be a safe place for young vacuum lovers - they are the next builders of the club. Let's be a little kindler and gentler to each other. If i had the time and the skills, I'd help our tireless webmasters (may G-d bless them !!!!) create a special section for club members under the age of 18.....

Now, back to important matters: Evan...did you get your Fantom yet?

 

[nubz3760]

evan left

I talked to evan and he said hes never coming back. He was very upset about being called a guest on this site even though he pays his dues. I have to say, tensions seem high around here lately and this doesnt seem like the welcoming site that I once joined.

 

[rugsucker]

"would love to have found when 13"

There are 2 views here but I feel eurekaprince makes a good point above.If Evan likes vacs-we like Evan!And if we like Evan we can in addition to vac info point out why spelling,etc is and will be important.(I just read a book that describes lettuce and tomato falling off a BigMac at Mcdonalds.Has anyone ever had a BigMac with tomato??A mistake,but I didn't let it ruin an otherwise good book.)As for myself all I remember of long ago typing class is the guy I sat next to!--So back to vacs.

 

[singingrainbow]

Evan

I do hope someone will talk to Evan and ask him to come back.  I know Scott sometimes feels he cannot post because he will be ridiculed.  We all need to remember how we felt being bullied....because this is eactly what it is.  Our club does not need a bullying rap.  Let's be kind and friendly.  Barb MacMillan

 

[unimatic1140]

From Evan:
Everyone else I have showed this to understands it all. And I shouldn't have to use correct spelling because everyone can understand me, except you, and i come here to relax and talk about vacuums. If this were a job that required correct spelling and grammar then i would focus a bit more on using correct spelling and grammar, but this is a site for talking about vacuums.
IF YOU KEEP CORRECTIONG MY GRAMMAR, IM GOING TO LEAVE VACUUMLAND. It is pissing me off and it probably pisses others off when you do it to them.

I'm sorry Barb but I disagree with you to a certain extent. What seems to be forgotten in all this is the fact that WE ARE THE ADULTS HERE and Evan is a child. Any child that is disrespectful to the adults will be dealt with accordingly. We in no way will stand for disrespectful children ever on this website.

Now we just checked the payment roster and it appears that Kirbykid was missed in the upgrades because of miscommunication with the username. Will we fix that tonight, so in that repect Evan we appologize for the delay in giving you upgraded features as well as for referring to you as a guest. But in the future we will not tolerate disrespect or back talk from you or any other minor to any adult on this website, PERIOD.

 

[compactelectra]

Hmmmm

Wondering how he paid his dues. He's not 18. You must be 18 to be a member or his parents would have had to become the member. That would give a 13 year access to the Members Only forum.

Barb - bullying was not intended. I was pointing out his lack of care in taking time to spell and use grammar correctly. As pointed out above - it shows a lack of respect.

 

[nubz3760]

I am also upset because right after fred went off on evan, he went off on me for bumping my convertible hood thread, and actually closed the thread. I can understand telling me to quit bumping it but closing it so that somebody who hasnt been on in a coupkes days cant contribute and help me with me situation, well that just feels like a slap in the face to be quite frank. I dont know how old he thinks I am but I most certainly am not a kid and do not appreciate being treated as such.

No hard feelings Fred, I just want respect and I feel closing my thread without a warning of some sort was a tad harsh

 

[unimatic1140]

Nick, I deleted your post. That was not approriate for this thread, if you have a problem with the way Fred runs this site then send him an email. Posting your beef publically to add more uncessary drama to this thread wont be tolerated.

Fred N. we believe a parent paid for him, but we will do more research tonight to determine that.

 

[singingrainbow]

OK

I did not take Evan's posts as disrespect of other members but that he was just trying to explain himself.  I do think he was disrespectful in the latest post saying Pi.....  With that I think everyone should review the posting rules.  I did that before I made my initial post.  For one reason or another this got out of hand.  As most of you know, I am mainly a member of the club for Scott but it is more than that now....good friends.  Agreed Evan and all of us should check our spelling and grammar when we post.  I know I make mistakes but not on purpose.  Along with that I think we need to calm down, think before we post, and move on.  Thanks, Barb

 

[nubz3760]

agreed barb, I think we all should just get along and enjoy our vacuums

 

[director12]

Fantom, a beloved vacuum brand that lost the market in 2001.

 

[nycwriter]

There are several things going on here ...

1. Lazy is lazy is lazy. I realize we're not typing up resolutions for the United Nations, but correct grammar is correct grammar, and should be used in ALL communication.

2. As a professional writer, I can tell you that being a "good writer" is not the same thing at all as using correct grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation. Those are the BASE MINIMUM skills. Being a good WRITER is taking it to a whole different level by using those basic skills to artfully and masterfully convey complex ideas and narratives. It's like defending someone's inability to add 1+1 by arguing that they weren't "blessed" to be a good actuary or statistician. Basic arithmetic -- addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division -- are BASE MINIMUM skills just to be a contributing member of society, regardless of occupation or profession. As are basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation skills.

3. Not to attack Evan, but the word "tomorrow" is a second grade vocabulary word. It is a word heard and read EVERY SINGLE DAY by nearly every adult not in a coma (and quite a few IN comas, most likely). No 13-year-old should see the word "tomaro" and think it's the correct spelling.

4. I'm troubled by the increased dependence upon "spellcheck" (which was Evan's defense) by the younger generations. Just as I'm increasingly worried about the younger generation not even learning how to write -- cursive or printing, for that matter -- with a pen or pencil at all. Their technology-obsessed parents think its so cute that their children go immediately from drooling in a sippy cup to punching out words on a keyboard. It is a dangerous dependence on electronics that will leave these people in a major bind if and when the electricity, for whatever reason, goes out for any extended period of time. Our entire modern infrastructure is more delicate than most people care to think about; we're just one atmospheric bomb detonation away from the nation's entire power grid getting fried, and the power going off -- for YEARS. Knowing how to intuitively spell correctly and communicate via pen and paper will be paramount. At the very least, barring any disaster that takes our electricity away, handing over these very basic human skills to computers makes us as a human society collectively weaker.

5. All THAT being said, we don't know Evan's situation (could be dyslexic, etc.), and correction should be given gently and good-naturedly. People -- TEENAGERS in particular -- don't respond well to condescension. Any correction should be done in the spirit of helping that person better themselves, rather than one feeling superior to another.

6. He was so excited about getting his first Fantom, and just wanted to share that excitement with the rest of us -- people who GET it. Don't break that spirit.

7. Let's give Evan a collective hug and welcome him back.

 

[fantomvacuumfan]

I have to say

I am shocked at how many of the adults on here are acting childish. I am 23, so I am old enough to know how to act as an adult, yet still young enough to know how it feels to deal with adults disregarding everything you say, because your the kid.

As has been stated before, he could have been dyslexic. Or maybe he just made a typo. I am having to be very careful writing this, because I now know at the slightest mistake, I will have someone jump on me, however, I am sure I am still making some. The kid was excited about getting his first Fantom vacuum, and you guys turned his excitement and desire to share it with us into a personal attack on him just because of a few spelling and gramatical errors. SHAME ON YOU!

Furthermore, I saw nothing disrespectful in what Evan said! What, was he disrespectful because he didn't roll over and let you guys walk all over him? Was he disrespectful because he stood up for himself? What I think adults play the, "We are the adult, your the child" card too often. Does that mean that you can attack the kid, beat him down, over a SIMPLE mistake, in essence, be disrespectful to him, and then when he get upset about it they pull the "Oh your being disrespectful" card.

That is not to say a kid who mouths off to his parents or elders when they are in the right should get away with it, but when you attack someone, as was done on this forum, you are misguided if you think that your not going to have the kid fight back.

 

[unimatic1140]

Furthermore, I saw nothing disrespectful in what Evan said! What, was he disrespectful because he didn't roll over and let you guys walk all over him? Was he disrespectful because he stood up for himself? What I think adults play the, "We are the adult, your the child" card too often. Does that mean that you can attack the kid, beat him down, over a SIMPLE mistake, in essence, be disrespectful to him, and then when he get upset about it they pull the "Oh your being disrespectful" card.

I couldn't disagree with you more Michael, that child's posting was disrespectful. A teacher wouldn't stand to be talked to like that and neither will we. While you might think a fresh child is cute, those of us who have to run this website absolutely do not. Many do not realize this but there is a big push in the Members Only Forum to no longer allow anyone who is either under 18 or not a paid in full member to post on Vacuumland any longer. While I personally disagree with that stance, whatever the board decides on we will abide by. At the same, time those of us who run this site can try to find some middle ground here between those who want to make Vacuumland adult only, and those who do not. Fred and I have to update the rules because of a different incident last week, while we are at it we will add a second new rule along the lines of members who are under 18 years old must treat any adult member who post on this site with respect or they will be banned. This might help the alleviate the situation at least temporarily.

Had Evan's response be more along the lines of "I'm sorry, my grammar and spelling are not very good, but I will try a bit harder" this whole situation would have been avoided and all would be well now.

Once the changes to the rules have been made we will make a new post in Off-Topic.

 

[kirbykid]

I meant no disrespect in post number 13.
I was just a little upset at the way Fred corrected me.

And after much thought, I have decided I will take a break from vacuumland for a month or two. I hope that when I come back, people will have learned to read something and move on without commenting on my spelling and grammar unless it is totally unreadable.

I got some of that from Morgans reply in the thread labeled "How do YOU access vacuum land?".

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?19863

 

[nubz3760]

it is my opinion that this whole fiasco should have never happened. I believe if you can't understand what someone is saying, move on. it is that persons loss without your contribution to the conversation. None of us are perfect.

 

[fantomvacuumfan]

Please point out

What he said that was "fresh"? That its pissing him off that he keeps getting corrected? Give me a break... The problem was that rather than stop the person at fault for this entire thing, compactelectra, for being a jerk about it, you jump on the Evan.