My Thoughts on BTF

[Jeeti]

Ok...before I say anything, let me say that I was an active member of POL and now a strong advocate of BTF...let me just give my thoughts on a trend I've been noticing on this website...

When this website was initially formed, it had a very open air to it and hence had an excellent atmosphere for new dancers/captains/choreographers to ask all sorts of questions to seasoned veterans in the game....it still does, but many of the topics that we are creating (myself included) have become a bit "cliquey". The purpose of this website is to discuss a range of topics and to most importantly inform..let me warn all against creating a bit of a "BTF in-crowd" and "BTF out-crowd"...and before you wonder how that is happening...just look at the topics lately...they have been mainly regarding people that have been on this website for quite some time....or something that happened on ventrilo (Navkarn, I think ventrilo was a great idea...)...but keep the ventrilo stuff to ventrilo guys or if you want to have personal conversations then just do that on your own time....(AIM, G Chat, Phone, etc...)...Again, I know I have been guilty of this as much as the next person, but I am attempting to pull myself out of the obsession that is BTF and attempt to evaluate the website as an outsider....I know that I wouldn't want to just post as a new person if all the topics are regarding specific people or something that happened on ventrilo or something that no one would know about (calling out my own affiliations...i mean SNPO? if a random person was reading that, they would think we were like the North American all stars or somethin)...but of course, people on SNPO if you would like to go crazy and discuss things we can actually do that are useful for this organization then please start ONE TOPIC...and we can go crazy on THAT ONE TOPIC. Keep the website organized guys and attempt to stay on topic...I will be trying as hard as I can to lead by example...we have to keep the topics and such organized...

It is NOT THE MODS FAULT...they are doing all they can to keep the topics organized, but if you've noticed many of the topics end up having nothing to do with the last thread...cuz we all get caught up...this is not good for this website to outsiders and for increasing its popularity...Also, its been kept pretty well so far, but as some of us discussed a few weeks ago...when the competitions start...there will be a flurry of random posts I'm sure calling out teams..from disgruntled members of another team...the mods will of course remove them...but lets keep it light...bhangra is light, dont lose sight that of that...its very easy to get caught up in what other people post or what you hear...trust me I've done it myself....I don't want to come on here and read stuff I used to read on POL...lets keep this website going in the right direction.

SO i decided to post this right before the season starts as a bit of a warning shot...before groundshaker...because from here on out...things are gonna get bit more active, and hopefully less of this boring stuff...just remember to keep it light.

Attempting to lead by example,
Jeeti

 

[kinnell]

I've noticed this and have thought about this. I think this is what the problem is: Saturation.

Initially, we had a lot of great topics. But after a while, you can only talk about vardiyaan, choreography, team performances so many times. You can create only so many original topics about what people do before performances, what makes up a good dancer, how practices should be run...etc and you can have only so many opinions (drink gatorade or drink red-bull, good dancers have good expressions, democracy vs. dictatorship..etc). After a while, it becomes "Hi, I'm Kinnell from Spartan Bhangra and Truskool Folk and I do this... or I think this... " even if that opinion is already shared.

I've been trying to think of good topics to make and I'm sure there are topic WAITING to be made, but as time goes on, it becomes harder and harder. And it becomes easier and easier to mess around in the Off-Topics forum with "Jessica Alba is so fine", "Sabi needs a new GF", "SMD can SMD, Love SNPO".

Bhangra will always have the "in-group" and "out-group" thing happen because of the sheer number of bhangra teams in the US and discrepancies in recognization. People may not post because they might think that the opinion of a SGPD team member or a VCU Bhangra team member is worth more than their opinion if they are part of a lesser known dancing team (ie: Spartan Bhangra). I know better. But seriously, being part of a baller team gives you an edge over not so baller team. "Oh shit, he's from Sher Foundation and they're amazing, so even though I think he's wrong, I can't argue with him". I know of a lot of people that circumvent the forums, read the posts and even enjoy and love BTF as much as we do, but do not post.

 

[Hans]

I think a big problem is the post counts and the titles that go with it. I agree with Kinnell that saturation is a factor, but I think a better explanation for all the spam posts in off-topic is because some members are just trying to build their post counts to get "Hero" status.

I think the whole idea of post counts is a bit silly anyways because what's the advantage? It seems implied that you should take someone more seriously if they have a high post count because they've proven commitment to the forums and they're not just dicking around ("senior member" vs. "jr. member," the implication is pretty obvious), but honestly for me it's often the opposite, because I know those people have a ridiculous number of posts saying stupid things just to jack that number up. I suppose post counts are good in that they encourage people to use the forum more and attain that higher title, but this forum was intended to provide a place for more intelligent discourse, and shouldn't that be the motivation on its own, and not some useless number?

It's not my call to make, though, but I'd be curious to hear from some of the mods or Saleem on what they think about the value of post counts and titles. Maybe there's a good reason to have them that I've missed.

 

[abhigames]

Bhangra will always have the "in-group" and "out-group" thing happen because of the sheer number of bhangra teams in the US and discrepancies in recognization. People may not post because they might think that the opinion of a SGPD team member or a VCU Bhangra team member is worth more than their opinion if they are part of a lesser known dancing team (ie: Spartan Bhangra). I know better. But seriously, being part of a baller team gives you an edge over not so baller team. "Oh shit, he's from Sher Foundation and they're amazing, so even though I think he's wrong, I can't argue with him". I know of a lot of people that circumvent the forums, read the posts and even enjoy and love BTF as much as we do, but do not post.

I agree...peeps need to post up their opinions regardless of what team their on. I'm not even on a pure bhangra team, but i always add my opinion despite how silly it might seem to be. Maybe my opinion gives a view of what people outside of the bhangra circuit think of bhangra. everyone has something to offer to this forum...cuz people are coming from all over...today's "non baller team" might be toomorrow's "Baller team"...maybe partially from learning from this forum.

 

[250Dholi]

Great post Jeeti,

When this site started up I was happy because I had been a lurker on POL but never really wanted to post there because it was either people complaining about a team or inside conversations.

I've found myself checking these forums a lot less because it seems like that the only posts that actually get responses are the personal ones.

Hopefully things change when the school year starts and all the teams and competition get going as well, cause this site so far has been great for the community (compared to POL) and I hope it continues to flourish.

 

[Meistro]

I agree with what jeeti said. And Im definately guilty of that as well. Lets make the mod's jobs easier by posting about the topic at hand and not deiatig from it. Maybe it would be a good idea to make a "Bakwaas off-topic" category so that we can post about how SNPO is better than SMD and how manjot was drunk on ventrillo and not interfer with the topics that enlighten and help others. just some thoughts.

 

[Saleem]

Good topic. Hans, let me give the post count/title some more thought in the coming week, I am on the road for now. I'll also think about other ways to reduce or at least separate the 'cliquey' topics, too.

-Saleem from the dirty southern tip of Jersey (JAGERBOMBS!)

 

[kinnell]

One solution to the post count spam syndrome is, as I suggested before, to remove any posts gained from off-topic chatter from post count.

First of all, it will force users to talk strictly bhangra and force people to think of topics that people can intellectually converse about. Mods can move off-topic replies to off-topic forum and thus they do not count for post count. Thus, hopefully better intelligent topics and conversations. Second of all, it decreases the value of spam.

 

[sorethighs]

Sometimes BTF is the blind leading the blind - somebody that performed once comes on and talks about the best way to do stuff or how you should go about running a team etc. - and other people interpret it as gospel. There's value in experience, and being a BTF hero members says nothing about how long you've been dancing or performing, just that you spent all summer posting on a bhangra website.

A word to the people that are on this site looking to get info to start their team or something - a lot of people can't back up statements or recommendations with experience.

 

[Havish]

Jeeti, mad props bro because I was just about to post about this.

I think BTF is good, when it first started and now i think it is becoming the next version of POL, ya you guys are prob like wtf he is talking about BTF is soo good, but it's not. At first I would try to read all the post and everything that is on this site because it was all interesting to me, but now its basically become, hate to use this word but, bullshit. There are rarely any good topics and all the topics are inside jokes. All I see is the "hero members" and "senior members" posting about random topics.

I think there are three major problems.

1) Post counts. Everyone on this site is all about increasing their post counts. I have tried to post before saying please post for posting something good and not because you want to increase you post count but people will be people, trying to get to the next status level "hero." To be honest post count is fine but the title's should be removed. It is ok to see how much a member posts on here but giving them a title is not needed in my opinion. Because seriously, its almost to the point where when a "hero member" posts something, I don't even think its worth reading because its just gonna be some inside joke that I won't understand.

2) I feel like there are too many insides jokes on this forum. People bring their insides jokes onto the topic's which throw the threads off topic and lose the conversation. People need to see that this shouldn't be their personal AIM, and that it should be a little bit more formal for a bhangra site.

3) I feel like everyone on here is "too nice" like there is no real arguments about topics, everyone just agrees with everyone else. When team video's are posted everyone is like omg they did great, no feedback about where to improve. It almost seems like everyone is looking out for their back and want to be loved by everyone on this site instead of being you and saying what you really think about the video or topic.

Someone said you can't blame the Mods on this but to be really honest it is their fault too. They are the ones who started posting soo much in order to become Mods, I have mad respect for all the Mods because I know all of them personally but seriously, they make up a portion of the spam on this site too.

 

[Havish]

btw, i feel like this topic should be under "main discussion"

 

[sorethighs]

Havish, I think a lot of this will change now that competitions are up and going again. Over the summer there's just much to talk about besides youtube videos and saying how amazing some team is.

 

[Jessie]

yeah this should be moved to main topic, and i agree with havish everyone pretty much just agrees on videos etc instead of real feedback

 

[zagreus]

i agree with what sorethighs (ben) has to say about the site and this season.

since the season just started, discussions will be far more heated and actually more about bhangra. we just dealt with a pretty interesting off season because this site just picked up steam, and we had nothing to do for so long.

now that the season has begun, people will be more critical and more interested in the topics.

 

[Saleem]

Gentlemen,

Please see http://bhangrateamsforum.com/discuss/index.php?topic=1528.msg18998#msg18998 for an update

 

[- Raja -]

Good post Jeeti..i agree that we should all stay on topic and focus on just bhangra, and i agree that since the season has started more feedback from other people is going to start being a pro or con.

 

[Guppi Top Da]

there's a hero rating ?!

- too many nice people... because everyone "knows" everyone on this site... so people dont want to look bad.

- inside jokes have taken over the site... there were LESS inside jokes on POL. now you scroll down a topic and after about 4 posts its repetition of same inside jokes (im guilty of doing it once or twice too)

- BTF is good... but POL was RAW... BTF seems very "high class"... because usually the same people are replying to eachother in each topic and making it difficult for new members to post up.

Lastly,

heres SGPD's video from Groundshaker... --- well a few clips ---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur64bE0BcQg

 

[Rohit]

Lastly,

heres SGPD's video from Groundshaker... --- well a few clips ---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur64bE0BcQg

I can see they cleaned up a lot of the routine and added a few crowd pleasers

 

[dheerja]

- too many nice people... because everyone "knows" everyone on this site... so people dont want to look bad.

- BTF is good... but POL was RAW... BTF seems very "high class"... because usually the same people are replying to eachother in each topic and making it difficult for new members to post up.

Agree about the too many nice people. Honest reviews are important.


POL was "raw" because a majority of the posts were useless and idiotic. I think it's great that a lot of the topics on this forum are legitimate debates and don't end in everyone cursing each other out (POL much?)