Believe me, I am by no means a computer person. Nor do I understand the technical aspects of running a message board such as this one. However, I have seen many topics "locked down" in their infancy. I'm not sure who makes this decision, or why, but I would like to think that topics (even those in the "non-magical section" are given just as much attention and respect as all others.

If a topic is locked, I would, as a member and supporter of sponsors, like to know why. Some recent "lockdowns" seem excessive and unnecessary. If I'm ignoring some important technical aspect, by all means, let me know. Otherwise, I think the operators of this message board should respect the discussions that take place, and allow posts to happen...even if they aren't particularly enthusiastic about the discussion.

J

Have you read everything in the Café Rules and Etiquette section?

Yes I have, and there are still many locked categories that seem out of order. This forum is predicated upon the sharing of ideas and open, honest discussion. It's impossible to suggest that one post has more/less value than another.

There are, at this hour, 30,165 members. I realize that bandwith is an issue, but I would hope that our editors and administrators think carefully before they lock a topic. This is, afterall, a FORUM.

J

You said; "Believe me, I am by no means a computer person. Nor do I understand the technical aspects of running a message board such as this one. However, I have seen many topics "locked down" in their infancy. I'm not sure who makes this decision, or why, but I would like to think that topics (even those in the "non-magical section" are given just as much attention and respect as all others.

If a topic is locked, I would, as a member and supporter of sponsors, like to know why. Some recent "lockdowns" seem excessive and unnecessary. If I'm ignoring some important technical aspect, by all means, let me know. Otherwise, I think the operators of this message board should respect the discussions that take place, and allow posts to happen...even if they aren't particularly enthusiastic about the discussion.

J"

The locking of topics is something that is NOT done at a whim and is taken very seriously.
With over 30,000 members and several hundered new posts being made every single day, the task of running this site is not easy. Our staff consists of volunteers who do their very best to keep things civil, but with so many members and new one's joining everyday, it is almost impossible to keep up with it all.

Our Café Rules & Etiquette area as well as our section called: Some Posting Guidelines... help insure that our members can participate in a positive, family oriented atmosphere. However, that is not always possible and we are sometimes required to either lock a post/topic, or in a very bad situation, delete it from the board permanently.

There are a slew of additional reasons for locking topics. Sometimes it is because there is already a topic in progress concerning the same subject, or perhaps the subject has already been addressed many times elsewhere on the board. In any case, though we often will send posters an explanation as to WHY a particular topic has been locked, we are under no obligation to do so.

Finally, not to sound rude, but I neither have the time nor the inclination to explain the reasons behind everything that my staff and I do here each day. The Magic Café is what it is, a FREE site for magicians and entertainers to learn and communicate with each other. Most folks will get much value from reading and or participating here, others will find fault within the community proper and complain.

The best advice that I can give is: Learn and understand all our rules and policies and understand that this is a free site, but not a perfect site. We are all human here and mistakes can and do happen from time to time. Also understand that after six years of running this green giant, we have developed a kind of sixth sense as it were. We see potential trouble brewing and step-in and take care of the situation before it becomes a larger problem...yes, it is possible to sometimes predict the future.

P.S. I'm locking this topic. Reason: Your question has been officially answered.