Forums are dependant upon their subject area. I use a couple of car based forums to gain knowledge on how to fix the car when it goes wrong without incurring extortionate garage fees, and sometimes people will come round and help with problems too. I use this one as I'm a keen martial artist but have a greater interest in reality based training than the traditional. Thankfully this site caters for all aspects, physical, mental (i see alot of us are a bit - lol), health and general well being. and also a good safe place for banter. I have noticed this forum has a more mature approach toward debate/giving opinion without shooting others down for having a contrasting view. (Possibly the lack of 9-14 year old keyboard warriors?)
Unfortunately there are cases of "Keyboard warriors" that pop up in all forums just to stir trouble. What i find funny is how quickly they tend to shit themselves when confronted in real life!! Quite comical.

If a forum is well moderated it's a good place to exchange thoughts, information and humour. It can teach people to become more broad minded and accept that they are not always right and others may train for different reasons to them and that other systems have their merits.

If it's not well moderated - it's a bear pit.

This is a very interesting question.

I have got some really good ideas on forums. Eg I found out about urban combatives and trained many times with them and the New Blood Seminar. Also got some material for magazine articles

The downside and the reason I hardly ever put any posts on is the rude and plain offensive threads which are all too common (not here thankfully). Personally I have no time for that. Debate is good I have never understood why people can't disagree amicably. I stopped reading the otherself defence forum for that reason.

Well said Simon
After all we have more in common than we realise.......I keep saying this put if everyone put as much time into developing themselves.......and the killer right hand.....then just old fashioned time constraints would negate our ability to slate each other from the safety of our armchairs......hope you are well mate and it was good training with you albeit far too briefly last time we met!
I thought maybe I should have signed off with a sarky acerbic quip....but you know me.....I just wanna love the world
Hahahaha....but only half in the biblical sense
Mick x

As has been pointed out a good forum starts with the leadership from admin through the moderators. They muck up and it travels down to the members so that everyone starts taking libertys. Most forums I am on do not have confrontations as the members are all willing to help each other which is what it should be.

Thanks Mick I am well and I hope you are too. It was very good to train with you and Al and to meet the man behind the posts. And a fellow boxer owner too.
Take care
Simon

Thanks Simon thanks Bill
Good to see some sense....sneaking through.........oh the power of positive action......wait a minute.....t shirt slogan time?
Xxxl for you winging its way........for one of my greatest admirers?
You know who you are.....don't be coy now!
Hahahaha
Mick x

People talking about anonymity...I don't really go out of my way to be anonymous and have nothing to hide, but I don't work in the combatives profession and don't really want my name to come up in a casual google search enquiring about the best knife fighting techniques etc. In this country people have funny attitudes to self protection.

So people have their reasons...as long as you don't abuse it and start posting blowhard crap.

In total agreement there mate!
Thanks for posting
Mick. X