How should XMTS grow and improve?

[Highland Logan]

So, what would you suggest would be an improvement?

Regards,
Rex.

To be fair Rex, I just don't know. I hope that whatever changes, if any are made, that they would be fair to all, and maybe some can better learn to get along with others. If a question is asked, and you have nothing better to add and your 2 cents well just start a fight... maybe the Mods need to dertermin if the question has been answered to the intend of the questioner, and lock it down.

Frank

[IRISH]

A dinner jacket is a dinner jacket. The how and when to wear such a thing is a matter of fact, not some smug off handed “I like it with sneakers” (fictional example). There seemed to be talk of putting a time-line (1960) on this “classic” look as though it had passed away and we all missed the wake and forgot to send flowers... Has the recent trend on this board been missed? As soon as some of our members have educated themselves on proper dress, and saved up some coin, they have all gone out and purchased argyle (tartan) dress hose... White hose indeed!

this was a compelling post. like a dose of castor oil given to you by your stern auntie. i have to agree with the essence of logan's post, here.

with regard to a future landscape of xmts, it conjures images of a board entitled proper highland attire. this would be a clearly marked destination for members or visitors to go for the final word on the right way to execute the proper, traditional assembly of their highland attire.

an alternative board might look something like nontraditional kilts and attire.

for what it's worth on a separate note, in the half year that i've been reading this forum, the boards general kilt talk and kilt advice have somehow seemed redundant.

[DWFII]

this was a compelling post. [snip]

I quite agree.

[RockyR]

with regard to a future landscape of xmts, it conjures images of a board entitled proper highland attire. this would be a clearly marked destination for members or visitors to go for the final word on the right way to execute the proper, traditional assembly of their highland attire.

an alternative board might look something like nontraditional kilts and attire.

Well said, IRISH.

In the 'Proper Highland Attire' area, cost should not be the deciding factor about posts. The underlining 'truth' should be the 'appropriateness' of the article of clothing in question. I'm not saying that cost should not BE a factor, just that those posting there should know that the area would be for opinions of very traditional dress.

[DWFII]

DWFII,

As the one who threw that out the thought, let me explain where I was coming from.

The idea would be to allow those traditionalists that will not accept some modern highland attire conventions a place where the subject wouldn't come up. White hose as formal wear has been around for years, but I doubt it is pre-1960.

I appear to have completely failed in my attempts to try to show that there are actually two sets of conventions in highland formal wear today and that there is a place for both here at XMTS and out and about.

This is why I proposed the sub section. If it would kill debate and discussion, or not prove helpful then it is a bad idea. This is a brain storming session to make the forum better. My ideas are just as good or just as bad as any other member here.

I do think that we have a fair number of historical re-enactors here that might appreciate an area for Historical Attire.

Cheers

Jamie

Forgive me but I would not question your motives in any regard. I've seen too many of your posts (and read them carefully) to doubt your generosity of spirit.

That said, don't you think Xmarks is already divided, or sub-divided as much as it can be? Or needs to be? And still retain a feeling of cameradie?

General Kilt Talk functions nicely as a meeting ground for all persuasions. Sometimes that seems to cause friction but nothing really drastic; and a little heat is always better than cold. Such heat is, in the most fundamental sense, a form of energy that may be the motivating impulse for all the rest. General Kilt Talk is a fora in the old sense of the word--a marketplace of ideas.

There is a section for discussion of tartans and heraldry. And one to discuss accessories and DIY projects. Etc..

There is a sub-forum for Contemporary and Non-traditional Kilts. Just in the description, that covers quite a lot of ground, don't you think? One might even expect to find people posting there who are perhaps more comfortable with flat caps and white hose ...and pushing the envelope, so to speak.

If there was a focused forum for history buffs, dealing with the time period before the late 18th century, it might prove useful and probably always interesting to some of us. On the other hand, it might draw off some of that energy that is now distributed among other forums. Who knows? But it might also be a tinder box if people don't understand that history is, as someone in another thread said, indeed set in stone--historical events do not evolve.

For me, Traditional Kilts says it all. It doesn't need parsing or translation. The very title, in all its implied permutations, embraces the values I am most comfortable with and I would suspect that even Jacobites or re-enactors (if they did their due diligence) would find a home there, if they so desired.

I run an Internet forum myself...one that has been on the Internet for over ten years--a virtual aeon in Internet time. And I have been posting to forum since before the Internet was open to the casual user.

I tell you this because I have always thought that Xmarks was particularly well thought out. That whoever laid the foundation and created the categories that now exist was especially thoughtful and foresightful (is that a word?).

I think if people just understand that when they post in the DIY forum, for example, the discussions and the bias to be found there is always gonna favour hands-on, perhaps even somewhat less than commercially perfect, projects.

Or, if they post in the proposed History forum, they gonna have to leave Tolkien behind. Und so weiter...

Again, I didn't intend to question your motives or the sincerity that you bring to making Xmarks a better place. And I apologize if my post came off that way.

[thescot]

Dang. It's awful getting old. Some of these things just go right over my head.

Here I was thinking that lively, spirited discussion was the stuff of life, that this site was a place where "family" could carry on, disagree, fuss, and make jokes without anyone taking much of anything too seriously. Contemporary vs. traditional is like . . . well, kids' clothes vs. old geezers' clothes. (We all know the geezers are correct!)

And now I find out that when I call myself the "Kilt Police," it's a pejorative. I meant it as a joke, kind of a self-effacing hyperbole with me as the butt of the joke. Now I see that I've been insulting myself all along. I shall be forced to send myself to time-out, restrict my personal play time, and write "I will not use pejoratives about me any more" 1000 times on the board.

Of course, when someone disagrees with me, they really are being the Kilt Police and should be castigated with all haste and alacrity.

In all seriousness, I do think that this is not exactly anything that any of us should be up in arms about. The site changes, shifts, evolves, and grows--or contracts--as a product of natural selection. And as long as we all follow the site rules set forth clearly--play nice, keep religion and politics out of it, be civil, and share your toys--there's no reason for us to do something. We aren't in a selective breeding experiment here where the perfect hog is our goal. We're a family of sorts, complete with old Uncle Harold that no one talks about (he stays in the basement).

So I think we should just let 'er go and see where she's headed. As long as we have guys like Panache and the other mods to keep the herd headed down the trail, it'll all be fine. New

So, having said all that--and it was a bunch--let me apologize all over myself if I have ever insulted anyone or hurt someone's feelings. That was never the intent, and I wouldn't want that. If you are still mad at me, then it is on your head.

And only JockScot and I are licensed to shoot those who diverge from good taste on sight!

That's a joke, son, I say, that's a joke. (Leghorn)

Sathor, you hit the nail on the head. And BresterB1, I'd like to volunteer as Sgt. Major of the drill team. Except for the pink parasol thing. I'd have to arrect you if I caught you with one of those.

[DWFII]

Dang.

And now I find out that when I call myself the "Kilt Police," it's a pejorative. I meant it as a joke, kind of a self-effacing hyperbole with me as the butt of the joke. Now I see that I've been insulting myself all along. I shall be forced to send myself to time-out, restrict my personal play time, and write "I will not use pejoratives about me any more" 1000 times on the board.

I don't want to get too serious in response to what was obviously a light-hearted remarkbut...

Sure and isn't it a little like the black man using the "N" word to describe himself? He's perhaps entitled but there's still a little bit of onus attached to the word...and everyone understands that.

I think even when you call yourself Kilt Police in jest, if you roll it around in your mouth a couple of times you'll taste the lingering bite of condemnation.

It's a joke but it is a wry and acerbic one..

[Robinhood]

I would like to see the Title field shortened, and a Description field added (with a smaller font, but a lot more characters). This way, we could get a better idea while looking through the list of those posts that are of interest. The little hover thing doesn't really work that well, and it is slow.

[Ancienne Alliance]

...with a smaller font, but a lot more characters...

Have mercy for those of us over 55 years old...


Best,

Robert

[wnblair]

I’ve only been a member for a few months now but I visit everyday & I’ve learned a lot & I’ve enjoyed interacting with others in the forums. Here are some things that others have mentioned that I think are great ideas:

• Updated information. Someone mentioned a post about kilt-makers that was several years old. Either give that post a bump with updated info or maybe delete it. Maybe not every single post or thread needs to be saved. I’m not saying get rid of everything after 1yr but maybe a cleaning up of long dead threads may be in order.

• A welcome area for new members. After your account is activated you are directed to a newbie’s area with FAQ’s, 30 most asked kilt questions, & the like. Think of it as a wading pool for new members that they can move around in & then when they get their bearings they can head out into the rabble.

• I agree with the no religion or politics ban & the firearms ban, however, as mentioned by others maybe we could have an area for bladed weapons & ancient armor. We do have a lot of interest in these subjects & there are many members who like re-enacting ancient battles.

I really like the site & I like the interaction with the other members. I hope that remains instead of becoming more of a Wiki type site.

David Blair