What do your friends think about your Amiga interest?

[andreas]

Good points, Photon. Been quite interesting content to read.

[Leffmann]

Usually met with a bit of ignorance and hostility.

"Is that the keyboard? Where's the computer/harddrive?"
"Why do you have an Amiga? It's crap."
"You always have to mention your Amiga... why don't you sell your PC and use the Amiga all the time instead then!!"
etc.

[Photon]

Just smile and say you have an Amiga because you like it. And you have a PC too because they're useful.

And if they happen to mention their car/stereo/home theatre/PC a lot, be sure to catch them on it Maybe then they realize they spend quite a lot of time with them.


And if they're a family staring at the TV and don't allow you to have a chat while Talk Show X is on (SSH!), tell them that they are antisocial geeks who spend all their free time staring at a screen Especially if they just spent 1000€ on a new widescreen TV and have 40 TV channels and a TiVo and follow the plots of 5 TV-series and talk about how this was better than that in *-ican Idol... NERDS!!! hehe

But one-way TV is 'normal', right? And people communicating on forums are 'weirdos', right?

Edit:
Ofc, doesn't hurt to have friends that don't share your special interest too, though. And Internet addiction is as harmful as TV addiction, UNLESS you "use" internet or TV and not just waste time in front of it. Like I use it in a good way now, IMO. A lot of interesting people and opinions here.

BUT: that can be pretty hard, depending on if you live in a big city or not, since many "don't bother with you" when they hear what you love. With a result of either mobbing or a pat on the head, there's not many options left but to stop caring about them, like they stopped caring about you because of your interest.

[Adropac2]

While on the whole i would say that people can be somewhat predictable in what they choose is their lifestyle and how they go about stuff etc, i wouldn't say it's altogether smart to apply this to every situation.Certainly regarding forums, an assumption made here could really only apply generally.Of course some people do enjoy a side to forums for reasons outside their real life existance - a chance to be who they might actually want to be - and for many others, it's just a fun way to hang out with hopefully genuine types and talk about the good old days

I enjoy being on here almost every day and although my interaction is limited, i'm sometimes here for a while reading and occasionally commenting.I am certainly less social than most people in the real world and in this sense could quite possible fit into the category of the typical type that has been suggested to live on sites like this

I enjoy reading and returning comments and it serves well in making me glad to talk about a subject i enjoy.It feels nice sometimes to have helped maybe or to have talked in agreeance with a fellow Amiga fan say, or even argued - not all that different though from if i was to do this outside a forum, but lets face it, this situation doesn't really present itself these days so this is how we do it

I have good confidence in myself and being on this forum only fuels a desire to feel something i cannot get elsewhere ie Amiga chat - it's the only reason i like to log onto eab.I think there will be a lot of people that enjoy forums for this very reason maybe even to the point that they enjoy it 24/7.It's only obvious i think that some people will of course feel much safer in this type of enviroment too but it's also not all that obvious exactly who that person may be on some basis

For the whole though i don't think the majority here will fall into the category suggested

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by andreas

Hehe, I DID expect this reaction, "in all honesty". You don't have to tell me, do you? But one is at least allowed to express one's own impressions, eh!?

Beside that, whatever I post, and at what time; the direct reply is almost always coming from YOU. Maybe it's just that: I'd really wish to have a little more diversity in the thing, instead of having ANY post replied by you just because you're there almost 24/7 (even at 4 o'clock in the morning, according to my observations; yes I AM very beady-eyed).

Wondering whether this could not already be called "abnormal" is just a consequence of common sense (obviously).

I think calling somebody "abnormal" and posting a personal attack in this manner - as well as deciding most EAB members are weirdos - is completely uncalled for so I suggest you stop.

[antonvaltaz]

Nice one Graham.

@Andreas - I was just thinking last night what a friendly and helpful forum EAB is, and then saw your comments this morning. For someone who claims to be interested in psychology your comments are tactless and insensitive (to put it mildly), if not downright offensive.

[seuden]

It's a shame more forums don't have more people like TCD.

[cosmicfrog]

as they say round these parts pictures or it did`t happen andreas ie, we need data on what you base your views on

if anyone had ever looked in to psychology you`d know there is one set of views for iether case, one way or the other

oh well nice thread, nice place
put me down for some medication andreas I`ll have what ever you`r dishing out hehehehe

[DH]

In all honesty, TCD knows a load of stuff, has a very level head, and always helps where he can. So what if he's on here 24/7, at least he's available to help. I'm on here everyday and I have a social life too, so what's really abnormal about that?

People have a right to express their feelings on a given subject, I agree, but actually attacking someone, is bang out of order. That is not acceptable.

[mr_a500]

Originally Posted by DemonHellraiser

In all honesty, TCD knows a load of stuff, has a very level head

I think that's true. I was told someone once put a level on his head and the bubble didn't move at all.

[seuden]

Originally Posted by mr_a500

I think that's true. I was told someone once put a level on his head and the bubble didn't move at all.

Haha!!

[pmc]

Just been catching up with this thread.

Originally Posted by andreas

Well, reading all this stuff makes me think this whole crowd is composed from lots of lone wolves and hermits (or recluses, if you wish)

Well, as psychologists would put it, the Internet has become a sort of "second world" for these people, since it preserves both their anonymity and their "weirdness". Many artists (painters in particular, as well as composers) are of the same kind - lots of extremely weird people amongst them.
As I found out, the Internet has also become a sort of 'catch basin' for ADD/ADHD/Asperger people. (If you don't know what that is, don't bother.)

So, according to you, we're all recluses, hermits and sufferers from attention deficit disorders?

Oh and just for good measure you criticise TheCyberDruid for being on here a lot even though what he does when he's on here a lot is spend almost all his time helping other people?

Errr... forgive me for disagreeing but it seems clear that basically you talk a load of old shite!

Way to make yourself popular Andreas...

[Photon]

To lend andreas a bit of credit, I think he doesn't mean us EABers or forum-users in general, but internet-junkies. I think anyone is free to spend a big chunk of their spare time on the internet if they're into an internet phenomenon at the moment.

But it's true I think that when you "can't wait to see progress on this and that/what someone wrote in response, and can't go away on a trip because you'll miss a lot of Facebook/eBay/forum action or have to be reachable at all times, or can't miss a thing out of fear to lag behind", then you're a junkie and the "phenomenon" is using you rather than you using it.

Doesn't have to be internet as I said, it could be soap operas, hockey results on text-tv, horse racing in newspapers, not being able to live without the mobile phone on at all times... THEN I would agree you need to put in some off time or a second interest.

[pmc]

Originally Posted by Photon

I think he doesn't mean us EABers

Unfortunately I don't think that's true - there are several explicit references to having drawn these conclusions from what he's read "on here" (ie. this forum) and what's been posted by "this crowd" (ie. the users of the EAB forum)

What's weird is that andreas has been a member of EAB for a few years and has a couple of thousand posts in that time. So, he IS one of this crowd!

Still, it's not really for us to decide what andreas meant - he should be allowed to clarify his own position.

[Leffmann]

Looking at the replies here I think Andreas has gotten a harsh treatment for lacking some tact. Let him and TCD work the misunderstanding out themselves instead of adding more fuel to the fire, it will just instigate more angry posting.

We must focus our rage on the people who do not own Amigas.

[Graham Humphrey]

Okay guys I think this particular episode has run its course so I would appreciate it if we could drop it now and get back on topic.

[killergorilla]

Let's arrange a meeting for the two to discuss their issues. I will be the mediator.

Andreas, you bring a cake, TCD you bring a chainsaw to cut it up with.

See you there.

[Paul_s]

Originally Posted by Dastardly

There's a girl just started where I work who's 25 and not only has she heard of (and loves) Gods and all retro games, but she also listens to chip tunes!

I am going to marry this woman

pics or it didn't happen

I've heard she loves Superfrog and Lucozade so she's mine, sucka muhahahahaha

Best crack out the joypad for some catchup with our green superhero

[Paul_s]

Originally Posted by andreas

Oh yes, psychology is a great subject.

It must be boring though to discuss other people's lives and label them with pointless jibba jabba....

I think my brain would explode if I sat down and attempted to understand myself.

[NewDeli]

Have I missed something ? I had to replace my PSU so it's too late for me to react on Andreas "analysis". I'll simply say the following :
The fastest replies are not always the best ones, and even if it was the case, it's fair to let others try their luck with it. Newcomers are a well-known species but there would be members learning to adress other's issues, and such behaviour leave very small room for them sometimes.

Not pointing any finger, and not letting you know I'd be able to do it better or faster (especially not faster) than others.