At a recent meeting of EBME managers in the Mersey region of the country (other managers from outside the area also attended) the credability of this site with regards to its professional standing was mentioned to myself.
On the basis of "would you want to refer your chief exec to the site to proove our professionalism".
The main problem being would he find the babbling carried out by some to be what he / she expected on a "professional site".
It is with this in mind that I pose the question do users think that this site or a linked "more serious one would be of any use ?

Karl

Was this the same meeting I was at ?

Out of the 11 or 12 people there I only ever notice contributions to the forum from 3 people, I'm one you were another plus another.

If your playing Devil's advocate that's fine!
The credability and professionalism of the site is, in my opinion, beyond doubt.
It contains much information that is both informative and beneficial.

If you refer to different subjects on the Forum and the respective "answers" then I feel that comes into the realms of unbiased and uncensored opinions.
Unless the content is deflamatory or positively obscene then I don't see the point of "steralising" it's content in case my CEO reads the page.

After all in the tea-room or canteen I'm sure you get involved in conversations other than vent circuits and bodox seals.

I would hope that I wouldn't have to point my CEO at the site to prove how professional I am.

I wonder if the people you chatted to ever contributed, I don't see many posts from others in our area except "the same old faces"

If they don't contribute but read without comment, how do they expect the site to develop.
Are they too embarrased/ashamed ?

I find the site very useful, I use it a lot and contribute frequently. Other NHS or technical sites have little or no interest to me, I gauge more local and national feeling via the Forum than thru any other form of dialogue channels available to me on a "professional" level.

Long may the "babbling" continue, I'm sure plenty of it goes on in the Boardroom

Whilst I agree with KM on principal, a lot of the non-professional banter goes on in the “free discussion” forum, I don’t know about your Merseyside counterparts KM but Louis has made a great deal of friends through the light banter held in this forum. Friends who through this site (amongst private messages and other) have delivered a wealth of knowledge to an engineer “out in the dark” so to speak. If I thought this site was an “OFFICIAL” representation of our profession, then I wouldn’t be paying the IEE masses of wonga a year.

Ask the following my friend.

1) Is this site an official representation of our profession?
2) If so then remove the ”free discussion”, “Jokes”, “out of hours” and make it more like the IPEM, or IEE etc.

Interesting topic though KM, Louis reckons you’ve stared the old brown stuff goodo on this one

Louis
:p

Dave,
It wasnt mentioned in the forum.
It was in chat.
Im not saying I approve or not of the question Ive asked Im just interested to see what others think.
In fact the comments where a discussion just like this.
By the way thanks to Sean for hosting an excellent meeting.
Good to see we,re still all singing from the same hymn sheet. Even though some may have spilt their wine on it.
P.S WINE WAS NOT CONSUMED AT THE MEETING
Louis, Thought the old grey matter might get stirred by this one.

While wholeheartedly agreeing this Forum has much to offer to all with a medical device interest, colleagues have mentioned and I agree that the occasional babbling carried out by some is at times irritating and a deterrent to contributing. Could the jolly banter that develops between regular contributors be posted under the subject heading of Banter? Giving the many occasional viewers clearer access to the serious thread of the many gems.
Bill


Subject Heading
BANTER
Not that I would dare to mention/highlight any of the above as jolly banters among us!!

Obviously I am biased, but we have always been keen to get our professional community talking and sharing ideas, and information. The site has developed by listening to the members.

We try hard to please the majority, and ensure the content on the main pages is completely professional and valuable. We decided long ago that we believe censorship is wrong, and we have bandied the idea of having 'moderators' to keep threads on topic. The forum is the only place where we do not enforce editorial control.

We do enforce editorial control on the:
Downloads page
Training articles
Home page
Plus all the links are checked.

I personnally have learnt a lot from colleagues contributing to this site, and as long as they keep doing that, I will keep learning.

Sometimes the message comes across in different ways, and I would prefer our colleagues to express themselves in the way they see fit (unless it goes against the membership rules of the forum)

Believe it or not ,I am known to 'babble on occasion. Its just part of who I am. I also can be very serious and emotive over certain issues.

If the majority feel we should do things differently, let us know.

Louis has just been browsing through past postings and Louis has to say that 99% of the “banter” is topical of the debate in which it is delivered. Communication comes in many languages, if some people don’t agree with someone “free speech” approach to a subject then that is fine, I don’t agree with the humourless paranoid “whinges” who frequent this cyber-spectacle but I appreciate they have a right to whinge if he/she feels the need. Bill, my highlander, take a look back through the archives, and note that the most “banterous” subjects have 20 or more replies. You will also find that they are topics close to all our hearts.

Have a nice day :p

Louis III

Louis my “Somewhere in time” Master with 255 Posts ( at least we know under which Monroe WOMs kilt lies!) “take a look back through the archives, and note that the most “banterous” subjects have 20 or more replies” exactly what I was referring too, less literary endowed observers than your good self could live with 5 or 6 pertinent replies, as for spiders and other creatures that bounce around the screen

I fully endorse our dear John the philosopher's above remarks, particularly “I personally have learnt a lot from colleagues contributing to this site, and as long as they keep doing that, I will keep learning.”

WOM also confesses to a babble on occasion.

Peace my technological healthcareing brother.

Bill
Keep it coming keep it brief!

I dont think our chief executive even knows we exist not alone trying to get him to look at this site.

I think the site is excellent and I have learned a lot everytime I come to this site.

Tell me is there a better site to keep us informed of our technical world and topics such as Agenda For Change,work ethics etc

I dont think so or as yet have not found one.

Keep up the good work.

Are you talkin' to me?