The Dope vs. the soapbox

[raven]

_detroit has for years been trying to persuade me to come to the soapbox to play. She likes it very much. I've never been much of a message board person, so I never took her up on her offer. However, today was different. Today, I was bored, and more significantly, the Dope was down. It seems to be constantly inactive lately. Damn hamsters. Anyway, as it was down, I decided to finally make myself known at the other place. So off I went.

Immediately, I was struck by the similarities. They both use the same basic message board template, so that was unsettling to begin with. I'm comfortable with the familiar Dope forums - The Pit, Café Society, IMHO and MPSIMS - so these were a shock to the system. Then there's the other similarity - _detroit informed me that Courtney Love herself does appear every so often. At the other board, Cecil Adams appears every so often.

But then, the differences. The Straight Dope is minimalist in the extreme - it uses dull greys as its main colour scheme and has avatars and the < img > tag disabled. The soapbox is a riot of colour in contrast. The Dope is full of established posters and people who all know each other. Now, I may be wrong, but I don't feel the same is the case at the soapbox, especially as it's got so many more people as members. Then, the inhabitants of the Dope are abrasive and scathing, delight in pissing people off, and value knowlege above all things... and I rest my case.

I'm bored, in case you couldn't tell. I'm sick of revision.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_detroit/]

oh, there are accomplished posters and things, only it is a bit confusing right now because everyone is an alias. I am more of a lurker, really.

Jason Fleming Love, for example, is a soapbox superstar (he has his own smiley) &there are others.. I sound like a stalker, but -- MyMelody, Phoxx, PrettyInPlump, GirlGerms, Rubythedamned, Meaty, Jem&the holograms, to name just a few.. usually everyone is on 'I am cooler than thou & i have sixteen sarcasm grenade launchers' mode, but well. Its funny.
x

Re:

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I don't think you're a stalker, because I lurk on the Dope and could give you a number of Dope "superstars" - Scylla, Esprix, Opalcat, Coldfire and obviously Cecil Adams.

Everyone has to be in uber-careful mode on the Dope, because there's always someone who knows more about what you're talking about than you do. It's a fun place.

Re:

[http://users.livejournal.com/_detroit/]

it is the same onhole.com? everyones just a smartass there though. But its incredibly funny

[fragility-lily.livejournal.com]

The soapbox is all right, if you enjoy drama. I'd stay out of the Hole, Courtney Love and Kurt Space forums, however. The majority of the idiots seem to congregate there.

Re:

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip. Any idea why? Why the idiots congregate, that is?

[fragility-lily.livejournal.com]

No. Well, somewhat. Nirvana has become a bit of a fad lately, and any fad brings idiots along with it, so that takes care of Kurt Space. As for Hole and CLove, I really have no idea.