Current state of PDF - Nostalgia of an Indian Member

[Spectre]

I first visited PDF by around 2010-11, lurked for around 4 yrs before officially joining in 2015. It was quite a bit of fun as well as rewarding experience debating, arguing and even trolling sometimes.

At the same time though i hate to say it, community in PDF also influenced my opinions about Pakistanis in general as it is one of the few forums where I could interact with them though majority of them here seem to expats. As times changed, current affairs were variable and the direction PDF as a forum took also changed significantly.

PDF went from being an international forum with free exchange of news, ideas and opinions to one biased in favor of Pakistanis by the time I started commenting and it was in mid 2018 that it went to being a purely domestic forum populated by Pakistani narrative and tolerant exclusively to it.

I am sure all members be it Pakistani, Indian, American, European, Turkish or even Chinese have noticed this. As long as discussion in the forum is not against the domestic Pakistani Narrative, it is tolerated otherwise excluded emphatically so in case of us Indians.

Now there is nothing wrong in it, every forum has the right to decide the audience it caters to but at the same time for us Indian members it is a source of loss as we have have mostly lost a place to engage with Pakistanis with dignity.

The funny thing is that if Forum Administration was gunning for members and advertising revenue (my assumption) the new direction has had the opposite effect.

Well thats it for me, I will continue lurking and hope things turn for better here and I would have an opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions once again with my neighbors.

I solicit everyone's comment on this without hypocrisy or bias, I am fully aware that as a guest I have no right to impose but for old time's sake let's have an honest discussion about direction PDF is taking. I hope mods would tolerate this thread.

Ciao

@Joe Shearer @Oscar @Horus @Levina @Nilgiri @Imran Khan @Beast @Hellfire @scorpionx @jbgt90 @WAJsal @waj @VCheng

 

[SQ8]

Welcome to the current state of the world

 

[HAIDER]

A valid argument always acceptable with facts, but bashing/argument is not acceptable in any forum.

 

[war&peace]

Most of the Indian members come here to troll. It becomes apparent from their posts. As India is not the same so is Pakistan & PDF.
The world has elected leaders like Narendra Modi, Donald Trump who openly use abusive language on social media etc so what do you expect?

 

[VCheng]

Now there is nothing wrong in it, every forum has the right to decide the audience it caters to

That is the answer.

The management has an absolute right to run their forum as they see fit at all times.

 

[nahtanbob]

It depends on what is the narrative management wants to peddle

 

[Chhatrapati]

PDF went from being an international forum with free exchange of news, ideas and opinions to one biased in favor of Pakistanis by the time I started commenting and it was in mid 2018 that it went to being a purely domestic forum populated by Pakistani narrative and tolerant exclusively to it.

The title reads Pakistan Defense Forum and it caters to it's audience. If it starts to follow an unbiased POV, it'll fall into the left wing and becomes obsolete. Given the time you visited much of the traffic used to be from India and hence tolerated even the trolls. Now the traffic is more from Pakistan and hence they cater to them.

 

[war&peace]

The title reads Pakistan Defense Forum and it caters to it's audience. If it starts to follow an unbiased POV, it'll fall into the left wing and becomes obsolete. Given the time you visited much of the traffic used to be from India and hence tolerated even the trolls. Now the traffic is more from Pakistan and hence they cater to them.

View attachment 565903

I remember most of Indian members used to claim that management is lenient on them because it needs traffic. This was silly and nonsensical assumption by Indians and since then management got tough on trolling and the major victims were Indian trolls themselves so it shattered the myth. PDF is still running and thriving but as @Oscar said, it reflects the state of the world so in the world of DTs and Namos and right wingers rising every where, PDF just reflects the world

 

[YeBeWarned]

one less troll to deal with .

Everyone on PDF either American , Indian , Chinese , Turks , Pakistani , Bangladeshi , European etc they just don't want to read anything that criticize their country or its policy , when I criticize something in America their Racism problem , their discrimination issues , etc so Americans think I am Anti America and Hate America ..

People here on PDF becomes very intolerant , and blinded by Nationalism .

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

one less troll to deal with .

lol.i know,right? bc are always bitching out of entitlement and complaining bout lack of neutrality which is not offered in return.
harassing, bullying on and offline, demands of entitlement are their national hobby.#certfiedghatyadushman

 

[Chhatrapati]

I remember most of Indian members used to claim that management is lenient on them because it needs traffic. This was silly and nonsensical assumption by Indians and since then management got tough on trolling and the major victims were Indian trolls themselves so it shattered the myth. PDF is still running and thriving but as @Oscar said, it reflects the state of the world so in the world of DTs and Namos and right wingers rising every where, PDF just reflects the world

The management wasn't lenient or anything that's what some Pakistani members accuse them of (they even accuse that now lol). There used to be a large number of well versed Indians, which didn't give much space for the crazies. And from what I saw, a lot of them were right leaning. During the 15 -16 there was a phase of constant abuse, slurs between two sides which effectively ended the Indian Think Tank, prof era.

The newer ones get trolled or loose interest after reading few troll posts. Right wing in India existed even before and they are active as they used to be. What really happened maybe the TT's left/purged. PDF reflects only growing number of Pakistani viewers.

 

[YeBeWarned]

lol.i know,right? bc are always bitching out of entitlement and complaining bout lack of neutrality which is not offered in return.
harassing, bullying on and offline, demands of entitlement are their national hobby.#certfiedghatyadushman

The Amount of Criticism we have about Pakistan from the Pakistanis here, they wont see in any Indian Forum .. and I dare say not even in any American or Western Forum .. there are tons of TTA and Mods often share how Pakistan has a lot of issues which needs to be fixed, Try that with Indians , Chinese and American and see how They troll you until you get frustrated and leave the thread .

 

[war&peace]

The management wasn't lenient or anything that's what some Pakistani members accuse them of (they even accuse that now lol). There used to be a large number of well versed Indians, which didn't give much space for the crazies. And from what I saw, a lot of them were right leaning. During the 15 -16 there was a phase of constant abuse, slurs between two sides which effectively ended the Indian Think Tank, prof era.

The newer ones get trolled or loose interest after reading few troll posts. Right wing in India existed even before and they are active as they used to be. What really happened maybe the TT's left/purged. PDF reflects only growing number of Pakistani viewers.

The numbers of Indians have not gone down but the proportion of Pakistani members has increased with more awareness about the social media due to the spread of internet. Some TTs from India openly sided and protected the trolls from India and some of them even engaged in trolling themselves.

Even many Pakistani TTAs and Mods lost their titles and got demoted or their wings got clipped and some are inline but I won't name them.

 

[Chhatrapati]

The numbers of Indians have not gone down but the proportion of Pakistani members has increased with more awareness about the social media due to the spread of internet. Some TTs from India openly sided and protected the trolls from India and some of them even engaged in trolling themselves.

Even many Pakistani TTAs and Mods lost their titles and got demoted or their wings got clipped and some are inline but I won't name them.

That's a blanket shot. TT's can hardly defend any members. They don't have any authority over it. If there was Indian mods, then your argument of protecting Indian trolls holds true. I remember many of you accused waz a false flag Indian as he was assigned to Indian section for some time. LOL! Don't need to dig up old stuff, I'm glad I have a good memory of things.

I know most of those TTA's and Mods who got demoted, some like Kaptaan didn't deserve it considering the number of troll TTAs we have here now who go uncontrolled and do not bring a fraction of what he brings to here.

 

[PakSword]

I first visited PDF by around 2010-11, lurked for around 4 yrs before officially joining in 2015. It was quite a bit of fun as well as rewarding experience debating, arguing and even trolling sometimes.

At the same time though i hate to say it, community in PDF also influenced my opinions about Pakistanis in general as it is one of the few forums where I could interact with them though majority of them here seem to expats. As times changed, current affairs were variable and the direction PDF as a forum took also changed significantly.

PDF went from being an international forum with free exchange of news, ideas and opinions to one biased in favor of Pakistanis by the time I started commenting and it was in mid 2018 that it went to being a purely domestic forum populated by Pakistani narrative and tolerant exclusively to it.

I am sure all members be it Pakistani, Indian, American, European, Turkish or even Chinese have noticed this. As long as discussion in the forum is not against the domestic Pakistani Narrative, it is tolerated otherwise excluded emphatically so in case of us Indians.

Now there is nothing wrong in it, every forum has the right to decide the audience it caters to but at the same time for us Indian members it is a source of loss as we have have mostly lost a place to engage with Pakistanis with dignity.

The funny thing is that if Forum Administration was gunning for members and advertising revenue (my assumption) the new direction has had the opposite effect.

Well thats it for me, I will continue lurking and hope things turn for better here and I would have an opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions once again with my neighbors.

I solicit everyone's comment on this without hypocrisy or bias, I am fully aware that as a guest I have no right to impose but for old time's sake let's have an honest discussion about direction PDF is taking. I hope mods would tolerate this thread.

Ciao

@Joe Shearer @Oscar @Horus @Levina @Nilgiri @Imran Khan @Beast @Hellfire @scorpionx @jbgt90 @WAJsal @waj @VCheng

PDF is still much better than any comparable Indian forum.

The behavior of Pakistanis has changed.. yes.. I agree.. and Indian trolls have mainly contributed to it. Just like how they have ruined their own forum such as Bharat Rakshak, they tried hard to ruin this forum and have partially succeeded in that as well in my opinion.