Where are all the old regulars ?

[Al Smith]

Nice job on the slide show.Those were the days of big wood,and iron men.

 

[SawTroll]

Excellent post Tony!

its my openion ..........(post 43 on this tread)

That about sums it up.....

 

[Mange]

 

[CMBetz]

Back to the original thread topic -- I don't remember when I posted last, and I don't remember when I browsed around here last, either, but the reason I just "fell off the map" was boredom. This forum, like several others I subscribe to, seems to go in cycles:

1. A new guy joins without thoroughly searching the archives for the same topic.
2. The "older" regulars chastize him for not keeping up with the times (allegiance to the old-timers causes a bit of chest-puffing, since we were all here on the "ground floor").
3. The "newer" members welcome him, start a dialogue, become buddies (learning by observers increases, as new ideas are thrown out).
4. Buddies disagree (rate of learning increases as technical or quasi-technical information is used to defend positions).
5. Buddies end up using the forum as a chat to gripe about each other, their taste in bar oil, filing technique, choice of truck brand, and former associations with other members (interest in the topics declines).
6. Buddyship dissolves (interesting from a social perspective, but potentially off-putting to a casual observer).
7. Tenacious guy hangs in there, and becomes "older" member (now one of the alpha males, free to ride herd on the dummy who asks a question about whether or not a 28" "blade" is too much for his saw to handle for the backyard tree removal).
8. New guy joins, and asks the same question as was asked in thread XXXX.XXXXXX.XXXXX.

But hey, I haven't been here in a while, and maybe things are different. The reason I'm looking around again is to see if they are. I'm just too lazy or busy to look back through the archives to see if they really are, so count me as a new guy.

I do enjoy the information that is traded here, and am looking forward to a fresh start with the "older," "newer," and "returning" guys ( if there are any). I think it is basically impossible to break the cycle described above, as the dynamics of an open forum are too complex to manage. However, I ask that we try to keep the conversation lively, fresh (but ALWAYS with an appreciation for the guy that is just getting ready to buy his first saw, and has basic questions), and recognizes that it still is just the internet, and a bunch of guys bs-ing about something we all enjoy or want to learn about.

 

[Dennis]

I just got here as well Christian, so I am a new guy too How ya been?? How is the family?

 

[Mange]

A forum only gets as good as the peopl atending want it to be!

The owners play a part but that is no biggy.
You want fun, have fun, Who can stop you?

 

[CMBetz]

Doing great over here, Dennis. The family grew by one this last weekend, so that's going to be keeping me pretty busy for a while.

I want to clarify my last post -- I am not, and was not, bored with the content, but instead, with the cycle. Now that I see it is just the way this format works, I'm over it.

 

[Crofter]

CMBetz I think you described it pretty well.

 

[tawilson]

So what stage are we in now?

 

[tawilson]

"These new guys are running the forum into the gound."
At least we can spel.

 

[Lobo]

"These new guys are running the forum into the gound."
At least we can spel.

Yep! I guess you can really spel !

 

[bwalker]

I think the root of the problem goes way back to when Dennis was a mod. It invlves $$$$ and who happens to be in the "in" crowd.Through in a dose of heavy handed, power trip moderation, a few whiney cry babies that squeel and you have the present situation.
I guess it also doesnt help that a few(very few) people post absolute rubbish and are never repremanded for it. Face it lately this forum has had hardly any meaningfull discusions. Standard newbie questions, smileys and dope smoke talk is what this place has degenerated in to.

 

[trimmmed]

I think the root of the problem goes way back to when Dennis was a mod. It invlves $$$$ and who happens to be in the "in" crowd.Through in a dose of heavy handed, power trip moderation, a few whiney cry babies that squeel and you have the present situation.
I guess it also doesnt help that a few(very few) people post absolute rubbish and are never repremanded for it. Face it lately this forum has had hardly any meaningfull discusions. Standard newbie questions, smileys and dope smoke talk is what this place has degenerated in to.

Now we're scratchin the surface Ben. I agree with some of that, disagree with some of that, and honestly don't know about some of that


I think the root of the problem goes way back to when Dennis was a mod. It invlves $$$$ and who happens to be in the "in" crowd.

I think that we had folks leaving prior to the "and why wouldn't we" in crowd. It seems that here, there is always a need for an "in crowd" or an elite club. The Dennis, Rotax, Babcock, Gypo et al club of the day seemed to me to come out of a friendship forged off the forum as well as on. And while it seemed they were all privy to an "inside joke", so to speak, that the others were not, I don't remember them being exclusionary, inciteful, uncivil or downright nasty to others. Then we start to have the builder/ customer problems with chainsaws. First we have the Rupedoggy/MarkyMark deal. Right, wrong, or indifferent, folks started chooosing up sides and the bad blood is starting to flow. Follow that with the Dennis fiasco, that really tossed the forum on end. In both these situations I come down on the customers side for the simple reason that to me, the high ground should have been the builder's integrity, period! Whenever you are selling something, you should be prepared to eat some of it every once in a while.

Through in a dose of heavy handed, power trip moderation, a few whiney cry babies that squeel and you have the present situation.

This came about why? Look back on some of the threads trashing Art Martin. This from the western dogpack. Now we have some exclusionary, inciteful, uncivil or downright nasty posts happening. I mean no one can even talk about filing a chain if they are not the best, without being chided. And all the inuendo againt Art, that was never actually substantiated here in print, kinda changed the forum some, no? Again, it goes to integrity. Tom Fales could have chose a different tact when he came in here, and if he had he'd a been King around here but it didn't happen like that, did it? It was getting a little nasty in here and I think the moderation was needed. And let's face it, those guys were not modded to heavily even though there new aliases were known to the moderators. And I agreed with the "giving them some more rope" moderating ideology of the day. Of course, since the dogpack had no appreciation for civility, they strained that rope again and again. This is why people were "squealing" This place was beginning to suck. I mean if you have something to say, then make your point, clearly , and then move on. It was the consistency of the nastiness that was the problem. When one person was used up by the "dogpack" they just went on to another.


Face it lately this forum has had hardly any meaningfull discusions.

I disagree here, there are many meaningful discussions here still. That's a personal valuation. I will grant you that, your technical knowledge is deeper than average, so some of what's discussed might be basic to you. On the other hand, we have you and Crofter disecting 2 stroke theory on another thread and even though I don't know what the heck it is you two are talking about most of the time, I love to read it That's how I learn along with everyone else

So, in the end I'm up for new slates for all that can keep it civil but followed up by the moderator just in case it ain't. I don't hold any grudges or bear any ill will toward anyone. We have lost some substantial contributors here, will they come back? I dunno but I do know if the place can't be kept civil, we won't be attracting anymore.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

dope smoke talk is what this place has degenerated in to.

Smileys and bragging rights..............oh yeah!!!

 

[Crofter]

Most of the references to marijuana are not coming here from the treehouse. There is sniping going on that is not necessary for anyone but the ones who are doing it. What does it do for the person. Most of the audience does not admire someone who is constantly trying to degrade someone else. Get it through your head that it only appeals to a very small sector and I hardly think their applause very commendable.

 

[bwalker]

Most of the audience doesnt want to put up with moronic babble.

 

[Crofter]

Ben, What enlightenment is in your signature, or is it moronic babble? Are you helping with a solution or becoming part of the problem?

 

[Chris J.]

Yes, the "poofter ported efco."

I'm surprised that Darin hasn't said something about that. Maybe only because it isn't a direct personal attack. There was a lot of meaningful discussion in the hot saw fight threads.

 

[bwalker]

Off course my signiture is about sarcasm, but also I think its very telling in more ways than one.

 

[bwalker]

BTW Frank, are you helping or becoming part of the problem?