Recent Forum Events - Threads Gone Bad.

[Ron Earp]

Dear Forum Members,

I've been traveling and dealing with some work situations that has kept me from posting much lately besides the bare minimum. This morning though I was able to wade through my forum email and the posts to try and get an idea of what is going on. I'm sorry if I seemed lax with respect to moderation, but I think it was in good hands with the other moderators.

Basically I've received over 15 email messages in the last 72 hours regarding a thread that has degenerated and a particular forum member who seems to enjoy arguing over fairly trivial issues. Sean (Meat), you of course may take the following any way you choose but bear in mind I mean in tactfully and constructively.

It would appear that a large majority of the people on this board feel you are instigating more than your fair share of "pot stirring". You may simply consider yourself pointing out a different point of view and are one of the few willing to stand up for it. I'm sure there is a little of both happening, but the way I see it is that the result is a forum or board that is loosing focus. I don't think the folks who have responded to you are completely wrong and I must point out that this never happened on the board until you joined us in December of 2002 (actively).

I knew you on the Cobra Forum and Club Cobra and I know the type of controversy that was present on those boards when you were involved. Some good, some bad, but in the end the result was a fair number of people who wanted nothing to do with the board once you were heavily involved.

This forum is going to attract a lot of your potential customers. I don't think you are going to want to alienate them, in fact, I would think that you would want to make as many friends as possible. Furthermore, I'd like for you to succeed with your project and get some new folks into the GT40 experience.

However, I agree with Hershal Byrd, a moderator of this forum, with respect to his last post to you in the "How Hard is It?" thread. Hershal and Lynn were picked to help me moderate and run the forum because they both have a lot of experience with cars, are level headed, I could meet them personally, and are good judges of character. I will support any moderator decisions here and help enforce them.

My suggestion to you would be to adopt a less combative attitude, use your real name or close derivative, drop the flags in your signature, and spend more time on your single donor GT40 project and less time picking up trivial threads here and blowing them out of proportion. That would allow me to spend more time on my GT40 project, making us both happy.

In short, I will not tolerate "off topic" threads and bickering. I've added another forum for "off topic" discussions for people to ask their friends on the board things that have nothing to do with GT40s. I'm happy to provide it, maybe it will help keep the good stuff focused.

I'm closing the "How Hard is It" thread, it has wasted enough time and has very little information on the difficulties of building a GT40.

Thanks for the time,
Ron

[Ron Earp]

To the top (ttt)

[Gary Gibbs]

Thanks

[David Morton]

Ron,
Thank you.
Dave M

[John Schneider]

Thanks Ron

[Bill Bayard]

Thank you, Ron!


Bill

[Bill D]

AMEN!!

Bill D

[DanielD]

Ron,
Thank you, I have seen alot of the debate type stuff occur on the cobraforum website and noone really tried hard enough to stop it. Some key members of that site got sick of it and took the initiative to start a new site ffcobra.com. Leadership makes a difference.
Thanks,
Dan

[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: DanielD ]

[andys]

Ron,

Thank you for keeping the peace.

Andy

[Howard Jones]

Ron...I suport any decision you make on this topic. Thank you for all your fine work!! I am a "first timer" and I would have had a much harder time with my build without this forum. I consider it my most valuable information asset.

[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: Howard Jones ]

[Eric]

good call ron, i lost interset in reading that topic along with a few others a long time ago so i had to catch up and read how low it got when i saw this post.
keep up the good work and thankyou for this forum.
ps if you are still looking for topic suggestions, maybe a "Links" page for different websites of interest??

Ron,

You are 1000% correct. Your hard work and spirit of fair play is much appreciated.

Hersh,

Ditto. You disagreed with something I posted over on clubcobra just a few days ago; no personal attacks, just a concise, respectful statement of your views. While we disagree on the point, isn't it amazing how neither of us resorted to petty megalomania? No, actually it's not. It's called giving the other guy the benefit of a doubt, and caring more about what binds us together than pounding on one another.

Thanks again to you both, you're quality people.

TT

Tom T.

[Hershal Byrd]

Right you are Tom.
I have know hostile intent toward anyone on these forums. I understood your position and moved on. I have too much respect for those like yourself that honestly contribute without trying to cause controversy.
I like to think that everyone that visits this board is here because of their passion for GT40s. I try and make an honest effort to help anyone that asks or needs it.
Life is just too short. Just remember..when sliding through the tube of life keep your elbows in. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Hersh [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Colin CJ D]

Thanks so much Ron!

[rbrunckhorst]

Thanks Ron. I just ordered my car and am counting on this forum being there.

[Bill Musarra]

Ron,
You have hit the nail on the head.This forum is about gt40s and the people building them and not their various other interest. I don't usually get off topic, but a reminder is all I need. Keep up the great work.
Bill