An option if you miss the political discussions we had in the Paddock.

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
I participate in a variety of forums, and recently discovered one which has a forum for “Controversial topics”.
If you, like me, are by now firmly convinced that the long rumored establishment of “The Pub”, which was suppose to be a place where we could discuss those topics, is never going to appear on our GT40s forum list, you might want to try the “DIY Chatroom” forum. In their list of forums you’ll find a forum for “Controversial Topics” where discussions of a political nature are welcomed.
Yes, they have rules...but the forum is said to be “Unmoderated”...and based on my limited participation seems to be fairly cordial in nature.
It’s an option...
Cheers
Doug
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I need the assistance of the developer that installed the software we are running on because the privs for the Pub do not work the way the manual states... That costs money. Being on a broken-income, it ain’t happening until the budget allows....
Sorry guys..
 

Larry L.

Lifetime Supporter
I need the assistance of the developer that installed the software we are running on because the privs for the Pub do not work the way the manual states... That costs money. Being on a broken-income, it ain’t happening until the budget allows....
Sorry guys..

Like I said B4...don't sweat it. It'll happen when it happens. No big deal. :cool:
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
I need the assistance of the developer that installed the software we are running on because the privs for the Pub do not work the way the manual states... That costs money. Being on a broken-income, it ain’t happening until the budget allows....
Sorry guys..
I assure you, Randy, that my comment was in no way meant to "blame" you for the delay...I've heard about the programming issues and understand that additional help is needed to fix this.

When the call for $$$$ to change over to this new forum came, I stepped up and sent money, believing that the new software would be a benefit to the forum, too. I guess hindsight is 20/20, eh?

So, here's my question...we paid good $$$ for a new forum "program" (I'm not really very technically savvy and that is probably quite evident...I don't mind), and yet the response from you above seems to indicate that the forum software we got for our $$$ wasn't worth it...ongoing problems have been reported for some time. It seems to me that GT40s.com should be able to recoup some of that $$$, or (better yet) insist that the software provider come back and make sure that the forum got what it paid for. If the privs for the Pub don't work like the manual says they should, there should be (IMHO) some method whereby we can insist that the software designer either fix it or refund our $$$ so that we can search for forum software that WILL WORK the way the manual says it should. Until that event occurs, I know that I, for one, will not be sending any $$$$ for software upgrades...no sense throwing good $$$ after bad!

I know this is NOT your fault, Randy...but wherever the fault lies, it's my opinion that the provider of the faulty program is responsible for providing a functional product for the $$$$ they got. We didn't get what we paid for...end of story.

Doug
 

Pat

Supporter
If Doug and others can is get their needs needs for "controversy" met on other sites, why even bother with the Pub? I'm not sure the participation and involvement of the admins would be worth the investment in time, money and hassle.
Invest the dollars into more mainstream forum functions that meet the needs of the majority of forum participants in more '40, racing, collecting, etc. topics. I suspect given the timing of Doug's interest, if the Pub is opened in the near future the content will be more oriented toward US political electioneering than items of generic popular interest.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
The forum software works fabulously in a number of ways.... Want to attach pictures? Piece of cake now. Want to skip all the spam messages? What spam? They’re stopped at the door now. A number of other things were addressed, not the least of which is Security. Now as far as the money donated - all I can tell you is that It only went part of the way. Ron had to pony up a good chunk of cash to get our message databases transferred over to the new format.
I am still researching the permissions issue and will ultimately prevail. I have more pressing issues I need to spend time on at home and just can’t seem to dedicate a weekend to sort it all out. My biggest fear is that I will break something else and knock the forum down. Yes it could be restored but that takes time and (again) money.
All of us appreciate the donations made to get us on current software and keeping this website online.
 

Chris Kouba

Supporter
...It seems to me that GT40s.com should be able to recoup some of that $$$, or (better yet) insist that the software provider come back and make sure that the forum got what it paid for.

Good luck pushing that rope Doug!

I appreciate all the volunteering our moderators do to keep this place running. Can't get a restricted access, controversial topic sub-forum going? Bummer. I won't miss it at all. There is an amazing social connection and wealth of knowledge on this board- without which I wouldn't have met a number of excellent people and probably wouldn't have a GT40 replica, running or at all. If there's no place to read someone's vitriol which has nothing to do with building my car or with building camaraderie on the site, it makes me even happier!

This is intended in the most respectful manner, but as Pat says, if you can go swing your appendage elsewhere, please do. If it's something you value, take the reins and run with it. Get it set up and invite all interested parties to share their hot buttons over there.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
I get the idea that the "Pub" was to be access by request only....you would not have to read what anyone posted there (and probably couldn't without being given access) unless you searched it out and requested access, which it sounds like you would not be doing.

To each his own....

Cheers!

Doug
 

Chris Kouba

Supporter
I get the idea that the "Pub" was to be access by request only....you would not have to read what anyone posted there (and probably couldn't without being given access) unless you searched it out and requested access, which it sounds like you would not be doing.

To each his own....

Cheers!

Doug


Yep. No desire to read it previously, now, nor when it's filtered off behind a curtain.

My encouragement was that if it's important to you, throw your hat in the ring and get involved to make it happen- embrace that whole "be part of the solution" mindset. Get it set up and take those discussions over there.

I am not against it existing, nor does it matter if am or not, I am merely saying that this place is only what we make it and I'm sure the moderators wouldn't mind the help.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
The solution is a technical issue, as I understand it...related to the "program" that allows us to have these discussions.

Regarding the "throw your hat in the ring"...thought I had...I have been pretty vocal about what was a very heavily populated and read thread in the past. Other than keeping in touch with Randy, I haven't tried to push any buttons.

As the old saying goes....no sense in throwing good money after bad...and as I've said, I doubt we'll ever see a "Pub". I'd like to be proven wrong about that, but it is a low priority with the admins, so....?????

Cheers from Doug!
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Yep. No desire to read it previously, now, nor when it's filtered off behind a curtain.

My encouragement was that if it's important to you, throw your hat in the ring and get involved to make it happen- embrace that whole "be part of the solution" mindset. Get it set up and take those discussions over there.

I am not against it existing, nor does it matter if am or not, I am merely saying that this place is only what we make it and I'm sure the moderators wouldn't mind the help.

There's apparently a technical issue that keeps the forum admins from setting up the forum's permissions.....should have been done by the party who sold and installed the software, if you ask me. Randy's making heroic efforts, I'm sure...he's got to be tired of hearing from me...but it WAS a VERY popular thread, albeit admittedly a bit of a problem to moderate. "The Pub" was suppose to remove all those moderation responsibilities.

so...you see....I HAVE tried to make it happen...don't have any interest in getting banned, so every now and then I send a cordial inquiry to find out where things stand....it's always the same, can't get the forum to work the way it should. It's not an indictment of anyone from GT40s, it's an indictment regarding a party who apparently sold a program and then didn't help set it up the way our admins wanted. Musta been a one-time-only deal....but if the forum doesn't work the way it was represented it should be somebody else's problem, not Randy's!

Cheers from Doug
 
DOUG,

MAYBE YOU COULD FIND ANOTHER FORUM WHERE YOU COULD BE HAPPY... THAT WOUD SOLVE 2 PROBLEMS.. YOU WOULD BE HAPPY AND IT WOULD COST RON NOTHING...REPORT BACK TO US ON YOUR PROGRESS..
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I don’t mind your periodically asking. I would love to get The Pub going, but not at the expense of making it publcally visible and available to anyone without Admin Approval.
I am looking back into it - but again - I don’t want to break or upset what we already have.
Thank you for your patience with me..
 

Chris Kouba

Supporter
so...you see....I HAVE tried to make it happen... ...every now and then I send a cordial inquiry to find out where things stand...

From my perspective, I'm not sure how asking someone where things stand from time to time translates into effort trying to make something happen, although I may be missing some aspect of this situation though. My challenge to you Doug was that if you knew of a DIY chatroom that could be set up to facilitate the goal of what the Pub is supposed to become, then take the reins and run with it. Remove the burden from the people presently bearing it. That's something I would label as making an effort. If I were doing it, this is what that effort would look like:


Hey guys, I think I solved "the Pub" problem.​
Someone I went to school with is pretty web savvy, although he actually graduated a little before me. It turns out he set up a chat forum where people post on a wide range of topics and share whatever their hearts desire. It's a great, free, un-moderated opportunity for anyone to express themselves openly, and it will allow us to recover a bit of the signal to noise ratio on the GT40s forum which makes it such a valuable asset to those who love and build these cars. Check it out here:​
There are lots of topic areas in which to indulge yourselves, including politics (FOUR- count'em- options!!!), science & math, ecology (global warming could maybe go here), religion, and atheism. Go nuts!!! It's all up and running and all free!​
I think it'd be fantastic if everyone who wanted to post on the restricted GT40's threads just signed up with craigslist and took that discussion over there. While the above is written tongue-in-cheek, the solution is actually reasonably legitimate or credible and one which I would encourage those who need their "the Pub" fix to take advantage of it. Yes, the audience will be different but I imagine they will be just as engaging.


This probably won't be the last post on this thread, but I think at this point I've said my peace. Time to focus more on our core content for me.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Cheers to you, Chris!
I thought I had done as you suggested when I authored this very thread...check out the thread title and the content of the first post and see if you don’t agree with me.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
What's up with the Pub Randy? We can make it happen I'm sure. Send me some details...

I know for sure the subform can be controlled with supporter status so that is a start.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I’ll get reacquainted with what I have tried so far and get that info to you Ron....
Thanks!
 
Its been nice over the last months without all the political harangue and dueling personal attacks. I wondered how long it would take those who lost there place to vent all this diatribe. Now we know. My position remains the same, if you want political rancor, there are 1000's of websites you can go to. Please take your need for political anger to any one of them
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
All that "political harangue and dueling personal attacks" would be hidden by "The Pub"...you'd have go get a password from an admin to even get in to the Pub, as I understand it.

Why would you want to deprive forum members of an opportunity for interaction if we obviously enjoyed it...you obviously don't, but the way Ron has described "The Pub" you would not even see those conversations. If you signed up for a "membership" to the Pub, it would still be up to you what you read...nobody's telling you what you can't read. What would be wrong with giving those who DO enjoy political discussions the opportunity to do so with their forum friends?

The bottom line, I think, is that Ron has a great solution...you take your pick and you live with it...but don't assume you can make "picks" for others.

Doug
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Ron, I notice I'm seeing posts by people I placed on "Ignored" status when we had the old VB software. Is it possible this is another deficit of this new software? I haven't tried to "Ignore" anyone since the new software was installed...but I have gotten posts from members I did ignore...along with a notice "You are ignoring content by this member".

?????

Cheers!

Doug
 
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