TonyC
Frederick's Happy Face
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2002
- Posts
- 3,050
Happy Thanksgiving!
It has been several weeks since I last posted. Without notice or explanation, I suddenly could not access ANY page of FlightInfo, although I was logged on. Seeing what we had until then called "Limbo" from that side of the proverbial fence was an unsettling experience. I had not violated the Terms of Service, or "Rules" of FlightInfo, and I had done nothing that I considered remotely objectionable. Nonetheless, I was shut out, deprived of all avenues of communication. By logging on as a Guest, I could see that none of my posts had been deleted, and that just made it more puzzling. Other registered users could see that my posts remained intact, my name appeared in blue (as opposed to red, as are the names of "banned" users), and there was no mention of my status in the "Penalty Box." My name was removed from the Aviator List. Of course, subsequent events have revealed that my mysterious "status" was apparently what they call "Miserable User" status, where "administrator" or "websitemaster" can whisk you away to a place where they don’t have to deal with you anymore. Effectively, you are silenced.
I want to publicly thank the Moderators that lobbied to have my account restored. The Moderators did not "MU" me, and in fact spoke on behalf to convince Neal Culinare, "administrator" (see FlightInfo Decorum and Conduct Announcement) to restore my "normal" status. While I had decided then that I would never post on FlightInfo again, I’m grateful that I now have this opportunity to wish all those who read this a Happy Thanksgiving, to explain my departure, and to make a request of my "FlightInfo family." I would also apologize for whatever wrongdoing I had committed to deserve the "Miserable User" status, but I honestly do not know what that might be. Although only "administrator" and "websitemaster" can relegate an "Aviator" to Miserable User status, they have both denied doing it to me. Since neither will admit to "banishing" me, they won’t tell me what I did to offend them, so there is no such opportunity to apologize.
[I composed this monologue off-line, and then logged on to post it. Although I have not posted in nearly 3 weeks, apparently I have done something to deserve another change in my status. I cannot search for new posts, I cannot edit my profile, I cannot read or send Private Messages - - I believe thsi is what they call parole. My name has again been removed from the Aviator list. Can anyone tell me what I did to deserve this? <sigh>]
My "Miserable User" assignment was not the first or the last in a series of events that have ruffled the feathers of a number of long-time members and contributors of FlightInfo. Threads have been deleted, threads have been closed, users have been banned, users have been relegated to "Miserable User" status, and users have been placed on "Parole." Forums have been deleted, rules have been changed, certain topics have been placed off limits, words and phrases have been censored and are auto-edited. It looks like the Non-Aviation, YGBSM, and Forum Feedback forums are now hidden from "Guests." I suppose that all of these actions have been intended to make FlightInfo more attractive to potential advertisers. To their credit, the moderators have taken a lot of the heat, when it’s more likely that they could not have made many of the changes. Meanwhile, the moderators have had to deal with a few unsavory characters intent on causing trouble for the community. While their actions seemed to consider the welfare of the community, removing troublemakers and parasites to make the user experience a pleasant one, some of the broader changes seemed to actually ignore the welfare of the community.
As these events, or changes, have occurred, people have reacted in a very natural way. When they changed the formula of Coca-Cola, people revolted. When they planned to tear down Tiger Stadium, people protested. When they changed the format of FlightInfo, people protested. Well, we still have Coca-Cola, but we’re not sure which version. Tiger Sadium is but a memory. And FlightInfo is now an enterprise focused on bringing in advertising revenue. As much as we protest, we won’t change any of those.
While I can’t condone 100% of the activities that have ensued, I can absolutely empathize with the feeling of frustration that has been shared. We all appreciate the COMMUNITY that is FlightInfo, the COMMUNITY that Mark created and fostered. People that have revolted have done so because they desperately want to preserve what Mark created. While you may condemn their actions, you must credit their heart for being in the right place. When someone has lost a loved one, we tend to give them more leeway in expressing their grief than we would an average stranger. These people sense the loss of the FlightInfo they knew - - they deserve a little empathy.
In the spirit of Mark, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, then, I call upon all of us to put this issue to rest. IF Michael and Neal want to turn this into a commercial enterprise at any expense, so be it. That’s their right. We have voiced our opinions, and that’s all we can do. If you’re going to watch the Tigers, you’re going to have to go to Comerica Park. And if you’re going to visit this website, you’re going to have to live by their new rules. But that’s OK. The Tigers are more than a stadium, and the FlightInfo Community that Mark created is more than a website. They can turn it into a hit-drawing, advertising rich website, but they can’t defeat the spirit of the people. Mark’s spirit, his dream, lives on.
So as we gather around the table with our families, or as we venture out of our hotel rooms for the best turkey dinner we can find at our layover location, let’s pause to consider how truly blessed we are. While we may complain about our schedule, about the lifestyle that keeps us away from home, the onerous workrules or the pathetic pay, let’s save that for tomorrow. Today, let’s think about the family that will spend this first major holiday without their father, husband, brother, and son. When we consider that profound loss, any complaint that we can imagine pales in comparison. Let’s determine to focus on the positive, and put the negative behind. Let us appreciate what we have, and thank God for the blessings we enjoy.
A few years ago, a friend of mine called my attention to this website by showing me "what they’re saying about Company X". I got interested, and then got hooked, and some 4,000 or so posts later, I feel like a part of the FlightInfo family. It is with deep regret that I choose now to direct my attention elsewhere. But while I leave, I wish no harm to those who remain. To Michael and Neal, I wish you success in your endeavors. I regret that we disagree in our vision of the future for FlightInfo, but you obviously will make those decisions.
I am asking everyone else who disagrees with the way FlightInfo is being managed to politely leave. We all know there are other places to go, and you’ve gone. We ARE more than a website. There is nothing to be gained by coming back and trying to trash FlightInfo. There’s no excuse for "looting" the place we used to call home. In memory of Mark, demonstrate your best behavior. It’s time to move on.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
It has been several weeks since I last posted. Without notice or explanation, I suddenly could not access ANY page of FlightInfo, although I was logged on. Seeing what we had until then called "Limbo" from that side of the proverbial fence was an unsettling experience. I had not violated the Terms of Service, or "Rules" of FlightInfo, and I had done nothing that I considered remotely objectionable. Nonetheless, I was shut out, deprived of all avenues of communication. By logging on as a Guest, I could see that none of my posts had been deleted, and that just made it more puzzling. Other registered users could see that my posts remained intact, my name appeared in blue (as opposed to red, as are the names of "banned" users), and there was no mention of my status in the "Penalty Box." My name was removed from the Aviator List. Of course, subsequent events have revealed that my mysterious "status" was apparently what they call "Miserable User" status, where "administrator" or "websitemaster" can whisk you away to a place where they don’t have to deal with you anymore. Effectively, you are silenced.
I want to publicly thank the Moderators that lobbied to have my account restored. The Moderators did not "MU" me, and in fact spoke on behalf to convince Neal Culinare, "administrator" (see FlightInfo Decorum and Conduct Announcement) to restore my "normal" status. While I had decided then that I would never post on FlightInfo again, I’m grateful that I now have this opportunity to wish all those who read this a Happy Thanksgiving, to explain my departure, and to make a request of my "FlightInfo family." I would also apologize for whatever wrongdoing I had committed to deserve the "Miserable User" status, but I honestly do not know what that might be. Although only "administrator" and "websitemaster" can relegate an "Aviator" to Miserable User status, they have both denied doing it to me. Since neither will admit to "banishing" me, they won’t tell me what I did to offend them, so there is no such opportunity to apologize.
[I composed this monologue off-line, and then logged on to post it. Although I have not posted in nearly 3 weeks, apparently I have done something to deserve another change in my status. I cannot search for new posts, I cannot edit my profile, I cannot read or send Private Messages - - I believe thsi is what they call parole. My name has again been removed from the Aviator list. Can anyone tell me what I did to deserve this? <sigh>]
My "Miserable User" assignment was not the first or the last in a series of events that have ruffled the feathers of a number of long-time members and contributors of FlightInfo. Threads have been deleted, threads have been closed, users have been banned, users have been relegated to "Miserable User" status, and users have been placed on "Parole." Forums have been deleted, rules have been changed, certain topics have been placed off limits, words and phrases have been censored and are auto-edited. It looks like the Non-Aviation, YGBSM, and Forum Feedback forums are now hidden from "Guests." I suppose that all of these actions have been intended to make FlightInfo more attractive to potential advertisers. To their credit, the moderators have taken a lot of the heat, when it’s more likely that they could not have made many of the changes. Meanwhile, the moderators have had to deal with a few unsavory characters intent on causing trouble for the community. While their actions seemed to consider the welfare of the community, removing troublemakers and parasites to make the user experience a pleasant one, some of the broader changes seemed to actually ignore the welfare of the community.
As these events, or changes, have occurred, people have reacted in a very natural way. When they changed the formula of Coca-Cola, people revolted. When they planned to tear down Tiger Stadium, people protested. When they changed the format of FlightInfo, people protested. Well, we still have Coca-Cola, but we’re not sure which version. Tiger Sadium is but a memory. And FlightInfo is now an enterprise focused on bringing in advertising revenue. As much as we protest, we won’t change any of those.
While I can’t condone 100% of the activities that have ensued, I can absolutely empathize with the feeling of frustration that has been shared. We all appreciate the COMMUNITY that is FlightInfo, the COMMUNITY that Mark created and fostered. People that have revolted have done so because they desperately want to preserve what Mark created. While you may condemn their actions, you must credit their heart for being in the right place. When someone has lost a loved one, we tend to give them more leeway in expressing their grief than we would an average stranger. These people sense the loss of the FlightInfo they knew - - they deserve a little empathy.
In the spirit of Mark, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, then, I call upon all of us to put this issue to rest. IF Michael and Neal want to turn this into a commercial enterprise at any expense, so be it. That’s their right. We have voiced our opinions, and that’s all we can do. If you’re going to watch the Tigers, you’re going to have to go to Comerica Park. And if you’re going to visit this website, you’re going to have to live by their new rules. But that’s OK. The Tigers are more than a stadium, and the FlightInfo Community that Mark created is more than a website. They can turn it into a hit-drawing, advertising rich website, but they can’t defeat the spirit of the people. Mark’s spirit, his dream, lives on.
So as we gather around the table with our families, or as we venture out of our hotel rooms for the best turkey dinner we can find at our layover location, let’s pause to consider how truly blessed we are. While we may complain about our schedule, about the lifestyle that keeps us away from home, the onerous workrules or the pathetic pay, let’s save that for tomorrow. Today, let’s think about the family that will spend this first major holiday without their father, husband, brother, and son. When we consider that profound loss, any complaint that we can imagine pales in comparison. Let’s determine to focus on the positive, and put the negative behind. Let us appreciate what we have, and thank God for the blessings we enjoy.
A few years ago, a friend of mine called my attention to this website by showing me "what they’re saying about Company X". I got interested, and then got hooked, and some 4,000 or so posts later, I feel like a part of the FlightInfo family. It is with deep regret that I choose now to direct my attention elsewhere. But while I leave, I wish no harm to those who remain. To Michael and Neal, I wish you success in your endeavors. I regret that we disagree in our vision of the future for FlightInfo, but you obviously will make those decisions.
I am asking everyone else who disagrees with the way FlightInfo is being managed to politely leave. We all know there are other places to go, and you’ve gone. We ARE more than a website. There is nothing to be gained by coming back and trying to trash FlightInfo. There’s no excuse for "looting" the place we used to call home. In memory of Mark, demonstrate your best behavior. It’s time to move on.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
