banned username 1
Banned User
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2001
- Posts
- 412
Hey guys
As fellow pilots and long-time posters who've given a lot to the success of this board, I'll talk to you as though we're sitting in the back of our favorite bar, and we're having some beers- you're buying, of course.
Let's get right to a couple of names that have been dropped in postings above: TonyC and Chopper Pilot (sorry, I never can get his shorthand right, so I'll have to spell it out longhand). I have a small PM dialog with both gentlemen and enjoy our rapport. For TonyC, he is a registered user at this time, and is free to post at his pleasure. Chopper Pilot (and his descendants) are in the banned category. As I understand, he and the websitemaster got crossways somehow and the websitemaster was threatened with legal action because of it. There you go. I make no judgements about it- there you go. Now, to the larger picture.
As one of my brothers said above, it's only the internet, and there are other posts attempting to bring issues into perspective, but here's really the bottom line: this board started out hoping to become a business, I'm sure. As these things go, it became a labor of love for Mark. It was supported by Mark's partners, who are now the "owners" if you will, of FlightInfo. As supportive to the memory of Mark as they are, this board is STILL a business to them, and as such, the realities of business can't be denied. It costs something to run and should at least have its expenses covered. Right now (and for many years) it isn't covering expenses- it's coming out of someone's pocket, and that pocket is Administrator's and Websitemaster's. Please try and put yourself in their place when you are paying the bills yourself and people are attacking you on the very forum you're paying to support! Think what it must feel like when a person who's been posting for free (and you're paying the freight) threatens you with a lawsuit! I'd be hot- and you would be too.
Gentlemen and ladies, as has been pointed out, this is only the internet and only a forum by, for and about pilots and their interests. Let's keep it simple, shall we? Let's not get wrapped around the axle about things. It is unbelieveable to me the number of threats of legal action about all manner of things that otherwise (I guess) rational human beings threaten to bring about to these guys (and the mods)! Trust me, it happens.
So, I spoke about the business side of this endevor. Sadly, Mark is gone and it eventually has to stand on it's own. And it will. The day to day moderating will now be done by the moderators that you've all grown to know and love:blush:.
But, as unfortunate as some people think it is that we have to have rules, because of the actions of a few, we DO have rules, and we have to inforce them. Here's why:
In order to attract advertisers, we have to do just a couple of things. We have to raise the level of civility on this board. The personal attacks simply have to stop. The links to porn (anything above PG-13) have to stop. Things that could run somebody into legal trouble (posting scab links, "outing" somebody, posting people's names, etc) have to stop. Racist comments, sexist commentsand the like have to stop. Folks, it's not really much more complicated than that. We need to make this place advertiser friendly.
The well-meaning mistakes and miscues of the past are behind us. I want all of the participants on this board to enjoy it to the fullest, but not to the risk of spoiling it for everybody else. If anyone finds that they can't abide by the few, simple things that we ask here, then we all ask that you take your internet business elsewhere. This is one of the top aviation-related sites on the internet, and we can still make it so much more- but we need to help each other.
You've asked for answers. Here are the answers. You've asked for honesty and candor, here it is. I personally ask all of you, as either aviation professionals, or just people who love aviation to use this as another way of enjoying something that we all love. And to take care of it and guard it in the same way.
Thanks for listening,
UAL78
The Administrator and the Websitemaster are going out to find advertisers to support the site. Moderation will be within the rules of the road found on each forum.
As fellow pilots and long-time posters who've given a lot to the success of this board, I'll talk to you as though we're sitting in the back of our favorite bar, and we're having some beers- you're buying, of course.
Let's get right to a couple of names that have been dropped in postings above: TonyC and Chopper Pilot (sorry, I never can get his shorthand right, so I'll have to spell it out longhand). I have a small PM dialog with both gentlemen and enjoy our rapport. For TonyC, he is a registered user at this time, and is free to post at his pleasure. Chopper Pilot (and his descendants) are in the banned category. As I understand, he and the websitemaster got crossways somehow and the websitemaster was threatened with legal action because of it. There you go. I make no judgements about it- there you go. Now, to the larger picture.
As one of my brothers said above, it's only the internet, and there are other posts attempting to bring issues into perspective, but here's really the bottom line: this board started out hoping to become a business, I'm sure. As these things go, it became a labor of love for Mark. It was supported by Mark's partners, who are now the "owners" if you will, of FlightInfo. As supportive to the memory of Mark as they are, this board is STILL a business to them, and as such, the realities of business can't be denied. It costs something to run and should at least have its expenses covered. Right now (and for many years) it isn't covering expenses- it's coming out of someone's pocket, and that pocket is Administrator's and Websitemaster's. Please try and put yourself in their place when you are paying the bills yourself and people are attacking you on the very forum you're paying to support! Think what it must feel like when a person who's been posting for free (and you're paying the freight) threatens you with a lawsuit! I'd be hot- and you would be too.
Gentlemen and ladies, as has been pointed out, this is only the internet and only a forum by, for and about pilots and their interests. Let's keep it simple, shall we? Let's not get wrapped around the axle about things. It is unbelieveable to me the number of threats of legal action about all manner of things that otherwise (I guess) rational human beings threaten to bring about to these guys (and the mods)! Trust me, it happens.
So, I spoke about the business side of this endevor. Sadly, Mark is gone and it eventually has to stand on it's own. And it will. The day to day moderating will now be done by the moderators that you've all grown to know and love:blush:.
But, as unfortunate as some people think it is that we have to have rules, because of the actions of a few, we DO have rules, and we have to inforce them. Here's why:
In order to attract advertisers, we have to do just a couple of things. We have to raise the level of civility on this board. The personal attacks simply have to stop. The links to porn (anything above PG-13) have to stop. Things that could run somebody into legal trouble (posting scab links, "outing" somebody, posting people's names, etc) have to stop. Racist comments, sexist commentsand the like have to stop. Folks, it's not really much more complicated than that. We need to make this place advertiser friendly.
The well-meaning mistakes and miscues of the past are behind us. I want all of the participants on this board to enjoy it to the fullest, but not to the risk of spoiling it for everybody else. If anyone finds that they can't abide by the few, simple things that we ask here, then we all ask that you take your internet business elsewhere. This is one of the top aviation-related sites on the internet, and we can still make it so much more- but we need to help each other.
You've asked for answers. Here are the answers. You've asked for honesty and candor, here it is. I personally ask all of you, as either aviation professionals, or just people who love aviation to use this as another way of enjoying something that we all love. And to take care of it and guard it in the same way.
Thanks for listening,
UAL78
The Administrator and the Websitemaster are going out to find advertisers to support the site. Moderation will be within the rules of the road found on each forum.
