The way this Board is run

Your suggestions on how to improve the site and forums
joolsb
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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by joolsb » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:13 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I'll do you a trade: one or two of our eccentrics for some of your cheese.
Two of my favourite French cheeses come from the Franche-Comtè: Morbier and Comté. So, let's see, who's looking very eccentric round here.... :lol: :evil: :mrgreen:

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by Joanna Carter » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:36 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

joolsb wrote:Two of my favourite French cheeses come from the Franche-Comtè: Morbier and Comté. So, let's see, who's looking very eccentric round here.... :lol: :evil: :mrgreen:
What's eccentric about those? One of my favourites is Mimolette Vieille; how would that rate on the eccentricity scale?
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joolsb
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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by joolsb » Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:55 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I thought we were trading eccentric people for cheese, not people for eccentric cheese.... ;)

Charles Twist
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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by Charles Twist » Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:57 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

More importantly, to paraphrase the general himself:
How can you govern a forum with 246 varieties of eccentric?
Regards,
Charles

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by joolsb » Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:59 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Good point. Does simply being a large-format photographer mark one out as an eccentric? I guess it probably does... :D

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by Joanna Carter » Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:08 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Charles Twist wrote:More importantly, to paraphrase the general himself:
How can you govern a forum with 246 varieties of eccentric?
Only 246? :? :shock: :lol:
joolsb wrote:Good point. Does simply being a large-format photographer mark one out as an eccentric? I guess it probably does... :D
Only if you use a PhaseOne back on a 10x8 camera :P
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IanG
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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by IanG » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:28 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

PAUL O wrote:. As far as "developing" the website I would argue this point - we should be developing the workshop side of the group?? We have over 700 mebers yet I remember the same (very)few faces who could be bothered to meet up at locations all over the UK. This lack of interest was the driving force behind my own loss of interest in the group. I don't think many of us realise how much behind-the-scenes legwork goes on in arranging a (free) workshop!!!!!!!!!

If people can't be bothered to make the physical effort to meet up and share the craft then this group will (has?) become a faceless cyber group.

Hmmmm ... enough said me thinks :?
What's being lost in all this is that a great many people here are meeting up, there does need to be some serious questioning as to why there's a lack of support from many for the official board orgaised events, shich is why you can say " the same (very)few faces".

I've met up with quite a few members here and the reasons for not wanting to join the official get togethers seems to be the same. But any discusion of this and similar issues just gets deleted.

None of the issues brought up in many previous posts have been resolved which is a sad reflection on the way the site is administered, Marc / DJ has said that points raised have been resolved, but that's just not the case.

What some of us are highlighting mirror your own comments "This lack of interest was the driving force behind my own loss of interest in the group. I don't think many of us realise how much behind-the-scenes legwork goes on in arranging a (free) workshop!!!!!!!!!" which is why we want to see a more serious effort to improve this forum and it's associated website.

If Marc/DJ wants more meaningful input then he must make that clear, there's a wealth of content that could be added, and I'm sure people who could do much of the legwork.

Ian

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by PAUL O » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:45 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Ian, having spent some time trawling through your various postings it is clear that you are very unhappy with this forum and the competencies/vision of those individuals who volunteered their time and effort to maintain this resource.

I do feel that you've missed the whole point of this website .... it was and always has been nothing more than a vehicle for the UKLFPG "gatherings". The forum was devised to support and offer assistance to LF users who attended our get-togethers. Time has moved on since the group formed and some (you?) could argue that the website has not evolved to match other similar LF websites/forums? Who Cares? Not me! I would go further and argue that the majority of people who use this resource are happy with it? Of course it coud be bigger and bolder but there are other sites out there in cyberspace that offer this should you so desire.

My solution to your issues with this forum and its moderators is quite simple .... just leave and no longer waste your time/energy posting here. Surely this would end your obvious frustrations with the group?
Life is too short to be unhappy and your are clearly not happy here?
So why not do the decent thing?

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by Andrew Plume » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Ian

I feel that the 'problem' for want of a better description, is that the majority on here are entirely happy with all that evolves/revolves/whatever etc around it and that's clear from the few that have posted in response to your initial thread...........and I can fully appreciate that, it's natural to find 'comfort' after all, - completely understood

You're a professional photographer and I am (in the events which have occured etc etc are) pretty similar, albeit that I do a fair amount of selling to pay for the next over expensive very ordinary pint of bitter...........

Anyhow, you've mentioned workshops and the same people, well if there's enough interest in say, a workshop with old brass uncoated lenses including swirly petzvals, not wet plate, just analog, I'm more than happy to bring along a load of lenses, so that others can have a play for the day.................it may make sense to break out and away from shuttered multicoated stuff for a few hours, who knows, just something that's occured and following your post

regards

andrew

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by IanG » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:16 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

PAUL O wrote:Ian, having spent some time trawling through your various postings it is clear that you are very unhappy with this forum and the competencies/vision of those individuals who volunteered their time and effort to maintain this resource.

I do feel that you've missed the whole point of this website .... it was and always has been nothing more than a vehicle for the UKLFPG "gatherings". The forum was devised to support and offer assistance to LF users who attended our get-togethers. Time has moved on since the group formed and some (you?) could argue that the website has not evolved to match other similar LF websites/forums? Who Cares? Not me! I would go further and argue that the majority of people who use this resource are happy with it? Of course it coud be bigger and bolder but there are other sites out there in cyberspace that offer this should you so desire.

My solution to your issues with this forum and its moderators is quite simple .... just leave and no longer waste your time/energy posting here. Surely this would end your obvious frustrations with the group?
Life is too short to be unhappy and your are clearly not happy here?
So why not do the decent thing?

Unfortunately we've no longer have access to the deleted threads and posts which are or rather were an important part of this discussion.

Paul you're the pne who left so that's not a fair comment. Some of is just want this forum to flourish, and the stumbling blocks are minor.

The site has now gone past being just a vehicle for past gatherings and that needs addressing. You only speak for yourself, however many of us and thats all the newer non Clique members would like to see the site improve, we have no issues with the current admin if they listen. If that means a new UK based LF website would be a better option then so be it, but it's not far off happening which would be a shame on all the moderators and admin here.

This site sits on a knife point, it's held back badly by a few and the majority want it to evolve and go forward/

Ian

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by dave_whatever » Tue Nov 01, 2011 12:18 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

IanG wrote:This site sits on a knife point, it's held back badly by a few and the majority want it to evolve and go forward
Who is this majority of which you speak? And why are they conspicuous by their absence on this thread? :?

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by DJ » Tue Nov 01, 2011 1:57 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

IanG wrote:You only speak for yourself, however many of us and thats all the newer non Clique members would like to see the site improve, we have no issues with the current admin if they listen.
This Ian, I'm afraid, is the fundamental point you seem to either unwilling or incapable of accepting. You speak only for yourself. Yours is but one opinion, you seem to place considerable weight upon it, but it is merely that, your opinion. Just because you do not like something, it does not instantly become an issue that must be resolved. There may be those who share your opinion, in whole or in part, however, this thread has clearly demonstrated that the majority DO NOT share your opinions. I'm also sure many members would be surprised to learn of your claim to speak for them.

Your continued petty remarks such as "however many of us and thats all the newer non Clique members would like to see the site improve" are wearing thin and are negatively impacting this community. As been very adequately proven in this thread, the only "clique" that exists upon this board is in your imagination, other members responding to this thread have stated they have experienced no such thing, the very ethos of this community from its inception has been openness, that everybody is welcomed. If there is a "clique" or divide, you have created it. You appear to be incapable of letting any opportunity go by without inserting some form of petty dig at the status quo, this is not the behaviour of a rational mature adult and frankly, at this stage merely comes across as being deliberately antagonistic.

The organisers, moderators, administrators and members of this community have listened to you, with almost infinite patience and understanding. You've been ill-mannered and insulting along the way, insisting that the moderators are complacent and "luddites", the forum is "mickey mouse" because it does not comply with your opinions, offered many accusations and insinuations which have been proven to be either formed entirely on assumption or utterly baseless, and steadfastly failed to offer any constructive suggestions. On any other forum you would have simply been banned some time ago.

We get that you don't like the red highlighted names. We respectfully disagree. For something that seems so utterly trivial and inconsequential to most, this for some inexplicable reason drives you to distraction. This is in place not because we do not know how to turn it off, nor that our software is "out of date" and doesn't have the functionality to disable it, it is because we choose not to, and we have repeatedly explained the reasons why. The majority seem not in the least bothered by this, the admins and moderators perceive it to serve a useful purpose, so thank you for the feedback, but we have decided not to adopt your suggestion. Move on.

This site does not allow unrestricted image uploads. Neither do most forums, in fact, a great many do not allow any at all. Embedding images into posts is trivial using free online services like Flickr and Photobucket, which are designed for that very purpose. We are not an images hosting service, never have been, never will. Stating that any limitations we must work within are just "lame excuses" serves only to demonstrate what a poor understanding you have of hosting issues. We have offered a suggestion which might free up some of the attachment space but there's been little to no response.

The suggestion that the main "non-forum" area of the site could do with a refresh is a notion that we have been in agreement with for some time, and we're happy to take on constructive suggestions from everyone for what kind of content might be included there. We have day jobs, it's not going to happen tomorrow, and we cannot guarantee to include every suggestion. This is just common sense.

We have listened to every suggestion. Some have been acted upon, some have not. I don't know how to make this any clearer Ian, but yours is not the only vote. This forum and community does not march to your personal manifesto.
IanG wrote:If that means a new UK based LF website would be a better option then so be it, but it's not far off happening which would be a shame on all the moderators and admin here.
This is not the first time you have alluded to this, as though you believe it to be some form of threat. Yet as we have repeatedly expressed, we are not competing with anyone. If by these repeated remarks you intend to infer that you intend to start your own LF website if we do not mould this one into your vision, then best of luck, but I assure you of this, you will not be permitted to continue polluting this one the way that you are now.
IanG wrote:This site sits on a knife point, it's held back badly by a few and the majority want it to evolve and go forward.
The majority do want it to evolve and go forward; the majority has spoken in this thread, and what they want Ian, is less of your caustic outbursts. Your good will and credibility here are spent.

If you can post in a considerate, well mannered way, then we welcome you to stay, if you cannot, then leave. Or be the first person in board history to be banned. Your choice.

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by Fourtoes » Tue Nov 01, 2011 8:47 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Quick, page 7 is coming up....keep tuned.

Cant believe this is still on going.

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by PAUL O » Tue Nov 01, 2011 9:19 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Ian why don't you simply start your own LF group? You can then manage it to your heart's content. For the sanity of the group I would suggest you take this path as you clearly do not fit into the mindset of the majority and certainly the founding ethos of this group.
If you decide otherwise I would support that you be banned from posting as you are turning this forum into a farce.

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Re: The way this Board is run

Post by David Rees » Tue Nov 01, 2011 11:23 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm very happy with the board as it is.

I have followed this thread carefully, and it is clear that the majority view does not agree with Ian.

Despite multiple requests, Ian has not provided us with a vision of how this board can be improved in any significant way. His posts have not been constructive, and I can understand why the moderators are becoming annoyed.

However, where I take issue is with the suggestion that he should be banned from the forum. I respectfully submit to the moderators that Ian is entitled to feel that the board is not run how he would wish it to be, and to hold to that view. In his posts within this thread, he has said nothing that in my view warrants a ban.

If, after all the efforts by the moderators to explain, Ian still holds to his original view, then all is not lost; clearly the majority agree with the moderators, and everyone has had a chance to give this matter some thought. But there seems to be a trend in recent comments that Ian should be baned unless he recants from his earlier view; that strikes me as inequitable. Yes, his position is irritating, and clearly wrong from the perspective of the majority. But unless insults are flying beyond this thread, what has he done to warrant a ban?

None of the above should be construed as agreeing with Ian; I think he is completely wrong, and his posts have certainly read as being petty. I wish also to applaud the patience of the moderators; they have gone to great lengths to explain matters, and help Ian (and all who have followed this thread) to understand why we are as we are.

But I'd like to respectfully submit to the moderators that the best thing they can do now is withdraw from posting further in this thread, given that Ian is clearly unable to make any useful suggestions. His position is silly, and his posts have made that crystal-clear. Despite this, you have done everything you can to address his points anyway. No-one could ask you for more. Simply let this thread wither away, and hope he comes around in time. But please don't ban him for disagreeing with you!

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