Enough is Enough

[Chris Britton]

Ok, from what i have seen of these forums of late has been worrying, and now one fo my good friends has gone, i am fed up. The reason, because these forums are starting to lose thier way. And i am not standing for this.

I remember a time when i first joined here and met the lovely community of DannyStewart.com, it was not a big bunch, or a well known bunch, but it was a community of friends, and the harmony they shared, they were like brothers, and if one went, we all felt it, i joined at the same time as ross, and although we were the newbs of the bunch, but we became part of that family, we could all laugh and joke and contribute.

Now those days are gone, now it's just me, Ross and Danny left, however, the place carried on, even when most of our friends had left, the 3 of us kept together, and in touch, we got to know each other, and we shared so many interests, it was always nice to get home, or get to school, log onto here, and there would be new topics, replies and contributions, we could share anything, we were a small group fo close friends who knew this was our home of sorts, were we could simply chat to our hearts content, we wern't very active, or busy, and it was just us 3, but this place was special to us. And it was a highlight of the day, and i would hope it would have stayed that way, so we would always have friends.

But now the new members have changed all that, this forum is now a mess, nothing new not appears, we had a strong desire to carry on tetryon, and thats now dead, it's just flaming, spam, the same old smeg, nothing new to chat about, no new updates, it boring, this place has but a shadow of it's worth and value to those who care. Im not afraid to say that the newbs have no idea or understand of this place, and it;s just become a bed for everything a forum should not be. Danny is not around, Ross does not come on because he feels like i do, and because of the opinion of one friend who wanted to make a stand and sort things out, he has been forced out because we now have people, who do not understand what values or high regard this forum was, and how they do not contribute much. it has lost it's way, and no-one seems to care now because those who did have left or won't come on.im not on as much because it has lost that gleam, i dread coming on and seeing that it's just spam or worthless posts which hardly advance the topics, it;s not exicting, thsi is not the forums i knew, and it breaks my heart, i don;t have anywhere else which feels as special as these forums.

Danny, i beg you, sort this place out and fast, we are your friends, me, Ronnie and Ross, we helped make this place if you know what i mean, it would not be active, you would have not had a core group of friend who stuck by this forum, and supported you at anything, those would would understand and laugh along with you. I impore you to get this place back to normal and get the community back to how it was. I don't want to imagine the day i log off and don't return. But with the way these new people are abusing the forums and forcing us out, i feel that day is closer then i want to think. Danny, as your friend, and while a degree of hope remains in my heart out of my respect for this place. please, sort this out, make it the forum it used to be again, and get back Ronnie, and Ross, we have known you longer then this bunch, and you know that we won't abandon it if you help clean it up. remeber the good times.

[Ross Hendrie]

Yes, the n00bs spammed Ronn after he expressed views similar to ours. You little lowlifes have no place here. GTFO.

Totally with Chris here. Get them out.

[Chris Britton]

Thanks Ross, Danny, you have heard form your two cloest online friends, give us and you back our forum. We enjoyed it then. Not now.

[Danny Stewart]

I'm surprised you of all people would have the audacity to just post this out in the open for all the "noobs" to see and therefore make them feel bad for finding a community where they can enjoy themselves. What do you want me to do? Kick out all the new people? That's not very nice. And that's certainly not the reason I set up these forums in the first place. It makes me happy every time I receive an email from the forums telling me someone new has joined the community, wanting to participate in the discussions. I'm glad that people are on here and enjoying themselves and that is why the forum is here. Times change, and activity isn't something to be shy of. Also, if you guys want me to listen, I'm going to need a names of the members who are bothering you specifically and I'll see what I can do on a one-on-one basis.

That being said, however, certain members do not seem to be able to contain their enthusiasm for certain things (namely Ben and Nirvana / Smells Like Teen Spirit). It does seem nearly every post turns into something about that, and that does become grating after a while. I understand a passion being a passion, but here is not the place for repeated discussion about it. I will say to the new members right now that it is not unreasonable to expect them to be mindful of what they post, not post more than once in a row in one thread, and if they feel the need to go crazy, they can do it in the Spam Forum. (Because of all this, I for one have stopped reading the Spam Forum. This seems to be an ideal solution for people who don't want to take part in the more crazy antics of the new members.)

If anyone has any thoughts or comments beyond this, they may express them here, but only if they will not offend the new members. From now on I expect Chris and Ross to come to me privately in the future if they have a sensitive matter like this to discuss. You really did not need to spell this out for the new members, and frankly Ross, your comments offended even me. There will be no talk of "GTFO" or calling anyone on these forums "little lowlifes." Talk like that will get me pissed off, not because I'm defending anyone, but because this forum is definitely not the place for name calling and if I see it I'll react accordingly.

[Ross Hendrie]

One last plea Danny. Please.

[Chris Britton]

Danny, im suprised at you for posting that, and i thought you might have seen my views, yes it is nice that new people come on and post here, but is it really the forum you wanted, where people are now activley flamming or spamming each other, these newbs are having fun at our expense, thats why i posted it, becuase im nto happy, im not enjoying myself, and i wish you would understand and see that your old friends are really worried about this place. Please, one last time, try to sort it out. It's not fun when people don't help others, and it is not fun that this is happening, this forum was like a home, you were my family, like that club in that Doctor Who episode which we all hated because of Peter Kay absorbing that club. i said that part of the episode touched me because it reminded me so much of here, and like that episode some opportunists and people who don't understand have ruined it, and now the family is leaving. Danny, remember the good times we had before this. This forum was something more, something beyond our dreams. Danny, remember all the fun we used to have, just us 4, all thos good memories and good times. Dont you tihnk the forum has lost it's way, what will you doo when we leave, you will lose your strongest supporters. One last plea.

[Danny Stewart]

Originally Posted by Chris Britton

Danny, im suprised at you for posting that, and i thought you might have seen my views

I do see your views. All I'm saying is that the solution is not to just kick people off because they don't understand. You need to teach them what's okay and what's not okay here.

Originally Posted by Chris Britton

yes it is nice that new people come on and post here, but is it really the forum you wanted, where people are now activley flamming or spamming each other

No. That is a problem, and something does need to be done about it. But not just kick off all the people who are doing it. Yell at them, tell them they can't do it, expect an improvement, and if we don't see it, then kick them off.

Originally Posted by Chris Britton

these newbs are having fun at our expense, thats why i posted it, becuase im nto happy, im not enjoying myself, and i wish you would understand and see that your old friends are really worried about this place. Please, one last time, try to sort it out.

I don't see them having fun at your expense. And I'm certainly more than willing to try to sort it out! Just not by removing members from the forums!

Originally Posted by Chris Britton

It's not fun when people don't help others, and it is not fun that this is happening, this forum was like a home, you were my family, like that club in that Doctor Who episode which we all hated because of Peter Kay absorbing that club. i said that part of the episode touched me because it reminded me so much of here, and like that episode some opportunists and people who don't understand have ruined it, and now the family is leaving. Danny, remember the good times we had before this. This forum was something more, something beyond our dreams. Danny, remember all the fun we used to have, just us 4, all thos good memories and good times. Dont you tihnk the forum has lost it's way,

You're right, that was a good time, but it was growing more and more inactive by the day, and I'm happy to see new people having the same opportunity to have fun that you all once did.

Originally Posted by Chris Britton

what will you doo when we leave, you will lose your strongest supporters. One last plea.

That sounds like a threat, Chris. I'm surprised at you for making one, and it won't make me react to this any better. If you love this forum as much as you claim to, it should be no problem to take a couple of the new members aside and tell them where the problems lie and that they should clean up their act or they won't be welcome here. Why do you jump straight to leaving when there's so much more that can be done?

[Chris Britton]

Danny, i have never threatened to leave seriously in my time here before. I can take a couple of members aside, but they need to calm down and sort out thier attitute. the way there are acting i don't welcome them here unless they decide to calm down and stop flaming my friends, Ross was supporting Ronn just as i am. The Forusm were not going in active and they were managing when that episode aired, and we still came onto chat, they are having fun at our expense because they insult my friends. I want them to be told what is ok, but they should also figure that out for themselves, i wonder if you are more ceonered about the forum then the people who have cared for it for 2 years. Danny something must be done.

Danny, you know i won't leave if i can help return it to the state we love. I will stay if we can bring it back to what it used to be. so we can make these new people family. I've never let this forum die, im sorry to have yelled, but you know how much this place has ment to me and how much i would want to preserve it.

[Danny Stewart]

Good. I'm glad to hear you're willing to put in a bit of work to make the place better.

I had a couple of ideas that I think we can put in place to make the forums better.

First, new moderators. People who are really active but also very trustworthy, and can be given powers to close threads that have become inappropriate, delete offensive posts, and that sort of thing. I don't want it done excessively, but it's obvious that things like this need to be done sometimes and I'm not always on here to do it. I would happily appoint you to be the first of the new moderators, Chris.

Second, perhaps having some sort of limitations on newer accounts (newly registered users). I was thinking we could have it set so that they can't make more than one post every five minutes (to prevent spamming), and set a higher character limit so their posts are more meaningful.

If these ideas sound good to you, let me know, and I will start thinking about the best ways to start putting them in place.

[Ben Dawson]

Well, if there is anything that I can do, then I will do it. If Ronnie took what I said to offence, then I am sorry, I appoligized for what I had done a few times but it just felt like he was coming back at everything I said, I was meaning for it to be settled peacefully. I don't want members to leave for something that is so minor, I would really like to make up with Ronn so that we can be friends, it does break my heart when something like this happens and that is one thing that I REALLY want to get cleared up (if you're willing to put our matter aside and shake hands Ronn).
I agree with what you say and if there's is anything that I have done that has been taken to offence, then I am deeply sorry and I would like to help in ANY way that I can.

[Danny Stewart]

Thanks, Ben. I know you're trying to resolve the dispute now... it really needs to be something that the management considers and puts in place and the members follow without complaining. I know you're not trying to start trouble and you're doing a good job. (Just curb your excitement around here for a little while... couldn't hurt.)

[Ben Dawson]

I shall try my hardest

[Chris Britton]

Originally Posted by Danny Stewart

Good. I'm glad to hear you're willing to put in a bit of work to make the place better.

I had a couple of ideas that I think we can put in place to make the forums better.

First, new moderators. People who are really active but also very trustworthy, and can be given powers to close threads that have become inappropriate, delete offensive posts, and that sort of thing. I don't want it done excessively, but it's obvious that things like this need to be done sometimes and I'm not always on here to do it. I would happily appoint you to be the first of the new moderators, Chris.

Second, perhaps having some sort of limitations on newer accounts (newly registered users). I was thinking we could have it set so that they can't make more than one post every five minutes (to prevent spamming), and set a higher character limit so their posts are more meaningful.

If these ideas sound good to you, let me know, and I will start thinking about the best ways to start putting them in place.

Yes, im happy to be a Mod, i know Ross lost his temper just like me, but i will have a quiet word with him and see if i can;t calm him down, he might also agree to become one. But yes, since we are working to sort this place out i will try to be back here more, as i said i was not one because nothing was happening.

Limiations on new accounts is also a good idea, it helps them to settle in and we can help to ease them into the forums a lot, it does help spamming and we can teach them. Perhaps PMing them and explaing those points as they arrive, just to make it clear.

On a slightly emotional note, perhaps a little explanation of how long this place has been up and the repsect and value people place on it, besically explain peoples opinions on it, and although they are entitled ot thier own, they should not spil it for everyone else, a small point, but i feel as a long term member this place has a certain atmossphere we should uphold.

Another diea might be to use those news topics more activley, there has not neen a new topic in weeks, so perhaps encouraging members to read these news topics and open seperate disscussion threads in the appropriate topic, so we can disscuss it might also be something to encourage further activitey and disscussion, providing it is kept friendly.

in addition to my ideas, your are very good Danny, lets implement them ASAP and get these forums back to how we like them


Doctor 5, im willing to forgive and forget as long as you can tone down things, i understand where you are coming form but you did snap back, so we need to curb tensions and try to relax, maybe some humerous or light hearted topics to break the ice and encourage Ross and Ronn to come back.

[Ben Dawson]

well, I'm up for that, I'm game if you are. Those are soom really good ideas.
I have sent Ronn a private message giving him a deep apoligy and asking him to come back and leave the prolems in the past, I just hope that he reads it.
And congrats on becoming a moderator Chris and Ross.

It's funny, has anyone noticed that since all this started, the activety has had a sudden rise. Not the perfect situation for it, but still.

[Danny Stewart]

I'm more hesitant to give Ross moderator privileges because he does tend to lose his temper a lot. I know he cools off later, but regrettable things could be done in the heat of the moment. We might try it out but we'll have to see. Moderator choice will be mine and mine alone, and as much as I appreciate recommendations and nominations but in the end it will be my choice.

[Chris Britton]

I have a knack for calming ross down, i feel he gets a bit hot here because he is quite a depressed and lonely guy in real life, im not sure if should tell you it, but i think thats why he has a temper. Let me talk to him next chance i get

[Recurring Villain]

I'm still wondering what exactly I did to warrant Chris wanting me kicked off the board

On a more positive note, Danny, I'm rather good at Photoshop and Flash, so if there's anything I can help with I'd be glad to help out... as long as you ban Chris for being a purist Nazi.


(Just Kidding )

EDIT: And who was Ron Thwait? Seemed like he just registered to call Ronnie a moron then dissapeared :S

[Danny Stewart]

LOL. No idea. But thanks very much for the Photoshop/Flash offer! I need someone with skills like that! I'll definitely contact you and hopefully you'll be able to help me improve the site for the relaunch I have planned when we get it all on the new server!

[Chris Britton]

What you did RV was to laugh at the expensive of another member, im willing to forgive and forget for a simple apolgy, since im planning on staying to sort out the board

Sadly, Ross won't be coming back.

EDIT: Ok, ross changed his mind

[Ben Dawson]

yaaaaaaaaay!!!