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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| RE: P3
DUTCH - 9/2/2018 6:35 AM
The problem is, without the website owner's OK, I do not have the authority to pass the torch. Couple that with the fact that there's a lot of stuff that's not working properly or at all (file uploader for one) and the dilemma is just exacerbated.
Some might consider the lack of a refusal/denial of a moderator transition as a form of passive approval. Unless there is a specific written contractual obligation to not do so, it sounds like appropriate notice has been given already.
Eric |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: P3
otiswesty - 9/10/2018 8:35 PM
DUTCH - 9/2/2018 6:35 AM
The problem is, without the website owner's OK, I do not have the authority to pass the torch. Couple that with the fact that there's a lot of stuff that's not working properly or at all (file uploader for one) and the dilemma is just exacerbated.
Some might consider the lack of a refusal/denial of a moderator transition as a form of passive approval. Unless there is a specific written contractual obligation to not do so, it sounds like appropriate notice has been given already.
Eric
It's easy to ass=u=me a lot of things, but it doesn't change the situation.
My suggestion would be to glean anything you feel is important from the forums as the software continues to deteriorate. It will probably stop working completely at some point on down the line. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
I think AMG has put a bunch of his DIYs on Benzworld as well, so thats a bonus |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: P3
otiswesty - 9/10/2018 8:35 PM
Some might consider the lack of a refusal/denial of a moderator transition as a form of passive approval. Unless there is a specific written contractual obligation to not do so, it sounds like appropriate notice has been given already.
Eric
And a new moderator would accomplish what? Do tell. |
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gerryvz
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2014
Location: Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s): 1994 G320, 1989 560SEC, 1994 E500 (W124)
Posts: 336
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
Planning an exit strategy is not always a comfortable nor easy topic. Back in the 2008-2009 time frame, the original web site for the 500E models, which was called 500Ecstasy.com, started having problems due to lack of attention/interest of the founder/moderator. The site had been running since August, 2003.
The site started going on and off-line, with a lot of errors in the software when it was up and running. Finally it went off-line for about 4-5 months before coming back up again with tons of errors.
I saw this happening over a period of many months, and registered a domain (500Eboard.com) and installed a free, open source and relatively modern forum package called phpbb. I kept the forum a secret, but during the month of November 2008, I realized that the 500Ecstasy.com site was never going to be brought back up or the torch of it passed to someone who had the desire/interest/technical capabilities to keep it operational.
And thus, the night of November 30, 2008, I brought the 500Eboard.com forum up and online. I e-mailed a few friends from 500Ecstasy about it (who subsequently agreed, and continue to this day, to be co-moderators), and posted short blurbs to the Banzworld, MBworld, and PeachParts (nee' Mercedesshop) forums noting that a new 500E-related forum was now online.
Almost immediately members started registering. Slowly at first, then picking up over the coming months and years. These days we are pushing 8,000 members, and this coming November 30 will be the 10-year anniversary of the 500Eboard.
It's been a labor of love to keep the forum up and running, and it's a never-ending and thankless job. Whether dealing with spammers, hackers, clueless members who don't know what they're doing, software upgrades/updates, service interruptions at the hoster, and regularly creating and implementing new features and capabilities that are helpful and of interest to the members .... always something.
Despite all the time, expense, and heartburn, it's been a great experience. I've met nearly 200 of my members in countries all over the world. In 2015 we held three 500Eboard gatherings: one on the East Coast, one on the West Coast, and one in Germany. I attended all three.
When the 500Eboard started, it started from scratch. We also were not able to use the data/database/info from the previous 500Ecstasy forum to leverage for the new forum. However, within a year or two, maybe three, there was MORE than enough information built up and the overall content and knowledge level far surpassed the predecessor forum.
Starting from scratch also allowed the creation of new and consistent conventions. Examples of this would be the illustrated "HOW-TO" tutorials that folks have done (similar to what G-AMG has done here and on Banzworld); and the creation of "OWNER" threads where individual owners can post anything they want about their cars/lives/etc. We also created a super-comprehensive database of scanned magazine articles of every known article ever made, worldwide, about the 500E. We created a Wiki (same as Wikipedia) using an add-on software package, for knowledge-sharing. The list goes on and on.
If someone here (or a small group of folks) wanted to start from scratch a new G-wagen forum that had longevity and structure, now could be a great time to do this. The world is your oyster !! The phpbb forum software remains free and is robust (also the mySQL database back-end software is free!), and hosting costs would generally run $100 or less per year.
Spreading the moderation wealth around to 3-4 trusted people helps distribute the workload, and there would be a great opportunity to organize the knowledge of the new forum according to a new organizational model (for example, organizing sub-forums around models of G-wagen (or 460, 461, pre-MBUSA 463, post-MBUSA 463, or individual systems).
If folks here started going to a new forum, the knowledge here could be recreated in a matter of a few years. ALso, information from this forum could be cross-posted to the new forum (or linked) while this forum is still up and running and accessible.
I also would HIGHLY recommend that any new G-wagen forum be run not with any commercial ownership or advertising, but solely as an enthusiast site with no strings attached. When money enters into the situation, it tends to create expectations from the owner or advertiser that are detrimental to the interests of the members.
An example of this is the PeachParts forum (formerly MercedesShop). The PP administrators actively block out the names/URLs in threads containing parts sellers that are competitive to their owner (PelicanParts).
Banzworld is laden with advertisements due to its owner, VerticalScope, being an advertisement revenue-driven firm. BW is almost unusable these days due to 10-15 ads being added to every screen displayed of its forums, slowing down computers and browsers dramatically and providing a HORRIBLE user experience.
If this forum can't be salvaged, in reality the creation of another non-commercial, enthuisiast-driven G-wagen web site is really the only antidote.
Anyone up for the challenge ?!? |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| P3
gerryvz - 9/13/2018 10:41 AM
I also would HIGHLY recommend that any new G-wagen forum be run not with any commercial ownership or advertising, but solely as an enthusiast site with no strings attached. When money enters into the situation, it tends to create expectations from the owner or advertiser that are detrimental to the interests of the members.
You were not here at the time, but this is the exact reason that P3 came to be after Benzworld was taken over by VerticalScope. A non-compete agreement is why the P3 owner had to remain anonymous, and he appointed Brent (no longer here) and me as his front men. |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
ClubG is a good place to hang out. "All G, all the time", and it even runs on phpBB.
https://clubgwagen.com/forum/index.php
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
But not for all. Some G owners are banned. |
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gerryvz
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2014
Location: Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s): 1994 G320, 1989 560SEC, 1994 E500 (W124)
Posts: 336
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
The whole "banning" thing is interesting.
Why would people be banned?
I've only had to ban a small handful of people on my forum in 10 years -- mainly for egregious behavior such as threats or major disruptions. In a couple of cases, extremely angry sellers who get bent out of shape when my members commented on their cars for sale and pointed out the flaws of their cars.
Usually I give one warning, and then if they don't shape up they're history. That said, it's only been a small handful of people. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Photo Hosting Website
I have to agree with Alan that this is probably the best option out there with a lot of involved members and wide moderator base.
I was also banned at one time and 6+ years of posts and pictures were deleted. I was able to renew and repair my relationship with the founder of that forum and there are no residual hard feelings.
I like ClubG and while the database is not as deep as here on P3 for the 1990s trucks, it is getting better and better. Some very knowledgeable owners and participants there. No G-AMG tho. |
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