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Caught up in the stampede
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PatJ:
I must say I was shocked to no end by the changes on "the other forum" (TOF as it came to be known in my book, I won't dignify it with a name), especially what I consider the particularly onerous terms of service, and the disgusting grab of material ownership.
My beef started when I requested that my drawings be removed from the download section, since I specifically labeled both the topic and every drawing with "For personal use only. Not for commercial use or resale". After numerous polite requests were ignored, I really had to demand an answer. The response to my questions was a permanent ban from the site, with a very terse response to take up any copyright issues with a P.O. box.
All I can say is that it is grand folly to treat anyone that way.
That sort of behavior catches up with you very quickly.
I have always enjoyed sharing with fellow hobbyists, and quite frankly felt more than a little violated when my terms of use of my drawings were modified without my consent.
I have invested a great deal of time in creating drawings for model engines, and I have never sold those drawings, but rather posted them for free on what I thought would always be a non-commercial forum.
It appears for now that my drawings have been removed from the other site, so hopefully things will remain that way.
I did start my own forum last year, not so much as to go into competetition with anyone else, but rather to document the engineering and design side of model making. I think I have pissed off more than a few people with my limited forum scope and limited membership, but the purpose of my forum is engineering documention. Other forums like this one do a much better job of covering the topic of making and machining model engines, and I would have to guess are more inclusive too.
I gave up trying to please everyone, since that is impossible, and decided to keep my forum small and very narrow in scope, and limited in membership to those who were truly intersted in contributing to a narrow and specific topic.
I don't do karma points, or have project of the month contests, since I don't want my forum to be a popularity contest, or a competition which pits one modeler against another with the intent to drum up as many hits on the site as possible (presumably so it can become more valuable and later be sold). I know people love those karma and engine of the month things, so again, I am the bain of many.
Hopefully this forum can have quality and quantity, but I would warn that a large forum will be a difficult, time consuming and unweildy thing to handle.
Hopefully I can check in here from time to time, and mingle with the crowd I use to know from the other forum.
I know I share many common interests and experiences even with the folks I have disagreed with in the past.
Glad to see someone stepping up and starting a forum.
Its a great thing.
I highly encourage it, and wish it all the success in the world.
All the elements require to make a great forum appear to be coming together here.
I am giddy with the possibilities.
Pat J
DaveH:
Hi Pat J
Welcome to model engine maker. :D :D :D
I'm glad your drawings have been sorted out :)
:)
DaveH
spuddevans:
Hi there Pat, it's great to see you here along with all the other great members from the other site.
Tim
Dean W:
Hi Pat! Glad to see you made it through the ship wreck! ;)
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