Banned members don't show on the members list. And of course deleted ones don't exist at all.
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Banned members don't show on the members list. And of course deleted ones don't exist at all.
I've changed my forum name since the switch so the motorsport.com site has my old username (which was confusingly my real name). I looked back in on a guest account and found one of my old posts and it links quite clearly to my profile which has my msn address etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by kendra
I've now sent another message which was a bit more measured. TBH I think that they'd be better off deleting the posts altogether, I think people are far more likely to join a completely new forum than they are to join one which is quiet.
I just noticed that some of the threads in the Chit Chat forum are now closed for no apparent reason :cornfused:
And henners88 is showing up as a moderator :eek:
Now THAT I'd like to see, LOL :DQuote:
Originally Posted by henners88
I didn't swear, at all, I didnt even post in the forum itself. I sent them a message via their comment section on the survey and asked that I and all my posts be removed forthwith...and I even wished them luck!
I was gone in less than 30 minutes. As of my last check (yesterday) my info is STILL THERE.......
Im starting to think, however, that by banning me, they may have thought they were partially honoring my request (as Mark said, banned users don't show up in the user list) BUT with the thousands of posts still there, all one has to do is click on the name of the poster (me) and it goes straight to the profile page, banned or not. Im beginning to think they just really don't know what they are doing yet as evidenced by other user's posts in this thread alone....
It is obvious that I arrived quite late to the meeting and, therefore, something at a loss regarding what has been going on around here. From prior tidbits picked up here and there as well as persuing this thread, I now have something of a better idea as to what all the brouhaha seems to be about.
In all honesty, I had long forgotten that this forum even existed. I joined on 19 December 2003 and my last posting was on 24 May 2006 while I was still in either Iraq or Kuwait -- hard to say since I was always going back and forth at that time. It was my practice many years ago to observe -- and participate -- in various fora even while continuing to run The Nostalgia Forum at what was then still AtlasF1, which was later bought by Haymarket and is now Autosport.com.
I have something of a better appreciation than most here for what Mark might be experiencing since I no longer exist as far as Autosport is concerned. In mid-November 1999, "The Nostalgia Forum" -- better known as simply "TNF" -- was launched at AtlasF1. No, I did not name it, given that I was tied up with thinking about other things -- just an impeding assumption of command -- and had not given that much thought. The editor of Atlas, Bira Goren, decided on the name and given that I could not come up with anything she liked and the launch date was essentially "now," we went with her suggestion, a decision I have regretted everyday for over eleven years.
I should add that beginning in April 1999 I began writing a column entitled "Rear View Mirror" for the AtlasF1 Journal. It was this column and my basic disgust with the existing forum that led to TNF being created.
Through luck, good fortunate, and hard work, TNF actually and miraculously began to become what I had hoped, a forum devoted to automobile racing history, although with far too much nostalgia for my taste. However, the editor's wishes were the editor's wishes and better a forum that was a 60-75% or so solution than no forum at all. I will not go into much of the background, but there were more than a few disagreements and much stress in the relationship between yours truly and the editor over the direction of the forum and even the column. This eventually led to issues that finally reached the melting point on my part. After offering to buy the forum or at least renegotiate our arrangement, both of which fell through, essentially, I left before I was booted out.
Let me add that the forum had attracted the likes of Doug Nye, Karl Ludvigsen, Graham Gauld, David McKinney, and a number of others from that community to participate in that forum, plus others such as Vic Elford, Brian Redman, and even Dan Gurney to pop into the forum at various times. Plus, we tackled a number of sticky historical issues and often came to some resolution regarding them.
I did return after the "meltdown" of 2004, there was a very different ambiance and direction, the current moderator often being well-meaning, but is certainly not a historian by any measure. Informed and knowing to an extent, yes, but that is scarcely the same as being a historian. Not criticism as much as a reflection that he fit the mold that the editors past and present find more to their liking -- plus, he is British, a point in his favor given the change in ownership several years ago.
Despite the hard feelings, I did return to TNF simply because -- no offense -- there was not and is not anything that comes close to it regarding the discussion of automobile racing history generally available. Even in its greatly diminished form, TNF still manages to remain the class of the genre, which is, to be blunt, not all that much of a challenge given the competition -- again, no offense meant, simply stating bald facts. Indeed, I did continue to contribute to those discussions I thought worthwhile and ignored the rest of the rubbish and fluff, which had now become the mainstay of the forum.
However, I no longer exist at TNF. As either "Don Capps" or "H Donald Capps" my existence has been zapped into the eternal ether, to the infinite and beyond, as they say. The heavy-handedness and utter stupidity of those running Autosport.com continues to amaze me. For inexplicable reasons I was recently given the aforementioned heave-ho as a forum participant. No ugly posts or bricks through the screen, simply the all too usual small-mindedness of that ilk.
Which, finally, brings me to this, the reason that motivated me to write this post in the first place:
This was, indeed, one of my questions that I posed to the nameless, faceless entities running the Autosport site: their stance is that they own the rights* to whatever is posted, a position which, naturally, I not only questioned but expressed my objections to rather loudly. That no one ever bothered to respond to my queries regarding this was, I realized, the typical way that they handled such things. Then one day, no warning or rationale provided, I was vanished. Not banned, but simply ceased to exist, my existence blotted from the record, an act similar to what Winston Smith may have performed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Although my brief in the "goodness" of fora as a means for encouraging and furthering the discussion and research into topic relating to automobile racing history is scarcely a single percent of what it once was some years ago, I still think that it is worth the effort to continue that effort, even as hopeless and fruitless as it seems to be. There seems to be generally information-rich environment on the internet which continues to be staggeringly knowledge-poor. Despite a lessening of any real hope of accomplishing my original goal I set for TNF, the professorial streak in me prods me to continue the quest, although I am now on the cusp of finally throwing in the towel and restricting my time to my other writing.
At any rate, interesting to wind up here solely because I got an email regarding a forum I had long since forgotten and then read all the trials and tribulations that Mark and others are experiencing.
HDC
* Note: This was actually round two of a disagreement regarding my writings, the Atlas editor and I have a sharp disagreement as to whom actually owned what was written in my many coiumns from 1999 to 2004.
Interesting post, thanks for sharing. Before I started this forum I did used to read AtlasF1 and remember your name from there. I hope you can stick around and share some of your insights here.
got the PM on 23rd Jan 11 but the link had been change to take me back therestill waiting to get a ban from thereQuote:
Originally Posted by henners88
Still no replies to my many attempts at contact. I've now put a message up on their facebook page in the hope that they'll pay more attention.
Success!!! Tried logging in on the off chance and it seems that I had limited priveleges so could delete all my information :D
just go an make a post with a title like hay sware word ban me space word out to get around auto sensor (f_u_n)thunderbolt Guest
Just been reading the old forums. This is tamburello is saying:
It seems the old forum is where all the banned members are goingQuote:
I'm looking forward to whatever plans there are for this forum.
The racists, bigots and bully-boys that have flown elesewhere won't be missed by me.
Hardly surprising that they have all clung together, as that is what the weak do.
Just thought I'd clear up a point posted at motorsport.com. Despite what they say there was no disagreement about the future of the forums, except that they wanted to buy them and I didn't want to sell. So they took them anyway.Quote:
It'll be interesting to see how the new forum works itself out and how it looks. However I fear that the admin may be looking to charge (I believe that this was the source of the disagreement with Mark in the first place), if that happens then I can't see it being a viable option. Without people posting regularly it'll be hard to attract new users, especially with so many free forums that offer similar services. And without the traffic of the regulars that Mark's forum had I can't see the google ads bringing in more revenue, in fact I'd imagine it's shrunk quite a bit.
I no more clue about what their plans are/were than anyone else.
Sounds like a disagreement to me. As far as I can tell they only offered to buy them because they weren't making money, ergo they want to start charging (I can't see how else they can bring in more cash). You said no so that counts as disagreement and then they stole them. I didn't mean that you disagreed in the way that they make out in the announcement, that makes it sound like it was a polite parting of ways.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Yes, I'd say that's true. Just that they seem to make out that it was a disagreement over some aspect of their future plans. Which it wasn't.
You need room 12A.
Let's be clear here. That the present situation was not their objective. My admin account on the forum was deleted without warning, it was only that I was doing daily backups after I rejected their offer that I was able to restart the forum on a new server.
It's clear to me that their intention was to get rid of me and deprive me of the posts and member information leaving me only with the domain name.
If what they achieved amounts to theft can be argued as I still do have the data, but it's clear their intention was to steal the forums from me.
bunch of donkeys :p
That's not what you told me on MSN :p you said they wanted to change the forum font to Comic Sans and you didn't want them too :angryfire :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Delete the data and take them to court :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark
As Tamby is staying at Motorsport.com it can probably be considered a victory :DQuote:
Originally Posted by henners88
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_artic...lagiarism.html
Quote:
What is Plagiarism?
Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work, or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense:
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means
•to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
•to use (another's production) without crediting the source
•to commit literary theft
•to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.
But can words and ideas really be stolen?
According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).
All of the following are considered plagiarism:
•turning in someone else's work as your own
•copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
•failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
•giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
•changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
•copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)
Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. See our section on citation for more information on how to cite sources properly.
All I can say is I'm happy that the community has found a new home :)
And Mark, screw them, let them have their 5 members and Tamburello :p
and a Moderator who joined on 14th Jan 11 and has a Total of 5 PostsQuote:
Originally Posted by woody2goody
Their latest reply on the forum they claim that they 'have the rights and have for over 9 years'. What a complete and total pile of nonsense! They hosted the forums and linked to them, nothing more. They also claim to have the 'legal paperwork' well they can't have as I have never seen any, unless they dreamed it up themselves but I never agreed to that so it makes it worthless anyway.
They also say they paid for and upgraded the server, well that's true but that was on no implication of ownership.
I am grateful for the years they hosted the forums, I guess being swindled is the price I ultimately had to pay for that.
Anyway I achieved my objective over there into posting a justification and they did, albeit a load of crap. But I'm finished over there so my account can be deleted (again!)
If you read the thread I think that much is self evident :pQuote:
Originally Posted by henners88
Apparently I was somehow tricked into revealing how I was, after I'd decided to finish. At least Nancy admits she's talking a load of nonsense, and we know this forum is being watched :wave:
Anyway, it doesn't matter, I've always thought that once posts are off the front page of a forum they might as well not exist, plus the only thing which matters is the members posting right now, and I'm very fortunate that all but perhaps one have stayed with the genuine forums, so what they do 'over there' doesn't really matter one bit.
I did suggest that they would be better off starting from scratch, but then that's exactly what they've ended up having to do :D
In the meantime we can get down to the business of the F1 season rolling around once again :cool:
What annoys me most is that I've asked them (via email as my account has been deleted) to delete all my threads/posts too, but no reply so far and my posts are still there as a "guest"... ja right 22.000 posts as a guest :rolleyes:
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewt...?f=6&t=2105178Quote:
Originally Posted by pino
i think if you can prove that you signed up with with motorsport forum and not motorsport.com they would have to remove all the postsQuote:
It all depends on the laws of the country where the server is . In holland for exqample one can ask for posts to be deleted and the site owner must delete them except if it ruins the flow of the site . That means that single posts must be deleted but if you have started a thread your starting post wont be deleted .
The idea about putting things in the site rules that say that the content belongs to the site owner or that the site owner has the right to decide if he deletes post are useless if the law of the country your server is in says something else . Laws come before site rules
I've already sended 2 email and got no replies so what else I can do when I've no access to their forum, hence I cannot contact them via pm ? :s I guess I just have to give up and move on :)
I have to make one point clear
I don't know exactly what he's referring to but I haven't emailed anyone at motorsport.com for a long while.Quote:
jackdSome Threads were deleted due to reasons of harrassing someone
on purpose both on the forums and in personal emails.
We do agree with you.
We do thank you for your comments.
It seems that I have been deleted -- again! :crazy:
good looking
I think that may have been something I sent via the 'Contact Us' thing. I wasn't exactly complimentry in the early stages :erm:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Anyway I decided to have a look to see how things at motorsport.com/forums had progressed in the last month or so and much to my surprise...well actually it's going terribly for them. The number of regular posters seems to be Mixa + race director + mods and admin. Most sections are left untouched since the switch and the keenest thread is in the feedback section and is more about the new look of the motorsport.com website than the forum...it's also almost all negative.
Lives and learns I guess.
Oh and they seem to have a bit of a sticky infestation in the F1 forum, someone went a bit mad with the old threads and doesn't seem to have worked out how to get rid of them.