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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 22:53:45 GMT
I was an early member there. Then, the 3-rail went dormant....family, business and outdoor railroad (part of the business)...25 years it sat. Cleaned it up, expanded into the new basement section, tried to log in, and oh, no, real names, addresses, all that. If you've ever had an Identity Theft issue, you don't do that. Told them that. Oh, no, gotta play by OUR rules. Told them to delete the account.
I have various ways of logging in places that don't identify who I am easily. Yeah, IP address gets close.No on-line banking, either. No Stupidphone 3.0, if I order something if possible I call it in.
Not playing the OGeR game.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2020 1:51:21 GMT
Walter, there are folks out there that crave attention. Perhaps the forum that an individual typically hangs out has had such a loss in participation, crow may be the only choice on the menu. Wow! I thought this was the friendly forum. No bashing of other forums or personal attacks. What happened?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2020 9:59:21 GMT
Bob, this is a friendly forum. Unfortunately from time to time old feelings can make their way to the surface whether it be here or somewhere else. Neither condoning nor disagreeing. As we go through life it is impossible to like or be liked by everyone. All a person can do is to be the best they can be and at the end of the day hope they got it right. I find that humor can be a good friend and I will use it in any given situation. By the way, we are not the CTT FORUM. CTT was kind enough to become a Corporate Sponsor and they extended a one time donation as have all of our Corporate Sponsors. Whom we are very grateful to and appreciate to no end! Time will allow sleeping dogs to lie.
Regards,
Gary.
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Post by ptc on Jul 23, 2020 10:56:49 GMT
Classic Toy Trains (CTT) has their own forum. Runs off their website.
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Post by ptc on Jul 23, 2020 11:14:54 GMT
Bob, happy to see that you pop into the OGF once in a while. Hope you come to see us and post more often to the OGF as we value your membership. I guess this thread really grabbed your attention.
In terms of your OGF friendly forum comment, there is an old parable that says in part: "A farmer went out to sow his seed". Enough said about this subject.
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Post by 4dogsinjersey on Jul 23, 2020 14:36:04 GMT
I must not be seeing the whole picture here. The “Bashing” seems to have concerned a heavy handed moderator at another forum that is either loved or hated, depending on who you are talking to. Then I saw the post on MTF asking Lee if “ he could feel his ears burning.”. I don’t get it.
As far as OGR is concerned, there are some great guys there that are friendly and can converse without dragging down the conversation in to the muck. The odd thing is that most posts seem to get trampled or ignored. Not much exchange there.
I read the OGR to garner tech info. I have posted there, but the discussion is “shallow”. I can understand that as the forum has a large following and many active members. It just isn’t my speed.
Finally, I find the MTF forum seems to be loosing steam, especially in the O gauge section. Perhaps the summer season has something to do with that, but when a forum section that promotes discussion other than trains, is very, very active, it leads me to believe that people are more willing to add fuel to the various fires rather than talk trains. I posted there often but recently have found myself shying away from conversations there. There are great people there too, but the general participation has dropped quite a bit where it counts as increased where negative subjects are concerned.
I am sorry if I come across as “bashing” other forums, but it is a matter of expressing reasons as to why I participate here at OGF and have strayed away from the other two. I don’t hate any other forums, they just are not for me when it concerns actively participating. We move on and change. We can leave it at that.
OGF is simply a better fit for me.
Tom
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Post by ptc on Jul 23, 2020 14:39:10 GMT
"OGF is simply a better fit for me."
For a lot of as well, Tom.
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Post by thebigcrabcake on Jul 23, 2020 15:42:16 GMT
I must not be seeing the whole picture here. The “Bashing” seems to have concerned a heavy handed moderator at another forum that is either loved or hated, depending on who you are talking to. Then I saw the post on MTF asking Lee if “ he could feel his ears burning.”. I don’t get it. As far as OGR is concerned, there are some great guys there that are friendly and can converse without dragging down the conversation in to the muck. The odd thing is that most posts seem to get trampled or ignored. Not much exchange there. I read the OGR to garner tech info. I have posted there, but the discussion is “shallow”. I can understand that as the forum has a large following and many active members. It just isn’t my speed. Finally, I find the MTF forum seems to be loosing steam, especially in the O gauge section. Perhaps the summer season has something to do with that, but when a forum section that promotes discussion other than trains, is very, very active, it leads me to believe that people are more willing to add fuel to the various fires rather than talk trains. I posted there often but recently have found myself shying away from conversations there. There are great people there too, but the general participation has dropped quite a bit where it counts as increased where negative subjects are concerned. I am sorry if I come across as “bashing” other forums, but it is a matter of expressing reasons as to why I participate here at OGF and have strayed away from the other two. I don’t hate any other forums, they just are not for me when it concerns actively participating. We move on and change. We can leave it at that. OGF is simply a better fit for me. Tom I think a lot of us feel the same way as you do Tom. For me OGF is just the best fit. There are a number of talented, interesting and positive people on the other Forums and they are welcome to join here if they choose. We don't and won't solicit them because that just isn't part of our program. We have all the awesome Members we could ever need right now. If we attract more, that would be fine. If we don't, that would be fine as well. I know that I bear no ill will at all towards any other Forum. I honestly don't really ever think about them but I do think that the more Model Train dialogue that exists on the internet is a plus for everyone. I wasn't comfortable at OGR or MTF but that was mostly management related. They run their Forums as they see fit and so do we. I can't say that ours is better only that it is better for me. OGR seems to be doing fine for the audience they have. That's good for the hobby. MTF seems to be disintegrating and I'm sorry to see that. Perhaps they will adjust their management practices and bounce back. I hope so. Perhaps the healthiest approach is to participate on all of the Forums as long as they are enjoyable. I don't enjoy the MTH or OGR and I love it here at the OGF, so this is where I am. I prefer the friendly social approach to the hobby. MTF is too impersonal for me and posting to the OGR is like shouting in the wildness. OGF is the most like spending time with a local train club or other group of friends. That's what works best for me.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2020 18:54:51 GMT
Wow! I thought this was the friendly forum. No bashing of other forums or personal attacks. What happened? I've been thinking about this, just to make sure where my mind was. "Truth doesn't hurt unless it ought to." I've had stuff removed, trimmed, truncated...latest was on Kalmbach, and nobody there knows why. Somebody with access just...did it. I have participated in and viewed forums where everybody is so careful....nothing that might get the owners sued....nothing anyone can possibly construe as "offensive". On one forum, I've seen grown people fawn over the company owner, to the point of nausea. Sticks and stones. Hobby shops or sellers who misrepresent or outright lie.....folks need to know who, what and where, or the miscreants will just continue what they are doing. Seen a lot of that over the years. And I have passed that kind of stuff along via e-mail when folks ask on forums.....one e-mail with just the name, another with the facts.....so there is no specific e-mail delineating both at the same time. So, "friendly"? Yes. Just be careful of the trap of PC. Nobody is picking on anybody here that I saw. Might have missed it. The forum in question is fair game, as far as I am concerned. Too many folks burned there in too many ways. I know MTJ was formed by folks who got burned there and jumped ship. This forum, probably some of that.
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Post by JDaddy on Jul 23, 2020 19:11:49 GMT
I would term it as "Awareness" not really bashing. OGR was actually allot of fun when I joined 20 years ago. At that time OGR catered to the train enthusiast. train fans, modelers, and new people. It was very friendly. There were only a few that darken the forum and had free range to rant on peoples post... but they could be avoided or blocked easily. The issue was when the forum switched to catering to the manufactures who paid the for the forum and the magazine. Then it was more heavily policed to make more appealing and less objective. Opinions were frowned upon and certain wild card formites responded with brash and humiliating comments. They were given this entitlement and this is were it turn for the worst. Note when I was verbally threatened it took a toll on me and my hobby. Thank goodness my Lawyer assured me it was all a threat and to remove everything associated with them and make no future contact.
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Post by ptc on Jul 23, 2020 20:51:26 GMT
A lot of this thread contains humor presented in a respectful manner. No name calling, just a report and commentary based upon current events. The facts are what they are.
I do understand however why a few members at another forum get all riled up at these events; heck, they had to endure a year that just went by with a very significant decline in member participation because of the actions of their leadership.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Jul 25, 2020 18:19:58 GMT
I would term it as "Awareness" not really bashing. OGR was actually allot of fun when I joined 20 years ago. At that time OGR catered to the train enthusiast. train fans, modelers, and new people. It was very friendly. There were only a few that darken the forum and had free range to rant on peoples post... but they could be avoided or blocked easily. The issue was when the forum switched to catering to the manufactures who paid the for the forum and the magazine. Then it was more heavily policed to make more appealing and less objective. .... JDaddy, as usual, you nailed it. I see no bashing going on here. People are simply relating their experience(s), so others can keep their eyes open. If only one person ran into issues, we could say it was a one-off experience, or just a bad day. But that's not the case at all. LOTS of very talented O-Gaugers experienced a pattern of blatant arrogance and disrespect -- especially after that forum starting selling adspace to importers, dealers and small hobby shops. Heck, you couldn't even MENTION a cool product, service or supplie if they didn't "pay to play" as forum sponsors. And heaven forbid you provided a candid, balanced product review that didn't 100% pump sunshine up the importer's rear orifice. You were told you were interfering with the relationship established with said importer. Bottom line... they viewed the forum as "their publication", and they wanted complete editorial control over what was out there for members to read.
That's not "bashing". That's reality. And it should have been stated as such in their TOS.
If we ever get past this pandemic and meet together at train shows, I can tell you things over drinks that would make your hair stand on edge... and NONE of it would be embellished.
There is no doubt whatsoever that OGF is night-and-day a more friendly place to share the virtual element of this hobby.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2020 19:01:34 GMT
My Mother taught me that, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
This forum stood for that when it was started. The criticism of other forums and people needs to stop now, whatever guise it is being presented under. We have plenty of good things to discuss without this. Why don’t we do it?
If you can’t say something nice, then keep it to yourself.
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Post by 4dogsinjersey on Jul 25, 2020 19:20:47 GMT
Yes, it is a sore subject...forum against forum. We know what we have here, the people who criticize from outside, do not know the finer points of the OGF. We are spoken of harshly at other forums. They read our forum and we read theirs. Participation is optional.
It is better that we concentrate on the positive aspects of our hobby and forum rather than use our time or space to converse about other forums and their shortcomings. It is an easy trap to fall into and it appears other forums have found themselves in a vicious cycle of bashing and complaining, and it has overpowered the quality input they used to receive concerning interesting O scale modeling subjects.
Let’s get away from that. Mention of other forums should be strictly limited to referencing pertinent articles about the hobby.
Don’t worry about our standing when compared to other forums. It really doesn’t matter...
Tom
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Post by trainsintheattic on Jul 25, 2020 19:57:49 GMT
Thanks for that, Tom. I was just about to post another list of grievances but deleted.
Humbly, Bruce
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