Communication breakdown...
- Thread starter Chuffy
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OP
OP
Chuffy
Veteran
- Location
- On the banks of the Exe
Yup.Noodley said:
OP
OP
Chuffy
Veteran
- Location
- On the banks of the Exe
Heh...
I'll refrain from getting too into the whole thing (ok, so I started this thread, sue me...) but yes, you are exactly right, especially about the third line of your last post. With all apologies to Shaun, he's Mr Invisible, which is pretty much what you want from the owner of a forum. The more hands on, the more personal it all becomes. In which case it ceases to be a forum for and of the members (without whom the whole thing is a pointless charade) and just becomes a private lab/sanctuary/bolthole.
I'll refrain from getting too into the whole thing (ok, so I started this thread, sue me...) but yes, you are exactly right, especially about the third line of your last post. With all apologies to Shaun, he's Mr Invisible, which is pretty much what you want from the owner of a forum. The more hands on, the more personal it all becomes. In which case it ceases to be a forum for and of the members (without whom the whole thing is a pointless charade) and just becomes a private lab/sanctuary/bolthole.
Noodley
Guest
Chuffy said:Heh...
I'll refrain from getting too into the whole thing (ok, so I started this thread, sue me...) but yes, you are exactly right, especially about the third line of your last post. With all apologies to Shaun, he's Mr Invisible, which is pretty much what you want from the owner of a forum. The more hands on, the more personal it all becomes. In which case it ceases to be a forum for and of the members (without whom the whole thing is a pointless charade) and just becomes a private lab/sanctuary/bolthole.
Which sums up my posts "he" blocked..
OP
OP
Chuffy
Veteran
- Location
- On the banks of the Exe
NO! Am so not getting drawn in (for the XXXXXmpteeth timeNoodley said:Which sums up my posts "he" blocked..
). Night night!
simonali
Guru
Why do so many people stay there if it's so horrible? Why not migrate here if it's so much nicer? Being away from bum on saddle stuff for a while I missed the C+ to BikeRadar transition and the beginnings of CC. but do remember peeps migrating from C+ to ACF (I was one of them!). Now I can't work out in my brain why a big bunch of pals from a single forum seem to be spread out over 3 or 4 forums and not speaking to each other anymore. Did I miss summat?!
I agree with much of what you guys have said (OK Chuffy, if you don't want to be 'drawn', stay undrawn, fair enough). But ACF is not the 'horrible' place as you put it Simonali. It's just gone a bit awry thanks to misguided management, it could easily be made back into the welcoming forum we remember with a few subtle changes. Even Sam could swallow a few changes which might be to our liking, though I can't get into his mind so I can't answer for him.
Has any of you met Sam face-to-face? I have. He's actually a rather shy, self-effacing individual in real life, quite friendly and helpful, and doesn't come across as arrogant, at all. It's when he gets behind that keyboard that his personality changes. In the same way as some people undergo a personality change when they get behind the wheel of a car.
Anyway I am fortunate in being able to keep in touch with a few ACFers other than Sam, whom I know, thanks to the London CM which is within a 45 minutes train journey of me. I never sense any ill-feeling or bad blood. If there are some who bear me a grudge, well, they keep it within themselves. I can't expect more and I'm grateful for it.
Has any of you met Sam face-to-face? I have. He's actually a rather shy, self-effacing individual in real life, quite friendly and helpful, and doesn't come across as arrogant, at all. It's when he gets behind that keyboard that his personality changes. In the same way as some people undergo a personality change when they get behind the wheel of a car.
Anyway I am fortunate in being able to keep in touch with a few ACFers other than Sam, whom I know, thanks to the London CM which is within a 45 minutes train journey of me. I never sense any ill-feeling or bad blood. If there are some who bear me a grudge, well, they keep it within themselves. I can't expect more and I'm grateful for it.
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
It is more of a 'community' over at ACF - in the sense that there is a very strong identity and loyalty to the thing, whatever happens - for many people it just feels like home, I guess. This I would find okay if it was a collective effort, but it's little reminders like this that it is a whimsical experiment by a single person that give it echoes of a cult rather than a community. This is especially true of those who don't seem to see what could possibly seem odd about it. I've always felt slightly outside there (well anywhere really), but liked being able to go back now and again. Now, I am on the verge of deleting my profile too.
Noodley
Guest
The "community" of ACF is good.
I have never liked Sam Walker's method of exchanging PMs with people when there is a disagreement as I feel it promotes abusive "private" behaviour rather than a public openness as on other forums - Sam Walker does not like his forum to appear "unfriendly" but in promoting PM exchanges and deleting public posts he is promoting private abuse and abusing his power.
I am unlikely to lose any friends as a result of deleting my account as I shall continue to meet ACFers on rides. If they want to ask me why I left I shall tell them. If not, I am not going to make an issue of it.
I have never liked Sam Walker's method of exchanging PMs with people when there is a disagreement as I feel it promotes abusive "private" behaviour rather than a public openness as on other forums - Sam Walker does not like his forum to appear "unfriendly" but in promoting PM exchanges and deleting public posts he is promoting private abuse and abusing his power.
I am unlikely to lose any friends as a result of deleting my account as I shall continue to meet ACFers on rides. If they want to ask me why I left I shall tell them. If not, I am not going to make an issue of it.
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
Done. Deleted. Hadn't been posting there much recently and I don't really have time anyway. No loss.
SheilaH
Guest
I think the fact that that smiley thread is running to 18 pages, most of which is against turning off the smileys would suggest that some of the comments made here are misguided. I can see the thread because I have registered but I don't understand the bitter comments of some of the posters here.
Noodley
Guest
SheilaH said:
You will only see what Sam Walker allows to remain on public display - shortly before deleting my account there were numerous posts which were deleted by Sam Walker. You won't see them and there is no evidence of them having been made. As I am no longer registered I don't know which one's are left.
As I said the ACF community is good, and everyone I have met from ACF have been great people. I have no bitterness towards anyone on ACF - I didn't like the way Sam Walker was stiffling opinion and being rude to others (who I have never met but whom I did not think warranted his abuse of power) and preventing me from posting my views (which were not rude but in support of another member) so I left.
One of the last posts I made which was permitted, and which I knew was there when I deleted my account, was that a forum is supposed to be fun.
Baggy
Cake connoisseur
- Location
- Where the chevrons are
Point is, it seems that the majority of users do not want smileys turning off, but the forum is not a democracy but a "benevolent dictatorship". Eighteen pages isn't necessarily going to get them switched back on if that's not what Sam wants.SheilaH said:
Because there's history and a lot that happens behind the scenes. Some of what is perceived as bitterness is misconstrued - maybe those involved need to use more smileysSheilaH said:
.You are quite right, SheilaH, there is much that you may not understand if you are a newcomer; but, you must realise, there is bitterness and anger between a few ex-ACFers and Sam, which goes back long long way before a petty squabble about smileys. I am one such. I cannot answer for the others, but I had a serious falling-out with Sam Walker back in July last year. All I can say is, I could not take any more shoot from him and I copped out. We are not reconciled. I had counted him a friend and was very supportive of the forum (and tolerant of Sam Walker's idiosyncracies) up to that point. What was it John Le Carré wrote?SheilaH said:
Isn't it a shame that people who are all strongly positive about cycling, strongly supportive of cycling causes, "we band of brothers and sisters" if you like to call it that - should be squabbling amongst ourselves about forum management, when we should really be joining forces against the real enemy out there - the anti-cycling brigade out on our roads posing a threat every time we get in the saddle!
