Members we've lost since 2005...

[Wayne]

Combining the 15 or so forums into one puts things into perspective.

Specifically, the oldest surviving message on this site seems to be from May 31st, 2005, which is incredible, and probably not the first actual message which was probably lost somewhere in the great vB > Xoops > Xenforo journey.

What it does sadly point out however is the number of friends we've "lost" since then. People who were once vibrant members here who contributed a lot to the early success of Whyzzat.com..

As such, I'd kinda like to give a quick Mouseketeer role call and see if any of you might know one or more you could invite back. If I call your name and you're already here, apologies. I just pulled 2005-2007 names that of friends that I don't see around any more and wonder what happened.

@Fade
@faethor
@GiZz72
@Glaucus
@iforgotmypassword
@ltstanfo
@metalman
@minator
@ottomobiehl (popped in for like 1/2 a second to post a status update, then disappeared)
@redrumloa
@Robert (L.Bentham?)
@ScapeGoat
@smithy
@TB
@Vincent
@whabang (or @whabankmk2)

Have a better day,

Wayne

 

[ottomobiehl]

I'm still around. I also had to update my profile picture too.

EDIT: Just noticed the wink emotie looks a bit too happy.

 

[cecilia]

Bentham

He's on G+
I'll remind him that we have "rebooted"

 

[Fade]

Want to know the truth?
I quit posting when Bentham got so nasty with Red, and a few other unnamed members jumped on that bandwagon by liking Bentham's attacks. Who needs that kind of strife in their life? When Wayne changed the format, I didn't bother to re-register, so I couldn't even lurk in the background.and read the posts. Don't get me wrong. I like a good verbal assault, and will give back, as good as I receive. Fun times, when you can pick on those who can take it, like McDeath, Glaucus, or faethor, that take it and give back in kind. But there's a limit to the pure nastiness that was going on at that time period.

I was on the old email list, so got notified of the new/old changes to Whyzzat, and am now once again lurking in the background.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Fun times, when you can pick on those who can take it, like McDeath, Glaucus, or faethor, that take it and give back in kind.

Hey Fade, how's the fishing?

Glaucus finally took off because I wouldn't hate Putin for him. Apparently Putin was about to roll over Europe and maybe Canada at that time and I wasn't being respectfully fearful enough. Odd. We'd been on the same side more often than not and I was surprised to see him lose his scepticism and give into the media fear-porn.
Also, he'd mostly been against US invasions and wars on just about everyone, but was extremely keen on bombing Assad - maybe because a Democratic president briefly thought it might be a good idea? I'm still not convinced that funding ISIS to do the job has been working out all that well, but - oh yeah, I also think he might have thought that the west was funding "moderates" too. Anyway - wouldn't know what he thinks these days because I disgust him.

Dropped Red a line a while back. He's just getting on with living life as near as I can tell, and not too keen to jump back in here. Bentham went off the deep end for a bit (too many pain-killers from the VA maybe? Who knows) but I've seen him around on the net from time to time being normal. I think Bentham got a hold of the wrong end of the stick at some point ans wouldn't let go of it - it was a bit bloody.

 

[Wayne]

@Fade for what it's worth, I apologize. Any member run off by another is due to my own negligence in moderation. I hope you'll reconsider, but as a note to all, if stuff like that happens, you need to use the Report option to let me know.

Not just a "whine" about feeling insulted ("whine, my cooter hurts"), but actually let me know what the user did, why you feel that it's unacceptable, and maybe give me a little background so that I don't feel like I'm missing something...?

I promise that I will try to pay better attention in the future because no one member should be allowed to intimidate or runoff other members... If getting friends like @redrumloa back was as simple as banning someone, I'd gladly do that, even if the ban recipient was me..

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

If getting friends like @redrumloa back was as simple as banning someone, ...

Yeah, but it's not, is it. It's not like bentham didn't have friends here too, though a much much more junior member - and that episode seemed out of character to me, but he got into his head that something that red said was racist and I'm pretty sure it was just a misunderstanding on betham's part. (Think this was around the time or not too long after the Trayvon Martin thing) It was one of those situations where bentham was incensed because red wouldn't apologize for what bentham had thought he'd meant and red was incensed that he should be asked to apologize for something he didn't say - rinse, repeat, enter inevitable death spiral!

Would the ban hammer have been the right tool? I dunno - would have caused it's own level of community crisis probably - it's not like bentham was an obvious ban target like a pure troll. It was a spat that got out of hand. Now, if there was a "send to the principle's office" button or "tell it to the judge" where the two warring parties had to go to mediation ... well, that's much more work for a moderator...

It's a tough call though because you need SOME drama to keep things interesting - who needs threads full of "me too" all the time?

 

[Wayne]

Now, if there was a "send to the principle's office" button

bans can be time limited, not just a permanent thing but they'd have to be applied both judiciously and equally... Trouble is, both parties would just quit...

I just hate that it came to that because red was a personal -- as in stayed at my house -- friend...

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Combining the 15 or so forums into one puts things into perspective.

Specifically, the oldest surviving message on this site seems to be from May 31st, 2005, which is incredible, and probably not the first actual message which was probably lost somewhere in the great vB > Xoops > Xenforo journey.

What it does sadly point out however is the number of friends we've "lost" since then. People who were once vibrant members here who contributed a lot to the early success of Whyzzat.com..

As such, I'd kinda like to give a quick Mouseketeer role call and see if any of you might know one or more you could invite back. If I call your name and you're already here, apologies. I just pulled 2005-2007 names that of friends that I don't see around any more and wonder what happened.

@Fade
@faethor
@GiZz72
@Glaucus
@iforgotmypassword
@ltstanfo
@metalman
@minator
@ottomobiehl (popped in for like 1/2 a second to post a status update, then disappeared)
@redrumloa
@Robert (L.Bentham?)
@ScapeGoat
@smithy
@TB
@Vincent
@whabang (or @whabankmk2)

Have a better day,

Wayne

Add Moto and NoFastMem to that list

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

EDIT: Just noticed the wink emotie looks a bit too happy.

That's becaise this is a happy place

 

[Wayne]

Anyone want to reach out to any of them? See if they can be coaxed back?

 

[ilwrath]

Yeah, but it's not, is it. It's not like bentham didn't have friends here too, though a much much more junior member - and that episode seemed out of character to me, but he got into his head that something that red said was racist and I'm pretty sure it was just a misunderstanding on betham's part.
[...]
It's a tough call though because you need SOME drama to keep things interesting - who needs threads full of "me too" all the time?

Well, true... You need some drama and lively discussion... But there were a lot of personal attacks, too. And I'd say it is at that point that it crosses the line. I honestly have no idea what happened, but hurt feelings on all sides seemed to get directed into making competing hate threads. And again, that is another crossed line, and something I just can't get behind.

I tried to stay out of the personal stuff, but probably even fell down that path, myself, from time to time. When I'd realize it, I'd ban myself to lurking (or occasionally even a full sabbatical) for a few months. Of course, lurking and vanishing are things I'm pretty proficient at, anyhow.

 

[Wayne]

But there were a lot of personal attacks, too

Again, I feel the need to apologize, because frankly there was a lot going on in life and I had simply kinda toned out a few years ago. I just wish someone would have brought it to my attention back then before it got so out of hand, because I hate the fact that we've lost friends (more than the standard rate of attrition even)...