Should have been my first post
- Thread starter PrimoRod
- Start date
Ted Brown
Member
Well I was born in 1940... Don't really remember if it was after I built my first T Bucket, that seemed to be in the late 60s, as i was building a lot of pro gassers back then (before I built a T Bucket for myself) then when I was driving all over So. Calif. I got tons of orders to build t Buckets, that is when I wondered which I would rather build for a living... As the (income) money would have been way more building Cobras, but the Customers were completely different types of people... I just did not really care to work for MOST people that had a lot of money, they were too demanding and thought their money would buy them anything... I just was not for sale, and my T was not for sale at the time either, that was a very costly mistake, what I turned down was enough to close the shop for a year or more and build myself a complete new T Bucket, with many changes that I learned by driving everyday... Young and foolish...
Mike
Well-Known Member
hthedrama:I fail to understand why it requires any kind of explanation. When it comes right down to it, what difference does it make to anyone? You took the time to swing through a 199-page members list, tallying up posts for some reason. Can you explain what possessed you to do that? What do my member counts or activity percentages mean to
Oh. Wait. I just remembered something. I truly don't give a rat's rectum as to what your "friend's" site is doing or not doing. OK, never mind, no need for the sockpuppet, after all.
That's not entirely true. Since your "friend" opened that site up, my traffic has been increasing, with no end in site. So you be sure to tell your "friend" to just keep doing whatever he's been doing, because I'm loving the results on this end. His petulance within this site was problematic. His petulance outwith this site has been fantastic.
Perhaps I should explain something to you, "Craig", before you respond.
As several, long-time and very active members of this forum have pointed out to me in private, there have been an extremely tiny percentage of our members who have ever taken the time to do that same math. 0.126% is the actual number, since you seem to be interested in precise numbers. 0.042% of them was an individual who dedicated himself to not fitting in with the policies, rules and guidelines by which this forum and the other 99.958% of its members are governed. Or, as another 0.042% of this site's membership so eloquently stated, he invited himself into my house, puked on the rug and then tried making a career of bitching about the smell. Actually, that 0.042% contacted me in private, when he noticed you were behaving exactly like the first 0.042% had behaved, before this 0.042% showed that first 0.042% the exit for violating our rules, policies and guidelines.
The second 0.042%, oh to Hell with it, let's just call a spade a spade. Is that alright with you? The second troll waltzed in here with marching orders in hand and quickly found himself sitting on the outside, looking in. He wasn't alone, however, he had his puppetmaster for company.
And now, "Craig", you're presenting me with the same, old dog and pony show. Nothing new under the sun, is there? Your "friend" is nothing, if not entirely predictable.
So let's cut to the chase. People find this forum site by their own means. People then make their own decisions as to whether or not they want to register an account on this site. If they determine to leave the site without becoming a member, I'm OK with that. If they determine to register an account, I'm OK with that, as well. I don't hold a gun to anyone's head and force them to do anything. If they want to lurk and read, what real difference does that make to your "friend", to you, or to anyone else? If I don't care about it, why do you find it so vitally important? if someone registers an account, looks around, reconsiders their decision and leaves the site, what difference does that make to anyone? I always like to see new members participate, but I don't hold anyone hostage and everyone is free to come and go as they please. I do not delete unused accounts, since I never know if an inactive member has plans for returning to the site in the future. That's a slippery slope and one I prefer to avoid. I could just as easily delete accounts of members who seem to have nothing of any value to add to the site. Like your own account, for instance. How would you feel, if you tried to log in and discovered your account had been deleted, based solely on the quality of the content you've submitted? The only accounts I delete are accounts registered by spammers.
I'm always happy to see a new member register, even after 4.5 years and 2378 registrations. Notice that number, "Craig". I said 2378. Poor fellow, you thought you had a grasp of the numbers, didn't you? You "friend" made the same mistake. He thought he possessed more knowledge than he really did. Let me provide you a bit of edification. It only looks as if there are 2381 members on this site. Actually, the Webmaster account (396 posts), the Test account (8 posts) and the testaccount account (2 posts) are mine. Yes, I have a total of four accounts on this site. Were you aware other members have been banned from this site for multiple registrations? It's true. Ask your "friend" what happens when someone registers a second account.
But as happy as I am to see a new member, I'm also aware that this forum isn't a good fit for everyone. And not everyone will be a good fit for this forum. Ask your "friend" and his other sockpuppet about it, they've experienced it first-hand. In the 4.5 years since the site lit up, I've had to run just seven people out the door. (You would see the numbers and think the total was eight, but your "friend" was banned for registering a second account, so that amounts to just seven individuals.) That comes to less than 2 people a year. It tends to show the spirit of community our members have. I really don't like having to run anyone out of here, your "friend" excluded, but when someone walks in here and starts trying to upset the balance of this forum with nonsense, I've absolutely no aversion to kicking them out. I refuse to allow anyone to disrupt what the forum members and I have worked 4.5 years to create. I don't like seeing the total member count drop by as little as one member, but if I have to ban
But you know, you've really piqued my interest in all these activity percentages. And you seem to have had really good instruction from
And since you seem to enjoy researching forum trends so much, here's another challenge for you. Your "friend" has been known to trawl other T-Bucket forum sites for members, for reasons unknown. That's a practice I avoid, personally. I always figure my sites are going to live or die on their own merit, without me sneaking around to snag members from other sites. So, what percentage of your "friend's" forum members have registered because of his underhanded tactics and what percentage have registered via more honorable means?
Are you getting my drift, "Craig"? You're no more sly than your "friend" or the other sockpuppet
Oh, I just realized I had forgotten to ask. Please pardon my bad manners. Are you in the Sacto area for work, or pleasure? What is that, some 400+ miles away from Corvalis?
(It's all in knowing how IPv4 network IDs and host IDs work. They whisper to me and tell me great and wonderful things.)
Tell your "friend" he's already loaded my gun, he has no further need to continue. His e-mail message of 12 February 2011 was really all that was required to move forward on this end. However, I am willing to oblige him by continuing to pass along anything from him to my attorney, if he really feels the need.
To the members-in-good-standing of this forum, you can bid farewell to our agent provocateur. I'm sure this will not the final curtain, but "Craig" is leaving us for now. He's become part of the less than 1% of our members with fifty or fewer posts and has also become part of the 0.336% I have banned from this site.
For the record, if anyone ever catches me behaving in this manner on any other Web site, please call me out on it. Expose me and my unhinged, childish actions to the world. Please. But don't hold your breath in anticipation. I think I would shoot myself before dishonoring myself in such an infantile manner.
Gerry
Well-Known Member
I m keeping out of this one.
Did wonder why a roundy roundy guy was showing so much interest in a T forum. But there again I dont have the ISP stuff that Mike does.
By the way Mike can you let me know what I am having for dinner tomorrow. LOL.
Gerry
PS. Your a hard man.... but fair
Did wonder why a roundy roundy guy was showing so much interest in a T forum. But there again I dont have the ISP stuff that Mike does.
By the way Mike can you let me know what I am having for dinner tomorrow. LOL.
Gerry
PS. Your a hard man.... but fair
What took you so long Mike? you're slipping. :thumb:
Russ
Russ
Mike "YOU POST WHORE"your trying your best to catch me.
I fail to understand why it requires any kind of explanation. When it comes right down to it, what difference does it make to anyone? You took the time to swing through a 199-page members list, tallying up posts for some reason. Can you explain what possessed you to do that? What do my member counts or activity percentages mean toyour "friend"you? Is someone bothered because they cannot reproduce those same kinds of numbers? Is someone jealous of those numbers? What's it really all about, "Craig"? I mean, if there is some vital importance in those numbers, I'll see if i can scare up a sockpuppet to go chart activity on your "friend's" site.
Oh. Wait. I just remembered something. I truly don't give a rat's rectum as to what your "friend's" site is doing or not doing. OK, never mind, no need for the sockpuppet, after all.
That's not entirely true. Since your "friend" opened that site up, my traffic has been increasing, with no end in site. So you be sure to tell your "friend" to just keep doing whatever he's been doing, because I'm loving the results on this end. His petulance within this site was problematic. His petulance outwith this site has been fantastic.
Perhaps I should explain something to you, "Craig", before you respond.
As several, long-time and very active members of this forum have pointed out to me in private, there have been an extremely tiny percentage of our members who have ever taken the time to do that same math. 0.126% is the actual number, since you seem to be interested in precise numbers. 0.042% of them was an individual who dedicated himself to not fitting in with the policies, rules and guidelines by which this forum and the other 99.958% of its members are governed. Or, as another 0.042% of this site's membership so eloquently stated, he invited himself into my house, puked on the rug and then tried making a career of bitching about the smell. Actually, that 0.042% contacted me in private, when he noticed you were behaving exactly like the first 0.042% had behaved, before this 0.042% showed that first 0.042% the exit for violating our rules, policies and guidelines.
The second 0.042%, oh to Hell with it, let's just call a spade a spade. Is that alright with you? The second troll waltzed in here with marching orders in hand and quickly found himself sitting on the outside, looking in. He wasn't alone, however, he had his puppetmaster for company.
And now, "Craig", you're presenting me with the same, old dog and pony show. Nothing new under the sun, is there? Your "friend" is nothing, if not entirely predictable.
So let's cut to the chase. People find this forum site by their own means. People then make their own decisions as to whether or not they want to register an account on this site. If they determine to leave the site without becoming a member, I'm OK with that. If they determine to register an account, I'm OK with that, as well. I don't hold a gun to anyone's head and force them to do anything. If they want to lurk and read, what real difference does that make to your "friend", to you, or to anyone else? If I don't care about it, why do you find it so vitally important? if someone registers an account, looks around, reconsiders their decision and leaves the site, what difference does that make to anyone? I always like to see new members participate, but I don't hold anyone hostage and everyone is free to come and go as they please. I do not delete unused accounts, since I never know if an inactive member has plans for returning to the site in the future. That's a slippery slope and one I prefer to avoid. I could just as easily delete accounts of members who seem to have nothing of any value to add to the site. Like your own account, for instance. How would you feel, if you tried to log in and discovered your account had been deleted, based solely on the quality of the content you've submitted? The only accounts I delete are accounts registered by spammers.
I'm always happy to see a new member register, even after 4.5 years and 2378 registrations. Notice that number, "Craig". I said 2378. Poor fellow, you thought you had a grasp of the numbers, didn't you? You "friend" made the same mistake. He thought he possessed more knowledge than he really did. Let me provide you a bit of edification. It only looks as if there are 2381 members on this site. Actually, the Webmaster account (396 posts), the Test account (8 posts) and the testaccount account (2 posts) are mine. Yes, I have a total of four accounts on this site. Were you aware other members have been banned from this site for multiple registrations? It's true. Ask your "friend" what happens when someone registers a second account.
But as happy as I am to see a new member, I'm also aware that this forum isn't a good fit for everyone. And not everyone will be a good fit for this forum. Ask your "friend" and his other sockpuppet about it, they've experienced it first-hand. In the 4.5 years since the site lit up, I've had to run just seven people out the door. (You would see the numbers and think the total was eight, but your "friend" was banned for registering a second account, so that amounts to just seven individuals.) That comes to less than 2 people a year. It tends to show the spirit of community our members have. I really don't like having to run anyone out of here, your "friend" excluded, but when someone walks in here and starts trying to upset the balance of this forum with nonsense, I've absolutely no aversion to kicking them out. I refuse to allow anyone to disrupt what the forum members and I have worked 4.5 years to create. I don't like seeing the total member count drop by as little as one member, but if I have to banyoua member to keep this site on course, thenyou arethat member is a fair price to me.
But you know, you've really piqued my interest in all these activity percentages. And you seem to have had really good instruction froma really good teacheryour "friend". So let's just see where this forum really stands in terms of activity. If you would be so kind as to provide me the activity percentage from THIS SITE, I'll have a better handle on how we're doing around here. When do you think you can have those numbers for me, "Craig"?
And since you seem to enjoy researching forum trends so much, here's another challenge for you. Your "friend" has been known to trawl other T-Bucket forum sites for members, for reasons unknown. That's a practice I avoid, personally. I always figure my sites are going to live or die on their own merit, without me sneaking around to snag members from other sites. So, what percentage of your "friend's" forum members have registered because of his underhanded tactics and what percentage have registered via more honorable means?
Are you getting my drift, "Craig"? You're no more sly than your "friend" or the other sockpuppetyouhe sent. You failed. Your grade in Subterfuge 101 is an F. You don't even get a D for effort, because you really put forth no effort at all.
Oh, I just realized I had forgotten to ask. Please pardon my bad manners. Are you in the Sacto area for work, or pleasure? What is that, some 400+ miles away from Corvalis?
(It's all in knowing how IPv4 network IDs and host IDs work. They whisper to me and tell me great and wonderful things.)
Tell your "friend" he's already loaded my gun, he has no further need to continue. His e-mail message of 12 February 2011 was really all that was required to move forward on this end. However, I am willing to oblige him by continuing to pass along anything from him to my attorney, if he really feels the need.
To the members-in-good-standing of this forum, you can bid farewell to our agent provocateur. I'm sure this will not the final curtain, but "Craig" is leaving us for now. He's become part of the less than 1% of our members with fifty or fewer posts and has also become part of the 0.336% I have banned from this site.
For the record, if anyone ever catches me behaving in this manner on any other Web site, please call me out on it. Expose me and my unhinged, childish actions to the world. Please. But don't hold your breath in anticipation. I think I would shoot myself before dishonoring myself in such an infantile manner.
Don'tCallMeJimmie
Member
This is FAR BETTER than reality TV...
I think the point that galls me the most about these "I'd just like to point out..." A-P's is that this site is by no means any different than any other special-interest forum. A small percentage are active, a larger number lurk, and others register to never return.
No mystery.
Thanks Mike, the funk was getting thick in here...
I think the point that galls me the most about these "I'd just like to point out..." A-P's is that this site is by no means any different than any other special-interest forum. A small percentage are active, a larger number lurk, and others register to never return.
No mystery.
Thanks Mike, the funk was getting thick in here...
Mike
Well-Known Member
I know, I know. But there are a few people in this world that will do predictable things, if you give them enough rope. And PrimoRod did not let me down. And then, I had to compare 4 octets from 11 different IPs against over 800 for his "friend", but after finding 37 matches in the first run, I knew what everyone else was suspecting.
HA! Well, let me tell you, if we manage to get a couple of hot spots settled back down, I'm more than willing to allow you to resume your commanding lead.
And you do realize, you just can't make this kind of stuff up. :no:
I've spent some time comparing some activity numbers from other forums. Big sites, with more online members than we will ever hope to see. The Ubuntu Linux forums have 10,108,165 posts and 1,283,191 members. That's huge by anyone's standards. Our active member percentage is 0.97% higher than theirs. I checked a couple of forum software related sites I frequent and both of them had activity numbers a full 2% lower than this site. One of the largest vBulletin forum sites on the Web has numbers 2.7% behind us. Here's an interesting number for you, from another monster-sized site - they have banned 9.18% of their registered members.
People are joiners. It's part of the pack mentality, there's safety in numbers. But by our very nature, we tend to avoid commitment to anything. Pastors know it as the 20% Rule. In an average church 20% of the total membership will regularly attend weekly services. Of that number 20% will become actively involved in the life of the church, taking positions of responsibility. My Masonic Lodge is lucky to get 5% of our total membership in Lodge on a good night. Both are examples of joiners that do not want to commit to service.
No, there really isn't. PrimoRod's "friend" was actually a short-timer on this site. Of the 4.5 years we've been around, he was here for about 18 months. So he has no clue what he's on about. When I made the decision to open this site up, I was secretly hoping we would someday see as many as 250 registered members. I was more realistically figuring the site would be a success if we could just manage 200. He can put any kind of spin on it he wants, but the members of this site have made the T-Bucket Forums an outstanding success.
Just remember I have to run you fellows through the dark valleys every now and again, so you will appreciate the fresh air and incredible view when you get back up here on the mountain top. :winkn:
Mike
Well-Known Member
Ted, I don't like having to do things like that. But when everyone else abides by the forum rules and one or two others feel they are above having to do the same, then it's time for them to move on.
I really cannot understand what possesses some people to pull stunts like this. Unless they simply have some unfulfilled desire to be the center of attention and are willing to stop at nothing to get it.
I've been online since 1980. 31 years. Over the years, I've participated on more dial-up bulletin boards, CompuServe forums and Internet Forums than I can begin to count. I've participated as a member, a moderator, an admin and as an owner. I'm currently registered on 150+ forums, and while time doesn't allow me daily participation on each one, I am in and out of them on a weekly basis, at the very least.
In those 31 years, I've been banned from exactly one forum. One. I had decided to abandon the forum anyway, so on my way out the door, I exposed one of that forum's principle members in a lie. They banned my account, as a result.
At no time, did I ever try to dictate my own set of rules to that forum's owner.
At no time did I ever gripe to that forum's owner about how he chose to operate his forum.
I've never gone back to that forum (which might even be gone, since this happened years ago), not for any reason.
I didn't return and register a second account, so I could play nursery school games with the forum staff. I didn't return and register a second account, so I could make false, libelous and defamatory statements about the forum owner. I was not a good fit for that forum. It wasn't hard to figure out. Like I said, I was planning on abandoning the site anyway.
Now I'm not naming any names, but you're all of above-average intelligence, so you'll doubtless be able to suss out the identity of at least one, former member of this site who has done all of those things. And you still don't know the whole story about this former member's actions, which on advice from legal counsel, I am not yet able to share with you.
And all I can do is sit here and wonder just how twisted up a person's mind has to be, to play these kinds of games. I'm too busy with all the good things happening in my life to let the dark angels have any of my time. I prefer to preserve the small amount of dignity I do have, rather than acting dishonorably. I guess that means nothng to someone who has no dignity, so there you go.
Trust me, if I ever had the desire to interfere with another forum, I know all the tricks of the trade. I wouldn't bother with registering an account under a phony pseudonym. Why waste time going in the front door, when going through the back is much easier? Why waste time making kiddie posts, if you're really wanting to interfere. I would just crack the forum, lock all the forum staff out of the site and then selectively destroy portions of the database. And you know, it's actually scary to see how easily and how quickly it can be done. I've spent an incredible amount of time, hardening my server and all of my Web sites against crackers. Which means I know all the soft and vulnerable spots that will allow unauthorized access. And like I pointed out to "Craig", I also know how to move around the Web without dropping my business card onto every footprint I leave behind. I could crack a forum admin's site in such a manner that if he could finally manage to get back into his own site, his logs would show it was him that caused the mayhem. Child's play, believe me.
I really cannot understand what possesses some people to pull stunts like this. Unless they simply have some unfulfilled desire to be the center of attention and are willing to stop at nothing to get it.
I've been online since 1980. 31 years. Over the years, I've participated on more dial-up bulletin boards, CompuServe forums and Internet Forums than I can begin to count. I've participated as a member, a moderator, an admin and as an owner. I'm currently registered on 150+ forums, and while time doesn't allow me daily participation on each one, I am in and out of them on a weekly basis, at the very least.
In those 31 years, I've been banned from exactly one forum. One. I had decided to abandon the forum anyway, so on my way out the door, I exposed one of that forum's principle members in a lie. They banned my account, as a result.
At no time, did I ever try to dictate my own set of rules to that forum's owner.
At no time did I ever gripe to that forum's owner about how he chose to operate his forum.
I've never gone back to that forum (which might even be gone, since this happened years ago), not for any reason.
I didn't return and register a second account, so I could play nursery school games with the forum staff. I didn't return and register a second account, so I could make false, libelous and defamatory statements about the forum owner. I was not a good fit for that forum. It wasn't hard to figure out. Like I said, I was planning on abandoning the site anyway.
Now I'm not naming any names, but you're all of above-average intelligence, so you'll doubtless be able to suss out the identity of at least one, former member of this site who has done all of those things. And you still don't know the whole story about this former member's actions, which on advice from legal counsel, I am not yet able to share with you.
And all I can do is sit here and wonder just how twisted up a person's mind has to be, to play these kinds of games. I'm too busy with all the good things happening in my life to let the dark angels have any of my time. I prefer to preserve the small amount of dignity I do have, rather than acting dishonorably. I guess that means nothng to someone who has no dignity, so there you go.
Trust me, if I ever had the desire to interfere with another forum, I know all the tricks of the trade. I wouldn't bother with registering an account under a phony pseudonym. Why waste time going in the front door, when going through the back is much easier? Why waste time making kiddie posts, if you're really wanting to interfere. I would just crack the forum, lock all the forum staff out of the site and then selectively destroy portions of the database. And you know, it's actually scary to see how easily and how quickly it can be done. I've spent an incredible amount of time, hardening my server and all of my Web sites against crackers. Which means I know all the soft and vulnerable spots that will allow unauthorized access. And like I pointed out to "Craig", I also know how to move around the Web without dropping my business card onto every footprint I leave behind. I could crack a forum admin's site in such a manner that if he could finally manage to get back into his own site, his logs would show it was him that caused the mayhem. Child's play, believe me.
Please be careful. BTDT ain't pretty in the end. + It's as the world revolves that sheite happens and we all take a break and laugh at the fools who play the wrong games with the wrong people. P.T. Barnum said there was a sucker born every second, I think I'm correct, and the games are for kids anyway who really don't know how to play well with others. Bruce
