Did anybody else see the disapearing post with the above title. It was only there for about 2 mins. Who was it??
[Edited on 16/8/07 by TGR-ECOSSE]
Aw! I was going to post a smart-arse answer too!
Yeah, I read it. Was about to post a reply, but thought I would wait to see what it stirred up....
It has been lovely and peacefull on here recently - no childish pointless arguments about who makes the best kit for one thing 
i just nipped out for some popcorn 
So then BEC or CEC? And what do you lot think of the service from GTS?
BEC and never used GTS, tried to but that's another story and one I have never divulged on here.
Whoever it was, was spot on IMHO.
It used to be a great site with people asking all manner of build related questions.
Now it's for the most part just plain boring.
The wanted section was people who were at the end of their tether trying to get hold of the odd size nut/bolt etc. Now it full of requests for
gearboxes, exhausts and other major components that people are too bloody lazy to go and source for themselves.
There is no "lively" debate anymore.
Being philosophical about it I do think it looses a lot of its appeal once you have a completed car on the road.
As far as I’m concerned the turning point was when moderating the posts started. Deleting posts because they don’t fit with the majority view is
simply a form of censorship. Peer pressure worked better in my view.
Because of this censorship we lost one of the most lively, helpful contributors on the forum. Sure he rubbed some people up the wrong way but
generally they deserved it.
It’s a fact of life that in any group of people you will generally get a good cross section of “types” you will always get the “givers” the “takers”
the “intelligent” the “dumb” and the “downright asshole” I have been fortunate to meet some very genuine friends and like minded people on this site
(Most, but not all, of whom were at Paul’s last Saturday)
I have also come upon some complete “knob heads” It is unfortunate that most of the “characters” have either moved on now or just got fed up and no
longer post.
As the title says,
This site has lost its appeal.
Some of the long-term "good guys" have upped and left due to the continual bickering and rudeness that went on a while back. I notice that
some are posting again in the past couple of weeks. I shall not comment on the reason for their re-appearance...
We do have a VERY SMALL number of members (who I will NOT name) who tend to post claiming that theirs is the one and only answer, and anyone with a
differing view should be hung until slightly dead. OK, I exaggerate a bit, but you know what I mean! Some of the best answers to my car problems
have come in U2Us, because that person didn't want to reply on the open forum, which is sad.
I post a lot, but I do try to phrase answers in the following ways:
"I did it this way, it may work for you..."
"You could try it this way..."
or
"Would it be better if..."
I don't always manage to do it, but I do try as much as possible.
The big saving grace of this site is that it has never been as bad as the old Yahoo group (generally called The Other List, or TOL). That had so many
slanging matches on the go at any time, that Locost discussion was impossible!
Just my 2p's worth...
David
P.S. Moderation was introduced when that pillock was posting obscene images all over the place - many thanks to Fozzie and ChrisW for sorting that
business out. Since then, there have been very few instances of direct moderation - far fewer than I have seen in other forums (forii?) - generally
it doesn't happen.
[Edited on 16/8/07 by David Jenkins]
well i must say on the whole i agree with you
i pop on most days but it does seem to have lost its spark
The site hasnt changed much in the 3 years or so ive had the pleasure of being a member (3 years tomorrow to be precise). It is still great. Yeah
there are always views that you dont agree with or advice given that makes you either cringe or laugh but if we were all identical it would be rather
boring and pointless.
Moderation is just that - in moderation and i applaude them for a job well done. Everyone gets a say. If its commented on its only by a few.
Id say the site is just right. Just like real life there are times when its good and times when it not so good but overall the trend is positive.
Lets all take a pat on the back.
[Edited on 16/8/07 by DarrenW]
I'm entirely with David Jenkins on this one. 
There must be a market for a forum where people/'characters' can just log on when they fancy a pointless row over the internet with a
stranger
I've found another hobby now and frequent THIS site quite a lot.
I haven't found one heated discussion yet but hey it's early days.
What ?
Your new hobby is watching TV ? 
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
So then BEC or CEC? quote]
<------------- JEC
omega 24 v6 - 16/8/07 at 04:19 PMThe original poster was Muzchap and I had replied but was then denied access as it had been deleted or removed. For me the site has not lost it's spark, and while many of us have our own opinions, and debate has raged about politeness etc, I personally read the posts for what information may be relevant to me and let the rest wash over me. I do have an opinion on everything but don't always choose to post it. I will however back someone up if I think they are right and others are slagging it of just for the sake of it with no relavent input. One thing that does annoy me is that I've heard of guys getting personal with U2U's and for me that's wrong. If you can get a warning for language and manners on forum then you should get the same for using the forum U2U section to slag members off in private.
THIS IS STILL A GREAT SITE and some people will need help more than others. No one person will ever be always correct and there is usually more than one way to do the job.
Bring on lively debate
David Jenkins - 16/8/07 at 04:21 PMI fancy a EEC or SEC!
(Electric or steam)
Impractical I know - but would be a laugh!
twybrow - 16/8/07 at 04:24 PMAs forums go, this is a corker. So much inforamtion on just about every topic you care to name. Yes, it can be spoiled by people from time to time, and yes, I get wound up when people post something without first using the search function. But overall, I think this is still a great place to 'hang out' and a fantastic resource for those building or thinking of building.
Confused but excited. - 16/8/07 at 04:26 PMWould a steam powered one utilise small dragons by any chance?
edit: Possibly a couple of whittles?
[Edited on 16/8/07 by Confused but excited.]
Hellfire - 16/8/07 at 04:28 PMI still enjoy this site... it wouldn't be the same without life's fruitful characters!
ATEOTD you only get out of a relationship what you put in. If you think this site is boring then c'est la vie.
I think it is very disappointing when potentially useful information is denied from other members, simply by not posting on the forum and using U2U's! This kind of devoids the very point of the forum itself, and by doing this would kill off the site eventually as no-one would be any the wiser.
Lets see the forum used as it is supposed to be... posted.
Steve
omega 24 v6 - 16/8/07 at 04:29 PMWould a steam powered one utilise small dragons by any chance?
Not wishing to be antagonistic but there are only Dragons and by and by THEY ARE LARGE
graememk - 16/8/07 at 05:00 PMwell without this site i would of never been able to build my indy, it would of never passed sva and wouldnt of managed to get hold of anyone with a brain at dvla
so from me many thanks to all the locostbuilders that helped me
David Jenkins - 16/8/07 at 05:08 PMquote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
Would a steam powered one utilise small dragons by any chance?
edit: Possibly a couple of whittles?
Remember - a dragon is for life, not just for Hogswatch!
David Jenkins - 16/8/07 at 05:12 PMquote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
I think it is very disappointing when potentially useful information is denied from other members, simply by not posting on the forum and using U2U's! This kind of devoids the very point of the forum itself, and by doing this would kill off the site eventually as no-one would be any the wiser.
Lets see the forum used as it is supposed to be... posted.
In more than a couple of cases, the U2Us were from people who knew what they were talking about 100% - it was their real job, and they were/are good at it. Trouble is, when they'd posted previously they'd been told that they were wrong, criticised and generally given a rough time by people who knew three-fifths of sod all - so they didn't post any more on their chosen topic. Big shame.
Still think that this is a damn good forum though.
DIY Si - 16/8/07 at 05:49 PMThis site is a fantastic source of info and a good bit of banter too, which is just as it should be. As said, the mods (well Fozzie) only started doing t(her)e thing due to a rather obscene series of posts and major hassling of Flak Monkey, nether of which is, or was ever, justified. From a personal view the site has lost some interest, but only because of the poo weather and the fact that my cars been off the road for coming up to 9 months now. Not lost interest in the site, per se, more getting a bit depressed about walking past her every day on the way out to work.
Still happy to come on here and have a little bit of banter though, and I like to help where I can. I may not always re right, as few of us are, and if wrong, I like to learn why, and how to do things /properly/differently/quicker/cheaper/whatever if the future. All part of the fun.
Fozzie - 16/8/07 at 06:54 PMFWIW I now do very little on the actual forums, only responding to legimate 'reported' posts and other routine enquiries.....
I, also, am a great believer in 'self-moderation' as this site has always been very good at it...but we now sadly have to be alert to such numpties as we had earlier in May....
If a post gets deleted it really doesn't mean that it has always been moderated by either ChrisW or me, in fact that has only happend on a few rare occassions!
It is more often than not, that the OP (original poster) either:-
got fed up with 'silly answers' and or personal insults/flaming
the topic had got so far from the original question/post
the OP (original poster) had changed his/her mind
and deleted it his/her self!
Fozzie
matt.c - 16/8/07 at 06:58 PMI would be lost without this site!
Keep up the good work LOCOSTERS!
pewe - 16/8/07 at 07:11 PMI agree - great site and whenever I've had a query the response has been fantatsic.
As for it going flat I think it's more a bit quiet but that's because A) so many people are on holiday so aren't out there in the garage cracking on and B) the weather has been so sh*te there's been no incentive to finish it - at least that's my excuse!
Cheers, Pewe
t.j. - 16/8/07 at 07:17 PMI like this site.
There is a lot off information.
And a Q is almost every time answered.
everyone who gets bored... It isn't a must to hang around here
skydivepaul - 16/8/07 at 07:19 PMThis site has certainly not lost its appeal. as said before you only get out what you put in.
sure the site goes quiet every now and then and you get a few daft and pointless posts but everyone has the right to read or not to read them.
as far as i am concerned the site has been a great resource and help and i am proud to be a member of it.
during my few years on the site i have
bought a car from it
sold a car from it
bought plenty of cheap parts
sold a few spare parts
made some new friends
been given free correct information about any given subject usually within a few hours
generally enjoyed taking part.
thats my two penneth worth
Avoneer - 16/8/07 at 07:27 PM
The reason that this site succeeds in so many varied topics is because the type of person that willingly attempts to build a car from a pile of steel and rusted bits is bound to be (in most cases) intelligent, curious about how things work and are willing to share their opinion with others. It makes for great reading most of the time. (Even when the talk is about renovating 200 year old churches!)
I may/may not get shot down for this.... But I am not even building a car. I have a Mk1 Escort with a x-flow on bike carbs. It was while trying to
find out more about the carbs that I found this site & joined - there's honestly for ya I have just stuck around, I don't admit to
knowing about building the cars you lot do, I do all my own mechanics/welding/etc but that's about it. I do enjoy reading what's on here,
learning new things as you go along & if I do happen to see a topic I have experience of or knowledge of then I will post accordingly.
Try this.
Go to the members list, and go back a few pages.
Click on a random members profile and see when they were last on line.
Many with no posts, who joined a few months back, have read this site in the last few days.
These people (IMHO) are our future builders and regular posters, and obviously find this site interesting.
I think this speaks volumes for this great forum and long may it continue.
Just my 2p
Paul G
quote:
Originally posted by BKLOCO
As far as I’m concerned the turning point was when moderating the posts started. Deleting posts because they don’t fit with the majority view is simply a form of censorship. Peer pressure worked better in my view.
Because of this censorship we lost one of the most lively, helpful contributors on the forum. Sure he rubbed some people up the wrong way but generally they deserved it.
quote:
Originally posted by sgraber
The reason that this site succeeds in so many varied topics is because the type of person that willingly attempts to build a car from a pile of steel and rusted bits is bound to be (in most cases) intelligent, curious about how things work and are willing to share their opinion with others. It makes for great reading most of the time. (Even when the talk is about renovating 200 year old churches!)
quote:
Originally posted by omega 24 v6
Would a steam powered one utilise small dragons by any chance?
Not wishing to be antagonistic but there are only Dragons and by and by THEY ARE LARGE
quote:
Originally posted by Ratters
I may/may not get shot down for this....
. quote:
Swamp dragons aren't!
You don't appear to be a Terry Pratchett reader...
Regarding new members & car builders asking questions... I've been here for what seems like decades, and I'm still asking questions!
I'll be asking even more when I finally get round to rebuilding a gearbox, or fitting throttle bodies, or whatever takes my fancy (when money
allows )
Every so often, when some newbie asks some particularly dumb question, I think back to all the dumb questions I once asked, several years ago...
I should add that this site has been a window to all sorts of automotive things that I just didn't know existed. I've also been astonished
by the skill and determination that so many people put into their cars - stuff I would never have seen without this site.
[Edited on 16/8/07 by David Jenkins]
Been about a year since I have been anywhere near a pc connected to the tinternet and at first I was reluctant to have a nosey in here...all of 5
minutes went by and I just had to have a look....
It's good to see folk still asking questions and folk more than willing to answer with their own solutions.
I noticed quite a few new names not too mention those still active on here so obviously it is the best and possibly the only place to get the answers
folk need especially if 1st time builders.
Mark(Triton that was, but got a new head on these days...)
I like the fact the trike section is still here as my turn to get info....ooopps too much info already...
quote:
You don't appear to be a Terry Pratchett reader...
Sorry.
Without this forum i would have found it a lot more difficult to finish my build....wish i'd found it sooner! (found it coming up to SVA!!)
I am always glad to see the same questions that i asked reappearing, and will advise when i can...reminds me of the joy of my build. I think that the
site has become more popular and hence individuals will come seeking a gearbox as opposed to the odd nut and bolt because they have learned that this
is the best place to find it. I am not sure that this site has lost appeal due to the sometimes 'nasty' atmosphere - although I cannot
understand why people get so inflamed sometimes on here - i have witnessed some rather heated and personal exchanges - I would not dream of being so
impolite to people that i have not, nor am likely to meet.
If not for any other reason than i might meet them one day, and they could be an 18 stone gorilla...
By the way, i am an 18 stone gorilla
Here's a nice dragon for you
pssshhh ca toomph, pssshhh ca toomph, pssshhh ca toomph,
It's been a long week, and I'm real tired
Geoff
Mark - get your bloody avatar working so everyone knows who you are!
Me too, I'd be lost without this forum as it's so much more than that.
I've met some great people and visited a load of places and still do.
I'm still asking questions as well and I've just finished my 2nd car and trailer!
Pat...
Been here since december 2001 when the site was just 2 months old,not much has changed apart from expansion.
If your still enthusiastic about the budget car build and champagne technology for beer tokens then its the place to be,plenty of good info and good
people to go with it.
The site only loses its appeal when you lose interest in the build or you have finished building, i keep ticking over by updating something on the car
each winter since its my only hobby but everyones different.
Steam car now theres a thought i'll be in dorset for the steam fair in a couple of weeks so i'll have a look into that.
without this site i wouldnt have started my build just reading the posts and loooking at the pics of others builds gave me the push and the confidence
that i could actually do this. so for that shove in the right direction i will be for ever in gratefull. i am a mechanic to trade and will try and
answer any questions i can to the best of my knowledge.
cheers Davie
For the most part this site is great. I dont get online as much now, but thats due to dial up internet.
I was inspired to do something I never thought I would be able to afford to do, and now I have my car on the road, thanks to much help from this site
I joined 3 or 4 years ago. Not a lot has changed other than the huge number of new members. Sure there are some numpty questions and irritating
people, but then you get them in every community, be it online or down your own street
I personally don't think it's happening here, but I can see how some of the time-served members may see it being that way. There will come a
time when you've been in one place for so long that you've seen most of the questions that can be asked, so it will start getting less
fresh. I think it's happening to quite a degree over in the megasquirt forums. What was a good question 3 years ago is now the same old same old,
the pace of development in some streams is slowing (and getting quite specialised, meaning less can/will follow it), and what was originaly quite a
'techy' DIY and educational project has got onto the radar of the tuning world in general, meaning more and more people who just aren't
suited to MS are trying to do engine management on the cheap, without realising that the savings are mostly down to you having to RTFM and gain some
understanding of how it works.
Numpties are the price of success (not that i'm saying there are any here, you're all lovely ), when you start congregating large groups
of people together you'll always get a few who don't get on, it's life. I do wonder whether some of the people that complain about the
moderation on here have every actually spent any time on other forums. The demographic here probably helps compared to other car-related forums as we
don't get the boy-racer types that much, but I am continually amazed by the restraint and self-moderation of the forum as a whole.
There are forums out there that are just warzones, if it were not for very active teams of moderators they would descend into playground
anarchy within days. Some even have resorted to completely banning any off-topic chat whatsoever, and yet people have issues with there being a single
low-profile mod on here? I've been a mod myself, and it's not fun. It not all about being a little hitler and censoring people for the fun
of it, I spent more time getting threatened with legal action from companies over things members had written about them than I ever did chasing
people's ever more inventive attempts to circumvent the swear filter, and then more time still getting personal abuse from said members when I
had to step in and try and steer them on to a balanced reporting of the situation instead of a wholly one-sided rant. It's made worse when you
know that the ranter is probably quite right, but a small non-profit club just doesn't have the funds to do anything other than cave in when a
letter from the lawyers appears
If it wasn't for this place i'd probably have bought a RH
Bloody hell, my thesis wasn't that long (although it did have more pictures)
But WELL SAID THAT man! :-)
I haven't read all the thread as its late and I need bed, just got in from the garage!
This site is GREAT
If you post a question, you will geta whole mixture of answers, and its up to the poser of the question to decipher which are good or bad ones.
I am probably one of the ones who os a little pointed at times on the "right" or "wrong" ways of doing things, but then
that's how I am in "real life" too.
I think this site is an invaluable resource, to experts and novices alike.
I also think the moderation is excellent.
I have been associated with the OMOC for a long time but gave up posting when they put some of MY technical write ups into their password protected
members only area, and refused me access to them, as well as any others who were not club members.
When I posted my annoyance at this, the post was deleted in minutes......now that is censorship. Mention boobs or willies and you would be hung, drawn
and quartered on there!!!
Every now and again someone comes up with something that is interesting or different, some of the time it will be wrong or just isn't practical
but if it stirs the brain cells it is good.
I don't miss some of crud that used to fly or the U2Us one member used to send trying to get support for his unmoveable views, but I dearly wish
Rorty would return his replies were always interesting, constructive and practical and sometimes from a very different angle from my own.
I've always found it useful and entertaining.
quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
I haven't read all the thread as its late and I need bed, just got in from the garage!
This site is GREAT
If you post a question, you will geta whole mixture of answers, and its up to the poser of the question to decipher which are good or bad ones.
I am probably one of the ones who os a little pointed at times on the "right" or "wrong" ways of doing things, but then that's how I am in "real life" too.
I think this site is an invaluable resource, to experts and novices alike.
I also think the moderation is excellent.
I have been associated with the OMOC for a long time but gave up posting when they put some of MY technical write ups into their password protected members only area, and refused me access to them, as well as any others who were not club members.
When I posted my annoyance at this, the post was deleted in minutes......now that is censorship. Mention boobs or willies and you would be hung, drawn and quartered on there!!!
Good grief! We'll be getting close to "group hug" time soon!
Bleugh!!!
No way hose A (Mexican fireman joke there)
I wouldn't have my Car if it wasn't for this site. I know
it's not very locost and I'm not an uber engineer like some on here, but do you really want a forum full of welders? You need a bit a
varitey or the whole place would just be stale.
I've learnt so much from this site in the time I've been a member it's been superb. Time for a donation methinks!
Cheers
Dave