[casil403]

LoL....this is whole thread is starting to remind me of Cher's Farewell tour ...I think it is still going actually.

[Parallax]

A Pentax Forum with 3000+ posts a day is not someplace I want to spend my time.... If the forum leader wants to go somewhere you don't to go, why go along for the ride.

It is as simple as that.

That's certainly valid; but I would ask this:
Have you ever walked out on a movie that you didn't like?
If so did you just quietly get up and leave or did you stand in the doorway shout about how poorly you thought the theater was managed?

[rparmar]

Gus, I think you should reconsider, especially as you are jumping the gun with this request before the results are in.

For my part, on Sunday I sent PMs to some of the other top competitors I had had issues with, basically burying the hatchet. Even if ill will was generated during the contest (and it was), I see no possible good that comes from having these negative vibes (as we used to say) continue after the contest.

The sole exception is someone who decided the best approach was to ridicule everyone who took part and then deliver to me sexist insults. I simply added them to my ignore list, which is an option everyone has.

So, the overall score seems to be -1 for sexist tool and +20 for all the positive encouragement and thanks I have received. For that matter, both the other top runners received public thanks from many people they helped on the board. While I do not defend all the tactics used to win the contest, one must measure this against the good that was done.

After all this, Gus, I respect your decision, even if it is a reversal.

P.S. Ratmagiclady, you said it well.

[casil403]

That's certainly valid; but I would ask this:
Have you ever walked out on a movie that you didn't like?
If so did you just quietly get up and leave or did you stand in the doorway shout about how poorly you thought the theater was managed?

Well said! ______<------- Insert applause here. Nobody is forcing anybody to be here and if one doesnt't like how something is being run or managed they have the option to leave....but staying after you have posted the long and heartfelt goodbye and then sticking around to rant some more about how lousy everything is just a bit sad and tiring and childish if you ask me...stay or leave, you are welcome to do either but please pick one and end the long drawn out drama....it is getting a bit old.

---

Last edited by casil403; 04-27-2010 at 12:59 PM.

[little laker]

Thanks for not deleting Gus's account quite yet Adam, it gave me a chance to send him an e-mail I should have sent days ago.

I, on the other hand, am quite convinced that forum members here like when their photos are commented on

Although that's true, they also prefer it when people comment from the heart, and don't just say "Nice Pic" just to build up their post count.

when their questions are resolved, and then their discussions flourish.

Give me Quality over Quantity any day of the week.

[Ratmagiclady]

Kind of curious, there. Especially with Gus coming back to claim Gruoso 'left,' when I've actually *never* to my recollection, seen a post from him under any other circumstances than coming out of seemingly-nowhere to attack me personally in the social forums. (I don't trust my memory so well, but once I got PMs and after I was like 'who is this guy,' aqnd looked at post history, he'd seemed to have 'come out of retirement' for the express purpose.)

Spent some time explaining what I was talking about via those PMs at one point or another. Can't say I've missed or seen him since.

Maybe once or twice. Always figured he must be a sockpuppet for *someone,* that way.

I still think the BS about this 'Contest' was always ...Something not about the contest.

I ended up being indirectly accused of spamming, myself, at one point, for not having appeared on the OT forums after *saying* I was taking a break. And why.

These personality conflicts, people, are not why we're here.

I'm, as often as not, a 'lightning rod.' when things go political. (Half the reason for *that* is that it gets annoying in the extreme when a few bullies dominate any OT, and often on-topic discussions, ...over politics and religion, ...so much for our sense of 'Pentaxian community' if that means 'As long as you don't disagree with a few bullies, even if you listen to sexism and homophobia to your face for over a year, all smileyfaces, then get pushed too far and say, 'Ok, wait a minute, here, *I'm* 'one of those.' And 'one of those.'

It's oft-ignored that, when they say I wear certain things on my sleeve, ...It took someone threatening to *out* me over something they thought they found, for me to be like, 'Screw you, I'll out myself.'


To a couple of the administrators now not here, I've said, 'This is not a friendly environment, this way.' I initially endorsed one of the replacements, who'd for a bit been honorable..

Till he used his moderator badge to publicly-say, (as part of an argument on some other topic) *actually say that having a lot of people on ignore,* (which I did not, actually: I only in fact had *one,* who had his three chances,) meant that 'Your using the ignore button against people who verbally-abuse you makes you an intellectual coward.'

Really.

Seacapt asks why some mods and admins left.

There are multiple perspectives on this, I gather.

Maybe it's not about post counts.

Maybe it's about *us.* And who gets to *be* 'us.'

Maybe some people's idea of who 'us' is....

Ain't 'us.' Never mind about some free red entry-level camera.

Welcome to 2010.

Using the latest technological equipment,

The 'Information Age' has turned into the 'Opinion Age.'

If we want to be 'Pentax' about this, let's shine up the chrome finishes and be... Informative to each other.

If not excellent.

Is being excellent to each other so off the table?

[jsherman999]

.

My take, which is worth little, but...

I think it would be very sad if Gus's entire posting history is wiped out. Gus, I don't think you really want that either - in fact, after a couple months, I think you'll change your mind about that. You may never post here again, but it's nice for you and your friends to have your history intact, to see your images, to remember the forum from those days.

Just take some time to cool down, go out and shoot, etc. Let's leave your history alone.

Now, as far as the forum changes go... The real content of the forum need never really change, no matter what happens with the funding sources. The content is us. The ads, etc, don't change us. C'mon.

Also; Personally.... I think that if I owned the forum, I may have done a lot of the same things Adam has done lately. (with the exception of the spam-for-cam contest ) The forum is a potential money earner, and there is nothing wrong with earning money off something - photography... or a photography forum. Especially when the intrusiveness of the changes is relatively minor.

So, Gus, stay, or take a break, even long one, but let us enjoy your posting history. When all the kids are shooting the Pentax FF camera and D-FA 135 Limited 5 years from now, we want them to be able to know who this "Gus" person was that all the old-timers refer to....




.

[Digitalis]

"Is being excellent to each other so off the table?"

Ideally it shouldn't be, it's a laudable goal. However it isn't either possible or practical to enforce. There are always going to be the psychologically unhinged who are determined to drag whatever brand of camera through the mud, with people attached.

The problem with forums on the internet is that there isn't any real sense accountability for negative actions, there are people who show up time and time again.(I'm not going to name names) We all have been on online forums where things got overly political,the flame wars, where forums looked like an episode from the muppets there were so many sock puppets were running rampant. At some point we all experience this.

And the unfair part is that when it's all over the people who were following the rules, the people doing the RIGHT thing are the ones who have to pick up the pieces, and start over again.

I'm a male flute player, I have been teased in primary school and in high school for it...and here I am; I have a honours degree in classical music I have performed in many concerts and with the Adelaide symphony orchestra and the people who teased me often didn't do as well as I have in their chosen fields, all the words they said to me ran off like water of a ducks back... a prerequisite of signing up on internet forums should be that people have thick skins, and be prepared for disappointment.

[Ratmagiclady]

.

My take, which is worth little, but...

I think it would be very sad if Gus's entire posting history is wiped out.

I'd guess *that* is neither practicable nor reasonable.

Nor, even, reflecting what Gus posted for in the first place.

Gus, I don't think you really want that either - in fact, after a couple months, I think you'll change your mind about that. You may never post here again, but it's nice for you and your friends to have your history intact, to see your images, to remember the forum from those days.

I doubt pressing him on this will have him come back, but then again, someone repeatedly storming off on the Internet '4Evar!!!'


...a lot....


Ill-befits someone who claims to be some kind of 'elder.'

Just take some time to cool down, go out and shoot, etc. Let's leave your history alone.

Guess would be, the TOS here don't involve removing all content on demand.

Also; Personally.... I think that if I owned the forum, I may have done a lot of the same things Adam has done lately. (with the exception of the spam-for-cam contest ) The forum is a potential money earner, and there is nothing wrong with earning money off something - photography... or a photography forum. Especially when the intrusiveness of the changes is relatively minor.

While there's nothing wrong with earning money, changing up the game after advertising as not-about money, if that were to happen... Might not come off as cool.

So, Gus, stay, or take a break, even long one, but let us enjoy your posting history. When all the kids are shooting the Pentax FF camera and D-FA 135 Limited 5 years from now, we want them to be able to know who this "Gus" person was that all the old-timers refer to....

This may be overestimating the drama. A wee tad.


Gus has been a valued member of the forum, but he's not some diva that would make the forum fold even if he *did* retroactively disappear.

Actually, it looks more like he tried to throw more weight around than he *had* and feels backed into a corner.

Over *Cody* that he wouldn't give the time of day to, by the sound of it?


I say, screw that.

Gus? If you see this.

Some red plastic camera in the hands of someone you don't like is not worth all the time and effort you've spent here, which is not something you can take back, cause you already gave it as it was.

Yes, it's still valued, but whoever you think JCT 101 is, it is nothing he owns or took from you.

Or a thing you can ransom.

We're just a bunch of interesting folks thrown together by a common lens mount or three.

Other than that, it's the Mother-loving Internet.

So what?

Last we spoke, I was angry at you, and felt ill-used, myself, so, you know, go if you must, but don't think that if there's anything to take personally about this community, it doesn't mean stuff like this doesn't happen once in a while.

I'd greet you back in your time, and not think a thing of it.

Take it from an old punker:

Life's too long for grudges, and the Net's attention span is probably too short to care.

So.

All this. A lens mount.

I've seen sillier.

Diddly, you know? Come or go, Gus, and blessings either way.

[Rupert]

I don't really know you, but wish you the best of luck.
Best Regards

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Gus, I came across this thread by pure accident and while I read the odd thing here and there I confine my participation to the "Post Your Photos" forum and even there I have not been very active lately. So, I have absolute no idea what this is all about and have no desire to find out. If you go I will miss your posts but from where I sit I really think that you should reconsider. As one of the oldest guys around here and therefore maybe a little more mellow I am of the believe that nothing is as bad as it first appears and most things deserve a second chance. If you must go, I wish you the very best for the future but sure do hope to see you posting again. All the best and do take care,

Heinrich

[Wheatfield]

I don't really know you, but wish you the best of luck.
Remainder of quote edited out

A lot of people simply get tired of the continual name calling and character assassinations that gets passed off as discussion by people that don't have the maturity to discuss disagreements in a civil manner.

[seacapt]

Several of the last few posts have nothing to do with Gus saying goodbye. The man can't even reply to these posts anymore . It's probably time for a mod to close this thread before more dirt gets thrown on it. Just for the record I'd try to stop someone I saw pissing on a grave too.

[Parallax]

It's probably time for a mod to close this thread before more dirt gets thrown on it. ........

I do believe you're right.
Fare thee well, Gus.