What's in your ads?

[Leon103]

@Leon103 do you have adverts turned off in your settings.

Yes

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks, that has confirmed it's not only supporting members who have the option.

 

[strange-steve]

I'm not sure if any of the admin are planning on commenting on my post #20 but Leon (perhaps inadvertently) brought up an interesting point here:

My supporting membership was taken away...

I remember when some were given complimentary supporting member status which was subsequently and quietly removed, at least it was a gesture of appreciation. Currently there are 8 people on the most messages list who are not "supporting" members.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I'm not sure if any of the admin are planning on commenting on my post #20 but Leon (perhaps inadvertently) brought up an interesting point here:

I remember when some were given complimentary supporting member status which was subsequently and quietly removed, at least it was a gesture of appreciation. Currently there are 8 people on the most messages list who are not "supporting" members.

I think I had it, so that explains why I can no longer see positive & negative brexit threads?

 

[Gerryjo]

Do you have the link? I'm asking for a friend.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm not sure if any of the admin are planning on commenting on my post #20 but Leon (perhaps inadvertently) brought up an interesting point here:

I have asked Angie if she will take a look at the thread as i said earlier i don't want to go round these circles again.

 

[foxy]

I have never seen an ad on here, logged in or not.

 

[Leon103]

I'm not sure if any of the admin are planning on commenting on my post #20 but Leon (perhaps inadvertently) brought up an interesting point here:

I remember when some were given complimentary supporting member status which was subsequently and quietly removed, at least it was a gesture of appreciation. Currently there are 8 people on the most messages list who are not "supporting" members.

Apparently the current owner took them away without saying anything. Think I will keep my money to myself

 

[THBF]

I'm not sure if any of the admin are planning on commenting on my post #20 but Leon (perhaps inadvertently) brought up an interesting point here:

I remember when some were given complimentary supporting member status which was subsequently and quietly removed, at least it was a gesture of appreciation. Currently there are 8 people on the most messages list who are not "supporting" members.

Tell me about that giving out lifetime memberships as a complimentary status. What usually caused that to happen?
Were you one of them? About when did that happen? We can take this to PM/conversation. But one way or another I want to know the facts your are fussing about. When the forum changed many years ago the members classifications were set up again as they were on previous software. Some may have been not seen. I did not do that set up, but getting every setting right for members may not get everyone. So, tell me - Please. I do see that you have many posts and have been here a long time. Were you one that lost Lifetime Supporter setting? It does not show on the admin information on your membership account.

Now, please tell me here or in a conversation.

 

[THBF]

Apparently the current owner took them away without saying anything. Think I will keep my money to myself

Please see my explanation above. And you are assuming things you don't know. Did you say anything when the Lifetime membership went missing, or did you wait years later to bring it up?

 

[THBF]

I want to publicly apologize to Leon103. I did some searching and found that in 2018 that should have been put on his account as it did not show up right on the forum conversion.

Leon103, I am sorry you have done without that status for these years.

 

[strange-steve]

Tell me about that giving out lifetime memberships as a complimentary status.

I'll be happy to do that at some point but I'm still waiting for any admin to comment on my original post, this supporting membership thing isn't something I'm particularly bothered about and was auxiliary to what I'm "fussing about" in post #20 that I'll quote below:

"I think a lot of the tension that's permeated the forum recently stems from the fact that perhaps (and I don't want to speak for the other members here) some feel that there is no value placed on the members."

 

[THBF]

Steve - what do you think constitutes "value on members"? Or are you just fussing, and I am head admin and I am talking to YOU.

 

[Leon103]

I want to publicly apologize to Leon103. I did some searching and found that in 2018 that should have been put on his account as it did not show up right on the forum conversion.

Leon103, I am sorry you have done without that status for these years.

Thanks Angie. Have a nice day

 

[dad_of_jon]

I only noticed mine had gone when the positive & negative brexit posts were moved. I assume they are behind a members only wall?

 

[THBF]

@dad_of_jon I'm checking your situation out right now.

ETA: I have set you up also, I'm sorry for the delay.

 

[strange-steve]

Or are you just fussing

I have no doubt that's how this will be viewed by the admin team so I was actually in two minds whether to bother replying or not. I'm "fussing" not because I'm expecting any change but rather out of frustration.

I've been on this forum a long time, longer than my member profile states, and so I've seen how things have evolved here. This used to be the best brewing forum in the UK. Used to be. I'm also on various other brewing forums and so I'm well aware of how this one is viewed by others. It's not seen as a serious brewing forum, it's viewed as a bit of a joke, where people go to play silly word games or other, non-brewing related, frivolous stuff. It's the Tiktok of the UK brewing scene.

But one other relevant and related point is that it also has a reputation for a lack of free speech with regards to the forum itself. Any attempt at discussing issues with the mods, admin, sponsors etc is quickly shut down, with the given reason often being something dismissive like "there's no point in discussing it". Posts are arbitrarily removed, people are blocked from posting on certain threads, people have been subtly threatened with banning for complaining, some have left because of overly aggressive moderation.

And the fact that we can't even have a reasonable discussion about these things without a dismissive/childish/snarky response leaves some feeling that the admin view the members as entirely expendable.

And you know what, we probably are. As long as the membership numbers continue to go up then there's always plenty to replace the ones who get frustrated. It's a shame to see what has become of this once great forum.

 

[THBF]

Steve - now you've stated the issue. What feasible fix do you see that would be equitable to ALL the members and not just the ones that feel as you do?
I have learned you are a serious and knowledgeable brewer and you share your information with the membership. So I can see you are not just a light brewer for relaxation. So what is equitable for for the serious and the fun brewers?

 

[strange-steve]

PM sent.

 

[An Ankoù]

This forum has been number one in the search engines for many years this is down to the members if they didn't post we wouldn't be number one.

I can't answer for Steve as I'm a new kid on the block, but I wonder if needing to be number one is at odds with wanting to be a good forum. The business side of the "business" is obviously concerned about that, but I don't think the members give a hoot as long as it's friendly and informative.
I wonder if you know how much the snug is like being in a pub with your mates, when you can't go to the pub. The strength of this forum is the society it allows. There are some great people here as well as some tossers- same as any pub or club. Things have to be kept under control otherwise fights will break out. "Hey, An Ankoù, you're pisssed. Go home and come back tomorrow" is what I'm used to rather than being barred from a thread where I tried to tread carefully, and even stopped posting, but I don't know what I did wrong and I'm not going to ask. It's like being at school again.
Perhaps the forums that aren't number one don't have this burden to carry and are better for it. You might have noticed I post a lot on this forum because I love it, by and large, but I'm beginning to look around to see what other fish there might be in the sea.