Wow! What A Dead Zone!!!!

[Rick Teskey]

Has the new executive team been installed?
still do not care for page layout too cramped bigger font

[crueby]

Not completely Rick - as of Sunday last I was hearing was that there are still some communications delays from the old team on handing over 'the keys' to everything. Once that is done then the new team can get to work on the forum/website. It will take some time to do it right, actually test before activating the changes this time!

[thor]

I agree 100% with Rick. I have never liked the new format. It is not unique in any way like the former versions of the site. It is very hard to find older threads that were better organized and categorized in the older versions of the site. The pages are much too cramped as Rick points out. I am getting old, and my eyes have a hard time reading the tiny fonts. If there is anything I can do to pitch in and help get this site back to what it used to be please let me know!

[tom dougherty]

Bill,
As someone else mentioned, one issue for the web site is apparently the traffic on the SC FaceBook page. Like you, I don't have a FaceBook account. One primary reason is my son is currently at Pax River NAS with a masters in computer science/cybersecurity from Naval Postgraduate School He works on stress testing the vulnerabilities of aircraft digital systems, since Pax River is the big operational test site.

Anyhow, if you talked to him about FaceBook, you would do the following:
1.) Wash up and change to fresh underwear.
2.) Remove any FaceBook links on your computer.

Note that the above steps can be reversed, depending on how fastidious you are about personal hygiene and odor.

The rather lengthy FB security page on hacking is here: https://www.facebook.com/help/1216349518398524

Can you be safe on FaceBook? Yes, but you need to be aware of the risks and act accordingly. There is a significant potential, given the popularity of the site, for scams, impersonations, stolen identities and hacks. Look at the menu of possible issues on the left hand page of the above link. And be aware that any photos, videos, other information posted can be used by others. Sometimes in ways that they were never meant to be.

As the Sergeant on Hill Street Blues used to say, "Hey, let's be careful out there."

[wlambing]

Tom,

Security on FB is certainly an issue, but not the main reasons I don't go there anymore. But, I do thank you for the info you have presented. Ha! I've long since given up underwear, too!!!!

[Sonar]

Matt, I feel the same way.

[bob the builder]

Alrighty, then. Wow. Lots to unpack here. Since we're airing dirty laundry, let me hang mine out as well. And, since I'm back to being a member, I can also throw political correctness out the window. Booyah!

1. Delay in handing over 'the keys"? "Communications delays from the old team"? As this comment is coming third-hand, I'm not going to get riled up about it. If that truly is the feeling of the incoming EC, well... I (highly) encourage them to reach out to me directly and we can have a little discussion about where obligation to drive the transition should sit.
2. In my unsolicited opinion the vast majority of objections to the new site and forums are rooted in nothing so much as an ingrained and inflexible comfort with how the 'old' was, coupled with a dogged determination to fight change regardless. Font is too small? WTF? We spend months migrating the forums over to a current and safer platform and the main objection is the font size? If anyone took the time to make an actual official request that this be looked into, it is a matter of five minutes to change. Don't want to wait? Hold down CTRL and scroll your mousewheel up. WOW! Magic! The whole site is fixed!
   
   The organization of the threads is worse? Holy heck, guys!? If you'd actually taken the dozens of hours it took to review, restructure and re-organize that data, you'd understand what a gawdawful mess it was. Dozens of topics, some completely unrelated to one another, all grouped together. Dozens of sub-forums with no posts for years. Like it or not, anyone with a modicum of willingness to look has an infinitely better chance of finding something now than you ever would in the old mess of a forum. The only reason you're saying it's harder is because the information isn't where you left it, and you're pissed off about it. Well... Get. Over. It.
3. You guys (speaking generally) do a wonderful job of saying how bad changes are and what a terrible job the upgrades were, but with the exception of, I think, two people, NO ONE volunteered suggestions, information or advice when all of the new site and forums were in development, even though that process being in the works was communicated time and time again on numerous platforms and at various times. We scheduled live online meetings (which could be joined either by video or even (GASP!) by phone. How many of you involved and passionate members showed up? Two. Yes, two out of three hundred members. You think the EC wasn't stepping up? Unless you were there, I suggest a big old look in the mirror prior to blame being handed out.
4. Don't blame the lack of participation here on the state of the hobby. The Drydocks forums have over sixteen threads actively participated in just in the last two days. Same software, same organizational structure, same layout, same tools. It's not the forums and it's not the hobby.
5. I've said it before and I'll say it again: It is the job of the Executive Team to DIRECT member passion, not CREATE it. The only passion we were receiving on a regular basis was a passion for nothing to change. BUT.. oh, hey, why aren't you making the organization grow and flourish? .
   
   You know the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome.

Look, this thread has me riled up, and I'm probably coming back more harshly than I might if I gave myself a few hours to cool down, but... It's my right to speak my mind and provide insight from the other side of the keyboard where many of you comfortably crouch.

If the hard work put in over the last three years isn't good enough, well... fortunately you have a brand new team here now. Be sure to let them know your list of grievances in full. Just be aware, your voice is just one of three hundred. Your opinion matters exactly one third of one percentage point.



Bob "Grumpypants" Martin
Former SC President

[salmon]

What communication delays???

This kind of sh*t gets old. However, I suppose that is why it has been stagnate for decades. I have volunteered for VP and Treasurer and saw changes by EC by both groups. Good changes. There were complaints of not enough being done to too many changes. The moving target is hard to hit and satisfy everyone. Rather than complain, I volunteered. I would suggest that to everyone who is a member. Get involved.

Everyone that I have worked with on EC loves this hobby and this group. All have done what they could with the time and care they have. We are volunteers. Why are we sniping at members? You want to continue to divide the membership? Bob is right, there is another forum that has postings daily and a variety of relevant topics, why do we not have that? Why are members not posting their builds? Why are we not supporting each other?

I am tired. Maybe we all are and that can be resolved, but stop pointing to the EC to make the change. They can only do what you are willing to do. You want this organization to grow? Get involved. You want this organization to improve? Get involved. You want this hobby to expand and grow? Get involved. Otherwise you are the problem, not the solution.

Peace,
Tom

[sam reichart]

What communication delays???

This kind of sh*t gets old. However, I suppose that is why it has been stagnate for decades. I have volunteered for VP and Treasurer and saw changes by EC by both groups. Good changes. There were complaints of not enough being done to too many changes. The moving target is hard to hit and satisfy everyone. Rather than complain, I volunteered. I would suggest that to everyone who is a member. Get involved.

Everyone that I have worked with on EC loves this hobby and this group. All have done what they could with the time and care they have. We are volunteers. Why are we sniping at members? You want to continue to divide the membership? Bob is right, there is another forum that has postings daily and a variety of relevant topics, why do we not have that? Why are members not posting their builds? Why are we not supporting each other?

I am tired. Maybe we all are and that can be resolved, but stop pointing to the EC to make the change. They can only do what you are willing to do. You want this organization to grow? Get involved. You want this organization to improve? Get involved. You want this hobby to expand and grow? Get involved. Otherwise you are the problem, not the solution.

Peace,
Tom

Thanks for the kind words about the prior EC, Tom. We ran into a shitshow when we lost Jeff LaRue, and we did the best we could with the crew that we had. We were lucky that we were even able to get things up and running with that terrible loss.
I pled every issue in my column in the Report, and on this forum for help from others. This group has always had a certain few numbers of people that step up when requested. It was always the same few that answered the call.
I don’t have an answer on how to fix this, but I’m tired of this BS as well. It’s doing nothing to advance the hobby, and in my case, it has a more detrimental effect to staying interested. Frankly, I have enough other hobbies and activities that aside from the magazine (which continues to be stellar, thanks to the staff and contributors), I’m caring less about building R/C subs. I’ve been in this hobby since the late 80s, and maybe for me, it’s run its course.
I hope the new EC can get better participation than the last two ECs have had luck with. But, I’m not optimistic. It’s interesting that there’s plenty of activity on the club’s FB page, but not much of that seems to convert to Club activity.
Off my soapbox.

[crueby]

Wow - you guys took one comment I made about delays, that I heard second hand, only mentioned since someone asked what was happening, and you went ballistic! Come on! Give the new guys a chance to get up to speed before firing the torpedos.

[sam reichart]

Wow - you guys took one comment I made about delays, that I heard second hand, only mentioned since someone asked what was happening, and you went ballistic! Come on! Give the new guys a chance to get up to speed before firing the torpedos.

I’m not firing any torpedos. I only to get some acknowledgement for the EC team we had prior to this one and point out that the loss of Jeff LaRue hurt this organization immensely. I didn’t even see your post about delays.

[bob the builder]

I believe the return shot was aimed in my direction, Sam.

Again, I'm sorry if people feel that my comments are an overreaction. I can't speak for the rest of the outgoing EC, but I can say for myself that there is some rawness when it comes to the amount of work that was put in, the support we received, and the negative comments we got back as a result of nearly everything that we undertook on behalf of growing the organization.

To top that off with a off-hand comment about how we supposedly yet again dropped the ball during the transition didn't sit well, and frankly I'm done playing nice.

[salmon]

Wow - you guys took one comment I made about delays, that I heard second hand, only mentioned since someone asked what was happening, and you went ballistic! Come on! Give the new guys a chance to get up to speed before firing the torpedos.

How can you be shocked? You publicly post a second hand rumor on the forum and think that is O.K.? Seriously? Anyway, blessing on the new team and best wishes as we move forward.

[crueby]

All I was trying to say originally was that things were moving slow publicly, but things were moving behind the scenes and to be patient, in reply to someone asking why nothing was happening. Maybe I wasn't clear enough in that. But, that sparked lengthy diatribes against the whole membership about how there was no support for the previous leadership, and everyone was against them. THAT is what shocked me. Lets just move forward and go run boats!

[bob the builder]

Agreed. Whether there was intentional stick poking or not, I'm completely happy passing the baton and wish the new EC best of luck.

Here is a photo of a 4ft RC shark sub to get us back in the mood...