is this place dying
06-25-16, 09:26 PM
#201
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I haven't been keeping up with the thread. What is the consensus, is it dead or not? I need to know if I should keep posting 
06-26-16, 09:11 AM
#202
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Rowan
I am sure you and others regarded UMD and Botto with affection. But they were mean and vicious posters who took people they didn't agree with and insulted their intelligence and riding abilities... all in the name of fun, of course, for their fans.
They reminded me of the particularly unpleasant genre of stand-up comedians who found victims and mercilessly pummelled them. Those comedians always have an audience of like-minded people, but I always found it interesting that those same performers were extremely insecure in their own lives.
The likes of Botto and UMD are among the reasons why the internet sports so many bullies and trolls... they set the trend in giving people licence to insult, and frankly, these forums have been better off without them.
They reminded me of the particularly unpleasant genre of stand-up comedians who found victims and mercilessly pummelled them. Those comedians always have an audience of like-minded people, but I always found it interesting that those same performers were extremely insecure in their own lives.
The likes of Botto and UMD are among the reasons why the internet sports so many bullies and trolls... they set the trend in giving people licence to insult, and frankly, these forums have been better off without them.
Thin skinned? How can you really know on the internet.
Insecure? Maybe botto and umd were many things, being insecure was not one I would agree with.
06-26-16, 09:27 AM
#203
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Botto, at least, you could work with. That other character was like a spoiled child determined to have his way. Good riddance!
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06-26-16, 09:27 AM
#204
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
I don't think umd was a troll. I found his posts infuriating at times, blisteringly funny at other times, and usually revealing a keen intelligence and real fund of cycling knowledge.
Thin skinned? How can you really know on the internet.
Insecure? Maybe botto and umd were many things, being insecure was not one I would agree with.
Thin skinned? How can you really know on the internet.
Insecure? Maybe botto and umd were many things, being insecure was not one I would agree with.
Granted, the moderation team won't talk more about it any further per protocol.
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Originally Posted by making
Please dont outsmart the censor. That is a very expensive censor and every time one of you guys outsmart it it makes someone at the home office feel bad. We dont wanna do that. So dont cleverly disguise bad words.
06-26-16, 09:30 AM
#205
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Originally Posted by rms13
I haven't been keeping up with the thread. What is the consensus, is it dead or not? I need to know if I should keep posting
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See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
Where else but the internet can a bunch of cyclists go and be the tough guy? - - jdon
06-26-16, 09:32 AM
#206
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Originally Posted by Machka
Yes ... I wish the rules were clearly written and posted here. They used to be easily accessible at one point long ago, but then the page where they were died for a couple years and it was a "from memory" thing, and then then the reappeared down in the basement under forum help or somewhere. They need to be made a whole lot more visible.
Here are the rules ...
https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
But it seems to me that the FAQ section Tom mentions had more in it than just the rules.
I wonder how many have read these.
Here are the rules ...
https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
But it seems to me that the FAQ section Tom mentions had more in it than just the rules.
I wonder how many have read these.
06-26-16, 01:03 PM
#207
Farmer tan
Apparently, today they implemented "unfortunately, webgl has hit a snag" alerts on Android when certain ads are displayed.
Sadly, I'll be blocking all ads and therefore not supporting the site by contributing to the ad impressions.
Sadly, I'll be blocking all ads and therefore not supporting the site by contributing to the ad impressions.
06-26-16, 07:10 PM
#208
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Originally Posted by BillyD
I'm on a photography forum elsewhere that's tranquil enough for kindergartners and nuns. Effortlessly. You'd never know they had a moderation staff because you never see them. There's nothing for them to do, and it's mostly because of the people they attract.
Thank you very much, datlas.
Thank you very much, datlas.
Kindergardeners may require more political strategy than an election though.
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06-26-16, 07:14 PM
#209
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Originally Posted by Siu Blue Wind
There were a lot of things that went on behind the scenes that a lot of people did not see, simply because it was deleted by the moderation team or it went on in PMs and other sources not related to this forum.
Granted, the moderation team won't talk more about it any further per protocol.
Granted, the moderation team won't talk more about it any further per protocol.
Man...Botto...now I feel 50.
I won't tell any stories about 'the good old 1980s' though.
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06-26-16, 07:19 PM
#210
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Originally Posted by Rollfast
Man...Botto...now I feel 50.
I won't tell any stories about 'the good old 1980s' though.
I won't tell any stories about 'the good old 1980s' though.
That is all.
06-26-16, 07:33 PM
#211
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Originally Posted by BillyD
There are certainly multiple reasons activity has declined over the years. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is the influence of Mr. Armstrong. If you recall, the popularity of this site grew in direct proportion to Lance winning tours. The longer his winning streak the more Americans were attracted to cycling and the more posters joined BF. Bike Forums was the place to be if you were into cycling, the place to be seen and heard.
And when Lance bit the dust, so too did the forum activity begin to decline. We die-hard cyclists, the ones still here and the ones who were hear before Lance, tend to think everybody thinks like us, but it's simply not so. Lance was incredibly influential in drawing a new generation of enthusiasts to cycling. Everybody wanted to be like Lance, the American cycling hero. And when his popularity departed, so did many of them. Without their hero their interest waned, because after all, this activity really isn't for everybody. Sure many stayed in the game, and many of those groupies stayed here, but it's nowhere near what it used to be.
And when Lance bit the dust, so too did the forum activity begin to decline. We die-hard cyclists, the ones still here and the ones who were hear before Lance, tend to think everybody thinks like us, but it's simply not so. Lance was incredibly influential in drawing a new generation of enthusiasts to cycling. Everybody wanted to be like Lance, the American cycling hero. And when his popularity departed, so did many of them. Without their hero their interest waned, because after all, this activity really isn't for everybody. Sure many stayed in the game, and many of those groupies stayed here, but it's nowhere near what it used to be.
Interesting, golf courses have seen the same decline since the Tiger era has faded away.
06-26-16, 09:24 PM
#212
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I think this format is pretty dated and is a turn off for some people, including me. I have to say, I have dealt with some really rude and closed minded people and that keeps me away. I think I'm pretty laid back and open. I don't care to be involved with the "my way or you're wrong" mindset. Just a thought.
06-26-16, 09:37 PM
#213
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Originally Posted by mtn.cyclist
I think this format is pretty dated and is a turn off for some people, including me. I have to say, I have dealt with some really rude and closed minded people and that keeps me away. I think I'm pretty laid back and open. I don't care to be involved with the "my way or you're wrong" mindset. Just a thought.
I am more inclined to this train of thought rather than the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong effect. I think there are more bikers out there now than ever, they are just different and not as fanatic - it is their way of life and they have no desire for a forum that argues endlessly over what lube to use or what type of headlight is acceptable or what is proper etiquette (I waved at a biker nd he didn't wave back) ad infinitum - that and more are all a real turnoff. And the format is not modern or very appealing.
It does seem real dead now.
06-26-16, 09:47 PM
#214
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I liked botto. He and Grumpy and psimet helped me out a ton when I was trying to figure it out.
umd was different. He knew a lot but the presentation was rough. $5 to the first that remembers the GF name?
umd was different. He knew a lot but the presentation was rough. $5 to the first that remembers the GF name?
06-26-16, 10:04 PM
#215
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botto wasn't banned though was he? I thought I saw him around not too long ago.
06-26-16, 10:33 PM
#216
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Originally Posted by sbxx1985
I liked botto. He and Grumpy and psimet helped me out a ton when I was trying to figure it out.
umd was different. He knew a lot but the presentation was rough. $5 to the first that remembers the GF name?
umd was different. He knew a lot but the presentation was rough. $5 to the first that remembers the GF name?
06-26-16, 10:47 PM
#217
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Re-commenting / Contrasting to a SoCalSoccer.com
There, folks have voluntary term limits. They start posting about the time their kid is 10 and leave when kid is about 17.
And while every year the same stuff is reintroduced and discussed, it is done by new people.
Maybe if threads aged out and disappeared there would be the opportunity to rehash them. Which is what forum people like to do.
There, folks have voluntary term limits. They start posting about the time their kid is 10 and leave when kid is about 17.
And while every year the same stuff is reintroduced and discussed, it is done by new people.
Maybe if threads aged out and disappeared there would be the opportunity to rehash them. Which is what forum people like to do.
06-27-16, 04:14 AM
#218
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Originally Posted by Doge
Re-commenting / Contrasting to a SoCalSoccer.com
There, folks have voluntary term limits. They start posting about the time their kid is 10 and leave when kid is about 17.
And while every year the same stuff is reintroduced and discussed, it is done by new people.
Maybe if threads aged out and disappeared there would be the opportunity to rehash them. Which is what forum people like to do.
There, folks have voluntary term limits. They start posting about the time their kid is 10 and leave when kid is about 17.
And while every year the same stuff is reintroduced and discussed, it is done by new people.
Maybe if threads aged out and disappeared there would be the opportunity to rehash them. Which is what forum people like to do.
And then they're yelled at for bringing back zombie threads.
06-27-16, 04:28 AM
#219
Senior Member
Oddly, while I have suggested zombie thread on more than several occasions, I don't see much harm in the revived ones. They provide the opportunity for input from new members, or for older contributors to reconsider what they might have said before, or add some new element to it.
06-27-16, 04:31 AM
#220
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Originally Posted by Doge
Maybe if threads aged out and disappeared there would be the opportunity to rehash them. Which is what forum people like to do.
When does the puppy make his way to the Air Force Academy?
06-27-16, 06:20 AM
#221
pan y agua
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Originally Posted by himespau
botto wasn't banned though was he? I thought I saw him around not too long ago.
There was even a free Botto campaign .
He's not permanently banned to my
Knowledge , just moved on
06-27-16, 07:07 AM
#222
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I joined after most of the umd/Botto stuff flamed out. All this talk about how controversial they are made me go back and read some old threads. Not sure I get it.
Do people seriously think the forum has lost some of its luster because a couple of painfully arrogant cyber police no longer start flame wars?
Do people seriously think the forum has lost some of its luster because a couple of painfully arrogant cyber police no longer start flame wars?
06-27-16, 07:21 AM
#223
Senior Member
Most old forums have 'back in the day' rose-tinted glasses. Then you check what happened back in the day and you realize it's mostly complete bilge. Bilge that was fresh before but now it's played out.
06-27-16, 02:24 PM
#225
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
I joined after most of the umd/Botto stuff flamed out. All this talk about how controversial they are made me go back and read some old threads. Not sure I get it.
Do people seriously think the forum has lost some of its luster because a couple of painfully arrogant cyber police no longer start flame wars?
Do people seriously think the forum has lost some of its luster because a couple of painfully arrogant cyber police no longer start flame wars?
