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[jeepjohn]

I have to agree with master53yoda as I am a new member with a low post count. I have been reading up on information in the threads here quite a bit to get my newly acquired BT3100 up and configure it based on what others have found to be good modifications/upgrades so that I may get the most out of this great tool without as much trial-and-error as others seem to have had.

Time is a constraint for me as my wife and I have a new child we welcomed in this world just a week ago. Life gets in the way and posting is not always as easy as just reading what others have said.

Post count doesn't always mean involvement.

[RayintheUK]

Post count doesn't always mean involvement.

Very true!

Ray

[sylbo]

I joined only for BT3000-related and woodworking information. I have a low number of posts, I imagine, because I read a lot more than I write. I have learned a lot from this site such as where to get parts for my BT3000 and many woodworking tips. Having been a neophyte woodworker when I joined, I didn't find many cases when I could add value to the threads. However, I now have a perfectly good BT3000 and accessories at very reasonable prices to sell. Would you deny your members the opportunity to make their own decisions as to whether what I have satisfies their needs simply because I don't type much?

[Black wallnut]

Did you read this thread from the beginning? You as a new user are already subject to moderation which means pre-screening of each post. We've not instituted post count requirements for posting in any sub forum. When I approved your first post I considered moving it to the Member Classifieds but did not due to the bulk of it being just a question of worth rather than an offer to sell. Would you like me to move it?

Depending on how visitors view this site forum categories may or may not even matter. I view new posts so they do not matter in that I see all new posts and all new threads on one page.

Perhaps the main reason we do not have post count requirements for sub forums is that the site's owner Sam Conder does not want them. He wishes for equality for all.

[ekillebrew]

Black Walnut,
I suspect that you are referring to me about the sale of my BT. I joined BT Central right after I bought the saw in 04 and was an avid follower of the site; however, I did not post but a couple of times. A couple of years ago I had a heart problem, my health went South and I basically stopped all shop activity. I have picked it back up, but at a very slow pace and no longer need the BT. I am 70+, "not a crook" nor a scammer or whatever else may be bandied about. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me. If I have it wrong - you weren't refering to me, please disregard.
Ed Killebrew
ekillebrew@delta-va.com

[laminatesafield]

Response to Thread

I guess I came here to see if anyone would be interested in my wood and products and services I offer. I guess I have nearly 1,000 posts and requests on alone and I think I offer a great service and product to Wood Turners and Wood Workers all over the country.

I hope what I post is useful and needed by as many people as need it, isn't that what drives our economy and need for small business in North America today? Maybe I am totally missing the boat of these forums and the contributions to the forums?

Curtis Cabaniss
Owner
Laminates Afield, LLc

[Black wallnut]

I guess I came here to see if anyone would be interested in my wood and products and services I offer. I guess I have nearly 1,000 posts and requests on alone and I think I offer a great service and product to Wood Turners and Wood Workers all over the country.

I hope what I post is useful and needed by as many people as need it, isn't that what drives our economy and need for small business in North America today? Maybe I am totally missing the boat of these forums and the contributions to the forums?

Curtis Cabaniss
Owner
Laminates Afield, LLc

Curtis part of what drives our economy is folks playing fair and by the rules. The rules specifically state no commercial advertising in this forum. I think you have missed the point of these forums. Folks post on forums to help others without compensation or profit. You seem to be posting expressly for profit. Cease doing the latter and start doing the former and folks will likely buy your wares once they get to know you. This forum has several successful small businessmen that have site generated sales based on their posts. They also all seem to pay advertising or have in the past.

[RayintheUK]

I see my duty to every now and then have discussions like this to stimulate thought if for no other reason. I think all of the thoughtful answers show us for what we are. A broad based community with welcome mat rolled out!

From the Forum FAQ:

"What are moderators?

Moderators oversee specific forums. They generally have the ability to edit and delete posts, move threads, and perform other actions. Becoming a moderator for a specific forum is usually rewarded to users who are particularly helpful and knowledgeable in the subject of the forum they are moderating."


I see nothing about "stimulating thought" in the above description and forums are not democracies. The only "thought" that this thread has "stimulated" within me is "un-neccesary and overbearing." People who are "particularly helpful and knowledgeable" don't need concensus approval, nor should they need to seek it.


I don't need my decisions about potential purchases and their inherent risks taking for me, thank you. Just like the claims of some that purchases are risky, some threads will be seen by others in a different light too. If "I think all of the thoughtful answers show us for what we are. A broad based community with welcome mat rolled out!" is true, then this whole thread has been un-necessary in the first place.

Just my 2p.'s worth.

Ray

[Stytooner]

Ray, BW's actually an Administrator.
I personally value debate and discussion on topics of interest to certain groups. How else can a consensus be revealed?

The first part of the thread is pretty apparent. It is not managements intent to step on any toes here. This Forum has had the same basic rules from day one. A few new things have been added from time to time as it was either wanted or needed. Without some form of discussion and or debate, the entire Forum would be irrelevant.

To the recent poster, laminatesafield. It is a simple thing to get on here without the links in your posts.
It is mainly those links that are forbidden. You can get on here and talk about what you do. If what you have is useful to members, then they can PM you about more info. What you can offer may very well benefit the Members. The Forum will not promote you though by allowing business links in posts.

Talk about what you do and let the Members decide if it is of value. Just remove your links first. Not doing this will ALWAYS result in deleted posts or being turned around at the gate. It is a simple rule that you must abide by like all of us.

[RayintheUK]

BW's actually an Administrator.
I personally value debate and discussion on topics of interest to certain groups. How else can a consensus be revealed?

I've always heeded your opinion, Lee, but on this occasion and for clarification, I'll need to quote from the FAQs again:

"What are administrators?

Administrators are the people who have overall control of everything that happens on the board. They oversee how the board is styled, what forums to create and how to organize them, what information to require from members and who to appoint as moderators."

Nothing in there changes my view that forums are NOT democracies. Consensus is, therefore, irrelevant - there are rules - end of story - no discussion needed or required. I can obey rules and I certainly don't need or appreciate any other spin on them as I believe this topic was intended to provide.

I'm not trying to be either confrontational or obtuse here, but where something is brought up in this way which - given the above - I can only view as unnecessary, then it could also be viewed as attention-seeking.

As I've already said, I believe that a forum is not a democracy and should not, therefore, be run by consensus. If it were, then I would have been challenging many previous Mod and Admin "decisions" in the past. I haven't, because I can stick to rules, whether I totally agree with them, or not.

That's the entire point of what I'm saying - if a post-holder can't administer the established rules without seeking public consensus approval, the job's probably not for them, IMO.

Changes to forum rules are a matter for the owner and staff in private, not dealt with in a public, off-the-cuff, free-for-all amongst the membership. I've seen several similar voluntarily-staffed organisations go astray and under because of this type of gratuitous "fiddling about" and this thread has rung a warning bell for me. Hopefully, however, my long-standing, ingrained cynicism means that I'm the only one to hold such a view.

Ray

[cgallery]

Changes to forum rules are a matter for the owner and staff in private, not dealt with in a public, off-the-cuff, free-for-all amongst the membership.

Ray

So you're saying that Mark's (BW) desire for input from long-time users here about a possible policy change is somehow fraught with peril?

Publicly criticising admins/mods every chance you get seems to pose substantially more risk to a stable forum, IMHO.

There are some users here gunning for Mark every chance they get. That is a fact that is not lost on this user.

[cabinetman]

So you're saying that Mark's (BW) desire for input from long-time users here about a possible policy change is somehow fraught with peril?

Publicly criticising admins/mods every chance you get seems to pose substantially more risk to a stable forum, IMHO.

There are some users here gunning for Mark every chance they get. That is a fact that is not lost on this user.

Receiving that input from the membership seems to be the opinion asked for and not intended as a criticism. If opinions border on the actions or intentions of the management, doesn't that qualify as discussing the function and use of the forum?

Are the members supposed to be all "yes" men, and not question or offer an opinion?
.

[Uncle Cracker]

Are the members supposed to be all "yes" men

Uhh... yes?

[cgallery]

Are the members supposed to be all "yes" men, and not question or offer an opinion?
.

That's what PM is for.

Publicly telling an admin that he isn't cut-out for the job is, IMHO, in poor taste. Neither is it healthy for the forum.

[Black wallnut]

Gentlemen move on. Ya'll have made your points earlier in this thread that is over a year old. A new member resurected it with questions and statements. Further expressions of opinion that do not address his concerns are off topic.