I think thats a great idea. If you guys put something together, I'll be more than happy to sticky it.

 

If they think it's a good idea, maybe one of the guys that's a frequent poster and contributor in here will do that.

I just read, try to learn from, and enjoy this forum - I don't pretend to have any type of vast knowledge pertaining to most of the topics.

 

Ill agree on the newb thread. And if the newbs pay attention and use it then ill be more than happy to be nicer to them and try not to go off the deep ed when some newb gives a smart *** remark.

Ed, Hopefully you dont consider me one of the people that how do i say " just caused trouble". Ive learned alot from you and often send people your way for info.

 

Carlene ive been here awhile and have a decent post count and i do support here. I started a newb thread so take a look and if you like it and want to stickie it go ahead.

 

Hey I do have a question for Carlene.

The next time someone comes in singing the praises of running stacked hockey pucks for a body lift, or is explaining why front lifts blocks are kosher, or something equally stupid, and the whole group has a very strong negative reaction at them...

Some Mod backup on trimming questions that are intentionally stupid and inflammatory off the board could be helpful at keeping everyone in line.

Basically Troll Patrol?

 

I realize that there are a lot of jerks out there that will post crap like that just to have fun.

If its truely a troll and not just some poor unknowing sole, let me know and I'll handle it. Any of you can either PM or email me or use the "report post" function but make sure to put my name in the report post email so that the Admins or SuperMods will hopefully wait for me to deal with it.

I would really appreciate everyone not jumping in and slamming the person. Everyone is more than welcome to jump in with logical and factual info. If the person goes into the attack mode, don't attack back unless you keep it one-on-one. I am not going to tolerate anymore group bashings. If the one-on-one doesn't work with that visitor and the member of this forum has handled themselves well, only the visitor will be dealt with as I see fit.

Not counting trolls, I've only had to give time off to 2 users. I don't like doing it but I will. If you guys can keep it one-on-one and not go overboard, I will cut you slack.

I also do not believe in negative rep points. That does nothing but **** people off, well except for the ones I've gotten - I look at them as I must be doing my job. If you think someone is baiting you or trolling, please don't neg rep them, just report them.

One last thing on this subject - I don't know a whole lot about the technical stuff but I do read people rather well. It may take me longer than a day to handle something but the reason for this is that I've asked someone else to look at the post(s) and give me their opinion. That someone will most likely be one of you that frequent this forum so don't be surprised to get "dumb blonde" questions from me at some point in time.

Thanks for bringing this up.

 

You have to remember though that these newbs come in and attack our friends we don't want to just sit by and take it. If I was out on the trail with these guys or at the bog and some tool bag came up and started making a fuss we'd all be right there by each other's side. Thats where the group bashings come from, right or wrong.

 

Not a chance Dave. I have never, nor would I ever single a person out.
Everyone shares a small portion in helping out, and most have done a pretty good job thus far.
On a few occassion some just went off of the deep end.
Dave we have a mutual respect, and there is no mistake about that.
For the guys that are left hanging around all have a great wealth of knowlwdge, and most are pretty willing to share.
We just have to remember to be civilized and really monitor ourselves.
Admin is here to remind us when we get out of hand, or off track, and as long as we keep an eye on ourselves and each other, we won't have to lean on Carlene so much to settle petty disputes. We are all adults and should act and typr accordingly.
At some time or another, all of us have had a disagreement or two, and for the most part these can be healthy, and actually stimulate great conversation. Having the ability to settle matters in a civil matter, and recognize the fact that others may have a different point of view.
A different point of view does not make them wrong.
At some time or another, any of us have asked a newb question, and even if others might think some of the questions are above thier head, we have to accept the fact that there will always be someone with a new truck that wants to know which lift kit is the best, and what size tires will fit that ride.
This just comes with the territory.
Again Dave, not pointing fingers or casting stones, just making a general comment.
We all have the same passion, and that passion has to do with a front driveshaft. There are different levels of off roading, but nobody should be excluded because they are not running super bling equipment or tires.
We all started somewhere. I can remember running a CJ with Armstrog Norseman tires. Man was I cool with arnstrongs! Today, I would be laughed at, but I was having fun, and I evolved into a decent wheeler, and have such a passion that I build pretty decent trucks now.
Perhaps the ones we help now will evelove this way, and our sport will become larger, more recognized in a positive way.
As long as we can monitor ourselves, and not be so overly critical, we can make Carlenes job a little easier.

Heak we criticize the new members for not searching, or reading the stickies, and fail to realize that our rules are also in a sticky, and because we have some seniority, we often stop consider that the rules also apply to us.

Thats, all, Carlene you are doing a great job. Tough position to be in, but you do the moderation job well.

 

I have been just reading this, but this post made me want to join in. I remember when I started out. I read that lifts ruin ujoints, and stuff like that. I was pretty nervous about the 2" I put on the *cough* chevy I had. Now, that seems pretty silly, but these are the exact concerns that the "newbs" are facing. Sure, I don't have the baddest, unlimited budget truck around, but I have done enough to know what does and does not work.

Lets pool our collective knowledge and help everybody out.

BY the way, I love reading pirate for its tech, but I will probably never join because they just look at your post count, whether or not you have a red star, and then they start bashing and giving the smiley finger.

Lets keep the FTE offroad from being that way.

 

teds i dont totally agree with the pirate thing... I post there from time to time, asking a question here, giving advice there... I am yet to be flamed, but i dont go around posting b.s. either, if i have a question, i do alot of searching first then will ask. I dont think there is anything that hasnt been covered on pirate, but the search function sucks.

 

I am glad you have had good luck. I will admit, I am just scared

 

Yep, most knowledgeable site on 4x4 related material. I also like that it is user-moderated, to an extent. I like the self regulation.

As for the searching, don't use the PBB search function. Use google. Say you want to find out about "4 links", then go to google and type in everything in between the brackets, but not the brackets themselves:

That is way faster and you don't have a limit of searches per x_minutes

 

nice thanks for the tip!
Yea i like the self moderation too.
But the insta flames can get anoyying

 

Okay first of all I don't appreciate being called a follower. Minion has a definition and I understand that but its just a word. I was never someones follower, just a member of a group. Next, how do you judge someones experience? I can weld, and fab pretty much anything, my off-road experience is in desert trail riding, and dunes. I didn't post here a-lot because not to many people asked about desert stuff, but when they did i'd be the first to help out.

Now some newbs came in here and asked a stupid question, i'd answer it the best i could, I may have not always been happy, mainly stern, but i helped or i didn't. Some of newbs, would get mad because they asked for an opinion, and because he didn't like our opinions he would get mad and talk trash. Naturally we'd talk back, its only fair. Yes we could have said nothing, but then what happens to the newb? nothing and he thinks he can run his mouth whenever he wants.

I feel that there was too much discrimination against the Minions. It seemed like every time I'd post some advice, it would be completely disregarded because I was a minion.

All i'm saying that it seems a little hypocritical. Your bagging on the minions, saying that they're followers, or "small *****". That they're were all bullies and most of them didn't know anything. Seems like talking trash when everyone is gone, just not how i roll.

 

I think you underestimate just exactly how much genuine resentment was forming towards the minions from within the bulk of the FTE community. It was like certain members of the minions (some, not all) self appointed themselves as moderators of anything 4x4 related. Nobody asked them to run roughshod over people that don't comply. They just did it. -edit- To that end, the minions as a whole were begining to be viewed as nothing more than a bunch of cyberthugs. The logic used is that anyone who joins a group most likely agrees with the policies of the group. If the policy of a group is thugish in nature, and you are a part of that group, then the assumption is that you must be O.K. with thugism, maybe even aspiring to be one. Regardless of whether a minion was one of the good guys or one of the bad guys, if you had STG Minion in your sig, the natural human response is to associate you with the group as a whole and if the group as a whole is viewed as thugish, well, you would be viewd as a thug too.

I agree that arrogant noobs can be frustrating, but the "unsubscribe" feature works wonders for dealing with this. Also, given half a chance mods will deal with the noobs if they really get out of line.

Me personally, I used to frequent the 4x4 forum a lot, but almost completely stopped reading it after the rise of the minions. Every time you would go to the forum, many of the recent posts were nothing but idle chatter. There were a few good tech threads, but by and large the good tech questions were quickly pushed rearward in the post list due to the rampant posting of non-tech mumbo jumbo. You would have to go through pages just to get to anything tech related. Then there was the whole bashing thing..............

I think that what most of the posters that have posted in this thead are doing is something similar to the deep sigh of relief you would do once a problem is resolved in real life. Yes, you are right, some of the posts could be seen as minion bashing in a manner that is similar to what the minions did at times. You need to look at this from a larger sociological perspective. These forums are all groups, and the minions were a group within a group, that wanted to do their own thing regardless of whether or not it agreed with the standards set forth by the larger group. The STG Minions were a highly vocal minority, but were by no means the majority and therefore ultimately were dealt with because they didn't "get with the program" so to speak. From a sociological prospective, right or wrong, when members are removed from a social group, the remaining members will discuss the situation in detail. At times this will resemble gossip, but what is taking place is a reaffirmance of the "social norms" that are the basis of the core group. People talk about what they did or didn't like, and the values of the group as a whole are reinforced. What i think you will find is that there is no hardcore bashing, and no hatefull name calling, since that is the pricipale "value" that was tossed out when the minions were disbanded. You will also notice, that the former minions who remain are all members who did not routinely participate in the hostile activities of the hardcore minions who are no longer here.

For those former minions that remain, there may be a few painfull comments made that you will not likely appreciate. Just know that unless they are made to you personally, then the comment was made in reference to what the minions came to be seen as and is rarely member specific. If you are still here at FTE, then you obviously either did not personify what the minions appeared to stand for, or if you did, you have agreed to abide by the rules established by the larger group(FTE as a whole and its policies). Either way, you should not take it personally.

And yes, I agree, it is time to move on and try to put the whole minion thing behind us so posts on this topic should be minimized. To that end, I will try to refrain from posting futher on it as well.