Advanced Members Club... Did I dream it?

[Marc]

Just to verify that I am (or hopefully am not) going bonkers, but I could have sworn that earlier on today the forum had acquired another section called the Advanced Members Club, which provided for collaboration between advanced members with regard to sourcing parts and tools. It doesn't seem to be there any more.... did I dream it?

[wls1971]

It has gained mythical status and can only be accessed by those who roll up one trouser leg and know the secret handshake.

[Nucejoe]

Mankind dreamed of landing on moon before he finally did.

Best wishes.

[Mark]

It seems some people don’t like change - I’ll be reverting all back to the way it was last week. let’s just leave it there. 

[oldhippy]

I feel sorry for Mark. He comes up with good ideas on ways of adding to this wonderful forum. All he gets is winging fuds. I have had my say and that’s it.

Sorry Mark you added your reply before I finished. 

[Nucejoe]

This forum is solar powered.

[Watchtime]

I think it is a great idea, besides helping eachother with knowledge what on earth could be against helping eachother with parts or tools when needed...? There will always be some people not liking changes as some not liking no changes...

just my 2 cents.....

[jdm]

42 minutes ago, Watchtime said:

 what on earth could be against helping eachother with parts or tools when needed...?

I have nothing against the idea but just let's call it for what it is: sales section.

Asking to buy, or offering for free has never been against the rules.

[Nucejoe]

2 hours ago, Watchtime said:

I think it is a great idea, besides helping eachother with knowledge what on earth could be against helping eachother with parts or tools when needed...? There will always be some people not liking changes as some not liking no changes...

just my 2 cents.....

Ye, friendly forum, friendly advice, free memership, friendly free parts. 

Free lunch.  

[Marc]

4 hours ago, Mark said:

It seems some people don’t like change - I’ll be reverting all back to the way it was last week. let’s just leave it there. 

Thanks for the effort anyway Mark. For what it's worth I thought it was an excellent idea. It's a shame that it others couldn't accommodate the change. After all, nobody had to avail them selves of the facility if they didn't want too.

[spectre6000]

What? Seems I missed the kerfuffle... I thought it was a great idea. Bummer.

[Tudor]

I managed to post a request, and get a reply, but the respondent has rescinded helping because of the sudden reversal. 
 

Very strange. If the option is not welcome, don’t use it. You are not required to partake in any section you don’t have use of. 
 

Anyway, it was good for the few hours it lasted. 

[Nucejoe]

 Ye,  But it lacked free lunch and a cigar.

 

[Nucejoe]

    Not even a single response?    

Okay, I was one of perhaps many who did not like the change as it was handed out. Perhaps I was the first one to contact Mark.

We are so used to free services this forum provides, 

I expect free lunch and a cigar too.

Anybody?

@Mark    Please don't close this thread, not before I get some answers, this issue has been brought up so many times before in various forms,  lots of comments everytime but not a single viable solution.

 

 

[wls1971]

 

6 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

    Not even a single response?    

Okay, I was one of perhaps many who did not like the change as it was handed out. Perhaps I was the first one to contact Mark.

We are so used to free services this forum provides, 

I expect free lunch and a cigar too.

Anybody?

@Mark    Please don't close this thread, not before I get some answers, this issue has been brought up so many times before in various forms,  lots of comments everytime but not a single viable solution.

 

 

Whilst the site is free when I first joined I was very impressed and thought what a wonderful resource it is, so much so I decided to subscribe as a way of showing support because forums dont run on thin air they have many expenses to be covered, but I am very pleased it remains free for those who wish to enjoy it.

 

 

[jdm]

12 hours ago, Tudor said:

I managed to post a request, and get a reply, but the respondent has rescinded helping because of the sudden reversal. 

Again, It's OK to ask for parts or tools. Only, if money is involved, keep that private, exchange emails and keep the forum out of it. That is all what is being asked.

15 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

I expect free lunch and a cigar too.

Anybody?

@Mark    Please don't close this thread, not before I get some answers, this issue has been brought up so many times before in various forms,  lots of comments everytime but not a single viable solution.

NJ, I understand you're coming to this matter with your humor and expectations but is not like everyone wishes can be accommodated all the time. Let's be accepting of the decision that has been taken, and keep discussing horological subjects, or anything else, please.

[Nucejoe]

51 minutes ago, wls1971 said:

 

Whilst the site is free when I first joined I was very impressed and thought what a wonderful resource it is, so much so I decided to subscribe as a way of showing support because forums dont run on thin air they have many expenses to be covered, but I am very pleased it remains free for those who wish to enjoy it.

 

 

Well at least you did something in way of support. Collective support is defenitely inadequate.

I am for free membership for all to enjoy, however, the question here was a test run to see how things go and so called advanced or trusted members were the test batch, fine. So an advance member would save ten, twenty buck on his  first purchase on a forum which can't possibly continue runing on air and that is a fact.

 

 

 

 

[Nucejoe]

1 hour ago, jdm said:

Again, It's OK to ask for parts or tools. Only, if money is involved, keep that private, exchange emails and keep the forum out of it. That is all what is being asked.

NJ, I understand you're coming to this matter with your humor and expectations but is not like everyone wishes can be accommodated all the time. Let's be accepting of the decision that has been taken, and keep discussing horological subjects, or anything else, please.

Oh please Jdm,  lets keep this going, a solution might be found. 

 

[spectre6000]

So the contention is that it's free to use the advanced members section, or that people will be looking for free tools/parts, or ___?

[Mark]

On 9/27/2020 at 9:27 PM, Nucejoe said:

Mankind dreamed of landing on moon before he finally did

 

22 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

This forum is solar powered

 

11 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

Ye,  But it lacked free lunch and a cigar

 

1 hour ago, Nucejoe said:

I expect free lunch and a cigar too.

Anybody?

 

@Nucejoe - What in the actual *** are you talking about. Your comments are completely non-sensical. @jdm has been attempting to assure me that you are trying to be humorous. I have to say - the joke if any is completely lost on me especially in the context of your PM to my inbox.

11 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

the question here was a test run to see how things go and so called advanced or trusted members were the test batch, fine

Wrong!!! This was not a test run where the trusted members were a test batch.
This was intended to be an enhancement to the forum for TRUSTED members to be able to communicate the requirement for certain parts they may be finding it hard to obtain. 

13 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

So an advance member would save ten, twenty buck on his  first purchase on a forum which can't possibly continue runing on air and that is a fact

Absolutely no idea where you got this idea from - what "First Purchase" the forum is not selling anything joe!! 
It seems to be you completely and utterly misinterpreted what was trying to be achieved. 

 

To the OP @Marc, and @Tudor I may well still implement the idea, but I am rethinking things and may put it to a poll and let the membership decide on this, after all - this is a community.

14 hours ago, Tudor said:

I managed to post a request, and get a reply, but the respondent has rescinded helping because of the sudden reversal

I am very sorry about that @Tudor It really was not my intention to disrupt, but things need to be rethought. On the plus side, it seems we are on the right wavelength regarding the community helping each other with hard to obtain parts. It seemed like a natural progression to me.

 

2 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

So the contention is that it's free to use the advanced members section

Advanced Member is free - there is no charge - where he got that from I have no idea. Perhaps because people who have provided financial support for the forum also have access? Well yes - that was intended but why not? They support the site and we should thank them for it.

 

 

[luiazazrambo]

Can anyone mention one single change made to a forum/ computer /chat program /to anything which was broadly accepted by the user communities and not ended up like this change here? (I wont accept examples from North Korea.) By now I believe that Mark should have earned our trust to accept his decisions without a word. This enhancement did not hurt anyone, did not cost anybody, you were free to use it or not to use it. I don't mind if it goes away or it stays, we should not spend much of our time on it. 

Quote from the Time Savings Clock post:

"In fact, time isn’t just an equal among other things of value. Time has a worth that’s in a class by itself because  there’s only a limited amount of it.  And unlike many things that can be bought with money, time isn’t one of them. That makes time very precious. And when I get to thinking just how precious it is, I also get to asking myself how well I’m using it. And that leads me to other questions, about loved ones, the future…in fact the very purpose of life."

And another relevant youtube video:

"Hello Suzy, can I be a mountain leopard please?" from 2:30

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by luiazazrambo

[Nucejoe]

@Mark  Advance members can generate some revenue if nothing else through buying watches in need of repair, repair and sell, while the fresh enrollee to lessons has all expenses of buying tools, movements to practice on and parts all ahead of him.

My problem PM ed to you is just my problem fortunately no one elses.

I am glad you are rethinking this, no doubt the idea is good and helps us all.

Regards

joe

 

[Rafael]

Some people are afraid of changes (and some will always have something to say) but that's fine. that doesn't mean changes shouldn't be made. This is how you progress in life - try new stuff, improve, reinvent.

If this would turn out to be a bad idea, it would "die" on its own.

[Marc]

4 hours ago, Mark said:

To the OP @Marc, and @Tudor I may well still implement the idea, but I am rethinking things and may put it to a poll and let the membership decide on this, after all - this is a community.

@Mark thanks for the update. I'm glad that the idea hasn't been totally abandoned yet. This forum operates extremely well as a community resource in so many ways already so I find it slightly puzzling that extending its functionality in the way that you suggested should be so controversial, especially as there are many people on here who readily offer more material help when they can, and your proposal would simply have put this practice on a more formalised footing. The option to offer or receive payment would have simply increased the available resource, a bit of a win win if you ask me. But then there's nowt so queer as folk, as the saying goes. I do hope that a way forward can be found that everyone can be happy with, but either way I will certainly continue to offer what I can when I can to help my fellow watch tinkeres and pro's alike. 

[nickelsilver]

I think it would be cool and useful if it can be constructed in a way that Mark doesn't get his b@lls broken constantly and isn't having to break up any disputes. If the "advanced" members are to do this it's between them point final sort of thing.

I was actually thinking of offering a staff or stem (cut) per month for needy members or something but didn't really know how to offer that. That's a freebee though, so sort of out of this discussion.