Willie,
Can you do the stuff JoeB is involved with on this BB to make it better, and have a hobby as well?

I can't, and yes, the issues about posting pics are a pain, but as so many others have indicated on here: Use photobucket, flickr.com, etc to post the images and just add a link to you message that you post here. Works for me on all the other BB's I'm subscribed to: RedPower, ACME.

If you keep on airing your misery and bone-picking on here, I'm sure a lot of us, who are not ACMOC members due to costs, will just never return here. If you want to pick a fight with JoeB, please take it off the BB through either the ACMOC BoD, or with personal emails to JoeB.

Rant mode off, just my .00001c worth.

Tractor Don,

You are right, I knew a group of women who would meet and do sewing projects, we called them the Bitch and Stich club because they never had a good thing to bring to the table only complaints. After time people don't want to be around negativity and they take there marbles and go home.

As for Swishy, "too right", A little Aussie for ya

I think we have some bludgers that are ear bashers.

CMD

Catmandu, here's the funny thing. i like Willie in person, but he's Hell on the keyboards:confused:

Willie, I would like to suggest that you read , and then reread the post by Billie D7 4T posted 12/17 in this thread..... it is the voice of reason, and the way that problems or issues get resolved. Your technique as others have stated is counterproductive and in my opinion the product of someone who does not want to be a part of the solution.... just likes to bitch and listen to his own voice.

Either work on the issues in a mature and professional way, or give it a rest. I am another who is tired of your rhetoric. Wayne

In the old days, the little brat gets a spanking. Today, he goes to "time out". Go to "time out" willie.

Willy has a point, I can’t see any great improvement in this board over the old one (sorry Joe) the long and short of its Lets just pay for what we want.
Quit whining, tack another few bucks on the dues and get what we want. Make it worth Joe wile to make this more than a hobby or get someone else.

People need specs. I look at specs all day long. I like picture and the stories of the old timers and the people who worked and or are restoring their machine.
This is what I get out of the board. And the friends I meet along the way!

Other needs the specs, technical info great, for this board to be a success we have to cover both of these.

Quit doing thing on the cheap, it bites you in the Butt in the long run!

Say what you want about Willy. I aggree with him I thought the old board worked better than this one. He calling a spade a spade, that can be a hard thing to do when you dealing with friends


Steve
3512B

hello all , just a look at new BB ,this format runs great and is better to use than old bb,the problems i see are in everybody keeping there old id as in having to send everybody up to 3 email to join up with old id ,the amount of pic you can post can be fixed later ,limiting the BB to only old cats without a off topic area makes it boring ,as for info to keep it in an archive area i keep mine on photo bucket /image shack and post link when needed and some in my pic area, so sit back ,hang on till every body's joined (only 800 odd done )maybe out of 2000 from old bb .
when you join use your current email that you use everyday and reply to emails when you get them ,keep at it joe ,good work
don't worry happy ,bruce oz

Billy said it right. I am not upset about the new board. It takes a learning curve to get going on it. What has bothered me was the lack of communication. When I signed up for this board, got the first e-mail, so I figured I was in as I have seen nothing until after that time that said you had to wait for the second one. George or Joe should have put a little message out on the BB letting the members knwo what is going on. I find where I work that if you let your customers know what is going on, they will understand and work with you. Joe and George have been doing more commicating lately and it has been a big help. I will say thank you to Joe, George and Willie. You guys have a lot of concern for this board. O yes it did take me a week to get confrimed on this board the longest it has ever taken me on any board.
Terry

3512B, we don't need to increase the dues to pay for changes and upkeep to this Internet site. We have the money. The question is whether the bulletin board is performing the way we want it to perform. We are evaluating its performance, and considering the negative comments about the bb, including Willie's. Probably most of the problems will be resolved, but probably not all. As we go through this shake-down cruise, either Joe or I will be making responses on the bb so that you will know what is going on. Thanks for your comments. GWH

Interesting that Billy brings up the field of Project Management as relative to this discussion. Although he lightly covers guidelines of that field I would like to bring it down to specifics that apply here. Program and project management is a field that I am very familiar with having retired from a successful career in PM and the recovery of other people’s failed projects while working for some of the countries Fortune 100 companies and one top Institution.

I have often had to deliver a message like this to plant officials and BOD’s:

Ladies and Gentlemen;
This project has failed…… and whether it has been intentional or inevitable it has failed due to poor management not due to those attempting to implement the work.

Recovery consists of the following immediate recommendations:

1. Remove the current PM and replace him/her with someone familiar with…….and capable of…..
[The job description should make reference to capabilities of global vision and planning, communications, ability to set goals and objectives, establish and maintain time lines, manage accountabilities and have …..years of applicable experience.]

(In this case someone knowledgeable with the Heavy Equipment Service Industry or similar)

2. Place stop notices on all contractors pending review and revision of the scope of work.

3. Begin the process of redefining and outlining the scope of work in a suitable format that can be used to acquire RFP’s (requests for proposals) from a list of qualified contractors and/or consultants.

Basically we are talking about starting the planning process over again only this time
adhering to the parameters, focusing on the customers requests and holding the Project Manager accountable for the process and results.

To the above I would like to add the following comments.
This project was doomed from the start. Although many lists of suggestions were provided from the members, only a few items were implemented. A little bit of planning , testing and communicating would have avoided most of the grief we are currently experiencing. The seat of the pants development approach is unacceptable.
We are not your guinea pigs.

Some how the request to fix the former bulletin board turned into the implementation of an all new bulleting board without any real justification. What’s worse is none of the lessens learned and experienced were carried forward from previous BB’s so the new version starts over from scratch, basically a net loss in knowledge, experience and features.



Where to go from here???
Besides the above I would recommend that this new BB be shut down and return to the former BB format, do the minor repairs to the old BB, assign a full time administrator to assure its reliability then begin a review process for updates and changes. If the new assessment warrants an all new BB then it would have to be determined whether one of the canned programs would suffice or need modifications for our usage. If not, a customized version would have to be developed. The cheap fix package is not going to work.

To Joe Black: You are a valuable asset and whether you choose to remain as administrator or council there is no reason you should receive the heat due to poor management.

To the cheerleaders: Celebrate the real victories…..acknowledge the failures.

To the hecklers: (one in particular)……raise your horizons. Charters are not fixed in stone. Growth has to occur to sustain your interest. Inclusion of at least the next decade of equipment and varied topics will occur with or without you so plan accordingly.

I am not interested in exchanging a whole lot of dialogue on this so don’t get your shorts in a knot if you disagree. Instead I would suggest expending more energy on how to arrive at a working solution. The focus should be:
1. Know the targeted market. Keep it basic, reliable and easy to use.
2. Quality pictures and document posting is a must.
3. Materials posted must be retrievable