The below is my statement regarding SMF mgmt action "deleting" a possible controversial post/thread! Specifically " I purchased my MES from Sam's, BUT!
During all these years I have restrained myself from posting anything that would be considered controversial or in violation of the TOA. My deleted thread can be considered germane to the SMF Electric forum because in the past I have endorsed & encouraged other SMF members to purchase from Sam's club, and my post was an effort to let SMF members know I was NO LONGER endorsing or encouraging to purchase from Sam's club, and I clearly explained why. Yes some may take offense on how I phrased that post, but we are adults here and people can disagree or simply move on and read something else.
I have been a member of SMF since 6/2008 over 1500 posts, SMF has been my only forum (smoking meat related) I have supported with regular posting and attempts to help newbies and others in the electric forum. I have purchased products from the advertisers thus supporting SMF through advertising. You can say I really luv participating on SMF / Electric Forum, I check this forum almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day. Further I have confined my participation to the Electric Forum only, even when I read posts in other forums that I know are in error I have made it my personal policy to stick with posts regarding the MES smoker and some helpful hints on cooking using the MES. Thus I believe my support, regular participation has been beneficial for SMF.
My problem is that as a long time member of this forum and the community surrounding the Electic forum, there is ZERO consideration or courtesy for that relationship.
What do I mean?
• Although SMF certainly has the right to delete any post or thread, they have made NO effort via PM as a courtesy to explain their action to me or simply state, "sorry deltadude your thread violates the TOA for this forum, therefore we deleted it".
• As a long time regular contributing SMF member one possible courtesy could have been, simply locked the thread, allowing no further participation,
I have exchanged emails with Jeff (the owner of SMF) in the past, over a variety of topics, specifically discussing how forums for regular participants become communities, that regular posters become stake holders ala citizens of that forum and like other communities. Occasionally members need to express themselves on topics not related to smoking meat, for example a "death in family", their dog died, some other tragedy, sever illness, etc. Threads have run from rebuilding cars, to hunting & fishing, and many many others not related to smoking meat. These types of post help further the notion and atmosphere of community. Other legitimate topics some members also may feel moved or may want to express themselves regarding national events, politics, and even sometimes something religious. IMHO that is what healthy communities do.
Jeff said in those email exchanges he would consider a dedicated forum area for such posts/threads, however everything he has read and discussed with other large popular forums, that is is not good and hurts the forum. Really what is being said, is that it may hurt business. Result still no discussion area for SMF community members feeling the need to express themselves on such topics.
Thus I am not surprised that my thread was deleted, what I DO NOT LIKE, is there was NO courtesy PM.
You would think that after almost 6 years of almost daily participation on SMF a courtesy PM is the least SMF mgmt could do.
I also want to make known a past grievance, I have complained to SMF mgmt that a post of mine (strickly on smoking nothing consider controversial) was altered by a SMF moderator. I asked twice for an explanation. I received a PM reply saying they would check into it. What happened, the text that was added to my original post was deleted, in other words they went in a 2nd time and modified my post, again without so much as a courtesy PM explaining what was happening. Some kind of follow-up apology for an abusive mgmt person taking such an action, or the best result that mgmt person lose his moderator privileges for such an abuse of privilege, would have been a typical professional response. ( I mention this because it indicates that SMF can be rather impersonal, I have had relationships with other large forums where the staff are very interested in the long time members and make an effort to followup, stay in contact, and address grievances in a professional manner, courteous manner.) Note: bmudd14474 did greet me after I had been away for a longish period, very much appreciated.
I have to admit, I'm a frustrated, I could stomp out of the smoking meat forum mad and take my marbles somewhere else, but I really enjoy participating here at SMF. I also feel as we daily watch what is happening to our country remaining silent is like an ostrich sticking it's head in the ground, I want to occasionally express my opinions on other things I consider important to those who regularly read my posts on MES and may or may not care enough to read such an expression.
I don't fault Jeff for wanting to protect his business, he has worked hard to develop a great forum that so many enjoy and provides an informative source to those wanting to smoke meat.
So I'm not sure what I will do, this forum won't suffer either way.
The best outcome, Jeff create a discussion area, with the realization that somethings are more important than smoking meat and it will fill a need for SMF members. That discussion area would not show "new posts" thus only members seeking to participate would have to go to that discussion area to find out what is being posted. (This would eliminate the complaint that some do not want to read or discuss anything controversial at SMF, because they will never see topic/thread titles that draws them in.) Also make that area not crawl-able by search engines, to avoid drawing non members. Only members with undisclosed post ratio (posts in smoking related treads to controversial threads) would be able to post, they could only read not post until that ratio is first met and maintained.
During all these years I have restrained myself from posting anything that would be considered controversial or in violation of the TOA. My deleted thread can be considered germane to the SMF Electric forum because in the past I have endorsed & encouraged other SMF members to purchase from Sam's club, and my post was an effort to let SMF members know I was NO LONGER endorsing or encouraging to purchase from Sam's club, and I clearly explained why. Yes some may take offense on how I phrased that post, but we are adults here and people can disagree or simply move on and read something else.
I have been a member of SMF since 6/2008 over 1500 posts, SMF has been my only forum (smoking meat related) I have supported with regular posting and attempts to help newbies and others in the electric forum. I have purchased products from the advertisers thus supporting SMF through advertising. You can say I really luv participating on SMF / Electric Forum, I check this forum almost daily and sometimes multiple times a day. Further I have confined my participation to the Electric Forum only, even when I read posts in other forums that I know are in error I have made it my personal policy to stick with posts regarding the MES smoker and some helpful hints on cooking using the MES. Thus I believe my support, regular participation has been beneficial for SMF.
My problem is that as a long time member of this forum and the community surrounding the Electic forum, there is ZERO consideration or courtesy for that relationship.
What do I mean?
• Although SMF certainly has the right to delete any post or thread, they have made NO effort via PM as a courtesy to explain their action to me or simply state, "sorry deltadude your thread violates the TOA for this forum, therefore we deleted it".
• As a long time regular contributing SMF member one possible courtesy could have been, simply locked the thread, allowing no further participation,
I have exchanged emails with Jeff (the owner of SMF) in the past, over a variety of topics, specifically discussing how forums for regular participants become communities, that regular posters become stake holders ala citizens of that forum and like other communities. Occasionally members need to express themselves on topics not related to smoking meat, for example a "death in family", their dog died, some other tragedy, sever illness, etc. Threads have run from rebuilding cars, to hunting & fishing, and many many others not related to smoking meat. These types of post help further the notion and atmosphere of community. Other legitimate topics some members also may feel moved or may want to express themselves regarding national events, politics, and even sometimes something religious. IMHO that is what healthy communities do.
Jeff said in those email exchanges he would consider a dedicated forum area for such posts/threads, however everything he has read and discussed with other large popular forums, that is is not good and hurts the forum. Really what is being said, is that it may hurt business. Result still no discussion area for SMF community members feeling the need to express themselves on such topics.
Thus I am not surprised that my thread was deleted, what I DO NOT LIKE, is there was NO courtesy PM.
You would think that after almost 6 years of almost daily participation on SMF a courtesy PM is the least SMF mgmt could do.
I also want to make known a past grievance, I have complained to SMF mgmt that a post of mine (strickly on smoking nothing consider controversial) was altered by a SMF moderator. I asked twice for an explanation. I received a PM reply saying they would check into it. What happened, the text that was added to my original post was deleted, in other words they went in a 2nd time and modified my post, again without so much as a courtesy PM explaining what was happening. Some kind of follow-up apology for an abusive mgmt person taking such an action, or the best result that mgmt person lose his moderator privileges for such an abuse of privilege, would have been a typical professional response. ( I mention this because it indicates that SMF can be rather impersonal, I have had relationships with other large forums where the staff are very interested in the long time members and make an effort to followup, stay in contact, and address grievances in a professional manner, courteous manner.) Note: bmudd14474 did greet me after I had been away for a longish period, very much appreciated.
I have to admit, I'm a frustrated, I could stomp out of the smoking meat forum mad and take my marbles somewhere else, but I really enjoy participating here at SMF. I also feel as we daily watch what is happening to our country remaining silent is like an ostrich sticking it's head in the ground, I want to occasionally express my opinions on other things I consider important to those who regularly read my posts on MES and may or may not care enough to read such an expression.
I don't fault Jeff for wanting to protect his business, he has worked hard to develop a great forum that so many enjoy and provides an informative source to those wanting to smoke meat.
So I'm not sure what I will do, this forum won't suffer either way.
The best outcome, Jeff create a discussion area, with the realization that somethings are more important than smoking meat and it will fill a need for SMF members. That discussion area would not show "new posts" thus only members seeking to participate would have to go to that discussion area to find out what is being posted. (This would eliminate the complaint that some do not want to read or discuss anything controversial at SMF, because they will never see topic/thread titles that draws them in.) Also make that area not crawl-able by search engines, to avoid drawing non members. Only members with undisclosed post ratio (posts in smoking related treads to controversial threads) would be able to post, they could only read not post until that ratio is first met and maintained.
