this is a sad day...

this is a sad, sad day. i guess you've all heard about the forum restructuring. i just wanted to thank everyone here; i've learned more from you guys in the last few months than i have in the last few years from books. thank you very much!

it makes me really sad to see this end, but i guess that's good in one way; it means we really had something worth missing here.

 

I cannot tell you how sad this makes me also, Leaf. We were just getting to know each other!

I cannot put it in print...what I really think about this 'forum reconstructing'...so I'll leave it at that.

Know that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and have learned so much from everyone. This is a very sad day, indeed.

: (

 

:(

I havent ben active in a few days but WHAT???! How long will it take?

 

Think you better have a read, Blake...

http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=60732

: (

 

Thanks HBL





:(

... I have found my home in the woods, now they are clear-cutting it with onley a couple trees left

............This site is where I learn everything about botany, I come here when I have questions, I come here to talk and chat to my friends, I come here to get my plants ID, I come here show off my plants, I come here to learn tips about my plants, I come here to learn about plants, botany and more, I come here to share pictures, trade seeds, get wonderful ideas about my garden, my forest has ben taken away with onley a couple trees left...... I need to find a new home......

:(


-Blake

 

I feel the same, Blake. At a loss for words, right now...


: (

 

This forum's strength was its members---their diverse knowledge, personalities, geographical locations. It was full of both scientific and practical plant know-how. It was a many-faceted jewel, and now it---and its members, its very animating force---is being tossed aside for the sake of making less work for someone. Another shining example of management decision-making.
'Who needs the Sistine Chapel? A prefab shack would be much easier to take care of.'

But oh, such ease takes a toll, my friends. The void left behind this loss will not easily be filled.

 

Well said, Togata!

You only have to read the 'forum charter' and that humiliating infraction system to know that people really don't matter here at all.

As my grandmother used to say...

"one bad apple spoils the whole barrel"

: (

 

I'm not sure such comments are apt. This has certainly been the best garden forum I've been to. The someone who needs less work may have been the main force behind the development and maintenance of the quality publicly accessible forum that was enjoyed here for some years.

For free.

 

Did not realize that UBC staff were volunteers.

 

I will say...

I've always enjoyed Eric's moderating here on UBC.

Now there's someone with some tact and some people skills. He should have been made leader of this forum right from the start because he knows how to handle people properly.

I don't believe UBC would be going under now, if things had've been different. All of my dealings with Eric have been nothing but helpful, respectful, and pleasant. He has been a real asset here.

I've loved this forum for a long time now, and the people on it. The way it has been run and the way certain members have been treated recently though, is a whole other matter entirely.

As well, the rules in the forum charter do not apply to ALL members - only to some.

: (

 

Well my friends truely a sad end to many friendships is about to come.

I thank the forum for all of the great enjoyment that has brought to me, I as well thank the hosts for providing this wonderful medium for us of so many continents to converese so freely. Who would have imagined that a question from"down under" would be answered from europe and seconded from south america and read by the connected WORLD.


Anyone please e-mail me to a alternate...

Thank you all, Ron its about time to say the eulogy.

Adieu Dunc

 

i don't know of many forums that have paid staff to monitor things (new members, post maintenance, spammers, etc) or maintain and/or upgrade s/w. i can only think of one, actually, that has paid staff to run the forum...and that isn't a garden site.

and paying for membership on forums is not something i've experienced often either...on a couple sites (gardening and other types) there is an option to pay a fee and you usually get something extra like email or something. the vast majority of sites are started by and maintained by 'regular' people and done so out of their love for their passion and wanting to create a spot for others with similar feeling - and no fee is ever asked for. in fact, on quite a few sites i'm a member of, the people who run them have actually turned down donations towards the various fees (site registration, software and server costs, etc).

if monitoring the various sections was becoming cumbersome due to other responsibilities that were priority (ie, their real jobs), they certainly could have inquired of a few members to see if they would want to assist. i can think of quite a few regular contributors that would be ideal for 'moderator' positions and i'm sure most of them would have felt honored to be asked to assist and would have gladly helped out (especially if the result of a 'no' answer would result in the forums being shut down).

it's really a shame. just from the standpoint of losing such a wonderful site full of such good info and people who are so generous with their time and knowledge.

it's really even more of a shame when you really look at the situation as a whole.

the areas being kept are those that require paid membership...and there's hardly any activity in those areas.

we weren't even given an option to become 'paid' members so that the other, general, areas could be kept going.

it's leaves quite a bad taste in my mouth.

 

I sure hope the close friendships and endearing ties made with each other, although no longer welcome here, will survive & continue elsewhere...

: )

 

You could try this one too if you don't mind the odd nutbar posting never ending mediocre recipes or long diatribes on raising and grooming chickens.

Maybe what the place needs is some ardent gardeners.

http://gardentenders.com/pulse

 

Thank you, Bob.


In all this sadness, at least I had a good hardy laugh over this...

: o


I'll check out your site soon...


: )

 

It's not my site.

I did post there for some time until it became over run with trivia.
Surely some of you folks with better gardening and communcation skills could add some good gardening info to get the place back on track.

From my perspective it's a train wreck.

 

I didn't really mean your site...more your link, Bob. Thanks for the invitation...I'll check it out shortly.

: )

 

I belong there Sherr, go and have a look.

 

Bob,

Till the 'conversations forum' was created this place was getting full of trivia too lol

After Daniels hard work in organisations its much better.

There are one heck of a lot of garden forums around now.

I like the look of Garden Banter'

http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/

 

Sorry for the doubble posts, but I got thumbs up!! :)

Please consider joining unusualplants.net, It is a wonderful forum that started a couple months ago, It is still in development in places. I am a member of it; you can find me under the same username. It has categories, a future classifieds and more. It just needs people to join!!

Here’s the URL:
http://unusualplants.net/forums/forum.php


-

 

Thanks, Blake! Hope to talk to you there!

 

So much angst, so little gardening.

The hooded monk rows his boat to the next likely knowledge spot.

 

Careful you don't run into a submerged rock whilst peering out from under that hood, bob.

 

Thanks, Blake!

: )