RC Report - not dead yet

Does the fact that it will be hosted by RCU mean its much vaunted independence from supplier influence will be adversely affected ?

I only ask because posts on RCU which are critical of products whose importers/manufacturers support the site are very often subjected to "editing".

ROFLOL!

Somehow I think this paragraph overwhelms the first one.

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I haven't noticed any editing of my posts on RCU when I make less than positive comments about products and their suppliers. We're talking about reasonable, non emotional complaints that are based upon fact.

In fact, I have received help from manufacturers/distributors that might otherwise not have been available.

Call someone an offensive name, deride their personality, yes, you will be edited. Do it too frequently and you will be suspended. Persist at it and you will be banned. I see nothing wrong with that at all.

The owner(s) is/are trying to make a living. If one walks into a pizzeria and begins acting loud, offensive and cursing, see how long it takes to be escorted off the premises. Same thing.

Ed Cregger

Ed, while you are right on target I seriously doubt that is what Boo was talking about. Yes, I have been aware of edited posts for a few years on RCU and that is why I am no longer active there.

Jim Branaum AMA 1428

"Six_O'Clock_High" > positive comments about products and their suppliers. We're talking about

The editing and disappearing posts at RCU is disturbing. I left RCU in the dust for RC Groups a long while back, and I know a lot of others did the same.

Good flying, desmobob

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I guess one of the advantages of having a poor short term memory is not remembering what you posted within the last day or two.

Besides, once one gets past the "freedom of speech" thing and realizes that it is not and never has been advertised as being a truly open forum, it is a little easier to accept the restrictions.

Having the right to constantly hammer on individuals or companies that tick one off is not something that is conducive to having a site that will attract good advertisement income. It IS a business, like it or not.

It took me a long while to make the adjustment and there were more than a few times when I closed my accout. Eventually, I began not to take my freedom of speech seriously enough to cheat myself of making friends around the world. I have absolute freedom of speech here, but if you'll notice, there are no advertisers, no videos, no tach reading columns, no worldwide classified ads capabilities, etc. To each his own, I suppose.

I like RC Groups and RC Hangout too. Neither of which will let you get away with what you can get away with here on rec.models.rc.air. Don't believe me? Just try it some time. They have advertisers too.

As a young man, I would have made a great revolutionary. Always looking for a fight or a cause. Now, I'll just defer and let the folks have it their way.

Oh, one last thing, and no one is expected to agree. That is your choice.

Moderators come and go on these commercial gathering places. I had a problem with one that made me quit several times (I nuked my account). Today he has mellowed and doesn't bother folks much at all. For a while there, he was flat out obnoxious.

One day while carousing You Tube, I ran across a video of him at the flying field. I was shocked to discover that this fellow was a grand sort of guy and that he was just the sort that I would have paled (sp?) around with were we in the same R/C Club. What a shock that was to me. Here, the big two horned devil that had made my life miserable on a certain R/C forum wasn't such a bad guy after all. I think that I mellowed considerably after that myself. Maybe that's why I haven't closed an account in a year or two. 8>)

Ed Cregger

You're just too nice a guy to let stuff like that bother you, Ed! That's why you're still there. :-)

I can understand the need for moderating on a forum like RCU and certainly respect their right to do so, but what I experienced wasn't "moderation," it was beyond that. I have honestly forgotten the specifics by now, but I can tell you that it upset me enough to bail out, and that is the only web forum I've ever left in disgust (and I'm one of those guys with too many hobbies and no television; I spend a lot of time on my favorite hobby forums).

The site is a huge source of information and can be extremely useful, but I'd prefer to stay clear of them now.

As for RC Report, I'd really like to believe they'll end up back in print at some time. How could you not succeed with honesty, humor, and technical expertise? I don't know the first thing about the magazine business though, so it may just be wishful thinking.

Good flying, desmobob (who survived the -28F temps the other night and is very anxious for Spring!)

I departed RCU as a regular poster several years ago when one of the moderators edited my post to say something other than what I had written solely to fit his views of the world of model aviation. No vendor was involved, no commercial accounts were involved, and the back channel discussion I had about that subject with his boss was unproductive and displeasing. My very public departure was my choice and remains so even though I have run into the moderator elsewhere.

I guess it wouldn't have bothered me quite so much had there not been a bunch of jerks always threatening me with lawsuits for things I did write only to be told by their legal counsel that I was on firm ground. With others editing my posts there was no certainty that would always remain so. My lawyers suggested the departure on the grounds that I could be sued by some stupid jerk over something I did not write.

Jim Branaum AMA 1428

"Six_O'Clock_High"

Now why does this not surprise me?