Boomer leaving, being the latest in a string of good people leaving because of the disruptive atmosphere that a handful of people create, have made me reflect on how things are run here, and what I want the site to be. I didnt start this site to be a baby sitter, nor do I like to finesse the nuances of someones ego. I assumed (incorrectly, it seems) that adults can be adults. Time and time again I have been proven wrong, and within the last year Ive started to actually kick people out. Those that havent been kicked out, but still behave “on the edge” havent smartened up.

This leaves me with some hard choices. One is close the site. Believe me, this is the far easiest thing to do. The site takes an incredible amount of time and money, and THEN I have to deal with adults behaving like petulant children. You say things on the board you would NEVER DARE say to someones face. Ive tried to “let things go” and just let whatever fires happen burn, but people leave. If I start kicking out people who behave like idiots, I get whines about unfairness. If I let people back in after a time-out, I get whines of “But what about me/him?” If youve wronged someone, you should apologize, not behave like a politician and hedge your bets, or say “Im just asking questions”, or say “But he’s doing it too!” Behaving like an ass only means youre an ass. Ive never seen a larger group of 50+ year old five year olds as I have running this site for 15 years. Shutting down the site is looking VERY good right about now.

The other option is zero tolerance. This is a very unpleasant approach for me. Those of you that know me in person know Im pretty easy going. I dont like or want confrontation. So, easy for me is to kick out people who get complaints. Ive been doing this lately, first with a warning, then a time out. Ive let a few back in, and have been pondering letting a couple others back in. I am no longer considering letting anyone back in. And those that have been suspended and returned are under close scrutiny. It appears that some people cant or wont learn, and, frankly, I dont want to deal with you any more.

Im not sure what Im going to do. If you wake up in the next couple of days and the site is gone, you only have yourselves to blame.

Bob:
I just wanted to voice my appreciation to you and the website. I don’t often contribute but I always visit at least one a day. I’ve learned so much from the members and truly enjoy the posts, photos and community. I hope you can resolve the situation and will continue your terrific work.

I for one would hate to see the site gone. But I must agree that at times some of what I see posted sends me to do better things with my time. It would be a great loss if the wealth of knowledge that can be found here were to be displaced.

At least you no longer get the Politics and Religion wars any more.
We all know what the rules are.

I would give them one warning and a second time they are out. Period.

I too would hate to see the site go away. Maybe a 3-strikes system would help keep things in line, sad if it comes to that but rather that then a vaporized site.

I’ve made a lot of friends here.
I’d hate to lose the opportunity in the future.

There are a lot of great people here.
A shame that a minority may spoil it for everyone.
Ralph

I sure would miss this site, but I understand. I manage projects for a large company and spend most of my time on conference calls with “adults”. Some have never grown up, probably never will. I half seriously tell my boss I feel like a babysitter some days.

Gosh… I don’t want to be an orphan again.

That was the Pit o Stomach feeling as I read.

That said, I wouldn’t fault you for moving on.

Thank you for the good times here.

John

Today I wrote in another thread on the topic “there are days when one can’t win”.

And after I reconsidered leaving LSC I wrote:

A wise man advised me “Ignore their baiting”.

There are days when it takes more effort, but generally it works.

I also wrote:

In the 12 years of participating on LSC I have learned a lot from some excellent modellers, both from their approach and their mistakes, which they as willing share as the good results they achieve. No names required, they know who they are and my hat is off to them!

Basically that’s what LSC means to me: a place to learn and share information.

BTW when Bob writes:

One is close the site. Believe me, this is the far easiest thing to do. The site takes an incredible amount of time and money, and THEN I have to deal with adults behaving like petulant children.

I know what he means, I’ve done that with one forum. That’s about all I can add to the topic.

Bob

Please try to give it some more time.

It would be a great personal burden to lose one of the

few surviving large scale sites with quality content.

Bill Ewing

Bob, I have a thought. Have you ever considered something like a three-man “Council of Moderators” to whom you could turn over the kinds of decisions about difficult members for which you now bear the full responsibility?

A Council of sensible members could allow you to remain our beloved Benevolent Dictator and at the same time relieve you of the heat that goes along with some of the more unnerving, aggravating aspects of running this essential large scale resource.

Just a thought.

Bob, it’s a big site. I know that you cannot spend the entire day following EVERY thread, and have to time to nip things in the bud.

I would suggest you add a couple of moderators, who are well versed in EXACTLY how you want the site to be.

This would do a couple of things: First offload some of the work, reduce your stress, and allow the work to be shared enough that things can be corrected before they get to thermonuclear level, and drastic action is taken.

In this latest episode, I think there are a number of factors, it’s not a simple situation, but the point is it went too far, either in emotion, or persecution, or discourtesy, or all the above.

Since these people would be YOUR moderators, you can ensure they “rule” in the direction you want.

You actually have nothing to lose, you can change your mind if it does not work.

Regards, Greg

The number of members here has more than doubled in the last half dozen years.

While I am not a fan of the idea of having moderators, it is probably time to consider it.
I much prefer LSC with moderators, to no LSC at all.

Give it a try. Share the burden of policing the site.
If it doesn’t work out, you can always explore the possibility of passing the burden of running the site on to someone else.
Ralph

Bob,

I too would hate to see this site vanish. It has been for me the single greatest resource of knowledge on the web. I am/have been a member of other sites, and truthfully, none compare. The folks here have been the friendliest most open people (bar a few) that I have come across, and the people are what make this site great.

I would also not like to be in your position either. In the 6 or 7 years I have been a member here I have see the changes as well. I have seen members come (and some go) from other sites for various reasons. Some have been the very same people who were disruptive on those other sites. Some have been the high end of the modeling scale from those sites.

On the subject of moderators, they can be beneficial if they are in fact of your exact same mindset. People being people I doubt there is an exact copy of our Benevolent Dictator, so differing results are a distinct possibility. And I have seen moderators on other sites handle very similar events in totally different ways.

Three strikes rule, well that takes time and effort to be effective. I think Bob’s signature “Benevolent Dictator” says it all. Step out of line and it is Bob’s decision to slap the wrist, stern warning, suspend an account or simply ban the account. Bob’s site, Bob’s rules. If you don’t like Bob’s rules, go elsewhere.

I said above that it is the people who make this site what it is. I believe that it was Bob’s intent in the beginning for those very same people to be the policing body of the site. We the members still can be simply by ignoring those who have never learned to 'Put your brain in gear before mouth is put into motion." There are several members here whom I regularly skip their posts, or if I read them I look first to see is there any ‘real content’ or is it another ‘grousing session’. I don’t always agree with the posts people make, but that does not mean I have to post something back or be degrading. In an english class I took oh so many years ago the professor made a very astute observation and demonstrated it in class. What people say is not always what people hear. Or said another way, Hear what I thought, not what I said. One difficulty with the written medium is it looses all inflection of voice, which adds considerable meaning to what ever we are saying. Try holding a conversation with your significant other in an absolute monotone and see what the results are.

Bob it is your site, but I respectfully request that you give the good folks here one more chance. With that request I also request that we the folks who populate this fine forum act like adults, put our egos on the shelf and enjoy the hobby we all share.

I’ll get off my soap box now…

@Ralph - As far as ‘passing the torch’ goes, ask anyone here who is/was a member of My Large Scale what their opinion of the ‘new owners’ of that site are. Yes, Bob might be able to do it, but the site will NEVER be the same.

It was the first LS Train forum I ever visited…referred here by NVTiny after my dad found his site…I joined both but left MLS to skip the hoop-la and made this my Sole LSTrain home on the net. I’m still here, 4 layouts and 3 added kids. I’ve already quit the GRR rag due to differences-I’d hate to loose my only outside connection to the Hobby!

I found this quote from James Madison and thought it’d be helpful.

I vote for mods

Thanks Bob!

Cale

I take a few days off to take care of my Father, and all **** breaks loose.

Yes, Bob, you are one glorified baby sitter. Or more correctly ego sitter. Sorry, comes with the territory.

This was the first site that I joined after “lurking” here and watching other Large Scale sites. I have learned so much, and made some true friends (you’re included Bob, but don’t get a swelled head). If this site were to depart the station, there would be a big gap in my life. I have learned to cherish moments in life and youse guys are one of the bright moments. I will miss Boomer’s wit, but have to respect his choice. However, I am allowed to be resentful of the person or persons who have driven him away. I’m no dope. I recognize that there are some egos here that just need to be stoked, and they turn me off, too. I ask for strength to ignore them. They grate on all our nerves as well as Bob’s.

Now if the children will play nicely while I am gone, I have to go bury my Father, who passed away this week, and from whom I have learned what is really important in life. Bickering is not on the important list.

Lastly, for Bob and all, I would like to leave you with a quote from General George S. Patton:

“Don’t let the bastards wear you down.”

Lou,

You have said it all. Bob you have met me and know me. Now let us move on. Oh one more thing.

Expel the SOB’S who drove Boomer off and please ask him back. He was a asset to the site…not the haters.

Lou, my condolences.

Noel

Lou Luczu said:

Now if the children will play nicely while I am gone, I have to go bury my Father,

Lou
My Condolences.

Lou Luczu said: "Don’t let the bastards wear you down."

Bob
I agree with Lou ! “Don’t let the bastards wear you down.”

Of the four large scale fora I visit, without doubt this is the most excellent. It is the one I always read and make most posts upon.

There was a time, some years ago, that I struggled with LSC due to the altercations but that, fortunately, is water under the bridge.

Few here would relish the loss of LSC but I accept it is not an easy life overseeing this place and its visitors but just as my wife’s decisions are usually final I guess the decision by Bob will also be so.

John Passaro said:

Bob, I have a thought. Have you ever considered something like a three-man “Council of Moderators” to whom you could turn over the kinds of decisions about difficult members for which you now bear the full responsibility?

A Council of sensible members could allow you to remain our beloved Benevolent Dictator and at the same time relieve you of the heat that goes along with some of the more unnerving, aggravating aspects of running this essential large scale resource.

Just a thought.

Wow! Has it gotten to this? I am quoting myself? Holy Smokes.

I do this because I wasn’t suggesting moderators in the traditional sense, but a Council of Moderators to whom Bob could refer decisions as to specific incidents and persons for decisions on how to deal with them reprimand, suspension, return, banishment, etc.). Not moderators in the sense of people who watch every discussion.