classic board

[jimpat]

just took a peak at the classic board..
it sure has degenerated to a ridiculous level....
nothing but insults

spaghetti bender

 

[rdc]

As much as I would like to comment on this thread, for Klaus & John I will just say "DITTO" to Jim's post.

Shaun

 

[scott]

DITTO............

 

[rdc]

I disagree, I think (with the exception of some of the insults) that people need to realize that this is just the internet and that is basically just a chat room. Off-roading is big with the teenage crowd and people should realize that it is all just for entertainment. So what there is some (a lot) of b.s. in there it is not all bad and seems to attract some interesting and informative posts that that 2.0 doesn't allure.
so pick through the s h i t to find a peanut.

 

[martininsocal]

derek- there is only one problem with the above statement, offroad is popular with teenagers...so was the beastie boys, run dmc, michael jackson, etc... fads come and go. i learned about affroad from my dad and family, so it bacame part of my life like it has my childrens. it is not just a way to party without supervision. it is not wrong to have folks come out to the races to find out what it is all about and want to become involved, it is another thing to be the excuse to go get wild, irresponsible, and out of control, then find a new fad when this one becomes so entrenched with all the social problems it has now that they bail because it is "too much hassle" . the old board only helps to fuel the fire against us and helps the ecos paint the picture of wreckless, irresponsible, uncaring, selfish idiots who don't care about the environments we race in, let alone other people or their opinions. promote the sport as a family endevour with responsible use and values past with time spent doing things together. that is how most of us "old" folks got involved...from our parents.

If your gonna go, go BIG

 

[rdc]

Martin, you make some very good points and I hope that others that don’t share your views will at least consider them and think of others in our sport and not just themselves. I read the old board and used to post there. I looked over there today and I’m still the subject of conversation without even posting anything. I for one would very much like to see the “classic board” eliminated and not just for personal reasons. Without getting into a rant on the subject I will stop now.

Shaun

 

[rdc]

Shaun

 

[jimpat]

Martin....i agree with you, I gave the url to Dennis at D & R machine and after he followed it for a few days he was totally surprised by the childish going ons and asked me if that was what off road racing is like..... bickering like old women...... I got him here to see the new one and read some of the postings, so now he is back in good humor
about our sport...... he has been doing work for NASCAR Craftsman people and they are very serious [ too serious for me] but we should have some kind of restrain on the site or not give the url out....... too embarrassing......
jim

spaghetti bender

 

[Klaus]

We appreciate the poll and all of your comments.
The original intend was to keep the classic board around for a while to create for a smooth transition for everyone. We are quite pleased with 2.0 and will now come to a decision on the future of the old board.

Friendships have started with the dezert people, news spread from it and a couple of other good things happened over the last 2 years BUT what Jim just posted made me feel uncomfortable. It should not be a place of embarrassment.

Its not fair to our sponsors and the entire sport.

Rest assure that we take this issue serious. A solution will follow.

 

[kurt]

2.0 board is great BUT I think that the classic board still has it's place, as an example the other day I was looking for info on places to stay in San Felipe for a family trip we are planning. The San Felipe web-site has info but it's marketing, I could have gone to travel sites but I wanted info from people who had actually stayed at various places, i.e. racers, chasers etc.. So I posted on the classic board, thinking that it wasn't really an appropriate topic on 2.0, and I recieved many great responses thru e-mail - thanks all - that were very helpful. The crap on the classic board can easily be scrolled thru - I realize moderating that board means more work for the RDC boys but I still feel it has it's place - maybe make everyone register with RDC (like 2.0) so that the bogus posters know that they could be exposed, thrown out, etc.. just my 0.2 cents worth. Kurt Puhl

 

[Jack]

Why wouldn't that be apropriate in 2.0? That sounds like a valid question.

 

[John Bitting]

I agree, Kurt you can bring that stuff into here and not have to worry about getting slammed. A decision has been made and you guys will see the results by end of the weekend...

 

[mike_hinson]

Classic board needs to go. With what is currently being posted, Classic is bad for the sport. Anyone viewing is going to feel that the offroad community is bunch of foul mouthed idiots. If classic is to stay, it needs to be monitored and edited. If these people need a place to let off steam, do it on some other board or chat room.
I currently have a new car under construction and would be embarrassed to have any potential sponsor look at the classic board to get an idea of what the sport is about. In addition, I want my kids and grand kids to have the same opportunities to race and enjoy the desert as I have over the years. I don't want to give the eco nuts any more ammo to use in closing the desert. Thanks for listening. Mike Hinson

 

[Wayne_Nosala]

I dont think getting rid of it is the answer,but I think something needs to be done!
It just doesnt make desert racers look very freindly
Klaus, John, Has RDC lost any advertising revenue, or
have current advertisers complained about the content over at classic?
Just curious
Wayne

 

[John Bitting]

A lot has been said just recently about that board. It is not the image that RDC wants to portray. This is a money losing venture for us that we hope to break even on one day with sponsors so I think for us it is not a good idea to keep around. It cant be setting a good impression to future advertisers. I dont even wear my RDC gear to work because I am too embarrassed that someone might go on the page and find that guestbook. There is no longer a need for it now that most people have made the transition. The only people left over there are the ones that wont register because we have there IP addresses and are just looking for a name to put with it.. We have a pretty good idea who they are. We are getting a few registering over here with aliases but we wont do anything until we recieve a complaint and there has only been complaints about one person so far.... Thank you for all of your input on this subject. We appreciate it..

 

[jeff]

I can speak for a few would-be advertisers when I say there has been a huge reluctance to advertise on RDC due to the "classic" chat room and its crowd. Since the chat rooms are some of the most viewed pages on RDC, it makes sense to have rotating banner ads on these pages. A smart advertiser wants to spend marketing dollars on a target audience that will spend money... and while many of the BS slingers on the classic board do spend money, they do not represent the majority of customers... that's where 2.0 comes in. Up to this point, the type of person posting on 2.0 is exactly what an off-road related company wants... interest in off-road cars and trucks, a willingness to help answer questions (perfect for secondary advertising via word of mouth), respect for those around them. The majority of the people on the classic board had no respect for the sport or people of off-road.

I think 2.0 is quicker and easier to use than classic - I can view posts that interest me quickly, skipping the stuff I can do without, 2.0 tells you if there are new posts in a thread, how man, it tells me exactly who is posting, when they posted, and I can even send private messages without clogging up e-mail. Gone is the wasted time spent sifting through the "classic" board in hopes something of value was posted. There have also been a few instances where 2.0 has again raised the question, where do you draw the line between running a 100% unmoderated message board? The thread regarding fabricators started out with a slam against ATS - I doubt Scott will ever advertise here after that. Every fabricator out there has his or her friends and foes - if RDC is trying to become a money making site, they MUST make it more advertiser friendly. Until people start paying membership fees to use this site, I think its fair for Klaus and John to do whatever they see fit - they own it lock-stock and barrel.

If the trash talkers need a place to spout off, why don't they just create a FREE forum over at Yahoo! ? There are plenty of places to run free message boards that will tolerate the "classic" attitude. It's my belief that Klaus and John have done not what they wanted to do - they did what was necessary.