[barnmichael]

I'm fairly new to the various forums, and sometimes don't read well between the lines. On several forums, including this one, I have seen references to the "other" forum. The tone is usually like there were some problems or something odd someplace.



Perhaps someone might clue me in in case there is something I need to watch for or be careful about. Private email is ok.



Michael



[email protected]

 

[Semper Vaporo]

Don't believe anything you read on the internet (including what you just read!)

All forums have a "following" and those that think their partiuclar favourite site is the absolute bestest. Rivalries grow and sometimes it is perceived that you should not mention the "other" sites (besides, why advertise the "other" sites, the owner of each gets paid by the advertisers on their own sites and if you let new people know about the other sites, then they might go there and forget to return and there would be less revenue).

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I would suggest not getting embroiled in politics, and just read the forums. There are two sides to most every story.

Sit back, read, enjoy, and respect others. You will have a lot more fun than trying to learn the "dirt" on others.

Regards, Greg.

p.s. the stories will surface by themselves...

 

[altterrain]

Ditto on the above comments. All the fora have their pros and cons. Take little seriously on the internet. Its usually 99% BS anyway.

-Brian

 

[Steve Stockham]

The guys' advice is good and I would add "ditto" to it but I know you are genuinely curious and will probably pursue this further. Suffice to say that there are "free" websites where you can voluntarily contribute to "upgrade" if you will, to help support the site and there are websites where you have to pay to enter. If you are still curious, you can find your answers in the archives. Go all the way back to the beginning as that is really where it starts.
The bottom line: Each largescale website has it's strengths. There is no ONE website that does everything better than everybody else. I have three which I regularly frequent and three more which I visit occasionally not including the manufacturer's websites. There's also some blogs that are excellent. Online large scale websites are like extended clubs! Petty rivalries are that...petty and we pretty much ignore them here at MLS.

 

[vsmith]

"Other" forum doesnt necessarily mean a negative comment, it can mean just what it says, as in "something I read on the other forum" could just mean the same as "some I read on another forum" its just being a tad more specific as referring to one of the other large scale forums, sometimes it can be hard to determine just which "other" forum they are referring to, afterall their are several others, Garden Railways, LSOL, LSC, Gscalemad, several dozen (it seams) Yahoo forums, not to mention manufacturer based forums like those hosted by Bachmann or Aristo, lets not even go into all the personal blogs.

Now sometime the way one reads the use of "other" could be seen to be in a negaitve tone, but mostly I read its ment more as a neutral tone, a way of saying I saw this elsewhere without specificly naming the "other" forums, as in the past their have been issues where one forum did not prefer to singled out in comments on another forum. (not here mind you) I think this is why most simply use the generic term "other forum" instead of specificly naming another forum simply to avoid potential conflict, as most of us are active on more than one forum, and a few are active on just about all of them, and all of us want to maintain a good reputation with other users.

 

[Dean Whipple]

A little over 8 years ago there was just one large scale forum that had been operating for years, it was very popular then one day it just shut down, no warning, nothing, one day it was there the next day it was gone....our meeting place on the web was gone, we were unable to talk to our friends they were gone...
Some of us had email address's of others and used email to, maintain contact and to try and find something, someplace to meet, Shad had small "forum" for the Utah Garden Railway Society already operating and offered it to us as a temporary meeting place, after several months a new forum was started, that's the how and why, myLargescale.com and the other large scale forums we now enjoy started, the other forum eventually started back up and is still operating as a members only site.
The way the "other forum" did shut down understandably, created a bad feeling for some in the largescale community.

 

[toddalin]

If I refer to "the other forum," it is not to be condescending in any way and I have a world of respect for both. Unforetunately, some do not and there may or may not be some "bad blood" on both parts.
As far as I'm concerned, this is "the other forum" when I'm on that forum and vise versa.

 

[Richard Smith]

Michael,

I have supported two different forums on a regular basis for some years now (not the one that closed and reopened). I enjoy both forums and many that post here also post on the other. I've never felt it neccessary to support only one site and cut myself off from the other. I enjoy the option of more than one site and it is quite useful to be able to shift back and forth as one of them is shut down due to technical difficulties, etc. Too, many of the same people that post here do so on the other site as well.

I don't think it's wrong to mention the "other site" here or this site "there" and I have referred back and forth a number of times. What I consider wrong is to actively enlist people from here to "go to the other place instead" or vice versa. Any site has its problems and sometimes overzealous supporters no matter how good they may be otherwise. Get a little steamed? Just retire to the alternate site for awhile to cool off and avoid doing something rash and usually uncalled for. The other site that I frequent is largescalecentral.com It along with this one are my favorites. Lots of good people on both.

I also drop in to http://120pointme.blogspot.com/ on occasion and once in awhile Bachmann's site. I avoid the more anal sites that seem overly paranoid about the slightest criticsm or comment. I won't mention these out of courteousy as these are merely my own opinions.

"Other" doesn't mean bad usually. It's just trying to be considerate of our host here by not promoting other sites and by mentioning them only in response to legitimate noninflammatory queries.

 

[barnmichael]

Thanks for all the comments, public and private. I wasn't looking for 'dirt', I just didn't want to step in something or say something stupid in the wrong place.

Thanks to all and I'm looking forward to seeing some of you at HAGRS.

Michael

 

[Torby]

The tradition here is to add a Y to the "other site's" abbreviation and refer to "LYSOL," but that's just if you want to be ornery.

The scuttlebut is to mention MLS over there will get your post deleted

Each forum has its own character. My favorites are here and large scale central.

 

[Dave Meashey]

With my old computer and slow internet service (dialup), I really don't have time for an "other" site anymore. At work I can still lurk here and at Bachmann, but that is enough for now. I used to be pretty steamed by the sudden drop and strange reappearance of the original favorite site, but I have gotten over that by now. The company is nice at MLS, and I feel "at home" here.


Don't post as much as I used to, but my main project for now is the slow conversion of almost all of my equipment to Kadees. Not much that is post worthy there. If I ever start slapping track down outdoors again, then I'll have something to post.


"Other site" seems to be a fine neutral way to say you found it elsewhere than MLS.

Have fun,

David Meashey