RIP Ford Forums dot com

Donny · 27-02-2006, 09:21 PM

Has everyone who goes on both ford forums seen the absolute RAPE JOB of an update they have done. I am not particularly a fan of the layout of this one, and much preferred the other till it changed to what it is now. I wont even bother with the other one now...

What do you guys think of the changes......

P.S. Mods, dont go wiping this post.......

MoreHPformyXR6 · 27-02-2006, 09:26 PM

Just had a quick look & as Pauline Hanson would say " I dont like it"

cArSiK · 27-02-2006, 09:26 PM

havent posted there for a year now. Meh.

rodderz · 27-02-2006, 09:27 PM

No, it's not good, you guys owning older falcons had a lot of info there...but the good thing is over here you can combine everything together and make it a wealth of info for everyone

Donut King · 27-02-2006, 09:27 PM

there are a few threads on this topic around the place, everyone seems to have the same reaction.
We won't wipe the thread, and we don't censor their url as they did ours.
Its unfortunate that this has happened, but maybe its what is needed to bring the ford community together again, rather than having an us vs them situation

svo347 · 27-02-2006, 09:30 PM

Who cares ... the goods are here!!!!!

Tony xa · 27-02-2006, 09:39 PM

They completley screwed it now to find what you want for early falcons you have to go though stuff about every falcon x-series e-series etc .
God damn americians can't ya leave anything alone there was no oil or weapons of mas distruction in the those forums lol

max^power · 27-02-2006, 09:42 PM

lol, so how many of this type of thread do we have going now? 3 or 4 i think ive seen. the good thing about the internet is it's dynamic.

Bearman · 27-02-2006, 10:00 PM

I migrated to this site pretty much from the start but I still visited the FFdotCOM site from time to time because their "classics" section was more active than this one. Now that the other site is no more I'm looking forward to this part of FFdotCOMdotAU picking up considerably.

Sourbastard · 27-02-2006, 10:03 PM

First off, what they have done is NOT an update. John has quite obviously sold the domain AND the forum databases to the new owners. They have bought atleast another half dozen sites in the same ambush manner. This thread should be in the bar, so ill mvoe it there now.

ClevlndStemer · 27-02-2006, 10:07 PM

jeez there isn't enough threads on this already? he sold the domain woopy doo, his business, he did what he wanted. if everyone is here what does it matter anyway?

DOC · 27-02-2006, 10:09 PM

Wow, just been over for a look and no one is happy and i see new forums taking up where the old ones were ripped ( or people migrating here ), and it makes you appreciate even more being a member / sponser of FFAU.

Pete

FPV8U · 27-02-2006, 10:13 PM

Noticed this the other day, i joined here as soon as i was invited by Rocket(?) from memory, this is a better forum has been since it was Born.

R.I.P

MO · 27-02-2006, 10:15 PM

Everyone calm down I think its called business....so what if John sold it.

It now means this definately is the number one Ford Forum...it is well run..it is well participated in and most of all it is reasonably tolerant....especially if the team let me hang around.

jmc-007 · 27-02-2006, 10:19 PM

Yes thatis true. but not when you dont tell the admins or anyone what is happening.

Even worse when you sell the sponsors out. If they get burnt why would they want to give money to another forum. !!

Not just ford forums.com from the looks of it but a few other import , GM and other ones too.

Everyone had the ИИИИs.
this place will get real big

Sourbastard · 27-02-2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John McMaster

Everyone calm down I think its called business....so what if John sold it.

It now means this definately is the number one Ford Forum...it is well run..it is well participated in and most of all it is reasonably tolerant....especially if the team let me hang around.

John, back in your box mate.

If it was just business, why are his sponsors left holding the bag? They have paid him perfectly good money for advertising rights, just for him to perform an internet disappearing act, and now they have no rights at all with the new owners. Thats not business. Thats called fraud.

Now alot of former ff.com members are going to come here, and they are going to want to talk about whats just happened. Its quite fair to let them talk about it, as its hardly a small event thats just occured.

FordFan86 · 27-02-2006, 10:23 PM

/me cracks out the fireworks and starts singing auld lang syne and the wicked witch is dead and whatnot.

Dodge · 27-02-2006, 10:25 PM

its hard to follow, it looks like a free for all forum, its slow and sux. shame it was a good start for me . is there a big jugs forum???

PH47 · 27-02-2006, 10:29 PM

Maybe make 1 thread about this, and keep all discussion in there?

I reckon it'll end up being a major discussion point and not worth flooding these forums with multiple topics about it.

As sourbastard said it IS fraud, and also i'm sure there are legal implications to selling a database of member information? When you sign up to a forum you are giving your personal information and your posts to THAT forum, i'm pretty sure on-selling that information isn't legal as the person basically bought everyones email addresses, names, IPs, etc etc. I'd be more worried about getting spammed personally! Especially considering the new owner is obviously not adverse to making money off advertising!

Dave_au · 27-02-2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by senifx

As sourbastard said it IS fraud, and also i'm sure there are legal implications to selling a database of member information? ..... I'd be more worried about getting spammed personally! Especially considering the new owner is obviously not adverse to making money off advertising!

Really depends on the terms and conditions that the sponsors have with the respective website. Additionally, given that ford forums was based in America, there is little legal recourse - I struggle to see his old sponsors going to the trouble of civil action in the US over what probably (guessing here) is for amounts less than $1,000. They would just write it off.

As for the new owners of the website, they would have to abide by the "contract" that you had with fordforums when you registered. Anyway, nothing that a spam filter won't fix.

As for the new website itself, the new owner didn't invest much time into a lovely thing called "change management", leaving members out in the cold, even to the extent that the moderators didnt know what was happening was a little bit of a silly idea. The best approach would have been to be as transparent as possible, including discussing layouts etc.

The new site does seem very hard to navigate. As for the new owner, hope they didnt pay too much, intangible assets are a wonderful thing, the worth of any internet forum is the sum of it's members contributions. By alienating the members, and by vastly changing layouts, your going to get members looking elsewhere. Your intangible asset won't be worth much now.

Sourbastard · 27-02-2006, 10:45 PM

As far as how they are treating members, they are doing alot of the "tell us how you want it to be" posting, but considering the method in which they aquired the domains in the first place, its not encouraging much participation.

Falcon_Phill · 27-02-2006, 10:52 PM

Just visited then, never been there before, its ИИИИ and i wouldnt want to go there anyway. The way they organise the place isnt as user friendly as here.

WASP · 27-02-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbastard

John, back in your box mate.

If it was just business, why are his sponsors left holding the bag? They have paid him perfectly good money for advertising rights, just for him to perform an internet disappearing act, and now they have no rights at all with the new owners. Thats not business. Thats called fraud..

Your making a lot of assumptions there...How do you know that Sponsors etc have not been contacted already or if not, will not be contacted soon? The new owners have stated that they will reset all member rights if you email them and advise them of your previous status. John's been through a lot lately, but he has never shown himself to act in an unethical manner (as far as I know anyway).

I'm long time moderator on FF.com and admit although I knew some changes were needed, I wasn't quite expecting this. The original forum was not very active and something needed to be done.

Mark351 · 27-02-2006, 11:09 PM

You know what cracks me up?

During the go-kart grand prix at the first Forums Forums Raid, MrSparkles made a flippant remark to myself and Chucky, two halves of a galant racing team, and gave birth to BSR. It grew a life of it's own, and for Ford Forums Raid II, John (seemingly ex-owner of FF.com?) arrived in Aus from the US with the BSR logo tattooed at the top/middle of his back. A tattooee myself, I thought getting something like that permanent was a little odd. Perhaps he can get a cover up job with a big capital L.

Sourbastard · 27-02-2006, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDAA

Your making a lot of assumptions there...How do you know that Sponsors etc have not been contacted already or if not, will not be contacted soon? The new owners have stated that they will reset all member rights if you email them and advise them of your previous status. John's been through a lot lately, but he has never shown himself to act in an unethical manner (as far as I know anyway).

I'm long time moderator on FF.com and admit although I knew some changes were needed, I wasn't quite expecting this. The original forum was not very active and something needed to be done.

The sponsors are posting in the forums, and theres no admin, no mods, no noone to answer them in 24 hours? John isnt posting. The new owners arent responding to the questions, you guys(gmack yourself and raven) havent been given any information to deal with it either. Calling it like I see it mate.

Youre a long time moderator, gmack is an admin, raven is a mod as well, yet none of you knew this was coming, none of the sponsors knew it was coming, no planning, no hints, no "be prepared", no nothing. There are a half a dozen other forums been migrated in the same manner, all in secrecy until the last moment.

It doesnt need to do a dance down the middle of the street with a marching band playing "Domain Sales are here Again" for it to be obvious whats happening.

27-02-2006, 11:17 PM

The site was doomed once AFF was up and running. Our sponsorship on FF.com was cancelled without renewal as soon as Peter Warren Smithfield sponsored AFF.
I think this was bound to happen.

AMT · 27-02-2006, 11:20 PM

Came over from FF and I'm glad they did what they did this is a kick ИИИИ forum it's all gone to the dogs over there now. Most of the old FF members i think will follow suit.... :gren:

LUXO_8 · 27-02-2006, 11:21 PM

i just hope a lot of the great info that was on there isnt just gone..... would be a shame....

BLKFPV · 27-02-2006, 11:27 PM

this place ain't getting sold to LS1.com soon ... is it?

:

I notice Capa is a little ^$#*^ off on that site atm ... who were the other two local sponsors again ??

I too hope that a lot of the info hasn't been deleted out of ignorance .... there was a lot of great stuff ... can't find much now

:

WASP · 27-02-2006, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbastard

The sponsors are posting in the forums, and theres no admin, no mods, no noone to answer them in 24 hours? John isnt posting. The new owners arent responding to the questions, you guys(gmack yourself and raven) havent been given any information to deal with it either. Calling it like I see it mate.

Youre a long time moderator, gmack is an admin, raven is a mod as well, yet none of you knew this was coming, none of the sponsors knew it was coming, no planning, no hints, no "be prepared", no nothing. There are a half a dozen other forums been migrated in the same manner, all in secrecy until the last moment.

It doesnt need to do a dance down the middle of the street with a marching band playing "Domain Sales are here Again" for it to be obvious whats happening.

I would be lying is said it doesn't look good, but I'm trying the give John and the new forum owners the benefit of the doubt. I've now had time to look around and I'm not very happy with what I'm seeing (reading) so far. I would like to help the original sponsors but have no information myself...