Clearing up a few things..

[Matdragon]

Hi guys,

Just wanted to clear up a few things as a lot of questions have been asked and some whispers have been flowing around the forum and being warped like Chinese whispers.

RC Tank Warfare's association with clubs.
This forum is an online communication network only and not a physical club, there are a lot of different RC tank clubs that meet up in person that have sprung up around the UK which also have their own forum for communication. Even though we encourage the discussion of clubs and what they are up to and many members from the various clubs contribute to this forum, those clubs are in no way associated with or a part of RC Tank Warfare. I would hope that this forum can be a mutual place where anybody from around the world and from any club can contribute and collaborate without bringing with them any quarrels they may have with other clubs. Here everybody is equal and should feel able to express their opinion and ideas (with due care and respect for other members) without feeling oppressed by anybody else, if you feel that right is being threatened please get in contact with a staff member.

Adverts on the RC Tank Warfare.
It has been suggested by some, and I have absolutely no idea what planet this wild idea came from, that I am "in it for the money". I feel extremely disheartened to know that somebody has somehow gotten that idea into their head, and I'd like to know why? RC Tank Warfare ALWAYS has been and ALWAYS will be non-profit, the adverts are there simply to cover the costs involved with running the website and domain etc. Donations although highly appreciated are extremely rare so the adverts are required to keep the lights on. In comparison to the network traffic attending this website the adverts are extremely cheap! Anybody that doesn't want to believe me and therefore is in severe disapproval of the false idea that profit is being made from the website is free to stop using the forum, just as they are able to use it.

Politics, politics!
We all have busy lives away from this forum and many contribute to a variety of tank forums, so its never nice to come here and see private messages to me complaining of forum politics and people publicly bickering with each other. I have read a lot of threads and seen how some members seem to have a problem with specific others and like to convey that in their posts, either with sly comments or under the belt blows. If everybody could please just drop any previous judgments they have with other members and treat each other with respect. If everybody does this then there will no conflicts at all, problems will only arise when somebody does not do this in which case please let a staff member know and it will be dealt with. Vigilante justice and publicly confronting the person who is not being respectful will only deteriorate the situation and make things worse and emotions heightened. Please don't bring conflicts to this forum, let this be a place of peace!

I hope everybody has a fantastic year, happy tanking!
Matt

[Merlin707]

Well said Matt, it's good to see that you have the forums best interest at heart.

I'm relatively new here but I'm already sick of all the crap that people bring, I have enough of it at work I don't need it in my hobby where I'm supposed to be relaxed.

Thanks for your continued hard work.

[HERMAN BIX]

I too am new.
The concept of this type of communication medium still has to be self regulating i.e. if we the members all behave -there would be no "moderation" to be done.
If there are in fact actual underlying issues that are festering in real life enviroments such as local clubs, between those memebrs, surely to christ those bitiching sessions can be left in the domain they began and continue in ??
Not in here.
The magic of a computer is it has an 'X' in the top right corner.
Works every time if its something you dont like.

For shit sake, its not like we live with each other ...............

1/16th tanks, remember.

[PainlessWolf]

Matt,
Thanks to you and the other Moderators for the work that you do. I know it is a difficult and hair pulling job at times because as with any public 'forum', personalities and emotions never come across well in text. This place is about sharing the enjoyment of the Hobby and I have always _enjoyed_ it for that and have not felt the need to go elsewhere. I don't plan on making any changes. I've found the best folks in here and learned the most about my hobby. Lifetime friendships have been made and doors opened to possibilities in the Hobby that did not exist before. Thank you, again!
warm regards,
Painless

[jackalope]

I'm new around here too and I've been shocked to see how some members behave here considering most members seem to be older I would have thought that meant more mature as all. I'm glad to know that the moderation staff is at least trying to curb those who feel the need to act like children.

[dgsselkirk]

Thank you Matt for all you do and yes, anyone ho believes these things make moderators or creators millions is sadly mistaken. I have made a couple of small donations and do encourage others to do so also if only to show some appreciation for the work done. A couple of bucks a couple of times a year won't kill anyone considering the funds we spend on this cursed addiction we share! LOL!

And finally, please, I say respect to all for all. Let's keep it fun...

[Steelhammer]

Matt,
my thanks go to you and your team for your continued excellent work with this tremendously valuable resource. For what it's worth I've remained oblivious to the mentioned "problems" which I suspect is as a direct result of how well the forum is run and operated by you and your team.

Regarding the forum sponsors/advertisers I think that also goes to show the high regard that this forum is held in and to me it is impressive that they wish to be on board. I don't think anybody with a brain cell to their name would begrudge you the opportunity to recoup some of your outlay with hosting etc.

[Horses45]

Hi Matt again well said as I part own another forum I know exactly how you feel ,I find when people don't know they make it up !,but I for one am very thick skinned and think everyone should have an opinion but we have to remember that when you start a hobby we are all new to it and have questions. I have found that all forums get certain cliques but it will always happen but we should all be here to help nurture and give advice to people who ask for it. We all have to remember that people have different levels of skills.me and my sausage fingers are not as skilled as a lot on here but I try and that's all I can do. When your hobby starts to become no fun anymore then to me it it not a hobby but I chore.as for politics and adverts everyone will have some sort of opinion but that is life as you will always get different opinions but for our hobby is it relevant ?.with this rant I may have offended someone with i appoligise for but we all have an opinion and that's mine, ps I'm new like quite a few members but we all do the same hobby and with lots of new members coming along let's keep the good work of the site going and watch this hobby get bigger.

[wibblywobbly]

Well said Matt, a forum is a forum, and it provides a service. In this case it is for those who share a common interest of building RC tanks and armoured vehicles. There are plenty of forums on the web for all manner of things.

I enjoy a lively discussion as much as anyone, but there is a fine line between discussion, questions, accusations, and what is commonly referred to as trolling. We are all sensible people and we all have the ability to use the forum for what it was designed for, displaying our builds, discussing problems with models, and seeking out information on accessories etc.

Let's keep it that way, we have a community, it has been here since 2008, and attracts visitors on a level pretty much unmatched anywhere on the planet. For those of us who wish to meet up in person it is a great way to find locals in the hobby, and to arrange meets. I have made some excellent friends over the years, and thanks to the sharing of advice and skills etc I have gone from a total noob with a truly horrendous £50 HL Tiger, to someone who now has the confidence to scratch build tanks, play around with electronics, and in the process help others.

At the end of the day, we all have the option to ignore anyone who attempts to cause aggravation, and the most effective way to do that is to not type anything at all, troublemakers love attention, and hate being ignored, so ignore them for long enough and they will go elsewhere. Simple.

Have fun guys, and for those that I will be most fortunate to meet up with in 2015, I am looking forward to it.

Cheers

RobG