Yuku free message boards

> "I will be totally honest...
I don't think there will ever be another FDP. That site is so BIG now, and there are always a few musicians at every jam/gig I go to who know about it."

Nobody would have thought it possible for a start-up software company to rival IBM (10 years ago still the world's largest corporation; the world's No.1 computer company (more than twice the size of nearest rival Digital)), let alone make it a very much secondary player, and in less than 20 years!

IMO the strengths of the FDP have become its weaknesses. There are 21,000 registered members, but: How many are active? How many are active in the non-chat forums?

It is plainly obvious that the majority of the very small number of *independent* knowledgeable folks have either been kicked from the FDP, or left due to the fact that honest, knowledgeable debate is discouraged, and they've seen their peers either kicked (often without any "real" justification), or go where their *freely given* knowledge is better utilised, and indeed appreciated.

The fact that Fender is a sponsor brings their wealth of expertise in the modern operation, and to a lesser extent, before that. But their direct sponsorship of the FDP is becoming a big weakness too! Or at least in the ways it affects how the FDP is organised and moderated.

The fact that the *independent* knowledge is now extremely thin on the ground at the FDP, means the FDP is now like a university without tenured faculty, and no *full* professors! Its like an essay that lacks the requisite counter-argument, which means an instant fail, no matter how good the *one*-side might be. The FDP is now the community college of Fender forums!

And of course, as the FIB info-gate develops, we will have what no mere forum can offer: an edited, indexed, integrated resource like no other! A lot of the basic stuff is already there. Sure, it's ho-hum to most of us, but there's no other similar resource that I know of that seeks to bring it all together.

And the FDP's archives are rendered near useless since they've been split, and with the persistence with archiving every post including "Moe's". It's literally like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and that's when you know your specifically looking for a needle, and not a pin! And let me tell you that the majority of the valuable info is pre-2001, and no newbie is going to know that! But this also tells us something!

> 'Spin-offs such as "The Dude Pit" have done well, but the # of members will never be even close!!!'

Registered numbers mean absolutely nothing beyond a requisite core; its active participation with really knowledgeable and independent folks on hand; its quality!

The Dudepit is more akin to going to a faculty in a leading college of performing arts! It offers a comprehensive bass programme with tenured faculty on hand.

If the F.I.B. can serve as well as The Dudepit appears to, I will be happy. At least a thousand members is my goal, but much more importantly, at least a few hundred active on a daily basis!

That said, I do hope that the knowledgeable people at Fender do participate here, and I hereby extend a hearty invitation to Ritchie Fliegler (I have his personal email, and will at some stage personally invite him here), Rob Schwarz (likewise), Mike Eldred, and everyone else at FMIC. And I will personally ensure that they get the same respect accorded everyone else here. Unfortunately, Ritchie seems an easy target for personal attacks when he appears on forums, which will be unacceptable here! That doesnt mean you cant say what you like, but theres a good way to say anything, and its that good way that I hope to foster here. Rob Schwarz knows my style, and that I can be a staunch defender of balance!

> This is a major undertaking

Yes, several hundred hours so far, which for me represents an opportunity cost of *many* thousands of dollars!plus the US$18.77 in hard currency to keep this site ad free for the next three months. Now its up to our members!


Don't just SAY......SAYLOUD!!!

Though Im not into loud playing personally, I think IPLAYLOUD is a man of his convictions, like me!

You hit one of the biggest nails on the head right there jakerson!

When you post thousands of words a day, sometimes you're not going to say it quite right for some folks.

Some folks don't appreciate that others, more knowledgeable than themselves, may well be writing thousands of words a day helping folks like them.

Some folks don't appreciate that the same questions are often asked over and over ad nauseam, and take "short and to the point" as curt, rather than blunt, and some even as rude. Often these folks have asked the same question as another person has only a couple of threads away! And to me anyway, that could be considered rude and a waste of our time.

Some folks ask the same questions over and over, because they don't like the answers they've received in the past, or can't accept that the answer may really be that there is actually no useful answer. And when you repeat your answer, or repeat that there is no useful answer, they take offence.

Some folks don't want to read that some salesperson has pulled the wool over their eyes.

Some folks can't accept that their particular baby is not worth mega bucks, or simply not poplular with other folks. Believe in yourself, or don't ask opinions in a public forum, as you might not get the answer you hope for.

And my pet hate: Some folks request opinions about the likes of a pickup order they've already placed just that minute, which seems like closing the gate after the horse has already bolted.

If we think before we respond in haste, and think for just one second that the post we might have taken offence at, is not intended to offend in the slightest, we will all get along OK!

Also, there will be many cultures posting here, and sometimes what's perfectly acceptable in one place is not in others, and vice versa. Heck, some things are acceptable in one part of the US and not in others. And various countries are at different stages of "development", and therefore in many instances, it is potentially like dealing with someone from a parallel universe.

Written language, especially that which is largely ill-considered - such as the "email" form we use here - has its limitations!

Stay cool and make sure you've read any post that has offended you carefully at least twice before responding. And two wrongs don't make a right!!

Let's appreciate others strengths and weaknesses. Be careful about being too quick to judge...

Glad to have you here CT!

Welcome mastersound!

Btw, any chance you can point me to CT's post on FT, as I've been unable to find it? Thanks.

"I can't see how this software can work any worse than the FDP."

It's a lot more powerful than the FDP's. And apart from having no control over the registration process (which has some glitches), and not having a short domain name URL (unless you access via Nocaster.com), it seems a great value. I'm pretty impressed. IMO the FDP is a poor advertisement for ProForums.Net.

And, can you believe that ezboard has "over 800,000 communities and over 6 MILLION registered users!"?

Thanks Rgband!