MacMagic.ca rumblings

ehMax · May 22nd, 2004, 01:50 PM

Hi everyone. A few things need to get out in the open.

Macdoc, who advertises on this site, has started a new forum called MacMagic.ca. When this forum was brought to my attention, I have to be honest and say that I wasn't really pleased. IMHO, the site and concept is a blatant copy of ehMac. The forums are basically replicas of the forums on ehMac with different names. Members are even encouraged to keep their same ehMac names and Avatars.

I realize BBS's have been around for a long time. I was a member of MAGIC for a long time and remember Macdoc advertising and promoting his business on that forum as well as advertising other Mac User Group forums like MaUSE etc... Anyway, I could get into that, but would rather not.

Rather than having it a topic of discussion on ehMac, I decided not to have threads on ehMac about it, and actually set the board as to not show the words macmagic.ca. In hindsight, maybe this wasn't a good idea and I see now how it could be perceived as censorship. My primary reason was I really just wanted it to be a non-issue, but truthfully, also wanted to avoid people stealing members from ehMac, for which I've worked hard to get members on for over 4 years with thousands of dollars out of my own pocket to get. And to be fair, Macdoc brought some members to ehMac here as well.

Anyways, it's out in the open now. Apparently I'm a Nazi now as well as quite a few other names.

If that's the kind of discussion that's allowed and is actually participated in by the people who run MacMagic.... knock yourself out. Very mean spirited comments by people who don't even know me nor did they even talk to me via PM or an email.

ehMac will continue to be a moderated thread with the sole purpose to keep it a friendly, civil place still with heated discussion and sharing of thoughts and opinions. I'm sorry if not having macmagic mentioned on the site was perceived as censorship and I have removed the blocking. Macdoc has an advertising contract with ehMac for a bit over a month yet, and plan to honour those terms. I do wish that Macdoc would remove negative references to ehMac from his site and remove references in his descriptions to "ehMacians".

Topics are VERY rarely moderated on ehMac and only in extremely rare cases have people been banned and in almost all of those cases the person was allowed to join again after a weeks cool off period.

I'm sure will have a topic for discussion now over the long weekend. [img]smile.gif[/img]

SINC · May 22nd, 2004, 02:03 PM

An admirable post ehMax.

While I never disputed your right to run your board as you please, to be honest the perceived censorship issue bothered me.

Now, that is put to rest.

Thank you for your post and outline of your new policy.

I will strive to continue to post by the standards you have outlined.

Cheers

[img]smile.gif[/img]

used to be jwoodget · May 22nd, 2004, 02:22 PM

I second Sinc. Let's move on. The two boards do have differences but I think the quality of the posts (and hence the boards) should speak for themselves.

EhMax has done a great job so far, its not the only game in town, but it's hard to beat!

talonracer · May 22nd, 2004, 02:34 PM

I visit ehMac... too often, daily. It's a fun distraction from long days of work. I've always really appreciated how clean and usually well behaved everyone is.

The mayor's done a great job, and I plan on sticking around here. And once I finally do get my Mac (oh Holy Day, when will you come!!??), I'll be here round the clock.

"Deputy Mayor talonracer", or some such thing...

Anyhow, I'm just voicing my support for EhMax. Job well done, and much appreciated.

Cheers,
talonracer

Lawrence · May 22nd, 2004, 02:39 PM

Like I said in the thread that has been "hyper" linked...
Apple's and Macintosh's, Let's keep them both.

Dave

MacDoc · May 22nd, 2004, 02:39 PM

I agree with ehMax' post and have said so to others previously that I had no problem with the filtering - it was understandable and appropriate. There is no gain in fomenting dissension when there is no need for it.

MacMagic was not a "cover" for a competing board and the hope was and is that it's like Etobicoke and Mississauga...enough similarites to be comfortable, enough difference to provide variety.

Navigation is designed to be similar on purpose.

Direction will be different over time.

There IS a different policy on the Marketplace but the more exposure Mac sellers have for their wares the better.

It is also a proving ground for us because we see this forum style of web presence as an important development moving away from email and static web pages to more interactive and direct involvement between a client and customer.

For instance many want to keep their email private yet be able to communicate - the forum style web presence allows that.
Images and product info is easy to introduce in the InfoPop software. MacMagic has some behind the scenes testing going on that would not be appropriate in the ehMac world. ehMac proved to us the viability of the software engine.

I am still very present on ehMac in tech support but not so visible right now. We are double our normal monthly volume....still a lot of OS9 machines tumbling out the door.
I didn't have a problem with the filtering on ehMac to date quite frankly there are lots of OTHER interesting topics to discuss anyway.
However this thread IS a good idea and should lead to less duplication and more variety as members are comfortable on both boards.

I would request those posting negative references to ehMac on Magic to honour the Mayors wishes and temper their remarks. The editing button IS available

I congratulate hiz honur on his approach and see it in a positive light. I'm sure many others will as a result of this thread.

SINC · May 22nd, 2004, 03:11 PM

For the record, I have removed all my comments about this matter from Magic.

Cheers

[img]smile.gif[/img]

kps · May 22nd, 2004, 04:01 PM

I have no problem visiting both boards. Both can and should coexist. As a former member of MAGIC BBS, Macdoc's effort with resurrecting it on his terms is not copying EhMac,IMHO...inspired by ehMac, perhaps.

No one is taking anything away from your efforts on this board. You worked hard and built a good community. Creating friction in an already small Mac community is not what it should be about. The blocking part was a mistake, I'm glad you rectified it.
Calling you a nazi was inapropriate at best.

I plan on visiting and participating on both boards for as long as I'm welcome.

Eidetic · May 22nd, 2004, 04:39 PM

man,

i'm a bit of a sh|t disturber!!!!

[img]graemlins/nuts.gif[/img]

i vist both sites daily whenver i have the chance!
both are valuable tools to me!

i don't see having another forum as competition!

information is meant to be shared!!!!

TroutMaskReplica · May 22nd, 2004, 05:12 PM

I belong to both boards and haven't made any disparaging remarks about anybody. I love both boards, but mostly the mac forums on either. Incidentally I arrived on this board after being referred to it in a trouble shooting call to MacDoc.

While I have your attention, I wish one of you two turkeys would get it in gear and start a graphics forum... [img]graemlins/ptptptptptpt.gif[/img] Pro Media is too cluttered with posts about audio, which I couldn't care less about. There seems to be demand for this as evidenced by a recent thread in the Everything Else forum.

I realize this is somewhat off topic. Oh well.