WIX Editorial Opinion Piece...

[Franklin]

The WIX Hangar is mainly a “gab fest” but I do admit to checking it out from time to time and for the most part I find it innocuous. I will also tell you that I can personally confirm that many of the movers and shakers in the war bird community check out the site from time to time.

I would disagree that the WIX Hangar is a gab fest, to the contrary IMO. I find a very interesting thread everytime I visit the Hangar as well as some I have zero interest in, it's simply the highest profile posting area on the site and it's that way for a reason. I'm a warbird fan simple and plain. I have no connection to warbirds other than a passion for them. I have no history with them, never worked on one, been to a few airshows, built some models as a kid, that's about it so when I post here on WIX it's usually something very simple and amaturistic. I have no fear of being taken as simple minded as I'm far from simple minded. At least I try to contribute something interesting. I still get what I'm usually looking for and then some. I have no complaints. I think many people over-estimate and under-estimate what movers and shakers are doing on WIX. Maybe these VIP's have simply not the time nor anything really to talk about. Possibly the're really boring and dull folks who only know how to make bucket loads of money, but couldn't hold an interesting conversation if their life depended on it who know's? What I have seen here in my short time is a lot of people who worry too much about what others think and post. Usually what they post and what they really mean get convoluted, it's tricky to convey your feelings behind a keyboard.

What I find most annoying personally is now I can get caught up in threads like this when I preach this site is about warbirds only. I'm guilty of this as much as anyone else here. five pages of bla bla bla .... There's no crying in warbirds!

my 3 1/2 cents

[PinecastleAAF]

It's more than just naming names. Letting the OBL thread run and run on the main board was a horrific error of judgement. It should clearly have been bumped to the OT forum straight away.

I could not agree more. The lack of consistency by the moderators is appalling. I know they work hard but I must call it like I see it.

Compared to the other similar boards I participate in I've never seen anything like it.

[Scott Rose]

Thanks to Zane for this post and everyone who posted comments. I will be taking them all into consideration in the next week or so as I finalize the moderation SOPs and start the addition of the new mods. I think it will be difficult at first but hopefully it will help out somewhat. Keep the suggestions coming.

As it was stated this is essentially a volunteer board. No one gets paid and we all do it for the love of the forum and warbirds. We have been suffering growing pains for some time now and a clear solution has not presented itself. The main problem is balance. We need to have a open and free exchange of ideas and opinions but that same openness is out Achilles heel as it allows anybody to post there opinion or denigrate someone other persons opinion. Now I could institute draconian rules or make the forum subscription only but that isn't necessarily a good or effective solution. If we all acted like grownups there wouldn't be an issue but some people just can't do that. I could institute a subscription based private forum but that goes against my intent for this forum.

For now I will be added the new moderators and we will go from there. If you would like to volunteer to be a moderator then please send me a PM. I will be implementing most of the changes on Wednesday-Friday of this coming week, so PM me before then.

You can help out by using the report post function and clearly explaining what the problem is with the post your reporting.

I appreciate all the help and support.

And if everybody that is registered used the voluntary subscription option, then I guarantee you we'd have full time moderation

[Sully]

I used to read every post in the WIX Hangar.

Now 1 out of 10.

Sully

[Ztex]

Thank you all for your responses and your input. I moderate the best that I can given the limited time I have to spend on the board. I try to let things run their course as best I can. I did leave the OBL thread around too long but it was a hot topic and in the end it became aviation related. (how's that for an excuse? )

I serve here at the pleasure of the site owners and editors; I try not to over step. I want the freewheeling nature of the forum to be the norm. My problem is with the bad actors. If we can police ourselves and think before we type all would be well.

Some of you have mentioned that nothing is done about those bad actors. In fact there are things happening behind the scenes almost every time there is a "rule" violation. It happens in PM's not in public. There is no three strike standard in place now. Chances are given and taken. Sometimes it all works out, rarely does it not. Things are reviewed on a case by case basis.

As for the real name thing...I think it may be technologically impossible to change the "nicknames" we have now without wiping out an entire account...I may be wrong but I think that is the case.

I think Scott has some great ideas and you guys have given us more.

The future is bright here on the WIX board!

Thanks
Zane

[Jollygreenslugg]

Thanks for your initial post Ztex; the following discussion has been quite interesting and positive. Moderating a number of other boards (including military history, Lee-Enfield rifles and railway simulation discussion), I understand just how much of a juggling act it can be. Care and subtlety is required. Especially with fans of history, where things can get quite heated!

Scott, I tried to send you a PM, but it is showing as being in my outbox rather than in sent messages, so I'm not sure if it has gone to you or not.

Cheers,
Matt

[51fixer]

As for the real name thing...I think it may be technologically impossible to change the "nicknames" we have now without wiping out an entire account...I may be wrong but I think that is the case.

I just changed my signature from Rich to Rich Palmer.
I think by signing in the User control Panel with my secret code it states that I could change my user name, which is 51fixer. This is all done under the profile section after clicking on the User Control Panel at the top of each page..
I think usernames of what ever choice we make is great. It helps many to be creative.
Anything I write I will sign my real name to as a signature. Another item that can be added or changed in the User Control Panel.
I write it, I own it, good or bad.

[Jack Cook]

I write it, I own it, good or bad.

[Ztex]

Self serving Bump...in light of a few threads this week...

We must think about what we post before we hit the Submit button....

WIX Editorial:

I have been a member of the Warbird Information Exchange Forum for several years and I have found it to be a most interesting and entertaining source of aviation information. I have been “invested” in the forum for the past couple of years not as a monetary investor but as time investor, as a moderator and in the last year as part of the Warbird Radio WIX show.
I believe the forum is the premier site on the web for warbird information. It is much timelier, wide ranging and in-depth than any of the magazines we all grew up reading. We owe that status to the people that contribute to the board. It is the people that matter in a forum such as ours. The machines are the focus, but it’s the people that make them go.
All types of people contribute to WIX. The veteran, the enthusiast, researcher, writer, mechanic, pilot and owner are all part of the community. They all have an equal part in the life of the forum, we owe the popularity and vigor of the forum to the ideas and insight that they all add to the life of our little piece of the internet.

I am writing this letter because I have a concern for the health of our forum. I have had face to face conversations with many people over the past few years about this board. I have seen many different reactions to the idea of this forum. Recently I have had conversations with people that own, operate or maintain the aircraft that we all love so much. And to be honest I am embarrassed by the comments that some of these folks have made about WIX.
Some of the people that have contributed in the past will not do so in the future, some that read the board will not contribute and some have only heard of the board but have a negative opinion because of things their friends have endured or seen on WIX. Some of the people could be of great value to our board they are the people in the know. They may have the information that we all crave. And they will not participate because of some of the things that go on here. We are missing out because of our own behavior.
One guy told me something along the lines of “Why would I want to mess with that forum if I have to spend all my time defending the choice of paint colors on a million dollar airplane?” Others have told me they don’t want anything to do with this forum because of the wild speculation that goes on when ever there is some sort of incident.
To me, the proof that many think that WIX is a joke is the thread about the Bearcat nose over in San Antonio. Someone obviously threw out a red herring just to get a reaction. Many did react, exactly on cue, and confirmed the reputation. This is not good. We are running off the exact type of contributor that we want, and for what? Think about it...how many folks that are directly involved in warbirds no longer contribute?

There are many times that petty arguments ensue over things political, personal or just plain old differences in opinion that devolve into vicious and personal attacks. These types of actions are even more detrimental to the board that the anorak minutiae that sometimes gets folks riled up. These actions must stop.

If we want WIX to continue to be the best place for current and important news on warbirds around the world we had better look in the mirror and see our actions as others see them.

Thanks for your time, looking forward to a better tomorrow.

Zane Adams

[LadyO2Pilot]

Once again, THANK YOU, Zane !!!!!!!

[Russ Blow]

Overall I have been impressed with the depth of knowledge of most who post here. And like any forum they all have politics, they all have pecking orders and they all have conflicts. Another words they are just like real life.

[JOHN MILLER]

Great comments Zane. I agree, it is hard not to comment, but as we were taught, if you can't say anythng nice, don't say anything. Anyway, Zane, this one is for you