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The increase in the need for spam control doesn't help. This is the only site I frequent that posts notice of
spam complaints and removal; it shouldn't IMO.
The most salient content is by Wouter and rarely is there discussion of his feature articles.
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I wandered off a bit when my interest in music probably took me to more music related web sites. This is still one of the best website forums I have been a part of. I became a member of an Australian site Just Commodores recently to get some interaction with drivers of similar cars to me. I have to say their moderators leave plenty to be desired. Yes I got a temporary ban. I was involved in a discussion with one of the mods about a news topic and he didn’t like my point of view. I received a message saying, merely “bad day at work”. I haven’t returned.
Plenty of other sites I have been on simply do no match up to the professionalism displayed here and the fairness and leniency given to those who occasionally transgress the rules.
I think the site has also matured as has been said and the “list your top 10 car” stuff has been well and truly covered. I know back in the early 2000s there was also a lot of talk about political issues etc. It generated a lot of discussion. The miscellaneous section does seem a lot quieter and while that is not the raison d'etre of the site it used to generate a bit of extra interest.
Quiet or not I guess it is up to the members to generate the discussion so it is hard to blame a forum that above all else provides an excellent source of information about the automotive world both old and new.
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Absolutely agreed on quality of UPC provided content, crisis... and thankfully the fanboy stuff is less prevalent recently. Just makes sense that as many of the long-time (young) members mature so do the nature of their posts. But participation seems much lower to me.
I came here about in the middle of the political fracas generated by US response to mid-East terrorists. I waded in because we lost friends at WTC, and couldn't agree with the position the USA had taken. It's worth noting that many US members didn't like their gub'mint being called out for questionable foreign policy and left or stopped posting. I rather prefer the international flavor this site has over say, HAMB, VW Vortex or Jalopnik. Posting a rational (but perceivably humanist/left leaning) comment on those and other boards will generate flamage, not discussion. :(
FWIW, the automotive sites I spend the most time at relate to the cars in my collection. They are also international in scope (we have a large active contigent of Aussies into early 911s) but UCP provides plenty of quality material for my other car interests. Best photos on the web, too... thanks to Wouter and Henk, and all the people have that posted to the hideout. :cool:
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I have also noticed the slowdown, but I'm not afraid that the forum is 'dying'.
Speaking for myself, I have just kind of narrowed my points of interest a bit - I don't know which new cars are there on the market or what has been shown on a latest carshow (which one was that? :P ), what I care about most now is, say, whether JRM stays in GT1 next year as well or will they only move to WEC. I enjoy reports from motorsport events very much, including those by UCP members posted on this forum. The thing is that motorsport is not discussed much here, and there are only few members who post frequently in Racing section, albeit they prove to have some decent knowledge of the subject, which makes reading the discussions more interesting.
And yep, I'm not too active on forums in general lately, so it's got nothing to do with UCP :)
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[quote=csl177;979931]The increase in the need for spam control doesn't help. This is the only site I frequent that posts notice of
spam complaints and removal; it shouldn't IMO.
[/quote]
I think I don't completely understand what you mean. Is it that reported posts should not be visible to non-mods? (I would actually agree with that and it actually is the case, so you see more than the ordinary members)
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[quote=csl177;979944]Absolutely agreed on quality of UPC provided content, crisis... and thankfully the fanboy stuff is less prevalent recently. Just makes sense that as many of the long-time (young) members mature so do the nature of their posts. But participation seems much lower to me.
I came here about in the middle of the political fracas generated by US response to mid-East terrorists. I waded in because we lost friends at WTC, and couldn't agree with the position the USA had taken. It's worth noting that many US members didn't like their gub'mint being called out for questionable foreign policy and left or stopped posting. I rather prefer the international flavor this site has over say, HAMB, VW Vortex or Jalopnik. Posting a rational (but perceivably humanist/left leaning) comment on those and other boards will generate flamage, not discussion. :(
FWIW, the automotive sites I spend the most time at relate to the cars in my collection. They are also international in scope (we have a large active contigent of Aussies into early 911s) but UCP provides plenty of quality material for my other car interests. Best photos on the web, too... thanks to Wouter and Henk, and all the people have that posted to the hideout. :cool:[/quote]
I agree with your point on foreign members. It's nice that I have some contact with people outside of the USA, whether it be in Spain, France, Australia or Scotland.
It's a good opportunity just to hear the opinions of those outside of the USA and I can say it's been a good experience.
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[quote=henk4;979954]I think I don't completely understand what you mean. Is it that reported posts should not be visible to non-mods? (I would actually agree with that and it actually is the case, so you see more than the ordinary members)[/quote]
My mistake Pieter, didn't realize that. :o
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I don't come here as often as I used to and I thinks its purely down to time. When I joined I was at Uni and had little to do most of the time! I still pop in from time to time but don't contribute as much I did...
I think something has been lost as I remember the place being a hive of activity with Photo Comps, political discussions, engineering discussiosn all taking place.
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Hey, the HAMB has the best cars on the 'net!
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^^^ Ain't no doubt! I iz a paid up long-time member in good standin'... but best you leave politiks alone on da H.A.M.B.
Just sayin'.
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[quote=csl177;979999]^^^ Ain't no doubt! I iz a paid up long-time member in good standin'... but best you leave politiks alone on da H.A.M.B.
Just sayin'.[/quote]
I imagine they wouldn't necessarily cotton to my Ron Paul-ish/Ayn Randian sort of politics either. I've never posted there, I just lurk :)
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Actually, you'd be in sympathetic company on most threads.
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[quote=csl177;980005]Actually, you'd be in sympathetic company on most threads.[/quote]
Even when I announce abortion shouldn't even be a political issue, drugs should be decriminalized, don't care for the death penalty, and raise the non-interventionist flag? That's the parts that get me in trouble with my conservative friends :) honestly I've only ever read their tech threads and I often peruse the cars for sale...they definitely have my kind of cars and my kind of car building spirit but I have never delved into the other stuff...
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[quote=jcp123;980007]Even when I announce abortion shouldn't even be a political issue, drugs should be decriminalized, don't care for the death penalty, and raise the non-interventionist flag? That's the parts that get me in trouble with my conservative friends :) honestly I've only ever read their tech threads and I often peruse the cars for sale...they definitely have my kind of cars and my kind of car building spirit but I have never delved into the other stuff...[/quote]
Honestly, I think since you have a more sensible president these issues will attract less attention form "our" side, as the conservative nonsense is not being proclaimed by the incumbent president, but by some right wing weirdos :)
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Official Phoenix raised: this thread. It is dead in here compared to what was going on back in the day :(