An ‘open letter’ to John Stevenson

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

As will be seen from the posts on this recent thread : **LINK**

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=124432&p=1

I am getting quite sick of your continual gratuitous sniping at those of us who wish simply to discuss things of [hopefully] common interest.

With the notable exception of 'Alan Smith 6' [now departed] … no-one on this forum has been so consistently unpleasant as you.

It is impossible to tell whether your remarks are made with a Moderator's hat on … but I do hope that they are not.

Generally speaking, I like to imagine that I am 'amongst friends' on this forum; but your obnoxious 'Attitude' belies that.

So far as I am aware; being a 'maker' is not a precondition of membership.

.

That said; and for reasons which I do not intend to discuss: I am not currently in a position to use my workshop, and I take some comfort in being able to help [however little] with other people's problems, and generally discussing engineering matters.

You never tire of telling us how good you are, how gung-ho you are with an angle grinder, or about your wonderful love-life … It's fine by me … but please have the decency to respect the way that some of us choose, or need, to live our lives.

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However … If your snide comments about 'armchair engineers' really reflect official poilcy; please write to me formally [i.e. as a Moderator, and with the clear authorisation of MyTimeMedia] explaining in what way my posts are 'out of order', I can then make a properly informed decision as to whether I should stay or go.

Sincerely

Michael Gilligan

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Hear Hear. I got a two finger Churchillian salute in the form of a photo with enough plausible deniability to claim it wasn't a "f**k you" comment. I now dip in occasionally but don't post. Nor do I buy the magazine anymore as it just makes me angry when I see it. I respect John's experience but not his manner. I find his attitude smug and condescending.

Sincerely

Chris Trice.

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

Well said Michael Gillgan. JD

[John ReeseParticipant @johnreese12848]

I just ignore it.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Michael,

Totally agree!

I also don't use my workshop now but after a career in Toolmaking I think I can offer much in the way of experience & advice & get much pleasure in helping amateur engineers.

Tony

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 01/02/2017 07:30:22:

Michael,

Totally agree!

I also don't use my workshop now but after a career in Toolmaking I think I can offer much in the way of experience & advice & get much pleasure in helping amateur engineers.

Tony

I think JS feels there is a lot of difference between many yesrs of practical experience and googling an answer particularly when that answer does not really have anything to add to the thread.

Take the F360 thread, a poster was asking how to model the flex in the sprng of a morse key, a link was then posted to sombody who knows about morse keys when the query was about F360.

I can also see where he is comming from on his other comment. Far more people seem to want to post about say forum issues and no doubt this topic than actually help with practical advice.

For example a chap asked the other day about the short stroke engine missing part 6, not one reply, I saw it and hoped Stew would respong. Guy posts again and I offer to sort him out a copy which I had to go and scan. Now like JS I'm out at work but as said I know there are some who can't get into their workshop for various reasons but you can stary inside and copy the 5 pages. Like JS I have also machined things for members, drawn things out for them, spent time off forum helping with queries, etc.

As has been mentioned several times if you don't like what a member says there is always the ignor buton.

Jason (a personal view)

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I think JS is an honest poster. Says what he means, means what he says – and is usually spot on. Too blunt for some, maybe, but there will always be those with thin skins.

 

I think there may be an 'ignore member' choice somewhere on the forum settings which might be useful for those with a less-than-robust nature? I might ignore some (at least two, actually) by that means if they never came out with anything useful on the occasional post.

 

If you can't stand the heat… etc is a good maxim, I think. Bitching elsewhere is a sign of moaning for sympathy. None here, I'm afraid

Edited By not done it yet on 01/02/2017 07:50:49

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

I'm sure this will turn into yet another multi page bun fight. we can all vent our feelings & move on.

Tony

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Well, I'm with JS, there are too many bitchers, moaners and armchair campers around here. I too have been on the sharp end of JS tongue and took his comment a bit too literally, it p'd me off at the time but after a brief private exchange, things were sorted out and all is well. John is an honest, down to earth kind of guy, he doesn't claim bragging rights for anything, he's just a damn good engineer (and one helluva bodger) in my opinion. A lot of what he says is tongue in cheek, read it twice and in context before you take umbridge at what he says.

John has helped me out on occasion and one time went out of his way even though he was going through a difficult time himself. I personally have the utmost respect for him.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 01/02/2017 07:46:50:

I think JS feels there is a lot of difference between many yesrs of practical experience and googling an answer particularly when that answer does not really have anything to add to the thread.

Take the F360 thread, a poster was asking how to model the flex in the sprng of a morse key, a link was then posted to sombody who knows about morse keys when the query was about F360.

.

Jason,

I don't want to take this thread off-topIc, but I feel I must answer that ^^^ little dig.

Contrary to your assumption … I did not just 'google' Morse Key and find Rod Elliott, and I do think that the link may be useful to the two people who had written that they were intending to model Morse keys. …. I may be wrong.

I have been an admirer of Rod Elliott for longer than I've been contributing to this forum, and happened to remember that he had written something about Morse Keys … This being a forum [which I believe is something intended to import opinions and knowledge, for consideration], I saw no harm in providing a link.

MichaelG.

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Edit: corrected typo.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 01/02/2017 08:37:01

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Ok.

It's my job to try and keep things civilised, so I'm stepping in.

I think, perhaps we all need to remember the parable about the speck in a brother's eye.

There are very few frequent posters who don't wind me up from time to time, and I'm sure my posts do the same to other people.

Please can everyone just take a while to reflect, please?

Neil

[Author]

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