Sorry, I really did not mean to answer out of turn.
York1 John
I just got done watching some of his video updates on YouTube including the demolition of the layout prior to listing his home for sale. For the life of me, I cannot imagine one reason why Mark's question was deleted. Why not leave the question alone and let Gerry Leone answer it?
Rich
Alton Junction
Regarding ads on Youtube, I think I was referring to the idea that Kalmbach doesn't want posters linking to a site that can generate money for the poster.
An unscrupulous Youtuber can post on Kalmbach, put in a link to his Youtube channel, and make money from posters on this forum clicking his links.
Another reason that I would almost certainly build a SFF computer to use with my TV. But I rarely use the TV, so I don't care much about that. GF is always watching all the goofy stuff on TLC. Sitting at my desk with 27" displays, the image is actually bigger than the view from the couch with the 47" TV.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
York1It seems like Kalmbach will be blamed no matter how they handle things.
100% correct. It is impossible to please everyone.
rrinker Ads on YouTube? What ads? How does anyone use the Internet without an ad blocker?
I watch YouTube on my television. As far as I know, there is not a practical way to block the ads on a smart TV.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Yep, I have Adblock Plus installed on my desktop computer and don't see ANY ads on YouTube...Z-E-R-0...
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
SeeYou190 York1 more ads are inserted that stop the video at inoppertune places I have noticed on some of the newer well-made YouTube videos, the makers are somehow getting the ads to show up in scene transitions like a TV show does. On the videos where the mid-sequence ad pops up abruptly, it can be annoying. York1 This forum is to be used for modelers and people interested in trains, and not to be used for commercial purposes. I like it this way. -Kevin
York1 more ads are inserted that stop the video at inoppertune places
I have noticed on some of the newer well-made YouTube videos, the makers are somehow getting the ads to show up in scene transitions like a TV show does.
On the videos where the mid-sequence ad pops up abruptly, it can be annoying.
York1 This forum is to be used for modelers and people interested in trains, and not to be used for commercial purposes.
I like it this way.
Ads on YouTube? What ads? How does anyone use the Internet without an ad blocker? I am reminded every time I am using my tablet and there is a link to a YouTube video and it's nearly unwatchable with so many ads (that the content creater has NO control over, unless they completely demonitize the video). If I had to put up witht hat on my desktop PC where on any given day, at least 2 or 3 of my followed YouTube channels have new content, I'd - wait - I'd probably be workign on my layout and even have trains runnign by now. Anyway, free ad block software is installed on all the browsers I use and I see no ads on YouTube - ZERO!
I've also installed a Pi-Hole VM on my server to block other malicious and ad-generating sites. It alone does not block YouTube midroll ads, but it DOES block those annoying "you have won a free iPad!" popups and garbage like that. ANd even though I installed some additional blocklists besides the stock ones, it hasn't caused a problem with any legitimate sites I actually access - not a one. Not bad. And it blocks a lot of the tracking junk people complain about. I sort of wanted to do it - it's designed to run on a Raspberry Pi, hence the name, but I didn't want to buy a Pi and dedicate it to one thing. A little searching turned up step by step instructions for installing it on a regualr Linux box, which I set up on my server running Hyper-V. Hardest part of Hyper-V is getting the networking set right - the step by step also included how to set up the Linux VM, so it really took little thought other than to convert the generic names in the example to the specifics I was using. So now I have 3 layers of protection - the Pi-Hole blocks most known malicious sites, AdBlock Pro blocks pretty much EVERY ad on EVERY site, and as a last restore AV/Antimalware protects my machine if something slips past the rest.
Yes, some sites complain when you use an ad blocker, but it's easy to disable just for that page if it's something you want to actually see. I think long and hard about it if the site does not allow you to continue without disabling, as in, how bad do I really need to see that content. ADBlock Pro shows stats when you go to disable it - more often than not, on those sites that refuse to show you the content unless you disable the ad blocker already have double digits in blocked ads - the higher the number of blocked ads, the less likely I am to disable and continue.
I recommended AdBlock Pro to my best friend a while ago. Shortly after installign it, he asked me how I ever got anythign done, because so many sites demanded it be disabled to view the content. More recently, he changed his tune and thanked me for recommending it, so much less junk to deal with. I just wish there was an ewuaklly effective one for my tablet and phone - the ads are what kill the battery! Easily proved by browsing a page of nothing but text, interspersed with ads. Displaying static text certainly does not need much CPU, but the tablet gets quite warm - because the stupid ad rendering, some with video, DO use high CPU.
York1There have been several threads over on the Trains side of the forum who argue the opposite. They will argue that it's not right to delete an entire post -- they feel the moderators should just cut out the offending parts.
Speaking from a moderator's POV, editing is the default approach when it comes to moderating the fora. However, sometimes there comes a point when a post or thread is so riddled with verbiage that needs to be edited/edited out that deleting it is the best and most expedient course of action. Otherwise, the moderator could easily spend an hour or more hours just reading through a long thread in order to weed out ALL the offending portions - included those quoted.
In regards to the Trains forum, it is notorious for livlier conversation and heated confrontation. Most of the RAs reported usually come from that forum and it's usually about the same four or five posters who are the offenders. I'm sure they are the ones crying that the moderators are too heavy-handed.
As far as MRVP, I believe it is the Kalmbach staff that moderates/edits those comments...
Tom
PruittChoose not to publish a comment if you don't like it, but when did it become okay to edit out parts of wht someone says
There have been several threads over on the Trains side of the forum who argue the opposite. They will argue that it's not right to delete an entire post -- they feel the moderators should just cut out the offending parts.
It seems like Kalmbach will be blamed no matter how they handle things.
My fear is that with this forum becoming so much of a "let's complain about Kalmbach" forum, it will encourage Kalmbach to just take the easy way out and do away with the forum completely.
York1This forum is to be used for modelers and people interested in trains, and not to be used for commercial purposes.
OvermodOver on the Trains Magazine forums, an innocent homeschooled kid was blocked from putting up links to his videos -- perhaps mods perceived this as commercialization, but there is apparently a push to avoid anything that looks like a push for going to YouTube sites.
I think he might be an innocent kid, but by linking this forum and other railroad forums to his Youtube channel, there is the potential that in a short time, he will get enough subscribers and attention to begin getting money for the videos.
As you state, that is probably why Kalmbach is drawing this line.
This forum is to be used for modelers and people interested in trains, and not to be used for commercial purposes.
Youtube started as a site to see amateur videos.
Now it is used as a money-making venture. Popular Youtube sites can make tens of thousands of dollars a year, all driven by how many views, subscribers, and clicks to ads they get.
There is not just one ad at the beginning of videos, there are two ads before the video begins. Then in a video of moderate length, more ads are inserted that stop the video at inoppertune places which require you to either watch the ad or click out of it.
With all this, Google is making billions on this system, and the video producers are making money.
I'm sure Kalmbach has no desire to let their platform link to Google's Youtube site by posters who stand to make money by directing traffic to their video channel.
PruittI commented on how great it was to see the BV coming back, and asked if the new series meant he would not be posting the monthly updates he used to put on YouTube for his previous railroad. The comment was censored and the question about YouTube removed.
In the past, Kalmbach was highly attentive to links or references to other forums or sites, I believe to the point where posts including them would be deleted (etc.). That was in the age that Internet 'presence' was evolving out of chat rooms and BBSes, and the great Coming Money Opportunity would be around portals associated with popular sites... unsurprising that a company desiring to join the dot-com boom would institutionalize Don't Touch That Dial! in their TOS.
Then along came YouTube, and then monetized YouTube, and then YouTuber entities with names like Professional Rail Productions whose principal participation seemed to be to push links to videos... for profit... with the good ol' hit that like and subscribe and bell, and be sure to waste time running our videos instead of wasting time on the Kalmbach site where your ad blocker isn't keeping you from being the billionth winner or being apprised your iPhone is infected.
Over on the Trains Magazine forums, an innocent homeschooled kid was blocked from putting up links to his videos -- perhaps mods perceived this as commercialization, but there is apparently a push to avoid anything that looks like a push for going to YouTube sites. Asking about whether there will be continued updating of a YouTube site... well, you see the concern.
I'd be interested if a member of the moderation or site staff would comment how a concern about YouTube material put up by MRVP people could be legitimately made. The obvious method would be via PM -- assuming Kalmbach can get this to work for the apparently increasing numbers of people who can't access it.
John,
Yes, I'm what's called a user-mod. I belong (am a user) of the forum - just like everyone else - but I've been given certain moderator privileges/capabilities by Kalmbach in order to keep an eye on the forum. While I cannot ban anyone, I can edit, lock, or delete a post or thread when needed but try to do so as a last resort. Mostly I just participate and keep a low profile. I do this voluntarily so I receive no recompense from Kalmbach; nor am I a Kalmbach employee.
And you are correct: I do not subscribe to MR magazine. I have off and on over the years but I find it doesn't really meet any of my present modeling needs or interests. I actually find the forum more applicable and beneficial to what I'm doing. I have purchased several of the Kalmbach prototype-related books - e.g. coal railroading, freight yards, junctions, etc - and really like having those topics conveniently in one source for easier accessibility.
BigDaddy I never knew Gerry Leone had a youtube channel so I suppose censoring your comment served their purpose. OTOH they have had James Wright, Kathy Millet, Steve Brown and Larry Pucket all with their own youtube channels. Not everything a corporation does makes sense, nor does the censor have to be a member of upper management.
I never knew Gerry Leone had a youtube channel so I suppose censoring your comment served their purpose. OTOH they have had James Wright, Kathy Millet, Steve Brown and Larry Pucket all with their own youtube channels.
Not everything a corporation does makes sense, nor does the censor have to be a member of upper management.
Probably the same thing would happen if you mentioned one of their YouTube channels ina comment on MRVP as well. Not sure what they are afraid of.
I know at least Steve Brown shows things he's done for MRVP on his regualr YouTube channel, but not the actual making of the scene or structure - like in a recent layout update he mentioned an item that was "done for the folks at MRVP" but that's all he said about it, vs other things he does just for his channel where he shows step by step how he did something. So the YouTubers are respecting the exclusive content they make for MRVP, at least in this case. Are they worried someone else might not, so actively hide that the person has a YouTube presence outside of MRVP?
Yes, there are some heavy duty YouTube content creators that have staffs bigger than the entire MR staff, let along MRVP, but most of these people are basically DIY - they shoot and edit it all themselves, so with professional equipment and dedicated editors, MRVP should be a step ahead of any of the DIY YouTube channels.
tstageOr at least state that a posted message is edited from the original...
I don't quite understand... of course, for me, that's par for the course.
You have the word, "Moderator" under your name. Are you a moderator on this forum?
I also am unclear about a statement you made that you don't subscribe to a Kalmbach publication. Did I misunderstand?
If you are a moderator, what part do you play in editing or deleting offending posts?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Or at least state that a posted message is edited from the original...
If they don't like a comment they should just not publish it. If they change a comment to something they like they might just as well make up comments and publish them under fake names.
This is not censorship.
Companies need to present a marketable image above the "noise" on the internet.
There is nothing wrong with Kalmbach Media controlling, and maintaining a positive public image, especially on their own platforms.
SD70DudeAre there still regular forum participants over here who are designated as moderators? I'm not taking a side here, I'm legitimitely curious.
For the forums, yes. I don't know about MRVP.
Mike.
My You Tube
I don't think so for MRVP. The comments are appended below the video the way YouTube does (except MRVP reviews all comments to make sure they fit their "world view" before said comments appear).
I will certainly not be commenting on any videos in the future, no matter how much value I think they convey.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Are there still regular forum participants over here who are designated as moderators?
I'm not taking a side here, I'm legitimitely curious.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
I watched the first of Gerry Leone's new series on MRVP yesterday. Looks like a great way to follow his new Bona Vista railroad in his new location.
I commented on how great it was to see the BV coming back, and asked if the new series meant he would not be posting the monthly updates he used to put on YouTube for his previous railroad.
The comment was censored and the question about YouTube removed. Really?? Kalmbach used to publish letters that were critical of them, using the responses to those letters as a way to gauge how they were doing with the general readership (that explanation was from Al Kalmbach himself). Now apparently you can't even mention a non-Kalmbach source for additional materials created by one of their contributors (with the possible exception of the NMRA).
Kalmbach has pretty much always only allowed "Rah! Rah! Kumbayah!" comments on MRVP videos, but come on. Altering comments to delete parts you don't like? Choose not to publish a comment if you don't like it, but when did it become okay to edit out parts of wht someone says and then publish it under their name with no indication that you made changes to what they said?
[edited by author to remove more strident sections]