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http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/displayForumTopic/content/12129987972340381/page/1
QUOTE: Originally posted by nblum "What I've read from SOME here is a pathetic display of precisely what the hobby should not be about." I don't believe everyone has to agree what the hobby should be about. It's pretty unlikely that such conformity is healthy or to be expected. What I appreciate about this forum is the ability to politely discuss any aspect of the hobby or industry. That includes hearing criticism that may or may not be justified about the forum's sponsor or their policies. Certainly there has been some fairly pointed and over the top criticism of CTT on the OGRR Forum in the past. So it's not surprising that people who feel negatively about aspects of OGRR would express it here. I don't see the harm in people speaking their minds and others responding, as long as a civil tone and no personal abuse are the standard of discourse. I consider describing other people's opinions as pathetic as not contributing to the betterment of the hobby or understanding of alternative points of view. It's certainly not going to help communicate or validate your point of view.
QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005 QUOTE: Originally posted by Dennis B nblum Ok , I stand corrected. It was about an O Gauge firm suing an HO gauge firm. Dangerous information--I hardly think so. Like I said, apparently Rich felt that the O gauge forum was not the proper venue for posting that info. That's his right. Yes, we live in a free society but by extension you believe that means a privately run model railroad forum must allow unrestricted posting as long as it's accurate. I don't consider the forum the same as a newspaper or a freepress. It's anyone's right to disagree with his policies but I see no reason for some to bash him. Do they really think he wanted to cause this kind of uproar? If anything, he's guilty of making a bad judgement call. Now, it has been corrected--better late than never. Dennis Brennan Thank you all who are calling for calm here, that's a good place to start. I feel that there is a real issue to be discussed, and that we should perhaps start a new topic to do so. I'll let you in on a little secret, the HO guys over on MR have been talking about MTH for a while. My opinion is that Rich is both right, and wrong here, and faces a terrible dilema. On the one hand HO may have no business being discussed on the OGR forum. On the other hand, Rich needs MTH's advertising support. How can Rich stand up to MTH and allow that topic to be discussed? Most O gaugers are not interested in anything dealing with HO anyway. Kalmbach doesn't have this problem. They are much larger, and have been around a lot longer than both OGR and MTH combined. They aren't as dependent on a single advertiser, they have diversity. It is not like they want to lose any, or don't care. It's just a different relationship. Think about it, who depends on who here. It is that fact that allows to have OPEN discussions here. We need to learn to see both sides to everything, to understand how the world works!!!
QUOTE: Originally posted by Dennis B nblum Ok , I stand corrected. It was about an O Gauge firm suing an HO gauge firm. Dangerous information--I hardly think so. Like I said, apparently Rich felt that the O gauge forum was not the proper venue for posting that info. That's his right. Yes, we live in a free society but by extension you believe that means a privately run model railroad forum must allow unrestricted posting as long as it's accurate. I don't consider the forum the same as a newspaper or a freepress. It's anyone's right to disagree with his policies but I see no reason for some to bash him. Do they really think he wanted to cause this kind of uproar? If anything, he's guilty of making a bad judgement call. Now, it has been corrected--better late than never. Dennis Brennan
QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005 QUOTE: Originally posted by nblum My point wasn't that each and ever discussion here on the CTT forum has been "civil" but that there were no topics, as yet, that had been declared "verboten," even if civilly discussed. Unless his position has changed, Rich Melvin has stated that discussion of any of the lawsuits MTH is pursuing (two against O gauge firms, one against an HO firm) is unwelcome. Even simple statements of news about the litigation, free of comment, have thus been deleted. OGRR's owners believe discussion of these topics is bad for the hobby and their business, and that is certainly their right. Some of us beg to differ and appreciate Kalmbach's willingness to allow such discussions here. As I have stated elsewhere, in my opinion these lawsuits have the potential to radically reshape the hobby in multiple scales and alter costs for consumers, amongst other effects. It seems to me that sort of topic would be of concern to many, if not most hobbiests. Exactly Neil !! The queston isn't about civility, it is about "verboten", which we are lucky to have none of here, so long as we remain civil. I get the impression that for whatever reason Rich is much too close to Mike Wolf, and that is why this stuff is out of bounds on OGR. Let me do some digging, and I will create a topic where we can really discuss this. I think it's healthy, as long as we remain civil in the process. [:)]
QUOTE: Originally posted by nblum My point wasn't that each and ever discussion here on the CTT forum has been "civil" but that there were no topics, as yet, that had been declared "verboten," even if civilly discussed. Unless his position has changed, Rich Melvin has stated that discussion of any of the lawsuits MTH is pursuing (two against O gauge firms, one against an HO firm) is unwelcome. Even simple statements of news about the litigation, free of comment, have thus been deleted. OGRR's owners believe discussion of these topics is bad for the hobby and their business, and that is certainly their right. Some of us beg to differ and appreciate Kalmbach's willingness to allow such discussions here. As I have stated elsewhere, in my opinion these lawsuits have the potential to radically reshape the hobby in multiple scales and alter costs for consumers, amongst other effects. It seems to me that sort of topic would be of concern to many, if not most hobbiests.
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