How come a thread is pulled out without notification

[muffin]

I have to say I'm really uncomfortable about that....

I saw a thread late last night namely "Can I advertise my own forum" which talked about a member trying to advertise in the forum. I think the content is quite aggressive to EF and after reading a few of others post, I shared my own views

This morning, I found that the thread is completely gone! I couldn't locate it even searching my own posts. How could a thread by pulled out without notification, at least to the posters who contributed to it.
(It took me 20 mins to write my reply in the middle of the night !!) Also, I think this is the spirit of the forum to let people share their views (no matter good or bad...)

Please feel free to correct me if the thread is somewhere in the forum and I will apologise for my poor IT skills.

p.s. I'm sure the thread is not an illusion. I wasn't dreaming cause I got an e-mail updating the status on the thread (when I edit my comment)

[DaveA]

You will see more of this as the forum goes commercial.

dave

	Quote:	muffin
	I have to say I'm really uncomfortable about that.... I saw a thread late last night namely "Can I advertise my own forum" which talked about a member trying to advertise in the forum. I think the content is quite aggressive to EF and after reading a few of others post, I shared my own views This morning, I found that the thread is completely gone! I couldn't locate it even searching my own posts. How could a thread by pulled out without notification, at least to the posters who contributed to it. (It took me 20 mins to write my reply in the middle of the night !!) Also, I think this is the spirit of the forum to let people share their views (no matter good or bad...) Please feel free to correct me if the thread is somewhere in the forum and I will apologise for my poor IT skills. p.s. I'm sure the thread is not an illusion. I wasn't dreaming cause I got an e-mail updating the status on the thread (when I edit my comment)

[LaurenM]

	Quote:	DaveA
	You will see more of this as the forum goes commercial. dave

I hear everyone talking about how the forum will get 'bigger and better'. Ok, maybe I'm odd, but I don't want it to. I like it the way it is. I just worry that it's going to be like Glocals.com. Started nice and small. And is now just a giant crappy site where weird people troll for dates. Oh, and it's clique-y.

	Quote:	DaveA
	You will see more of this as the forum goes commercial. dave

I really hope not my friend..

We all know where Mark wanted this to go and to be honest I would personally be very disappointed if this forum became a money making venture, rather than in the spirit it was created.

"To be open, free and a source of knowledge for all expats. If that be considering a move to Switzerland or already here."

I really don't think that this would be the way to honour his memory, in fact I think this is just wrong.

The thread was probably pulled for breaking forum rules, I suggest Pm to lob..

[litespeed]

	Quote:	DaveA
	You will see more of this as the forum goes commercial. dave

DaveA, please tell me on what information you based this statement? This is very dangerous speculation IMHO.

Muffin, threads are only pulled if there is a valid reason, most often as a result of the behaviour of the OPs. It is an unfortunate forum fact that valid responses often end up casualties. Don't take it personal.

[Shorrick Mk2]

	Quote:	LaurenM
	I just worry that it's going to be like Glocals.com. Started nice and small. And is now just a giant crappy site where weird people troll for dates. Oh, and it's clique-y.

For once, it isn't just me

[litespeed]

	Quote:	LaurenM
	I Started nice and small. And is now just a giant crappy site where weird people troll for dates. Oh, and it's clique-y.

But your still here?

The size of the forum (posts and members) is beyond our control, unless we wish to contradict the spirit of the place. The best we can do is try to control the quality, but with peak rates of around 200-300 posts per hour, it is a difficult task for the mods who work on a volunteer basis.

As for cliques, it is certainly possible, nature of the beast even, but nowhere as polarised or biased as other, smaller online communities.

[Shorrick Mk2]

	Quote:	litespeed
	But your still here? The size of the forum (posts and members) is beyond our control, unless we wish to contradict the spirit of the place. The best we can do is try to control the quality, but with peak rates of around 200-300 posts per hour, it is a difficult task for the mods who work on a volunteer basis. As for cliques, it is certainly possible, nature of the beast even, but nowhere as polarised or biased as other, smaller online communities.

I believe Lauren was talking about glauque-als.com

[LaurenM]

I guess what I was mre implying is that, EF has such laid back feeling to it. Pub nights, etc. Glocals has turned into site that promotes and holds parties of 2,000+ people where the women, and men show up half naked.

I like Pub nights!

[litespeed]

	Quote:	Shorrick Mk2
	I believe Lauren was talking about glauque-als.com

Ah, my mistake

[Shorrick Mk2]

	Quote:	LaurenM
	. Glocals has turned into site that promotes and holds parties of 2,000+ people where the women, and men show up half naked.

And by the way, do you mind if we sell you some insurance while we're at it... We can positively tell you it's the best deal in Switzerland even though we have but the faintest idea...

[Lynn]

	Quote:	DaveA
	You will see more of this as the forum goes commercial. dave

Ok first off, why would you say that?

Secondly, this forum will NOT go commercial. As I do not have financial funds to pay the forum myself so I set up a company whose sole purpose it is is to generate money for the forum. IT IS NOT COMMERCIAL. I did this to PREVENT advertising and commercialising the forum.

[muffin]

	Quote:	litespeed
	DaveA, please tell me on what information you based this statement? This is very dangerous speculation IMHO. Muffin, threads are only pulled if there is a valid reason, most often as a result of the behaviour of the OPs. It is an unfortunate forum fact that valid responses often end up casualties. Don't take it personal.

thanks for comforting me. I have to say this is nothing personal but a confusion to me about how this forum is going to operate (if what Dave said is true). I wish i could have saved the thread so as to share each of you....

If I could recall, it's about a member trying to advertise his own forum through here and the link was being deleted by EF team. He then posted a very harsh reply (my personal feeling) to Lob about the fact that he's not contributing much to forum, etc and then a few EF team members responded to it. I thought the comments are too mean to Lob so I had a glance on Lob's posts and shared my view on that....

My biggest concern is...

1)like what you say, a thread is pulled out for valid reason but who could decide it's 'valid' or not. I don't mean to challenge the hierachy in EF but I really want to know the standard. To put it more specific, I can't think of any 'valid reason' to do that in this case....

2)even if a thread is pulled out for valid reason, is it better to have a notification say keeping the thread but empty content + EF team's comments on that or why it's pulled out...instead of just having it VANISHED.

3)specifically on the thread I mentioned, I just feel that it was pulled out due to the member's personal attack to Lob and it becomes a personal revenge instead of a rational reason. It's just another debate in forum.....(Note : I'm not saying Lob pulled it out as he did reply to the OP in a very polite manner and i will doubt it's him being the executor).

4)finally, yes, a small part of me taking it personally as I spent 20 mins to write the reply at the expense of my sleeping time, which I think I was contributing too. It will be so discouraging to me as I might have to withhold information and not to go to too detail in answering the forum in the future...just in case my thread is pulled out without notice like this case.

[DaveA]

"Speculation" based on the intended formation of a Gmbh such as "English Forum Events Gmbh" as advertised at recent forum events perhaps ?

I would happily be proved wrong and look forward to information concerning the formation of a charitable trust, but until that point such speculation is justified, indeed should be encouraged given the need for due diligence considering the recent money-collecting activities.

dave

	Quote:	litespeed
	DaveA, please tell me on what information you based this statement? This is very dangerous speculation IMHO.

[Nathu]

In all fairness these who posted on the thread got at least an automatic notification that the thread was moved or deleted. Moderating a forum is sometimes a conflict between the wish to interfere as little as necessary and a wave of redundant information, off-topic, open or undeclared advertising...

As for the future of this forum. I think that those in charge communicate fairly open with the user base. But I'm hoping somewhat that in place of a GmbH a club/Verein will be founded. Since I can't dedicate my time reliably to the forum in the near future I'll gladly leave these decisions to the volunteers.

	Quote:	DaveA
	"Speculation" based on the intended formation of a Gmbh such as "English Forum Events Gmbh" as advertised at recent forum events perhaps ? I would happily be proved wrong and look forward to information concerning the formation of a charitable trust, but until that point such speculation is justified, indeed should be encouraged given the need for due diligence considering the recent money-collecting activities. dave

Dave WTF are you on about?

Spit it out.

Are you concerned that the formation of this company is going to be used to filter off monies pledged to keep EF going?

If you've got something to say about this subject say it, don't speculate/second guess.

It gets mine and a lot of other peoples backs up.

[DaveA]

Read it again. It's pretty clear. I am suggesting no such thing, and was responding to a post about speculation concerning whether the forum is going commercial or not.

dave

	Quote:	Cata1yst
	Dave WTF are you on about? Spit it out. Are you concerned that the formation of this company is going to be used to filter off monies pledged to keep EF going? If you've got something to say about this subject say it, don't speculate/second guess. It gets mine and a lot of other peoples backs up.

[Lynn]

Ok Dave, this is personal. I am doing all I can to maintain what Mark's vision was. The GmbH had to be formed for legal reasons. A trust or registered charity needs to be audited by the BUND and I serioulsy do not think the EF will ever generate enough money to pay for an registered accounted to take care of this..

So yes I formed a Gmbh as otherwise we cannot open a dedicated account which is not in one individuals name. All legal technicalities here. So matey, why not actually get some facts before spouting off assumptions.

[Lynn]

Oh and in case you didn't notice its not called English Forum GmbH but English Forum Events....

[DaveA]

Lynn,

I have no doubt what you are doing is in the best interests of the forum. I am fully aware of the legal situation, as someone that has formed companies several times before.

To be clear, I have no issues with the forum going commercial if it seems to the owner the best way forward. I have donated to the forum many months in the past and would be happy to do so again, and your efforts at clarifying the situation are appreciated.

dave

	Quote:	Lynn
	Ok Dave, this is personal. I am doing all I can to maintain what Mark's vision was. The GmbH had to be formed for legal reasons. A trust or registered charity needs to be audited by the BUND and I serioulsy do not think the EF will ever generate enough money to pay for an registered accounted to take care of this.. So yes I formed a Gmbh as otherwise we cannot open a dedicated account which is not in one individuals name. All legal technicalities here. So matey, why not actually get some facts before spouting off assumptions.