What TBN use to be like

[Robert_in_NY]

It's been longer then 4 years...mid-1990s is (IMHO) when things really went to ****...

Hey, I graduated in the mid-1990's. Don't go trying to blame me for all this mess :laughing:

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It reminds me of my early CB days back in the early 70 when I was 14 or 15. I had a CB in my room and started talking to people all over town. Struck up some on-the-air friendships. Then decided to go to lunch with them. A leather clad tattood biker couple in their 50s riding as passengers with an African American parapalegic driving his wheelchair van and a mentally handicapped teen my own age showed up in my driveway. We went to lunch down at the local diner and spent many years conversing. Ahhh, those were the good old days when your parents didn't have a clue what you were doing and who you were hanging around with.... kind of like face book with warm bodies. :laughing:

I never had a cb but when I was real young (around 6 or 7) I had a speach teacher that I would see in school and on saturdays at his house. He was blind and what I remember most about him was all his books in brail and at his house he had room in his basement with radio equipment where he chatted with people. I don't know if it was short range or what it was but your post made me remember it. He was a good guy. Thanks

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You're sure right, Robert. And yes, I think I had, and still have, quite a number of real "friends" on TBN that I've never met in person. On the other hand, I've met quite a number in person, and we've had some great get-togethers to do different projects, and some just for the camaraderie.

You guys in Texas are lucky. There is always someone down there with a project to justify having a get together. The last couple times we tried having a get together locally things didn't work out. We would start planning things then everyone would either not reply to commit or drop out just before. The first few were fun though. Hope to get them going again but I'm so busy in the spring and fall it makes it hard and New York winters is tough to plan get togethers in because you never know when we will get a snow storm.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I too miss the way it use to be.
I have made a lot of friends here in fact a lot of them have come over to visit our place and stayed hours discussing TBN, tractors, politics, eating deer jerky or pepperoni.
Years ago the vicious attacks were not present, people were more kind in correcting each other, and there was a spirit of friendliness in the keyboards.
Maybe that's the reason I dont post as much as I use too. But I still come on here everyday to see what the old timers are harping about.....
I guess Im hooked.

Exactly, if there was an attack on another member it was met with everyone defending him/her. Now it seems when one attacks you have just as many join in the attack as you do try to defend. It has changed to where it is better to just give up on the thread and let it die then to try and defend your post/position/opinion...

I will say this, there were very few color wars back then. When someone made a joke about another brand of tractor it was taken as a joke and not an insult. It was more light hearted and fun. Now we have to tip toe so that we don't accidentally offend someone (like when I posted an unfavorable review of my $43k Kubota). A lot of people take things way too seriously. I use to but luckily out grew that phase in high school.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It's always dissapointing to see how poor my penmanship is. I really need to slow down and pay attention to what each letter is supposed to look like.

As to the change in TBN, I think it happened with they created the Front Porch. TBN went from a very well friendly site that had the best moderators anywhere. Anybody crossed the line, their comments where deleted. Some cried, others whined, but for years, it was what made this site great. Sadly, those with the least to say, made the most noise.

Can TBN become what it once was? Is it more profitable with more rancor and arguments? Seems to work for the reality shows, so manybe there is a sound financial reason for it.

While I'm still here, I don't log on every day, and some days I just glance at the latest posts titles without clicking on any of them. I'm also guilty of crossing the line, being rude and participating in heated discussions. Given a choice, I liked it a lot better when my comments where deleted.

Eddie

Don't worry Eddie, mine is worse than yours. We are contractors, all we need to write clearly is the numbers on the bill and our address for the check to be sent :laughing:

 

[Robert_in_NY]

This is just my opinion, but I think the current state of TBN is this way because members allow it.

For those who want to argue, only see things their way, will not entertain or open themselves to a different view or opinion is a waist of my time. I simply ignore them and if others here would do the same maybe we could get TBN back to the way it was.

After reading post here for several months I joined around 2005. I was able to post more since dial up was a little faster then. Now I can only post when I get a free moment at work. But I read almost daily except on the weekend; I have a lot of projects going...MPD.

I received a lot of great information and enjoyed reading about projects, what you were doing with your tractor, etc., and still do. I just don't allow myself to get caught up in arguments. I have never been involved in one on TBN simply because it is not worth the stress or time. Life is short and I have enough stress without arguing with some arrogant know it all. I would not be friends with them in person and I will not stoke their ego here.


There are only a few on TBN that would fall into this category. Some from when I joined are no longer here and if you don't allow yourself to get pulled in to this type of thread the current ones will change or leave.

I enjoy reading the commits of most members and many I would consider friends even though I have not met them in person. Some here, I know if I had the opportunity of meeting would be great friends. When I see things on the news that are happening in different parts of the country I think about the members living in that area.

You can tell alot about a persons character by how he treats his family, his pets, his tools, and the words he has written.

TBN is still a great site and only the members can make it this way. And only the members can keep it this way.

David

I agree with you. Sadly, all it takes is for one person to take the bait and a thread will spiral downhill fast. Let a negative post go and die. It doesn't deserve a response. Carl Berts thread is a prime example. He posted his story and it was ammusing. Some orange owners didn't like it and got upset. He started replying and it went downhill from there. I see threads like his happen more and more. Hopefully things will improve as members tire of it.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I joined before it was TBN. There were changes just going from what was originally a Kubota site, to TBN. Over the years, the site has evolved, and yes, changed. And, it is harder to manage a large group than a smaller group, no matter what it is; forum volunteer group, whatever.

Ever since joining, I would note that there are seasonal changes here. Seems yearly, in mid winter, "cabin fever" or something like that, affects the forum. Every year things get a little tense, for lack of a better word, about this time.

Mid Winter is when you also start seeing more haying threads as us guys start missing the smell of fresh cut hay

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Robert i worked around a person for several year's and there goal every day was to pi**** off everyone they came in contact with. she was a very misserable person. i have told some people you will read about her in the new's one day.

Yeah, my friend will root against any and every local sports team just to rile up his co-workers, friends and classmates. Been like that for as long as I've known him. It is real easy to upset some people when you pick on "their" team. He is real good and finding ways to upset others. I've never tried to understand what he gets out of it and I don't plan to.

 

[Soundguy]

I remember when you broke your back.... hearing about your farm and vineyards, your daughter, and finding I drove pert near right past your place on a trip from Indiana to Boston right around then, too. Those were good conversations. Man, 5 years go by quick, eh?

wow.. 5 years.. don't seem like it!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

wow.. 5 years.. don't seem like it!

It does to me :laughing: