Topic: Co-Founder of SMF has something to say

[bigguy]

I can't believe they banned Jeff. I mean how low can you go in all this. What's next banning the entire team.

[Cholo]

Yeah, that's pretty bad. 

A lesson in the corruptibility of power I guess.  You never want to consolidate so much power in one or a very few people's hands.

[bigguy]

Not with a project that is to be open source. The project belongs to the people. They have a right to know what is going on with the project they support. We all love SMF and just want this to be over so we can all move on with things.

[butchas]

I know the principals and all but greed and power always triumph.  Why would one(1) person who is holding ownership give away the power and their right?

[bigguy]

The only way they would is if they had no choice, and even then they could still hold onto it and run it straight into the ground. If they do not step down it could kill SMF.

[allkvinde]

I have been keeping up with things on smf friends and really feel that things are getting out of hand. There is so much animosity from people that it just may do more harm than good. To continue to see if you can get banned on smf makes no sense in the long run and really could do a great deal of harm. If things are to get better then things do need to be worked on and I do feel that those that were the founders and those that were team members should be the ones that have time to work on this with whatever team plus the one in power that remain. I am sure that we all want to have a word however that is not usually how things really work.
 
Like most others I would really like to see things get settled for sure because I love my smf. Going crazy on smf forums though and on smf friends is really not going to help. Trying to come up with solutions might.
 
I do fear that if people do not calm down and continue to post as they are that smf will die even if things do get settled. I don't think that some have actually thought through the result of their actions before they have done what they have.
 
Bigguy thank you for this thread because it is right on fact really and not at all heated which is rather nice to see.
 
I don't agree with what smf is doing at all but then I also do not agree with some of the hotheads on smf friends. There are other ways of doing things.

[bigguy]

There are a few hotheads around yes. I think some if not all have a right to be mad. They put in all their time to a project that is great only to find out that it's not theirs anymore. The way the anger is controlled and vented is the important part. If done in the wrong way it could hurt any and all chances of things getting better. On that note, I do believe the people have a right to know what is going on, hence this post.

[allkvinde]

I do agree that there is a way to do it and a way that really could be harmful. I also do so understand the anger for sure. Please don't misunderstand me here because I am with all of you on this for sure. What has happened is very wrong and yes the public should be made aware of what is going on for sure. I was upset reading all of that yesterday but decided that it was best to not write something that I might regret at the time out of pure upset or anger and am happy that I did.
 
My understanding is that there are several people working on a (hopefully) solution to the problem. It does seem to have some legal matters involved and changing of the LLC and as we know this type of thing can take time to do. Some proposals to change it have been written and sent to Cathy and the team as well so seems that some are trying hard to work on matters. Even this can take time though because as we all know negotiations can take ages to work through with all parties involved.
 
Word should be out there yes for sure but there is a way to do it and a way to not do so. You did it the correct way.

[bigguy]

Thank you. We are all hoping things get better. I think what needs to happen is the people in power should step back for a minute and take a look at the community they so cherish. Look at what is happening to it and ask them selves. "Can all this be fixed" I think it can but if this rift is allowed to grow and fester then there will be no going back for anyone, including the people in power at present.

There have been proposals drawn up, yes. I hope that when they get passed around to the management of SMF that they take them serious and understand that when so many people push this hard for a common goal things will change, for good. There is no going back to what we once had. The only alternative is to make things better than what they were or to start over.

[allkvinde]

Totally agree that the people in power really do need to step back a minute and look at the community. The cherish part though I am not so sure about. Do they cherish the community enough is what the question really is. It seems that when the person in power was given the position there was the deal that the community was really the power however with time that was not what happened so not so sure that the community is as cherished anymore as it was and should be. That seems to be one of the biggest issues and the one that I am in total agreement with.
 
If they can work things out once they have all cooled off a bit then perhaps we stand a chance of seeing things not only continue but become even better than they were. I am not sure that we want things to remain the same even with new team in there. Change is often a good thing and certainly in this case would be an excellent thing.
 
I like others have all along watched other forum software to see if there was anything better than smf for me. Human nature really to make sure that I still have what suits me and my users of course. I really would be very sad and very lost if things go sour with the negotiations. It would be very hard to loose my "baby" and perhaps that is why I so understand why the old team on smf friends are so upset. They lost a "child".
 

[Fustrate]

Proud author of that letter right here

Oh, and proud former Customization Team Leader, who resigned an hour before being banned.

[bigguy]

Ya know the co-founder of SMF might have something to say....but so do I. Here is a little story for you; which may not be important to anyone but I have to say something. This has gotten out of hand. This is to anyone who wishes to read it and take it to heart.

I remember when I found SMF. It was not a good day. At that time I had been searching for some sort of website software and was unable to find anything that fit my needs. Until I found SMF. I used it for a bit and tested it out. It seemed cool enough to me to open a site with it.  (Computer support site)

I ran into my first problem...some sort of coding or something, I can't remember now. While trying to get support; there was a very unhappy user there that was mouthing off staff and anyone that would hear him. This of course would annoy anyone trying to get support. The staff stepped in and took care of it very quickly.. They even took the time to PM me and ask if there was anything they could do to make sure my stay was a good one.

They expelled the user and things went on. There actions impressed me. They took the time to take care of the user. To make sure that the user had everything they needed to have a great experience with their software. This is a great sign when it come to any type of support.

Just to let some people know. I have been in the business of support and dealing with the public in some fashion or another for a very long time now. I know what it takes to deal with people successfully. The way I was treated by Simple Machines when I joined was the way everyone should be taken care of. After all, the customer (member) is always right.

You always have to look out for your members, no matter what the situation. It is them that builds the community any site is founded on. Simple Machines impressed me so much with their actions I used their software to opened my first computer support site. No I am not easily impressed but I looked at that as a sign of a community that cared, and that was something I wanted to be a part of.

Shortly after, I opened SMFH, then I was asked to join the SMF team. By this time I was helping members at Simple Machines Support site and here all I could....why you ask.

I wanted to give back to a community that took care of it's members. I wanted to be a part of a community that cared.

I have been providing support for SMF for about 4 years now. I have enjoyed my time helping people from all over the world. I feel I have put in enough time to have my say. So I am going to. This is my site and there is not much that is going to stop me.


To start off with, something personal has to be addressed. I hate being ignored, for any reason. If you don't agree with me or I am not making sense, I would rather someone say something then just ignore what I have said. That is just &*(&ing rude. I was not brought up that way and I try my hardest to to treat everyone with respect.

Sometimes I feel like I am being laughed at behind closed doors. I have dealt with that; while trying to fit in and provide support for about 4 years now. Some members of the SMF community have made me feel like I belong but not to many. The member base I have helped create here at SMFH shows civility and respect towards each other.. THIS is the way a site and support should be handled, with respect.

I have tried my hardest to fit in with the SMF community and it has not been easy. I know I am not the smartest person when it comes to coding but I do know how to treat people. What the #@$^ is going on with you people. Do you not realize their is a community at stake here. Does this not matter to most of you at Simple Machines. Who the #@$^ do you think you are.

The people in charge are the members of the community and they will have the last say as to what happens with SMF. I am appalled to have wasted 4 years of my life providing support for a software were the management in charge could not give a shit about the members they say they hold in such high regard.

Damn it I am #@$^in pissed off. Are most of you children, do you need to be sent to your rooms for a time out. LOOK at what is happening. You have the power to put an end to this and get SMF back on track. If you can't do this then you shouldn't have been put in power in the first place....I'm done this post for now but believe me I have a coule years of pent up anger so there will be more to come. I hope this made sense to someone. If not PLEASE have the BALLS to ask.

[bigguy]

I will be making a public announcement on this site shortly as to what the future holds for SMFH. As it stand now I am sick of the childish behavior I have seen from SM and am not to sure how I want to handle things. Hosting and support for computer related problems and SMF will continue until further notice.

[wdm2005]

it is sad that it comes to people being banned from smf specily peopel who have put there own time in to smf

[Cholo]

This has always been my favorite support site bigguy, you do a great job here and I'm really grateful for everything you and the staff have helped me out with over the past few years.  I'm sure lots of people here feel the same.