How many people post here?

[David Tilley]

Okay I admit I am terrible at posting nowadays. I keep tabs on things by popping in not logged in on numerous occasions, but I rarely log in and post anything. I have been so busy with various things it stops me from logging on and joining in. Work is unaffected for me, as I work in security and it is still required where I am. I do a very long week (60 hours +) and then weekends are filled with so much I don't often stop.

But I am still around.

[misterpop]

Glad to hear it. I think theres more on here than I at first thought......

[dkenner]

And we, diecast collectors are older and older. Very few younger people are interested in model car. They even often haven't play with some in their childhood.

An ephemeral childhood. One that is Facebook, SnapChat and other such things. Sad. Brave New World with Facebook and social media replacing soma.

[kilarae]

I don't post on this site a lot. I probably haven't posted in a couple of years. I read through every other day, but I don't post. I read everything on this thread several times (yay for cataract surgery, welcome back to the land of sight) and I am asking myself why I am not posting here more. Here are some of my thoughts. Do with them as you will.

I will start with the 900 pound gorilla that everyone is tap dancing around. Why is it so hard to post pictures? Most conversations are not good without a photo and I can't post photos. I am not as computer savvy as I should be, but I can put a picture on Facebook without having to use photobucket and doing crazy resizing. This really makes posting difficult.

Next thought is that when I did use to post more, I felt marginalized. I am in my fourth decade of collecting and have put in my 10,000 hours. I love learning new things an there are always new things to learn, but I am really good at this stuff. Sometimes I feel that because my parents decided to live in Colorado instead of London that I am just a beginning dabbler to a lot of the regular posters here.

Next is the question of why expert collectors seem to hate each other and why everyone wants to air their dirty laundry. This seems to have been going on forever. Collectors are sniping at each other a lot on these pages. Michael Stannard got out of collecting because of this stuff. The MCCH died mostly because of this silliness. I know a lot of you don't like Mark Curtis but I am here because I collect childrens toys. I really do not want to know your opinion of other collectors unless they are actively selling counterfeit toys. Differences of opinion should be debated and celebrated.

There are my opinions. Be inclusive. Be friendly. Don't become the loud failure of MCCH. Recognize differences of opinion. Learn from others.

Please Nick, get better soon. I am pulling for you.
Fix the photo posting

[Tinman]

Thanks for taking the time to post and share your wisdom. I am guilty of some bias (perhaps more then "some") in the past and have tried to do better. I hope I have succeeded.

[Idris]

I will start with the 900 pound gorilla that everyone is tap dancing around. Why is it so hard to post pictures? Most conversations are not good without a photo and I can't post photos. I am not as computer savvy as I should be, but I can put a picture on Facebook without having to use photobucket and doing crazy resizing. This really makes posting difficult.

This is a recurrent complaint. IIRC, at one point Nick confessed that he'd deleted something to do with photographs in the very early days of this VBD on this platform, and that may well have been the auto-resizing package. I'm sure that the code could be added back into the site software, but Nick is the only person with the necessary access codes.

Next thought is that when I did use to post more, I felt marginalized. I am in my fourth decade of collecting and have put in my 10,000 hours. I love learning new things an there are always new things to learn, but I am really good at this stuff. Sometimes I feel that because my parents decided to live in Colorado instead of London that I am just a beginning dabbler to a lot of the regular posters here.

This has been mentioned in the past as a potential reason for there being so many lurkers. It is gratifying to see that a significant number of Members now go out of their way to be as welcoming and accommodating as possible to new Members and less-experienced collectors, making it clear that the only foolish question is the one that wasn't asked. Whilst I completely sympathise with your point, I'm at a loss as to what more the VBD community can do to be more welcoming.

Next is the question of why expert collectors seem to hate each other and why everyone wants to air their dirty laundry. This seems to have been going on forever. Collectors are sniping at each other a lot on these pages. Michael Stannard got out of collecting because of this stuff. The MCCH died mostly because of this silliness. I know a lot of you don't like Mark Curtis but I am here because I collect childrens toys. I really do not want to know your opinion of other collectors unless they are actively selling counterfeit toys. Differences of opinion should be debated and celebrated.

Mistakes were made in the past, especially in the early days of VBD when posters were cut too much slack and excesses resulted. I like to think that we have come a long way since then, and have learned from our mistakes (and the Member who was perhaps the biggest culprit, elected to no longer post rather than mend his ways, which was unfortunate given his extensive knowledge of certain ranges). Kangaroo courts are not tolerated, and neither are unsupported accusations of fakery and/or fraud. Personal insults are banned, as is any form of threatening or discriminatory language. (If anyone reads anything which they feel oversteps the mark, please PM me, and I will review it immediately.)

Be inclusive. Be friendly. Don't become the loud failure of MCCH. Recognize differences of opinion. Learn from others.

As Site Admin., I will step in to delete any material which is vulgar, defamatory, inaccurate, harassing, hateful, threatening, invading of others privacy, sexually-oriented (such as innuendo or smut), or violates any laws. Furthermore, having learned from the Toymart episode, I am also always on the lookout for potentially libellous statements which, after taking the ‘fair comment’ defence into account, could create problems for either the poster and/or VBD (hence my insistence on supporting evidence being offered when someone cries ‘Fake!).
If any member sees anything on VBD which is in conflict with the above, please let either myself or one of the Moderators know asap.

[Tinman]

... or we can just all get along and be kind to one another.

[ClOwY]

I second that,
Nice weekend one and all,
Gary

[Idris]

... or we can just all get along and be kind to one another.

I believe that, by and large, we do. (In fact, I'd struggle to come up with the last time I had to either delete or seriously edit a post because of unacceptable content.)

[misterpop]

A lot of questions and good points there and well answered......Keep posting OP and I am sure you will get plenty of feedback now from any one that reads your posts .Dont forget you dont have to be an expert on anything..There will be plenty on here to help you out if you get it slightly wrong,that dos'nt mean we all know everything though..There is so much to know about this hobby we all get it wrong sometime and usually there is someone more than willing to share there knowledge.That do's not mean they are after a full scale argument more likley they just want to show off a little.I really think we are all a bit eager to help others with details of what we have spent years learning .I certainly would'nt want to bore the pants off Mrs P with my extensive knowledge of British 40s 50s metal toys so I come on here and will gladly bore the pants of my fellow collectors and restorers.And if I get something not right I look forward to being put in my place gently by many experts who are usually a lot younger than me...You youngsters hey?