I owe some people a drink!

[David Wolfson]

Yes, Robert, it has. My reading of the new membership requirements and TOS suggests that a more limited scope is being considered.

 

[David Drummond]

Did we lose the ability to edit posts?

For some weird reason, we did... Not sure what is wrong...

Thing it's just on this area, I notice you could still edit in some of the others.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The other category is the more complex discussion. I suggest a term other than "severe" because that term has a rather specific operational definition. Lightning chasers in the SW for example are not really severe weather chasers but they are stormchasers. The same goes for snowstorm freaks -- God help 'em ! What they have in common is they travel specifically to observe, record, and/or photograph remarkable weather. Whether the line should be set at tropospheric weather, e.g. exclude auroral phenomena, is a discussion point. I personally think ST should be limited to tropospheric weather./quote]

This is something I was pondering too. I posted a question along those lines here:

http://stormtrack.org/forum/viewtopic.php?...?t=7776&start=0

 

[Tim Vasquez]

We'll fix the editing permissions bug.

As far as the other topic, Stormtrack has reasserted its role for active storm chasers, but I've noticed that the status of non-chasers is not very clear. We are not going to dip a strainer into the userlist to weed out non-chasers based on credentials. That will be done on new applications (and to what extent is still in debate). But as long as a person is a currently a member here, abides by the rules, and respects the slant of the board, they're welcome and I think they will still learn a lot while bringing some fresh perspective to the weather discussions.

Tim

 

[Shane Adams]

Thanks for re-setting the "edit" feature Tim.

 

[Rob_Davis]

*moved to new topic*

 

[Mike Parker]

I would also like to thank Tim and the mods for the hard work and obvious thought that went into the restructuring of ST. IMO what Tim wants to happen here is real simple, return to a setting that brings respect back to the forum. Respect of one another as not only storm chasers but as human beings. It is no secret that there was a lot of sarcasm, antagonism and personal shots in some of the discussions. That is undoubtedly what was driving some members away. I believe that a clean slate is exactly what was needed. We now have an opportunity to forget about the problems of x1 and concentrate on making x2 a site that is free of selfish pettiness and full of useful and insightful discussions about the subjects of weather and chasing. That is in fact what drew us all here to begin with, the love of weather and the art of chasing. I for one am excited about the future of ST and appreciate the ability to be apart of it.

 

[David Draun]

Wow! Great changes! The leadership of this forum is shining brightly. 8) 8)
A big military SA-LUTE to Tim and the mods!

...my EE post count is only 40% I'm surprised, I thought it was much higher. :shock:

 

[Bryce Stone]

I cannot understand why there is even a debate here. Stormtrack is for storm chasers. What's there to debate about that statement? The admissions standard for new members simply asks that new members be at the least an active chaser (or that they have been an active chaser).

I'm not seeing the problem with asking that new members to a storm chasing forum be storm chasers.

 

[Rob_Davis]

I cannot understand why there is even a debate here. Stormtrack is for storm chasers. What's there to debate about that statement?

I don't think there is such a debate. It appears to me that the only real debate here is the definition of "chaser."

While it seems agreed upon that "chaser" doesn't include weather enthusiasts in general, there is some disagreement upon at what point one becomes "a chaser."

We have student drivers who are allowed to drive before they are licensed "drivers."

We have medical students who are allowed to perform surgery before they are licensed "physicians."

We have met students who are allowed to forecast and research before they are actually "meteorologists."

It just seems that indicates that it is reasonable for us to judge people to be seriously on their way to becoming a "chaser" at some point and let them get their feet wet. I am all for maintaining quality and a tolerable s/n ratio. And if newbies start wading into matters that are out of their league, then that can be dealt with quite easily. But again, it is just the normal course of any endeavor to allow people an entry path into professionalism.

 

[Jay McCoy]

This is an easy one

Chaser= Somebody who actively seeks out severe weather in a vehicle for observation or photography and videography as a hobby or professionally.

I.E.*** Do you drive 200 miles to see a cloud?? A person who sits by a PC and watches radar or looks out the window to see a storm is NOT a chaser. The word is "chaser" which means to chase after the storm!!

 

[Rob_Davis]

Originally posted by Jay McCoy
This is an easy one

Chaser= Somebody who actively seeks out severe weather in a vehicle for observation or photography and videography as a hobby or professionally.

Problem is, that definition would include Spotters too. There is a movement here to exclude spotters.

 

[Jay McCoy]

Originally posted by Rob_Davis+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rob_Davis)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-Jay McCoy

This is an easy one

Chaser= Somebody who actively seeks out severe weather in a vehicle for observation or photography and videography as a hobby or professionally.

Problem is, that definition would include Spotters too. There is a movement here to exclude spotters.[/b]

As somebody who is both I can say there is a world of difference between chasers and spotters. I spot when needed to for my community but I prefer to chase.

Chasers do it as a hobby for fun or research and their main goal is video or photography and will travle 100's and even 1000's of miles to see it. Chasers forumlate their own target area and forecast and make the desicion of what to chase and where.

Spotters do it as a community service to protect the public in their area and are usually assigned an area of "interest" by the wxnet or NWS to monitor. They dont have to make their own forecasts and stay close to home.

I have no prblem with spotters. They serve a great purpose but they are not chasers. Many people can tell if a storm is severe and recognize structure and report it to the NWS. Its a whole nother thing to make your own forecasts and choose a target and adjust as things change and catch a great storm.

 

[Rob_Davis]

I think it depends on the spotter, really. Some spotters definitely qualify as short-range chasers. Mileage isn't everything. Especially if you live in DFW, which has the highest number of tornadoes anywhere in the country. You don't have to look far for them here!

 

[Rob_Davis]

*biting my tongue*