This is unacceptable.

[Aaron Kennedy]

Stormtrack x2
serving chasers since 1977

I don't see enthusiasts in there... hmph. I'm all for keeping users who can contribute or show dedication to the hobby of storm chasing. You might not be a storm chaser, but if you can discuss/write articles about chasing (latest techology, anayzing data for chasing, etc.) then sure... come on in.

If you're just interested in storms... go ahead and read ST and go post on wright-weather or storm2k.

Just my two cents.

Aaron

 

[Robert Dewey]

I agree with Aaron... If these people can't contribute, then why do they need to be here? Most of the information people would ask here can be found on the internet, as the internet is the worlds largest and most amended "book" available. If they don't want to search for it, then that just means they don't care enough to learn about it. All of my meteorological experience and learning came via the internet, and if it worked for me, it will work for others. I guess if it is REALLY wanted, Tim V. could just setup a single forum that is write accessable to newbies, while keeping all of the other forums locked... That way they could still ask questions, but not interfere with anything else.

The things I'm not understanding though, is how one will prove that:

1) They are a chaser or;
2) They have meteorological experience...

I certainly couldn't produce a meteorological background check, as I learned everything from the internet... And, I don't have many photos online. My photos are all printed and personal use only - so would I be left out?

 

[David Wolfson]

A substantial number of serious and old-tyme stormchasers cannot drink for one reason or another, Doug! :wink: So I must take definite exception with #5!

More seriously, I expect there'll end up being some tweaking about what is and isn't a non-chasing thread or post. IMO for example there are already several threads in B&G that don't belong there. There's also a worthwhile discussion to be had between younguns or newbies and oldsters and gurus about the difference between the sort of joshing and criticism that comes from basic affection and the desire to teach, and put-downs or jealousy. Sometimes the difference doesn't translate very well in print.

 

[Douglas Mitchell]

And ST wasn't catering to chasers before?

Give me a break, you're not taking about NOT serving chasers here...you're talking about ONLY serving chasers, a definition no one can agree on. And the forum isn't setup for just storm chasing related articles, there's still the "Bar and Grill" place.

Allow ST for all storm chasing and storm related posts.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

Rob Dewey's question is good ... the way that the first online ST members got to know who was chasing and who wasn't came with time and seeing each other's reports and photos. You get to know after hearing the reports - even the bust reports - that people are actually out there doing it. And the meteorological stuff shows up along the way too ... people are usually stronger in one or the other of those two, and a few are even strong at both. The only other way to know for sure apart from hearing reports is if the person has an active website ... with photos, logs or both. Maybe we could start an organization to license and pass out official chase chase identification cards ... LOL ... time to shift the focus to another emotional topic.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

Umm... would like to note that I have not given reports because I can't put my photos up. My scanner is in storage untill the start of school. Also, my website is not tailored to storm chasing, as I wish to keep it "artistic". Most of my weather photos are not of the quality I like, due to the style I wish to partake upon in photography. So this is why I do not feel we should "check up" on chasers to make sure they're chasing. Plus how do you define whether people are chasing enough. Some from other countries only can make it over to the plains for a week. Others may have more pressing matters for a season, and will resume later.

*edit* because I can't spell

 

[Bill Tabor]

The answer is more agressive modding, NOT excluding others.

Obviously you didn't read any of my posts on the subject.

Once again (as I see it) no one is being excluded as long as they have a focus on chasing. People currently under membership can still be members and post and contribute to chasing. If ratio is over 60% no B&G. If inactive then = kick. New members must show interest in chasing or be chasers. The appropriate mechanism for choosing new members as far as I know is yet to be determined; however I doubt Tim and Co would exclude people really interested in chasing from taking part.

This is only focusing the board on what it is supposed to be about - Chasing. If people have NO interest in chasing why should they be here?

The above is clear if you read the new mandatory instructions as far as I can tell. I won't repeat this again. We could cover this ground and repeat the same things over and over and never get anywhere or come to any conclusions. If you choose to disregard the obvious then as far as I can tell you are just trying to cause disruption and dissention. That is something the new Stormtrack is trying to avoid.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

I think Bill is probably correct ... you don't need to prove your credentials, as long as you come with the sole intent of chase-talk. There are lots of folks in the same boat as Robert, I'm sure. If chasers decide if and when they would like to do anything different, that is now up to them. The point is pretty much moot now that ST has closed the private forum.

 

[Douglas Mitchell]

The answer is more agressive modding, NOT excluding others.

Obviously you didn't read any of my posts on the subject.

Once again (as I see it) no one is being excluded as long as they have a focus on chasing. People currently under membership can still be members and post and contribute to chasing. If ratio is over 60% no B&G. If inactive then = kick. New members must show interest in chasing or be chasers. The appropriate mechanism for choosing new members as far as I know is yet to be determined; however I doubt Tim and Co would exclude people really interested in chasing from taking part.

This is only focusing the board on what it is supposed to be about - Chasing. If people have NO interest in chasing why should they be here?

The above is clear if you read the new mandatory instructions as far as I can tell. I won't repeat this again. We could cover this ground and repeat the same things over and over and never get anywhere or come to any conclusions. If you choose to disregard the obvious then as far as I can tell you are just trying to cause disruption and dissention. That is something the new Stormtrack is trying to avoid.

As far as I see it, there are still several people that are gung-ho on the "chaser-only" membership requirement and its still written in the new rules that new members must be either active chasers or active mets. Still too strict...

 

[Steve Miller]

Okay, I can't stand it - I have to chime in.
I believe the restructure is welcomed and long overdue. The new tougher requirements for entry, I agree, could affect the ability for new "chasers" or enthusiasts who are interested in chasing to interact with veteran chasers and learn.
My solution, if posting in the "Bar and Grill" and basically not contributing anything chase-worthy to the board is the primary reason our administrator has changed the requirements, is to simply adjust the % of posts ratio. Right now if we have more than 60% of our posts in "Bar and Grill" or what was "EE", we get our "Bar and Grill" posting privileges revoked. How about increasing that to ratio to 50/50 and seeing if that helps with participation on the actual chasing and forecasting side of things. If someone fails to post for a certain amount of time or if the account becomes dormant, that will be grounds for termination of the account and re-application will be required.
There are plenty of places on the internet to go talk about politics, current events and whatever other crap I have seen in EE in the past. Why make it a part of a storm chasing forum?
I'm done...
I'm no moderator but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

 

[Rob_Davis]

This is only focusing the board on what it is supposed to be about - Chasing. If people have NO interest in chasing why should they be here?

Just to illustrate the potential problems of open membership here, let me ask this. How many of you ever go click on the names of the "Newest Member" as they appear at the bottom of the index page? Probably not many of you, but I do. The findings are interesting. Probably well over 95 percent of new applicants fall into one of these two categories:

1. People who didn't even bother to read the TOS before signing up, resulting in using a screen name like, "TornadoMan" or "SuperChaser."

2. Spammers who signed up only to get the link to their drugs-by-mail business posted in another forum.

If you weed those idiots out, what you have left falls FAR short of being a steady influx of newcomers. Certainly not the marauding hoardes that some seem to be concerned about. Therefore, screening that handful of people per week who actually follow the sign-up rules really doesn't seem like that daunting of a task.

We definitely have to protect the community from degradation. That is a given. But you can only make a room so airtight before you finally cut off your own oxygen supply.

 

[Bill Tabor]

Doug, I kind of like your suggestion #5 though.

I could go for a good beer about now. :lol:

 

[Douglas Mitchell]

Doug, I kind of like your suggestion #5 though.

I could go for a good beer about now. :lol:

God, couldn't we all? :lol:

 

[Scott Olson]

I don't think that is to strict. When I come on Stormtrack I come on to talk/share ideas with other storm chasers. If I just want to talk about weather and such I'll usually go on J squared or Storm2k. Maybe that seems exclusive but thats kinda the idea. Stormtrack is a private association, privately owned and has no obligation to provide access to non-stormchasers. There are tons of weather interest forums all over the net and Stormtracks history of existing as both a magazine and forum is built on Storm Chasing exclusively.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

As far as I see it, there are still several people that are gung-ho on the "chaser-only" membership requirement and its still written in the new rules that new members must be either active chasers or active mets. Still too strict...

Stormtrack is a storm chasing community. I agree with Aaron -- as long as someone is here to contribute to the storm chasing community, I have no problem with it. On the other hand, if someone has never chased, has no intention of ever chasing, and is only here to look at pictures, then I'm not so sure. I mean, why be a member if you aren't planning on contributing to the storm chasing community? There is NOTHING wrong with any member of the public viewing threads/posts/discussions, but why accept members who have no intention of ever contributing to storm chasing? IF they don't plan on contributing, why apply for membership, which essentially just gives permission to post?