Earlier Forums, some were pretty rough. Bet our monitor might remember

[Dancer]

My first forums I read, oh about 12years ago. Well they could get pretty nasty sometimes. Man if you didn't have a certain make machine, someone would get all over you. If you claimed you found something once in a while, someone would call you a lier. Some threads would get so carried away the guy in charge would have to ban some guys from the forum. Than they would jump to another forum and start fighting again. Things are pretty tame today, you can get a good tip or advice and even a chuckle once in a while. Any of you guys remember those days? I bet Edmonton John has a few stories.

 

[metalfun]

WELL I GUESS I;M A POST WAR FORUM READER BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.YOU CAN GET ALOT A GOOD INFO.HH

 

[JB(MS)]

I got on T-Net the second week of January in 1995. Most of the posts then were arguments about which brand and/or model detector was the best, basically my detector is deeper, better and finds more than your detector. One guy put up his own forum, it's still online, because he got banned from the other forums that were online back then. He challenged just about everyone who disagreed that the detector he used was the best to meet somewhere and settle the argument by fighting. The only way to post a photo on T-Net in 1995, and for a couple of years afterward, was to do it with html and some claimed spectacular finds they never made and some called people liars for claiming finds they actually did make. A lot of us left T-Net when Gary put up his first forum in February of 1997, the Finds BBS Forum that evolved into Findmall. The Had Tesoro forum, and Andy Sabisch's OnlineTh'er forum, followed and the fussing and fighting pretty much stopped.

 

[Roscue2]

Wow, , I am way to young to have been on the forums back then. Didn't even discover the internet until 2003-2004. Didn't discover the forums until beginning of 2009, and joined Findmall the same night. Never knew there was another FM .

 

[fongu]

I'm glad I didn't start until most of the fighting had ended or moved away. Didn't start with computers until 1999 and didn't get one at home until 2003. Found Findmall first and then others.

 

[John-Edmonton]

The metal detecting forums sure did gets nasty at times. There were detector wars over brands, over finds where some were accused of lying, the relic hunters laughed at the coin hunters, the coin hunters hated the relic hunter. I had seen at least 2 forums get into such a war, that most people quit and the forum died. So, what changed all this fighting to almost disappear?

A metal detecting forum was divided into relics forum and general hunting. Sub forums also showed up....beach hunting, make of detectors, followed by model by make forums. Rules were made, and enforced. For a while, people could change their name and quickly get back on. Better technology allowed this to be harder to do. People not following the rules were sometimes banned for a while, or life. Some banned members joined other forums and denounced certain forums. Eventually, things settled down, and as more experienced users filled up the forums, the old "mines better then yours" kind of disappeared. Then forums got volunteers to act as moderators to enforce some of the rules, and maintain peace. Findmall and many other forums seem to run pretty smooth. People with too much of a bad attitude tend to get ostracized and either leave on their own or get their posts removed at times. Generally, most posters here like showing their finds, give advice and compliment other's finds.

But, there are still some forums out there where all hell breaks loose, usually over detector wars. There are trolls on these forums that like to keep things in constant state of discontent. The bad guys stay there, and a lot of the better users move to other forums like Findmall.

 

[mudpuppy]

I started like Roscue and Fongu...didnt discover detecting or internet forums until 2010...this place stays pretty tame on account of the moderators dont tolerate much foolishness. I get a private message reprimand or a moved or deleted post when I was new and getting to know their limits! A fellow can get a bit rowdy down on the Views about politics if he is so inclined, but everywhere else, nope, keep it clean and on topic. So, yes, this is a good place to hang out and get knowledgeable about all the fine aspects of our sport and gear...Mud

 

[Leslie(nova scotia)]

There were some rough days in the old days. haven't had that problem yet on my forum.............knock on wood but have seen some sorry posts over the years. This after all is just a hobby albeit a great one. We should just nurture friendships, cheer and enjoy.

In short sad a Bluenoser not to be names...quotable

Life is a journey to be savoured not a race to be won!

 

[Terry in PA]

Remember them well !

 

[BJ in Okla.]

sneaky Pete was tracked down, for posting as some one else,,,
I would bet you remember...

 

[jazzman58]

I can remember "back in the day" when some of these wars would go on for weeks. It kind of got to be like watching a soap opera. Just out there lurking for the next post to see who is going to bash what or who. I can understand that sometimes things can be taken out of context but most of that stuff was straight on "just mean". Glad that the folks here at Finds do not let things get out of hand. The moderators like John and the others keep this forum doing what is was meant to do. Keep up the good work guys. HH to all.

Jeff