OT: what happened at RoadFly

[kyleN20]

i always see in posts, "thats why we left roadfly." what happened, i was not yet a member. sounds like american colinists, leaving unfair rule or somthing to that matter. all i know is that when i did a search to find out about e34's, this was the most knowlageable looking one.

[shogun]

Well, there are some reasons. I am still active there but it is getting more and more quiet there.
Many people from there moved to here on the E34 5 series board, the owners of the E32 and E38 moved to Bimmerboard. I do not know about the 3 series and other models, but for example in that area Bimmerboard is growing. E34 is here.
The problem is probably the administration. They delete postings, do not allow the word bimmerboard, you just see [OPPS] when you link a repair, now they even delete tinyurl links, as many people used tinyurl to link bimmerboard links. So even my own homepage was always [oopsed] as I use tinyurl because of the long original URL.
Recently I could not lock in. Sent a email to the administration about the problem got an automated reply that every day they get about 1.000 emails and cannot reply individually, should look here and check there to find out by myself.
They cannot win the battle against new boards with such actions.
And apparently they still do not know that the people active on the board make a good board, not the admins. The admins are there to run the board, to keep it up to date, but it is not their duty to interfere so much.

[Jay 535i]

Well, there are some reasons. I am still active there but it is getting more and more quiet there.
Many people from there moved to here on the E34 5 series board, the owners of the E32 and E38 moved to Bimmerboard. I do not know about the 3 series and other models, but for example in that area Bimmerboard is growing. E34 is here.
The problem is probably the administration. They delete postings, do not allow the word bimmerboard, you just see [OPPS] when you link a repair, now they even delete tinyurl links, as many people used tinyurl to link bimmerboard links. So even my own homepage was always [oopsed] as I use tinyurl because of the long original URL.
Recently I could not lock in. Sent a email to the administration about the problem got an automated reply that every day they get about 1.000 emails and cannot reply individually, should look here and check there to find out by myself.
They cannot win the battle against new boards with such actions.
And apparently they still do not know that the people active on the board make a good board, not the admins. The admins are there to run the board, to keep it up to date, but it is not their duty to interfere so much.

So not unlike the American colonists at all, then. ;)

Give us Bimmers or give us death!

[Springfield1952]

They were very heavy handed and protective of their advertisers. I was banned on two different occasions when I put BMA in a response as a good source for parts. Some folks, who later became the foundation of this board, didn't like the treatment and bolted in late 2003.

Curt.

[Jay 535i]

They were very heavy handed and protective of their advertisers.

That attitude is really lame. And look where it got them? Everyone left. Nice job. I'm sure their advertisers are thrilled now.

[pyro]

bma bma bma yay im still here

[Johntee540]

I use Roadfly as well as Bimmerboard, here, the M5 Board. I collect lots of information from which to base a decision. I am still active there but - the quality of the users and the general demeanor is ugly. The users there are more interested in being "right" about something than helpful.

And they get pretty nasty when you challenge a post. They see the forum there as some sort of deathmatch where they have to have the ONLY right answer that they defend to the death - sometimes right, More often wrong.

Thats my opinion

[willobmw]

Right on the money Johntee. Happy Holidays.

[Dave M]

They were very heavy handed and protective of their advertisers. I was banned on two different occasions when I put BMA in a response as a good source for parts. Some folks, who later became the foundation of this board, didn't like the treatment and bolted in late 2003.

Curt.

I think I was using the old board in 2002. Can't be certain, but I think the revolutionaries bolted earlier. Lets start a flame throwing war over the date ;)

Merry Christmas,

Dave M

[Russell]

In general so I get different/range of responses to questions. As others have mentioned I also look for a variety of opinions before making decisions. I came on both boards apparently after " the deflection", so this info is news to me. I will admit some of the responses on Roadfly "border" on, shall we say, ill informed. :) Even so, I enjoy both boards.




i always see in posts, "thats why we left roadfly." what happened, i was not yet a member. sounds like american colinists, leaving unfair rule or somthing to that matter. all i know is that when i did a search to find out about e34's, this was the most knowlageable looking one.

[wjbell]

I started visiting roadfly back when it was (I think) bimmer.org. I'm pretty sure it had a different 'owner' then. I was mostly on the e30 board.

A few months ago I started using the roadfly e34 board when I got my 535. I noticed a few things I didn't like about it... If you posted a question that has been answered many times before your post would be ignored or answered a few days later. They have advertizing that's too intrusive for me. I don't like it when words in you post start turing it to ad links with a big popup description when you hover over it, not to mention when the ad sites are slow it makes the roadfly site slow to a crawl when you're trying to read posts. And then the censorship with other bimmer sites is just a little too much for me. That's petty to me. The net's about free information, censorship to other bimmer sites just gives roadfly a negative feel to me.

Anyway, it's too bad. There are some good people on roadfly with some good knowledge, and I still go there once in a while. But the way they run it is just ruining it, IMO.

[shogun]

I just got a friendly email from them:

It's a violation of our TOS to go around our URL filters. We don't
allow links to tinyurl, etc. for specific reasons.

Please stay in compliance w/ our TOS.
-------------------------
My website is very long with the original URL, so I use tinyurl to make it shorter. It was [oopsed] out now.
Just wrote email back saying that I am not a competitor to roadfly and I just want to help people with technical problems and that on other boards there are also good tech tips and that I want to link them just to help people, not to lure them away to other boards.
I just hope that they understand it. The members on roadfly which need tech help unfortunately suffer from these regulations.

[632 Regal]

hopefully them that need help eventually find a way to here where they CAN get realistic help. I very rarely even surf there and I deleted their link from my bookmarks a long time ago.

[Jeff N.]

repression.

[SharkmanBMW]

I find it unpleasant and bitchy!

and not being allowed to link repair sites or Shogun's site is very petty.

I regularly visit Bimmerfest, who is good for e46, but SUCK at e34, so I help a bit and refer people here or to other repair sites they require....
NO ONE from that site has told me not to, in fact the admin posted that it was great for someone to help the poor saps who get no responses, and that if they do find the answer somewhere else (bimmerinfo), to come back and post it at bimmerfest as well. That way it helps everyone.

No petty rule ********, just people helping people!

[Gayle]

What I have heard is that a group of the early active members leftt roadfly in mass and started this board after getting frustrated at the censorship at roadfly. BimmerNut Ed volunteered to set it up and host it. Your description of colonists matches what I have been able to piece together. I am not sure who was in the original group. I get the impression that most all but Ed and Jr have moved on.

[Javier]

is my home page. Only went to Roadfly to read links in threads from this forum (Shogun is a library of info, seem to have the time to surf around and read every possible info source, and usually post links to Roadfly threads when needing extra help from this forum). I have seen good people there in that occasions, I feel sorry on the reputation Roadfly is building.

Javier

[Bill R.]

site first and had it going as Bimmernut.com when all the problems started happening with Roadfly banning people for petty reasons and removing posts.
Ed then offered to a number of us through email the use of his site, He and Micah O set up the first board on the site if i recall correctly. Micah O still drops in occasionaly but has a new 330i instead. After Ed contacted a number of us we moved right over and it was ready to use. Ed had already done all the hard work for us. Bruno was contacted early, myself, Micah O , Drew Z, Martin B and Jeff N. , Shragon, Quentin, Geoff,Gordon,Dave R.,Alex Lynch,Tim C.,Dick S.,Of course Jr., Uncle Phil, Marcus, TJ, Paul G.,Nick P, Hans Lain,Jon M, I'm pretty sure that Brian C. was one of the first too,Warren G.,Kenny G, Phil S,George Mann,Brandon H.,Warren Brown,Curt Anderson,Patrick, Rory,Peter Wharton, Sean H, Joe Ording, Dragos,Chris Jones, Russian Boy,Andy Peavy,Brumm,Richard V, Tiger,John B.,Valerie from Alaska,Bill B, Bill Sours, Rob,Adnan, Anthony,Kbia,Sbcu or Scott C., Callen,Scott H., more than one Micha,Robert Kieffer, Gale, Bert, And don't forget Bertsucks, I never did find out who that was... , Oleg,Roman,
And a lot more that don't come to mind right this second... A lot of the early people are still around just not as frequent as they once were...




What I have heard is that a group of the early active members leftt roadfly in mass and started this board after getting frustrated at the censorship at roadfly. BimmerNut Ed volunteered to set it up and host it. Your description of colonists matches what I have been able to piece together. I am not sure who was in the original group. I get the impression that most all but Ed and Jr have moved on.

[winfred]

i got here not too long after the old site started and lurked for a while

[Jr ///M5]

There was a guy named Alan who first started Roadfly, back then it was a good board. Don't know if he's even around anymore, but he joined forces with a guy named Charlie that implemented all these rules. And banning became a game within the board. Like Bill recollects, there was a core of knowledgeable people that were contacted outside of the board about the news of possibly migrating to another board. With a list of concerns that mainly focused on the chance of busting up the group if something went wrong, we dropped Roadfly. I still remember feeling sorry for RF when traffic on the RF- E34 board fell to almost nothing. Charlie would post feverishly to try to keep the dwindling board alive. They've branched off now and moved on in a different direction. More toward making $ and not so much of helping others. Remember the "green font" of the first bimmernut board? Kind of ironic, huh? Like Bill says, the original members are still around and pop in from time to time to say hello. It's always good to hear from them. Some have sold their E34's and still keep in touch, like Brian C. for one. That says alot about the core of this board and what it's intentions are about.
There are other stories about the history of the board, hidden in the archives under "Deja Vu"....this one is just to echo what Bill R. has already spoken. It would be nice if one of the moderators were given the title of "Board Historian" and kept the records straight, 'cause I think it changes every time Bill and I tell it...;)
Therefore, because of his iron clad memory and ability to pull a rabbit out of his hat, I nominate Bill R. for Board Historian! Gee, this is really starting to take the shape of a Government!;)

Jr

[Phil Sanderson]

site first and had it going as Bimmernut.com when all the problems started happening with Roadfly banning people for petty reasons and removing posts.
Ed then offered to a number of us through email the use of his site, He and Micah O set up the first board on the site if i recall correctly. Micah O still drops in occasionaly but has a new 330i instead. After Ed contacted a number of us we moved right over and it was ready to use. Ed had already done all the hard work for us. Bruno was contacted early, myself, Micah O , Drew Z, Martin B and Jeff N. , Shragon, Quentin, Geoff,Gordon,Dave R.,Alex Lynch,Tim C.,Dick S.,Of course Jr., Uncle Phil, Marcus, TJ, Paul G.,Nick P, Hans Lain,Jon M, I'm pretty sure that Brian C. was one of the first too,Warren G.,Kenny G, Phil S,George Mann,Brandon H.,Warren Brown,Curt Anderson,Patrick, Rory,Peter Wharton, Sean H, Joe Ording, Dragos,Chris Jones, Russian Boy,Andy Peavy,Brumm,Richard V, Tiger,John B.,Valerie from Alaska,Bill B, Bill Sours, Rob,Adnan, Anthony,Kbia,Sbcu or Scott C., Callen,Scott H., more than one Micha,Robert Kieffer, Gale, Bert, And don't forget Bertsucks, I never did find out who that was... , Oleg,Roman,
And a lot more that don't come to mind right this second... A lot of the early people are still around just not as frequent as they once were...

...lively discussion, the excitement when someone first discovered that an LKM could easily be repaired (you?) and couldn't wait to share this discovery. Or even the lowly fusible link. In the early days of E34 ownership (1991) I found that the most daunting thing was the electronics, and if some printed circuit board went bung, how do you fix it without selling your first born to buy a new part from a Dealer. The truth is that the Dealers didn't repair electronic parts (they didn't know how to) - they replaced them at great cost. Eventually all of the E34 and E32 electronic parts were shown to be repairable by clever people from this site and a couple of others. This site has made BMW ownership easy because a novice can learn what can stop these cars on the side of the road and then how to possibly fix it easily.
Surely Bill you must have a database with all those names - there's no way I could have remembered half of them - except Ken from Guam - I always liked the color of his car.

regards to all for the Christmas season
Phil S

[Jr ///M5]

Hey Phil, do you get to see Quentin and Geoff anymore? We do miss those two around here...

Jr

[Phil Sanderson]

Hey Phil, do you get to see Quentin and Geoff anymore? We do miss those two around here...

Jr

...and last I called into Geoff's he was overseas on business (6 weeks ago). Unfortunately I haven't been able to catch up since - but I will.

regards
Phil

[Jeff N.]

I'd be impressed if I could come up with 1/2 of those names....


site first and had it going as Bimmernut.com when all the problems started happening with Roadfly banning people for petty reasons and removing posts.
Ed then offered to a number of us through email the use of his site, He and Micah O set up the first board on the site if i recall correctly. Micah O still drops in occasionaly but has a new 330i instead. After Ed contacted a number of us we moved right over and it was ready to use. Ed had already done all the hard work for us. Bruno was contacted early, myself, Micah O , Drew Z, Martin B and Jeff N. , Shragon, Quentin, Geoff,Gordon,Dave R.,Alex Lynch,Tim C.,Dick S.,Of course Jr., Uncle Phil, Marcus, TJ, Paul G.,Nick P, Hans Lain,Jon M, I'm pretty sure that Brian C. was one of the first too,Warren G.,Kenny G, Phil S,George Mann,Brandon H.,Warren Brown,Curt Anderson,Patrick, Rory,Peter Wharton, Sean H, Joe Ording, Dragos,Chris Jones, Russian Boy,Andy Peavy,Brumm,Richard V, Tiger,John B.,Valerie from Alaska,Bill B, Bill Sours, Rob,Adnan, Anthony,Kbia,Sbcu or Scott C., Callen,Scott H., more than one Micha,Robert Kieffer, Gale, Bert, And don't forget Bertsucks, I never did find out who that was... , Oleg,Roman,
And a lot more that don't come to mind right this second... A lot of the early people are still around just not as frequent as they once were...

[Bill R.]

addresses on them from a large number of the very first people:D But for what its worth i still remembered most of them, I just had to sit and think about it for a minute and names came out... Along with "I wonder what happened to "




I'd be impressed if I could come up with 1/2 of those names....

[Bill R.]

memory part... Strange the things you have no trouble remembering and the things you can't ..







There was a guy named Alan who first started Roadfly, back then it was a good board. Don't know if he's even around anymore, but he joined forces with a guy named Charlie that implemented all these rules. And banning became a game within the board. Like Bill recollects, there was a core of knowledgeable people that were contacted outside of the board about the news of possibly migrating to another board. With a list of concerns that mainly focused on the chance of busting up the group if something went wrong, we dropped Roadfly. I still remember feeling sorry for RF when traffic on the RF- E34 board fell to almost nothing. Charlie would post feverishly to try to keep the dwindling board alive. They've branched off now and moved on in a different direction. More toward making $ and not so much of helping others. Remember the "green font" of the first bimmernut board? Kind of ironic, huh? Like Bill says, the original members are still around and pop in from time to time to say hello. It's always good to hear from them. Some have sold their E34's and still keep in touch, like Brian C. for one. That says alot about the core of this board and what it's intentions are about.
There are other stories about the history of the board, hidden in the archives under "Deja Vu"....this one is just to echo what Bill R. has already spoken. It would be nice if one of the moderators were given the title of "Board Historian" and kept the records straight, 'cause I think it changes every time Bill and I tell it...;)
Therefore, because of his iron clad memory and ability to pull a rabbit out of his hat, I nominate Bill R. for Board Historian! Gee, this is really starting to take the shape of a Government!;)

Jr

[Bill R.]

experience with all the mechanical aspects of the cars, but as far as repairing electronics or diagnosing so many of the circuits on these cars it was all new... I was quite surprised when i started poking around and taking apart some of these things such as the swords,lkms and dashclusters how simple it really was.. It encouraged me to do the same on many other cars now.




...lively discussion, the excitement when someone first discovered that an LKM could easily be repaired (you?) and couldn't wait to share this discovery. Or even the lowly fusible link. In the early days of E34 ownership (1991) I found that the most daunting thing was the electronics, and if some printed circuit board went bung, how do you fix it without selling your first born to buy a new part from a Dealer. The truth is that the Dealers didn't repair electronic parts (they didn't know how to) - they replaced them at great cost. Eventually all of the E34 and E32 electronic parts were shown to be repairable by clever people from this site and a couple of others. This site has made BMW ownership easy because a novice can learn what can stop these cars on the side of the road and then how to possibly fix it easily.
Surely Bill you must have a database with all those names - there's no way I could have remembered half of them - except Ken from Guam - I always liked the color of his car.

regards to all for the Christmas season
Phil S

[tdgard]

I came in 3 days after this place was started. As my E34 has not really given me any grief in all the years I have owned it, I almost missed the change due to the fact that I was constantly hammering on my E28. Roadfly did become quite oppressive in it’s dealings with people who posted links. I emailed Bruno or Micha O or someone shortly after not seeing them for a few days on Roadfly & they told me about this place (it would be similar to Jeff not posting 78 times a day).

I have never been a big contributor and it’s because I feel that every aspect of this car has been discussed. There is not a single system that is not a quick search away. The great thing about this board is that you don’t get a “&%^# off” (rhymes with duck off) when you ask a very obvious question. Well sometimes you do but you probably deserve it. I still look here because there is very often a fresh look at an old problem.

I will say that I have never had a car in the shop in my 20 years of driving and I owe it to communities like this one. Thanks much everyone.

[onewhippedpuppy]

From the perspective of a new guy to this board that has spent his fair share of time elsewhere, this is by far the most helpful and respectful BBS I have been on. Well, maybe a tie with the Pelican Parts 911 Forum. Like somebody else said, you get answers here, while on the others often times you just get BS, or somebody trying to play a virtual tough guy. Without a great support system such as this, I could not afford a BMW. I consider myself pretty handy as an ex-mechanic, but the complexity of these cars is daunting to a DIY'er out in his garage. Without the combined experience of everybody on here, I'd probably be driving a Focus, or something similarly crappy and boring. So to all of you, I say thanks!

[Incantation]

no idea .. but thanks to ed we have a good forum here

thanks ed

[genphreak]

memory part... Strange the things you have no trouble remembering and the things you can't ..Being a (relatively) new member myself, I have to say all this work by the core contributors has spawned a respect for this car that pays appropriate hommage to the engineering Gods who created it. I do swear at the thing for the pedantic and difficult ways they piece it together, for having to put parts back on in very particular orders or ways (or you end up taking it all apart again)- but the "sheer driving pleasure" the car faithfully delivers (isn't it amazing what a marketing person will come up with when thrown behind the wheel), always makes the pain worth it.

Although there are always parts that could be simpler or better we love the things, which is why, I suppose, Bimmernut started.

The wealth of knoweldge; the little things so carefully pondered; the discussions oft bordering on the pedantic; such considerations have gradually built a wealth of knowledge about these cars that gives them much greater longevity and allows us all to keep a car we love when alone we would be defeated by simple ignorance and the scale of problems such a complex car invariably accumulates later on in life.

All of us need the board to have a strong future and this requires effort and initiative. The founders have a vital roll to play- but so do the new members (ie to get involved and bring more skills and innovative ideas/fixes and improvements to the fore).

I imagine it is hard for many new members to relate to the board founders as they are (I think) increasingly from different generations and different cultures. I have no doubt such a history would help newbies along the journey the more experienced of us have made and thus ensure more people become contributing members rather than interested parties (ie lurkers) that end up just moving on to something else.

That being said, this board's history is vitally important to all of us, not just those 'that were there at the time'.

I whole-heartedly support the 'Board Historian' concept and encourage others to do so too. Perhaps (if 'annointed') this person could co-ordiante the piecing together of an accurate version of the evolution, events and perosnalities that has brough tus thus far. It is actually an opportunity to document one of the great growth stories on the Internet; the growth of a successful and enthusiastic online community.

Our community is growing fast needs such things to differentiate it and cement its future.

If our much renkowned Bill R will not accept his nomination, pehaps he will assist a person that would? I do not know enough about it to nominate another, (perhaps Ed?)... perhaps someone else would care to suggest some other candidates?

[Gayle]

site first and had it going as Bimmernut.com when all the problems started happening with Roadfly banning people for petty reasons and removing posts.
Ed then offered to a number of us through email the use of his site, He and Micah O set up the first board on the site if i recall correctly. Micah O still drops in occasionaly but has a new 330i instead. After Ed contacted a number of us we moved right over and it was ready to use. Ed had already done all the hard work for us. Bruno was contacted early, myself, Micah O , Drew Z, Martin B and Jeff N. , Shragon, Quentin, Geoff,Gordon,Dave R.,Alex Lynch,Tim C.,Dick S.,Of course Jr., Uncle Phil, Marcus, TJ, Paul G.,Nick P, Hans Lain,Jon M, I'm pretty sure that Brian C. was one of the first too,Warren G.,Kenny G, Phil S,George Mann,Brandon H.,Warren Brown,Curt Anderson,Patrick, Rory,Peter Wharton, Sean H, Joe Ording, Dragos,Chris Jones, Russian Boy,Andy Peavy,Brumm,Richard V, Tiger,John B.,Valerie from Alaska,Bill B, Bill Sours, Rob,Adnan, Anthony,Kbia,Sbcu or Scott C., Callen,Scott H., more than one Micha,Robert Kieffer, Gale, Bert, And don't forget Bertsucks, I never did find out who that was... , Oleg,Roman,
And a lot more that don't come to mind right this second... A lot of the early people are still around just not as frequent as they once were...

Out of that roughly sixty names, I recognize about 15, and some of those only by hearing others mention them. I think there are only about 5 of those I would recognize as regular posters.

[Zeuk in Oz]

Thank you Kyle for starting this thread and asking the question many of us "blow ins" had also wanted to ask.

Thank you Bill R, Jr et al for giving us some further insight into what we had probably already presumed, reading between the lines .

What I find so appealing about this forum is that it doesn't forget that all of us experience the magic of the E 34 at some point in time and this experience then leads to the seeking out of forums such as these.

Thank you to all those with a level of knowledge that I can only dream about who for the millionth time politely explain the different fan control devices in our cars and how to repair them, why thrust arm bushings need replacing or why replacing coolant or brake fluid on a regular basis can be so vital.

It is the way in which we treat our newest, most BMW inexperienced member that defines the character of this forum, and those of you who make all so very welcome should be congratulated.

It is only if we continue to recognise the wonderment of the BMW experience that this caring and nurturing will continue. This might be from where our experts of the future will come.

I would lend my support to the appointing of a "board historian", but like Genphreak am unsure exactly who would be capable of doing the job but for Bill R, Ed or perhaps Jr.

[dacoyote]

... It is the way in which we treat our newest, most BMW inexperienced member that defines the character of this forum, and those of you who make all so very welcome should be congratulated....

Hope they aren't talking about Jeff and Myself

[Zeuk in Oz]

Hope they aren't talking about Jeff and Myself
The exception proves the rule ! :D

You would have to be a goose not to see through Jeff Bidoli's bravado for the compassion that it is. ;)

(Either that or he has a real insomnia problem and no friends ! :p )

"Thinks : might be on to something here."

[genphreak]

The exception proves the rule ! :D

You would have to be a goose not to see through Jeff Bidoli's bravado for the compassion that it is. ;)

(Either that or he has a real insomnia problem and no friends ! :p )

"Thinks : might be on to something here."LOL, I think Jeff just runs out of lube a fair bit... ) for the humour in that you might need to see one of my other posts re "practical advice on balljoints")

[dacoyote]

.... I think Jeff just runs out of lube a fair bit...

Depending on the sorta lube... this can create bad images....

[SRR2]

Alan and his wife originally ran the site. I used to post there quite a bit in the mid/late-90s. It was good then, but frankly didn't have the technical content that this board does. I think there's a reason for that -- the E34s were newer then, many under warranty, and were owned by the original owner whose orientation, motivations, and capabilities are often different than subsequent owners. (ie doctors and lawyers buy the new cars and never look under the hood. We buy them the second or third time around and have to fix stuff.) Thus, boards in the early part of the model's cycle are quite a bit different from those in the mature phase. Anyway, Alan was a good guy and the board was first rate then, albeit more socially oriented WRT the E34.

I'd be really happy if the E39 traffic were higher here since I now own one of those instead of the E34. The RF E39 board is kind of going through the change-of-car-ownership, from original to used, phase right now, but fortunately is holding together reasonably well. Unfortunately, it suffers from the Roadfly ********. It would be quite a coup to get those guys to move over here.