Jngrbrdman
New member
I have been away from Autopia for a really long time. I had some personal issues with the former management as well as a small family I needed to focus on and a career I was really focused on. I just haven't had the time for the forums like I used to. However, I have been involved in a few other forums on different levels, but none of them really had the feel of Autopia. Some of them either just move too damn fast that your questions get buried ten minutes after you ask them, or it is just one post after another of people showing off their work without any real helpful stuff being written. Then there are those which have all the elements a forum needs to be successful, but it still doesn't have the old Autopia feel.
I've only been posting back here for about a week now and I have to say that it feels like the old Autopia here. Maybe that is because a lot of the old timers are still around and doing their thing. It wouldn't feel right without them around.
Maybe that is what was missing on some of the other boards and forums I've been playing on.
So I just want to say thanks to the powers that be who have kept Autopia.org alive and kept the spirit of what we tried to make it be all those years ago alive. It is still the Autopia I remember and it feels great to know that there is still a place or two left on the interwebz where someone can post an opinion contrary to the herd and not get flamed for it. There is a lot of respect being shown to each other by the members here. I love seeing how diverse the culture has gotten too. We have pros from every level as well as the weekend warriors and enthusiasts. And newbies can still feel comfortable asking questions without being intimidated by people shouting out to do a search or whatever. I really love that part. No 'know-it-alls' have really stood out to me as people who make others feel stupid for their questions or opinions. No post whores just going around saying 'yup' to threads so they can get that all important post count up. I have no doubt that the top ten posters earned every single one of those posts.
Anyway, I just wanted to share that feedback with you guys and let you know that you are all doing an outstanding job and I am really pleased to know that Autoipa is back! It may have been back for awhile, but I've been kind of busy and haven't had a chance to really get to know it again. Thank you all so much for keeping Autopia alive even in the midst of struggles and changes. Now that I've got a job which allows me more time to focus on some of my passions, you can expect to see me around here more often for sure.
I've only been posting back here for about a week now and I have to say that it feels like the old Autopia here. Maybe that is because a lot of the old timers are still around and doing their thing. It wouldn't feel right without them around.
Maybe that is what was missing on some of the other boards and forums I've been playing on. So I just want to say thanks to the powers that be who have kept Autopia.org alive and kept the spirit of what we tried to make it be all those years ago alive. It is still the Autopia I remember and it feels great to know that there is still a place or two left on the interwebz where someone can post an opinion contrary to the herd and not get flamed for it. There is a lot of respect being shown to each other by the members here. I love seeing how diverse the culture has gotten too. We have pros from every level as well as the weekend warriors and enthusiasts. And newbies can still feel comfortable asking questions without being intimidated by people shouting out to do a search or whatever. I really love that part. No 'know-it-alls' have really stood out to me as people who make others feel stupid for their questions or opinions. No post whores just going around saying 'yup' to threads so they can get that all important post count up. I have no doubt that the top ten posters earned every single one of those posts.
Anyway, I just wanted to share that feedback with you guys and let you know that you are all doing an outstanding job and I am really pleased to know that Autoipa is back! It may have been back for awhile, but I've been kind of busy and haven't had a chance to really get to know it again. Thank you all so much for keeping Autopia alive even in the midst of struggles and changes. Now that I've got a job which allows me more time to focus on some of my passions, you can expect to see me around here more often for sure.
In the end it isn't the post total that really matters. There are a couple forums I frequent that don't even show the post count. It doesn't really signify anything other than the amount of time you spend on the board. Some of the most knowledgeable guys here have a low post count simply because they don't waste a lot of words (like I do). David Bynon gave me some awesome advice once that I really need to stick to. "Use fewer and more impactful words" he once told me. It has stuck with me for a lot of years even though I don't always apply it. 
