Dave, please pass on our best wishes for a speedy recovery, being disabled is no joke, especially when your carer needs to be looked after by you. Chin up matey, our best wishes to you and your family.
Cheers Colin.

So sorry to hear that Dave. Hope all goes well with Jan's OP.🤞🤞🤞
Under the circumstances maybe time to ask the parents to temporarily take back responsibility for their offspring? Not easy I appreciate very well, but perhaps practical all things considered.
Thinking of you, Doug

I hope the wife and you will be OK!
And a speedy recovery for you wife as well!

Best Wishes, Ed

Hi mate. If you really want to know. We were going to Paphos for a week from 24/2 to 3/3. On 24th, at Birmingham airport my wife slipped and fell over. She was picked up, dusted off, put on a wheelchair, and bundled onto the plane. Half way to Cyprus, she said "I cand move my shoulder and knee". The cabin crew got us a wheelchair to get her off and we hired a car to get to the hotel. To cut a long story short, we got her to a doctor the following day, and she got x-rayed. To discover she had split her kneecap horizontally in two pieces and her shoulder was shattered. We spent the entire holiday, plus an extra 5 days in hospital. The we got repatriated via Istanbul to Heathrow with a 2 1/2hour ambulance journey each end, making a journey home of some 23 1/2 hours. Jan is still in hospital at Worcester awaiting a full shoulder replacement this coming week.
We really had a great holiday (and it's still going on, as she is going to be out of work for the next 12 to 14 weeks) and I am the disabled party in our home, and I am having to look after her, not the other way round as normal.
Hope that satisfies your curiosity. But I could really do with a holiday (if we dont lose our home, as we cant pay the rent), as I'm totally shattered looking after her, and 3 days a week, our 20 month old granddaughter.
Cheers, Dave 😴

Hi rolfman,
I too find myself go from one point from sub-lieutenant to able seaman at a stroke! As RH Baker says "Is there any point?"
Why was this " necessary".Don't get it"

Tell me about it Swanee!🙄
From school until retirement folks had a lot of (innovative🙄) fun with my surname!
Cheers, Doug BELL!!

If you think swannee is funny you should hear some of the other names I have been called [50 years in the construction industry].

LifeColor accurate naval paints and original paint scheme prints do?
Snag; sending paints through the post or courier services!
RATS!!😭

Doug, Don't forget the Supplies!
I'll get them right back to you.
Give or take a few month's
Maybe a year! Hope the paper work isn't lost!
But, they'll get done!

BTW rolfman,
What went wrong with your holiday?
My sister was in Larnaca for a week about three weeks ago, and apart from the fact that it was a bit chilly (no problem getting a sun bed on the beach😉) she thoroughly enjoyed it.
Cyprus is also on my To Visit list, but not before the cricket season starts, there's a good wicket in Larnaca I hear!
Cheers, Doug

Ed, FIRST rule of survival in the military NEVER VOLUNTEER!!
Or, as the Sarn't Major / CPO Quartermaster sees it;
'I want three volunteers -
YOU, YOU and YOU'. 😁
PS; thanks for your generous offer, I'll be sending you the decks shortly 😉

I'd like to volunteer?
I volunteer for everything else!🙄

'Up the Swanee River' .... without a paddle!? 😁
'Old man river, he just keeps rolling along'

Swanee; ranks are based on contributions so I suppose you'd have to post your aircraft under 'Fleet Air Arm' or 'Royal Naval Air Service'!
3 A/C for Flight Cmdr, 12 for Squadron Leader, 36 for Wing Commander, 360 plus for Group Captain etc.
Then we could see about adding 'Admiral IC RNAS' for you 😂
Cheers, Doug.
Admiral, C.O. Naval Leg Pulling Dept.
PS I've got a job coming up painting the runway markings on a 1:350 Colossus class carrier. Interested? If it works out next job would be either the KM Graf Zeppelin or USS Enterprise.
Application with references by PM please. 😉

Talking of funny names SWANEE is quite good

Am I missing something here, what's with all the silly titles. Admirals, Captains and three band stokers etc.You are all boat modellers. I also build model aircraft does that make an Air-Vice marshal or a Wing Commander if I own more than one model. As for getting up-tight if your title has been changed, then I think you need to get a life.Having got that off my chest I would like to say there are some magnificent models displayed on this site. Swannee, runway painter 1st class

Having just read all your views It is what it is.

Good job looks good

Hi Brianaro,
"Someone has spent a lot of time building this website and put masses of thought into its content. Why? They can’t earn a fortune doing it, I guess they do it for the benefit and enjoyment of the users and visitors.
It’s a shame this point has been missed and the reason we visit the site overlooked."

This is exactly what I emphasised some days ago.
But then; I suppose you didn't read it cos there were some Smileys in my post.
Cheers Doug 😎

Hear hear Michael👍

Reference ranking = credibility not all credible/talented modelers post very little and some supposedly credables post some surprising things to say he least, however its the content that matters and the sharing of experiences be they good or bad as you never stop learning.
And remember Stephen does all this fantastic work free of charge and there are an awful lot of member that don't contribute financially to help with the upkeep and development of this site but seem to have a lot to say.
Rant over

Hard work biscuit!?

Yes' Sir!

I agree!

Cheers, Ed

Seems like a good number of people have forgotten the real reason for this website, MODEL BOATS, and the enjoyment of the hobby. So let's get back to the boats please. Ex-Admiral.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Brianaro,

I spent a year or more helping to develope this website.
As a voluteer sys admin, Let me tell you Stephen (FIREBOAT) and I worked really hard on it.
I don't even know how many hours I spent reading.
And making correction. Yes there is bound to be errors but they will be corrected. And the users will get use to the way things are now!

I'd also like to say thanks for your comment.
It's really appreciated!
All I read since the change are complaints.
Which is ok people have the right!
But they should also be grateful.
For the developement.
And continued hard work of the Sys/Admins! ⭐

Cheers, Ed 🙈🙉🙊

Hi Tomarack,

I agree with you on everything you say! 👍
Now, lets talk about Model Boats! ⛵🚤

Back in the ‘60s as a teenager I built a RC Sea Commander and joined a power boat club. There was a lot of oneupmanship and a pecking order that really put me off membership and the experience has steered me away from such organisations thereafter. The comments about rankings reminds me of the perceived importance of such things to people in groups.
Someone has spent a lot of time building this website and put masses of thought into its content. Why? They can’t earn a fortune doing it, I guess they do it for the benefit and enjoyment of the users and visitors.
It’s a shame this point has been missed and the reason we visit the site overlooked. Rankings are not important and glitches elsewhere will be sorted as they are uncovered in use. We should enjoy the site and be grateful for it

Of course I understood that it was just such a play - or game . But I think the most would understand this change if we were familiar with this change at least a few days in advance....
Each game has its own rules - and it usually does not happen that the rules are changed during the game.
But ... let's go back to posts about boat models...

Why is everybody all bent out of shape!
It's all make believe
I was an admiral and even.
I was busted down to Commodore! 🤕

Who cares it's all in fun! 😀
Just have Fun...…. 👍

Are we all humbled by the new ranking system!

Cheers, Ed Commodore!

Yes I have as well I don’t know why we always have to change things when it was running so well, I also did a lot of hard work all for nothing so I’m out of here!

Hi Doug old mate. Sorry Admiral sir. I've gone fromFleet admiral to sub looey. so still wear a peaked cap LOL When I joined I wasn't aware of a ranking system anyway so what the hell it's just a damned good site. I hope you are well and your GF too. Have a beer /or two/ by the lake for me. Regards John

I agree!!

Understood Stephen, no more Parallel Universes👍
Cheers, Doug

Hi Doug, the syntax error was due to me posting a code change... code change related to the posts going into new threads. The reply button was sending the wrong thread ID, should be ok now. Hopefully no more phantom new threads.

As for the delay - posts are immediately entered into the database, but the featured/trending topics are not refreshed instantly and can take a couple of minutes to reflect anything new that's been posted. This is also true for notifications. Offloading some of the leg work into background jobs keeps the website snappy.

Stephen

Curiouser and curiouser!
Sometimes seems to be a delay between Replying and the Reply appearing in the main thread.
First time I checked via the Forum page I got this error message.
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '?>' in /homepages/28/d580901040/htdocs/hobbyland/sysfiles/ajax/listposts.php on line 183
Second try it worked.
Have noticed a similar effect going via my Profile / Posts.

Is the delay perhaps caused by an 'Evaluation algorithm' ?
Rather looks like the Replies first go into a buffer for processing.
Cheers, Doug

Hi Stephen,
Of course!
Haven't seen anything from him for months though.☹️
He used to be a mine of information.
Mailed him a while ago, he just said 'No time ...'.
Nothing since. Hope he's OK.
Doug 😎

Hi!
yes I was fleet Admiral now only a midshipman don't know how it works !!!👎

Don’t forget Dave-M 😉

Hi Haig,
There was some discussion about the ranking system a year or so ago.
I believe that the new system is intended to do just what you write.
Note sure if the posts are weighted somehow?
I'm just embarrassed to see that I'm the sole remaining Admiral 😮
So come on you guys - It's lonely up here.
Ed and I seem to be the only remaining Flag Officers at all !
Carry on boating chaps - That an order 😀
Cheers, Doug 😎

When I first joined I used to look at the rankings to see the experience and credibility of those posting and responding, but I found some 'Fleet Admirals' asking questions that I would have thought they should have known the answers to. Anyway I soon worked out who had credibility and experience. I believe the updated system points gives better credibility.

".....Ah, to clime the ladder again!😭
It's all in fun!👍...."

Well, of course, it has an ulterior motive. The aim is behaviour modification - getting people to attend the site and produce data for it. All advertising works this way and I am particularly attuned to it - I tend to react against it as soon as I notice it. I would much prefer organisations not to try messing with people's minds in this way - it's very similar to loyalty cards for supermarkets or trading stamps.....

As you I joined the group because of my interest in model boats, I have been demoted from fleet admiral to lieutenant so what? Who cares. Ships cat sounds good to me. No orders to follow or give. 😀.
Cheers Colin.

As a very average model maker who just enjoys the hobby and found loads of useful information and helpful people on the site I must say I have been quiet amused by some concerns over "demotions ". May I add RNinMunichs earlier post sums up exactly what the site should really be about, Well said. None of us embrace change easily but I am finding my way around the site and I am sure in a couple of months time we will wonder what all the fuss was about.
Yes ! I even I got demoted but I dont care if I get classed as the ships cat as long as I find the help I need.

Regards Alan

I’m not sure what looks worse, bold words or yellow blobs everywhere

I'd noticed that Haig.
Wondered if Stephen was creating 'Parallel Universes' 😁
Seems to be fixed now, so I can cross that off my list of observations - Well done Stephen.👍
Doug

And the 'bolding' has gone! Why can I only find my reply to the post and Doug's reply if I look under my notifications. If I look at the post then I don't see them. including this reply.

Hi Haig, Greetings to Down Under from Up Over😉
If I like something - I LIKE it! Points be damned.
I believe the points system may have been changed to stop folks 'climbing the ladder' with nonsense posts or just 'Liking' everything in sight indiscriminately for example. It may not yet be perfect but I guess that the the idea behind it is to support more the core interests of model boat construction and operation.

Agree with you though re photos vs video. 👍
There is more effort involved in both making and posting a video as opposed to a photo.
But when you know how .....😉

But realistically, does anyone really join such a forum just to collect points and attain a fictitious rank?
Surely essentially all those who come here, AND STAY here, do so cos we like building and sailing model boats, of all shapes, sizes and types, are happy to share our knowledge and experience, and are grateful for help received when we get stuck or out of our depth ... Glug glug glug glop glop!😮
That to me is the essence of such a site, which it fulfils admirably (and I have tried several others as well🤔). All the rest, ranking etc, is just the icing on the cake - take it or leave it. It's only a bit of fun 😁

And I thoroughly agree with you about the automatic 'bolding' of words in our post. That should be left to the post author as it is an internationally accepted form of EMPHASIS which is the authors prerogative. Unfortunately the site doesn't allow any kind of formatting in posts ☹️
Sure the new site format has a few glitches and teething troubles, what new complex system doesn't?? We'll get them sorted I'm sure.
(Half the German armed forces expensive new equipment is currently grounded / unserviceable or not seaworthy!!🤔)
More power to Stephen for spending a year doing all this all on his lonesome - with selfless disregard of the coffee costs incurred😮
Keep on posting Haig, we need guys like you👍
All the best, Doug 😎
PS The bold words appear to be Hyperlinks. Intended to jump to a list of posts where these words/topics also appear. No idea what algorithm is used to select them though.
Produces some curious results - such as Glug or Glop for example. Natch --> 'No results found'.
IMHO algorithm needs to be changed to restrict links to realistic topics and the words simply displayed in blue and underlined, as is the internet convention for hyperlinks.

Stephen,
You say that the majority of people have gone down instead of up. I can only see that people's ranks would have gone down. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to explain to all the reasons behind the new points allocation. Photos and videos are all now all classed as 'media' and only worth 4 points. It takes a quite a bit of effort to do a good video as compared to taking a few photos. Surely there needs to be a distinction. I can see why giving likes has been reduced to zero, but that also lessens the chance of people receiving likes.

The new system seems to want to randomly 'bold' words. Surely that should be up to the person doing the comments. i have not 'bolded' any of the words in this post. That has been randomly decided for me by the programmer.

Regards
Haig

Hi Rowen,
Exactamente! 👍

Ice has come and gone, come again and gone again the last two months.
Currently weather wet and very stormy, again.
Supposed to warm up again from Wednesday.
Might be able to get some sailing in next weekend if it's not p-ing with rain😉
Cheers, Doug 😎
I don't like 'tank steering either.
I always set up my twin/multiple screw ships for right stick throttle and rudder.
Leaves the left hand free for the Bierkrug or wine glass 😜
I did mention that there's a Biergarten adjacent to my sailing lake didn't I!?
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hope you've got your water wings handy Peter😁😉

Hi Doug, not worth worrying about. Anyway, far too busy converting all my twin screw models to single lever Tx control. Seems more intuitive than the traditional dual lever.
Signs of Spring finally, the ice is retreating so the time to get back on the water is almost nigh.
Ice still around in Bavaria?
R

It's only a bit of harmless fun and healthy competition Rowen. I'm sure this 'storm in a teacup' will soon blow over.
After all, we're all in the same boat 😉
All the best, Doug 😎