I guess I shouldn't have really let it get to me. There were just a few things from some folks that really took me off guard. Things like comments that it seems like the forums have been taken over by 14 and 15 year olds, and that there is a particular lack of depth of knowledge. Funny thing is folks people have a lot of respect for, like Skip and George and Danno etc., post over here just like they post to the e-mail list. Hey Markus Blaszak, if you think the forums lack depth of knowledge, why don't you try offering your guidance over here as well?

To your point Hugh, I think things can tend to move so quickly on the forums sometimes that it is easy for a post to move of the first page quickly. On the other hand you're just a likely to get quick response with good advice. There are frequently days where the mail 924/44/51/68 e-mail list sees 5 or 6 messages. How often would that happen on the forums?

And really petty and pointless jabs, like criticising the dancing spiderman avatar. Yeah, the thing is annoying but it has nothing to do with the quality of the forums.

 

I like the forums better because I get far too much email as it is. The forums allow you to sift through what you want to read so much easier. When I was on the email list I could never get anything done because of so much to sift through.

Change is difficult for some people. Some even hate what they have not tried. Others hate what they do not understand.

All in all, like someone said, it takes both to make up Rennlist and the email lists were around well before the boards and will be around my guess is as long as Rennlist is around.

 

There's an email list?! LOL.

 

I get the email lists. I read though them every few days or so. I find the forums much more user-friendly.

 

Maybe I shouldn't post this John D., but for some reason I think I should:

For a group of young folks - the 944 Forum is probably the single
largest supporter of Rennlist - certainly from an evangelical
perspective. They view that Forum as "their Club" and are quite
passionate about both their 944s/951s. I didn't realize there was a
"coming of age" for passion and enthusiasm?

Sure - the "tone" is different then the mailing lists, but it's no more
"different" then the other "communities" within either the mailing
lists/other Rennlist Forums. For example - look at the 993 Rennlist
Forum community and compare that to the e-mail lists, or compare the
GT2/GT3 Forum to any other Rennlist area, or look at the 911 e-mail list
and compare those folks to 996 Community...

For that - each area is unique, and I try to moderate them to their
vision of their own individual "community".

So - I guess while it's easy to cast aspersions to any one of the
different areas on Rennlist and those Forums visitors (there are about
200,000 "visitors a day to just that area) - but for me, if I could
"bottle and sell" the enthusiasm and support for Rennlist from that 944
Forum - this site would be running on "high octane".

Oh - and as an FYI - on that Forum specifically, we have more then a few
14 / 15 year old "kids" who are restoring their first 944s (and 1st
cars). Are they PCA Members? No - they can't be, unless through their
parents. Are they their own Rennlist Members and sincere Porsche
enthusiasts? You bet they are. And in my world - Rennlist is
“inclusive” - rather then "exclusionary" - and for that - yep - I
respect the community they have built within Rennlist.

And are many young? You bet. But you know what? I'd rather have them
in Rennlist then out doing what most teenagers are doing now a day. And
for that, we've had a few 17 year olds announce their engagement, that
community has seen many from their "community" get shipped to Iraq
during the opening of the conflict - and many are still over there - and
post when they can. We've thwarted a few suicide attempts - and a few
of us have taken a moment to consel in private... And I could go on...

So - accept the fact that site area is different. As for me - I respect
and support those same differences.

Just from my end of the telescope...

John D.

-------------------------------------------------

As a subscriber to the e-mail lists as well, my observations and feelings regarding this "debate" are mixed as I feel I'm in the middle of the two "sides" to this matter.

On one hand, I LOVE the fact that the youngest members of this board are getting into, yes, some of the most affordable Porsches out there - instead of drilling a 2-foot wing onto an Accord.

An issue that is brought up is this whole "bling-bling" deal. However...I still have yet to see any member here who has done any sort of ridiculous stuff to their own personal revered p-car, has anyone here? If this was addressed to America's youth in general, then that level of detail needs to be specified.

Another two thoughts I have regarding the backlash against the Web forums on the e-mail list are the whole spelling thing and the Off-Topic stuff. If anyone has experienced or participated in any sort of Internet-related communication in the past 5 years or so, one will know that Grammar skills have gone out the window and typos are simple mistakes that portray no such judgement on anyone's character. I mean please, to be OVERLY technical, should I complain about how some people don't know how to properly format an e-mail and its text format? Of course not!

As for OT subjects, other forums on Rennlist have differing tolerances. The 924/944/968 board is more tolerant than any other board on this area. Sure sometimes stuff goes overboard but it's a COMMUNITY of people. Stuff happens - it sure isn't perfect and I don't want it to be. There are some nasty things sitting in the history of the e-mail lists, but nobody ever dwells on it.

Also, technicalities were brought up on PCA membership. How many of the old core of e-mail list people would have shelled out money prior to turning the age of 16 to join a car club that you could not actively participate in its primary activities?

Moral of this marathon post: there are bigger fish to fry, don't pick on the Web forums for the simple case that younger people are beginning to demonstrate their enthusiasm for an automobile marquee that we all share a bond.

Finally, if you care to debate this privately, feel free to PM me. I'm trying to be respectful to all here.

 

My only words on this matter... I am not involved in the email-based side of Rennlist, though I am a younger member (20) of the 'list. While some of us younger members were brought up with Porsches, and many with money either way, some of us weren't.

Some of the younger members of Rennlist simply appreciate excellence in all it's forms. If we were freaking out at 10 years old and younger about how cars were our lives and Porsche makes the greatest... does that make us less of a member that participates in the email-based forum?

 

I belong to the email list in addition to here. They both compliment each other well.

I also read the commentary about this BBS there. I chose not to comment there because Scott summed up my feelings perfectly. Thanks Scott!

 

I do both email and forums. I prefer the forums and am amazed on a daily basis at how much information is shared here. Most of the negative emails related to the forums were just deleted.

I have been considering getting another porsche and have poked my nose around the other forums. I have not enjoyed the other forums nearly as much as this one. This forum has a very cool vibe.

 

Ditto. Me too baby..Me too

Oh and Manning.. "rabid enthusiasm of the Forum listers" Is a gross understatement. How come I never see you at any of the Ohio GTG's?? You gotta get out baby!

 

Convince my fiance and I might be able to show up

I was planning on going to Hershey this year and got a rather cold response to that plan when I brought it up. Even though her mom goes to the spa there a couple times a year and I have offered that as a option for her to participate she doesn't seem to buy it. I owe her an engagement ring and I think she is afraid my going to Hershey will cut into the possibility of whether she will get it or not. Oh well, I'm giving her the ring on 20 June, so maybe next year.

Maybe if there is a GTG on this side of Columbus I can sneak down there and play. Guess I missed my change last year

 

Ok, I finally went through the email messages and read them. I'm pretty sure these people are seeing a different forums.rennlist.com than I am. Occasionally someone pops in asking about neons or some "bling bling," but these guys act like it's every other topic. Yeah, there's some immaturity here and I get annoyed by it sometimes, but it's not nearly as bad as they make it out to be.

And isn't Blazack the one who claims the $50 belt tool is different from the $5 NAPA one, other than being a different color?

 

John D. is the man.

 

https://rennlist.com/forums/search.p...der=descending

I think that just about says it all.

The forums and email lists each bring different things to the table, I use both of them.