Subject:
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The Story of the LMHoF - My Story
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.build.mecha
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Date:
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Sat, 12 Aug 2006 06:30:38 GMT
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So I was told to go check out an article on the MechaHub web site concerning the
History of the Lego Mecha Hall of Fame. I liked the story, though there is
something terribly wrong with the facts in one section of the story.
This is the truth, I am sad that I have to explain this AGAIN.
RE: "After some research I figured out that in reality Eric was creating the
problem he would then complain about. Eric would sometimes update, move, or add
pictures to some of the older models on the Brickshelf gallery. He would not
notify Dave as we agreed. Dave would come to update the Geocities site and find
that many links were broken. After fixing what he could Dave would give up and
call it a day. Those of us who have made websites know that a few broken links
can take an inordinate amount of time to rectify. The LMHoF had over 300 links.
I brought this whole scenario to Eric’s attention and was told that Dave needed
to “keep up”. It was this insane circular logic of Eric’s which would eventually
destroy the group from within."
---> My side.
Ok, first off, when the Member header Icons were initially created by Dave
Johaan, he used a font called Typerwriter something... That is to say, each
LMHoF Member had a picture in their gallery that had their name on it and the a
picture the Mech that earned them entry in to the hall.
This "Header Icon" used a font I did not have in my machine. This meant each
time a new member was nominated and voted on and added, Dave would have to
generate a new member's header icon. If I made it, the font would be different
and the Member Icon's would be different.
I asked Dave to help me so I could understand how to find the font, and then add
it to my machine. He said it was a common Microsoft font and I should have no
problem. That is all the help he offered. I asked several times. I did not
understand about how I should go about finding and installing this font used for
the header icons. I got nothing, no help. Just resistance and silent treatment.
Some time later, both Dave and Bryce went on Bionicle Sabatical. They left the
Continuum to pursue activity on the BZP website. It was at that time I asked two
new members to join in there absence. I personnaly talked to both new Founders
on the phone and explained that the group needed two people to fill in the gap
left by Bryce and Dave.
The two new Founders joined the group and we were able to continue as normal.
While Bryce and Dave explored new types of building, other Mecha builders were
still making excellent Mecha models. I firmly believed that we should keep
functioning despite the loss of two members. We still needed to carry on, vote
and support the Mecha Community.
During this time, I decided to simply remake the member header Icons in the
Brickshelf Gallery LMHoF. Using a new font, a more common one. One I didn't have
to wait on Dave to make it for me. I don't think anyone understood that asking
Dave to compromise with me and help me to agree on a more common font so we
could eliminate another kink in the process of Member Induction was like taking
one more bit of control from him. It was my duty to maintain the Brickshelf
Gallery portion of the LMHoF, the only thing that stood in the way was a silly
font!
I pleaded with the other Founders previously to help work out a compromise.
I even discussed the matter during a car ride with Dave Bryce and Chris on the
way back from the Michon's when I visited in 2001.
Again, when Bryce and Dave left the Continuum to pursue activity on BZP, the job
of creating new Member Icons still needed attending to. The really sucky part of
this that lead to my taking action, was that apparently Dave and Bryce embarked
on a joint venture to create a Brick Link shop.
Some how, Dave screwed that up and got himself banned from Brick Link.
Which pissed off Bryce to no end. During this fiasco Dave disapeared from the
internet. Buyers could not contact him and he was certainly not returning any of
my emails with concern to the font issue and the Member Icons.
So I deleted all the original Member Icons with the Typerwriter something font
and made new icons for the members using different fonts. The links in the
Geocities site went dead.
In fact I did not know the images were transcluded from Brickshelf to the
Geocities site. So I did cause a problem with some of the images.
I replaced the member icons with new ones using new fonts. Now I could do my
portion of the Founder duties with out having to rely on Dave. What a releif.
When Dave created the original ones, I should have put my foot down and said,
Hey Dave I don't have that font can we please use another one so in the future I
don't have to wait for you to do it. We could have all said, ok, fine. But no
one understood the dilema.
Dave then miraculously appeared one day and reloaded all the old Member Icons to
the Brickshelf gallery LMHoF. Then he deleted all the ones I had created.
I noticed this and brought it to his long absenced attention. He didn't care and
reacted more out of spite than understanding that I was left hanging and it was
unfair of him to hold up the process because he and Bryce wanted to venture to
new groud. Fine by me, just don't hold up the train! No pun intended. LOL.
I then reloaded all the Member Icons I had created with the new fonts. I left
the old ones Dave had reloaded. I realized that deleting them caused dead image
place holders on the Geocities site. Again, I didn't create the Geocites site, I
did not understand the web publishing approach he used. He did not share how he
did it, we were just glad he did.
So if any one remembers, everybody had two member icons. That was silly, but I
could never get the other founders to take action or understand that this was
superfluous. I created the second set of member icons because I simply did not
have the font. I also felt I had no choice and didn't know what else to do!
I didn't want to cause any hassles. My co-web master wasn't reachable and the
new founders voted in new members, work needed to get done and choice to make
new member icons was made to help move things forward.
I never wanted to screw up Dave's Geocites site, I never wanted to do anything
but carry on the tradition and represent new builders and great models.
As far as I knew Dave was gone from the internet licking his wounds from having
their [and Bryce's] Brick Link shop closed and banned.
When Dave returned soon after Bryce did as well. I was quiet un-happy with them
both for ditching their agreed invovlment in the LMHoF. I was also forced to
make certain decisions in their absence. Namely and simply asking two new people
to fill their shoes and making new Member Icons with a font I had access to.
Now keep in mind this was years ago before I know as much about computers as I
do now. Lame right? A silly font, well it caused me to be stuck.
Dave complained that I was moving files around and deleting them. All I ever did
was to make new member icons and upload them. I deleted the old ones I could not
emulate. Period.
Any action taken by me was in accordance with the proceedures we had all agreed
to. Nominate a builder, discuss and vote on which Mecha was to be added and then
I would add it. All images uploaded to the Brickshelf Gallery LMHoF were agreed
to during the voting process. The idea that I had to inform Dave as to the
images I added, the very ones from the voting process, was annoying as heck.
When Dave was present for voting, he knew damn well what images were to be
added. When Dave didn't bother to vote because he was off in Dave-land, why was
it my burden to notify him? The information was contained in the voting and
induction topics found on the Continuum.
Bryce would privately complain to me about issues concerning Dave. I would also
complain likewise. I pleaded with Bryce to please encourage Dave to work with me
to properly attend to our duties. I begged all the founders to help police
themselves to help prevent a major fallout.
If the Geocites site was not updated why was I the ONLY ONE to ever speak up
about it? I never once heard any founder question Dave about the inconsistancies
of mirroring issues.
I say for the record, when we completed voting, I was so happy to log in to
Yahoo and send the exciting news to the nominated builder. I was so unhappy to
have sent such exciting news to proud and receptive builders and then have
nothing happen except to add their work to Brickshelf.
That really bummed me out.
One thing I really wished the other founders would have realized:
Dave and Eric had trouble working together and offer ideas as to best handle the
work load, and or other possible solutions.
All I ever wanted was to properly represent builders and be accurate and timely
about it. I felt the hard work of fellow Mecha Builders should be respected to
the fullest. Other wise why are we a Hall of Fame?
We represent the best, I felt we had a high standard to live up to.
ONE THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS MY OWN WORK IN THE LMHoF.
I NEVER EVER EVER EVER ADDED MECHA TO MY GALLERY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE
PROPER PROCEEDURES JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!!!!!! DAMN IT.
THAT IS WRONG AND AN ABUSE OF PRIVLEDGE, I AM VERY UPSET THAT BRYCE WROTE THAT
IN HIS ARTICLE. I DENY IT. I WOULD NEVER PUT MY WORK ABOVE ANYONE ELSES. I
SHOULD NEVER IN A POSITION AS A FOUNDER OF THE LMHoF ABUSE OR SIDE STEP
PROCEEDURE.
HOW DARE ANY OF YOU SUGGEST OTHERWISE AFTER ALL MY YEARS OF HARD WORK AND
SELFLESS SUPPORT OF MY FELLOW MECHA BUILDERS.
In closing, I am glad to see Bryce's article. I don't agree with the timeline
100 percent. Like the fact that I first created a chat group for the founders on
my Compuserve account NOT MY JOB!!!! LMAO, wtf, I made a chat group on my ISP,
Compuserve was later brought and merged with AOL. SILLIES.
That is just one example of how serveral misunderstandings turned in to so many
pitiful spats and pleas to make the LMHoF the best we could manage.
I only ever wanted Bryce, Dave and the other Founders to believe in the mission
and help to offer solutions to issues and dilemas.
Sure I was gung ho at times, sure I made choices in their absence. Sure I did
what I felt needed to be done when no one else would.
My biggest regret was getting so mad at Dave for his refusal to work
cooperatively. I put him on the spot so many times. Both here in .mecha for his
handling of the curatorship, which was solely based on absence and updates, and
for the power play invovled in who handled what and who had the keys to certain
duties.
I made Dave so mad at me for poking him with the "come on Dave...."
Understandably the trouble with the curator issues and LMHoF duties put a rift
between us.
To the point of Dave handing down some pretty outlandish proclaimations that I
had done so many misdeeds. I flat out denied his accusations. I blamed the
founders (including myself) for not better providing avenues for new solutions
and self policing. If something was wrong, we all should speak up and be
concious about it. Not just me being a zealot. My biggest blessing and curse was
I so whole heartedly believe in the mission of the LMHoF, I was willing to speak
up in the face of adversity. Therby and simply getting on the nerves of the
other founders for saying, "Hey why aren't you all saying anything or helping to
work towards solutions for our short commings."
Which brings me to my second biggest regret, being so fed up with the back
peddling and animosity bewteen Dave and I, that I was so personnaly offended by
his absence, that I deleted his LMHoF gallery.
That was my final act of rebellion, that was my final message saying he did not
deserve the honor. That was wrong of me. Trust me I know it was not right.
But it sure did feel good bouncing his crapy Mecha out of a place where the best
of the best was to be showcased.
Dave I am sorry, sorry I forced my will upon you. I apologize that I just called
your models crappy, but that is how I felt at the time.
We had trouble working together, and for the sake of the people we represented,
we needed to figure out how to work better together. We owed it to the people.
We owed it to the other founders.
Again, I felt strongly about a great many things. I am not consumed by it, but
when I turn my attention towards something I give it my all.
To all the founders, I pressured all of you to be the best we could be. I
pleaded adnausm to run a tight ship. The most enduring legacy of the LMHoF fame
was that it fell apart due to holes in the system and in fighting, only to
resurrected in to the MechaHub. The MechaHub was indeed the ideal format. The
site is everything we should have done initially. It just took me to kick you
all in the collective hind quarters to get your acts together. .....and so you
have.
I don't know what else to say. It is in your power to continue to ostrisize me
or simply realize where we all went wrong and stop putting the blame on me, and
for me to stop putting the blame on Dave.
I regret a great many things, I don't regret the net outcome, the MechaHub.
I salute you. Let's not mince words. Let's just realize we all have our own
views to what happend and how it affected us individually.
It would be nice to have my friends back. Its pretty cold out here.
That is the saddest part.
love,
e
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Message has 4 Replies:
 | | Re: The Story of the LMHoF - My Story
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| (...) --SNIP-- (...) Eric, I'm curious why you didn't post this at the MechaHub? You can easily do so and it is where your complaint is directed. In fact, you seem to have a bad habit of posting stuff everywhere but the source of the perceived (...) (18 years ago, 12-Aug-06, to lugnet.build.mecha)
| | | Re: The Story of the LMHoF - My Story
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| (...) MAJOR SNIPPING (...) I decided to check out the article- (URL) a story I'd like to pass along. Back in the days when I was part of an LTC that shall remain nameless, I was asked to write an article about the club's history. I put a lot of time (...) (18 years ago, 12-Aug-06, to lugnet.build.mecha)
| | | Re: The Story of the LMHoF - My Story
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| (...) -snip 2320 words- (...) I seriously hope you are not suggesting you had any role to play in the creation of the MechaHub. Because if you are, you are insulting all the people who have actually put hard work into getting the website up and (...) (18 years ago, 12-Aug-06, to lugnet.build.mecha, FTX)
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