I am constantly fascinated by the variety of what is excepted by different Milsurp forums on the net today. We seem to have many of what I like to call knee jerk boards out there in cyberland lately. To further identify what I am talking about I will go into ID a bit I guess. Someone doesn't like the rules or direction a forum is heading so they go out there and set one of their own up and try to conjol people off the board they are currently participating in with varied amounts of success. Then they realize this costs money and try to pass this cost of their tastes on to others who have found their little private club and want to continue it for eternity. All well and good I guess and a great ego inflater for the originator who is successful but on the whole it just serves to water down the efforts on the whole of the Milsurp community to broaden and make better the hobby or sport which ever you feel better to ID us with.

I have been having second thoughts in my old age as to the wisdom of multiple boards and forums and participation in posting on them, so have decided that at least two of the ones I post on are not heading the way I like to feel I am so I have not been reading or posting on them at all. My thought is maybe in that way I can change or just eliminate them from existance (not very likely admitedly) or at least from my little sphere of activity at least.

The rules I find most annoying are of course chosen by the originator who many times is stinted one way or the other by bad experiences on other boards or dislike of personalitites associated with the boards. They kind of get this atitude that I will show them how to run a board and this is not helpfull at all. This one common practice tends to turn the board a certain way which I guess is pleasing to the egos involved in setting up the board. Things like tolerating sporterizing talk, not allowing non-sponsors to be mentioned in anyway, making the history as given by the originator of the board law and excepting no other possibilities, mindlessly eliminating without explanation things that while they don't violate a rule come onto the border of it, and many other such things only hurt the way a board is going to survive. Don't get me wrong now I realize one has to have rules and all and while I may agree whole heartedly with some of the above they really lessen the scope of the boards ability to encourage new members and be a healthy place to learn and post. I am almost sickened by the comments of posters who say things like if you don't like it go elsewhere but yet I have spoken and written that myself sadly. Guess I need some sensitivity training Huh?

I have come to one conclusion about the different boards and that is different aspects of my collecting are right at home on different boards so I guess that points out that there is a need for variety. I also think limiting the scope of a forum or board really limits where it can go and what exchange of knowledge it can accomplish and of course what new and young people we can encourage to enter the collecting and shooting fields.

I should point out I guess what encouraged this rant and philosphical out burst on my part too. I introduced the Mosin replacement screw thing on three different boards and the different reactions pointed out the different ways they are governed so to say. One I kind of hid it under a post of somebody else and gave it as a source of supply and reference and the post still exists. On another I just introduced it as a source in a seperate post and I guess the powers to be in a narrow minded burst of their power just mindlessly eliminated it as being sporterizing or modifying sadly. Their rules say they can do this and without explanation so I have no complaint I guess. I openly introduced it here and it is still out there for members to use and hopefully come away with a great feeling of saving another Milsurp. This is something I enjoy greatly myself so it was important to me.

Summation I guess will be I am glad we will profit by the knowledge we are permitted to pass freely among ourselves and sorry others are so limited in their view and thoughts. It may be great for their egos in the short run but not for our hobby and sport in the long run sadly! OK I will get off the soap box I guess and be a good boy I guess? Respectfully Submitted Old zeebill