mac wrote: Any such meeting will (by the very nature of v3m) be attended by a small number.

Oh I dunno about that. Last time we had a joint V3m and Tbricks meet we had almost 30 cars turn up

ebdl wrote:I agree that an easily searchable technical resource is a good idea. Whoever ends up implementing this might want to look at this one:

http://www.club80-90.co.uk/wiki/index.p ... =Main_Page

It provides a very helpful resource for owners of VW Transporters (T3, T25, Type 25 - call them what you will). I've found it easy to navigate and it seems to be moderated so that forum posts can be edited and added, as well as articles specifically written for it.

Hope that's of some interest.

Ed

it's perfectly possible to build a wiki, they're very straightforward and an be added to by anybody as I'm sure you all know. With time this may be the best way to create an online database, and the format and source codes are all public domain.

That being said I've never done it before, but I'm sure someone will have, and if not, I may know a man, who knows a man as it where

pettaw wrote:

mac wrote: Any such meeting will (by the very nature of v3m) be attended by a small number.

Oh I dunno about that. Last time we had a joint V3m and Tbricks meet we had almost 30 cars turn up

and 29 left under their own steam... one in a puff of smoke

foggyjames wrote:
Don't lose heart over Aymat's absence BTW....he does this, the Belgian prat. Doesn't post a damn thing for 3 months, comes back promising much, and doesn't arrive. He shut the site for a number of weeks (about a year ago?) for a 'redesign' which never arrived.

Ouch, ouch... That's a bit unfair what I read here... and I'm not really happy.

Firstly I never thought that V3M would grow up like this. The initial website was in french and only in french, don't forget this, and what you can see there, it's that the activity / total of members is falling DOWN compared to 3 years ago, most of the cars are sold or in the scrapyard. It's not the same at all in UK and I didn't expect that, it's now far away from a "little enthusiasts" website as it was before. That's the first point.

Don't forget also that I'm in Belgium (sorry) and even if I've started the V3M project / website, I still have no "active" belgian member / Volvo 300 freak as I am in my own country. I find it very exciting to see you all with the storage ideas, projects to help each other but I think you should understand that's it's a bit difficult for me to "virtualy" manage a thing emerging in another country than where I live (and also a thing that I will never benefit from just because I'm not living in UK).

I think that someone 'normal' can understand that life circunstances can justify your presence or not on a forum and the degree of involvement. I think that I've given a lot in the past, especially on the french forum, that criticism is a bit unfair. Life changes, the responsabilities too and I'm not in the "student life" anymore where I had much more time for hobbies and passions. It's not because I don't post on the forum and that you don't see "major" improvements that I do nothing, there is for example database checks that you don't see.

It's also funny to hear the story again about the redesign... If it was shutted down longer than expected, it's because there was a problem with the provider when I did the redesign (hosting that I paid myself on that time...) So your memory is maybe a little bit short. If you think it was funny for me to see V3M shutted down... you're wrong!

If you find it sooo annoying to see me as admin of V3M, I suggest to you to create a separate website with a another specific administration in UK without me and we simply stop the V3M adventure, that's it!

For goodness sake Aymat, calm down. I was only having a joke. Maybe that got lost in the translation? I hope you never doubt how much we all appriciate what you've done in founding this community. We just wish we saw more of you! I know all about being busy, and there are times when I'm not here at all for a week or two. Personally, I'd be more offended if it were like Hugh, and we wish he'd smeg off with his F*rd (just kidding big man ).

If you don't have as much time for the site anymore, perhaps it would be helpful to get some help with some of the aspects from those who have more time on their hands? It can all go through you for 'creative control', but you can get some of us to do the leg work.

I think the Wiki idea is a good one...however...I'd be wary about truly open access on grounds of technical accuracy. Submissions would clearly be allowed from all, but I'd like to think a review panel would check them over before they were posted. On Turbobricks there is an article submission forum where draft articles are posted, and the members invited to comment. Once the article has been completed, often taking account of some of the points raised, it is published to the technical archive.

cheers

James

Aymat, I know James didn't mean that to sound nasty towards you, it's his warped sense of humour! Only joking....... honestly he meant it in the nicest possible way. We appreciate that you're a busy man, we all are. Recently I've not been able to give V3M my full attention either.

What we're trying to work towards is some way of expanding on the fantastic base you've provided us with. I can remember speaking to you once and you couldn't believe how many people love the Volvo 300 and had joined the forum, and that you thought you were alone once upon a time in being a 300 maniac. We'd like to go a step further and make V3M into something greater, we don't want to make a rival, a sister site or anything to detract from V3M. V3M is where it all started, how we all met, where the fantastic spirit is, where the information and knowledge is, it's V3M we want to develop, but only if you would like us to, agree and allow it mate.


I remember asking you a long time ago, possibly when the site was down, if there was anything we as moderators could do to help you, remotely from the UK. As in organising a certain section, trawling through posts and topics for useful info, anything, however mundane. I think we dropped the idea as it wasn't as simple as it seemed, but if things have changed and there is anything we can do, let us know, I'm sure we'll all only be too happy to help.

We all appreciate what you've done, and continue to do, even if you're not present posting, we know there is still work being done.

Pete

ebdl wrote:I agree that an easily searchable technical resource is a good idea. Whoever ends up implementing this might want to look at this one:

http://www.club80-90.co.uk/wiki/index.p ... =Main_Page

It provides a very helpful resource for owners of VW Transporters (T3, T25, Type 25 - call them what you will). I've found it easy to navigate and it seems to be moderated so that forum posts can be edited and added, as well as articles specifically written for it.

Hope that's of some interest.

Ed

Looks quite similar to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_300_series

That is what I did say about Wikipedia, if all information could be made to that article it would be quite easy to access to all, those articles are possible to edit by anyone so all can take part to it, also it is possible to lock articles if there is vandalism.

I've got to agree with Adam its not going to be central to all of us, especially Me (living in Wales!) I've got to say im quite lucky really we have a place 5 minutes down the road from us with poly tunnels so we can work on the cars as much as we want! I have loads of space to store bits (mainly they end up under my bloody bed and bits in the bottom of my wardrobe!)

Thats my view for what it is worth!

Duvel78 wrote:If you find it sooo annoying to see me as admin of V3M, I suggest to you to create a separate website with a another specific administration in UK without me and we simply stop the V3M adventure, that's it!

It's a fair point to make, Duvel - and I can tell that you're being serious. But I think shutting down V3M would be a really bad for all its members. Any replacement site/organisation wouldn't have the same feel, the same fun, and all the valuable V3M brand identity would vanish.

Perhaps another solution would be to allow one or two other people (i.e. young folk who don't have anything better to do!) to help manage upgrading the site. Perhaps if you were in a more execuitive role you could say yes or no to a suggested change in, for example, site design - and let others get on with all the nuts and bolts of making that happen. That way you remain 'The Man', the site gets the attention it deserves, and you're spared the headaches of making all the logistics work.

All the best

Gone very quiet all of a sudden - everyone all talked out ??

Mac.

At the risk of stirring it - was anything discussed at the 'roof chop meet' re the future ? - any more thoughts on a 'planning meet' anyone ??

Mac.

Didn't really get much of a chance to talk about it at the roof chopping meet in all honesty, with alot going on in such a short space of time. Although perhaps a dedicated meet to discuss this would be best.

Agreed, a dedicated meet up somewhere would be best. There was a 2 min talk between rain showers in the shed but I think that deviated once the rain stopped iirc!
Pete