Current state of Spyder forums

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There was a level of fraud. There were promises that went unfulfilled with the donations. The donation money was used for personal enrichment.  

Legally or not legally is not really the point as people wrote off the situation but what you d0 to friends of the forum was far more troubling. 

Anyway I will have part 2 tonight.  This will include Spyderweb. Depending on how much I can fit in there might be a part three that includes VS.  

Its a pretty interesting story and Im trying my best to keep factual accounts.  

You know, I forgot Spyderweb. That became defunct over money to keep it running but I don’t recall for sure

Posted by: Erdoc48

You know, I forgot Spyderweb. That became defunct over money to keep it running but I don’t recall for sure

Money was never an issue. There was plenty of coffers for Spyderweb.  

 I will explain this evening why it went south which is unfortunate but completely preventable. 

Posted by: Patrick Lipp

You really need to think of it like a gentleman's handshake.

I've unfortunately learned that only works if you actually shook hands with a gentleman, and not a scoundrel...

Super neat to hear more of the history though! Thanks for typing it all out, Dev. And Lipp, thanks for getting this site kicked off!!

Posted by: Dev

Posted by: Erdoc48

You know, I forgot Spyderweb. That became defunct over money to keep it running but I don’t recall for sure

Money was never an issue. There was plenty of coffers for Spyderweb.  

 I will explain this evening why it went south which is unfortunate but completely preventable. 

While waiting on Dev, when Spyderweb went offline, I, with the help of Dev and a few others, attempted to contact the last owner of Spyderweb without success. I was hoping to get a backup of the database and ultimately restore the forum, but alas it couldn't happen. It was my understanding there were issues when handing over the website from the original owner and the final owner where the domain name and site hosting were held by two different people. When the time came to try and get the site back up, the hosting had ended while the domain name was still active which prevented us from getting that URL, so LT and I opted for mr2ner.com which LT already had. After a few weeks LT purchased the current domain name and I went on my way building out the site. 

Part 2 of our five part mini series.  

 Im going to back track a little bit and go into Spyderchats  golden period which was peaking at around 2006. 

 Spyderchats golden period was just simply amazing. There were new modifications, 2ZZ swaps and all kinds of accessories, reviews and install threads to go with them.  Just about everyone was having a great time including the racers and ricers  that would show up to events and do pretty well.  We had outages and slow downs but so did most car forums back then but at least we were itching to get on. This is before FB and all of that other social media crap so it was an interesting time when people that wanted to be social would attend car meets because that was a thing.   Little Rocket perfected the 2ZZ swap with his turnkey operation as well as selling you the swap kit so you can DIY. Web 2.0 along with Corkey  teamed up to sell braces  and a Rotrex Supercharger that Web developed. LTs antennas and my Keyhole covers were selling like mad.  If you were selling people were buying and there was so much commerce going on.  People were ordering form Japan parts for parts that you couldn't get state side and the two most popular exhausts were the TTE and Team Moon. 

The off topic section was full of politics and other ramblings but you got to learn a lot about everything because in one place you essentially had three generations of people  where age was irrelevant.   

 Unfortunately it did have its drama when trolls or disgruntled members would show up but that was part of the fun of exposing them.  At this time Don started  fundraising for the board and handed out badges on our avatars depending on how much we gave.  We also had what was known as the GOGV which was the gift of great value or something like that where Don would take a drawing every month and someone would get a gift.  It was essentially his way of marketing the donations so people would give.    I would say the first round of fund raising was fine even though the GOGV wasn't fulfilled exactly but no one caught on to the scamming because  the board was presumed to be working and everyone was having a great time.  

About a year or two later Don wanted to do another fundraiser  and this time have a COTM, GOGV and some other perks like a coffee thermos and some other gifts with your donations. Around this same period one of our younger members wanted to start a relay flag that would go all over the country and have everyones  signature at meets.   Don decided to make this ambitious kid a moderator. One of the many things Don didn't like doing is having moderators and most of the people on the list were long gone so upkeep was almost non existent so it was surprising that he made this guy a moderator which was a big mistake. What happen was jr started acting uppity with the regulars who were twice his age and they put him in his place. Being a moderator  doesn't make you special.    

So now we have two things in motion, a relay flag was making its first leg  and another round of promises for money.  Donations were made generously and initially we had one GOGV and a COTM where members were asked to post a picture of their car and the modifications.   Some but not all of us received the thermos which was so cheap it literally fell apart in pieces.  The COTM did not commence on time and the GOGV did not happen. Along with that the board wasn't managed because Don was absent.  People are now getting upset and wondering what is going on and whenever there was a situation Don would pop in and out but didn't really care for the board and because we had so few active moderators nothing was being done.  

People were getting very irritated at this point in time because some did not get the gifts and the promises were left unfulfilled along with board issues.  The flag was now in someones basement and no one knew its whereabouts.  

Sorry guys I have to stop here.  I will get to part three tomorrow evening.  It gets climatic.  

Posted by: NottaMiata

With it being like week 1 or 2, I can wait for Part 2 of the SC Saga.  ( am not going to use their name, as a precaution ).

I saw a picture of a guy in a parachute giving the camera the finger.  If that's Don, then I know all I need to know, 

LOL LOL...no, that wasn't Don, that is xbiker...

Thanks for writing the SC history, Dev.  I didn't get on to SC until 2009, so it's great to have some of the back story.

I am still learning how to navigate the new site.  I am away from home a bunch these days and most often my access is via my phone.   I may not be here as much as I would like until I can get in front of a computer a little more often . . . After the 4th. 

I was blown away and felt quite honored when I signed on yesterday and saw my car on the new site!  Thank you.   Again,  what as honor! Thank you. 

Posted by: Uncle Mush

Thanks for writing the SC history, Dev.  I didn't get on to SC until 2009, so it's great to have some of the back story.

 

I am still learning how to navigate the new site.  I am away from home a bunch these days and most often my access is via my phone.   I may not be here as much as I would like until I can get in front of a computer a little more often . . . After the 4th. 

I was blown away and felt quite honored when I signed on yesterday and saw my car on the new site!  Thank you.   Again,  what as honor! Thank you. 

It’s like Deja Vu all over again

Except that HERE there are people who can and will change it up so it doesn't get stale and frustrate it's members.  🙂 

The funny thing is when I log on to SC and see that generic Spyder picture I think I logged onto the new site

and when I log onto this site and see your Spyder, I think it’s SC.

I know I’m easily confused, but it’s ironic.

Posted by: CSPIDY

The funny thing is when I log on to SC and see that generic Spyder picture I think I logged onto the new site

and when I log onto this site and see your Spyder, I think it’s SC.

I know I’m easily confused, but it’s ironic.

 

Maybe its intentional.  

Posted by: Dev

Posted by: CSPIDY

The funny thing is when I log on to SC and see that generic Spyder picture I think I logged onto the new site

and when I log onto this site and see your Spyder, I think it’s SC.

I know I’m easily confused, but it’s ironic.

 

Maybe its intentional.  

I will neither agree, nor disagree.

Posted by: Patrick Lipp

Posted by: Dev

Posted by: CSPIDY

The funny thing is when I log on to SC and see that generic Spyder picture I think I logged onto the new site

and when I log onto this site and see your Spyder, I think it’s SC.

I know I’m easily confused, but it’s ironic.

 

Maybe its intentional.  

I will neither agree, nor disagree.

Didn’t I say it would be hilarious.