Guest oldlugger Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 The site looks really excellent Andy and has a very eye catching appearance. Apart from that, the union with Warners has to be a good one with their long association with quality railway modelling. Top marks on the move! You deserve a great deal of credit for all that you've done to further the hobby online; in my opinion you are on a par in this respect with a certain Devon based MR publication, that has also done a huge amount for the hobby over many years. All the best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 We have discussed before the release of the information today the negative reactions that would be posted. To be fair I don't really have a problem in people expressing concerns or sentiments as that tells me and the team what's on people's minds and helps to make sure we do things right; I do draw the line when someone tells us something's going to happen when they haven't got the foggiest though. There again some folk wouldn't be content unless they were moaning (as Mrs Y says to me when we're shopping). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2012 well its been a few hours since the announcement and the site isnt flooded with pop up ads, we havent had to put in our direct debit details to continue to read the content, content is still being added and it currently looks to be business as usual, lets hope it stays that way, ive no experience of warners, to be honest ive never heard of them until this morning or even unkowingly bought any of their publications either so unless something drastic happens to the site i'll be continuing to contribute and read stuff on here i too however hope as others have pointed out that the site remains impartial/neutral and contributions from the likes of chris at model rail will continue etc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Glad the news has broken (whilst I was at work and unable to reply!! ). This can only be good news!! I know how hard Andy has been working behind the scenes on this, lets remember its HIS baby, which we have all had a part in helping grow up. Well, that baby has matured into a fine young man and is now joining forces to form a bit of a gang. I suppose its what we would call 'Multi Media'! The opportunities now are amazing, and with Andy at the helm I dont think we have anything to worry about at all. In fact, the way Warners have run the Mag, as a family enterprise (and of course lets not forget, a business) can only bode well. Well done to Andy, to the dissenters (I knew there would be a few) just wait and see. I think the futures bright, its blue and maroon! (well on my pc it is anyway! Mind you, Villa!!!, no gold and black, the Molyneux gang ). We were all in at the birth, lets all be proud of the little uns progress. Neil (proud Uncle, 3 times removed) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordini5 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Andy you deserve a medal in putting this website together. Its continual popularity is a credit to you, those who have helped and all who continue to post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium great northern Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well that was a short honeymoon (EHS post 120).... Why don't we just wait and see? And from someone with a grand total of 4 posts, including this one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Congratulations Andy Great news a stable secure future for your inspirational forum RM web. If this move secures the future for all those ideas, comments, photos that get posted on RM that will be excellent. I notice that the existing forum mods are to continue their work in the same manner, that is important as any changes to their editorial pencils would be unsatisfactory. That would be my only concern, now that Warners are the contolling force that they would try to improve on the editorial direction. For me I hope their intention is just to supply the safe base to allow RM to flourish and thrive. They then can bathe in the reflected glory of RM's continued success as that's what makes here different to every other site. Long my the fresh, inspirational posts continue. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 5, 2012 Tell you what before we condemn Warners why don't we just give them a chance? Criticise what they do with the forum by all means when they do something but lets not hang them today. Good point, well said. The vast majority don't like change and I think that's where some of the negativity is coming from - we have our nice warm cuddly RMWeb suddenly having to go out into the commercial world to fend for itself. I'm sure that we have the right man at the helm. I for one, won't be jumping ship just yet......... and wish Andy well in his new job and thanks for everything that he and his team have done over the last few years. Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Congratulations Andy, I'm sure the site will go from strength to strength. Thank you for all your hard work over the past 7 years Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EHS Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Following on from a day when the impartiality of the Mods has been called into question and now the naysayers on here I feel it is time to have a say and be criticised for it if you like. Rest assured Andy has thought long and hard about this decision prior to making it and he has addressed most if not all of the concerns raised already. Do those of you that have been here for some time really think he would sell out and not give a damn about any of the things he has struggled to build up over the years? We have discussed before the release of the information today the negative reactions that would be posted. Yet even now I am surprised by the thinking of some that have posted. On the very first day of the news already some have Andy marked down as a Judas and Warners as the big bad wolf. Oh and one even has Andy sacked in the coming weeks! Then some talk about the spirit of RMWeb and don't want that to go. Well what a great spirit we have shown at times today. How very welcoming and friendly some of us are (not). Tell you what before we condemn Warners why don't we just give them a chance? Criticise what they do with the forum by all means when they do something but lets not hang them today. Warm and friendly lot aren't we? All I have seen on here today are various thoughts and points of view, all worthy of consideration and respect. If making comment or expressing a point of view that doesn't tow the party line is frowned upon by the moderators, then what is the point of the forum? Nothing that has appeared on this thread today has been remotely nasty or libelous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Taz Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well done on securing the sites future and also sorting your own situation. Andy has made all the right calls for the past seven years and I see no reason to doubt his judgment now. Long may RMWeb continue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Nice one Andy, well done. Having been involved since the first version of RM Web I have witnessed the hard work put in by Andy and later on the mods to make this place the number one site it is today. I will certainly try my best to continue to support the site in the little way I do and hope the place goes from strength to strength with Andy still at the helm. One thing of concern, as primary supplier of Bara Brith to his lordship, do I now have to supply the whole editorial staff of Warners. If yes it will mean a massive increase in production in the mines. Does Warners want to buy into a Bara Brith mine ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'm sure Andy has done what Andy needed to do but It's very difficult to see how Warners are going to make any money from their investment if so little is going to change on RMweb. They will be making all the right noises just now but rest assured things will have to change before too long as commercial realities start to kick in. Much as Warners 'Festival' exhibitions are 'spot the layout amongst all the competing and duplicated trade stands', RMweb will probably become a 'spot the posting amongst all the competing and duplicated trade adverts' web forum, with the choice of paying a subscription to get ad free content. As this appears to be your very first post on RMWeb it is quite fair to ask you what exactly your agenda is? Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod6 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 All I have seen on here today are various thoughts and points of view, all worthy of consideration and respect. If making comment or expressing a point of view that doesn't tow the party line is frowned upon by the moderators, then what is the point of the forum? Nothing that has appeared on this thread today has been remotely nasty or libelous. Who mentioned nasty or libellous? Andy has already addressed this in #179. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 In terms of Warners being in it (magazines, web sites and exhibitions) for the profit - name one private enterprise related to modelling (or any other business) that is not in it for a profit. Take Dapol - does DapolDave spend hours on here making the Western just right so that he can make a nice model at a loss - no, he wants the right model so that people will buy it in droves and he will more than recoup his investment. I think his method of engaging with his customers is brilliant and he is making excellent use of online media to get to market exactly what his customers want but at the end of the day he still wants to make a decent profit. Hornby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterl Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Hope all goes well for the future Andy. I will keep my thoughts re Warners to myself! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozzer models Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Congratulations Andy & with RMWebs Birthday only 10 days away on the 15th Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2012 I had a dream job once. Turning my love of illustration into my income. Ended up hating it and haven't drawn anything for over a decade since I left. I know exactly what you mean Jim. For my first 25 years of playing with Britain's biggest trainset I enjoyed following my hobby whilst getting paid and having my own modelling as well. As pressures at work mounted the modelling fell away, then during the run up to privatisation we struggled to keep the job going whilst setting up and running a company at the same time. It broke some people, but I managed to survive to draw my pension. Happily I am well back into modelling now and through RMweb have found a lot of new friends and an incredible source of information which I hope will continue in the future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted March 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 5, 2012 Well - today has passed with a number of views expressed - I'd say 98% positive and encouraging, and also not that much in the way of horrible comments, trolling, or some of the other horrors that other sites sometimes often experience. To the other 2%, I'd exhort them to give this new arrangement a try as it's all been done with the best intentions, and after a while if you don't agree with anything, then you can always vote with your feet. But to condemn at this early stage is actually a kick in the teeth to those who have worked on and for this site over the years - either as writer, staff, administrator, moderator, or just supporter and regular contributor. I'm bowing out of the debate now, and will be back tomorrow to have a laugh in ERs and the other Wheeltappers topics, and to have an ogle at some of the best railway modelling anywhere on the web. In other words - business as usual. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 They only need to be here for about seven years and post 4000 times on all subjects. Then I would trust them! Heck ! that means you'd even trust me !! I hope it takes much more than that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 To be fair I don't really have a problem in people expressing concerns or sentiments as that tells me and the team what's on people's minds and helps to make sure we do things right... Thanks for clarifying this, Andy, I think it was important to do so. Some parts of this thread were beginning to give the impression that "it's okay to have your say as long as you agree with us". Your open-minded and democratic approach is what has made RMWeb what it is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 In terms of Warners being in it (magazines, web sites and exhibitions) for the profit - name one private enterprise related to modelling (or any other business) that is not in it for a profit. Erm....RMWeb? Take Dapol - does DapolDave spend hours on here making the Western just right so that he can make a nice model at a loss - no, he wants the right model so that people will buy it in droves and he will more than recoup his investment. I think his method of engaging with his customers is brilliant and he is making excellent use of online media to get to market exactly what his customers want but at the end of the day he still wants to make a decent profit. Hornby Poor analogy. Dapol Dave is trying to sell locos using this forum to influence the final product. Warners are a media company. What do they want from the membership? Having said that though and on reflection of my earlier posts, I don't think editorial content is an issue here. I surmise it is the advertising space. I would imagine that Warners can get more than Andy Y can so that is where they see a return. Knowing Andy Y he will have protected his current advertisers most of whom are relatively small. Again, though, this is a much bigger forum now than when Andy Y started accepting advertising from his select band. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Heck ! that means you'd even trust me !! I hope it takes much more than that. Perhaps I should have put 'might trust them' Kenton Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Also, some contributors may have mixed feelings about their RMWeb contributions, provided free of charge, being used by a company to ultimately make profits. It's a hobby and I'm only here for the beer, as they say. Andy has made it clear the work we have done for RMweb is ours, in anycase, I would think Warners require 300dpi Tif images on a CD or whatever if an article from RMweb is to be published as hard copy. I could easily have written things for BRM, but it just so happened I chose RMweb as a thank you for the extremely helpful information I get out of RMweb. Therefore If BRM did choose to publish something of mine it would simply be a case of things going full circle. Speaking as a past contributor to 'Traction' and BRM, I was always perfectly happy with repro fees, and for good reason........ I remember the days when we got next to now't from one railway magazine! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Copleston Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Just got home from work and noticed today's changes. Well done Andy - for the future of RMweb and congratulations for you personally! I'm sure this was the right move. But I hope Warners have a very light touch and allow RMweb to keep a sense of independence and 'membership ownership' of content and style. Ummm, not sure about the new 'Villa' colours though... a simpler two-tone design feels more fitting. But keep up the good work Andy, It's much appreciated. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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