hi all,

 

After the recent visitation from Nico, and then the follow ups from other previous old time members, i thought it relevant to share some history.

 

Nico originally setup a forum hosted on Bravenet, where the UK Z community got started. There was no 300zx.co.uk at that time, it was just a bravenet URL.

Myself and many of the longer standing members 'met' through this forum, thanks to Nico.

 

However, that hosted forum was very flaky and kept breaking down, due to the hardware being a shared/hosted service, nothing dedicated.

 

Subsequently, after a particularly long period of broken forum, i purchased the 300zx.co.uk domain (as well as twinturbo.co.uk and z32.co.uk), purchased new hardware and setup and installed a dedicated server and forum software, then Nico and I jointly adminned the 'new' community of 300zx.co.uk which ran mostly fault free for quite a while.

 

When the community grew too large for the hardware, we started a 'contribution' fund to help pay to upgrade the hardware as necessary.

 

This went on for a period of years, until Nico took a back seat (or fell out of the car altogether.;)).

I then carried on with the site as sole admin and moderator for quite a while, until some time later i had to sell my car for family reasons (5 into 2+2 don't go!)

 

At that time i pulled the most regular and long standing members that were available into a face to face meeting (with help from TopLess), and the 'committee' was born.

This discussion culminated in a bona fide club being created to fund itself and keep the community alive, regardless of who came and went from the committee.

 

For this to happen, and for the bank to recognise us legally, the club needed an AUP and constitution, which we have. This was all necessary to ensure that no single person was responsible for the tax liability of subscription income. The AUP and constitution do need tweaking from time to time to meet ever changing requirements.

 

Over the years, some of the comittee have remained, and some have changed, and the same with the moderators group.

 

During the whole time, i have regularly visited the site, posting in the committee forum, attending some of the committee meetings/calls and providing input to the club whenever i could.

 

However, i have not posted so regularly in the general forums, because my commitment level was not high enough at the time. This is changing...

 

The whole community has gone through some bad times, with trouble makers, off shoots, libel threats, but that is more than made up for with the great community spirit, the people, and the massive dedication of some that help to organise and run everything.

 

There are always glitches, and problems with handover of roles, but the whole committee and moderation team all provide input to the forum from their free time, for NOTHING.

 

NOONE takes any income from the site or your subscriptions, including me.

 

EVERY bit of the subscription and trader money goes towards the club.

 

Server and hosting, bandwidth, liability insurances, events, food, equipment hire, welcome packs, shop items.

 

So, although the forum was started by Nico (1-2 years?) then maintained and developed further by me (2-3 years), the longest part of the 300zx.co.uk community history has been under the guidance of the committee (10 years!).

 

I believe the community would have died long ago, and be a smattering of little forums here and there, if it had not been for that initial kick off into a bona fide entity.

 

So in my opionion the community that you all love is all thanks to everyone, with contributions along the way from MANY significant others.

 

If anyone has a problem with me having an honorary membership, then let me know and i will GLADLY subscribe. Especially now that i am picking up my involvement.

If the honorary membership is fine, and if people feel that Nico, being the originator, warrants honorary membership, then we will sort that out.

 

But there are a few others that should be eligible for this based on their commitment to the community. AndyP, MAC 1, Kim, and many others have put years of service, blood, sweat and tears into making this place run well for no reward, other than keeping this place alive.

 

If we want to recognise the notable people of the forum in this way, then it can be discussed and we define some criteria to make it acceptable to all.

 

But let us NOT start fighting over who did what and when, because the success of anything relies on commitment, and everyone has that potential.

 

Regards,

Craig

Sounds good to me. I think anyone that keeps posting regular and have been on here for over 10 years should get a honorary membership or a very small fee

 

So Craig and Nico are the Daddy behind it all. if it wasnt for you guys there would be nothing. so without a doubt you get my vote and it shouldnt be up for question :duffer:

I think anybody who willing give up time to help with the smooth running of the club should have an honorary membership, from the top right down to the moneration team and REO's!

Cheers Craig,

 

That's really cool!

 

I have been told that the club has around £20k in the bank. Is this true?

 

I (amongst many others) would like to see some of this money used towards more events throughout the summer months to benefit all the members who pay their hard earned cash every year. What do you think?

 

I agree - the long standing mods should get some kind of membership discount.

 

Andy

I have been told that the club has around £20k in the bank. Is this true?

 

 

This is my reason for not paying for a few years now. I feel my subs are just not being used, why pay for it to sit in a bank doing nothing and not actually helping the club? Hosting and bandwidth is not the costs it used to be.

 

But, thats a whole other topic.

 

In my opinion anyone who is a mod or comitie member for more than a few years should get a lifetime free subs.

Sounds good to me. I think anyone that keeps posting regular and have been on here for over 10 years should get a honorary membership or a very small fee

Now theres a man with a good idea :clap:

 

Andy this will help http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1450485&postcount=10

 

Nice to see yer around Craig, spent much of me time speaking with yer bruv for a few years there!

smithy

Edited March 9, 201114 yr by Smithy

I agree wuth whats been saud. Fair play for all the gard work over the years.

You dont think about the hard wirk the mods do.

 

On another note, i just bought nikos car!!!!

Now theres a man with a good idea :clap:

 

 

Except for smithy :lol::lol:

nice to know where it all started

thanks

Now theres a man with a good idea :clap:

 

Andy this will help http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1450485&postcount=10

 

Nice to see yer around Craig, spent much of me time speaking with yer bruv for a few years there!

smithy

 

Wow!I had no idea that info was available for any member to view!

 

As I said for me personally, I would like to see some of that cash put back into more annual meets. I'm more than happy to help out on suggesting events and get involved with organising stuff for the community.

 

Andy

Edited March 9, 201114 yr by Andy Isherwood

Cool, nice to find out some history about the club.

I for one, agree that if a longstanding member whether commitee, admin or mod role, is a pure benefit to the club, then i have no probs with their subs being covered. I pay, and am happy to continue paying. I enjoy being a moderator, and offer as much advice and help to anyone, that i can. For me it is the club and the folks on here, discussions, and banter thant make it all worth while.

Long may it continue.:clap:

Stu

Wow! so is that info available for any member to view? I had no idea it was visible!

Andy

 

If yer pays yer hard earned to subscribe, then yep mate yer see where the cash has gone/is. :thumbup1:

smithy

If yer pays yer hard earned to subscribe, then yep mate yer see where the cash has gone/is. :thumbup1:

smithy

 

Cheers mate, I've just amended my post! I can now see them going back a long way.

 

The question is..... will anyone listen about what to do with the cash?

 

Let's see.

I`m glad to be part of this great community,so thanks to all involved at the birth of 300zx.co.uk and the peep`s behind the scene`s keeping everthing on track!! keep up the good work!

 

I did meet someone at JAE last year that told me they started the club many years ago, was that you Craig? that person had a young daughter with them, whoever it was nice to meet you :flowers:

 

Daz.

nice one craig for reminding us how this z community started and why. its been a pleasure over the years to be a member of this club.

 

these is a lot of money in the kitty and there are quite a few things that could encourage members to participate more and feel like they are getting something back. i must admit that the membership pack (when available) are a great incentive to join but there used to be a resubcribing "gift"

 

also i know there are award s etc at shows but what about competitions online aswell and a 1st 2nd and 3rd placement gets a "prize" im not talking extravagance here but there could be stuff such as a driving experience day, spa session etc etc

 

these things are well within the clubs funds with the right spacing of comps

(quaterly/half yearly...)

 

 

we have a great membership base and more members are joining dayly lets get it more interactive :)

 

 

regards

gaz

wow, very interesting read that, thanks Craig. i shall await the out come of things suggested with baited interest.

thanks for your post Craig it was nice to know more about how it all started. i personally dont have any problems with honourary membership for those that put in hard work to keep this place alive

thanks for your post Craig it was nice to know more about how it all started. i personally dont have any problems with honourary membership for those that put in hard work to keep this place alive

 

I agree, the forum administrators should have something in the way of reward for all of the hard work they do for the forum, honourary membership is a great idea.......:wheelchair:

Think you might hit a slight problem at an agm if all the committee was granted Honorary membership

 

clause from the latest amended consitution

 

b) Honorary membership may be conferred on persons who, in the opinion of the Committee, have rendered services to the Association but so that honorary members at any one time shall not exceed ten. An Honorary member is not entitled to vote at any General, Special or Annual General Meetings.

i dont think mods or comittee should have free membership, we do it to help the forum, you shouldnt have incentive's to do a job on here, i pay my subs and dont have a zed, ive been a mod for about 5 years now and to be honest £15 a year is nowt, i spend more a week on booze

 

as for not paying because the forum has cash in its pot, well thats fine, its upto you to do that but the cash is there incase the worse happens, if it happens there will be no forum, we cant go spending the pot and leaving nothing in the reserves

 

ive payed less than £100 in the years ive been here and when i had a zed i must have saved ten times that, ive never been to a big zx meet so havent took much back from the forum apart from advice and friendship and im quite happy with that

 

also about the other forums, they tried to bring this place to its knee's and slagged us and the comittee off something rotten and although for the few members that have returned i have really enjoyed the banter and advice they have brought i think they should input a bit more into the club to earn the respect from its members before dictating what the money should be spent on (i think you know who i mean and im sorry to bring it up but its the way i feel, there is no more hard feelings from me)

 

just thought i would have my say

Very well said mate, i also agree mods and committee do it more for the love of the club, cars and community over anything else.

 

So i for one dont mind paying in the slightest

Cheers Craig,

 

That's really cool!

 

I have been told that the club has around £20k in the bank. Is this true?I (amongst many others) would like to see some of this money used towards more events throughout the summer months to benefit all the members who pay their hard earned cash every year. What do you think?

 

I agree - the long standing mods should get some kind of membership discount.

 

Andy

 

no mate its all gone...we had to hire a load more servers a while ago to take the strain from your "for sale" threads:tt2:

i never realised the club was so young when i first visited back in 1999 or 2000 (can't remember exactly when i first broke my Zed)

 

it's nice to hear from Craig and Nico, i don't remember them , but have heared the names lots over the years since i became a regular

 

as someone who has never left , i too would like to see more investment in national events. (I don't necesarilly meen large financial investment , but obviously there has to be some funding to do anything) not digging at anyone , and i think Kim does an excelent job at JAE, but i thought it a shame when shows like Japshow and finale stoped being big shows for our club with a stall and banners etc

i dont think mods or comittee should have free membership, we do it to help the forum, you shouldnt have incentive's to do a job on here, i pay my subs and dont have a zed, ive been a mod for about 5 years now and to be honest £15 a year is nowt, i spend more a week on booze

 

as for not paying because the forum has cash in its pot, well thats fine, its upto you to do that but the cash is there incase the worse happens, if it happens there will be no forum, we cant go spending the pot and leaving nothing in the reserves

 

ive payed less than £100 in the years ive been here and when i had a zed i must have saved ten times that, ive never been to a big zx meet so havent took much back from the forum apart from advice and friendship and im quite happy with that

 

also about the other forums, they tried to bring this place to its knee's and slagged us and the comittee off something rotten and although for the few members that have returned i have really enjoyed the banter and advice they have brought i think they should input a bit more into the club to earn the respect from its members before dictating what the money should be spent on (i think you know who i mean and im sorry to bring it up but its the way i feel, there is no more hard feelings from me)

 

just thought i would have my say

 

Time to let go Alan lol!

 

Anyway, let's try and keep things positive.....

 

no mate its all gone...we had to hire a load more servers a while ago to take the strain from your "for sale"

threads:tt2:

 

No one told me servers had gone up that much!! lol!!

 

That reminds me, I have some more bits to post up for sale!!

its not time to let go mate, we got a lot of grief, if you think that its forgotten then your mistaken

 

as i said it's great to have old member's back and the input is great but from what i recieved personally and what the club recieved wholy will never be forgotten

 

but as you say, "lets move on"

What have i missed here?