DieselPlace.com - Open Letter:

[McRat]

Greetings,

Since this board started two years ago, we have had an Open Board policy. I don't own the internet or General Motors nor do I want to. You can post links to any website on here that are pertinent and reasonable.

And we have explicitly announced a "live and let live" policy with DieselPlace. It has been brought to my attention that the staff at DieselPlace are deliberately targetting our site to hassle with.

I do not want any of the readers here to "fight back", that is a personal request from me. But we also have a policy that this board will not "punish" anyone for what they post on other websites.

I know many of the folk in the diesel pickup world personally, but I do not know any of the new owners at the DieselPlace, so whatever actions they take are purely business based, such as banning me from their website, or blocking any content tied into our racing. Personally I think it's a stupid move, but it's their business to run as they see fit.

This board is a "family" of diesel enthusiasts, not a business. I don't "own" this board, we all own this board. The folk who post here are some of the smartest guys in Dmax land, and it's the posts that make a website, not the commercials or the domain name ownership.

But you must ask yourself: "Where is the future of hotrod websites?"

• Do you want your websites devoid of hyperlinks except to their paid sponsors?
• Devoid of race results if their sponsors don't win?
• Ban members at the request of their sponsors?
• Ban you if you post something they don't like anywhere on the internet?

This is where it is headed, if we don't stop it. I belong to 20+ hotrod sites, and I've been banned from 3. It is no coincidence that all three fit the "new mold" and two are even have the same ownership.

This board is my attempt to get hotrod sites back on the right track. We don't ban enthusiasts here, we don't take orders from sponsors, we won't do dirty things for a dollar. If that means this board must stay small, so be it. I like the "family" here and won't compromise these points.

Pat McSwain
Just a racer

 

[stacks04]

nice letter pat, i like the openness of this place. although i have one question, why do you care what they do at the other site? you have a good thing going and good members here. what they do there should have no bearing on you. you allow site links to them and that is cool even after the shit they give you. it is unfortunate how things are turning out there, but that particular rule has been in place for a long time, long before the sale, and i posted to that in the thread that was started about the video. but that is there discretion. they own it.

imo, who gives a rats ***!! let em sink. four years from now this and a couple others will be even better, but better than that place simply because people like yourself have learned from them.

 

[Buccanoles]

Awesome letter Pat !! That's all.

 

[McRat]

nice letter pat, i like the openness of this place. although i have one question, why do you care what they do at the other site? you have a good thing going and good members here. what they do there should have no bearing on you. you allow site links to them and that is cool even after the shit they give you. it is unfortunate how things are turning out there, but that particular rule has been in place for a long time, long before the sale, and i posted to that in the thread that was started about the video. but that is there discretion. they own it.

imo, who gives a rats ***!! let em sink. four years from now this and a couple others will be even better, but better than that place simply because people like yourself have learned from them.

I guess because I had over 9,000 posts (mostly technical) over there, and I personally know alot of the members. I really don't care much about the guys who run it but I do care about folk I spent the last 4 years hanging out with.

"Casper" was and is a group project brought together via the internet diesel enthusiast community, and I like to show our friends it's advertures and travels.

But you are perhaps right, it is not a good use of resources to spend time putting stuff up on their board.

 

[MMLMM]

well put Pat. thank you for starting a place to build a family of diesel hot rodders. This place continues to grow everyday. there seems to be tons more info everytime i log on. everyone is helpfl here and we all seem to share the same intrests. I try to stay off the place, because everytime i get on theres something that contains so much BS and its hard not to jump in. Even when you try to help someone over there out, it turns into something else. well, again thank you for what you and Kat have done here. This will continue to be the place for me

Mike.

 

[01Duramax6spd]

A lot of us over there are friends with guys over here and vic-a-versa. This site is here because of guys from over there. I know that,Pat knows that,and anyone who has been around that site since early on does as well. I Like this site a lot too but don't get to spend the time I'd like here. If I had my way I would pull a number of bans over there set some things right but since I'm just a Mod I can't without permission and I'd probably piss Chad off . For the record the new owners seem to be real decent guys.

 

[McRat]

Chad disappointed me. I've never been anything but helpful to him, and even lent him parts and gave "secret" tips to him.

And if he showed up at the track tomorrow, I'd still do the same, and that includes Nick. And even Steve Cole. Even if we were competing head-to-head.

And they know it. For some reason that bugs them.

They hold everyone else on earth to a higher standard than they themselves are willing to adhere to.

 

[super diesel]

Well put Pat (as usuall). Personally, I'm glad to have this place to go to. How can a person say thanks enough for the time and devotion to making this site possible?

 

[RKTMech]

Well put Pat. Correct me if I'm wrong, but back in about '02 '03 is when the diesel place had its Boston tea party with the diesel page!? Are the same guys running it? They had a lot of freedom of speech and information rhetoric back then! What a shame that they got a little to much of Al Gores INTERNET power trip happening in their circle jerk to see the forest through the trees.

 

[stacks04]

I guess because I had over 9,000 posts (mostly technical) over there, and I personally know alot of the members. I really don't care much about the guys who run it but I do care about folk I spent the last 4 years hanging out with."Casper" was and is a group project brought together via the internet diesel enthusiast community, and I like to show our friends it's advertures and travels.

But you are perhaps right, it is not a good use of resources to spend time putting stuff up on their board.

you made my point. most of them are here now, with more coming everyday. honestly the people that want to be here are and those who want help with issues they have will find this place. the diesel place is just stupid same ol questions. keep up the good work here pat and in this instance smaller is better.

 

[McRat]

Well put Pat. Correct me if I'm wrong, but back in about '02 '03 is when the diesel place had its Boston tea party with the diesel page!? Are the same guys running it? They had a lot of freedom of speech and information rhetoric back then! What a shame that they got a little to much of Al Gores INTERNET power trip happening in their circle jerk to see the forest through the trees.

Nick and Chad sold the DieselPlace to AutoForums, a Canadian advertising corporation. They think diesel is a bald headed movie star, and race-day is an ethnic holiday.

My memory is a bit faded, but The Diesel Place was started by Nick D'amico when TheDieselPage wouldn't let him advertise the way he wanted IIRC. Nick sells fuel filters that claim to fix the LB7 injector problem I think. Nick even asked for donations from the members to run his business website. I was one of the idiots who donated.

Yes, they claimed the censorship and favoritism from TheDieselPage would be lifted, but forgot about the promise very quickly when the lure of free parts was dangled in front of Nick's eyes.

 

[NWTDIESEL]

Well put. I never go on the Place and dont intend to. I will be here for a long time. Thanks for the new site and taking the time to be so involved with us all.

 

[redneckbuckeye]

Good letter Pat, I had a post deleted over there in the thread about casper on the salt flats, anything that rubs them the wrong way they will just delete. It has become a pathetic site. I still go over there because of the Indiana chapter, to keep up with the guys in my area. Pat your willingness to help me over the phone numerous times without even knowing who I am speaks volumes as to the kind of person you are. Little people in the Dmax world like me, that means a lot. Thanks for the help and for this great site.

 

['03duramax]

You have alot of integrity Pat, I respect that. Makes me proud to have switched over to here from dp. Plus I think we have alot better, more in-depth tech threads here.

 

[McRat]

Good letter Pat, I had a post deleted over there in the thread about casper on the salt flats, anything that rubs them the wrong way they will just delete. It has become a pathetic site. I still go over there because of the Indiana chapter, to keep up with the guys in my area. Pat your willingness to help me over the phone numerous times without even knowing who I am speaks volumes as to the kind of person you are. Little people in the Dmax world like me, that means a lot. Thanks for the help and for this great site.

I recommend to everyone to go to various diesel sites. It's like magazines, doesn't hurt to subcribe to a handful.

We even have a thread here about various diesel sites to visit. I'll bring it to the top.

 

[GMC_2002_Dmax]

Nick and Chad sold the DieselPlace to AutoForums, a Canadian advertising corporation. They think diesel is a bald headed movie star, and race-day is an ethnic holiday.

My memory is a bit faded, but The Diesel Place was started by Nick D'amico when TheDieselPage wouldn't let him advertise the way he wanted IIRC. Nick sells fuel filters that claim to fix the LB7 injector problem I think. Nick even asked for donations from the members to run his business website. I was one of the idiots who donated.

Yes, they claimed the censorship and favoritism from TheDieselPage would be lifted, but forgot about the promise very quickly when the lure of free parts was dangled in front of Nick's eyes.

Nick was all about himself and protecting his Cash Cow and Free SWAG !!!!

He put principle aside and listened only to his greedy little heart.

Chad wanted in on it too and Nick strung him for a few years before letting him "buy in", then he sold THE DP within 6 months.......:rofl:

Chad disappointed me. I've never been anything but helpful to him, and even lent him parts and gave "secret" tips to him.

And if he showed up at the track tomorrow, I'd still do the same, and that includes Nick. And even Steve Cole. Even if we were competing head-to-head.

And they know it. For some reason that bugs them.

They hold everyone else on earth to a higher standard than they themselves are willing to adhere to.

Chad followed Nick's lead because he was holding out for his own free LLY Extreme, Free LLY Dual CP3 kit, Free TTS Downpipe, Free TTS PL-III that never came out, Free TTS heads, Free TTS cam, Free TTS Stickers.............trouble is nobody told Chad that TTS gives nothing away without a steep price.............

But that is the past...........screw the DP and the nazi mentality over there.

:hug:

 

[redneckbuckeye]

I recommend to everyone to go to various diesel sites. It's like magazines, doesn't hurt to subcribe to a handful.

We even have a thread here about various diesel sites to visit. I'll bring it to the top.

I am on a few of the others you listed.

 

[McRat]

For those who don't know, here is the thread on TheDieselPlace discussing this issue:

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265663

 

[RayMich]

Excellent letter Pat.

I agree that the DP is no longer the close-knit community that it once was.

Good members are being driven away in droves because of the "Gestapo" atmosphere and the treatment by some of the new mods who are on a huge power trip.

After having an argument with one of the "new" mods there over a Permanent Warning and Demerits I received from him regarding some unwritten posting rule only known by him, I am no longer a member there.

We argued over several days via PM's about his unilateral decision (which I'm still convinced he was WRONG), regarding a question I posted in the technical section, which he moved to the DIY section. --Finally, after several days of total inactivity, since NO ONE had even looked at my question since he moved it several days earlier, I requested that my thread be deleted, which he did. I also told him that after having made more that 2,400 posts in the technical sections, many of them to assist other members, I would no longer be posting anything in those sections. I then cleaned out my garage and my personal information and continued browsing through the Off Topic and P & R sections the rest of the evening.

The next day, when I attempted to login, I had NO RIGHTS to see anything in the DIY Section, the Off Topic sections or any of the sections NOW labeled "Private". I could no longer use the "Search" features and I could not look at posted pictures or attachments. After further checking, I realized that I was no longer able to login. I am now a "VISITOR". Not only am I unable to log in, but I don't even appear in the Members List any more. This all happened shortly after I had joined the DTR forum back in May. Is it a coincidence? Hard to tell by me right now, but it sure is an interesting occurrence.

I had never even mentioned the DP anywhere else and certainly had never said anything at all derogatory about that site, in fact just the opposite was true. But some how it appears that I've been secretly banned. To which I say, GOOD RIDDANCE.

There are plenty of good sites like this one where former members have migrated to and the diesel community continues to grow with no involvement at the DP, so I don't need to go there any more.

Keep up the good work Pat. Your contributions to the diesel community are well known by thousands and whatever the management at a "jealous" website has to say or do about you only reinforces the fact that THEY ARE WRONG!

Catch ya later.

 

[RayMich]

For those who don't know, here is the thread on TheDieselPlace discussing this issue:

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265663

Well, since I can't login there, I can't see it. -- No great loss!