A lot done, more to do.

With appropriate credits where credits are due. :)

There have been a number of developments since my last post on this blog.

Traffic continues to grow (thanks Google, Yahoo and MSN).

I feel I owe a progress report to those new visitors, and an update on developments to the faithful readers who visit daily .

Well, credit where it's due - FrequencyDB.com does seem to have improved somewhat recently.

- The heavy-handed moderation has abated a bit - or maybe it's being done by PM rather than in public, but that's still an improvement.

- There does seem to be less disrespect for new members generally, and that's definitely good.

- There's a new thread called "Frequencies for beginners". It does contain some genuine and practical help, so that's good too.

- Some of the references to rules that were liberally sprinkled everywhere you went have now been removed, so it feels less like boot-camp.

- The rules themselves have been reworded to sound less 'Saddamish'.

- And Microwave has been "promoted to Moderator, to assist in the ongoing battle against crime". I don't know what the 'ongoing battle against crime' bit means but it is good news for the FDB community. Microwave is one of the few genuinely knowledgeable people there and has shown none of the jackboot tendencies that prompted this blog in the first place. So genuine congratulations (if that's an appropriate word) to Microwave. I have to congratulate you here because I'm not allowed to do it on the forum.

On the down side,

- even now, there are still far too many posts from people who have nothing at all to add, probably to any forum - so why do they even hit the 'Reply' button?
(Example? try "Buliding my own computer" for 84 posts of the purest and most uninformed dross ever written on the subject.
Or pity the poor guy who asked a perfectly reasonable question in "Cheap electronics Kits?" and got a single reply that I suspect he didn't find either helpful or funny.)

- there is still a degree of preciousness about the database - as though that was the reason people join the forum. If it is, then it suggests the value of the community itself is small.

Overall then, if you're looking for a place to discuss radio scanning in Ireland, FrequencyDB.com may now be worth a look. I still don't think you ought to express your views openly there. If you want some thoughtful or enlightened discussion around the topic, you'll still do better at http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=922 where the atmosphere is less intimidating and the dross quotient is lower.

Unfortunately, MikeD didn't reciprocate the goodwill gesture in my last post by lifting the ban on my IP address. Well, technically, he did but replaced it with a schoolboy redirect trick intended to keep me out.

So, as SecurityMan has already given me permission to publish the username and password, I think what I'll do is publish my very own database. It currently contains 1489 Irish radio frequencies painstakingly compiled from my own research and efforts and from sources I have permission to use.

I'll wait until tomorrow to do that just in case the amateur redirect trick wasn't MikeD's.

If it wasn't your idea Mike, let me know and maybe, just maybe, I can be persuaded that I should continue to repect you and your members.

The Scanner Frequency Database

Hmm, nice to see the search engine traffic rolling in and lots of visitors from frequencydb.com.

This all started because I responded to a request for feedback when I joined the frequencydb.com forum. Two of the mods took my feedback personally and developed a notion that all I wanted was free access to the scanner frequency database. That doesn't make me special of course, because they appear to treat all new members this way.

Unfortunately, I was not happy to "just keep my head down like everybody else" when Security Man started editing my posts, moving them about and starting threads in my name. Then Damo waded in with some petty abuse, to which I responded in kind. Security Man banned me without warning or even an email to allow me an opportunity to respond.

Fair enough, if that's how you want to run your board, but then they were allowed to carry on a public thread gloating, slagging me off and telling lies about PMs. I have to say, it's not a great plan at the best of times but especially if all the security you have is the ability to ban IP addresses.

So I set about getting hold of the database with a view to publishing it far and wide, and I now have it.

Now, if that was all I wanted to do, there would have been no need to communicate with you through this blog, or even to let you know that I have the database.

I guess you know this already but I can tell you that not all your 400 members are happy with the way the board is run and it doesn't matter how often Security Man says it - it still won't be true. A few of them have already told you so, some have told me and I'd guess there are many more who take the advice to "just keep their heads down".

Incidentally, if any of them want an alternative, where the moderation is fair and respectful, head over to http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=922

Out of respect for your members, I have decided not to publish your database, at least for now. That would have more to do with revenge than right-of-reply. For the same reason, there is no need to inconvenience your members by changing the password. It would be pointless anyhow as I have already downloaded the entire database, though I expect you will nonetheless.

By way of reciprocity, MikeD, I'd appreciate if you would lift the IP block so that I can more easily drop by to ensure that your mods are not bad-mouthing me. It would save me the minor inconvenience of using a different IP. And perhaps you should reconsider your approach to moderation as the next person who gets jackbooted might have less respect for your members.

Now I know what Security Man and Damo will be thinking - "Hah, he doesn't have the database at all!"
Patience boys, patience.

I have received your vitriolic and childish rant, Security Man. And DamienBrown1, if you're going to use an alias, try to come up with something more imaginative than "MrGreen". Gav, well what can I say? One day, you'll grow up and, hopefully with age will come a little maturity.

I've said what I had to say, and I'm pleased that so many frequencydb.com members came here to read what I should have been able to say on the forum - albeit in more moderate language.

Therefore, I intend to let the matter rest there.

Thanks for reading.


PS Just to satisfy Security Man and Damo that their heavy-handed approach to "security" is counterproductive:


the database contains 1472 records
54 records for Galway
37 records for Antrim
Jimmy Jones added 1 record on 17/04/2006, updated 25/04/2006 02:55
Damo added 2 records
Security Man added 12 records
224 records are listed as type "Other"


The table fields are called:

Memoo
frequencies
mobile
Mode
Step
Offset
Duplex
TSQL
CTCSS
DCS
Polarity
Skip
Bank
Ch
Label
Details
Type
Location
Added
Date
Updated on
tbi

Never argue with fools

Today's thought is:
Never argue with fools.
They'll just drag you down to their level and use their experience to beat you.

Yesterday's post seems to have caused quite a stir and has even produced some results, which is nice. Security Man has adopted a more appropriate avatar and Damo found a typo in yesterday's post - so that's encouraging too.

Less encouraging is the fact that the quality of their contributions to the forum at frequencydb.com remains pretty much as before. Of course, that may be a function of ability rather than will so perhaps improvement in that area is too much to hope for.

Thanks to all those who took the time to send comments. Some were supportive, some abusive and some were clearly psychotic. Some even took the time to write long essays that illustrated nothing more than that they had completely missed the point.

Therefore, I propose to take the advice in today's "thought for the day".

Thanks also to those who offered to send me the password for the "highly sought-after database". I appreciate the gesture but it's really not necessary. I know I said I would come back to the subject of the database, and I will in due course.

Meanwhile, for those of you who have had similar difficulty getting in touch with frequencydb.com, you could try sending an email to one or more of these addresses:


frequencydbadmin@eircom.net
damienbrown1@gmail.com

postmaster@frequencydb.com

webmaster@frequencydb.com

info@frequencydb.com

info@frequencydatabase.eu

postmaster@frequencydatabase.eu

webmaster@frequencydatabase.eu

Web Forums and "outside pissin' in"

Note to MikeD:
Since you allowed your "door-staff" to ban me without warning, explanation, email notification, or any other way of contacting you or them, you left me with only two choices - shut up and go away or find another way to express my views.

I chose the latter and, since I was abused on your forum (including by mods) after I was banned and therefore had no right of reply, I may even get a little personal in my comments.

First, a little background to Frequencydb.com for any readers who are not familiar with it:

FrequencyDB.com is a website for Irish radio and scanner enthusiasts. It has very little content, other than a moderately active forum and a database of Irish Radio frequencies. More about the fabled database later.

They invite new users to give feedback on the site, which is laudable. However, if you do give feedback and it isn't to the liking of the "Forum Police", they ban you without the courtesy of an explanation, an email or any method of contacting them.

That's their prerogative of course but it may not be the smartest move if it prompts people with a point to make to express themselves in other ways.

I have been banned by the highly-secure method of banning my IP address, my username and my email address. Hmm, I do like a challenge Security Man. :)

The forum has a few genuinely knowledgeable and helpful members, a greater number of complete nonsense posters and a majority of totally inactive users - so it's not atypical in that regard.

However, it also has some of the most heavy-handed, inept and repressive moderation you're ever likely to encounter. The mods routinely welcome new users with a ban warning - and frequently follow up with an actual ban - for such minor infractions as failing to introduce yourself properly.

The two most active mods are shining examples of why power is dangerous in the wrong hands.

One has literally dozens of posts whose entire content is the rather vulgar and juvenile "PMSL". He regularly gives inaccurate and downright incorrect information that other users then have to correct. This is the power-hungry "Security Man" who works as a security man in his day-job, and for recreation, guess what - he's a security man (complete with a Police car as his avatar). My guess would be he wanted to be a real policeman but couldn't make the grade.

Another is a poor semi-literate lad who has trouble correctly composing even a simple sentence. I should stress, that may not his fault - it could be the fault of society or the education system, or it could be genetics. But he is rightly proud of the fact that he is now a forum moderator after only 12 months in the hobby. That's truly a worthy achievement, Damo.

The message I have for MikeD, the site owner is this:

1. While I understand the attraction of having volunteer moderators who are eager to do the job for no other reward than the power-trip, it may not be in the best interests of your site or your users.
2. You really ought not to let your moderators abuse your members, even after they have been banned, because you run the risk of motivating them to find other ways of redressing the balance.
3. Active users are the life blood of any forum. It's really not a good idea to let your goons stamp all over potentially valuable new members.
4. I understand that knuckle-draggers need to get their regular fix to keep them motivated. Maybe you could direct their attention to moderating the vulgar and worthless tripe that passes for discussion in some threads. I realise that may be tricky as some of the moderators appear to be the worst culprits in that regard.

Here's a recent example of the sort of infantile Killinascully-type thread I mean:

Luminous Jacket
Post subject: Tarrin' for a livin'....
Anyone else here in this game eh?

Crack-OFF
Half the country by the look of things..... Every feckin road is dug up with ya tossers.

Luminous Jacket
You watch yer foul feckin mouth there, crack-off. I'll start callin ye toss-off instead... Its fools like you who break the red lights at the roadworks.... better hope I never find out who ya are or ya'll be gettin a shovel in through the window at ya....

Crack-OFF
hahaha take ur pick

security man
Moderator
Your banned Luminous, or haven't you noticed??

Luminous Jacket
Ah not anymore, Security. Dat Airlink fella squared it all up for me Anyhow, we ran outa tar in westmoreland street last week, so we grabbed a fella sellin newspapers. We melted him down and used him for tar... Used his newspapers to keep the fire goin. Joey used his eyes for the middle of the road - reckons he was the 'Irish independent'.

Crack-OFF
Jaysus I Gotta get an SBS Box now.... It'll stop me havin to read this shite. PMSL.........

hammerhead
and where would u be getting this tar last week??? seeing as every tar plant was closed for xmas.....

Oh Dear - Banned again

It took a while but finally:

You have been permanently banned from this board.

Please contact the Board Administrator for more information.

A ban has been issued on your username.

I wonder if this ban will be harder to beat than the last one?

At least this time they gave me an email address to contact.

In case any spam bots have difficulty reading the address, here it is:

info@frequencydb.com

PS Damo - Take a tip - listen to VHFer. (wink)