Who runs SCOA?

[wwhopper]

I wondered if the SMART Club would be apart of the Mercedes-Benz Club, www.MBCA.org, since the club is everywhere in the USA and many members of MBCA have their names in for SMARTs.

I know we have about 5 guys in our autocross group that are looking forward to the season to try them out in autocross.

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by SMART

I never realized I was silent but either way it's fine by me! Anyways, I'm no pro at the smart car but I can hold my own pretty well!

that's a rather non-committal response. does this mean you're not the head honcho? ;)

[a2jack]

Carnut. We are happy you are happy. We are happy too!

However, as members of the main site group, Smart Car Of America, as well as the tiny sub group SCOA, we need to clarify the origins and goals of our club. as I , forone , would like to know where we are heading.

Is ths site to become a commercial internet "gotcha" site, as it once was? Or will it remain as a legitimate, highly regarded, Smart fan list as it is now?

Just thinking. (with a Smart "open mind").

A2Jack

[SMART]

I would say that we are headed towards a great future with lots of club activities and meets as well as a great place to spend time on the web and share our stories.

As you guys know I have been continually working on the site for a while and will continue likely for another couple years until I finally think we have everything we want but most importantly I expect to expand on the club side of things over the next 3 months and really build a name for ourselves.

And if you guys want a few goals, here are some I am looking at:
-SCOA Club write up in major media source
-First area meet-up by end of April

[Fredvon4]

Very bottom of Home (not forum) page has several clues to the real "owners" of Smart Car of America web site

Plus a simple google search will confirm who is who

I would be happy to learn some day that PAG buys the site and allows the current admin to keep it going in the direction I think we are headed...

HOWEVER if Internet Brands buys this place I am all the way gone....they have completely ruined several web sites I liked and moderated at...

There, now some of you know where a bit of my 'tude comes from

[SmartShanna]

Fred, your worst nightmare may be true. Now, I don't believe everything I read, especially from Wikipedia, but I have little reason to doubt this:
Jelsoft (see bottom of each page on this forum) is a software development company founded by James Limm and John Percival. The name Jelsoft is derived from the initials of James E. Limm and software. Jelsoft's main product line is the vBulletin suite which is comprised of a forum software, project management tool, and soon to be released blogging software[1].

Internet Brands acquired Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. on July 4, 2007.[2] Business operations will continue unchanged, and no further development announcements have been made.

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by SmartShanna

Fred, your worst nightmare may be true. Now, I don't believe everything I read, especially from Wikipedia, but I have little reason to doubt this:
Jelsoft (see bottom of each page on this forum) is a software development company founded by James Limm and John Percival. The name Jelsoft is derived from the initials of James E. Limm and software. Jelsoft's main product line is the vBulletin suite which is comprised of a forum software, project management tool, and soon to be released blogging software[1].

Internet Brands acquired Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. on July 4, 2007.[2] Business operations will continue unchanged, and no further development announcements have been made.

Aha, but THE question that SMART would be so kind to answer is . . . .

Did he or his boss just use the vb software as a platform without any ties to Jelsoft, or are they financially connected?

Frankly, as long as this site keeps on the road it has paved so far, it's all good!

[rrrucke]

Well since I started this thread, I want to thank Smart for answering my question. As far as his thoughts on the SCOA's future, I love the idea of a 1st meet but from Sat 4/25 to Sat 5/3, I'll be in St Thomas so PLEASE don't have a first meet without me!! (Selfish I know but I would hate to miss the SCOA's first US smart Meet & Greet)

Anyway, I'm sure this can be discussed and polled in a new thread. I would love to help in anyway I can so don't be shy in asking me. Thanks again for setting the record straight, Regina

[Fredvon4]

I am not too worried about what software is used or who ultimately owns this particular site ..... with one exception IB... I have personally seen how they behave

In the past a few "enthusiasts" car oriented web sites became very popular and they were an exceptional resource for car and truck owners... eventually IB bought the web site

On the sites I was a major contributor to--- the things we ferreted out and discovered were shared with all owners.

Some manufactures do not like these sites because we are a tenacious group and find all sorts of things that cause the Manufacture to fully disclose or actually fix more then they want to.

Example----It was a web site like SCOA that caused FoMoCo to redesign the aluminum heads on their modular v8 and v10 motors to slow down the frequency of plug blow out... FoMoCo was claiming it was very rare... we discovered that it was more frequent and preventable

I am a exceptionally well trained automotive and aircraft mechanic. I am also a car enthusiast and consumer.... As a consumer, I am always on the side of the owner unless that owner wants to fraud the company ...Fraud eventually finds it's way back to costing all of us more money

Internet Brands is never on the side of the owners ...they are a bottom line group and they make all their money in advertising revenue... Thus forum discussions that cost IB advertisers money is usually disallowed...

In my experience, when forums members find out that some advertisers product is pure junk...

Lets say something like the Turbonator (a stamped piece of aluminum you put in the intake stream to swirl the air charge) that claims a 5HP and 2 MPG increase is proved to be junk by objective testing of forum members

...the admin/moderators of some IB web sites delete or suppress that information....

This site is already a great resource for all of us to share information about the purchase, re-sale, use, maintenance, modding, and upgrading of Smart Cars.... We also have the beginnings of a eclectic group bound by a unique car and will probably have a lot of fun gatherings and contests....

IB has already proved they are incompetent in managing and updating the Official Smart USA web site...

I pray they never do the same here...

As a retired soldier the one thing I hold dear is freedom of speech and I reject ANY suppression no matter what motivation

Each of us a members on this site and in society have a responsibility to police self and others... So far,here on SCOA, that has proved fairly effective...

Using me as an example... I responded very angrily some months ago to a post I though to be Bush Bashing... several members PMed me and posted publicly that I was a horses arse.... I re-read my response and saw it their way...I was out of line... I apologized publicly and via PM.... this is how we need to moderate this site

So far I think Ryan has been doing an exceptional job

Let's all work to make this place fun and informative

I have personally met fishrdnc and I think we enjoyed each other's company...I look forward to meeting a lot more of the members here

Many of you probably think Spdickey and I would not get along... you would be wrong...I fully understand his point of view..I just disagree.... I have many friends I disagree with and they me... but we are friends none the less....