Loading ...I have held my piece but I guess now is a good time to say whats on my mind. I met AuDept down in Belize when the Gold Tent was just a gleam in our eyes, and we all still wore the fresh stripes from the V Bopster. The Tent, as I understood it, would be a home for us all to come together, share information, ideas, and have some fun along the way. It was the springboard for a lot of us having the opportunity to actually meet in person and for a lot of years it worked out even better than most expected. AuDept was a good guy and lord knows how many hours he has spent since he pretty much single handedly erected the technical poles that made up The Tent. No one held a gun to his head and I give credit for his long suffering and enduring nights of keeping The Tent up and running. If he feels it is time for him to move on in a different direction I say God Speed. While in Belize, AuDept set up my Farmboy account and typed in my password logging me into the system. I even remember a picture he once posted early on of his young girls manning the ‘Control Center’ in their home. I wish him and his family the best.
I met Mr and Mrs Fullgoldcrown in the Gerogia Mountains and think Fully is also a hard working and for many years a dedicated person and founder of The Tent. I do not think Fully is to be disparaged at this point. What appears to have happened in my view is he tried to help his friend Rambus get a web site up and running. I think even he and AuDept were surprised that it took off and went so well according to his own admission. Going back some years, I remember that The Tent was offered some substantial amount of money by I think it was Google. They offered us some heavy duty six figures if we would allow them to advertise on the Tent. The ‘Board of Directors’ rejected this offer and from what I was told, as a measure to make sure we would not be indebted to any sponsor or advertiser, and thus keep the Tent open and free to all speech and ideas. I think that was a good choice. So there our ideals and goals were put to the test. We held firm, and with the Tent a thons were able to maintain the integrity and FREEDOM from which our founding days was not for sale at any price.
So here we are in modern times. I think Fully and AuDept were surprised at the amount of money the Rambus site was generating. Somewhat in secret between the three of them as I understand it. The wrong, if there is a wrong, was in not presenting it to the ‘Board’ when they first started the experiment. Like the Google offer, I am sure they would have met some very strong resistance to the idea of a ‘for profit’ site. So I think the three of them decided to keep things under wrap. It wasn’t until the accidental copy of an Email to Wanka that they were found out. No doubt no small embarrassment. And it appears from what I have read that when confronted with the issue that AuDept was quite rude when questioned about the entire matter having been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.
I am disappointed, and greatly so, by the failure to fess up to all of this by the three. I do give credit to Fullgoldcrown for at least coming public, even though he seems to want to try and defend his actions more than admit any wrong. Rambus and AuDept have to my knowledge been silent and so be it. Their silence speaking volumes in and of itself.
I think what we have here now, is a Win/Win situation even if at first conceived in not so clear judgement, and later deceit. Rambus, Fully, and AuDept are free to promote their New Version of the Tent and provide paid subscribers with something a little extra. We who value the openness and Freedom of the Oasis are mostly intact and well on our next leg of this adventure unfettered, and bowing to no one, as has always been the case. They will have their TA site, and we will have our TA and discussions of all topics site. To each their own.
I wish it would have been handled differently, but it is what it is. The sooner we put behind us the name calling, the hurt feelings, the lack of poor judgement, the better off we will be. It does not make anyone a bad person, just a show of perhaps bad judgement, lack of discernment, and a lack of honesty due each of us. I am disappointed in the actions of a few, but do not feel like casting stones. It worked out, will continue to work out, for the best. We have survived, and are stronger, more wiser, for the experience.
Those are my thoughts and feelings on the situation, and they are solely mine. Others may have different issues and that is not my business. I wish all success in their respective endeavors and may it be a learning experience for us all.
And I want to give a shout of Thanks to Wanka, Floridagold, and Buygold for quickly grabbing the bull by the horns when faced with losing our ‘home’. Take a bow fellas. You done good.
Best, Farmboy