Things are a little slow here~

[jccgf]

Hi everyone,

Things don't really feel back to normal yet. I think it is great to be able to reconnect with each other again, but at least I am still waiting for the old forum to come up, which I understand shouldbe back by early September with our data intact close to where it was at when BT went down.

I hope when it does come back that there will be some continuation of forum feedback topics that began here for the health of the overall community.... The banning of Monica without any warning was unfair in my opinion, and that is probably my single biggest complaint on a personal level. And while I can understand not discussing / questioning moderator decisions publicly, there does need to be some mechanism for communication about and appeal of such decisions. Living under fear of banishment for wanting to offer support to another member is not ideal. I'd much prefer having a platform for reasonable discussion...maybe a special forum to discuss such matters...somewhat like the religion folder at Delphi...where access is controlled and sensitive subjects remain off the beaten path.

The absence of communication regarding this last downtime was a little disconcerting as well. Heck...an email sent out to the top twenty posters at Braintalk...would have gone a long way to let people know what was up. It wasn't just the downtime, but the not knowing if it would ever really come back. I guess we are still sort of waiting on that~

It looks like there is a possibility that a new forum may spring here through Pysch Central. I guess I have a certain loyalty to BT because I have been there since Fall of 1999 and where I found my answers to better health and have forged alliances, and I would like to return there and hope that some of the administrative glitches improve. For the most part, I think it was a fine place.

It needn't really be said that everyone is free to make their own choice on which way to turn, as that is obvious. What I want to make clear is that I won't personally feel abandoned by anyone who has stronger gripes against BrainTalk and opts to move on. That doesn't mean I wouldn't be sad about it. But, I truly do believe that the world is a big place, and if there is another split we will all continue to work together for our common goals of support and education, and everyone has to do what is in their own best interest.

And of course, I'm a little curious about whether BT will have any problem with me creating the new format of TGF. I've always thought BT ownership rights were about protecting us, and that since TGF was my concept and posted by me, that I have ownership rights, too. I don't mean to exclude all the fine contributions people have offered either, but IMO nobody really owns the information except for the copyright owners of the articles I include~ It is a completely new format, new creation, etc. I'd like to keep TGF as a website now that I have gone through the effort of putting it there, but link it back to BrainTalk for discussion. But, in any case, if I am banned or something...I guess my opinion might change and I'd be moving on too, lol!

So...anyway... I hope soon things will get back to normal...one way or another. I am heading off on vacation tonight, and won't be back until after Labor day~ OK, so my motel does have free wireless and my husband does travel with his laptop, and I will probably check in at least once...lol.

Cara

[NancyM]

The one thing to consider is if the administration and support staff isn't real committed then there could be other long or perhaps even permanent periods offline. The performance of those forums was terrible for a long time. It is a shame to get collections of stuff on a server that might not be there down the road.

[jccgf]

I agree that over a month down time stretched the limit. Previously the longest outage had been two weeks, usually just a day or two.

There has been some discussion on FF about this, with possible solutions of having a mirror (back up) server to take over if one crashed, or hosting BrainTalk at a third party hosting site...equipped to get things back up and running in a timely fashion. I guess (not having any expertise in technical matters) the third party hosting seems like a good solution. http://forums.braintalk2.org/showthread.php?t=94&page=3

I agree that the data on the forum needs to be protected. There already is a HUGE collection of stuff at BrainTalk, and that is part of what I would hate to give up and try to begin all over. In fact, if everything was lost...it might give me pause to reconsider. But, as I understand it, the data will be restored back to its status just before going down. Back ups are done regularly. I think it is worth trying to hang on to what we already have. Years of back posts contain a wealth of info, anecdotal stories, etc.

But, yes, I hope that these things continue to be discussed and that BT will look to fix some of these problems (technical, communication, moderator, etc).

Cara

[aklap]

I'll install the newest version of vBulletin and recover as much of the data from backups as I possibly can.

This does not sound promising to me. It could be a CYA statement, or it's preparing us for the worst.

The question becomes...how recent were the backups? If JL has been gone traveling, maybe no one has been switching out the media. Also are the backups any good - did they finish properly? I just hope it [the data] ain't gone for good. :(

[jccgf]

Time will tell, I guess. I read somewhere that somebody said a back up from July would be restored, but I know nothing about technical issues.

[rachelb]

There's a confidence lost issue going on. I just don't, at this point, feel confident that Braintalk can and will stay up and running. The backup issue that Al brought up is big, too. I also have not, since Monica was banned, felt like BT really cares to have any input from the community which is just wrong, IMO, and just ends up alienating people. (I see Al is two timing us already! I had noticed he was conspicuously not around as much in the last few months. :D )

I don't have your altruistic instincts, Cara. I need support and community in my "GFness" LOL and I'm not so picky about where I get it--preferably with all of you who were with me from the beginning but BT's already alienated my loyalty so that I actually have a preference that it not be there. And worse yet the things that have happened make me afraid to speak openly like this and that is nearly unforgiveable, IMO.

I do, however, have a ton of respect and admiration for your altruistic leanings, Cara. :) And I do want to help people, but not to the extent of being trod on, etc. while I do it.

Rachel

[jccgf]

I can totally understand your point of view Rachel, and, I guess, I remember the older BT. You are right that the conditions of recent have been a bit stifling, and honestly they have not always been that way...quite the contrary. It could well be that the 'old BT' has been lost forever. I don't know yet~ There are definately issues I hope will be openly addressed when (?) BT returns...including banning policy, communication, reliability.

Cara

[aklap]

Hi Rachel,

I feel very much like you do. How many times are we going to let BT1 do this to us? In my eyes there is little caring from the BT1 mgmnt. Ordinary members take their "responsibilities" here very seriously. If they didn't the CD/GS forum would not be what is is today [well...what it was before the crash]. That attitude doesn't exist in in the "powers that be". At least I can't see it. And if it does...they pick one hell of a way to show it!

I can understand loyalty. I live it everyday to Cara and the many that inhabit the CD/GS forum. I would not be the person I am today without y'all. I am grateful for the existence of BT1, but it's the people that live in it are the ones that have my loyalty. It's the people, not the place. In my heart & mind I question - do the actions of BT1 deserve loyalty [and respect] from us? Does the overwhelming display of apathy from BT1 deserve loyalty? I don't think I can answer yes.

Does BT1 deserve a chance to redeem themselves? Boy, I still wrestle with this. My head tells me Yes, they deserve the chance. My heart tells me No, they've known all along there have been issues and it's time to stop being used as a doormat!!

Yes Rachel, I have been "absent" from BT1 for awhile now. It has little to do with BT1 itself [although it does heavily grind my gears], but rather myself It's not anything anyone did or didn't do - it all comes from inside me. I struggled for a year or more over my involvement here. I just didn't feel I was pulling my own weight - plain and simple. I have bored Cara with several PM's about this - and this is my 1st public airing of this. I stumbled upon "the other board" ;), in Oct 2004. It was very very small and very very quiet - just barely off the ground [they started in Aug 2004]. I thought, this would be a good place to hang out. It has grown slowly over the years and is now pretty busy [not anywhere near BT]. I at least I feel I'm doing some good [instead of making wisecracks out here disrupting the learning]. Heck they even asked me to write a little article for GF Pantry's newsletter [it's now called www.glutenfree.com.

I have never totally left you guys, because it would hurt too much. So instead, I lurk and come back for visits. It is fun starting the Roll Call threads and posting research articles I come across :).


So...there...I have now come clean to everyone. :o Please be gentle... :)

[annelb]

One reason that this forum may be a bit slow is that if it is a temporary forum, then won't all the info be lost? I It is nice reconnecting with some of the people from the BT1 forum but I don't have much entheusiasm for posting if it is all going to disappear in a few weeks.

My heart still wants BT1 to come back. That is where I got the help to get my health back. I was at the verge of giving up - thought I was going to die.

Yes, I agree, the banning of Monica was wrong. In fact, banning anyone without warning is wrong. I hope JL does read this forum and realizes that he needs to modify some of the rules.

If BT2 stays up and running and if BT1 comes back online, then I will have to make a decision as to where I want to be. Right now I am happy that I can talk to some of my friends. Wish there was a way to let all the people from our old forum know about this place.

Al, you could always make us laugh and we love you for that :D The roll call with links to the past years was a great idea. I am glad that you never completely left.
Anne

[aklap]

Hey Cara...I suspect you're already gone...but have a safe trip to CO!! Did you ever get ahold of Becky? If you see her - tell her Hi from us :D

[Mrsppmrxky]

Just my .02 worth.........I am sure you all were waiting in high anticipation for it. LOL.....I agree that many don't want to post lots here if it is going to be 'gone' in a few weeks. The investment just doesn't seem to be worth the trouble.

I loved BT1 when I first was needing help. If it had not been for the information that was there, I would have never figured out which was my second step to take or all of the many steps thereafter.

I hate to be on a 'forum' where I can't express myself because I am afraid that I will be banned without warning. That is one of the reasons that I had stopped posting and had gone into 'lurker mode'.

I hate to think that all of the research information may be lost! I was forever sending new people over to BT1 to get started on their research into the GF lifestyle.

Not wanting to beat a dead horse, but this was why I was trying to copy duplicate the recipes...........for over a month now, I have been wanting to search out some information needed by my family. My DH has become very sick and I have had to remove corn from his/our diet as well. I could have really used the recipe folder with all of the recipes that didn't contain corn and the information from (I believe it was from Anne) on the grainless meals.

Hopefully no one would be banned for having information that they posted there to be posted here. If people have the committment that this place will stay open, I feel that they will come back many times. I also feel that they would put for the effort to repost and make this a new home by 'putting up the pictures and hanging the curtains' with trying to make this site a mirror of the former 'home'.




Okay, that is probably more than anyone wanted to know, but for me, just having the information to pass on to others that are in the same spot we were all in a few years ago of not having answers and not having adequate medical advice is worth having another site to refer them to for the help that they need.
;)

[diamondheart]

I was a relatively new member of GS/CD BrainTalk before it crashed, only about 3 months. I thought it was the best board I have ever participated in because of the people. I really liked how everyone communicated with each other. I also liked how knowledgeable people were/are, and I was impressed with how much research people were doing on their own! I had been active in another board on uterine fibroids. The moderator was confrontive with me, and so were other members on the forum. I was made to feel like the new kid on the block who had to prove herself. I never felt that way here. I also like the comradery of the people. I think it's cool that people make an effort to visit one another (Close Encounter pics are great!), but it seems that not everyone has returned to BT2.

I also joined some other boards after BT1 crashed, but I never liked them as much as BT1. It feels weird to hear everyone complain about BT1. From what I gather, it doesn't make sense that Monica was banned. Yes, there should be some process to work that out. I never perceived any problems, but that doesn't mean there weren't any. People need a vehicle to express, but I hope we don't get stuck on the negative. One thing I liked about BT1 was the lack of negativity and the respect of other's opinions.

As for The Gluten File, I think it makes sense to have it on another website. I love the creative process and it's in it's new creation! What I miss about BT1 and The Gluten File are all the personal stories. It would be great to have a way to recreate that.

And I agree that not much is going on here because of the temporary situation of this board. But it's also summer, and people have lives! Plus, like I said before, I think not everyone is back yet. How do we find those people and get them to come back.

Thanks, Claire

[diamondheart]

I just wanted to point out that we still have the most posts of all the forums on BT2, if you don't include the Forum Feedback. I'd rather not read that one too much. Too depressing, in my opinion, and too much emphasis on what didn't work with BT1 rather than what did work. I still love the folks here on the GS/CD group, so I'll just stick to this forum.

Claire

[Leslieand]

I feel like a lurker with this thread. I only hope the information on the old site is secure and actually found Cara's copy when it was no where else to be found. I also respectfully request that if any of you do decide to move to another site you somehow let us know where you are. I don't go to braintalk for the layout or management. I go because of the quality of postings, research, and caring that come from you all. I would miss you if you went somewhere else.

I always read what you write, Al. I learn from you with every posting. And nothing beats your sense of humor. I think you are a perfect combination of humor, support, and information. You are a cornerstone to this site. Cara, if you ever left it would leave a void. Both of you, please don't shut that door without telling me where you are going. And the same goes for so many of you. I'm afraid to list a few of you and miss others equally important to me. As for the site, hopefully we will be pleasantly suprised and find it whole and well. And an apology waiting for Monica and for the rest of us left waiting.
Leslie

[aklap]

I also respectfully request that if any of you do decide to move to another site you somehow let us know where you are.

I know Cara had asked me for a couple of email address of people that she didn't have after the crash. Maybe somebody wants to be "The Keeper of the email addresses", so if anything does happen, people can be contacted. Of course there's always Kim's Yahoo Group too. Many have used that as a gathering place - a lifeboat - in rough times. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BrainTalkGlutenIntoleranceChatGroup/ I'll volunteer to be the keeper, if no one else wants to.


Al, you could always make us laugh and we love you for that :D The roll call with links to the past years was a great idea. I am glad that you never completely left.
Anne


I always read what you write, Al. I learn from you with every posting. And nothing beats your sense of humor. I think you are a perfect combination of humor, support, and information. You are a cornerstone to this site. Cara, if you ever left it would leave a void. Both of you, please don't shut that door without telling me where you are going. And the same goes for so many of you. I'm afraid to list a few of you and miss others equally important to me. As for the site, hopefully we will be pleasantly suprised and find it whole and well. And an apology waiting for Monica and for the rest of us left waiting.


Anne & Leslie,

Wow - Thank you both so much for your heartfelt words. They have touched me. Seriously - thank you. I have always felt "loved" here...ummm...there...uhhh...where ever you guys are :D. That's why I had some serious struggles. Two items that go to the core of my being were at war. Just ask Peg - I was in a serious funk. So I found a compromise...I hang out both places!! LOL!! Yeah..Peg was please about that! LOL!

I don't think you'll have to worry about Cara. She is steady & faithful as a lighthouse. A constant beacon shining in the night, allowing safe navigation to those that need it. As are all the rest that contribute here.

Alas, I will follow the pack. As I said, it's the people that have a hold on my heart.

[KimS]

Okay Al, as long as you're being so honest... so will I. :D

I was honestly missing 'seeing' you but did not want to be a nag or make you feel like you had to do something you didn't want to... but I really was really missing you. I'm glad you are staying here but think that you should 'sticky' your other site under your name so that we can come and track you down whenever we need to. :)

RE: BT1

Many of you might remember that I was quite worried about being kicked off after going to Monica's defense. They lost me on that one and the only reason I stayed was because of all of you and the layout. I'd be quite fine with staying here.

I miss all our old files a great deal but am quite willing to re-build all that information that we had collected before. We all had our 'specialties' and that's what made it work so well I think. It's kind of like when your house burns down... It's devastating but at the same time there's a certain sense of freedom that starting over brings (if you let it). :)

Hence the term "new and improved". :)

[diamondheart]

Maybe somebody wants to be "The Keeper of the email addresses", so if anything does happen, people can be contacted. I'll volunteer to be the keeper, if no one else wants to.



Ok, I nominate you Al to keep track of us all! Hey, I missed you too when BT1 crashed! The first person I found was Cara after searching the internet to find out what happened to BT. I didn't even know you had another forum or that it even existed :rolleyes: . I thought I'd nominate Cara to keep track of us all since she has The Gluten File website now, but since you volunteered :cool: ... Maybe it would be good to have a backup person as well.

There were other people that I missed too, some who haven't shown up here yet. I'm hoping to see those people back if and when BT1 every gets back up. I doubt BT1 is going to be back up tomorrow. I also really miss the recipes and diagnostic thread with the personal stories. The monthly roll calls are great, but I also like to refer back to where people started. It makes me feel like there is hope for healing!

Claire

[graceperson]

Hi everyone...

Took me a while to reconnect. My office is getting a bit weird these days.

Anyhow, on this subject, I could go with BT1 or BT2. Either one is fine. I wasn't impressed with the moderators on BT1 but I didn't get personally involved in any of the conflict so I don't have feelings one way or the other.

I think if we stayed here, things would heat up to the same level as BT1 in a short time.

Grace

[jccgf]

Hi everyone...

I think if we stayed here, things would heat up to the same level as BT1 in a short time.

Grace

Probably quicker, since all the previously banned troublemakers now have open access again. Good to see you again!

Cara

[diamondheart]

Hi everyone...

Took me a while to reconnect.
Grace

Good to see you back Grace! I was wondering where you were.

Claire

[RathyKay]

Well, I haven't been on the GS / CD forum very long. (Sorry Al, I didn't realize you weren't there as often. I have enjoyed your posting and I liked the "Roll Call" well enough to start it up over on Child Neuro.) I did a little bit of lurking on a few other forums while waiting for BT to come back to life. I probably should have looked harder. My main complaint with the other forums I visited was with the "celiac" obsession. My family is nowhere near "celiac." (And that one woman who kept posting that her dad has celiac and her daughter does too, but she keeps testing negative so she's happy to keep pulling the trigger until blood tests are otherwise.... Okay, she wasn't really posting the part about Russian Roulette, but she drove me up the wall everytime she mentioned her dad and daughter and that she tests negative.:rolleyes:)

I did feel bad about Monica. I felt the one post was over the line, but she should have been judged based on all of her past postings and given a warning on that one. The only other banned poster I'm familiar with always kind of struck me as a rebel rouser, and while I did enjoy her postings (wondering how she was going to put her foot in her mouth this time), I wasn't surprised when she was finally banned.

I've also enjoyed BrainTalk for the other forums - kind of a one-stop-shopping. I really like the Child Neuro group. As I said to one of the other moms in an email, we're a bunch of misfits. Not just epilepsy, not just cerebral palsy, not just autism.... and lots of "we don't know what's wrong." And, it was nice to be able to cross-post a seizure question on the Epilepsy forum as well as Child Neuro. Others cross-posted with hydrocephaly / cerebral palsy, etc. I guess I don't like having to join twenty different forums.

Anyway, if you do end up finding a home somewhere else, I'd like to know where, so I know where I can go when the issue is more than celiac.

I guess I should also add that I NEVER looked under Forum Feedback or any of the other "General Subjects" forums on BT. I didn't realize there was so much anger and frustration at John Lester and the moderators. I never was a "big picture" person.

[Hanna]

I can't believe the time it has taken me to connect. In the interim, I would have appreciated access to the gluten file to help me solve why my son at 14 has gone to 6.8 hemeglobin. I have learned so much and there are so many cultural differences that nobody believes in France that it could believe that it could be gluten anemia. Do the moderators have the right to play the big managers?????? I miss you all

[jccgf]

Well, I haven't been on the GS / CD forum very long. (Sorry Al, I didn't realize you weren't there as often. I have enjoyed your posting and I liked the "Roll Call" well enough to start it up over on Child Neuro.) I did a little bit of lurking on a few other forums while waiting for BT to come back to life. I probably should have looked harder. My main complaint with the other forums I visited was with the "celiac" obsession. My family is nowhere near "celiac." (And that one woman who kept posting that her dad has celiac and her daughter does too, but she keeps testing negative so she's happy to keep pulling the trigger until blood tests are otherwise.... Okay, she wasn't really posting the part about Russian Roulette, but she drove me up the wall everytime she mentioned her dad and daughter and that she tests negative.:rolleyes:)

I did feel bad about Monica. I felt the one post was over the line, but she should have been judged based on all of her past postings and given a warning on that one. The only other banned poster I'm familiar with always kind of struck me as a rebel rouser, and while I did enjoy her postings (wondering how she was going to put her foot in her mouth this time), I wasn't surprised when she was finally banned.

I've also enjoyed BrainTalk for the other forums - kind of a one-stop-shopping. I really like the Child Neuro group. As I said to one of the other moms in an email, we're a bunch of misfits. Not just epilepsy, not just cerebral palsy, not just autism.... and lots of "we don't know what's wrong." And, it was nice to be able to cross-post a seizure question on the Epilepsy forum as well as Child Neuro. Others cross-posted with hydrocephaly / cerebral palsy, etc. I guess I don't like having to join twenty different forums.

Anyway, if you do end up finding a home somewhere else, I'd like to know where, so I know where I can go when the issue is more than celiac.

I guess I should also add that I NEVER looked under Forum Feedback or any of the other "General Subjects" forums on BT. I didn't realize there was so much anger and frustration at John Lester and the moderators. I never was a "big picture" person.

Kathy, I pretty much agree with everything you say. I hope BT comes back... but I feel like I am holding my breath and I don't what I'm going to do when I pass out. I've tried to mind my own business on BT and stick to on topic purposes, and tried never to get too involved in the goings ons (although I've probably been drawn in a bit more than you have...still, I liked to ignore those things).

Cara

[graceperson]

Good to see you back Grace! I was wondering where you were.

Claire

Hi Claire :-)

It's nice to be missed...

Grace

[aklap]

Ok, I nominate you Al to keep track of us all! Hey, I missed you too when BT1 crashed! I thought I'd nominate Cara to keep track of us all since she has The Gluten File website now, but since you volunteered :cool: ... Maybe it would be good to have a backup person as well.


Hi Claire,

Thanks for the reminder on this. Sure, I'll do it. It's always good to have a way to connect back up.

There other thing we've used in the past is Kim's Yahoo Message Group (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GFChatGroup/?yguid=190969667). Many of us here head there if there's problems connecting to the board.

Those that are interested, just PM me with your email address and whether or not you want me to share your addy with other BT members if the need arises.


Okay Al, as long as you're being so honest... so will I. :D

I was honestly missing 'seeing' you but did not want to be a nag or make you feel like you had to do something you didn't want to... but I really was really missing you. I'm glad you are staying here but think that you should 'sticky' your other site under your name so that we can come and track you down whenever we need to. :)


Thanks Kim, I appreciate your honesty. However, sometimes I need "nagging"...just ask Peg! heheehe [we need to ask DocJohn about up'ing our image count - 5 is just not enough!!] I have missed seeing you too. Hey...how's Ben doing?