Appreciate the background

**MNlad** · 21st March 13, 06:23 PM

Steve:

I'd like to thank you for your three-part background piece on XMTS in the Forum News. As a relative newcomer, it helps lend some perspective to what the forum is all about, how it came to be, and what guides it today. Much appreciated.

MODS: Move as you see fit.

**Kilted cabin boy** · 21st March 13, 06:30 PM

Thanks Steve,It's great to see how it all started and continues to run so well!!

**MrLion** · 21st March 13, 07:18 PM

***. Thanks for the XMTS history Steve.

**TheOfficialBren** · 21st March 13, 07:27 PM

Ditto. ***, Steve.

**rmccool** · 21st March 13, 08:22 PM

As someone who has to moderate a forum or three as part of my job, I have some concept of just how difficult the task is. It can make herding cats seem simple.

XMTS is one of the best run fora on the Net. I deeply appreciate what Steve and the moderators do to keep it that way.

Thanks!

**Father Bill** · 21st March 13, 08:39 PM

Agreed.

Go to any page where people are discussing technical solutions or (Lord forbid!) a Masonic symbol and the venom, hatred, and foul bile that spill all over anyone who simply shares accurate information is a paen to the lowest parts of human nature.

XMarks is a wondrous place of friendship even amidst disagreements, and I continually marvel at how pleasant and encouraging it is to participate here. Why is it so good? Because of the sensible rules and judicious application of them by a team of thoughtful moderators.

Thanks, gang! You're the best on the net!

**Richrail** · 21st March 13, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

Agreed.

Go to any page where people are discussing technical solutions or (Lord forbid!) a Masonic symbol and the venom, hatred, and foul bile that spill all over anyone who simply shares accurate information is a paen to the lowest parts of human nature.

XMarks is a wondrous place of friendship even amidst disagreements, and I continually marvel at how pleasant and encouraging it is to participate here. Why is it so good? Because of the sensible rules and judicious application of them by a team of thoughtful moderators.

Thanks, gang! You're the best on the net!

***

**Steve Ashton** · 21st March 13, 11:10 PM

Please stay tuned folks, I'm not near done yet. I have a real job and can only write so much at one time.
I must also break up the tome as we are limited in the number of characters in a single post.

I'm writing this because we are coming up on our 10th anniversary of being on-line. I thought it would be nice to have a record of our first ten years as we plan for the next ten.

I currently have the thread closed. That is only so I can finish what I am working on. When I'm done I'll open the thread to comments and questions.

Heck, I'll even accept criticism as that is also an important part of this forum. It is how we find out what you think and what we need to look at for changes.

In future posts I'll go over how much someone must do to have their membership revoked and a little behind why we have the rules that we do.

I'll also try to give you some insights to what is to come in the future and where we would like X Marks to go and where it would be nice to be in 10 years

**Downunder Kilt** · 21st March 13, 11:34 PM

Thanks for taking the time Steve, in between kiltmaking, servicing the shop, answering telephones, paperwork of all types, having a bit of time for yourself and Bobby, to give us this insight of what goes on in owning/operating this forum. Cheers and look forward to the upcomming posts

**David Thorpe** · 22nd March 13, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

Thanks for taking the time Steve, in between kiltmaking, servicing the shop, answering telephones, paperwork of all types, having a bit of time for yourself and Bobby, to give us this insight of what goes on in owning/operating this forum. Cheers and look forward to the upcomming posts

A huge Kyle Plus One!