Company Forum Shut Down Permanently!

[Derwin]

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!


The Persu Mobility Forum will be PERMANENTLY SHUT DOWN TODAY.

I just got off the phone with Scot Keller, and we discussed the many aspects of what is going on at the company. One major aspect of our conversation was the company forum.

He told me that the company has decided to SHUT DOWN the forum completely because it was no longer fulfilling its original intent, and has degraded into nothing more than a cesspool of mudslinging and personal attacks. Scot specifically mentioned the negative attacks, along with the general atmosphere, as being some of the reasons for shutting down the forums. This, and that they "have been hijacked" by a few people who have turned it into something that is not beneficial to the company. He specifically and purposely used the word "Hijacked", and made a point of repeating it to me.


He has given me this "heads-up" in advance a few hours ago. It is now being made public.



Derwin





THE ABOVE POST WAS POSTED IN THE ADMIN AREA OF THE CLUB EARLIER TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY THE COMPANY FORUM IS DOWN NOW, AND WE CAN MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT PUBLIC.

[randi]

<TABLE height=731 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=603 border=0 usegridy usegridx showgridy showgridx gridy="16" gridx="16" cool><TBODY><TR height=64><TD vAlign=top align=left width=602 colSpan=4 height=64 xpos="0">http://www.flytheroad.com/images/banner_news.gif (http://www.flytheroad.com/team.html)</TD><TD width=1 height=64><SPACER type="block" height="64" width="1"></TD></TR><TR height=80><TD width=16 height=666 rowSpan=2></TD><TD vAlign=top width=358 height=666 rowSpan=2 content xpos="16" csheight="458">As we continue to define a fresh identity that reflects our work to delineate a new segment of urban transportation, we have decided that now is the right time to introduce a new approach for communicating our key milestones on the way to eventual production and sales of the Persu Hybrid.

While this new page is under construction, you might check out our list of FAQs.

Thanks!

Persu Mobility.

http://www.flytheroad.com/images/return_grey1.gif (http://www.flytheroad.com/news.html#top)



There it is.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[jkbuster]

Harsh but I don't blame them. I guess all the "discussions" will now be taking place over here.

JKB

[AZEqualizer]

Yep Persu is better off devoting their time and effort to other things instead of moderation of a forum and they have a place to post here anytime they want. So it is a win / win for everyone.

[Derwin]

Well, as many of you know, I began calling for the shut-down of the company forums a few weeks ago. Scot and I have had many discussions about it, and it always came down to the same thing.....What purpose were those forums serving? The answer quickly became very clear that they were serving no purpose whatsoever that was beneficial to the company or the project.

But I do think that the company forums served their purpose for the time that they were up. It's a new day now, and things are changing. I think that is a good sign for things to come.

Derwin

[Miracleman89]

I am just glad to see it go! It had become a poison for the company in my opinion. There were those who hijacked the forum that served only one purpose and that was to tear the company down. Now that the poison has been removed, we can begin the healing process!

[MikeB]

I think it was the right choice. The bickering and entirely negative speculation trolls were doing no good, and the idea-gathering by Ian was long over.

We'll do a better job over here anyways, with moderation and limits, not to mention better software.

Btw, Derwin, if traffic pics up and you need more moderators here, I'm happy to resume having a role.

[Skemcin]

ITS ABOUT TIME.

As you may have been calling for it over the last few weeks, Its been something I've suggested several times over the past year.

I sure hope they get around to responding to e-mails that people have sent to them. The next conversation you have with them, I'd suggest having PM create several canned e-mail replies - then go through their In-Box and categorize the message into one of these message templates. Then send the replies.

This is how most politicians respond to public inquiries - and even though it may not be the most personable response, it is one nonetheless.

[rogwild]

Since the 'Company Administration' (neither old nor new) took any ACTIVE part in maintaining the FTR Forum, I'm not surprised that they would abandon it, instead of 'fixing' it. I am not even surprised that their 'Director of Communications', would not even post an 'announcement' to the forum members BEFORE hand (so that they would not think they had computer/web problems). Sort of reminiscent of what happened on this site a while back.

I am sort of leary of their expressed 'reason'; "a new approach for communicating our key milestones on the way to eventual production and sales of the Persu Hybrid." Since they failed to provide any milestones on the old Forum, I doubt that they will be forth coming in their new 'approach'; but I'll wait and see. It appears more of a 'drop back and PUNT' maneuver to me.

[Derwin]

I am sort of leary of their expressed 'reason'....

As I stated above, the reason for taking the forum down was made clear to me in our conversation today when Scot gave me a heads-up on the shut down. ..... The company forums simply served no purpose anymore, and had drifted far away from the original intent for their creation.

It's just that simple. The forums were of no use any longer, and anyone with an independent mind could clearly see this even at a glance.

Persu Mobility is heading in the right direction, and I am excited about what is coming.

What's even MORE exciting is the fact that this club will play a vital part in the future of Persu Mobility and the vehicle they are working on! :whoohoo:

Scot Keller will always make sure we are kept up to date on what is happening, I can assure all of you of that.

Good things are coming! thu:mbs:up:22

Derwin

[rogwild]

Since you appear to take issue with my 'personal opinion', let me explain my concerns. First, I was talking about their public 'Published' Reason, as stated in writing on their Company Website, not about a private conversation between two individuals, which may or may not have been intended to be 'released' to the public.
Their 'OFFICIAL' reason was the one that I quoted above.

Using terms like, "anyone with an independent mind could clearly see", adds no credibility to your position, and only serves to inflame tempers (perhaps that was your intent)?

I am also leary of statements like; "Scot Keller will always make sure we are kept up to date on what is happening, I can assure all of you of that."; since in the last two months all we have been informed about was a company 'Name Change', and the 'fact' that Ian Bruce was still 'actively' involved, when he actually left the company earlier.

You of all people should keep an open mind, since you were 'unwittingly' brought into it when you passed this information to the club membership.

[cobraphx]

There was a time when the company forum was very valuable to the company and an active part of the project. But those days had passed, and the time had come when a Blog served the company better than a forum. That's not to say that there will be a PM company blog... But at this stage it makes much more sense than a forum does.

[randi]

Since you appear to take issue with my 'personal opinion', let me explain my concerns. First, I was talking about their public 'Published' Reason, as stated in writing on their Company Website, not about a private conversation between two individuals, which may or may not have been intended to be 'released' to the public.
Their 'OFFICIAL' reason was the one that I quoted above.

Using terms like, "anyone with an independent mind could clearly see", adds no credibility to your position, and only serves to inflame tempers (perhaps that was your intent)?

I am also leary of statements like; "Scot Keller will always make sure we are kept up to date on what is happening, I can assure all of you of that."; since in the last two months all we have been informed about was a company 'Name Change', and the 'fact' that Ian Bruce was still 'actively' involved, when he actually left the company earlier.

You of all people should keep an open mind, since you were 'unwittingly' brought into it when you passed this information to the club membership.

A lot of bad water was gone under the bridge this year with regards to statements from PM.

I wondered as well about the statement above, "Scott Keller will always make sure we are kept up to date, I can assure all fo you of that."

Are your assurances--for want of a better word--leveraged, perhaps, by your contract with PM? On that note, is the contract signed and in effect? Can you now share some details of the contract?

[Mark Tomlinson]

My feeling that the forums were Ian's vision of communication. It might have worked, too, if a serious effort was made early on to manage the forums and mine them for ideas.

But the company won't survive without venture capital - and he who pays the piper calls the tune. The handwriting was on the wall very early as Ian missed announcement dates. It became clear that Ian's leadership was increasingly questioned and his "vision" was being modified - both his vision of the vehicle and the company. NGEN Partners wants return on their investment, so they will do what they feel is necessary to keep the business alive.

The forum is a long overdue casualty. It needed to be put out of it's misery a long time ago. But I suspect that it was one of the "pet" projects of Ian's and we'll be seeing plenty of other changes now that Ian has moved on.

[Derwin]

Since you appear to take issue with my 'personal opinion', let me explain my concerns.

I am sorry if you thought that I "took issue" with your personal opinion. This was not my intent. You have every right to your personal opinion, and a lot of what you are saying has merit.

The reason given on the website is not the "full" reason, and that's what I was trying to explain in my post. Scot gave me the "green light" to post that part of our conversation and make it public, so members can read into it whatever they want.

In the message that Scot posted on the website, he simply states that the company will be using a "new approach for communicating our key milestones..". No promises were made in that statement. It is just a statement of fact, that they will be using a new approach....the forums will no longer be their vehicle for communicating information to the public. Now, whether or not we see "regular updates" and such is an entirely different question. I guess time will tell.


I wondered as well about the statement above, "Scott Keller will always make sure we are kept up to date, I can assure all of you of that."

All I can do is pass on what Scot has told me. I have his word that he will update the club with new information as soon as it is released to him. He has already promised to "appear" on our FlyTheRoad Club LIVE broadcast as soon as he has some new information for us. My assurance comes from Scot giving me his word, nothing more, and nothing less. If some don't think his word is good, than they have the right to their opinion. But I'm just reporting what I have been told.


The forum is a long overdue casualty. It needed to be put out of it's misery a long time ago. But I suspect that it was one of the "pet" projects of Ian's and we'll be seeing plenty of other changes now that Ian has moved on.

Exactly right. I think the company forum served it's purpose up to a point, and it's obvious that the Persu team thinks this as well. It was, after all, Ian's baby. He is the one that seemingly put the forum together and managed it (I use the word managed loosely!). Now that Ian is gone, Persu is going in a different direction.

But what Scot told me in our phone conversation, and what I posted in this thread, is true. The reasons for shutting down the company forum were clearly laid out to me, and he gave me the go-ahead to make them public. Some may choose not to believe these reasons, but they are true nevertheless....at least it is true that Scot told me these things.

Now that the distractions from the company forum are gone, hopefully we can move on from all of this, and go forward with our discussions.

Derwin

[Hoosier]

Back when Ian was a little less guarded with info and freer to communicate. But I rarely visit there anymore for the reasons that others have expressed. No big loss, in my opinion.

So kudos again to Derwin for having the foresight to start this forum. This forum is in good hands. Let's give him our support and also pledge to not allow this forum to morph into the the other one; lest we suffer the same fate.

2thumb:up

[Derwin]

This forum is in good hands. Let's give him our support and also pledge to not allow this forum to morph into the the other one.

2thumb:up

Thank you. And you are correct in saying that this forum/club is in "good hands". We have a very competent staff of administrators that will make sure what happened at the company forum will NEVER happen here.

That is a guarantee from me personally, and a solemn promise. thu:mbs:up:22

Derwin

[Jack Willard]

There was a time when the company forum was very valuable to the company and an active part of the project. But those days had passed, and the time had come when a Blog served the company better than a forum. That's not to say that there will be a PM company blog... But at this stage it makes much more sense than a forum does.

agr:1 I have been suggesting a Company BLOG only for a good long while now. One-sided information releases on the FTR site best serves their current business needs. And I expect that that is precisely where PM will go. We'll see.

In any case, the Fly The Road CLUB has the thing that FTR was lacking, an organized level-headed group of friendly administrators. Not to mention a much better software forum. A much better forum experience!

I am SO happy about what has happened. 2thumb:up

[randi]

Has flytheroad.com been taken offline?:confused:

Anyone?

[AZEqualizer]

Nope the site is up but the forums blogs are gone.

[randi]

Thanks, Aze.

The problem then is on my end.

by the way, Happy New Year!

[AZEqualizer]

:cake: Happy New Year to you and to all of our members!

[BruceHAnderson]

True, the forums were filled with invective and tangents. However the problem remains in that the basic challenge of putting a new engine in the Carver just hasn't happened. Instead there has been a lot of distraction over the name, body style, etc. I sure would beel better if there was a mule somewhere.

[Skemcin]

... I sure would beel better if there was a mule somewhere.
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/10/03/Mule_061003102658077_wideweb__300x400.jpg