An open letter to "DOM" and apology to Tone Deft

[Emissary]

aww, how touching this thread is Lets all make friends

[jamesp]

I haven't followed the forum for a few years, but I remember "SMOOTH_LOVIN_CYCLOPS."
That was some funny shit.

[Minimal Justice System]

Even worse I've plotted this moment, locked alone in my room bereft of friends, life, and emotion, behaving myself here for years just as an act, barely able to contain myself, a one man sleeper cell if you will, biding my time to make a stupid alias and post some stupid shit - all of this - only to see my evil plan blow up in my face at the very moment it was to come to fruition.

If it weren't for those darn pesky meddling kids!!

[dom]

And yes, I will never forget the quit smoking thread, it's the Ableton I like to remember and the one that I worry is going away.

Now we're in the same boat, man!

Are these threads really that harmful to you or Ableton?

Personally, i couldn't care less.
And if you spent some time here, you know how many ingenious people are posting ingenious stuff and you know all the running gags and the nicknames to avoid, and the sarcasm that is going on.
But this only applies to the "serious and long term" forum user.

For new people just joining the place it looks totally different and absolutely not inviting if the first thing they see is a poll calling other forum members names or weird animal pics etc. - and yes, this is a problem for ableton. This is not 4chan here. And as there are enough places like that out there, we really should try to keep this thing here more focused while keeping the vibe.
We can only be thankful for ableton not having decided on a hard forum police yet as all the other companies - but i'm afraid this will change if it starts to get ugly here again.
The last 6 weeks went pretty smooth in here, let's continue there!

Dom

[Aequitas123]

For new people just joining the place it looks totally different and absolutely not inviting if the first thing they see is a poll calling other forum members names or weird animal pics etc. - and yes, this is a problem for ableton. This is not 4chan here. And as there are enough places like that out there, we really should try to keep this thing here more focused while keeping the vibe.
We can only be thankful for ableton not having decided on a hard forum police yet as all the other companies - but i'm afraid this will change if it starts to get ugly here again.
The last 6 weeks went pretty smooth in here, let's continue there!

Dom

But if you/Ableton start policing this place, you run the risk of losing the "Ingenious" members that make this place what it is. Lets face it, we come to this forum first to be informed, but we stay for the community: the jokes, the banter, the drama...etc.

[Green Lemon]

Oh man, I disappear for 10 days or so and was thinking, Wow the Ableton forum has been so...relaxed lately!

And now Smutek of all people kicks up a dust storm. Well, I'm sure it was Deft who started it.

Now can we get back to insulting new customers?

[smutek]

Now we're in the same boat, man!

That's cool. I was out of line with you as well, sorry for that.

I was irritated that I seemed to be singled out over other more serious offenders, such as TITBAG, but more than anything I think I just felt stupid and lashed out.

[nebulae]

aww, how touching this thread is Lets all make friends

I am deeply offended at not being given credit for a Fun Fun Friday re-posting. Shame on you.

Dom, please delete Emissary's account at once.

[dom]

But if you/Ableton start policing this place, you run the risk of losing the "Ingenious" members that make this place what it is. Lets face it, we come to this forum first to be informed, but we stay for the community: the jokes, the banter, the drama...etc.

Exactly, now you got it.
And this is why i personally try so hard to avoid this as a kind of middleman, as i know this place for ages.
As with Smutek, i just know for years he's a cool guy and he was just a bit over the top today.

But let's be honest: Ableton is a company and if this company has to decide between losing the jokes, the banter and the drama in favor of a good looking place for new customers the decision is crystal clear and made in a second without any further questions.

On top of that it wouldn't be me then, but a team of people not knowing the history of this place, moderating it strictly according to a fixed set of rules.
By all means, let's try hard together to avoid that, because if you ask me: i love this bunch of freaks, it is one of the most outstanding music production communities out there - i mean, can you name me one company where you get such a discussion going with a company official?

Dom

[Aequitas123]

Exactly, now you got it.
And this is why i personally try so hard to avoid this as a kind of middleman, as i know this place for ages.
As with Smutek, i just know for years he's a cool guy and he was just a bit over the top today.

But let's be honest: Ableton is a company and if this company has to decide between losing the jokes, the banter and the drama in favor of a good looking place for new customers the decision is crystal clear and made in a second without any further questions.

On top of that it wouldn't be me then, but a team of people not knowing the history of this place, moderating it strictly according to a fixed set of rules.
By all means, let's try hard together to avoid that, because if you ask me: i love this bunch of freaks, it is one of the most outstanding music production communities out there - i mean, can you name me one company where you get such a discussion going with a company official?

Dom

Nicely said Dom.

[aisling]

i can feel the love and whirled peas back in the forefront of the forum......


upgrade mania sure gets those emotions running......

[contakt321]

But if you/Ableton start policing this place, you run the risk of losing the "Ingenious" members that make this place what it is. Lets face it, we come to this forum first to be informed, but we stay for the community: the jokes, the banter, the drama...etc.

Exactly, now you got it.
And this is why i personally try so hard to avoid this as a kind of middleman, as i know this place for ages.
As with Smutek, i just know for years he's a cool guy and he was just a bit over the top today.

But let's be honest: Ableton is a company and if this company has to decide between losing the jokes, the banter and the drama in favor of a good looking place for new customers the decision is crystal clear and made in a second without any further questions.

On top of that it wouldn't be me then, but a team of people not knowing the history of this place, moderating it strictly according to a fixed set of rules.
By all means, let's try hard together to avoid that, because if you ask me: i love this bunch of freaks, it is one of the most outstanding music production communities out there - i mean, can you name me one company where you get such a discussion going with a company official?

Dom

+1

[Big McBallin']

Chillax, Smu. Go post your set-up and your beautiful face.

[nebulae]

But let's be honest: Ableton is a company and if this company has to decide between losing the jokes, the banter and the drama in favor of a good looking place for new customers the decision is crystal clear and made in a second without any further questions.

First and foremost, I agree with your approach, and I sincerely want to thank you for trying to keep the peace with your posts. I agree that we should keep it fun and not mean spirited.

But I want to disagree with the quoted statement just for a second:

1. It is common business knowledge that a company's success at keeping current and old customers yields higher profits than a company that has to continually acquire new customers.

2. We have a particular vibe here, that is a bit edgy at times, and I'm a frequent "offender" (and quite honestly, proud of it). New customers should know that the community is built on that spirit. How we shape that spirit is up to us as a community, and so far, we've done very well. Again, your efforts are great at maintaining the vibe and subtracting the mean spirited discussions.

3. If the business decision was ever made to sterilize the forum, it would be a bad one. You would lose the essence of what makes this community thrive. Yes, it's for audio and knowledge, and there's plenty of that. But it's the banter and fun that keeps people around. By lobotomizing the forum, you would lose a lot of regular people.

4. The business impact of losing the forum vibe is immense. Just look at the current release cycle...all the discussion over the beta, all the participation. All the stickiness you want in a customer base who is hooked on your products before you even launch a release! And that whole thing leading to a frenzy of credit cards within MINUTES of release. All gone. Because of a "business decision". A bad business decision.

Again, I don't disagree with what you (Dom) are doing. But if anyone else at Ableton is reading this, please think carefully before you go down a road that ends up choking your company's lifeblood and soul.

[ChiDJ]

What Nebby said. If you sterilize this forum, I am out.

Tod