Thanks George,
Travis, I hear ya, some will remember...
Looking back, we were a small group of builders on another site, run by (Erik) one bright guy with a day job who got in over his head & let it fall into disrepair.
When the site went offline (for longer than usual) a few of us discussed setting up another forum to keep our group together.
I already had a forum setup to support a lure carving machine I'd been working on (Anyone remember the "Duplik8r"??) so we started gathering there to what would later become Tackle Underground.
We had no visions of grandeur, no preconceived notions, we were just sick, crazy, obsessed tackle makers who stumbled into craft stores at 8pm coated in sawdust looking for glitter & a wedding veil to cut up. We were packrats, hoarding epoxy, plaster, wheelweights....swiping pyrex cups from our wives, & gladly taking heat for it.
Parts were sparse & anything lying around was a potential lure component.
We needed each other to validate our insanity & our original home on the web was just gone....like that....poof.... no warning, no explanation.
I despised Erik for a long time for doin that to us, but we saved an ember & relit that fire here.
I promised myself from the start, no matter what, I'd never run TU that way... how hard could it be right??
You starting to draw a parallel yet?
I've said this before, my hobby was making tackle, now my hobby is making sure you enjoy your hobby.
TU has had much better days....she needs work & it will take full-time devotion to turn that around.
I promised myself I'd never run TU that way & I've now kept that promise. I've become TU's #1 problem and I'm fixing that problem, I'm in her way & its well overdue.
I've entertained offers for awhile, from fellow members on up to conglomerates who own 100's of forums with topics from sports cars to Japanese anime' I could've $$ out, no notice & sacrificed all our work in the process. I vetted & chose who I felt would carry on our day-to-day & work to refuel that fire lit over a decade ago.
I hear and understand everyone's feelings.... LPO is a company, but one genuinely vested in our success. They know we are independent thinkers...they know we shop all over...there are many symbiotic avenues for TU & LPO that don't involve them forcing product down our throats.
Bottom line?..... they hope to earn your business by maintaining this site, serving your best interests & help you refine your craft.... how?? well, as usual, it's up to you:
http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?/topic/26911-tu-lpo-what-the-future-holds/
Concerns are understood,
A few weeks from now I'll be a normal TU member & I'll reap or forfeit along with you, my friends.
Jerry "redg8r"