Anyone else blocked from Active Captain?

[MYTraveler]

Is that on TF? I don`t think he is currently posting. Or is it "spam" advertising emails from AC? (Or "AK", "Active Kitchen", which I coined when JS got into vigorous argument about food and nutrition).

I am not sure I understand your question. I ignored him on TF after he compared eating meet to the holocaust and suggested that anyone who condemned the killing of the pigs was a hypocrite if they also ate meat. Since I didn't know how to ignore, I sought help and received it privately from one of our well known members. As for AC, every month or so I get an email from news@AC. I generally don't read them, but one came recently about trawler vs sailboat anchoring. I will probably read that. I don't think it is overt advertising.

 

[Besslb]

Mr. JS/AC has posted on TF about identifying people by IP address. It was on a thread about communication signal potentiation, he got into a great disagreement about a product some Aussies said worked when he said it did not, could not, and should be repacked and returned to the supplier. A TFer supporting JS/AC even accused an Aussie member of posting under a screen name other than his usual one, when I asked him, on thread, to supply the "usual " one, he failed to reply.
If you create a new email address for AC you`d better have a new IP address too.

I think this is how I got kicked out of AC. Like I said, I wasn't involved in the discussion at the time at all, but someone in my home may have been...:: ....so he shut me out. Don't care. I can easily plan our travels without it. There are other options.

 

[BandB]

Oh, I agree completely. And it's apparently not just me.

I know one other blocked this time.

 

[dhays]

There has been a lot of conjecture as to whether anyone has been blocked from AC based on views expressed outside of AC. To be honest, I don't think the conjecture is helpful.

If AC did block someone for views expressed, that would be a serious problem which could cause a number of users to leave AC. Since it is users that create the content, AC would be crippled (and rightly so). If it is NOT true, then there is the risk that AC could be mistakenly harmed. It might be good to end the conjecture until the OP gets a reply to their inquiry.

 

[rwidman]

................ As for AC, every month or so I get an email from news@AC. I generally don't read them, but one came recently about trawler vs sailboat anchoring. I will probably read that. I don't think it is overt advertising.

No, but it's still his opinion on things. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't. Most of the time, I don't care.

The anchoring one is mostly about the different scope a trawler and sailboat might use but he is basing it on the assumption that the trawler's bow is ten feet above the water. I suspect most aren't.

 

[Britannia]

..
The anchoring one is mostly about the different scope a trawler and sailboat might use but he is basing it on the assumption that the trawler's bow is ten feet above the water. I suspect most aren't.

Mine is

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I have reached out off line.

And I don't think I have said anything disparaging about the site or AC. I have actually been complimentary about it.

I also don't see how sharing my experience is any different from anyone sharing their experience with any other marine business, and is ironically what Active Captain is all about.

I was blocked as well. With no explanation at all. I was also unsubscribed from the AC Facebook group. I too reached out, nothing back.

But apparently I am still good enough to get spammed by AC. Which I don't particularly mind but do find telling.

I too have never said anything particularly bad or critical about AC that I can recall.

This appears to be personal with Jeffery. I think he isn't able to handle people who dare disagree with him in public or even worse I suspect, point out how he can come off as a bit of an pompous ass from time to time in his postings.

This banning/blocking people over something personal seems petty and childish to me. Especially for someone running a crowd sourced business.

Then there is the fact that those of us blocked for no apparent reason have equipment that runs AC that we payed for. And we may have chosen that particular brand of equipment or software because we could run AC on it and now we can't update AC because (in theory at least) we are blocked.

I wonder if our reviews and comments have been removed as well. I bet not.

 

[dhays]

I wonder if our reviews and comments have been removed as well. I bet not.

Our reviews and comments are the content that AC provides. What most of us use on AC is content that is provided by users like us. AC owns that content to be sure, but it is distasteful if AC would ban the folks who have actually provided the content with which it profits.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Not to rain on anyone's parade here, but doesn't TF rules state no personal attacks??? Just say'n....Should this thread be closed and deleted?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Yep, I've been banned too. He can dish it out but he can't take it.

He apparently has a very large ego wrapped in a very thin skin.

 

[BandB]

Not to rain on anyone's parade here, but doesn't TF rules state no personal attacks??? Just say'n....Should this thread be closed and deleted?

I think this falls more under discussion of a business action due to postings here. I don't see it as a personal attack. Now, I also don't get terribly worked up over it. I believe it happened as described. If so, I think it was inappropriate. However, I don't think anyone will have a problem getting back in so the harm will be minimal and life will go on. It's his right to do so, just as if a marina owner read negative comments on himself here and wanted to not let someone use his marina he could. Of course, they could pull right in and use a guest's name.

 

[HopCar]

If you guys are unhappy with AC, let his sponsors know. I think Defender is a big source of income for him. I'd let them know you're unhappy that they sponsor him. If you do, be polite. No rants or threats needed.

 

[BruceK]

As someone unaffected (unless AC spreads to Australia/NZ as suggested), but who has crossed swords with JS, I don`t see this as personal attack on JS. It is about upset TF members, who say their AC access has been removed. If it be that JS does remove AC access in response to unwelcome TF posting, it has potential to limit expression on TF. A kind of self censorship, avoiding the loss of AC access by saying nothing negative about JS/AC or his opinions. Even on the choice of dietary foods. And if that be so, it seems proper to discuss it on TF.

 

[rwidman]

Not to rain on anyone's parade here, but doesn't TF rules state no personal attacks??? Just say'n....Should this thread be closed and deleted?

It's only personal by the fact that some posters are using his personal name, not his business name. It seems to be OK to post what we don't like about a business.

 

[rwidman]

............ I believe it happened as described. If so, I think it was inappropriate. However, I don't think anyone will have a problem getting back in so the harm will be minimal and life will go on. ........

How do you suggest people "get back in"? Yes, I suppose we can create and account with a different identity for Active Captain itself. Not really possible with Facebook though.

The lesson to be learned here is to use a different name for every website and don't provide things like city and state or the boat name. This will make it difficult for (you know who) to connect the dots.

 

[johnrupp]

It's only personal by the fact that some posters are using his personal name, not his business name. It seems to be OK to post what we don't like about a business.

Not to defend the man but he use to post under the AC name on this and other sites. Members complained that a commercial member was posting as an individual and he changed his user id to his name.

John

 

[mbevins]

Not to defend the man but he use to post under the AC name on this and other sites. Members complained that a commercial member was posting as an individual and he changed his user id to his name.

John

There is a fee is there not for commercial members? He probably didn't feel he had to pay so changed to individual.

 

[BandB]

How do you suggest people "get back in"? Yes, I suppose we can create and account with a different identity for Active Captain itself. Not really possible with Facebook though.

The lesson to be learned here is to use a different name for every website and don't provide things like city and state or the boat name. This will make it difficult for (you know who) to connect the dots.

I suggest a new id. Very simple. Although they could do the same on facebook, it's not what they're really concerned over as it doesn't provide the benefit Active Captain does to them. Not surprisingly, I do suggest discretion and protection of privacy in use of sites like AC. I question using your full identification for reviews. AC isn't a private site. Do you do that for google or yelp reviews?

I would suggest those using eboatcards rethink that. Now, we certainly choose more than most to protect our privacy, but eboatcards is publicly disclosing a lot of information including location at a given time. There are irrational people out there. We get lulled into a sense of security but putting too much personal information online can have repercussions and they can be far greater than being blocked from a site. You're sharing information not with friends but with a lot of people you don't even know. Would you go stand on the corner of downtown New York and start passing out cards with your personal information on them?

This might be more a lesson in discretion online than in dealing with one business owner. While I'm no fan of the owner, I'll continue to use the site as I find it beneficial. I will not disclose through that site though my identity or my location at any given time. I don't know the owners of most web sites I visit. If I did, I probably wouldn't like some of them either. Some of them are probably even criminals We never used eboatcards because we wouldn't relinquish privacy. We prefer to share private information only on a one on one basis, not to large groups of people on the web.

 

[twistedtree]

If you guys are unhappy with AC, let his sponsors know. I think Defender is a big source of income for him. I'd let them know you're unhappy that they sponsor him. If you do, be polite. No rants or threats needed.

Good suggestion

 

[rwidman]

There is a fee is there not for commercial members? He probably didn't feel he had to pay so changed to individual.

I think the problem with a (marine) business posting under an individual name and not his business name is when he (or she) recommends his/her own business.

 

[ksanders]

Well...

I do not use AC frankly because of behavior of the owner here.

I will not choose to support a product, and in supporting that product provide even indirect revenue to the owner, if the owners or people that represent that product behave in a way that feel is inappropriate.

 

[BandB]

Hopcar was the perfect example of how a business owner could participate in a forum. I'm sure there were times he would have liked to have replied differently to something but chose not to, recognizing his responsibility to himself and his business. Without overtly soliciting, I know he picked up a lot of business from here and for the right reasons.

 

[rwidman]

Well...

I do not use AC frankly because of behavior of the owner here.

I will not choose to support a product, and in supporting that product provide even indirect revenue to the owner, if the owners or people that represent that product behave in a way that feel is inappropriate.

That is your choice of course, but Active Captain is a very good product with no competition. In my case at least, cruising and picking marinas and anchorages without AC would be much more difficult. Sometimes you are better off just putting those feelings aside and doing what's best for you.

If there were an equivalent product, it might make sense to boycott the one where the owner's behavior doesn't suit you. There isn't at this time.

I'll give you a sad example: Years ago I lived in a "hippie" city that voted not to do business with any company that had anything to do with nuclear products. OK, fine.

When it came time to purchase new police cars, the city refused to purchase what the police department felt best met their needs. The city had to spend more money on inferior cars because of a policy that nobody outside of that city cared about.


In the end, you are making things more difficult for yourself and not hurting Jeffery one bit. Is it worth it?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Good suggestion

It might have some merit. If done properly and enough people affected put their names to it.

The other interesting thing about this is the fact that he took retaliation against people not for what was said on a forum or platform he operates but for what was posted here, on a forum where he was nothing other than an average member.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Hopcar was the perfect example of how a business owner could participate in a forum. I'm sure there were times he would have liked to have replied differently to something but chose not to, recognizing his responsibility to himself and his business. Without overtly soliciting, I know he picked up a lot of business from here and for the right reasons.

 

[ksanders]

That is your choice of course, but Active Captain is a very good product with no competition. In my case at least, cruising and picking marinas and anchorages without AC would be much more difficult. Sometimes you are better off just putting those feelings aside and doing what's best for you.

If there were an equivalent product, it might make sense to boycott the one where the owner's behavior doesn't suit you. There isn't at this time.

I'll give you a sad example: Years ago I lived in a "hippie" city that voted not to do business with any company that had anything to do with nuclear products. OK, fine.

When it came time to purchase new police cars, the city refused to purchase what the police department felt best met their needs. The city had to spend more money on inferior cars because of a policy that nobody outside of that city cared about.


In the end, you are making things more difficult for yourself and not hurting Jeffery one bit. Is it worth it?

I'm not hurting myself at all. I'm not an east coast cruiser, but I'll guarantee that if I were I could pick a marina without AC. My goodness, you are making it sound like you cannot boat without AC. Hogwash I say.

I am also not trying to hurt Jeffery or anybody else. I do not care if the product is good or bad.

I just choose whom I do business with. It's my choice.

 

[psneeld]

Actually, Waterway Guide is similar...but not exact...

Some posters here say they prefer is usability over AC....

 

[BandB]

Well...

I do not use AC frankly because of behavior of the owner here.

I will not choose to support a product, and in supporting that product provide even indirect revenue to the owner, if the owners or people that represent that product behave in a way that feel is inappropriate.

Wifey B: I respect your decision as one based on values and not enough of that in the world......but

What do you know about the owners of this site? The store you last shopped in? The last web site you visited? How many of them have abused spouses or even their kids? The stars of the last movie you watched? The producer and director?

Do you patronize all the companies out there who treat their employees poorly? Those that discriminate in hiring practices? What about Caterpillar, just had their offices raided and the IRS says they owe over $2 billion but if that holds up would owe $3+ billion now?

I admit to almost selling my Porsche the day the whole VW diesel scandal became known as I was so disgusted with them. More criminal charges last week and I love that the individual executives are being criminally charged. I may still dump it. What about Toyota and the deaths before they admitted an acceleration problem? What about Subway and their former spokesman?

I don't have the answers. Just saying, if the owner of a small web business is a jerk, an as....le, and has been petty and vindictive, then I don't like him but on a scale of business owners of 1 to 10 with 1 being a saint and 10 being the devil incarnate, as a business owner he's only about midway up the scale. Now, if he had worked for us, he wouldn't now, and, yes, we do have a strong social media policy of Thou Shalt Not's.

We do take stances. We walk away from car dealerships and go elsewhere. We would never buy a boat from one chain of boat dealerships. And, there are hotels we wouldn't stay in. Cesar Ritz was accused in 1898 of embezzling $3400 of wine and spirits from the Savoy and fired. Still staying in a Ritz-Carlton tonight. Besides Marriott owns it now and that would take more research.

It's difficult to decide and I respect any choice.

 

[BandB]

Actually, Waterway Guide is similar...but not exact...

Some posters here say they prefer is usability over AC....

Wifey B: I like it too but AC better. Waterway Guide is more complete than it was and that makes it better. Still limited area of coverage and even in that area not as complete. Their alerts and news are very good. The Salty Southeast Cruisers Net is a good resource as well in the SE, otherwise known as cruisersnet.

When cruising the ICW I'd advise looking at both WWG and SSCN.

 

[psneeld]

Wifey B: I like it too but AC better. Waterway Guide is more complete than it was and that makes it better. Still limited area of coverage and even in that area not as complete. Their alerts and news are very good. The Salty Southeast Cruisers Net is a good resource as well in the SE, otherwise known as cruisersnet.

When cruising the ICW I'd advise looking at both WWG and SSCN.

Thanks...my internet is slow and I tried to include Salty Southeast Cruisers too....

While AC is a great resource...Kevin is correct in that cruising doesn't have to have NSA level intelligence briefings and planning to be fun and safe.

That said...it is my go to resource for every day planning.

I mainly wanted to point out that there is a bit of competition.