I try to stay out of this thread, because I see garbage from both (or all) sides, but come on Chuck, your unconditional worship of this site is really showing to much. Don't get me wrong I like this site too, but there have been mistakes and garbage coming from EVERYWHERE. Your above comment is ridiculous on several points.
First speak for yourself. I do not think Kelli's site was started out of spite. Sure there was a thread started there that a lot of people didn't like, but it was one thread about ranting and raving, and every site has one, Fauna has one. In fact it is even more "exclusive" than most sites, because you have to pay to see the garbage that is spewed there. I bet there is all kinds of talking behind people's backs in there, and that seems to be one of the biggest complaints about what happened on Kelli's site. Can we say hypocrites? Sure we can, and the "anybody can join, so it's not behind people's backs" is out right BS. It is behind people's backs if one has to pay to see it. That said let me get back to my point......In this day and age every joe blow has a website, and many many have forums, so to think that one of the most well known, and respected (in spite of what is happening here, and how you may feel) gecko people in this business would not put a forum up, is naive to say the least.
Second do you even remember this site in the beginning? It wasn't "designed with good intentions" in the noble way you mean it. It was started because Rich got burned and wanted to let everyone know, and to try to get some resolution or restitution. The forums started very slowly, in fact after years they still lagged behind what they could be, and it is getting better, especially after Rich implemented the forum moderator (ambassador), so your statement is really inacurate IMHO.
Lastly, the demeaning statements about quality, make you look petty. Sure there is a thread about mini golf, big deal. The threads that get the most traffic, posts, and attention, are the threads dealing with Geckos, and there is a lot of quality there. That site is one of the fastest growing sites I've personally seen, and the number of "new posts" when I visit the site is more than most of the sites I belong to, and even sometimes gives this site a run for it's money. Not to bad considering the site is, what a couple weeks old?
Really my intent is not to degrade fauna nor worship the other site, as I like both. Fauna has the BOI, and a lot of good forums and people. Geckoforums has a lot of quality Gecko info, and good people also. My intent is to show that I feel your jabs, and those of a couple others, including Bobby, may be leaving a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of good people. Sure mention that you think what they did is wrong (as you have all done on the first couple pages of this thead), but for you guys to continually harp, rant, belittle, and castigate every post, and person is getting old, and is continuing one of the worst threads ever and is detracting from all the good, including reputations.
Just how I feel folks. Rip away.
John
