TomD

it's just getting stupid now, people come on and post events or spam, who don't ever bother to make any other contributions to the board.
 
and then they just go and repeat themselves and post the same details in random bollocks, with something like "hey all u mad clubberz!! is anyone going to CrapNight at CrapVenue???" or "join this competition, it's grreat!! i don't work for the company that runs it, honest!!!"
 
have a dedicated spam forum then all the event suggestions posts from non-members can go in there, then everyone's happy - people can still check the spam forum for ideas of places to go, and promoters can still post.
 
if you're needing someone to do it then i will happily volunteer.

Because the main emphasis is based around organised meet-ups across the UK, rather than just clubbing in general.
Although the main reason I joined was because it was quieter than the other boards, and so you could actually have a half-decent conversation. That won't always be the case, though, obviously!

that fuji looks pretty smart james from the review I found here if it's the same one. full spec - i think from the spec it sounds very similar to mine, with the video clip function, etc, i think the res is higher but you'll be able to take some v nice shots with it, different ISO modes, manual shutter, etc.
 
siggers has got a point though, my camera definitely isn't "pocket", so have to drag it about all night. still, pros and cons really....
 
i'd say go for it but be prepared to spend a LOT of time changing the settings every time you want to start up the camera to take a shot, i have to alter white balance and change the flash setting, and even sometimes aperture, before being able to take one decent shot. (because obviously it's set default for daytime shots or something less complicated as shots inside a club)

andri (signum) just told me that he's seen the Olympus C-4040 Zoom over in holland for equivalent to £379. so it must still be available and at a falling price as well.
just thought i'd let you know in case you wanted to snap one up, quick!!

sorry to drag this up but i never actually replied properly to your post, James, and thought i might as well do it now while i remember.
sorry this was badly worded - what I meant was that up until now, most of the suggestions have been rather trivial, such as the layout of meet-up details, or things like that.
of course, but what i was saying is that i think regular members seem to now benefit less than they used to. promoters and DJs see how the value of such a close-knit community could advance their career or bank balance.
aye. it's a major point. spam can totally kill a message board, and the number of times there's blatant posts on here like "COME TO MY NIGHT", although it's starting to be modded a bit better, so that's good.
fair enough, they can, of course. but when you've got "board DJs" playing at an event, that's unfairly influencing it somewhat.
i don't really think CTW needs an events and DJ side. it should be a community of clubbers who want to go to the best nights across the country, not a community of DJs wanting to further their careers or an organisation which runs its own nights. but this is just personal opinion.
(including this to show that what i just said is personal opinion)
that's not being debated. i know that CTW is more or less what i had expected it to be, i've met some quality people on the site and been to a few meet-ups, i'm not going to stop doing that. what i will make sure i question in future is whether i go to CTW's own "nights" just because it has the CTW name on the thread title.
i had to make the decision between EITHER damnation OR sundissential. i chose the "official" CTW night. so in terms of clubbing yes i travelled just for that night. although i managed to tie it in with a visit to the folks, but i had literally just gone back up to uni seven days earlier -- so if it hadn't have been for the CTW night i wouldn't have bothered coming back to Wakey.
that's partially the case for me as well -- there's a good few people who i want to see again soon, whether that's at a meet-up or whatever.
fair enough.
i'm glad you agree with this -- there's been a good few people joining the site who just come on for the banter. i would say getting rid of Random Bollocks wouldn't be a bad thing to get the site back focused on its goals, but i think that might be a bit extreme, and as far as i can remember i think we've been there before haven't we?
good point well put. i'm sure taking it "personally" is probably not the word i should be using, i was more intending to mean that i didn't want you to take the criticism of the site as a failure on your part -- it's merely what you're always asking for, criticism, comments and suggestions.
i really appreciate you taking the time to compose that reply, especially as my post might have seemed a little harsh while you're on holiday -- the stuff that i haven't quoted or replied indicate that i agree with what you're saying, or that i accept what you're offering as an explanation for what's going on. this is a rushed reply on my part also (not my PC here) so there might be some errors or whatever.

Right well here goes
ClubTheWorld is an amazing concept. it's taking the idea of an online community that one step further where meet-ups are central to its working and its future. you have a common interest, you join up, you meet folk from across the country -- potentially the world -- who are all into this same interest as you, but with the extra bonus that you actually meet them face-to-face and see how they do it where they live.
Nine months ago when i joined, that's what this site was; a core community of members dedicated to meet-ups in their area. now i'll admit freely that i've not been the best at making meet-ups, but i would hope that that could be forgiven considering the location of most of the meet-ups means it's prohibitive for me to go to very many of them, on a student budget as well. but i did join precisely for the aim of going to clubs elsewhere across the country and meeting other folk IRL, not just avatars on a message board. i've been to the Prestatyn, to London, to Sheffield, even back to my hometown of Wakefield and had reasonably good nights out.
My beef with the site at the moment is not the current "aggro" between certain members. that's everyday life -- you can't expect to get on with everyone -- i know i certainly don't, and i prefer not to beat about the bush if i don't get on with someone, like up here. find your distance from someone, try to avoid situations where you'll get your back up getting aggravated with them, and get on with your life. as the site grows with more members, this obviously becomes an issue. firstly, you're going to get issues between members who like different musical genres and especially from those who are pretty narrow-minded when it comes to different tastes, but then more serious "issues" will obviously crop up between individual members whose personalities just clash and simple discussions end up in arguments.
All the group hugs in the world won't solve things like that, it's human nature; we can't get on with everyone all the time and we can't expect to. i think it's naive to expect that just because we're all part of one online community that for some reason that will force us all to be best mates with each other. it's not going to happen and EVERYONE needs to realise that from the outset, and if what people have been saying about James's comments towards Jus have been true, then James needs to realise this too. no offence to you james, but it just isn't possible to please everyone. sometimes you have to learn to say NO.
The real grunting and foot-stamping recently appears to be just centred around a few people who don't get on with one person. fine, fair enough -- but it has no link whatsoever to the standard level of banter on ctw. what i've argued before is that a bit of harshing here and there, some random comedy insults, and the odd inappropriate use of smileys, serves to break down barriers between members, especially those who are new. you know where you stand with them. it's obviously important to know that these insults are only intended as a joke, but i think anyone could see that, and, if not, drop a couple of smileys in there just to hit the message home. we are all young, pretty intelligent people and i know i'm not the only one in saying that i find it a lot easier to get on with people when i know where i stand with them, particularly on the play-arguing/play-fighting issue. kev knows, as i do, that when he posts an insulting message to someone -- especially a new member -- that he doesn't mean it seriously and it should be taken with a pinch of salt. it loosens people up from all the stiffness that too many /images/graemlins/grouphug.gif and /images/graemlins/cuddle.gif bring. if you've started a relationship with someone that's purely based on all smiles and hugs, what happens when you do actually disagree on something? do you hold back from what you're wanting to say because you think you'll offend them or damage their fragile mind? i'm aware i haven't explained myself very well here, and there's another post i made a couple of months back where i explain my feelings on this a lot better than now, so i'll go find it later and post a link to it.
The most important gripe that i have with ClubTheWorld just now is not the relationship between the members, not the spam or anything, it's the future direction of the site as a whole.
James insists that the site will always be for the members, and that income is not an issue. he's always strongly solicited input, suggestions and comments, and actually taking on board what people have to say, which is rare, and makes members feel more a part of the site and that their opinion matters, but it's been small things up until now -- meet-ups, colourscheme, logos -- whereas my main comment is about the wider issue of the future of this community as a whole.
What anonymous raises is a point which i was going to make in a post next week, and that's that ClubTheWorld is slipping away from being of benefit to its members first and foremost. i for one feel more and more like i'm here merely to line the pockets of the increasing number of promoters who come on here to "discuss" their events and let us all know how great they are, because this site is a soft touch towards spam and self-promotion. to have promoters and DJs actually resident on-board to promote their nights, call on members to "support them", influencing the ctw members "clubbing schedule" (if you like) is clever marketing, but also sickeningly selfish. to then combine what's a community of clubbers with a company that provides DJs is not moving the site further forward, but moving it away from its original aims entirely. having experienced one "official ctw night" in wakefield in april, i can honestly say that i probably won't be going to one again for a long time. the wakefield night was poorly organised, badly attended and the only thing i gained out of it was seeing people who i'd wanted to see again for a good few weeks, not the music. what the promoters gained were DJs, a guaranteed number of people through the door, and cash-in-pocket. and as the cars drove off at 3am for the meet-up the next day that was sundissential north (which even though far bigger, and far more well-attended, was not an "official night"), i ended up feeling slightly betrayed for the fact that essentially it was a mediocre night in wakefield that had abused the clubtheworld name to attract someone from 200 miles away just for the sake of that little bit of extra takings from the ticket kiosk. having said that, i had a good night while i was there, but it was the company that made it special, NOT the promotion.
Then every week, more DJs and promoters join the board to come on, promote their own nights or tune releases, and very occasionally entertain us all with the odd attempt at "joining the community" with a witty post or remark, but ultimately it leaves a bad taste in the mouth when large meet-ups are being arranged and members are encouraged to attend merely on the strength of some DJ's encouragement, with his/her number of posts not even reaching the fifty mark. it's abuse of the community spirit. the separate Spinback DJs-only board just reinforces this. i won't beat about the bush when i say i don't think this mergershould have never been allowed to happen. a site where the members have always come first comes to a point where there's now a special area they're not even allowed to contribute to -- where is the benefit to the members here? some big news announcement created an atmosphere of excitement, only to find out that the news was really of interest only to a select minority of members who would stand to gain personally from it. this is the real issue i have. now the site seems to have two juxtaposing aims -- how can you arrange meet-ups at new clubs around the country, and even the world, when your existing commitment is there to the "board DJs", their events, and CTW's own promotions? you feel like you're letting your "co-members" down by not going to a night they're playing at. a meet-up suddenly becomes "official" just because somebody has the modding rights to pin a topic that they want to.
So as the site becomes focused on running its own nights and promotions, the original aim slips into second or third priority. the clubtheworld event schedule has now become a worryingly predictable selection of regular attendances at the same clubs -- sundissential, serious, tidy -- where has the passion gone for clubbing across the country and where's the variety of meet-ups across different genres? i didn't join up solely to go to hard house & trance clubs, otherwise i would have left the site at the registration form (i'm more of a prog & techno man myself), but i did have a passion for travelling and seeing new places -- where is this now? we have a core group of members who will travel for their favourite clubs but it's the same names who crop up time and time again. and it becomes a vicious circle -- as the board slowly gets a reputation for essentially being a "two genres", "three clubs" community (this statement intentionally exaggerated), new members join in local areas who aren't really committed to travelling at all, or going to clubs that don't necessarily play the latest Nukleuz hard-trancer. having "funky house" as a token third genre is a cop-out. there is much more to dance music and club culture than these three rather clearly-defined styles. countless times people have suggested a prog night or a techno night and it's just the same names who reply, and the same names on the list -- it's a decreasing percentage of members that seem to want to try anything new or open their mind *just* slightly. admittedly, though, this is where ctw's influence ends -- you can't *force* anyone to go to a club they don't want to, BUT does the lack of interest mean then that an increasing majority of members aren't really here for what the site was intended for? and that it's just not being promoted to a broad cross-section of clubbers any more? the heavily hard/trance-biased content on the main site probably proves this, in the reviews and interviews on offer.
I agree with what's been said about sarah, my first meet-up last november worried me greatly at the time with what was happening. i thought i was the only one who was worried as to what was going on, but i was reassured by someone else that this happened "all the time". when you are meant to be in charge of running a sizeable community and you could be the first face that people recognise in real life, i think how you carry yourself is incredibly important. first impressions last.
I come on ClubTheWorld every day for the banter and to check the forthcoming events. i love the site -- i've recently admitted to myself that it's actually quite difficult to spend a day without coming on -- but i just wanted to have my views heard on this matter. whether anyone agrees with them, i don't care, i just wanted to express how i feel about various things, and i would hope that James and Sarah don't take this dig personally AT ALL, because it's not intended to be, merely a staggeringly-long essay summing up my own opinions.
Cheers for taking the time to read and i look forward to getting a reply... please keep it public though, not PMs.

howwww fucking good is this lineup then ...
GK ARENA
* as usual, [censored] all inventiveness for the main room lineup from gk, anyone would think they get quite a good deal on booking these DJs again and again or something...   
Tiesto Fergie Armin Van Buuren Judge Jules Ferry Corsten Tall Paul Marco V Push LIVE Misstress Barbara (shame you can't spell, love) John OO Fleming Jon O'Bir (good trance) THE GALLERY
* no comment
X-Press 2 (three of them all at once, [censored] they're good) Tall Paul (what, again??) Sister Bliss (can't mix. allegedly) Guy Ornadel Scot Project (totally out of place in this arena, haha poor guy) Christopher Lawrence DJ Montana John Kelly Medicine8 LIVE (nice one) Pulser Lange (what are you doing in this arena?. flange.) Petrae Foy Darren Christian GLOBAL
* tech-NO-driftoids, thanks
Carl Cox (fat bastard) Richie Hawtin (i want to have your babies) Josh Wink Adam Beyer (yours too) Christian Smith (and yours) Trevor Rockliffe (less so for you) Valentino Kanzyani Michel De Hey Will Grant SUNDISSENTIAL
* for when you want to "bosh" like the kids say
Lab 4 LIVE (or, "pre-recorded", as i'd call it) Lisa Lashes ("lisa CLASHES!!!hAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA") Andy Farley (hi boys) Rob Tissera (it's over for him) K90 LIVE BK (revolution-revolution. slam it.) Nick Rafferty Ian M Karim (dirty french pervert) Ilogik Jez & Charlie Paul Kershaw Mark Gray Strange Dave BABOOSHKA
* ooooooh funky house, like. saxophones and big blokes singing about having a good tiiiiime to the beat. wooo!!
Erick Morillo Bob Sinclar James Algate Roger Sanchez Junior Jack Kid Creme (spunky mouse) Dean Coleman BEDROCK
* if you're not intelligent enough, you're not coming in
John Digweed Steve Lawler Nick Warren (*jizz*) Hernan Cattaneo Jimmy Van M Futureshock Live Chris Fortier P.O.B Live (i assume this is not the same "Pob" from 80s kids tv) Phil Thompson (moonface) Jonathan Lisle HELTER SKELTER/SIDEWINDER
* [censored] this, where's the uk garage??
Grooverider Fabio DJ Craze Krust Die (hahaha what a name... DIE. die. die.) Zinc Andy C Hype Mampi Swift (sounds a bit gay) Adam F Bryan Gee Brockie Ratpack Nicky Blackmarket (oooh, i run a record shop) Garry K Dollar MCs Skibadee, IC3, MC MC, Spyda, MC Det, Fearless, Navigator (like Netscape), Dynamite, Tali, Presha, Stamina, Juiceman, MC Shabba (Ranks?), Five Alive (best name ever)
BORA BORA BEACH PARTY
* fingers crossed it's not pissing it down then. tryHARD
DJ Gee Jason Bye (bye-bye!!!!!!) Oliver Lang Tim Sheridan Gordan Edge (Trumpet Man) Pav (percussionist, he's played at Ikon in wakefield, haha poor guy) Saturday July 26, 4pm-7am
Long Marston Airfield, nr Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
more info
and there's even coaches going from Scotland. fantastic. 'mon the Buckfast.
-----
yes, i was bored

nope, it's at home.
 
it went something like:
 
"[censored] off
[censored] off
cunt off
twat off
wank me off
 
geeeeeeeebeeeeeeee"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA