Announcing Gardens.com!

Thanks, ecrane3, I just wanted to know which forums will be public on either site. You have clarified it. Many of us subscribers do write rather personal responses and I was just high lighting the ones that I should avoid on either site if I care about my privacy. It does seem rather silly to care, but I am just not comfortable with being on the public forums. Perhaps I will get over it. As Dave said, "Some healthy paranoia is good, but there's a point where it becomes ridiculous". Patti

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 11:41 AM

Dave, I just went to the new site, and when I clicked on the Discuss button in the middle of the page, I got a page of computer codes only. It wouldn't even let me copy it to show you. lol

Donna

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 7:51 PM

2zeus, fear is acceptable and understandable. This is one reason why I've devoted my week to answering questions as completely as possible. At the same time, there comes a point where my explanations seem to be insufficient and then fear turns into blind paranoia. I think we're seeing some of that.

My pattern is I am always expanding DG. Most of my decisions have met some controversy and I have always accepted that. I'm the same Dave that I always have been. Every person has a tipping point however, and, this may come as a shock to some, I know, but I'm not a faceless, nameless corporation void of feelings.

As I say, we should all take a wait and see approach. Those who aren't willing to do that should click on Logout and never return. But I'm staying right here and I will be continuing to expand DG as I have done for the past 6 years.

Dave

Dave,
I think blind paranoia is a bit strong. I will definitely admit I am leary of marketeers. Its all about making money to these guys. And its their right. Thank goodness for adblock in Firefox. I have to accept that's how the internet is evolving. The good 'ole days are over. I believe your heart is in the right place, but I've just seen corporate greed run amok so much that I have a new reality.

back to gardens.com... I tried Go Gardening at gardens.com and got 1 "entry" but a couple of dozen map "pushpins". I tried it here and got 32 entries and presumably 32 map pushpins for the same search. 25 miles of 03060.

also, can gardens.com have a different favicon so the context shows on the browser tabs?

I my Self Think That Gardens.com will be a good place Good Job Dave Paul H

I've never seen so many paranoid people.

Paul

I visited gardens.com yesterday and absolutely enjoyed the articles presented! I also liked seeing the profiles of those who wrote the featured articles; they resemble a blog, and puts that face to the name which always is nice. :)

I should visit again today to check out Forums. Heh, even ~I~ might even be able to help a little here and there!

Paul, maybe it's just a sign of the times? Since I gave up my top secret job with the CIA (just joking), I can't think of anything I've written that can't be viewed by the general public. Of course the public would have to be REALLY interested to look through the musings of an old 76 year old broad! LOL They are welcome to share my few blurry photos also.

Since I don't advocate the overthrow of any particular government, or commit treason and other high crimes, I feel it's a little self-serving to feel that my life and thoughts are so important that someone is just waiting to pounce on them in order to do me in!!!

I have complete faith in Dave's ability to keep us safe, along with keeping us happy, informed and able to come here and talk, talk, talk.........seemingly without end!
Pati

Usually just a big learner here at DG; my contributions have not been as great as I would have liked. I was lucky enough to win the Banner contest last Spring :) Been able to share information on plants with our entire staff and met people who have become life-long friends.

So now things are different, but taking whacks at dave’s hide strikes me as truly absurd and disappointing. I’ve been amazed to see Congrats and oh by the way this stinks, all in the same breath. Where I come from, that’s called a back-handed compliment ;)

There’s a business saying that goes – The rear view mirror is closer than the windshield – don’t keep checking the rear view; look forward into the great future we all have together as gardeners. Have y’all really looked into NameMedia? Have you checked out their demos of platforms that will give dave and Trish and Terry the chance to expand our knowledge basis with the spiffiest of tools out there?

Do you believe dave? I do; never had one eency, tiny thing ever occur that has caused me and DH to doubt his word. Can it be tough sometimes when you’re in a Corporate environment? Yup! People told us the same thing when we wanted to expand 4 years ago. Oh, you’ll lose the family touch, you’ll lose your heart, blah, blah. Well, back then we only could afford to feed 10 families; today we feed 34 families. That’s not brag, it’s just that when you have access to better systems and tools, you’re free to grow. Is there some fight-back? Of course, but that doesn’t mean you come out the loser! Not at all :) When you don’t have a specific product to sell – like plants for instance, you sell something different – innovation, knowledge and vision and hard work. Corporations like that :) I don’t sell anything but a service with knowledge. Dave and gang don’t sell people and they sure haven’t sold us. They’ve given us a great opportunity to participate and even now we can extend our subscriptions at the old price. Frankly the extra 4 cents a day is something that I can throw in a jar on the kitchen counter.

Most times fear of the unknown can be overcome by jumping in and being part of what’s happening! Why just yesterday I learned about a brand new tomato to us from friend Shoe in his article on the new digs:) And oh, have you clicked on News and hit re-fresh? Try it ! New plants and photos and drawings just keep changing and changing – it’s marvelous !

Yes, I really love DG and I’m going to jump in with both feet to be a part of the new venture….speaking of feet, Miss Dea's dainty size 5’s will now step off her soapbox :)

BRAVO Dea!!!! Well said!
Pati

Wow, Dea - you really hit the nail on the head. Thanks for posting.

Pati, anyway, for $15 or $25, anyone can subscribe to DG. That subscription fee is not a guarantee that there are no crazies subscribing and reading the forums. I don't post anything in a private forum that I wouldn't post in a public one.

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 9:02 PM

Dyson,
That heel clicking thing doesn't work for you? Maybe you need to have Dave check your software. I just tried it twice, once in flat shoes and once with high heels and sure 'nuff here I am Home! Be here awhile too, nursing this twisted ankle...

My post was not meant in any way as ridicule; just an invitation to be part of the new adventure. I sure hope you'll be part of it :)

Dea

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 9:03 PM

hmmm. maybe we need a new forum called Balderdash, Squabble and Babble where all who care to can get together and discuss their featherweight philosopies, fears, concerns and nuances (within the acceptable use guidelines of course) while the rest of go blithely along our naive way and enjoy each other's company??

*pulls out a homemade garlic dill pickle and pummels kikisdad with it*

I like playing Squabble. That's the word game, right? ;)

Hah! Tutti. If you spell like THAT I'd like playing scrabble with you.

This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 7:50 PM

*chuckles at kikisdad*

I can spell properly when I need to. Scrabble is one of my favourite games. *grins*

And getting back on topic, I think gardens.com is going to go far, and I hope to be able to help it along. :)

I haven't played Scrabble in years (and not sure I know all the rules but I can try!).

Thanks, Dea, for posting your thoughts and feelings. I'm right there with you (you just said it better than I could!). I especially liked the "Dave and gang don’t sell people and they sure haven’t sold us" part! I agree! Over the years Dave has worked with the members/subscribers in an 'open arms' manner, always listening (as he is doing now) as well as making good (if not excellent!) judgement calls.

Tutti-fruitti said, "I visited gardens.com yesterday and absolutely enjoyed the articles presented! I also liked seeing the profiles of those who wrote the featured articles; they resemble a blog, and puts that face to the name which always is nice. :)"

As for putting "that face" to a name...my mugshot is courtesy of Dave! At the very first DG Roundup (Tennessee) he took a close-up shot of me (ya think he wondered if I was real?) and that is it! Seems great to me that it has come full-circle, eh? Little did he know all those years ago a photo he took would be appearing on a new "Dave's Garden Production" website! Thanks Dave! For the pic AND the new website!

2zeus, "Our concerns are formed from our life experiences - those of us lucky enough to have had good experiences in this sort of situation are more likely to see it positively than those of us who have been faced with the nastier side of human nature, and had to deal with the consequences."

I hear ya! I, too, have been confronted with the 'nastier side of human nature' (I bet the majority of us have also) and it is not pleasant. At some point I have been able to shrug some of it off, other parts of it have waned and are no longer of any consequence, and other parts seem to have become "that person will have to deal with their own nature". Our previous life experiences certainly play a role in our perspectives but fortunately I've learned it is quite possible to view future experiences as positive or potentially positive. In this case, I'm quite sure my thoughts/feelings come down to witnessing how Dave, et al, have operated in the past 6 years and I feel secure in that. Wish I could say something to help alleviate your concerns as I I feel you are really struggling with this. Feel free to give me a holler anytime. (I can't handle the DG answers but we can at least share a few things between us, if you like!)

All in all...DG Folks are Family to me! Let's Grow!

Shoe

2zeus, I don't think anyone was trying to be snarky - I think folks are just trying to lighten things up a bit. We *do* understand the concerns - we wrestled with most of them (on your behalf) before this decision was made.

But at some point, it becomes frustrating (and a little demoralizing, not to mention insulting) to have the same questions (and insinuations) raised time and again after we've tried to address them. The implication is that the answers we've given aren't good enough, or they're not truthful.

Somehow people have misconstrued Dave's words to mean that DG wasn't profitable, (so how can the new owners make money from it, except to exploit whatever's here?) That's a completely false assumption. What Dave was referring to was the uncertainty that comes with owning your own business: will the revenue stream continue, or suddenly dry up without warning? You have no way of knowing for sure, and yet your family is counting on a steady income to make a house payment and put food on the table (not to mention trying to save and plan for your family's future.)

No one knows what the future holds for DG. That was true before this deal was struck, and it's still true. But I can tell you that Dave has done his best to negotiate terms that are for the good of this community, now and into the future. And it's fair to ask that people wait (without loud grumbling, naysaying, or speculating) and see what happens. If the doom-and-gloom folks are right, they'll have plenty of opportunity to gloat and tell everyone "we told you so." If they're wrong, I hope they'll have the good grace to come back and admit their fears were unfounded - sometimes it's a good feeling to be proven wrong ;o)

I had hoped D-mail would have been streamlined to make things quicker on the new site. The old "search, then select" thing is a little "clunky" to me. Would that I had an address book or a one-click list to select from.......

How about it?

R.

I sounds like you have some good ideas for improving D-Mail. Do you mind opening a new thread with some specific recommendations?

Dave