Non-motoring > What would we do without this website? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: rtj70 Replies: 77

 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
A lot of us have known each other for years from this site and the old place. We have differences and I know I've upset a few.

But just curious what you (and I) would do if this site didn't exist now. We ask for help and opinions and usually get it. There's usually a lot of knowledge from IT to building and everything in between. Some people think they know politics.

But lets say this site was going to disappear, where would we all go to chat? Would some of us stay in touch? But we don't all know each other's email addresses.

Food for thought. We just assume it will continue. And if we do want to get in touch via emails we ask to go via the mods to exchange details.

Maybe we should all have a backup place to go :-)
 What would we do without this website? - Crankcase
>>a backup place to go

What, another one?
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 14:35
 What would we do without this website? - devonite
Well there's always the "other" place we could invade en-mass, - but it doesn't seem as vibrant as here, maybe that would change tho' ;-)
 What would we do without this website? - Stuartli
Probably turn to doing something far more important in life....:-)
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
>> Probably turn to doing something far more important in life....:-)
>>

Probably a good idea.

You might wonder why I asked my question. Well, I got an email earlier and Car4Play as a company has applied to be taken off the register at Companies House. Not sure why I got an email but I did look at some of the free docs in the past. Maybe that triggered an automatic email.

So does a company being struck off the list mean it will cease to exist? i.e. this site will be no more?
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass

>> So does a company being struck off the list mean it will cease to exist?
>> i.e. this site will be no more?
>>

Does it have to be a company for this site to exist?

 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
>> Does it have to be a company for this site to exist?

Good question. At the moment Car4Play is a registered company with directors, has to file it's returns etc. It has shareholders too.

This site makes small amounts of money from adverts and will pay 'Khoo Systems' a token amount for hosting. If it does not exist as a company then can it continue? I don't know the answer to that one.

I just was surprised to get the email earlier if I'm honest and it got me wondering what it meant for this site and what we might do.
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> I just was surprised to get the email earlier if I'm honest and it got
>> me wondering what it meant for this site and what we might do.
>>

It may just be that the small amount of revenue does not justify the hassle of being a registered company. Some of the accountants and lawyers on here may be able to explain how the site may continue to take in ad revenue without registering.
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
>> >> Does it have to be a company for this site to exist?

Is the new 'other' place a company?
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> Is the new 'other' place a company?

Do the farts have ad revenue?
 What would we do without this website? - bathtub tom
I wasn't aware of a 'new' other place.

How old and flatulent do I need to be?
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> How old and flatulent do I need to be?
>>

Being old and flatulent isn't enough. You have to be grumpy too, in fact it is the first mentioned criteria.

Search this forum for previous posts on the subject if you want to find that pub.
Last edited by: BrianByPass on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 15:17
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
What about the IQ?
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
>> What about the IQ?

You don't need one do you on here either?

Don't all jump ship. Perhaps someone behind this website can update us - not that they have to.
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
>> Do the farts have ad revenue?

No they do not. The ad revenue goes to the web service hosting it. It is free. But only if it remains small. You can purchase ad-removal facility on the other place.

But this isn't about HJ or the other place. I'm not suggesting we go anywhere. I'd like to know if this place is about to vanish. Maybe the ads will be turned off and we continue. But if it does get switched off then there's a few people on here that might want to exchange email addresses whilst you can.

I'm not intentionally stirring things up - I must admit I was surprised to be emailed about the new documents filed at Companies House (it wasn't them that email I should add). So that's a bit spooky too. I've only registered and paid for something on Companies House once before and that had nothing to do with anything on here or anywhere else on the web.
 What would we do without this website? - Pat
>>I'm not intentionally stirring things up <<

Pull the other one.

Emails from Companies House or other firms with this information only come if you have asked for them.

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
I don't recall putting a tick in a box on companies house. But the email ended up in my junk mail because it was from this email address: office@companycheck.co.uk.

They have nothing to do with Companies House apart from accessing data and documents there.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 15:28
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> companycheck.co.uk.
>>
>> They have nothing to do with Companies House apart from accessing data and documents there.
>>

As you say not Companies House.
You must have obtained Companies House data via that companycheck.co.uk private company or one of it's associated companies.
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
You are correct Pat.

I use the companycheck website and once you have set yourself up as a user and added a company to your watch list - guess what? You now get emails whenever anything changes on that company.
 What would we do without this website? - movilogo
Website can exist without a registered company.

I am surprised to learn that C4P is a registered company! Looked up in Company House and indeed it applied for strike-off. It is spawn out of Khoosys which I guess would continue to exist and thus technically this website can exist.

Harsh as may sound, I would not miss this site that much. A web forum is valuable when peoples' opinions differ and thus you can consider various aspects of a situation/problem which you have not thought yourself.

With so few members, the responses here are often very predictable. There were many nasty personal attacks lately (ever since referendum discussion) and on occasions I thought of leaving for good.

HJ forum is still active (though it might be very similar to C4P nowadays). I detest PistonHead forum. Also, my interest in cars greatly diminished in last few years (other issues took over).

MSE forum is very good for discussing lots of topics.
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
>> I am surprised to learn that C4P is a registered company!

So was I when I first realised it was. Stumbled across when looking up DNS registry because of a name resolution problem.
 What would we do without this website? - The Melting Snowman
It would be a shame if this place closed but people managed before forums appeared and they would do the same again. As for joining other forums, I certainly would not go back to HJ, both the quality and quantity of contributions is way lower than its heyday maybe back around 2008ish, in my opinion of course. As for the grumpy old farts, well whatever happens here that place is dead, the same monotonous views and opinions from the same few people. Leave them to it. Too many I would want to punch in real life.

Someone once said on this forum that when HJ closed for a while back in 2010 we lost one great forum and ended up with two average ones. I fear the same diluting will occur if this place closes.

I guess we need to wait for a definitive statement from Stephen.
Last edited by: The Melting Snowman on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 16:35
 What would we do without this website? - RattleandSmoke
Not read all the posts and I am sure the answer has already been given but there is no reason why the owners cannot still continue to run the website but as a sole trader or limited partnership basis. There is a huge amount of paperwork involved in running a LTD company so I suspect that is the reason they are winding it down.

 What would we do without this website? - The Melting Snowman
>>but there is no reason why the owners cannot still continue to run the website but as a sole trader or limited partnership basis.

I was thinking exactly the same thing earlier. I suspect all will become clear in due course.
 What would we do without this website? - commerdriver
>> Leave them to it. Too many I would want to punch in real life.
>>
And that's the sort of attitude that drives people away from sites like this. It's only an internet forum, for goodness sake, chill a bit.
 What would we do without this website? - Zero
>>Too many I would
>> want to punch in real life.

You'll just have to continue to make do with giving them thumbs down when they come on here wont you, you sad, wet, cold, dense, inanimate and oh so very temporary pile of slush.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 18:22
 What would we do without this website? - Focal Point
"You'll just have to continue to make do with giving them thumbs down when they come on here wont you, you sad, wet, cold, dense, inanimate and oh so very temporary pile of slush."

Ouch! I bet that really hurt.
 What would we do without this website? - Duncan
>> "You'll just have to continue to make do with giving them thumbs down when they
>> come on here wont you, you sad, wet, cold, dense, inanimate and oh so very
>> temporary pile of slush."
>>
>> Ouch! I bet that really hurt.
>>

Well, the target is a melting snowman!
 What would we do without this website? - Focal Point
"Well, the target is a melting snowman!"

Yes, my dear boy, I know.

Honestly, irony is totally wasted here.
 What would we do without this website? - Dog
>>Too many I would want to punch in real life.

You and me both Melt Man.
 What would we do without this website? - Pat
For a moment you almost had me fooled rtj, but of course I should have known you were just s*** stirring as usual but trying to cover it with 'genuine concern'

This site can certainly exist without being a legal entity of a company registered at Companies House.

I know that for a fact, I have been down that route sometime in the past.

Now, how about you enjoy it (or not) for what it is, and stop worrying about things that are absolutely none of your business?

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - commerdriver
The other place is different and good in its own way.
The internet is big and available, if this one should disappear (can't think why it should, it works well, maybe better than it did last year) it could easily be reformed in a different place.
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> The other place is different and good in its own way.
>>
>>

Which other place? The old one that spawned this one, or the new pub spawned from here a few months ago?
 What would we do without this website? - commerdriver
>> >> The other place is different and good in its own way.
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>> Which other place? The old one that spawned this one, or the new pub spawned
>> from here a few months ago?
>>
Either one, although I was referring to the newer one. Happens in every walk of life, as an example, look how many Ford owners clubs there are
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
When you say the 'other' place, Devonite, are you referring to the new 'other' place or the old 'other' place? As I believe certain qualifications may be required for membership of the former.
;)
 What would we do without this website? - Crankcase
Aren't we coy!

To me, this place feels like a small group of active posters (20-30?), with a breadth of subjects and knowledge that's impressive. Good place to ask questions, bit of thread drift, odd drops of intrigue float by from time to time. What's not to like?

The GOF place (new other place) is currently a tiny group of active posters (5 -10?), great for an amiable bimbling about mostly.

The honestjohn place (old other place) now feels horrible to me, full of trollery and the usual internet yuk you get in nearly every other forum on the planet. Which is not how it was back in the mists of 2001 or so, but it all changed...

So I agree this one is a bit special, and it would be a real shame if it vanished. If it did, I'd be at GOF, not HJ, that's for sure.

And if that goes too I'll be in my cupboard under the stairs with a box on my head, which to be fair will probably be the happiest day of my life. And of course, yours.
 What would we do without this website? - PeterS
For me, in her general, the internet is an easy way of finding out about things that I don't know much, or enough, about, and communicating. This site, and a number of others, are a way of doing that with a bunch of people I wouldn't otherwise meet, and with a variety of experience and opinions. And this isn't meant to be dismissive, but if I want to chat with middle (ish) aged middle (ish) class men with fixed (ish) opinions then I already have more than enough exposure in the real word ;) So a site comprising just that demographic is of no interest to me. I might register and browse occasionally (pistonheads...!?!) but I am unlike to contribute or debate with them. The outcome is predictable :)
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
I agree that there's a wide range of knowledge and experience. It was why I stuck around on HJ after asking some questions originally.
 What would we do without this website? - devonite
The place where the Grumpy one's go ;-) - never more than once been back to the old place!
Last edited by: devonite on Wed 25 Jan 17 at 15:34
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass

>> Maybe we should all have a backup place to go :-)
>>

Go on, be brave, man.

Do you mean the old one you enticed us from to come here?

or

Do you mean the new pub for grumpy old farts?

or

Are you going to set up a new place of your own?
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
I'm not setting up anything and didn't setup this place (Khoo Systems did) nor the other 'new' place.

But with Car4Play disappearing as a legal entity in the next month or so (so it seems) then I am guessing this website will not exist.
 What would we do without this website? - Lygonos
If this site vanished I would never know Rob drove an Audi.
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
Or what I might drive next ;-) Although I don't know that yet either.
 What would we do without this website? - MD
I would miss it for certain. A couple / few of you have my email address I think and I would be happy to be contacted if this all goes breasts up. Hope not though.
 What would we do without this website? - Ted
Same as my fellow Devonian. I'd miss the place...I'd have to sit looking at SWM all evening. My EMail's on me profile and I'm happy for it to used. Quite a few of us are Facebook Fiends as well.

I found GOF and registered on there today, I thought it might need some class. Nice to see a few old, but not forgotten, names from the past.
 What would we do without this website? - Pat
>>Quite a few of us are Facebook Fiends as well<<

Yes we are, and that includes staying in touch with some who no longer post here, so it's nice.

We do have one unspoken rule though...

We never discuss this place, or mention what has been found on Facebook on here, and it works so very well for us all.

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - sooty123
I think it'd spoil it for me to find out who people really were on here. I've never been one to try find out either, i expect some do though.


If this place disappeared I'd probably just find another forum to chat on.
 What would we do without this website? - Cliff Pope
>> I think it'd spoil it for me to find out who people really were on
>> here.

Half the fun is letting one's creative imagination run riot and concocting plausible but very unlikely personalities for people. If I were in Who's Who one interest would be people-watching.
 What would we do without this website? - Mapmaker
>> I'm not setting up anything and didn't setup this place (Khoo Systems did) nor the
>> other 'new' place.
>>
>> But with Car4Play disappearing as a legal entity in the next month or so (so
>> it seems) then I am guessing this website will not exist.


You've missed that deadline. If that was going to happen it would have happened before application was made for strike off. Otherwise the website effectively* now belongs to the Crown.

There is no reason for the striking off of the company to cause the website to die. As I'm sure you are well aware.

*you can debate this point if you like.
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
The thing we should all be really worried about isn't that C4P has gone as a company, or whether this forum will continue to operate, but that Rob failed to send me an alert that my car annual service was due and on my own I nearly missed it.
 What would we do without this website? - commerdriver
Sanity check, thank you
 What would we do without this website? - bathtub tom
>> Rob failed to send me an alert that my car annual service was due

Hasn't HJ set up some kind of service specifically for this purpose?

;>)
 What would we do without this website? - rtj70
If he lists the dates for the cars I'll email him nearer the time for services from now on.

I think he still has three cars - the plugin hybrid Mitsubishi PHEV, his daughter got a company car last year (BMW i3 I seem to recall) and that leaves the wife's car.

 What would we do without this website? - R.P.
Rob,

Give it a rest - you're coming across weird.
 What would we do without this website? - zippy
Its already been demonstrated on The Simpsons......

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4YyRbjrri4

 What would we do without this website? - Pat
>>Give it a rest - you're coming across weird<<

Obsessed more like.

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - Pat
As my head is in work mode and I’m just about to start on the course again I pondered on a section I have already done.

It’s the one that prompted the quick question in motoring about what annoys car drivers.

It’s centred around how you see yourself as opposed to how others see you.

Lorry drivers see themselves as King of the Road
Others see them as…….In the way!

Working on that theory….
RTJ sees: Informative, clever, superior, revered, to be aspired to, envied, respected and liked.

Others see: Dishonest, deceitful, lack of confidence, no morals whatsoever, untrustworthy, thick skinned and desperately wanting to be liked.

I usually find a bit of plain speaking gets through better than pussy footing around the problem but at the very least, it makes me feel better.

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
I see lorry drivers as people with lots of baggage.


.. nothing personal - just couldn't resist it.
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> >>Give it a rest - you're coming across weird<<
>>
>> Obsessed more like.
>>
>> Pat
>>

Sometimes comes across as someone with obsessive stalker tendency, whether intentional or not.
 What would we do without this website? - Ambo
HJ's car review section still makes a visit worthwhile but posters on this site seem brainier. Long may it live.
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
>> posters on this site seem brainier

Zero brain? ;-)
 What would we do without this website? - Mike Hannon
I'd agree with the car review section comment. Do you think anyone has ever actually won one of those iPads?
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Fri 27 Jan 17 at 15:20
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
Fun fact, there is a name given to this kind of behaviour - doxing.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing

The argument is that if it is publicly available information then it is ok to dig it up and publish the summarised version elsewhere.

It isn't. But as I have nothing to hide it just comes across as weird.

However, I would rather have free speech than the current trend of making hate a crime.

Google "doxing and illegal" and you will see that the practice could be construed as illegal now the thought police are out in the UK.
 What would we do without this website? - BrianByPass
>> Google "doxing and illegal" and you will see that the practice could be construed as
>> illegal now the thought police are out in the UK.
>>

Glad you said that.
( I was careful in my choice of words, as I didn't wan't them to be misconstrued.)

note - doxing is sometimes spelt doxxing

www.neowin.net/news/the-uk-makes-doxxing-trolling-and-engouraging-abuse-online-illegal
Last edited by: BrianByPass on Fri 27 Jan 17 at 11:38
 What would we do without this website? - car4play
>> sometimes spelt doxxing

Extra scrabble points.
 What would we do without this website? - Manatee
Sadly there is only one X in a set of Scrabble tiles :(
 What would we do without this website? - Crankcase
You could substitute a couple of g's instead, although that could make your googling somewhat more eye-widening.
 What would we do without this website? - Ambo
If, God forbid, the site goes, can posters recommend sites for sections that HJ lacks - Computers and Non -Motoring?
 What would we do without this website? - Pat
It's going nowhere ambo, stop worrying!

rtj has been listening to too many politicians and forecasters scare tactics:)

Pat
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
They do have a 'General Discussion - Non-Motoring' section, ambo.
 What would we do without this website? - Crankcase
Non-motoring is well catered for by mumsnet.
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
Not being a Mum, it's a site that I've not visited.
 What would we do without this website? - Manatee
>> Not being a Mum, it's a site that I've not visited.

You can pretend, it's the internet. I was saying the very same thing to one of my fellow astronauts only the other day.
 What would we do without this website? - Clk Sec
It's a larf a minute on 'ere...
 What would we do without this website? - CGNorwich

>> You can pretend, it's the internet. I was saying the very same thing to one
>> of my fellow astronauts only the other day.


Ah It was you was it. Always thought your knowledges of astrophysics was a bit shaky.

Luke Skywalker
 What would we do without this website? - slowdown avenue
BritishForums.co.uk have you checked this out
 What would we do without this website? - Ambo
Registered but can't get in. Must I fill in my profile first?
 What would we do without this website? - slowdown avenue
guess so. i used the electricians forum, that it sprang to me from.
I only look . don't write in.
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