Good Evening Folks...
I'm not here to point fingers, cause problems, etc. But I do want you all to know why I did what I did. This way nobody can be the preverbial hero for causing the 'reactor' to blow... So I just stopped by to say a few things and I'll be on my way. It was with deep regret we had to do what we did. But as you see in Ed's message here, there was a reason why I held the reigns so tight. It really had nothing to do with the recent email that one person sent to Ed, (although that was the final blow and decision.. you know who you were!).. but a collective barrage over the years and as you read, even threats to his family.
I know I'm probably hated by most here and that is ok. It is what I accepted to do and I expected no less if necessary. But his message depicted everything.
What I do in the realm of understanding protection, I do well. Sometimes what I have had to do was not easy because I'm not generally a hard arse. I did what I had to do to protect Ed's business, family and well being. It's what I'm good at.
There was a lot of jealousy through the years. Some that started these threats that were not just in the form of law suits. As you have seen above, the threats grew deeper than that. Like Ed said, it's suppose to be fun. But not everyone wanted to keep it that way.
Over the years, Ed and I have had quite a few arguments, and so on. If you were with VWS before the last forum, you'd always know that Ed got screwed over royally by a previous associate. (Did you know that he wanted to throw the towel in and give up on VWS because of all the grief? I'd like to believe I my pleaing with him helped keep it going - as I spent hours on the phone with him to talk him into staying with the project)...
As a result, I saw it in his and every bodies best interests that security be tight sometimes... People needed to be stifled, etc. Personally, I could care less what people have to say as long as they could do it without fighting and arguing. If I seen the slightest bit of disharmony, my red light went on and I tightened things down. Again, it's what I'm good at whether people liked it or not... here or in an outside world.
I'd like to apologize to everyone here and from the old forums... If it was any other place or reason, things would have been less strict and/or better.
For these reasons, we decided to pull the plug. Now you can understand I hope why Ed distant himself from the public. We all know we cannot please everyone in the world, but we tried. It broke my heart to pull the plug because I'd like to think I had friends there too. But again, nature of the beast and I knew what I was always in for. I had many people say thank you to me over the years as well as tell me they wouldn't have that job for anything. People that know me personally, know my capabilities and are happy to know I have their backs. I had Ed's family and business's back at all times with one mission in mind. Try to provide support where he could not and protect his interests from outside harm.
To the folks that were disgrunteled behind the lines, sent nasty emails, cursed me out. Now you can see what some people have already said, "You NEVER know what goes on behind the scenes and why things are the way they are". I'm sure most of you, if you'd have known why we were the way we were, you would have confided more in my decisions and backed off. But I never even told the moderators why I did what I did. Most of it till Ed's message was in confidentialty which I never broken unless necessary.
So let this be an end to all the good and bad... let VWS and all it's users reign and have fun... it's a great hobby and I'll miss a lot of you.
Thanks to my old moderators... I know we had moments.. but no hard feelings... If anyone needs me for anything I'm always around. Just drop me an email.
I think Anole said it right... listen and remember that there are others out there that have feelings too.
Take care and best regards, no hard feelings... and I have no grudges against anyone.
John, WXWP
