......

[spencer]

Russ,

Do you have some links to that sh!t that SYST3M posted? I'd like to check that out. That is total BS if it is true.

 

[Netopia]

Let's pretend he and I didn't post at the same instant.

LET IT DIE

 

[mechBgon]

I have been trying to think of something edifying to add to this discussion. I will say this: there is more to a Team than block output. There is more to a Team than our overall or daily world rankings. In fact, of all the ways we could measure our Team, those are the least important in my eyes.

If I could measure my contribution to this Team, I would not say "I have cracked over 700,000 blocks, a hundred SETI WU's and a bunch of OGR nodes!" My contribution to the Team is this: I assisted in the prevention of a couple suicides, encouraged a struggling young single mother, supported my Teammates when things went wrong in their lives, sprung PTE's on them to let them know they're special... I loved my teammates the best I could, in whatever ways presented themselves. And along the way, I happened to crack over 700,000 RC5-64 blocks and etc, etc. All the blocks, WU's and nodes in the world will come and go... but people will remain, and I know I'm not the only one here who can tell about how they've loved their teammates, supported them, and enriched their lives with friendship.

With an agenda like that^, what attracted me to this Team? and why did I decide to be a part of it? I think it has a lot to do with this: I visited the Forums and saw something I admired. I saw good sportsmanship. I saw the heavy-hitter members celebrating with the smallest when their Cyrixes churned out over 100 blocks in one day. I saw a young man with only one old, slow computer being valued not for what his block output was, but for who he was, and what he did for his Team on a daily basis, despite the fact that some of his own family scorned his "silly" hobby. I could go on and on, but in short: I saw a family, not a machine, and it was something I could believe in and identify with.

I've made a commitment to this Team and the friends I've made here, so rather than leave it in disappointment, I am telling about the Team I used to know. Can we be a family again? Can we temper our pride in our Team's accomplishments with admiration for the accomplishments of other teams? Can we represent Anand well, and be gracious tolerant hosts of the DC Forum for him, instead of being guard dogs? Can we enjoy the journey as much as we enjoy the destination? That's Team AnandTech as I knew it.

I hope everyone reading this thread can see something worthwhile in how the Team was a year ago. I am sure my idealistic notions will annoy at least some of you, but I hope no one feels like I'm attacking them. Attack was not my motive, and I hope that is apparent here.

edit: Oops, sorry Netopia, I started my reply quite a while ago Had to make sure it didn't say what I didn't want it to. I'm letting it die now already!

 

[chrixvh]

here here!

 

[Rendus]

It'd be nice if everyone got along in life, but that's not going to happen.

It'd also be nice if the argumentative/offensive/and so on people stayed away from those that don't like that type of person, but that's not going to happen either.

It'd be very nice if, despite the above, people tolerated eachother anyway. But that'll NEVER happen, so here we are.

Conflict is inevitible, just as my inability to spell showing is . It's in how we deal with such things that make us a team. I don't know how things were around here a year ago, so I can't comment on how things were. But, personally I've always found there were people to avoid. When I first joined, I was a lurker who got hit by Dennilfloss (a few of you will probably remember my reaction, but hey, here I am). I hung around a bit, tried to help, but got discouraged. Mostly hang in OT now, stop into DC to see what's going on, and I see a bunch of flame threads. Rather disturbing, seeing someone get ganged up on because he posted his opinion (osmo).

His supposed negativity has hurt the team, yet the impression watching this guy get ridden out on a rail helps any? Er.. No.

I don't think letting this go is the right course of action. There's no team leader, or if there is one, it's Anand. Yes, many have contributed more to the team than others. That's bound to happen. I remember when the atmosphere of the project in general was that of everyone working towards a common goal, regardless of what their opinions were. Seeing someone ambushed because he pokes in to say something made me realize that perhaps the atmosphere here isn't what I was expecting. Anyone remember the DES contests, where Team Bitbucket comes out of nowhere halfway through and practically takes number one overall in a couple days? At least with the people I "hung" with, as soon as we found out they were legit, the reaction was "Oh.. Cool!" Yeah, from what I remember, Bitbucket weren't the most social bunch, but their help was appreciated. (For those who weren't around that far back, Bitbucket, from what I can remember, had some insane number of Alphas, which sucked on RC5 but cleaned up on DES, much like the K6 series suck at RC5, but hang with the big boys in OGR.)

Perhaps it's time for dnet to take a break from RC5-64 to do some faster paced contests to get that sort of environment back.

 

[The Magicman]

LD,

You've asked for it´... now stand the pain
The (almost) forgotten pictures of IT

My own page with the real pictures is down.... as THE original CrackRack is (you know, there can be only one)

BTW:
There is a new microRack (µRack). (no pictures yet
4 nodes and 1 server.
MicroATX Mobos
Cel 600s @ 950+
1.4Gig 2.5" HDDs (no typo)
64MB
---------
6gig 2.5" HDD and 256MB for the server
The nodes are running Windoze98se lite, the server is running Win2K adv. server in a f.t. cluster with my primary server

Just to bring some REAL MADNESS back in this team

BTW2:
I've upgraded an old Pentium 100 Server to be "somewhat" useful.

All whats left is the board, the case and PSU.
The new components are:

K6/3 400 @66 * 6
256MB Fastpage RAM
EISASCSI Controller with a 4.5Gig Seagate HDD
ABIT Hotrod 100 with 2 45gig WD HDDs
Creative GForce2MX 32MB DDR PCI (those babys are hard to find)SB AWE32 (the ultra long variant of it)
100MBit NIC
11MBit Wireless NIC

running Win2K adv. Server

AND YES, THAT IS MY PRIMARY SERVER - and "do you have a second 'puter to play some games with me" gamebox

Oh, just call me nuts, crazy or completely freaked out .... and I'll say "You're welcome"

 

[Jator]

Man, I go to bed early for once, and this is what happens???

I understand a lot of people's opinions, on both sides of the issue. I'm not spending near as much time on the forums and ORC channel as I used to, so I might be missing a lot that is going on. I truley wish I could help, but past experience has shown me that no one wins in these situations.

Jay

 

[Drakkhen]

And I wonder sometimes why I don't post a lot.

But now, I must post the ubiquitous (sp?) "Why can't we all just get along?"

Let's all agree that we all see this team as different things. Some see it as competitive environment, and others see it as a meeting place to share knowledge, encouragement, etc.

If we can just step back and look at it this way, then maybe we will go on being the best team around without having any war of words about this, that, or the other.

If you see a thread that you don't like, ignore it. It will go away.

Ok, back to lurk mode for me

 

[Robor]

I'm not an RC5 participant (I do SETI@Home) but I was shocked to see this thread. It seems the mini-team thing is causing problems for some people and I can kinda see their point. On the SETI team we had 2 high-producing members, Dark One and The One, who work at the same company join forces under The One's name. That made them, by far, the top producer on the team and The One quickly shot past me despite the fact that I've been the 2nd or 3rd producer for months now. At first I was a little miffed but then I thought about it and said that kind of thinking is just selfish. After all, why did I start doing SETI@Home? The answer is to help the SETI project. Why did I join Team Anandtech? To help promote the website and be part of a great team. That said, what difference does it make if members join forces as long as the production is for the team?

We shouldn't be worried about our individual statistics and where we rank on our own team. What we need to worry about is producing as much as we can and where Team Anandtech ranks as a team!

Go Team Anandtech!

Rob

 

[Jarhead]

Chill out guys!

I *am* one of the new guys. I saw your team falling, I figured I got some good deals and lots of knowledge from this website. Figured I'd help out.

I ran across this thread, and it now pisses me off!

With the encouragement and help, especially from Russ, I felt I'd like to add a few systems to help out a little more. FYI, I purchased 5 additional systems to help out, with more on the way. Why I bought more systems? The feeling of competition.
Why I am thinking of asking my friends to help out? Competition.

You'd best do your bitching somewhere else but this forum, it reminds me of petty infighting of a bunch of high school juvenile jocks with too much testosterone in their blood on a football team after they have lost a game.

I don't know any of you, and I am not taking sides.

A word to the wise, if others have my reaction, it would be best to remove this thread!

If it wasn't for my monetary commitment, I'd be out of here in a flash.

 

[Possessed Freak]

Why let the thread die, why not get it all into the open so no side of this issue feels their voice was not heard?

miniteams: I *almost* regret joining syst3m starting TWTA... *almost*. Upon merging into TWTA I felt renewed and that DC had a purpose again. I do however regret all but walking out on them (hey there is a p133 still crunching away... it flushes every once in a while). I left for the sole reason so nobody could blame a creation I was a part of for leaving.

competition vs family: as I PMed DanC which I have no intention of quoting from, I personally think retaining members is a hell of a lot more important than getting new ones. I have said that before in other threads and I don't recall ever saying in my opinion that keyrate was what mattered, (I did however say that the members started to defend higher keyrate people than lower ones and try to retain the godlike keyrate crackers).

automated vs manual postings: of course people will try to program what could be done via a manual post. Ray has been doing milestone makers for a while and I don't think I ever visited the page that automates it. I have fond memories of LeBlatt's race page, hell he was the first to notice the incarnation of TWTA due to his stat pulling.

my sig. is meant for EVERYONE, try to keep that in mind. there is no one mind for TA...

edit: and just TRY to make fun of my sig now...

 

[Lord Demios]

I have had a couple PM's and I have read all of the postings on this thread.

Let me explain that this is like the seti vs rc5 war. Some people are going to get mad. Some people are probably going to leave. But a solution has to be found.

I'm not saying, get rid of members. Infact I like what DanC and Russ do when it's possitive to this team. But people have forgotten the reason why most of us joined.

Mech you hit it right on the head. The output matters very little. Some of you posted that Russ and DanC gave us higher numbers, and new members and better morale. I don't give a flying fart about the numbers. And the new members, how usefull is new members when we are loosing them faster then we can get them. And better morale. I don't call team bashing, or superiority issuse, or the fact that this has turned into a flame war better morale.

RUSS, this thread had very little about you. You jumped in, because your ego was wounded. Well, you read wrong. This thread is about how we can start working on answering questions personally. Not throwing someone to the how to's. That posting about something that might not seem so great to every else (block output, off topic, sad/bad day?) is fine and wanted! You need to understand that this team is more important then us being number one. And that sportsmanship is something I hold higher then anything else in this contest.

We are hypocrites! We bash the DPC when they come in here and post about how they got number one, or how they did a great dump, or how they just wanted to stir up a challenge. We explain it was very un-sportsman like to do that, and these members get punished by their team! But what do we do. We post that we are still number one. Might not be true but, the DPC doesn't count in this race. Or that we would be number one if we all did one project. This is bull. We will never be number one, if we can't earn the respect of other teams, by showing by example what a good team is like.

For those of you who felt this was about mini teams, or abour Russ and DanC, or about anything OTHER then the fact we have become very unpersonal. They you need to stop reading into items that are not there. I had one point in this, and that point has been mutated and destroyed by people not willing to realize that Russ posted too quickly thinking this was about him.

Russ it's about the team. Something bigger then you or I.

Chris Grahn.

 

[RaySun2Be]

And I thought it was all about me using an automated script to do the Milestone Makers. :Q

 

[networkman]

"We are hypocrites! We bash the DPC when they come in here and post about how they got number one, or how they did a great dump, or how they just wanted to stir up a challenge. We explain it was very un-sportsman like to do that, and these members get punished by their team! But what do we do. We post that we are still number one. Might not be true but, the DPC doesn't count in this race. Or that we would be number one if we all did one project. This is bull. We will never be number one, if we can't earn the respect of other teams, by showing by example what a good team is like."

I dissagree. Perhaps we bash a DPC member when they post here, but that's because they're usually trying to diss us on our own home turf; likewise, if one of us were to do the same on their forums, I'd expect a similar response from them. In both cases, the diss'ing is to be considered immature and un-sportsman-like.

Additionally, I believe we would be in the number one position(for RC5) if all of our members worked on this single project, however, we don't and that's okay - TA maintains a respectable presence in many projects, which is fine by me. Other team members may not agree, but I don't mind being in 2nd or 3rd or 4th place(etc) when we are involved in multiple projects.

I believe TA is the best team to be a part of.. but I might be just a tad biased about that.

 

[MWalkden]

Been gone for a while, guess I'm not missing much! Must be that time of the month to TA!

 

[BoberFett]

I think it's time for me to move on. I haven't posted much in the DC forum lately, but I do lurk in this, and I can't handle the bickering anymore. Perhaps if the rest of my life wasn't in the sh!tter, I'd be able to handle it. But those of you who know me will understand when I say that I can't deal with anymore strife right now.

I wish you all luck in your distributed computing and real life endeavors.

Warmest Regards
Chris

 

[Fandu]

I can't agree with LD more. I joined this team way back when it started and it has gone steadily downhill for the last year or so. I joined because back then you could ask questions and people were there to help, because we had fun. There was personality on the team, no big loudmouths and no little fish were ignored. There was geniune competition between the team members and the team as a whole on a fun level. In the last year or so TA has lost alot of the people who made it what it was. There are alot, a few I can remember off the top of my head...
JonB
Mander
Mika
Hutch and Mrs Hutch
TMR
Magicman
Netopia
Drakkhen
The list goes on and on. I'm serisouly thinking of adding my name to that list. At this point in time with the bickering and lack of fun on the team, I am ready to move on. I've scouted out several other teams who are now in the position AT was in 2 years ago, and if things do not change around here very quickly, I will have no bones about picking up the MiniTeam and moving. This team has lost what made it great. There was once a time when people could post jokes about "whack blob" and everyone had a good chuckle.

I won't say any one person or group is responsible for the downfall, but I do see there are several individuals who have not helped recently.
When Russ first joined, I felt it good, he was bringing loads of new people in, boosting the team spirit, and boosting the stats in the process. But since then the borg have become exactly that, a disease. No offence to the other borg members, that comment is aimed directly at Russ's behavoir in the last little while and this thread is a good example of it. Instead of everyone working together to resolve things, Russ jumps right in saying it wasn't him. [jumps into the flame retardant suit before Russ arrives].

I would really like to see a revival of the original team. That was what attracted me and I'm sure what will attract other new people.

 

[osmo]

Fandu-

It is that original team that I joined and admired. Unfortunately it was the changes that made me make the decision to leave. So where am I know?

I've been missing DC lately and considering restarting. But I will not do it for this team. I've been looking around for another team but it doesn't feel right. It is the people here that made this team what I admired before and what I miss today.

I hope that everyone will see that they have a responsibilty to help make this team what it was when they joined. I do now. I will participate in a manner I can feel proud of, for a team I can have pride in. I invite you to stay and help make this team what you know it can be.

Osmo.

 

[LeBlatt]

WHOT ? THE MMs ARE AUTOMATED ?!?!? RaySun2Be, you just lost my respect !

 

[osmo]

BoberFett-

I don't know the details but I do understand your feelings. I wish you the best of luck and my thoughts. If there comes a time that you feel like returning you know you will be welcome, I hope by then it will be a place that you can welcome.

Osmo.

 

[nickdakick]

<< Must be that time of the month to TA! >>


nuff said !
/me leaves thread shaking head....

 

[Russ]

<< Well, you read wrong. >>



LD,

I didn't read anything wrong. At least be man enough to stand behind your words.



<< This thread is about how we can start working on answering questions personally. Not throwing someone to the how to's >>



I'll tell you what. See that button that says &quot;search&quot;. Click it. Do a search in this forum on my user name. READ THE THREADS. Then come back here and tell me about not answering questions personally.



<< Do you have some links to that sh!t that SYST3M posted? >>



Spencer,

It is in this thread.



<< that comment is aimed directly at Russ's behavoir in the last little while and this thread is a good example of it. >>



Fandu,

Let me see if I can figure this out. LD posts a thread attacking Dan and I, and MY behavior is the problem? You seem to be a little confused, so let me clarify. All I did was defend myself from attack by someone who is supposedly on the same team.

Joe,

I will apologize to you personally if anything I've done has bothered you. Your opinion is important to me, and always has been. But, I won't drop my pants for anyone who decides that they have carte blanche to attack me.

Chris,

You, I would be very sorry to see go. You are a true competitor who takes a punch as good as he gives. That is much more than I can say for some others here. I do know and understand what you're going through right now, though, and that is far more important then any of this.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Now, let's take a look at just how &quot;damaging&quot; my presence has been to the team effort:

In May, when I joined, we were averaging about 580 participants a day, and about 900K blocks. By July, this had risen above 700 daily particpants. When OGR hit, this dropped back to about 560. We're now over 750 again.

Yeah, I can see what a negative impact my participation has had on team growth. Give me a break.

It all boils down to this: We have a core group of elitist geeks whose little playground got invaded. This makes these &quot;old timers&quot; unhappy because they fear change. They want that nice, chummy little comfort zone back.

Well, Osmo, LD, Fandu, SYST3M (and a couple others - there really aren't that many of you), here's a clue: I've been around AnandTech longer then any of you. I may not have been a member of Team AnandTech's RC5 effort, but, hey, you ain't the world with a fence around it.

If it's so bad, leave. Fact is, there will be ten more coming through the door to replace you before your seat is even cold. And, please, do it quietly. The public &quot;I'm leaving&quot; pronouncement is boring.

Russ, NCNE

 

[osmo]

Russ- As many have pointed out, the team is more than just stats from a project.

<< Fact is, there will be ten more coming through the door to replace you before your seat is even cold. >>

I wouldn't use that on one of your banner ads.:Q

Osmo.

 

[SYST3M]

russ, i still want a reply... i am waiting for the email. oh wait, you already started the flames on your own. how ironic...

[edit] and obviously that because you have been around these forums longer than we have makes a whole lot of difference? wow, russ i am impressed, you have wasted more of your life here than i have, kudos. and now that you join the team, we are all supposed to throw out the door the fact that you haven't been on the team for long, just because you have been in the forums longer than we have? sorry, it doesn't work that way. this is a team. you don't expect a rookie on a football team to be the outspoken team leader just because he has been playing football for longer than anyone else. and now that we are going this way. ooooo you are elite. heh, well i am glad now that they are promoting people who actually do good to make that title look better. you should thank them, lets see, ViRGE, BurntKooshie, Engineer, RaySun2Be. [/edit]

 

[Rendus]

<< Well, Osmo, LD, Fandu, SYST3M (and a couple others - there really aren't that many of you), here's a clue: I've been around AnandTech longer then any of you. I may not have been a member of Team AnandTech's RC5 effort, but, hey, you ain't the world with a fence around it. >>



And MY DAD can beat up YOUR DAD! So there!

I've been with dnet since RC5-56. Does that make me l33t? Does that make me better than anyone else?



<< If it's so bad, leave. Fact is, there will be ten more coming through the door to replace you before your seat is even cold. And, please, do it quietly. The public &quot;I'm leaving&quot; pronouncement is boring. >>



And with that, I'm packing up my cows and moving elsewhere, I believe.

Dennil, please remove from your list:

TBird 900
K6-2 333
K6-2 300
2xP233MMX
P200