where'd Smitty go?

family wagon · 06-25-2013, 08:15 PM

I've been browsing through a few topics and kept seeing replies from others referring to Smitty. I know I've read a bunch of his stuff here in the past, and he'd posted many great insights but it's all vanished now..? I tried searching for posts with Smitty as author and got an empty set back. Just wondering whether this was accidental fallout from the site cleanup last week or intentional.

Redbear · 06-25-2013, 09:25 PM

While Smitty was controversial at times, he was also knowledgeable, and respected for that by at least some. At first he was suspected to be a troll, and then he got his bus. When he did, he built a home that put most of the other conversions here to shame. He was the first member to be elevated to the rank of "Bus Geek," a rank I think only Lorna has held since then.

I suspect it was the number and size of his posts that either due to a software burp or Steve trying to save the rest of the board caused Smitty to be deleted. If I recall correctly, he made over 4,000 posts. But Smitty is not the only one deleted. There are others who are gone, too. I look at some discussion posts, and see answers to questions that aren't there.

I only hope there is an archive somewhere that will eventually restore lost posts. If not, "Thanks for the Memories."

Malkieri · 06-25-2013, 09:31 PM

I got deleted due to being a gmail user. All of my posts were deleted as well. Smitty probably had a gmail address and got swept out with the spammers. At least I hope that is why I was deleted, I would hate to think that Steve personally deleted me in the cleaning process. Just a guess...

family wagon · 06-25-2013, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbear

I suspect it was the number and size of his posts that either due to a software burp or Steve trying to save the rest of the board caused Smitty to be deleted. If I recall correctly, he made over 4,000 posts. But Smitty is not the only one deleted. There are others who are gone, too. I look at some discussion posts, and see answers to questions that aren't there.

Maybe my style of longer posts but few in number has some upside then..

Answers to Smitty's questions that didn't actually appear in the topic are what clued me in to the loss as well.

GreyEagle · 06-26-2013, 09:01 AM

I have talked with Sara, Steve's new sheriff in town on skoolie.net.
She is trying not to delete the good guys but sometimes it happens.......
she says quote:

*whew!*
While it is tedious, I enjoy doing things like this. Unfortunately, a few people have already notified us that their posts were deleted erroneously. If you have someone contact you with questions about why they are no longer a member / user, let me know. I can explain and hopefully smooth things over. I have only had two people contact me with questions, and part of the problem is that their user names looked extremely "spamish" (a long string of non-sensical letters). I'm sure there will be a little bit of collateral damage, but we should have the vast majority of it cleaned up and ready for appropriate posts.

Thanks a ton for your help! Good team-work!

-= Sara

From what we had to what we have now is night and day different. I am sorry that some have gotten deleted in the process but with the good there must be some bad somewhere.
Just try to understand the size of the mess they're trying to clean up. Thanks for you patience and understanding in this matter.......
GE

Malkieri · 06-26-2013, 01:17 PM

Is there a way to get the missing posts and whatnot "restored"? My info may not be so important, but I know Smitty had posted a lot of really good stuff.

GreyEagle · 06-26-2013, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkieri

Is there a way to get the missing posts and whatnot "restored"? My info may not be so important, but I know Smitty had posted a lot of really good stuff.

To my knowledge NO, Once it's gone............ It's gone!!!!!! Sorry

wmkbailey · 06-26-2013, 08:25 PM

I got deleted and my user name is wmkbailey. I re-registered with the same name. Does that mean I will get deleted again? I'm not using gmail this time. I sent an e-mail asking what happened, but it too got rejected.

Thankfully Grey Eagle posted about this on travelinwithus.com.

opus · 06-26-2013, 11:21 PM

I'm gmail and never had a problem.

Malkieri · 06-27-2013, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I'm gmail and never had a problem.

SHHHH are you nuts??!?!?! You can get deleted for saying such things!

opus · 06-27-2013, 10:14 AM

Thats ok, if I ever need any past info from this site, I will get it from the NSA. ;)

syke · 06-27-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkieri

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I'm gmail and never had a problem.

SHHHH are you nuts??!?!?! You can get deleted for saying such things!

lol

wmkbailey · 06-27-2013, 03:41 PM

opus, you are a bus nut. I only had 50 post, so I didn't rate yet.

bus-bro · 06-28-2013, 12:34 AM

Smitty deleted quite a few of his posts on his way out. I can't say if I remember why, but he did the same on Escapees (under a different handle). Many people followed his build, and it was much praised.

One issue he had though, was after he raised the roof, he welded in the sheetmetal to cover the windows, and the raise. The sheetmetal oil canned, and I don't think he was too happy about that.

crazycal · 06-28-2013, 02:41 AM

I bet he still comes on here to read.

wmkbailey · 06-28-2013, 06:56 PM

Since I hope to have my bus by next Tuesday, I was look over some post that I had marked for reference, Wild Blue is one of them. His post is there but all his post are missing

I liked what they had done with the interior of their bus.

Looks like someone else got deleted.

timbuk · 07-19-2013, 04:40 PM

smitty was a great member here,haha there is a reason why he is gone/left here its a loss he as very knowledgeable and was good at dealing with dumbasses I miss ya ol buddy hope you are doing well......TIMBUK