Is rimfirecentral.com a cult?

[Shotgun Man]

It seems weird that you cannot post pixs or even have an avatar unless you contribute money to their charities.

The way they explain it is lame. It goes something like this-- we've had many users ask if they could contribute money to help support this forum. We find now with our sponsor support, we are self sufficient. However, users can contribute a minimum of $20 which we will contribute to one of our specified rotating charities.

So some newb that needs help has to pay money just to post a pix asking a question about his rimfire.

Moreover, many of them sound like victims of domestic abuse with such comments as, "We can't say bad things about sponsors." See, e.g., http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=305949

This site does not allow negative comments about a sponsor's product

If they want to have continued relevance in the firearms community they need to abandon such constraining, oppressive rules.

[dadoody]

Never heard of them and doesn't look like a website I'd post to.

[Rally Dave]

OP: You cannot say anything negative about rimfirecenteral.com

[Cokebottle]

Originally Posted by Shotgun Man

We find now with our sponsor support, we are self sufficient. However, users can contribute a minimum of $20 which we will contribute to one of our specified rotating charities.
....
Moreover, many of them sound like victims of domestic abuse with such comments as, "We can't say bad things about sponsors."

Makes sense (not saying I agree). The sponsors are paying for the forum, so why would they continue to support a forum where they are being bashed?
How long would any of us last if we went on the attack towards Gene?

This is the very same reason that I read magazines for the subscriber projects and the how-to articles. I pay zero attention to any product review... if there's a negative in a product review, you know that it's a terrible product.
Magazines don't have the money to buy a bunch of products, so they rely on them being donated. These donations come from... you got it... their sponsors.
Write a bad review and you've now taken a dump on the company that is supporting your magazine... so if the item is a POS, you simply don't write the article.

Product reviews/comments also often prompt serious disagreements and even flame wars among users. Wanna have some fun? Hop onto a metric motorcycle forum and post something like "I really love my Harley, but I'd like something cheap and lightweight to kick around town". Then sit back and watch... the way they'll fight it's like putting two rats in a jar and shaking it up.

[Shotgun Man]

Originally Posted by Cokebottle

Makes sense (not saying I agree). The sponsors are paying for the forum, so why would they continue to support a forum where they are being bashed?
How long would any of us last if we went on the attack towards Gene?

This is the very same reason that I read magazines for the subscriber projects and the how-to articles. I pay zero attention to any product review... if there's a negative in a product review, you know that it's a terrible product.
Magazines don't have the money to buy a bunch of products, so they rely on them being donated. These donations come from... you got it... their sponsors.
Write a bad review and you've now taken a dump on the company that is supporting your magazine... so if the item is a POS, you simply don't write the article.

Product reviews/comments also often prompt serious disagreements and even flame wars among users. Wanna have some fun? Hop onto a metric motorcycle forum and post something like "I really love my Harley, but I'd like something cheap and lightweight to kick around town". Then sit back and watch... the way they'll fight it's like putting two rats in a jar and shaking it up.

As far as I know, Gene is not a financial sponsor of calguns.net.

I believe anyone could attack Gene as long as he or she didn't engage in ad hominem attacks, name calling, etc., ( i.e., criticize the argument, not the person).

As far as sponsors go, I've never heard of forum members on calguns.net being afraid to criticize sponsors.

[jakjakman]

Forums are private property. As part of the rules they could stipulate that you type only with your left hand. If you don't like it you don't have to visit or participate on their site. Ain't freedom grand?

[Telperion]

At least they're refreshingly honest about being corporate shills.

[rolo]

I used to be a member at RimfireCentral but have since deleted my account. I found out about this policy after a year or so absence and when I emailed the administration regarding the accessibility of two threads I put together as reference guides, I was told I could pay up or go away. I pulled all of the photos and replaced them with identically named rants discussing why the photos were pulled and deleted my account.

[Shotgun Man]

Originally Posted by jakjakman

Forums are private property. As part of the rules they could stipulate that you type only with your left hand. If you don't like it you don't have to visit or participate on their site. Ain't freedom grand?

What you say is true.

But don't you think people might wonder why the forum is insisting that you type only with your left hand? If that forum purports to be the foremost relevant authority on rimfires, then you gotta wonder even more.

[Fjold]

I left there 5 years ago, the rules got so oppressive that I couldn't stand it.