OK, I've been banned because the mods and I disagree about moderation. (I have a new ID to solve an email problem and the mods were kind enough to leave it active). I have not read degree info in a few weeks, even though I can't post under my ID I still read the discussions from time to time. However the current controversy requires that I comment. I was very torn because I said I would no longer post, but in speaking with friends, other librarians, and several professors at FSU with whom I remain friends I have to go back on my word and post this comment. I don't see a problem with having other people's web sites served by the same server farm that serves this board. If anyone here has a website I can absolutely guarantee that unless you serve it on your own box the service provider you use has porn on it somewhere. I am a Roman Catholic, conservative, Republican, white male librarian (go ahead find another one of those), I abhor lots of things like killing, slavery, racism, and all of the other sins that subjugate persons against their will and I will fight to the death to end every one of them. I am a Conservative for Life who is against both abortion and the death penalty (and I don't understand people who can be for one and not the other -either way) . That said, if there are legal dirty pictures on servers that are co-located with degree info I'm OK with that. If there is gay erotica (although that would probably make me hurl) I'm OK with that too. I'm not forced to wade through dirty pictures to find information about distance learning. I'm sorry some people decided to leave degreeinfo because of this. I left because I was a stubborn SOB who disagreed with moderation. I can understand why some people feel they must leave because of their convictions or profession. It is unfortunate but it is a reality. Lets rectify the situation if it causes that much strife. Although I am completely comfortable with Chip's perfectly legal business ventures, others are not. I propose a solution. I will pay for six months of server space on a dedicated server at a host that refuses adult content. I will pay for server space and bandwidth for the entire six months. That will give Chip enough time to split the LLC off the other servers and solve the problem of what some see as inappropriate content. However I will not do this if it will cost Chip any money. I think that the best solution would be the creation of another corporation controlled by Chip that is completely separate from his other businesses in which there are no reciprocal links. We have a number of counsel on the board who could provide general direction in that endeavor. I would also be willing to pay for the corporate registration fee (should it be registered in Florida - that is the only state in which I have an account at the Secretary of State) for the first year of any LLC set up for the benefit of degreeinfo. However this is Chip's baby, he set it up, he deserves the remuneration. I don't want a cent, nor do I feel that I would be entitled to anything. Chip and the moderators do the bulk of the work with the members providing the knowledge on which it is based. As a librarian can see the value in this knowledge base, the many authoritative posters we have is remarkable. I cannot find any other online community on which readers can rely. Even wikipedia cannot hold a candle to degreeinfo. com. Other ideas spring to mind such as a board of directors to guide the overall mission of degreeinfo and rotating moderation, but since this is not my forum I will leave you only with those ideas. I certainly don't want to be a moderator, and I applaud those who have been moderators - even if I disagree with them from time to time. If Chip, or anyone else wants to take me up on my offer, or if anyone wants to discuss the future of degreeinfo with me I certainly welcome your input. I don't see this forum switching to a different name, but I can see how switching to a different host may assuage any concerns. Please feel free to mail me at my first name at my last name .cx or call at +44 28 9005 9899 (in N.I. for the next few weeks) This is not the great schism, but simply a bump in the road. N.B. Thanks to the mods for leaving mattoneil active long enough to post this. My previous ID was mdoneil. My offers apply even if the mods ban this ID too. Just because I don’t participate should not deprive others of the body of knowledge degreeinfo.com has amassed.
I really appreciate your offer, but all of the separation you speak of already exists... DegreeInfo is not hosted on the same server as any of the adult properties. It's not in the same data center, or even in the same state. The servers hosting DegreeInfo are dedicated servers owned by Nate, one of the other owners of DegreeInfo who does not have any connection to MRC or any other company with adult properties or other links to the adult industry, and ones from a commercial ISP that hosts Degreeinfo on a dedicated server that hosts only DegreeInfo. There is no adult content on any of the servers that host DegreeInfo content. There are no recriprocal links or mention of any aspects of one company on the other's site (with the exception of the recent threads, which were not of my origination.) DegreeInfo.com, LLC derives sufficient income to pay all of its expenses directly from the referral fees it receives from schools in our DegreeFinder database. Thus, there are no funds coming into DegreeInfo from any other source, and certainly not from anything related to adult media. There is no connection, financial or otherwise, between DegreeInfo.com LLC and Media Resource Communications, Inc. except that I happen to have a financial interest in each company. When I said there was no connection, I meant *NO* connection. Not now, not ever.
The only connection between DegreeInfo and porn is in the fabrications of the diploma mill shills. I must admit that I'm very surprised by the number of people that have apparently been taken in by this latest trick by these academic frauds.
I agree 100% Bill. I say enough already. This will all blow over soon enough. I hate to sound harsh, but this a damn good FREE service. If there are people who don't want to participate for whatever reason, they don't have to. It's that simple. It is nobodys concern what Chip does in his private life. I would like to also profusely thank Chip for this great service, I have learned things I wish I would have known about 10 years ago. However, with what I know now, I will get my B.A. Thanks once again. Abner
Good enough for me. Of course now I am one of those people who says they are never going to post again, and then posts again. As I slink away in shame I have but one more thing to say... Degreeinfo.com will rise again like a Pheonix from the fire! Which I never really understood because I've been to Phoenix and it was an OK city, I didn't find any great restaurants.... oh well. Like a kidney stone this too shall pass.
Geeez, Abner, is it now when the Californian weekend starts?????? Well, over here we still have a loooooong way to go for that! Thanks, anyway. Same for you ...... Un abrazo
