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This page is under development and have more to add in the coming days, but I wanted to get it out there for folks to have a look at....


After the previous mods left, Mark (Midiwall) and I were approached by Corey and asked to assist in moderating YotaTech.  Since the previous mods left in a snit and didn't do a good job of  representing themselves or their position, we never got much visibility into what had transpired.  In retrospect, we probably should have pushed harder to learn that, but we didnt'...

In any case, Mark and I both had a lot of hours in on YotaTech and liked the "community" feel, so we both agreed to help out.

Before and during our tenure as moderators, Corey had  repeatedly made it VERY clear that he was into YotaTech for the community and that he had no interest in making any money from YT.  We took him at his word.

When it was announced to the staff that Corey and Chris had sold out YotaTech to Internet Brands, Mark and I began chatting about an exit plan.  We were both familiar with what IB does to communities and neither of us had any desire to be a part of it.  Finally, we both decided to post our resignations to the moderators folder and let the chips fall where they may.

Below is my resignation, as posted:


I resign

"Hear me, my chiefs.  I am tired.  My heart is sick and sad.  From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." -Chief Joseph

When I joined the YotaTech staff, it was because I believed in what I thought was the vision.  Plainly that vision has changed.  YotaTech was much different than other forums/clubs, in that it was community first.  There was a small town atmosphere that appealed to me.  Sure, we had our town drunk, oddball, bully, etc. to deal with, but that is part of small town life.  Most of the people were here for the same reason I was.

After spending this past weekend exploring the world that is Internet Brands, I see no way that the YotaTech that I enjoyed can exist under that umbrella.  Internet Brands is a business and they are good at what they do.  Unfortunately, that doesn't happen to be fostering true communities like YotaTech.  The sites I see are slick, advertising driven and quite sterile.  They are many ways, quite the opposite of the qualities of YotaTech that I have enjoyed.

I was happy to be a volunteer when this was a "family" operation. Since this is now a commercial enterprise, I see no reason for me to be donating my services so that someone else can profit from my labor and knowledge.  My time and experience are valuable and I am picky about to whom I donate them.

I have no desire to be a part of trying to explain this abrupt departure from the previous "vision" of YotaTech to the masses.  I understand that business need and have always said that this place was Chris and Corey's to do with what they would, but I would never have imagined this would be the result.

I am sure that once the news is broken, the resulting uproar has died down and the new changes are in place, YotaTech will find some level of success as part of the stable of "one of the leading automotive enthusiast audiences in the world", but I think that will be but a shadow of what YotaTech once really was, a "community" of like minded folks with more than a message board bringing them together.

Effective immediately, please remove me from the moderation staff.  Best of luck with this, but I don't want to be a part of what I see as the death of YotaTech as we know it.

-Rob


Mark's resignation post expressed similar sentiments.

Other than removing us from the moderators group on YotaTech, there was little reponse, until we both got this a couple of days later:


From: Corey Manlove Tando <c.tando@comcast.net>
To:    Rob <watrd@watrd.com>, mark@midiwall.com
Date: Sep 10, 2007 1:30 PM
Subject: Do not blame you guy's

Sep 10
   
Hi guy's.
Chris and I had a feeling this would happen.
 
Back in time a bit here...
We had many offers over the past few years to sell the forum.
$30K, $50K, ect, and we said no.
 
Chris approached me earlier in the year and I told him no from one offer he got.
Shortly after that IB must have contacted him, as he was really wanting to sell to put a nest egg away and buy a home and get out of where he has been living a long time. I told him I was not really comfortable with selling, as it was our baby and we had put a lot of time into the place, to much time in fact.
I do not think anyone spends as much time on the forum as I do, and worrying about it.
 
But I knew he really wanted to buy a home really bad, and the offer we got almost made me crap my pants when he told me the huge figure.
I had to think really hard about it, and also ask him if we would still have any say in it, and he assured me we would still be admining it, but not having to worry about coming up with $300 to $400 per month to pay the current server fee.
Well, Chris and I did have to pay out of our own pocket the last two months, as Scott moved his forum to another site, and YT has been the only one on the box for a bit. Should be moving to the new server soon, and IB will foot the bill.
 
Yes, YT has been a tight knit tight of community, mostly ad free, will have to see how it goes.
But just as Chris wanted to buy a home, I also had to think about my future.
I am not young anymore, I just turned 50 in May.
 
Being laid off twice from Boeing and draining completely my savings and 401K plan hurt me drastically in hoping to retire with a good nest egg in 12 years when I hit 62. If I had never been laid off, I would be retiring in 5 years at 55, as my 401K would be stocked plenty.
It is now being built up again, and with the money from the sale, I am able to perhaps also move out of this rent cycle and get into buying a town home with a garage to keep the rig safe and have an area to work on things, and retire at 62 or before.
 
When I was laid off and working the crappy airport job for two years prior to getting my Boeing recall, I had to borrow several thousand dollars from family and friends to pay the rent, as the child support does not stop when you change jobs or go on unemployment.
I was on the verge literally of becoming homeless, as I had received a few eviction notices for non payment of rent.
I use to be able to make payments to the old management each week from my paycheck, but the new management said no, you must have all of your money in by the 5th of each month or you will get the notice to start eviction procedures.
 
I vowed to never be in that situation again, and with the sale of YT it will never happen if by chance I were to get laid off again.
Do not think that will happen, as work is going like gangbusters, and we have huge backlogs and plenty of work.
 
Plus I am also now able to help put my youngest son through college so he can perhaps get a good job in the future.
 
I know many will be pissed at Chris's and my decision, but it really was ours to do what we wanted with the place since we started it up several years ago.
I never thought it would happen, but Chris is young, I do not think he has hit 30 yet, maybe so, but it will help him out, and like I mentioned, I have to think about my future and my son's future.
I do not want to work until I am 70.
 
Sorry to see you guy's go, but we knew this would probably happen.
You two guy's were the best thing to happen to us after the upheaval after the other crew left, and I really mean that.
 
I am sure bubba's place will have a heyday with this, but I really do not give a F.
I have to think about my financial future, and if others were in my place and walked in my shoes, I think they would have done the same to secure their future.
 
Corey


From this, it appears that "community" was the last thing on Corey's mind.  You might also notice the timeline that Corey mentions.  The WHOLE time that he was reassuring Mark and myself that YotaTech was "not for sale" and that he was "not in it for the money", he was in negotiations with IB.  In my book, that adds liar to his list of notable traits...

The funny thing is, that as of the day of this writing, 01/01/2008, Corey and YotaTech continue to solicitate donations from members like nothing happened.  I wonder whether that money goes towards Corey's retirement, his son's college or Chris' house, now that the server bills are paid by IB?

BTW, I should note that not only is YotaTech a money making venture for Corey, apparently he's a vindictive sort as well.  As of this writing, he has IP banned Mark from YotaTech, so mark cannot log into the site.  Apparently because Mark posted this in a discussion on YotaTech about the changes that YT was seeing:  (Post by Cebby from the thread is at the top, Mark's response is in italics below)

[QUOTE=Cebby;50684471]Advertising is a necessary evil of any
  site that has outgrown "hobby" status.  It's a business hence
  the sale to Internet Brands.  For them to make the most of their
  investment, I'm sure this isn't the last advertising related
  initiative you'll see.[/quote]

  True, but we also need to step back and remember all the times
  that Corey had stood here and said "it's not about the money".

  It should be plain to folks now how much he can be taken at his
  word.

  Just before the public announcement about the sale to IB, some
  folks may have noticed that a couple of mods resigned. You should
  have seen the idiocy going on behind the scenes with the "IB
  Representative". What a crock.


  YT's commercial now, there's no other way to look at it. Fire up
  your ad blocker if you don't like it, but if you look at the
  other IB sites, you'll see where this is going.

  It's pure and simple, Corey and Chris sold out. The mods at the
  time saw Corey admit it in writing. Corey talked about needing to
  pay for college for his kid, and he talked about Chris's mortgage.


In addition, Corey has apparently removed all photos of my truck from the banner that I wrote for the top of the YT pages.  At least, they don't show up there anymore...  

But, I may get the last laugh on that... since I have proof that I wrote the banner code and was never paid a cent for it an attorney friend of mine has advised me to seek payment for my work and for it's continued use and I am following up.  I didn't write that code for it to be sold with the forum to the highest bidder and I have not released my rights to it.  Time to claim my piece of the pie... hahahahhaha

Anway, make up your own mind about what Corey and YotaTech really stand for... I already know.

And get used to the ads... IB has followed EXACTLY the same path with EVERY other forum they have purchased.  It's only going to get worse and worse for those who liked what YotaTech was and who would care about the corporate sell out that Corey and YT have become.

-Rob