Campaign to save the YAPP

Should Angus be allowed to continue informing us about YAPPs?

  • Yes

    Votes: 156 99.4%

  • No, please give reasons

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • Total voters
    157
nigelmercier said:
I think this attitude is appalling. What Angus is doing is totally within the bounds of Practical Boat Ownership, and should be encouraged, not prevented. If they don't change their attitude then I for one will cancel my subscription.
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Yes he damn well should continue. He can hardly be making a profit from it. He is a genius. He is producing kit that is really useful (and potentially saving lives) and I wouldn't be surprised if it was some big company that has become a forum member and complained because they can see that he can make superb electrical kit for way less than they sell theirs for.
Can the mods look into who complained without disclosing it and see if it was some big company behind it?
Totally agree with Nigel, it is in the nature of PRACTICAL boat OWNERSHIP.

I hope he is allowed to continue and if not PLEASE start your own website, Angus, lots of us would build a site for you whilst you continued doing what you do BRILLIANTLY
 
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I am not a user or even interested in buying any of the YAPPS so far developed by Angus. However, I find what he does very inspirational and educational which is exactly what PBO is all about. I also consider his entire approach to be a hobbyist, non-commercial operation. Its clear from anyone who even takes a rudimentary interest in the YAPP threads that what he is doing is tinkering away and making stuff which he repeats at cost for interested fellows.

In fact, I would say that YBW are being hypocritical to an extreme in this case. It's clear that there are knowledgeable posters who run Yacht Brokerages, Marine Electronics businesses, Sailing Schools who all offer technical advice and are actively benefiting from the free promotions that goes with their comments. So ban them as well.

If I compile a list and complain about these professionals would you ban them as well I wonder? Please reverse the decision as it is absurd.
 
Please reconsider your stance YBW mods.
Let him continue as we all learn from him sharing with us the development process and also being involved in the trialling of prototypes. It is these factors that distinguish him from commercial concerns.
 
Mods are SO wrong this time....... This should be encouraged not discouraged....... It is what makes PBO what it is.

He does it for fun and to help people. It is clear and always has been that this not a commercial operation, far from it.... he looses money and heaps of time on every project.

PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!
 
I have never bought a YAPP, just because none were ever the right thing at the right time for me, but Angus' projects have made fascinating reading, and cannot possibly be considered a business as Angus clearly sells his projects for little more than cost. It is no more a business than the production and sale of forum burgees. Please moderators, think again on this one, and get Angus to write you a magazine article on his latest design.
 
Hiya

Just to clear a few things up.

Firstly we don't want AngusMcDoon to stop posting what is clearly a very useful source of information for you guys. The mod team had to check whether it was a commercial enterprise, and to be honest it wasn't absolutely clear to us whether it's an open source project or a commercial one.

Secondly PBO editorial team do not moderate the forums so it's really not their fault.

I think we may have been over zealous in this matter, apologies to Angus if we got the wrong end of the stick but it's a very fine line to walk as we get so many complaints from users and advertisers if we let companies promote their businesses.

Cheers,
Natalie Davies
YBW Forums Admin
 
Admin said:
Hiya

Just to clear a few things up.

Firstly we don't want AngusMcDoon to stop posting what is clearly a very useful source of information for you guys. The mod team had to check whether it was a commercial enterprise, and to be honest it wasn't absolutely clear to us whether it's an open source project or a commercial one.

Secondly PBO editorial team do not moderate the forums so it's really not their fault.

I think we may have been over zealous in this matter, apologies to Angus if we got the wrong end of the stick but it's a very fine line to walk as we get so many complaints from users and advertisers if we let companies promote their businesses.

Cheers,
Natalie Davies
YBW Forums Admin
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Hooray, PBO is great. Practical is what is was based upon. I still have all the sketchbooks from years ago. Loved all those clever bits and bobs.
 
Admin said:
Hiya

Just to clear a few things up.

Firstly we don't want AngusMcDoon to stop posting what is clearly a very useful source of information for you guys. The mod team had to check whether it was a commercial enterprise, and to be honest it wasn't absolutely clear to us whether it's an open source project or a commercial one.

Secondly PBO editorial team do not moderate the forums so it's really not their fault.

I think we may have been over zealous in this matter, apologies to Angus if we got the wrong end of the stick but it's a very fine line to walk as we get so many complaints from users and advertisers if we let companies promote their businesses.

Cheers,
Natalie Davies
YBW Forums Admin
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Well done on two counts:
1. Enforcing the rules to make sure this place stays what it is &
2. Admitting when you may have been a little harsh.

And quickly as well!
 
Admin said:
Hiya

Just to clear a few things up.

Firstly we don't want AngusMcDoon to stop posting what is clearly a very useful source of information for you guys. The mod team had to check whether it was a commercial enterprise, and to be honest it wasn't absolutely clear to us whether it's an open source project or a commercial one.

Secondly PBO editorial team do not moderate the forums so it's really not their fault.

I think we may have been over zealous in this matter, apologies to Angus if we got the wrong end of the stick but it's a very fine line to walk as we get so many complaints from users and advertisers if we let companies promote their businesses.

Cheers,
Natalie Davies
YBW Forums Admin
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Good call Natalie. :-)
 
Well done Natalie and well done forumites for making their views known, and well done AngusMcDoon for sharing his Yapps with us all
 
I may have been too late in voting. Indeed I hope that is the case and Angus is vindicated now. I always think that his projects demonstrate what customers actually want from the electronics on their boat. Most commercial products miss out at least one of the features you want yet each button has multiple functions that are of absolutely no use at all, to anyone! I have one instrument on board for no purpose other than to translate between the manufacturer's corruption of the standard to and from the standard - a function that Angus has demonstrated can be achieved for peanuts (just too late for me).

Rob.
 
In a reasonable world we'd be chucking PBO's editors off the YAPP forum for promoting their comic.....
 
I can't believe the mods on this; Dylan promotes his DVD's, Jonic and others their brokerage, Simon his weather service, Various online chandleries, pubs and so on get clicks in their signature. JellieEllie specifically used the forum to get a few thousand quids worth of free gear. Here's Angus designing interesting stuff that works and he's selling it on practically at cost and someone complains - and the mods agree with the moaning minnie? PBO or not in this case.
 
The mods have clearly stepped up to the mark with this and reversed the decision; and having looked closer and given it the due consideration I hope they can now see it is an excellent choice for a PBO article...
 
JohnGC said:
Not in a commercially viable business it can't. And that is I think, the point.
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What point? Commercial gear sold as navigation equipment can make the tea, so long as you buy that manufacturer's compatible £5,000 fuel cell... Angus has demonstrated that a truly competent design engineer can develop project after project in quick succession in his spare time, which discredits all the stuff about commercial development costs, and then sells it on at cost which reveals the profit margin in the industry, let alone all the leeches who take a percentage even before HM Govt. One of my oldest friends is an electronics design engineer, making a good living by taking on contract work from well known manufacturers whose development engineers want four years to meet a contract with a two week limit. The first requirement is to listen to the design parameters and look to address these and not waste time and money on things that are not in those parameters.

But what really gets me is that instruments are brought out with hundreds of unwanted functions but which , presumably to sell another item, leaves one of the basic requirements uncovered. I do however understand that when compared to TVs, the market sector is relatively small and the limited turnover does necesitate a higher margin.

Rob.
 
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