the unofficial Cosina-Voigtlander User Community

Nando wrote:

QUOTE:
No offence Brian, but its too bad Stephen is not on this site to tell his side of the story or at least defend himself. This really doesn't sound like the same person that I've dealt with for all my CV purchases.

Ironically, Stephen is currently posting messages on his list which are directed at Brian in what might be called an uncomplimentary fashion, and he is doing this in a forum which he has ensured Brian cannot now respond in. Stephen Gandy has been banning or unsubscribing people who voice opinions other than those permitted. He has carried out a purge of members of his RangeFinderForum, sometimes for no reason at all. I had my account at RFF cancelled by him for no reason: that is exactly what was given, 'no reason'. Others had their accounts cancelled because they revealed that the contents of messages from Stephen Gandy 'off list' were of a rather more obnoxious character than those being made 'on list' to the same people. Still others have cancelled their own accounts in protest, and a number of people have apparently cancelled outstanding orders from CameraQuest. What Mr Gandy is currently doing is ensuring that his side of the story gets to appear, and other sides don't.

If that's the case then its unfortunate. Hopefully Stephen and Brian can put this to the side and move on. Perhaps this is an issue that should have been resolved by both parties privately. I think Brian has done an excellent job with this site and I hope that he will continue. I'm going to end my participation in this thread with that and I'll focus on enjoying the rest the site.

I've just been banned from the RFF, too (not just CVUG). My infraction was either

1) Replying to Ash's thread about rfcameras.org (in which I made a joke about the thread not being deleted yet, but broke none of the restrictions he had placed on me).

2) Posting in rfcameras.org.

I guess that means if you post here you ger banned there? What is this "Us. vs. Them" attitude he's developed over the past couple of months. I don't get it? This is getting nuts.

I hadn't been aware of rfcameras.org, but a quick perusal answered my question of where those that were banned (and those that left quietly)from gandy's site had gone. Looks like a good community. I am sure you would be welcomed there.
As for the rff, the thrill is gone.

Brian wrote:

QUOTE:
I've just been banned from the RFF, too (not just CVUG).

I have detached myself from CVUG. After you were banned from CVUG, Stephen Gandy engaged in posting comments I saw as detrimental to your reputation, and as he was doing this in a forum from which he had first excluded you from any opportunity to reply in defence. The value of the forum plummeted to zero for me, and I unsubscribed. Though not without first expressing my disgust.

As dictator, he is free to do what he wants. To post disparagingly of someone he's banned shows a real shallowness of character. I am not a member of cvug, but having witnessed the purge at rff with it's selective application of "the golden rules", and the remarks about banned members and those that left to join Exodus reveals the holier-than-thou attitude extends beyond just the site owner.