Iceman Mike- WE NEED YOU!

mental4astro (Alexander) · #1 08-09-2018, 12:06 PM

Mike,

Where are you?

We sorely miss your presence here in IIS.

We are all so very grateful for the work you and Terry have done in getting IIS up and going, and we desperately need you to join us again to lift this marvelous forum again.

Many of us here have so many ideas on how to help IIS evolve, and your presence is so much wanted again!

I for one understand that some of your interest in astro can have waned. What would it take for some of your astro-mojo to return to IIS? We so much need it to fire up again.

To the mods - thank you for your hard work everyday. We also know that you boys have limited capacity to implement the many requests posed to you by the membership. Might there be a chance that some of the controls Mike and Terry have could be shared with one or more of the Mods?

xXx

To the IIS membership, this thread IS NOT to vent anger. We are all feeling the frustration of the absence of our leader here, but laying crap won't help. We all know the current difficulties, and I most sincerely want to encourage Mike, not make things harder. I want this thread to be about showing our support for Mike, and Terry, and to encourage them. Please.

xXx

Keeping the faith in IIS,

Alex.

ZeroID (Brent) · #2 08-09-2018, 01:20 PM

Definitely . ! keeping the faith from afar...

Ric · #3 08-09-2018, 01:40 PM

Totally agree Alex.

No doubt Mike and Terry are probably still doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

But like the rest of us it's probably a case of life getting in the way of this great hobby.

Cheers

Saturnine (Jeff) · #4 08-09-2018, 02:05 PM

I fully agree with Alex' and every one else sentiments and thoughts. IIS is a great forum and resource, so many knowledgeable people here that share their knowledge so readily. Forever grateful to Mike and Terry for setting up IIS. Long may it prosper and grow.

xelasnave · #5 08-09-2018, 02:55 PM

I am so glad you raised this Alex.

You are a credit to your name...leader of men...I am lining up behind you.

After reading the photo of the week thread it made me want to start a thread like this and I am so happy you had the courage to do so whereas I just thought about it.

I love this site and would do anything to help.

I always mention it to folk that I bail up and show photos to ...I know some even joined for a spell...maybe as many as two.

I think this thread would be a great opportunity for folk to voice their appreciation for all Mike has done and in fact to all those who contribute behind the scenes.

I try to post stuff mainly to keep a light in the window but even I get to the stage where I run out of content.

Three cheers for Mike.

I expect he does not realise he is a celebrity to us...I am sure all of us just want to see him from time to time.

And if there is anything we can do if he could share his concerns well maybe we could help.

I was only thinking about his Jupiter shots the other day and how he was a world leader with his efforts thru his 12 inch and how he would give talks.

However I was out of it for a while due to other things and really only got back to doing stuff last year...I found it sort of carried me away again.
So I hope he gets his interest up again.

I would love to see what he could do with a narrow band set up for example.

alex

xelasnave · #6 08-09-2018, 02:59 PM

I expect we could think of how to build numbers.
I recon if we each carried a card with a photo and reference to the site.
Make special mention to advertizers here that we support them because they support us.
I have a few ideas...and I am sure others would come up with more than me.

alex

Kunama · #7 08-09-2018, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I expect we could think of how to build numbers.
I recon if we each carried a card with a photo and reference to the site.
Make special mention to advertizers here that we support them because they support us.
I have a few ideas...and I am sure others would come up with more than me.

alex

Alex and Alex,
The feedback I have received from a few friends whom I had steered toward IIS was that they saw far too much discussion on politics, governments' inadequacies and other non-astronomy related things as well as arguments over 'technicalities' and thus ended up at other websites.

One friend was rather dismayed at the very low number of observation reports and wondered if people were more interested in the equipment than its use....

Just typing out aloud....

Cheers,
Matt

xelasnave · #8 08-09-2018, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kunama

Alex and Alex,
The feedback I have received from a few friends whom I had steered toward IIS was that they saw far too much discussion on politics, governments' inadequacies and other non-astronomy related things as well as arguments over 'technicalities' and thus ended up at other websites.

One friend was rather dismayed at the very low number of observation reports and wondered if people were more interested in the equipment than its use....

Just typing out aloud....

Cheers,
Matt

That is probably my fault.

I have little to contribute so I do put up stuff that is non astronomy.

But its great that you mention that as I for one can adjust my ways.

alex

Lognic04 (Logan) · #9 08-09-2018, 03:47 PM

Mike is actually very active on Instagram/Facebook, however he seems to have moved on from astronomy/planetary and only does nightscapes now

iceman (Mike) · #10 09-09-2018, 01:52 PM

Hey guys!

Thanks for the call-out.
I can completely understand the frustration - I feel regret and guilt that I'm not on IIS like I should be.. and I truly appreciate the work that the moderators (Andrew, David and Al) do here on IIS, and Suzy on the IceInSpace page on Facebook.

Unfortunately a lot of the work required to update the articles, add new Image of the Week etc isn't setup in a way that it can be delegated to moderators - otherwise I would've done it by now for sure. In some cases it's logging in directly into the CMS which is over 15 years old, and in other cases, directly accessing the MySQL Database and inserting rows, uploading files to the file server via FTP etc.

Many times over the years, Terry started a migration to a new CMS (Content Management System) but it was never completed. So we're still on an old one (the very original one) that has its limitations.

It's true my interest in Astro has waned. I still enjoy photography, and love getting out under the stars or photographing an event like the lunar eclipse the other month.. and can't wait to try to capture some nightscapes when I'm in Bali in a few weeks.
But my interest, and time, to be 'active' on the forums or meet-ups etc is definitely hard to prioritise.

I started a new job a couple of months ago at Domain.com.au, and my passion at the moment is CrossFit.. so between commuting, work, family, CrossFit and sleep, I haven't prioritised any other hobbies at the moment.

It's been a long, super enjoyable ride.. It's been over 14 years now, and for the first 10, Astronomy and IceInSpace was my absolute obsession.

There's been plenty of other people that have come and gone over the years, but as the face / founder of this site, I can completely understand the frustration when I'm not here and present - and contributing, or improving, or responding, or keeping things updated.

I can't promise i'll be 'active' again, especially not how I used to be, but I don't want to let the moderators and members down and I want to make sure the site is still enjoyable for you guys - and remains a place that you want to visit, contribute to, share and talk about, get inspired, learn and share knowledge.

I think the best thing to start with, is get a prioritised list of 'changes / additions' that need to be done to the site/forums and I can work my way from the top to try and tick those off. Actively reading and contributing to the forums will be tough and I certainly can't promise that - in the end it comes down to time, but I will definitely try to be more involved and have more of a presence.

Again thanks to the moderators, and the other active members who provide leadership and direction where I've left the void. It's truly appreciated.

xelasnave · #11 10-09-2018, 12:01 AM

Mike it is nice just to hear from you.
A small appearance from time to time something small if you can fit it in.
I was thinking today if you did want to get back into it we could run a thing to get you all the gear.

I am sure that would be easy to do.

A remote set up so you can run it from your phone.
Whatever you want you just have to say I bet we cooluld make it happen.

Its a great place.

You look at the people this site has helped.

I dont know how it could run as a business but there are ways you could build it using the goodwill ( business sense).

Just thinking☺

So good to hear everything is good for you.

Alex

xelasnave · #12 10-09-2018, 12:07 AM

And never feel guilty.
We all so our best so there is never a reason to feel guilt.
Alex

xelasnave · #13 10-09-2018, 12:19 AM

I looked at the cross fit great stuff.

Fitness is a great investment for old age until my back thing I was somewhat fanatical.
Trained most days plus hard physical work in the bush.

Its great to flog a young bloke at running or arm wrestling qhen you are 50 or 65.
Try punching a knot in a rope hanging from the roof you wont believe what it does for overall reflex, besides developing an extrodinary powerful punch.
Only do left hand transfer all power like you know from karate.
Step by step moving every mussle front your feet ancles legs hips shoulder arm and wrist flail type action...powerful and acurate ..good hand to eye as well.

Did that most days for five years and I can make that knot hit the roof or punch it 54 times in sucession without a miss...it becomes a game but man out of anything I have done and I have done all sorts of training jodo etc moto cross (intense hear beat 180 to 200 bpm for uo to 30 minutes) it just does something for your strength and everything from hand to eye to focusing on using each mussle.
If I was training a cage fighter I have him or her doing that everyday.

Alex

mental4astro (Alexander) · #14 10-09-2018, 10:16 AM

MIKE! You're alive!

Thanks for your reply, mate. Good to see you are aware of some of the difficulties we loyal IIS groupies are having. I suspected some of the delegating difficulties could be related to the age of the system IIS uses. What are the chances of the necessary total overhaul/upgrade of the system might be?

Cheers,

Alex.

xelasnave · #15 10-09-2018, 11:56 AM

Sorry to all for raving on I wS just so happy.
Alex