This is disgusting

[mrindy77]

I saw a build listed by someone as 'professional'. It was an Monogram IndyCar, unpainted, decaled horribly and the wing was on backwards. I sent him a constructive email and he fixed the wing and said thanks for noticing that.

[Baugher Garage]

Being new to this group and not near the caliber of builder as most of you, I was pretty disappointed by this whole thread from the beginning. If the subject of the tear down were a member (maybe he is and doesn't want to be identified after all the negative feedback), he'd have a pretty good footing for issuing a complaint with the moderators. The golden rule here is respect ( I just read that when I signed up), and very little of that exists in this thread. So the guy thinks far more of himself than he should - there's quite a bit of evidence of that same character flaw within the comments posted in this thread.

Having 45 years of experience only means he's been building that long. It doesn't mean he's learned a million tricks on perfection that many of you know. Claiming to be a professional only means he's been paid for his work. It's not an indication of quality. Sure, it should be. But it's not.

I move that the moderators remove this entire thread. It was nasty from the initial post and got worse from there. Can we go back to building cars and helping and encouraging each other now?

[booboo60]

I think? Well in my opinion? Ummm, I got nothing, lol

[Casey]

Having 45 years of experience only means he's been building that long. It doesn't mean he's learned a million tricks on perfection that many of you know. Claiming to be a professional only means he's been paid for his work. It's not an indication of quality. Sure, it should be. But it's not.

I move that the moderators remove this entire thread. It was nasty from the initial post and got worse from there. Can we go back to building cars and helping and encouraging each other now?

While I agree that "disgusting" is a bit excessive, using the word "Professional" implies a high level of skill and craftsmanship, neither of which this finished model displays. Did the seller use the word "Pro" to entice buyers and exaggerate the build quality? Very likely s/he did, and there's no rule saying you can't embellish eBay listings and/or descriptions. That said, when you tout your work as being of a very high quality ("i.e., professionally built") you should be able to back it up, and the finished product should represent that level of skill. In this case, the finished model most certainly does not look like something most reasonable people would expect from a "professionally built" model. If you brag and boast about something, you also have to be willing to accept the criticism. If not, be humble, let your work stand on its own merits, and let it be judged for what it actually is, not by what you tell people it is. If your work is good enough, you don't need to tell anyone how good it is.

[Danno]

Well said, Casey.

One thing I'd add to that train of thought: When you put your work out there for sale or for publication, you are inherently opening your product to criticism, constructive at least and sometimes to more zealous criticism. It's just a fact of the internet life.

If someone expects only praise, adoration, and big $$$, they are beyond naïve. If someone is unwilling to subject their work to scrutiny and criticism, they should vigorously avoid the internet. And, if someone is not as competent as they brag they are, they should expect to have their ego bruised. That's just another fact of the internet life.

[Harry P.]

I agree with Casey's post above.

And I also think that criticism, like Dan said, is a valid part of any online forum. People who can't take criticism, or who think that any and all criticism should not be allowed on a forum, probably shouldn't be a forum member... because commentary, both positive and negative, is part of the give-and-take of any forum.

Personal attacks are another thing, and deciding if a particular comment crosses that line is the job of the moderators, not the members.

That being said, I think this topic has been covered pretty well, so I'm closing it... not because of anything posted here by anyone, but because at this point my instinct tells me this topic can't go anywhere from here but south...