TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu May 13, 2004 10:29 pm

There is alot of stuff on there but there is also alot that isn't. Any
thoughts or idea's on this subject? This poll is in relation to the resto section.

Thu May 13, 2004 10:35 pm

You should email the webmaster of dropgates.com and ask him directly or suggest new categories to him. I believe he makes new sections when he has the complete details of a particular Truck feature.

You weren't very specific on what was missing or problematic...

He may post here, he is a regular.

Thu May 13, 2004 10:49 pm

I work with the guy. I have tried to give idea's and all that but he shrug's them off. I think they are good idea's but apparently he does'nt.
Idea's like going in depth with things like rocker replacement or how to's on fixing headlight problem's. Simple stuff to all the old school guy's but for newbie's like myself it's not that simple.......yet.

Thu May 13, 2004 10:55 pm

I'm talking full on article's with detailed photo's and step by step procedure's, that kind of thing. :D

Thu May 13, 2004 11:02 pm

so you are complaining that there isn't enough information out there on one site? I would suggest going out and searching the net for the info, if you can't find it there, either wait for someone to write it, write it yourself or offer to pay someone to make a page with the information, but I sure wouldn't go out and complain about a free website that is providing an awesome resource for all of us. its like someone gave you a chocolate ice cream cone for free but you wanted a vanilla one with a cherry on top so you tell everyone that they didn't give you a vanilla ice cream cone with a strawberry.

Thu May 13, 2004 11:15 pm

Dropgates is a great site I am not saying it isn't, but if I can go to one site that has all the info I need then I can spend less time searching and more time fixing and tinkering with my bus. :)

Thu May 13, 2004 11:23 pm

I'm sure if any of the webmasters of these various VW sites were independently wealthy they would be happy to do nothing more than to write pages for us. since this is volunteer work, you just have to take what you can get. it isn't a bad idea to donate a little back as many people have done doing their own tutorials and informative pages.

in my local club, when you suggest a good idea, everyone says "yeah, great you go do it." volunteer work is kind of that way.

Thu May 13, 2004 11:25 pm

I would have no problem helping out in this Dropgates upgrade and use my bus as the spokesmodel even.

Thu May 13, 2004 11:29 pm

I am new to the scene both VW and Internet. Most people on this site and his have year's of experience on me already. By the time I had the know how we would all be old and grey so why not find someone who already has the knowledge and work with or through them?

Thu May 13, 2004 11:34 pm

wtf? This should make for an interesting weekend.

In the words of Bricktop, "If I throw a dog a bone I don't want to know if it tasted good or not"

Thu May 13, 2004 11:40 pm

there is a ton of info out there. play around with search engines for a while. you will find quite a bit out there. once you find a site, search within the site if it has a search. look around find stuff. if you can't find what you are looking for fter you have searched for a while, ask here. there are plenty of people willing to help, but you have to be willing to help yourself.

speed holes wrote: wtf? This should make for an interesting weekend.
I'm going on vacation for the next three months so someone else needs to take over the reigns on harrassing the people that ask dumb questions

Thu May 13, 2004 11:59 pm

I don't have a problem searching for info or asking Q's in the forum's.
What I am trying to get across is that dropgates could be expanded upon in certain area's. When I give out the idea's I get shut down because the stuff I need to know is beginner stuff and dropgates does'nt consider it worth his time to put it on his site.

Fri May 14, 2004 12:15 am

you have to start somewhere. I think that dropgates is mostyly a truck specific site that has specialty sections that help for in depth technical information for the stock restoration. I would rather have the super specialist info than the simple stuff. its kind of like the idiots guide. its a great book, but it only covers certain things. there is a whole lot that it doesn't cover. so I went out and bought every manual that I could find to try to get all of the repair information that I could get. I bought over 200 different air cooled VW repair manuals, but they don't cover even half of what I need to know, so I went out and researched more and more, and with the internet its even easier to get that information, but you can't get it all in one place. be happy if you get a tidbit here and a chunk there and something somewhere else. there will never be one place that you can get it all. right here in the forums is a great place to get information that you can't find anywhere else because you can draw on the expertise of hundreds of people that know a lot about these old buses. people seem to think I know a lot, but I learn something new every day about these old buses.

Fri May 14, 2004 12:33 am

There could be a place for all the anwsers for SC and DC buses and that place could be Dropgates.com. The reason why it isn't is because people who visit the site don't take the time to drop the guy a line and say "Hey, your site is great but i did'nt see this or that on here maybe could add it on". If everyone did that it could be a really huge site. 8)

Fri May 14, 2004 12:41 am

Flatfront wrote: There could be a place for all the anwsers for SC and DC buses and that place could be Dropgates.com. The reason why it isn't is because people who visit the site don't take the time to drop the guy a line and say "Hey, your site is great but i did'nt see this or that on here maybe could add it on". If everyone did that it could be a really huge site. 8)

maybe if everyone who browsed the site donated $100, wade could quit his job and write webpages full time. until then, lets not try to demand too much from the people who are trying to help. and there will never be a place with all of the answers.

Fri May 14, 2004 12:45 am

He need's cat's in his area to Lind him a hand like me or EB.

Fri May 14, 2004 1:00 am

nevermind

Fri May 14, 2004 5:05 am

dude, Bottom line is that Drop gates is a bitch'n web site that is provided free to us. it could be better but i am not going to complain about stuf it doesnt have. I know firsthand the expense of a website in time and money. its a PIA and props to anyone who supports one like that themself. Ther is only so much that you can put on a web page before you start repeating other sites. why go through the pain of designing new pages when a visitor can click on a link or just ask questions in a forum. Check out www.vintagebus.com to

Fri May 14, 2004 8:18 am

Flatfront wrote: ...the reason why it isn't is because people who visit the site don't take the time to drop the guy a line and say "Hey, your site is great but i did'nt see this or that on here maybe could add it on". If everyone did that it could be a really huge site. 8)
In my opinion, while suggestions from visitors are great, the only thing that makes a "huge site" is a webmaster who has the time and inclination to create new content. Nobody waves a magic wand and turns suggestions into fully realized pages. Wade has a full-time job, a family, his own cars, interests, etc. The guy has priorities.

Fri May 14, 2004 8:54 am

Flatfront wrote: I don't have a problem searching for info or asking Q's in the forum's.
What I am trying to get across is that dropgates could be expanded upon in certain area's. When I give out the idea's I get shut down because the stuff I need to know is beginner stuff and dropgates does'nt consider it worth his time to put it on his site.

Just be lucky you started into Splits when you could readily find info on them. Try finding a manual or some one who knew about Type 2's in 1988 that was not 3 time zones away!!!!

Half the fun is figuring this shit out and not having it handed to you. These days with the internet and QUALITY vendors owning a bus is a much easier thing than 20 years ago.

A lot of things you need to know to fix anything are basic skills and mechanical knowledge needed to work on anything and if you don't have it you are out of luck on any kind of vehicle.

Dropgates is a truck site and not a general bus site. Get over it.