Stepping Down

mopar92 · Feb 15, 2016

First off congratulations and well wishes Don. Also welcome Kevin.

I think in my time here, the most poignant example of the strength and power of this community and tool you have created Don, is that since 2013, each year this website is targeted by DDOS attacks that "coincidentally" happen to occur eerily close to the start of the Annapolis political session. I'll give em extra hell this year for you.

bigshow · Feb 15, 2016

Thanks for doing such a great job....for all of us!

MJD438 · Feb 15, 2016

Godspeed DD214!

engineerbrian · Feb 15, 2016

Don, thanks for setting up a great site, and a big shout out to the mods for keeping up with the day to day grind.

MDS is my home away from home. I wouldn't have met so many great people and have had so many kick ass opportunities with out this site.

Thanks again and good luck in your future endeavors

marylandmark · Feb 15, 2016

Farewell and welcome. Hope you got out before getting burnt out.

Jim12 · Feb 15, 2016

Thank you, DD214, for building a terrific community and resource here for all of us, old and new.

And welcome, Kevin. Maryland could use more Texas influence!

Streetgang · Feb 15, 2016

Don,
Thank you for what you have created for the Maryland shooting community. Without you and this forum, our state would be worse off than it is today. Your visionary forum is one of if not the best firearms forum in the country.
Personally, I owe you a great debt of gratitude. If not for you, I might still be driving to Myrtle Grove instead of Sanner's Lake. Now, I do my best to help shape the club's future.
If not for you.....
Wait a minute, I wouldn't have spent thousands on firearms. Hmmm let me rethink this.
Nevermind, it was worth every penny. Well maybe except that P-22.
I wish you fair winds and following seas and hope you still come around.

Kevin,
you've got a big pair of shoes to fill. I think you'll do fine. Welcome aboard shipmate.
Rich

babalou · Feb 15, 2016

Stories

texkev said:
Hey all,

My name is Kevin, from Texas, of course a gun owner and happy to be here. I am not a part of a team, just me and a part time web guy I use rarely. I like working with forums, I work from home caring for my disabled wife so it fits well with my wonky schedule. Very sorry in advance to everyone at the shock of this. Don has had nothing but amazing things to say about the group here. Actually he interviewed me and wanted to know everything about what I would have planned, etc. He cares a ton about this place and its future.

I want to first make sure everyone knows I am not here to change the flow, how the site is modded, etc. The mods still run the place. I am simply here more as a tech help, bring the site up to date (backend stuff, not seen), hopefully help it grow, etc. Of course the members here are the backbone of the site, I just hope to be able to help behind the scenes, etc.

I look forward to learning more about the group here. I sure know you guys have it tougher when it comes to gun policy then we do. Please PM me if you have any questions, etc. Thanks…

Kevin

Welcome aboard!! Could you please set aside time in front of the campfire and tell us stories of a place called America?

Mark75H · Feb 15, 2016

Thank you for making a great site Don ... the quality of the site is your legacy ... that it is a top rated 2A & firearms resource beyond Maryland is proof in the pudding

Welcome to the craziness Kevin

babalou · Feb 15, 2016

Don, i find myself hitting the site throughout the day and night. As others said a home away from home. Thanks for your fantastic and tireless work.

jjsat · Feb 15, 2016

Thank you Don!!
I became interested in firearms when FSA2013 was being put together. I was introduced to this community thur an IP here. Happily, I have exercised my 2nd amendment rights many times since. I can not thank you and the people of this community enough. Kevin welcome!

RustinRifle55 · Feb 15, 2016

Thanks Don....you're a great American.

BradMacc82 · Feb 15, 2016

Don, you've done a hell of a job here. You've earned a few drinks with umbrellas in them.

Thank You for putting up with us misfits, and hands down running the best forum I've ever participated in.

**I wonder if SOMDSHOOT's forum will see a 3% increase in members because of this.

Rick3bears · Feb 15, 2016

Don, thank you for all of the time, effort, dedication, headaches endured and thank you for the finest gun site in the country. :bowdown:

I just realized the other day that I no longer boot up the computer and 1. check my email. 2. check Face Book. 3 Check out MDS. For a while now it's been 1. check out MDS, then email and finally Face Book.. Godspeed, Fair winds and following seas.

Kevin, Welcome aboard. We're a fierce, proud bunch and we're in a fight for our freedom, our rights and our Country. Any help is deeply appreciated. Welcome aboard. :patriot:

Rick3bears - Grumpy Old Coot

Applehd · Feb 15, 2016

... Thank you and Godspeed, DD214... and welcome aboard, Kevin...

engineerbrian · Feb 15, 2016

BradMacc82 said:
Don, you've done a hell of a job here. You've earned a few drinks with umbrellas in them.

Thank You for putting up with us misfits, and hands down running the best forum I've ever participated in.

**I wonder if SOMDSHOOT's forum will see a 3% increase in members because of this.

I wonder if the new admin knows about the 3% thing yet :secret:

BradMacc82 · Feb 15, 2016

engineerbrian said:
I wonder if the new admin knows about the 3% thing yet

If Kevin doesn't, he soon will.

redeemed.man · Feb 15, 2016

DD214 said:
Over the past year I’ve been mostly absent from the forum due to personal and work related issues. The forum went down in December because I wasn’t able to keep up with the server and that was my wakeup call that it was time to step down and let someone take over that would give the forum the proper attention that it needs technically. It was a very, very difficult decision for me to make, but I know that it is what is best for the community going forward. I gave it 11 years, but now I feel that I am more of a liability rather than an asset. If there was any way that I could keep up with it I would, but I just can’t anymore and I feel that this is the right thing to do for the community.

As such, I found a small group of guys that understand the mission, respect the history of the community, and most importantly, will give the forum the professional attention that it needs to make sure that it continues to grow and function for years to come. I’ve transferred ownership of the site to them and they will do their best to support the site and keep it functioning, while also implementing improvements as we go forward. You won’t see any major changes to the site immediately as they don’t need to fix something that isn’t broken. Hopefully any potential changes that you see in the future will only improve on an already good thing.

The new technical contact for the site is user texkev. He’s a great guy that you are going to enjoy interacting with. He recognizes that the way the forum is currently run under the leadership of Norton and the mods is a valuable asset to the community and as such nothing is going to change in regard to forum leadership, with the exception that I am stepping down and Norton is now the primary contact and leader on the public side of the forum. I have no doubt that he will continue to lead the forum to become a larger and stronger community, and a more powerful 2A force in Maryland.

The members are what make this such a great community, and I thank all of you. I sincerely thank the Industry Partners and those who have donated in the past to keep the lights on. The site wouldn’t exist right now if it wasn’t for you. Norton, joppaj, 2SAM22, and zoostation, I have the utmost respect for you guys and cannot begin to thank you enough for all that you have done to keep the community functioning and growing. I know that it will get even better moving forward.

Keep up the good fight!

Thank you for this incredible community.

Mr H · Feb 15, 2016

BradMacc82 said:
If Kevin doesn't, he soon will.

I give it 2 weeks...

Sundazes · Feb 15, 2016

engineerbrian said:
I wonder if the new admin knows about the 3% thing yet

BradMacc82 said:
If Kevin doesn't, he soon will.

In 2 weeks he will.

Don, I can't say anything that has not been said. Thank you sir. What a long strange trip it's been.....

Welcome Kevin.

Stepping Down

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