caserri Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 First of all, the answer to the most asked question... IT IS NOT ME! I am not trying to reincarnate myself or this forum elsewhere on the web. I've been getting a lot of PM's recently concerning "Eric Caserri" and his new vending forum that he cleverly named "The Vending Forum" or "TVF". I'm sure most of you reading this are aware of what I'm talking about. If you don't, you soon will even without this post so it's no big secret. I am going to offer this explanation to hopefully clear up some confusion that some of you have. Note that this post is not meant to attack anyone. It is simply meant to answer some questions that many of you have asked me privately over the last two days. I figured it would be easier to post this out in public rather than keep answering PM's with short answers. This explanation is from my point of view and I will explain the best I can given the facts available to me. A few months ago, "Eric Caserri" contacted me with an offer to purchase TVF. I don't remember specifically what my response was but obviously, I rejected his offer. Apparently, Eric decided that if he could not purchase TVF directly from me, he would start his own "TVF", quite literally. Much to my dismay, Eric decided it would be a good idea to create a replica of our forum. If you look, You'll notice that he literally copied our categories and our subforums complete with forum descriptions almost word for word. Eric Caserri's TVF Vending Category Steve Caserri's TVF Vending Category Eric Caserri's Specialty Category Steve Caserri's Specialty Category As you can see here, he also copied most of the introductory post I made in July, 2007, the day TVF launched. He did add a bit or two here and there to personalize it. Eric Caserri's Intro Steve Caserri's Intro Eric did not stop there. As most of you know, he also used my screen name (caserri) in his own email address. Something he admitted doing because he felt it would ensure that people would read his emails. Speaking of emails, Eric also gained access to a list of most, if not all, TVF member email addresses. I know this to be true because the member who provided Eric this list has confessed to doing so. I must apologize to every member that this affects. TVF assured you when you joined that your email address would NOT be sold or distributed to any 3rd party. Unfortunately, this is what happened and it was done without my knowledge. Let me take a moment here to say that TVF has never claimed to hold a patent on vending forums. In fact, we have peacefully coexisted with other vending communities during our entire existence. From Vending Chat to now defunct forums such as Bulk Vending Forum, KickStart Vending, Vending Boards, and Vend Talk. All the while, we never considered ourselves in competition with any of them. We know that membership will utilize all resources available to them. Most will drift from one community to the other and back. Some will settle on the one they like best. There is no rigid, one size fits all template for vending forums. Everyone is different and everyone is free to choose where to spend their time. So, I argue Eric's claim that these two "TVF's" are in competition with one another. He may be in competition but we choose to peacefully coexist. If I could speak to Eric, I would simply ask why he chose to build his forum using deception and by harvesting the efforts of others. Why did you not build your forum from the ground up, as I did? Why couldn't you take the time required to attract a good quality member base, like I did? I hope this post was able to shed some light on what exactly is going on here. I did not post this to start a cross forum war but only to clear up some confusion that our members obviously have. Like I said, I've been getting lots of questions and I thought a public explanation was in order. Everyone here is welcome to draw their own conclusions and make up their own minds about Eric's motivations. However, I would be very hesitant to join, participate, and support a forum whose founder has publicly admitted to deception by using my name. Who clearly, intentionally, and unapologetically copied content from our TVF to his TVF, and most importantly, who gained access to our members private information without their consent and used it in his recruiting efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDERSONVENDING Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 well that explains how he got my info, but his forum don't hold a candle to this one. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Talk about your evil twins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orsd Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 maybe someone from BVF? I noticed that the off topic section was named the spill tray, which is what BVF used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Maybe I can post all my Golpher junk on his site and not clutter up "The Golpher Hole" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Maybe I can post all my Golpher junk on his site and not clutter up "The Golpher Hole" That would be the Bee's Knee's Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musser Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Well Steve it is strange thing. I wondered how "Eric" got my email. Hmm, I would think that the person that gave him my email would know who he gave it to?!?! Not a big thing for sure but at the very least the email giver could be a standup person and own up to it to those whose trust he betrayed, but that won't happen will it. Anyway I don't think the whole thing will effect anything here. Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Not a big thing for sure but at the very least the email giver could be a standup person and own up to it to those whose trust he betrayed, but that won't happen will it. That would be up to the individual. I'm not going to reveal any names because there would be nothing to gain from it. What's done is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musser Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Yep it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdox Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Thanks for the explanation Steve. I had already marked the email as spam, but it is nice to have clarification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry1973 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I don't personally think there is an Eric at all, it seems to me that someone on the other forum possibly has multiple names and is answering themselves just to add content so that its not completely bare. I have built and ran a forum before, and I know that its tough when its brand new and there are not many if any members, so its tempting to add some "content" by being a few people and just answer yourself. I have no way to know that for sure, and I definitely don't know who, but I think its probably a member here. I really don't see the point honestly, especially when the exact same forum titles are used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Remember Steve the old saying---"Imitation Is The Most Sincerest Form Of Flattery" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherdsflock Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Probably a good thing you said no to selling the forum. I'm sure this thief wouldn't have paid you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Maybe we can get him to join our Fantasy Football League Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick505 Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 I just got the email too. I had to go back through my message but sure enough I received it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Thanks very much for clearing this up, Steve. I have received a mail form "Eric" as well. I was wondering what it was all about. In the guitar world, there was a guy named Bill Lawrence (who recently passed away). There was another guy named Bill Lawrence who tried to 'horn in' on his business. There were legal fights and so forth. This just reminds me of that situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 There's a guitar world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowcountry Dan Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 There's a guitar world? Yes, in a manner of speaking. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnackInTheBox Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 maybe someone from BVF? I noticed that the off topic section was named the spill tray, which is what BVF used. A person named "EricC" also currently moderates every forum on BVF... Also the member list is quite interesting. It pretty much explains everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 A person named "EricC" also currently moderates every forum on BVF... Also the member list is quite interesting. It pretty much explains everything.That's because he bought the BVF domain and database. Hey, if you can't build it yourself, buy it or steal it from others! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdub3821 Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 What an golpher. I wish you could sue the crap out of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashman Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 What's BVF ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 What's BVF ?BVF was another vending forum started by a few TVF members. (However, not affiliated with TVF)They were online a bit over a year and I thought they were in it for the long haul. It is my understanding that they closed because they could not justify spending money on a forum that wasn't thriving. Even though I, and TVF, were spoken about negatively on BVF, I did admire what they were accomplishing because they were creative enough to do it themselves without "taking" anything from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Even though I, and TVF, were spoken about negatively on BVF, I did admire what they were accomplishing because they were creative enough to do it themselves without "taking" anything from here. BVF was another vending forum started by a few TVF members. (However, not affiliated with TVF) It was more of a blog than a forum. I think you have to have more than a few active members posting to qualify as a forum. Calling that place a forum is like saying that guy talking to himself behind the liquor store is having a conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 It was more of a blog than a forum. I think you have to have more than a few active members posting to qualify as a forum. Calling that place a forum is like saying that guy talking to himself behind the liquor store is having a conversation. I agree with both that it's cool they set it up. And that it was really just a blog. I was on there few times a week. I actually got booted off there haha. But my wife is an internet genius so she got me on with out them knowing with a new id and ip they couldn't trace to me. But again I'm sure it's a big undertaking and Steve has my respect for building what he has here. It has taking his time and personal resources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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