New Members Introduce Yourself

Hi everyone. A little bit about me:

I had just joined CFUK, made a few posts and then saw the information about the sale to VerticalScope. I’ve been involved in forums (and running various of my own throughout the years) for around 15 years now, so have come across the name and the impact that VS tend to have on forums after buying them. Stumbled across the link here on a discussion on the site and decided to join up. I’ve followed the development of Flarum for quite some time as a “modern” forum software and quite like it, and the guys at FreeFlarum are really helping to make it accessible to as many users as possible. So joining here seemed like quite a good fit alongside the range of other users which seem to be joining up.

About me more personally - I love coffee, have for quite some time but only got serious within the past year (coinciding with me getting a job as an accountant - bean counter, pun intended - but also quickly learning that I needed a better source of caffeine to survive! Previously I was mainly using the preground supermarket stuff in either a french press or a really cheap filter machine. With the role change and increased income the first thing I did after my first paycheck was purchase the Sage Precision Thermal and the Wilfa Svart grinder. I use these frequently now alongside my Hario V60 for one cup brewing. I’ve been trying a range of independent and small scale coffee roasters and mainly wanted to join a forum like this to find possible new options and discuss equipment.

Look forward to seeing how this new community develops and talking coffee!

IntoxNitram Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will enjoy your time here…and find the information you need.

I think VS don’t like us very much, they stealth banned me already, plus I and the other mods are no longer mods over there. They have certainly noticed their posting activity drop through the floor. Usually it takes a few years or more while to happen, and they can get their money back….this time, perhaps not. It went from a forum with loads of activity to one that’s got very little. I think yesterday our posting activity was 14X theirs.

DavecUK Thanks. Think it definitely depends on the community that existed before the sale. If it was one with a strong moderator/admin presence and engagement and a real “community” atmosphere then the change in ownership is very apparent quite quickly. They tend to strip back anything that made the forum unique and offer next to no engagement. Think they rely on the thousands of previous posts driving search engine hits which they can monetise, they seemingly don’t really care about any new content as long as the old drives the hits.

IntoxNitram Thanks. Think it definitely depends on the community that existed before the sale.

Agree with everything you said, and we had a really nice community before the sale, it was a pleasure to be a patrt of it. The problem for me and the other mods was the complete lack of any VS communication with us…zilch. Then the heavy-handed way they treated advertisers and members alike. I had to clear up the first mess they made in my admin panel, let them know about 5 advertisers banners expiring, advised them to communicate their plans with the advertisers (I had no idea what they were). I revised all the messages and sales areas in the forum to reflect the unannounced change. I had a lot of admin access, so could clear up their mess.

I still heard nothing in reply to my communication (which had all the mods names), unsurprising because they didn’t even open it for days or weeks.. During that period, I expressed to the other mods that morally I couldn’t continue…they agreed and we all set up here. A lot of the community seemed to feel the same way and gradually moved over once they heard where we had gone

This little community has been messed around enough already by monetised forums and owners that use them….never again! If other forums that VS absorb see what we have done….then perhaps they will realise that they can do the same as us for zero cost.

P.S. I know it sounds ridiculous but when the forum was sold (3 times in total), it feels like your home is being sold from under you, well that’s what it felt like to me.

DavecUK I loved those Irish coffee type drinks and all the different varieties as a child! I don’t think I could drink it with all that sugar now!

Hello all! About 8 years ago, while honeymooning in Florence I was given a single espresso and it changed my world! I had never drank coffee before that moment, and haven’t gone a day without since.
I started with pre-ground Lavazza and a Moka Pot. I’ve upgraded over the years, and currently use a Lagom P64 with a Lelit Bianca. I’m extremely curious about lever machines, which led me to researching the ACS Evo Leva and this forum.
Hoping to learn from everyone here and have some interesting discussion. And maybe be talked into upgrading yet again :)

Welcome to the forum….we like nothing better than helping people spend their money 🤣

Hi all, only found the link today from the ‘old’ site. Great to see so may people here. I’m still on a learning curve. Had my ECM vSlim for about 6 months. Get’s used a few times a week. Trying different Coffee’s & enjoying the journey.

@DavecUK Thank you! I appreciate that, although my wife may not ;)

LMSC

Thank you! Yes, it is a fantastic setup. The Lagom is newer to me, have been running it about 6 weeks or so. It’s very refined.

The Bianca is amazing! I bought it in March of 2020, right after all businesses, including all coffee shops, shut down due to the pandemic, because my Quick Mill Silvano went down. It was a great decision as the first espresso I pulled, not even dialed in, was better than anything I had ever made before.

And yes, the Evo is just me desiring a lever machine. I’m always chasing the next thing

Here’s my setup:

LMSC

BillyG GL

BillyG Impressive setup, are you keeping the Niche?

DavecUK Thank you. I’m not sure at this point, still experimenting.

BillyG Lovely setup! Actually it’s what I would love, you should definitely upgrade and sell the Bianca and Niche to me 😁. Enjoy the experimenting and convincing the wife, I’ve just started trying to do the same haha.

LMSC Worth a try right haha

I like your style @Alexvs - strong work