The Forum

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

I consider this to be a reply to Duncan’s ‘Where are all the posts?’ post, which has been closed to replies. I myself am concerned that there are so few posts. I was involved in helping test the new forum, and when it opened I checked it every day, then after a time it became every week. I tried not to post too often because I didn’t want to be the only person posting! It does seem odd that members don’t seem interested, whereas, as Duncan says, the S4 society forum is quite busy. What can we do? Should we do something? Can we publicise it more in the newsletter? Or are we all just a very traditional bunch who don’t use the interweb very much?? This is not a criticism of anyone and certainly not of the forum, but I think it’s on life support at the moment and am very willing to help revive it. Perhaps everyone on here who attends area group meetings should evangelise about it? I will try it this week…

[Nigel BurbidgeParticipant]

Stuart, it’s a very fair point you make.  I have also looked on here, but with reducing frequency because of the lack of posts. I think the S4 website is busier because more members are prepared to write up their modelling experiences as and when they make something and that makes for interesting reading.  If it helps I’m happy to put up some posts on an LNER F5 flexichas I’m scratchbuilding…

cheers

Nigel

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

Definitely !

[Duncan McGowanParticipant]

Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated.

Just a FWIW, it wasn’t me that set my post on the other thread to “closed to replies”, which is (IMO) completely counterproductive.

My feeling is that all the comments are valid and would really appreciate learning more about Nigel’s F5 project! In fact it was the prospect of that type of post that was the trigger for my recent joining.

Also, I can’t help thinking that part of the problem may be the forum software itself. Compared to other offerings, it’s not great.

 

[Trade OfficerKeymaster]

Hi Duncan

I am not sure why your post was closed to replies. I have reopened and responded to your post.

As I was heavily involved in setting up the new web site and the forum I am genuinely interested in what your thoughts were behind

“Also, I can’t help thinking that part of the problem may be the forum software itself. Compared to other offerings, it’s not great.”

and whether there can be some improvements. Having put the work in I would like to see it used a lot more

However my thoughts are that it is more a mindset in our members. I can’t substantiate that other than looking at the stats – 2/3 of our members have never attempted to log onto the new site. I don’t know what is was like on the old site but I suspect it was similar

Having said that if there is anything that can be suggested to improve the situation I am more than willing to try. Articles in the newsletter don’t seem to help.

 

John

[Duncan McGowanParticipant]

Hi John

Being an old timer myself it hadn’t occurred to me that there might be a collective aversion to using the website, let alone the forum. Which is odd, as other forums (fora?) seem to target the same sort of demographic while being very lively.

I mentioned the software because (and this is just my opinion) it seems so basic when compared to other platforms. You only have to look at RMWeb (apart from the crazy advertising) and Scalefour to see what I mean.

I have had access issues to the site. Yesterday it was very slow and then, for almost a day, I had no access (“Server Not Found”), which I suspect is a dodgy DNS record on the provider’s server.

As for suggestions, I’m not sure. The site itself, to me, doesn’t seem finished – for example, there is barely any news and none at all in the Area Group section, which is entirely empty – but this doesn’t explain the 66% of members who have never logged on. I don’t know how to solve that problem, other than doing some digital marketing (which I know nothing about!).

I think, if I were pressed, I would suggest streamlining the website and removing everything that is not finished (the EMGS Modelling Resources section for example) or little used (eg, the forum!) so it is easy and pleasant to use. I would update the Store so that;

• each product has a description and a good size photo (many have neither). Some products are completely baffling to me (eg, a pack of 12 Brilliants – Red)!;
• there is a note against out-of-stock items so we know the status of the product;
• find another courier, as Evri is the same disaster as Hermes was!

I would also do this – IMO the Society Newsletter is seriously good and far better than your everyday “newsletter”. In fact I value this most about being a member. Would it be possible to index it, so members can find articles of interest via the website which, at least for me, would be a serious help (as well as entertaining). There are some little gems buried deep in these publications, such as Keith Smart’s conversion of a Class 17 in the January 2010 edition, and which aren’t separate Manual Pages. It might take a while to do but I think it might be very useful and might also encourage more visitors.

With sincere apologies for blathering on for so long…

[Nigel BurbidgeParticipant]

We have a NW Surrey area group meeting tomorrow.  I’ll raise the question there and feed back the sense of the group afterwards.

Nigel

[Trade OfficerKeymaster]

Thanks for that Nigel. It is probably a question I will ask the board member responsible for area groups to ask of all the groups

 

john

 

[Nigel BurbidgeParticipant]

I did ask the question at the NW Surrey AG meeting and the chief response I got was that they were too busy doing modelling to spend much time posting on different fora…. From what they were collectively demonstrating I think, in their case, it is probably true!

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

In our group I don’t think anyone really posts anywhere, including RMWeb, except me, so I don’t think it’s a deficiency of our forum. I find it easy enough to use – not as slick as RMWeb of course but that must cost a fortune to run, as the increasing numbers of pop-up ads prove.

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