11-04-2017, 04:57 AM
This is an interesting question you have raised. The numbers you have brought up are pretty damning in themselves. But I think they are not as gloomy as they appear.
New topics have more than halved (942-416)
New posts have dropped by 20000 (53611-35378)
New members down from 133 to 30
Most online at one time has halved (330-179)
Page views down by nearly a million (4172638-3498045)
There is still a couple of months to go but these figures won’t get close to that 2014 level.
It appears to me that most forums that I know of are trending down. As the information age gathers pace again, there are people who do not like their expression monitored. They don't like the rules most civilized forums have. They just want to get their 2 cents in and do it first.
OK, I can see that in some people, but it is definitely NOT the way I work.
I would much prefer to get things right. I like when I am not abused for having an opinion. I like to share what I know. I don't want ads or trolls or morons or bullies to appear.
1) Is there still a place for the anonymous forum like ours or are we a dying breed?
I hope we are not a dying breed. I feel comfortable here and appreciate the respect I get. Most of the facebook sites do not have in depth discussion, tables of data, posts that contain lots of words. Most facebook posts are 1 or 2 sentences (except mind sometimes.... I wonder why that is?) Even with most of these pages now having rules stated on them, many posters still publish material that we would not tolerate here. I gather it irritates the people who run the pages, but we have lived with that over a long period. Our rules are not there just because someone likes impressing their power and authority over others. Nor do we ban people just because we can.
I would say that as long as people come to these sites and want to participate, then there is a place for us.
2) Do we need to change to remain viable in the current climate?
If we do not change, then we stagnate and die.
However, changing just for the sake of it is also a very poor strategy for long term survival.
I don't mind at all the idea of looking at other forums to see what they do differently and determine what, if anything, we can add to ours.
[/color=limegreen]3) What changes would people like to see?
I have no idea. I come back to this another time.
[b]4) What other Carlton sites do you visit/ are a member of?
I am a member of a couple of the facebook pages. However, I don't spend much time there - things are pretty superficial there.
I am a member of TC and BF, but I spend over 75% of my time here. BF has some very good things, but sorting through the rubbish is time consuming. TC isn't that bad, but it has taken them a LONG time to get their act together and start enforcing their rules.
5) Is there anything in particular you don’t like about the site in its current form.
6) What do you like that keeps you posting/ viewing here
I feel comfortable here. There is a good community of posters here. I like that.
New topics have more than halved (942-416)
New posts have dropped by 20000 (53611-35378)
New members down from 133 to 30
Most online at one time has halved (330-179)
Page views down by nearly a million (4172638-3498045)
There is still a couple of months to go but these figures won’t get close to that 2014 level.
It appears to me that most forums that I know of are trending down. As the information age gathers pace again, there are people who do not like their expression monitored. They don't like the rules most civilized forums have. They just want to get their 2 cents in and do it first.
OK, I can see that in some people, but it is definitely NOT the way I work.
I would much prefer to get things right. I like when I am not abused for having an opinion. I like to share what I know. I don't want ads or trolls or morons or bullies to appear.
1) Is there still a place for the anonymous forum like ours or are we a dying breed?
I hope we are not a dying breed. I feel comfortable here and appreciate the respect I get. Most of the facebook sites do not have in depth discussion, tables of data, posts that contain lots of words. Most facebook posts are 1 or 2 sentences (except mind sometimes.... I wonder why that is?) Even with most of these pages now having rules stated on them, many posters still publish material that we would not tolerate here. I gather it irritates the people who run the pages, but we have lived with that over a long period. Our rules are not there just because someone likes impressing their power and authority over others. Nor do we ban people just because we can.
I would say that as long as people come to these sites and want to participate, then there is a place for us.
2) Do we need to change to remain viable in the current climate?
If we do not change, then we stagnate and die.
However, changing just for the sake of it is also a very poor strategy for long term survival.
I don't mind at all the idea of looking at other forums to see what they do differently and determine what, if anything, we can add to ours.
[/color=limegreen]3) What changes would people like to see?
I have no idea. I come back to this another time.
[b]4) What other Carlton sites do you visit/ are a member of?
I am a member of a couple of the facebook pages. However, I don't spend much time there - things are pretty superficial there.
I am a member of TC and BF, but I spend over 75% of my time here. BF has some very good things, but sorting through the rubbish is time consuming. TC isn't that bad, but it has taken them a LONG time to get their act together and start enforcing their rules.
5) Is there anything in particular you don’t like about the site in its current form.
6) What do you like that keeps you posting/ viewing here
I feel comfortable here. There is a good community of posters here. I like that.
Live Long and Prosper!