Membership Exercise to Make You Go HMMMMM.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Last night I was trying to figure out where one of our members was from, it wasn't in their info. So, I thought I would find their introduction and see if they stated it there. Have y'all ever went back to day one and read just the intros, I did. It's amazing the things I had forgotten about a lot of folks here. I find it also amazing at the amount of people that introduced themselves and now we never see a post from them or maybe just one or two and the ones that did post and don't anymore. . Is it us, is it me, is it just nature?. I got a big chuckle from reading my own. I followed Marv, Zee, and Steamer here. I've never regretted it for one minute and even though one of them ain't (is not) speaking to me at the moment, I thank them all three for the place they brought me. When you run out of new post to read, go back and read the intro section, it will make you go Hmmmmm., Well, I'll be damned, I'd forgot that.

Whiskey

[Stilldrillin]

Funny you should mention that, Whiskey.

I was there, last night. Reading the first few pages.

A lot of happy/ relieved people, assembling....... 

David D

[b.lindsey]

Eric. It seems to be just the nature of things that a small minority participate with any regularity. I have wondered why for years asked about it, made suggestions and the fact remains, some just seem to join to look, or to participate for a short time and move on. But there are still the few that join and jump right in...those are the ones that help us grow and diversify the number and type of projects available. We are still small compared to some forums, but I for one am happy here, have made friends here, and try to participate as much as time and other duties allow.  As long as we remain a welcoming community (which I think we are), then we have to live with the nature of people to do as they wish. I can only hope that someday there may be years and years of old posts to go back a read!!

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

I like to look at the stats once in a while.
1475 members.
Average registrations per day is 3. Nearly 100 posts a day! Seems pretty good.

Male to Female Ratio is 280:1 so it would seem Jo's not the only female. Or some of us are lying. 

Views per day is nearly 13000.
I don't know enough about forum stats...but we seem to be growing and get a lot of interest.

I like the 'Top 10 Boards', 'Top 10 Topics by replies' and 'Top 10 Topics by views'. Gives people an idea of what might be interesting.

I'd rather not see the 'Top Topic Starters' or "Most Time Online'. I like to think people are interested in projects and not stalking individuals.  I don't now what usable information it gives. Even has the risk of making a contest out of it...which thankfully isn't the case.

Bill is certainly right...we're a welcoming community here.

We've had this conversation before. I'm fine with people looking in and not participating. I'd be concerned if we didn't have lookers. There's all kinds. Including not a few who join and introduce themselves with every intention (or dream) of participating...then back off for any number of reasons. Maybe they realize it's not for them, maybe they get interested in something else in the meantime, maybe something comes up. Maybe they're not happy with the response (or lack thereof) they got.

I won't complain about any of that. And I think you all are doing a fine enough job to attract new members. I don't have a "minimum interest threshold" or "you're not a part of the group".

It's a social network...a fine place to play...to learn...to show off...or just hang out.

Oh...gotta answer Eric's question...yeah...sometimes it's you 
But sometimes not.

Nice post buddy. I enjoy reflection.

[PStechPaul]

I came here a short time ago due to my interest in some projects I saw on the HSM forum, particularly Brian and Gail's engines. I will remain active as long as things interest me and as time permits. I think I will enjoy the Cabin Fever expo and it may or may not inspire me to build a model engine.

The path I took to this forum is interesting. When I first got on the internet in 1996, I became active on several usenet newsgroups, mostly soc.singles and sci.electronics.design, which reflected my interests at that time. In 2006 my friend and I rescued Muttley, and I started a long (and often tempestuous) foray into rec.dogs.breeds and rec.dogs.behavior. I also got involved with the AOL Canine Behavior board, which eventually was shut down. By then I also joined a couple of Cesar Millan's forums, as well as Victoria Stilwell's forum where I got kicked off because of silly reasons related to my acceptance of balanced training methods and using all four quadrants of Skinner's Operant Conditioning techniques.
 
I became very active on Cesar Millan's "Sessions with Cesar" forum and made many friends there, but at the end of 2011 it suddenly was discontinued without notice. Some of the regulars built a new forum called http://www.dogsnharmony.com/community/ and there are quite a few of us who have become regulars and we have celebrated many success stories, enjoyed the antics of our dogs, and shared support during times of illness, frustration, and loss.
 
Around that same time I decided that I wanted to fix my old Simplicity Broadmoor lawn tractor, or buy one to do work on my 2.5 acre property. So I joined one tractor forum that specialized in Simplicity, and then switched to the more general "My Tractor Forum", where I was very active while checking out some tractors and eventually buying a Cub Cadet 1512 diesel in February of 2012. But I was really even more interested in making an electric tractor, so I bought a Craftsman rider mower converted to go-cart, and I installed a 3 phase motor with a VFD and a DC-DC converter to run on a couple of 12V batteries. As I got more involved in the electrical aspects of the project I joined http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/, where I have been very active over the last couple of years.
 
But by the summer of 2013 I needed to do some mechanical work on my Craftsman tractor / utility vehicle, and I joined the HSM forum, where I learned a lot and enjoy some of the discussions, about machining or OT. And Brian's fascinating opposed piston engine brought me here! 

[Mosey]

ERic, yes it must be you.
Mosey

[Maryak]

Hey Redneck,

Thanks for reminding me that as the number of reflections I'm capable of is increasing......... my reflexes are going in the opposite direction. 

Best Regards
Bob

[Jo]

Male to Female Ratio is 280:1 so it would seem Jo's not the only female. Or some of us are lying. 

No Zee: I think the truth is only 280 of you are still claiming to be hot blooded males  and I am the only available female

Jo

[ths]

Which begs the thorny question : available to whom?

Hugh.

[sco]

Studs with the right sized nuts 

Simon.

[Admiral_dk]

No Zee: I think the truth is only 280 of you are still claiming to be hot blooded males  and I am the only available female

Which begs the thorny question : available to whom?

Studs with the right sized nuts 

Thanks for that one - I was almost choking from laughter.

Jo - how do you define those that are hot blooded males still .... on second thought, I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that   

[Tin Falcon]

TW: This is nothing new . I would say a lot of it goes back to the 80:20 rule  . seem like in most organizations like this 20 % of the people post 80 % of the content.  I have been active on model engine forums for close to 7 years. and have posted thousands of posts. So I have been around and have seen a lot of varied behavior on forums.

IMHO opinion the Ideal member should fit the following criteria.
1) willing to learn
2) respectful
3) Actively contribute to the forum 
4) Actively build engines and share the build.
5) willing to teach.
This probably covers about 10 % of the members.

There are several categories of people in any group.
The givers see above people with experience and willing to share.

The takers  the ones who come for information, advise, plans , Wanting to sell something have no intent of contributing.

The curious Are interested in what we do but have yet to  find /allocate the resources to build engines.

Wanna Be (Want to be)  Many of these folks are here for the social , belonging aspect of the forum. Have never built a model engine . They are more than curious, like the  group,, they Identify with the group and contribute by posting . They are encouraging .   

The self important. Quick to speak. Slow to listen . think there way is the best way for everyone. often lack respect.  Often have decades of experience but lack the patience to share it.
I am sure I could list some other categories. And we Have all seen trolls and spammers. 

I am not trying to pigeon hole anyone and I am not mentioning names . Peoples is peoples.

I would be my hope that all who come here learn something and that many build at least one engine.

The Bible States it is more blessed to give than receive so even the takers are a blessing in disguise. 

Tin

[steamer]

Tin, your on point there.    Additionally, some start at one point, and end up at another all together.   Some have a good deal going on in their personal lives....things change...sometimes for the better....sometimes for the worse.

It's a very fluid thing....life is that way I guess.

Dave


As far as I know....everyone is still speaking to everyone else Eric....it's important to not read too much into someone being quiet for a while....lots of things going on in life...people contribute when they can and they feel comfortable.  Sometimes people just have too much going on.

If people are having problems with other members though....speak to a Mod...perhaps we can help sort it...though it's much preferred among adults to go off line and sort it out.   I can think of two friends who did just that recently.   I am very glad they sorted it out and I didn't need too.

[zeeprogrammer]

On a forum, or any social group for that matter, we share what we have in common.

If we share certain differences then we run a certainty (not a risk) of disagreement (and either person may be seen as right or wrong by another individual).

I have no doubt that some of you would disagree strongly with some of my own beliefs as I do with some of yours. We get along swell here...but that's not to say we could be co-members on a different type of forum. There's certain topics we avoid for just that reason.

Little-endian vs Big-endian. Both are eggs but can't agree.

No Zee: I think the truth is only 280 of you are still claiming to be hot blooded males

Not me.
Tepid.
Never knew what luke-warm was. The 'change' was overnight.
But put a flame under me...and who knows? 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU8L0-RkDYU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU8L0-RkDYU</a>

[Tin Falcon]

It's a very fluid thing....life is that way I guess.

All of us started with curiosity, Then Wanted to build engines. And asked for plans and advise to do so. Then the cross roads some lose interest or have family /personal situations distract them. Some continue and finish an engine or many. se le vi. 
Tin