Author Topic: Lack of response to posts  (Read 11038 times)

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #105 on: April 07, 2021, 05:20:38 PM »
He was also effectively thrown off of here and ME, hope that won't happen to you Andrew.

I certainly wasn't sticking up for him in anyway, I just agreed with what he wrote at that time. I have been here since pretty much the beginning and was happy when he left the forum.

Dave
« Last Edit: April 07, 2021, 09:38:30 PM by Dave Otto »

Offline scc

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #106 on: April 07, 2021, 09:05:29 PM »
I've been watching this post "from a distance" ...not really willing or able to join in constructively.    For my posts I use an old, cheap camera that is not always in focus, I have neither the time or expertise to fit text between photos.  Flyboy Jim's point 4 is a great reason to post......it makes me create a record of my shed activity.  Something I would not do without the forum. It does ME good to review my fumblings .  If nobody watches so be it, but the view count tells me some do.  I have also received lots of good advice from several members and  I also enjoy looking at other folks methods and machines / shops, etc. This is a great forum and my thanks go to the Admins.   Long may it continue.    Terry

Offline crueby

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #107 on: April 07, 2021, 10:00:17 PM »
I've been watching this post "from a distance" ...not really willing or able to join in constructively.    For my posts I use an old, cheap camera that is not always in focus, I have neither the time or expertise to fit text between photos.  Flyboy Jim's point 4 is a great reason to post......it makes me create a record of my shed activity.  Something I would not do without the forum. It does ME good to review my fumblings .  If nobody watches so be it, but the view count tells me some do.  I have also received lots of good advice from several members and  I also enjoy looking at other folks methods and machines / shops, etc. This is a great forum and my thanks go to the Admins.   Long may it continue.    Terry
I agree on having the record of how I did things, quite a few times have had to look back and see how I did it before. Lots of great techniques shown on these forums.

Offline Laurentic

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #108 on: April 07, 2021, 11:05:06 PM »
Having now read this thread all the way through - had to catch up on a few days worth of comments - I thought that as I very probably fall very firmly into the 'lurker' or 'observer' category I ought to at least make an effort to comment.

Actually, of the two terms I prefer to be known as an 'observer' rather than a 'lurker'; in England a lurker could have a somewhat unsavory connotation and nobody wants that!

Zee - your major post was spot-on, agree with everything you wrote.

I have been a member on here for a number of years but have started very few threads; I mainly confine myself to reading threads and making the odd comments if I feel I have anything relevant to say that could help the thread or interest anyone.  That is not to say I am not interested in the posts here or feel inadequate, though often my lack of experience would indicate inadequacy.  Although I have been in engineering since the 1960's, and was taught how to use a lathe and a mill amongst all the other workshop hand and machine tools in my initial training, it was only when I retired and set up my own workshop that I realised how limited my experience was in workshop terms - work holding set-ups for example were a whole new learning curve.  To that end the threads on here on engine or whatever builds with details of how things were held and machined have greatly helped me gain experience and know-how, for which I am deeply grateful.  I love photos of how things were held and machined, they are often more value to me than the end product!

Perhaps I have not put any build threads on here because I feared that others may tut tut at my inexperienced way of doing things and general machining ham-handedness, or that the long time between posts - I am a very slow worker and most bits need making at least twice if not more times - would put people off.  I must try a build thread and see what reaction I get!

However, I do value this forum above most if not all others as I love the lay-out and clarity of the posts, the build threads are always interesting ( or the ones I like are), and the folk on here are usually very helpful and friendly, none of the bitchiness and backbiting you can get on other forums.  People seem to want the help people on here, some people on other forums seem to just want to score points and say how clever they are.

Yes, maybe some way of showing how much you are enjoying and appreciate a thread would be useful, but I can quite see why a 'like' button would be such a bad idea, but neither do I want to mindlessly add a "good work" comment just to bump the figures up; sometimes I am too busy also to add comment, sometimes by the time I read a thread the moment to comment on a bit well done that has deeply impressed or made an impact has passed, which is perhaps another reason why some comments are not made by others as well as by me.  Sometimes several days pass between my visits to the forum, hence the moments passing; sometimes I pick up on a long thread long after it has started and play catch up but the moment to comment on a particular post has long gone.

I think this forum is great - I would not like to see it changed. I will try and pay more attention to it and perhaps post more comments in the future!

Chris

Online Vixen

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #109 on: August 09, 2021, 01:30:33 PM »
This may be an old topic but the trend continues.   :ThumbsDown: :ThumbsDown:

There is still a noticeable reduction in the number of posts each day and consequently a lack of response to both old and new posts.

I am sure more response would encourage more members to make an extra effort to post information about their creations. Members must be asking themselves, is it realy worth the effort to make a post. It's a chicken and egg situation. Lack of response discourages members from bothering to prepare and post stuff. Conversely, lack of posts can only result in a lack of response.

It's not difficult to see that a high proportion of visits each day are made by guests, who cannot respond to what they see.

Is there not some way we could try, that would let both members and guests respond?  Yes, I know the argument that visitors can become members, if they so wish: and an open house would make more work for the mods.

Any ideas ?     :thinking:

Mike
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Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Online Jasonb

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #110 on: August 09, 2021, 01:44:41 PM »
Making attachments visible to guests may help as it is difficult for them to follow a thread if they can't see half of what's there and we all know a "thread is useless without pictures". If they can actually see what is being talked about they may join up and post.

Offline Jo

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #111 on: August 09, 2021, 02:01:59 PM »
Is there not some way we could try, that would let both members and guests respond?  Yes, I know the argument that visitors can become members, if they so wish: and an open house would make more work for the mods.

No.

If anyone could post we would be inundated with Spam and you would not be able to see/post anything. The forum Spam blocks prevent literally thousands of attempted accesses from known spammers every day.


Making attachments visible to guests may help as it is difficult for them to follow a thread if they can't see half of what's there and we all know a "thread is useless without pictures". If they can actually see what is being talked about they may join up and post.

On my C-611 thread I spent extra time hosting my photos on our photo posting area so that non members can also see what I was describing. It did not improve the number of responses I got from the members or increase the number of views of the thread.

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline propforward

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #112 on: August 09, 2021, 02:04:21 PM »
I don't know that making attachments visible will help. I mean there isn't very much response even from existing members - depending on who is posting the thread. I host all my pictures through a service that I actually pay for, so they are visible to all, and go to the effort of posting pictures in line with text to make the posts flow, but on the whole the effort is not very worthwhile. I'm not intending to post any more build logs at this point. Since even a small and simple engine takes me 2-1/2 years to complete, that is perhaps no loss.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2021, 02:12:42 PM by propforward »
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #113 on: August 09, 2021, 02:29:23 PM »

No.

If anyone could post we would be inundated with Spam and you would not be able to see/post anything. The forum Spam blocks prevent literally thousands of attempted accesses from known spammers every day.
Jo

Well that sounds like a very definite "Things ain't gonna change"  :ThumbsDown: :ThumbsDown:

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #114 on: August 09, 2021, 03:06:00 PM »
I think the term "Lack of response" needs to be defined. Let's use my Elmer's Number 43 build thread as an example: https://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,6181.0.html

The build thread has 18 pages consisting of my posts and posts of help and encouragement from others (mostly from the same small group of people). I suppose that could be deemed to be a lack of response when the total number of members on this forum are factored in. However.........there's more to this. As of today there has been 46,805 views of my thread. That certainly doesn't seem like a "lack of response to me".

More recently Stuart's PM Research Number 1 thread: https://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,8392.0.html has had 21,894 views already. A number that I expect to climb over time.

These numbers and the numbers I see on most build threads tell me that there is plenty of response to our build threads.

Jim
« Last Edit: August 09, 2021, 03:10:03 PM by Flyboy Jim »
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Offline Jo

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #115 on: August 09, 2021, 03:17:23 PM »

No.

If anyone could post we would be inundated with Spam and you would not be able to see/post anything. The forum Spam blocks prevent literally thousands of attempted accesses from known spammers every day.
Jo

Well that sounds like a very definite "Things ain't gonna change"  :ThumbsDown: :ThumbsDown:

Mike

Yes that is correct. To participate you need to be a member.

If you want to be inundated with explicit porn, scammers trying to rip you off left right and centre, be offered any drugs to purchase or be subjected to other illegal/offending behaviour you need to go elsewhere. For clarity on this (and possibly other matters) yes I am a miserable sod as I will not tolerate such postings here  :Director: .

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Online Jasonb

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #116 on: August 09, 2021, 03:34:53 PM »
I think the term "Lack of response" needs to be defined.

Agree there are different ways of looking at it.

lack of interest would be low views

lack of response would be lack of replies, that could also be sub divided into the "nice job" " great progress"  type comments which add little to the content but may encourage the poster to keep on posting in their thread. Then there is response in the way of interaction such as enquiring further about a method shown, asking for more detail or dare I say it offering alternative methods or pointing out an error.

It's not just this forum, ME is much the same where there are not a lot of posts by other in build threads, seems tea room (chatterbox) threads or moaning about the forum/publishers, etc get the most action. Same goes for spam we have to approve first posts but even then it can be hard to tell on some who may sneak a spam link into what at first appears a reasonable post. Luckily most is obvious.


Offline propforward

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #117 on: August 09, 2021, 03:41:41 PM »

These numbers and the numbers I see on most build threads tell me that there is plenty of response to our build threads.

Jim

OK that's a fair point. However - it's not very engaging. If all I wanted was number of views, I could set up a youtube channel VLOG or something. I have always hoped for a bit more discussion, but in reality I think the time of forums is dwindling away. That kind of conversation takes too much time, and the population on the whole prefers the quick click of the "like" button so they don't have to actually make any effort. I'd rather not go that route either. To sustain forum board conversation requires significant membership and we just don't have it.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Online Vixen

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #118 on: August 09, 2021, 04:13:28 PM »

No.

If anyone could post we would be inundated with Spam and you would not be able to see/post anything. The forum Spam blocks prevent literally thousands of attempted accesses from known spammers every day.
Jo

Well that sounds like a very definite "Things ain't gonna change"  :ThumbsDown: :ThumbsDown:

Mike

Yes that is correct. To participate you need to be a member.

If you want to be inundated with explicit porn, scammers trying to rip you off left right and centre, be offered any drugs to purchase or be subjected to other illegal/offending behaviour you need to go elsewhere. For clarity on this (and possibly other matters) yes I am a miserable sod as I will not tolerate such postings here  :Director: .

Jo

Thanks for the clarification Jo,

I had not intended to upset you, but obviously I have. For which I apologise.

Clearly it's a much harder job to keep the forum free from the 'bad' guys than I realised. You do that very well, and we all thank you for doing that.

Mike

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline propforward

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Re: Lack of response to posts
« Reply #119 on: August 09, 2021, 05:56:22 PM »
Having administered and moderated a forum before I can certainly attest to the amount of spam attacks. The team I administered with had to implement quite silly amounts of regulations to keep spammers at bay. Forums with a "classifieds" area seem to have an extra level of difficulty. Luckily the registration software screens out a lot, but unfortunately it does rule out free for all access.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

 

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