Is it Time for a Change? Forums Past and Present....
Frogdog
Member Posts: 2,992 ✭✭✭✭
Disclaimer: This is not in any way intended to be a critique or criticism of Gunbroker or its policies. Simply a discussion. If Mods disagree, please delete.
Was just browsing through all the forums, and realized that many/most are rarely being used, with some having no new posts for months at a time. Indeed, as we know, even General Discussion is getting to be a bit of a ghost town. Just curious how new and old alike see it…..do you think it's compounding our challenge to compete against the latest and greatest social media sites? I think a lot of folks may go to some of the forums, see it's slow, and just abort the whole site immediately.
Just thinking out loud, but I wonder if it would attract more "new talent" if we have fewer categories that house more recent threads (i.e. combined)? For example…..maybe just a consolidated General Discussion coupled with an Ask the Experts.
What would be your recipe for success?
In any case, I'll support the forums until the end, and respect whatever set-up Gunbroker provides.
Comments
I'm good.
I Have to admit that I miss the wide open, pedal to the metal, forum of old.
People having nasty verbal disputes that would blow over but would not be allowed today. Remington Oaks(??) and his porta potty rainbow come to mind. Many, many drunken rants by many members!! Some of which were quite funny when you realized that at least 4 or 5 shots to many had been tossed back! If I would guess, at least once I was in that group! Maybe twice!😂
Any news was reported here almost instantly. If I wanted to know what was happening, I would log on to GB and there was a news story not yet on any of the major networks.
I miss some of the serious forum nut jobs, Earl immediantly comes to mind. There are a few others I probably better not mention or I might be taking a temporary vacation.😁
When the poop hit the fan, I always seemed to have no idea what had happened.
This is kinda like the story of my life!!
This forum is a reflection of the business that sponsors it. I remember the keyboard commandos of old and confess I may have instigated some.
It's a kinder, gentler forum, now.
Agree 20+ years ago like the wild west and open not so much any more But I just we nt withe changes
This is the only on line forum I read or post on that includes face book
So I have no clue as to the latest and greatest chat or social media you speak of
I may be missing out but content with the curent group on here
Yea, I like our manners a lot better now than 20 years ago. Wild West back then! I’m just wonder if consolidating the active threads might make for a busier forum. Forums are like snowballs. The more they get going, the bigger they get.
But the bad manners were VERY entertaining!😊
I received the ban hammer under each system. The second one was more fun.🙂
Brad Steele
The median age here is probably 60? I agree with combining ask the experts🧐,General would be good - Fishing hole and black powder together - ect . This forum like everything else has an expire date and it is about 3/4 there.
Imo
I do more than my part on auction side to support this newspaper and will continue to do so though.
Moribund is another word for it.
Its all about creating shareholder value!
Some other forums I watch have way more categories than this one.
the forums are just a holdover from the past, I am of the opinion that no one in real power really cares too much about us leftovers. the good old days were a hoot, hell I miss the Capt., now it is a pale ghost of itself due to the loss of many interesting and insightful members. I first discovered G/B sometime in '99, took several years to join the forum, even today I mostly read and enjoy, give some info/knowledge when I can , and now visit only sporadically.
I hope the forums hang around and improve or get more active with new or old members , but I am thinking it too will be fading away sooner than later. it can't get much kinder and gentler then it is now…. hey maybe we can add a new forum subsection…" knitting and crocheting for overly testosterone hoarding members that identify as of the male gender"
"""all opinions expressed here are for comedic purposes only , no bad mouthing or mean talk meant or expressed by the member/author, or are aimed at, THE THEM IN CHARGE, or implied about THEM in this essay.😎🔫 """ Pleasant Dreams and Peace Out!
I miss Earl. It was so entertaining reading all his exaggerated posts.
The forums went from being a saloon to being a nunnery. Lost all the raucous fights, but also the customers.
I wish there were some middle ground.
The big change came when one had to be a registered auction side member to post here. That immediately cut the membership by at least half, by my guess. I, for example, have no interest in the auction side and almost never visit there. I wonder how many people are the opposite.
I like it the way it is.
I can go to any forum or anti-social media site on the 'net and get bad manners and abuse from Internet tough guys. Most of the time, things said here are the same things that could/would be said in person. I like that. No trolls is a good thing.
As for the categories, Politics and General Discussion should always remain separated. I think that division helps the moderators keep the peace.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
True. There is one in particular I’m thinking of that must have 30 or 40 different sub-forums. Problem is everything is so spread out that threads never generate any discussion. They just sit for months.
Uses to post on the reloading forum many years ago and it was very active until it became "Over Moderated" and had a slow death. most went elsewhere.
It went downhill when DWS left.
Well, as we head down the gripe trail….I can feel the 🔒 a coming.
I hang around only to redeem the points I've earned on GB'er. 😄
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
Really? I disagree, the forum has changed but I don't believe it's at the point of dying, at least I hope not.
If you look good it should be classified as a penny stock maybe it has been, it takes a lot of pennies to get rich 😉.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
My dear Jim, surely you wouldn't be an instigator. Say it ain't so! 😁
It is admittedly a friendlier place. I try to make a post at least once a day just to keep my "face" known.
I for one HATE change, guess that's what happens when you get old and grumpy…..
Amen brother ……………………..
No question that the times, they are a changin' to paraphrase Bob. I agree that things did get a little out of hand with personal attacks. Some folks were just entertaining with outrageous statements. The trolls were sometimes OK but became a pest. With my knowledge, I'm banned from the expert's forum and that's OK. Perhaps a couple of the lessor frequented forums could be combined. I visit the auction side and have sold a handful of things over the years. Kasey sold about 70 items of mine during my downsizing about 3 years ago. All in all, I'm happy here though I'd like to see a bit more fire. As my late dad would tell me "All things in moderation". At the time, I thought he was just talking about women. I would like to see to Mods beside Jim join in here.
Grasshopper, let's not discusses age.
It would be nice if you were correct, but I think the trend is down. Heck, if 4 more of us die, there will only be 5 left.
@cbxjeff "I would like to see to Mods beside Jim join in here."
What do you want us to say? The post hasn't been closed, I'd say that speaks volumes. As for me. I've only been around about 11 years, about 9 with an actual login.
You all talk about changing how the forums are setup and who you liked, dislike, miss from past days… etc.
These topics come up all the time, in my "short time" here compared to a lot of you, I have read the same old stories over and over again… I'd love for new members to bring something new and interesting to the forums, unfortunately not many last for long. I'd suggest there are many reasons why they don't which all of us know, or at least should recognize IMHO.
I for the most part enjoy the multiple hours I spend daily reading and when needed "Moderating" this place, I was asked by the admins at the time to consider do this unpaid job and I'm glad I agreed to. It can be very challenging job to edit and/or delete/close other peoples thoughts. But I do it when necessary. following "the rules" especially as part of the staff can be difficult when other members that "may" be pushing it too far is a long time member, but the staff do not make the rules, we only interrupt and try to enforce them and sometimes we could be wrong, but it is what it is.
I cannot speak for the other staff, but I try to be as fair as I can, but at 65 years old I understand that "Life" has never been fair. Some toes will always be stepped on in a crowd…
Bret (Ruger4me)
I was once a "super mod" at another forum site. It is indeed both challenging and thankless.
I've broken the rules here a time or three, usually inadvertently. Like all of us, my fingers sometime talk before my brain gets to edit.
I sometimes miss the larger crowd we used to have posting, but I don't miss the inappropriate pictures that used to pop up all the time. It was fun to come and see three pages of new threads in less than a day. I was an "honorary" moderator….but too busy with work to actually be any use, so that title was taken down when Mark C took over. I like the forums being smaller more personal feel we have here, people are actually forming true friendships and really get to know each other here.
I was about to comment some of my thoughts on this but my good friend and fellow moderator @Ruger4me gave his insights that pretty much parallel my own. I enjoy these forums mostly because of all of you fine folks here that participate. We all have much in common and it is nice to share our experiences, interests, good and bad times, and the lives we are living all over this big country of ours.
To quote @jimdeere here
It's a kinder, gentler forum, now.
I'd just say that we are more like FAMILY than some families that I have known.
The old forums, were it was 20 years ago and many more of us. "Their house, their rules", was quoted in every other thread. CaptFun was not only forum admin, but co-owner / co-founder of the business. He had access to all the control buttons for forums and auction side both. Forum membership was open enrollment, and new members were warned first thing, "better have thick skin".
20 some years, and a new forum later, here we are. New forum, new owners, new staff, new policies. We lost a ton of members when having an auction side account was required. Those member have chose over time not to sign up and participate in the forums. I know you miss…. we all do, but we miss them more than they miss us. We are all 20 years older, and have lost many members through death. Our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews are not replacing any of us. The younger folks are not as interested as we are. There are so many other social platforms and video games on line.
Rules and policy; Rules have been in place from day one and will remain in place until the last day. Remember, "their house, their rules"?
The rules are posted on every page and on 'Board Announcement' page. A Admin went as far to break down and explain each rule and what it means. Warnings are explained.
The forums are supported by a business. The forums are public viewed, and very popular in search engines. There is some attention brought to the forums that is unwanted. There is some attention that becomes a liability to the business that supports the forums.
Mods; All Mods have authority in all forums (unlike old forum). Mods are volunteers, give them a break. You could've had their job but didn't step up when we were recruiting.
But Joe,I make more at McDonald's and have a gun habit to support.
For myself, I would say, with the exception of my fishing buddy Capt. Kirk, I appreciate the current mods more than at any time in the past. Banty roosters don't sit well with me.
Well I'll give my opinion in sign language, interpret as best you can. 🤚 😪 🤬, 👬👫 💘 🐕️ 😽 🇱🇷, ⌛️ 🚙🚤 🐟️🌞 !!
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
Bless your heart. ^^^^
I think the current forum activity is a reflection of the overall reduction of interest in guns and other older things as time has passed. I see the exact same thing happening in the old car forums that I frequent. I don't think that the transition from blued steel and walnut to cheap metal and plastic has helped our cause. On a personal level, recently I have had to tolerate one of those "I'm Not A Robot" security things in order to log on. I refuse to use those, so I simply pass and go do something else.
Bingo !!…………😀
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
After 20+ years I still post and like to read the topics
Yes most topics have ben beaten like a dead horse over time and most of us have grow older our passionate for guns has dismissed some with age
Most all of us also have that mechanical "itch " we like to work or repair even build a lot of things that help keep the topics a bit fresh
My eyes are not what they used to be so shooting is not as much fun I suspect others shared that old age problem I still enjoy guns w as th a lot of youtubes showing off the latest new products
Also sane with cars I have always loved repairing cars but my body just can't handle hours of crawing in out and under like I use too
I still enjoy them all ans so allmy own work engen have two 69 csmaros i want toget back on but like the guns ansmy abilitys i have slowed way down on my activity
BBut most of us have big thing in comom we are still able to complain and or enjoy each day above ground
RIP to aĺ the members and family of ours wh no longer have that option
What ever comes down the road on the forum good or bad ii will just plug along untill I can't
So many good people with a never ending wealth of knolage being shared on here from every topic makes it interesting, from the bugs to the rockets and all in between you name it itsbeen discussed or will be eith in limits of course
I hope all of us get plenty more years to come