This forum...

[JulienW]

I'm still not quite sure of the reasoning. I think the percentage registered for the forum and also the much smaller percentage actually using it have remained static for several years now. But does that matter? It seems to me you are saying more members should use the forum just because it is there. A couple of years ago, I think, the 009 Yahoo group closed because of lack of support. I would suggest to you that those who are interested in the forum use it and those that are not interested, the vast majority of the members, do not use it. Would there be any benefit to the society, or indeed the members, if more used it?

As the person responsible for the running of the old 009 Society Yahoo group the main reason for the lack of support was a migration of members from that type of e-mail based system to online forums (fora?) like this one (and NGRM online). Once these got up and running the Yahoo group saw less and less traffic to the point that the only messages were the automated monthly reminder of the Yahoo group's rules.

Full details can be found here.

As to there being any benefit to the society by exapansion of this forum and thereby improving communications between members I find it hard to think how having more of our fellow members taking part could be detrimental...

[rod335]

I wholeheartedly take your point about connection. But and it's a very big but, for the vast majority of the members they have all the connection they want via the News. To my mind, they are aware of the forum and would use it if they wanted to. And, as has been admitted, there are some very aggressive people on this forum who seem to delight in causing unrest. That is the, probably major, reason I gave up on NGRM, the sheer unpleasantness of some of the contributors. That and the fact that most of the topics held no interest for me. But, as I stated previously, many of the posts on here do not interest me. And before anyone screams 'elitism', there is no law that says I do have to find all the posts interesting.


I am still not sure about the numbers thing. It is not axiomatic that the more members who use the forum, the better the forum/society will be. It will just mean more members are using the forum. There will be more posts on more subjects but that doesn't automatically make it better. We have who knows how many television channels now but how often is anything broadcast that is worth watching? Bigger is by no means always better.

[JulienW]

<snipped>
For those of us who live out with the boundaries of the area groups and whose nearest narrow gauge exhibitions are Leeds and Rainhill we miss all the usual interaction (and gossip) so 009 News and the Forum are what keeps us in touch with our fellow modellers and are therefore essential lifelines. 
Malcolm

Q.E.D. ....

[rod335]

Malcolm: Things ARE happening with the Heritage Collection. Having been curtly informed that any photographs I took were not good enough for publication (although good enough for Facebook etc) I arranged for a good photographer to do the work (in his own time and for nothing). These photos were not satisfactory so I have now had the items photographed again and am in the process of preparing the necessary articles. You should reflect on the fact that everyone involved is working for nothing and giving their time freely. As such it is not really possible to pressurise them into delivering to deadlines as if too much pressure is put on them they will just walk away.

[clayliner]

First point: More people, more discussion, more interchange.

Absolutely - says it all.

Rod's point about television channels is well made, but the difference here is that forum activity is interactive. My intuition (and I'm no mathematician!) is that doubling (for example) the number of active members would not just double the number of posts but might more likely square the number, or at least head somewhere in that direction.

I'm also not sure where all these aggressive and unpleasant forum people are. Both this forum and NGRM-Online seem generally remarkably friendly and civil to me, and on the rare occasions when someone does overstep the mark others are quick to rebuke them (usually with the desired effect). The moderators seem to have little to do, and self-policing is anyway much more desirable.

David.

[Malcolm]

Malcolm: Things ARE happening with the Heritage Collection. Having been curtly informed that any photographs I took were not good enough for publication (although good enough for Facebook etc) I arranged for a good photographer to do the work (in his own time and for nothing). These photos were not satisfactory so I have now had the items photographed again and am in the process of preparing the necessary articles. You should reflect on the fact that everyone involved is working for nothing and giving their time freely. As such it is not really possible to pressurise them into delivering to deadlines as if too much pressure is put on them they will just walk away.

Rod
The point I was trying to make was the lack of communication from the Directors.  If there had been an announcement that matters relating to the Heritage Collection were in hand, photographs and articles being prepared then we would have known that the matter was on the radar and moving forward instead nothing, so frustration and the feeling the Directors are sitting on their hands.  I am sure the Directors do not wish to be seen to be doing nothing especially if they are actually moving heaven and earth.  I appreciate they all do it in their free time etc. but all I am suggesting is a little communication.  If the pressures on the Directors are so great then perhaps it is time to look at expanding the number of directors, delegate work etc. and spread the load more evenly.   
Malcolm

[Chris Ford]

WARNING DRASTIC THREAD DRIFT!
Malcolm,

Yes I did indeed respond to your caption request. I hadn't thought a cover caption important, but it has been restored as you note.


I'm quite confused about the Heritage collection photos 'refusal' -  before my time. However, Rod and I have been in contact just this week already and there will be a first instalment of Peco studio photos in the new year. (read: as soon as I get them)

[rod335]

Malcolm, when I mentioned the the people concerned working for nothing I was referring to the photographers, one of whom is not even a Society member.

Chris, I emailed you a photograph a few months ago asking if the quality (not the content) was fit for publication and felt that the response I got was quite offensive.

[JulienW]

Chris, I emailed you a photograph a few months ago asking if the quality (not the content) was fit for publication and felt that the response I got was quite offensive.

It has been suggested that the forum be used for discussing society matters. That, to my mind, is not the way things should be done as it opens the door to political lobbying. If members wish to raise society matters in any form, the correct way to do this is by contact with any of the Directors, especially the Chairman or Secretary, not by public discussion.

I'll just leave those there, shall I....

[rod335]

That was a response to Chris's post. Nothing more. I would have thought you of all people would by now be more circumspect. I was not going to mention it but I have been on the receiving end of various pernicious and untrue public accusations from you. Sorry, I did not want to get personal as this is not the place.

[JulienW]

Such as?

Edit - actually Rod don't bother. I don't really know what you are on about, nor do I really care anymore.

[Steve Facknell]

Just reel it in and consider if these comments would be made face to face- doubtful

[invercloy]

Moving on...

I think there was a very valid question asked a page or two back which got glossed over somewhat: "what is the purpose of the forum?".

As many others have also said, I use NGRM, there's more interaction and more content - although at times some of it can be irrelevant and unncessary, but that can happen on any forum (cough). I guess the question the Society needs to ask is what can it offer through its own forum?

Chris's suggestion of editorial content on here is interesting. Personally when I was editor I would have happily deleted Branchlines from the News and moved it here, but when people complained about a font change I realised that change wasn't going to go too well. At the moment the forum is set up with boards themed around traditional model railway subject matter areas. If the Society wants to offer something different to that to give a greater value to this place why not find other ways of providing Society specific content? However, how about giving the Groups their own space on here? Chris' editorial space is a good one. There must be more...

[MickT]

Well one thing is clear, this discussion has certainly fanned some flames from the embers and brought the forum to life, there's been more posts over the past couple of days than there normally are in a month!

Rod, Chris - I've sent you both an email

Mick

[BrianE]

Trigger Warnings for Thread Drift, Off-Topic Rambling, Incitement and Dictionary Abuse


Clayliner kindly alerted me to this thread so I've read it all through. A number of things strike me as relevant:

As of this evening we have 1935 Society members. Not all the 420 registered forum users are still members - I'm sure many of you will fondly remember 'pilotfriend'.

It's obvious that what we need more of is vitriol, invective and spite. This should be closely followed by the stamping of feet, throwing toys out of prams, and general ya-booing. Cries of 'fight, fight' should resound to the virtual rafters and eventually someone will throw a custard pie jpeg.

On the other hand, maybe not. Whatever strategy you adopt, if this forum isn't open to all shades of opinion then what's the point? It is, after all, members only and therefore should allow any member to say whatever they want. Whether your language is courteous and polite or aggressive and disrespectful is a matter of choice. We have a moderator who is perfectly capable of exercising their judgement and we are free to agree or disagree.

There's been a lot lately in the news (the real news, that is) about Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). As a way of keeping sensitive proprietry information secret they're reasonably effective. As a way of shutting people up and hiding wrongdoing they're just nasty. I don't think we're ready for NDAs here yet but if a question asked privately doesn't get answered then a public appeal seems in order and this forum serves that purpose.

The last point I wish to make concerns volunteers. If you volunteer to do a job, in whatever field takes your fancy, you're not doing it for the material reward because there isn't any. So there must be some other factor driving you on; something you are doing must be giving you a non-material reward. So in fact you are being paid, just not with money. And if that job you do is a position of some responsiblity then you should be open to both praise and criticism. Basically if you volunteer to do a job then do the job else why did you volunteer.

Of course, being a grown-up now doesn't mean you're always right, eh.