This forum...

[Stan Williams]

This may come as a shock to some people who live on forums and the internet.

I did a small survey asking people who have attended our NG meetings.
These are the results.

009  Forum.       12  visit it.

NGRM.              16  visit it.

People not on any Forums  =   23.

I have some comments from the latter,
Forums are full of people who want to see their name in lights.
Most talk a load of rubbish.
Some think they know everything in life and they are always right (in their opinion).
The expression looking good, when in fact, its a load of rubbish !

Maybe food for thought.
I must also point out, some that visit the forums have never contributed to it.

Stan.

[danny]

This may come as a shock to some people who live on forums and the internet.

I did a small survey asking people who have attended our NG meetings.
These are the results.

009  Forum.       12  visit it.

NGRM.              16  visit it.

People not on any Forums  =   23.

I have some comments from the latter,
Forums are full of people who want to see their name in lights.
Most talk a load of rubbish.
Some think they know everything in life and they are always right (in their opinion).
The expression looking good, when in fact, its a load of rubbish !

Maybe food for thought.
I must also point out, some that visit the forums have never contributed to it.

Stan.

Did you ask them about any others? It doesn

[Stan Williams]

Danny,

I should have mentioned,  some of the 23 are not on the internet (that may shock some).

Most have been on the 009 Forum or the NGRM and have packed them in (see some of the remarks)

Some of above go on the RMWEB but only read it.

Stan.

[Alan Feldon]

Bit Harsh comments re forums  Stan
Yes a lot of people merely read/watch topics on forums without contributing but that is their choice .
name in lights ,load of rubbish - what NG forums are you on ?
Alan

[Stan Williams]

Alan,

Those comments are not mine, they are from people I have spoken to.

I am on this forum and the NGRM.

Stan.

[clayliner]

Thanks for those observations, Stan.

People have their own reasons for visiting or not visiting forums like this, which they are fully entitled to. I presume some of those making negative comments have had bad experiences in the past which have influenced their views. I'm sure that if you approach a forum expecting to be irritated you will probably (?almost certainly!) find something to irritate you. We're probably all aware that a few posters appear to be there mainly to attract attention to themselves, but you soon learn who they are and it's not hard to avoid them. Personally I also don't bother with threads which simply don't interest me or which

[Alan Feldon]

My apologies Stan -misread your post .

[Chris Ford]

This may come as a shock to some people who live on forums and the internet.

I did a small survey asking people who have attended our NG meetings.
These are the results.

009  Forum.       12  visit it.

NGRM.              16  visit it.

People not on any Forums  =   23.

I have some comments from the latter,
Forums are full of people who want to see their name in lights.
Most talk a load of rubbish.
Some think they know everything in life and they are always right (in their opinion).
The expression looking good, when in fact, its a load of rubbish !

Maybe food for thought.
I must also point out, some that visit the forums have never contributed to it.

Stan.

This, on the face of it, looks a bit disappointing.
I had a little unscientific ask around at ExpoNG yesterday which threw up some interesting/concerning results. In no particular order they are:
1. The number who visit here appear to be less than 10% of the membership.

2. Garry Whiting seems to be the only moderator

3. No one is maintaining the site or developing it in any way.

4. Joining is dead easy - an email to Mem Sec gets you an initial password which can be changed in a couple of days once the account has been set up.

5. As far I as I, or anyone I spoke to can ascertain, we are the only model railway society with its own interactive forum.

6. There needs to be a general 'chat area' similar to Bulrushes on NGRMO, and a realigning of the subject headings.

7. The site is not fit for purpose in this form and needs a bit of a tweek to make it more attractive/accessible to a possible 1,800+ 009 Society members.


I'll probably float these and other points in the Jan issue editorial. In the meantime any suggestions and positive ideas welcome. We as a modelling group are not making the most of what could be a rich resource where parts/spares, advice etc. could be exhanged.

[Hobby]

009  Forum.       12  visit it.

NGRM.              16  visit it.

With respect, Stan, that's just use of statistics for the sake of them. It simply doesn't prove anything other than how many use Forums. To make it more usful many more questions need asking such as how many posts they make on each forum (which would indicate how useful they find them), for those not on yje 'net how many clubs or societies they are members off and how do they use them. Do they attend meetings within those societies or just use magazines such as the News to gain info or speak to others. Or are they just modellers who like to work alone...

Sorry but a straw poll like that doesn't really show us anything useful.

So far today there have been 44 different users on NGRM. What that proves I haven't a clue, but I just thought I'd throw it in to the discussion! ;)

[MickT]

(what Mick T would call a 'b*gg*r thread)

David.

Moi?
I am not sure if I have been misquoted, or if I was talking in my sleep at the last Wessex NGM meeting? I think I may have referred to the Grrrrr and Yippee threads on NGRM Online at some point in the past, but can't remember calling any of them b*gg*r threads! Not that it really matters what they are called of course!

To strike a more sober/serious note, Chris is absolutely right in his observation that this forum is lacking in several areas and Rod was right in an earlier posting about it being (sic): "on the action list along with the website" for updating/refurb". One of the problems here however is that this has been on the action list and raised at several AGMs where members have requested progress reports (unsuccessfully) for at least the last 8 years that I can think of, possibly longer, and as for the Society Handbook - "in preparation" for at least the last 15 years that I remember, the planned/projected/in preparation Society booklets in similar vein to the excellent ones produced by the 7mm Assoc, the Heritage Collection terms of reference etc - don't even ask, the availability of digital back issues that have been promised for at least 12 years now - freely available nowadays in both the NGRS and 7mm Assoc by the way - there has been procrastination, prevarication and glacial activity on these fronts for donkeys years.

These are all matters that are in the hands of the management of the Society and rather than simply mutter about them, I would suggest that if members feel that strongly about any of them, then they should be raised directly to the Directors, either the Director responsible, either the Communications one or the Operations one as relevant, or via the official channel of the Society Secretary for raising.

I would hope that as the member who re-ignited this particular ball rolling again is a co-opted officer on the Committee, then I would be very surprised and disappointed if he had not also raised his concerns directly through the chain of command to his own "line manager" ie the Communications Director.

Mick

[clayliner]

Sorry to drag you into this Mick, but you did say (albeit on NGRM!):

"Regrettably I won't be able to make it to either Bredgar or New Romney (do we have a "bugger" thread?) so for those that are fortunate enough to go to either of the events, I hope you have a great day and that the weather stays dry at least."
(- I'd just read it before posting here otherwise it would have long gone from my ageing memory...!) Apologies.

To get back to the topic, there have been several comments about the nature and set-up of the site and forum. When the promised new website arrives that would seem to be a good opportunity to put some of the suggestions made here in to practice. As Mick says, this has apparently been on 'the action list' for some time now - but one has to ask: whose action list?

I'm pleased to see that Chris has been reading the responses here to his editorial, but would also suggest that rather than wait for his January editorial to promote more discussion he also takes his useful ideas directly to those in a position to implement them.

I'm sure I'll be told - quite justifiably, I'm very happy to admit - that those concerned are only volunteers and busy people, but maybe some other people with the requisite skills and time could be co-opted to get these things moving? (If only more people visited this forum we could even advertise here! - but maybe the News is a better place to ask for help?)

David.

[Stan Williams]

With respect Blair,

The comments do show us something and the reason some people drop forums.

I refer to the comment,

Some think they know everything in life and are always right  !!

Perhaps some people should reflect on that !!

I do not intend to carry on this discussion further.

Stan.

[MickT]

You are of course correct David, I stand corrected and admit to the quote that you have published here! Apologies, my memory is now refreshed!

Mick

[Chris Ford]

I'm on to it.
It does strike me that (sticks neck out) with several hundred pounds worth of desktop publishing software at the Society's disposal, that allowing for some collation of material, a handbook could be knocked up in a month. All it needs is the first part of that to be sorted.

[Hobby]

With respect Blair,

The comments do show us something and the reason some people drop forums.

I refer to the comment,

Some think they know everything in life and are always right  !!

Perhaps some people should reflect on that !!

I do not intend to carry on this discussion further.

Stan.

What I said, Stan, is that it doesn't show enough information to make any reasoned discussion possible, as your response above shows. Why did those people you mention leave the forums for instance, though some said some reasons were all of the 23 non users ex members or have some of them not tried them. What would they need to get them back. Yes, there are "experts" on the forums, but they are the ones us lesser folk use to find out more about our hobby. As long as you ban discussion on things like Politics and Religion then you've a fair chance of relative harmony but life's not perfect and you'll always have the occassional hiccup. Then it's down to how the Mods deal with it!

You have a good idea, one of a Survey, but for it to be of any use to develop the matters Chris raised in his editorial it has to go beyond the simple question and delve deeper. Hence my comments about one question not being of much use when asked on it's own.

I applaud your initiative though and would suggest that some sort of (compulsory so as to get meaningful results?!!) questionnaire would be a good idea for the Society to take forward if they really want to find out what we feel. It could be done in paper form (included with the News) or electronically on the Website for those who use the 'net, perhaps password protected to stop outsiders getting involved.

Over to you Chris, you started it!


Going back to the subject of the Forum, am I alone in thinking that we have too many forums trying to cover the same ground these days? As I mentioned earlier I tend to use this one for Society business only and the other for day to day chat, am I the only one to do that?