The future of this forum

[Chuffy]

One of the criticism of ACF after the previous schism was it was too cliquey and insular leading to a degree of navel gazing. One of the things I liked about C+ was the constant arrival of new people to augment the continuity afforded by the regulars. Are we going to be able to attract a steady supply of new people here or are we too going to become a cozy, if slightly moribund, old folks home?

That was my initial problem with...that place. The subsequent problems with the behaviour of the owner, my own personal issues with him notwithstanding, have just compounded it. But yes, that is a problem worth considering. I like continuity but not when it becomes stale. We've got the momentum to keep going as we are (gosh, I said 'we', how cosy!) but how can we ensure a regular supply of fresh blood?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

That was my initial problem with...that place. The subsequent problems with the behaviour of the owner, my own personal issues with him notwithstanding, have just compounded it. But yes, that is a problem worth considering. I like continuity but not when it becomes stale. We've got the momentum to keep going as we are (gosh, I said 'we', how cosy!) but how can we ensure a regular supply of fresh blood?

a regular mention in br won't hurt, although more in a "come and see us sometime" way than a "your forum is shit and ours is brill" way.

 

[Yorkshireman]

I gave them a chance, then they managed to turn what I thought was a fairly inocuous complaint into such an issue with their attitude that I'm having nothing further to do with 'em. See:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12536556&start=15

Hi Cab,
Just had a look there (been out for a ride :?: ) and I can hardly believe the way that thread has gone. In a way I can see what happened ( I`m standing on the sideline and not involved) and the way you have responded to Gavin Weeks given his apparent attitude (he certainly got hold of the wrong end of the stick - in my opinion) is reasonable enough in the context of the `discussion`. I find it a bit disturbing the way it all seemed to go. I`ve posted a few words over there, but as usual (for me) I`ve probably got it all wrong and made a right pillock of myself.

 

[Cab]

Your words there seem reasonable to me Yorkshireman.

I'm not really willing to put up with the attitudes over there. If to make even a criticism of such a bad article you're stepping on eggshells... Just ain't worth my time really!

 

[TimO]

I gave them a chance, then they managed to turn what I thought was a fairly inocuous complaint into such an issue with their attitude that I'm having nothing further to do with 'em. See:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12536556&start=15

I haven't look at BR for a few days, and I just followed that link to see what was happening.

What really suprises me is the snide comment made by Gavin Weeks, the "Don't worry about his hostility, it will pass in time." This guy appears to be one of the Future Publishing guys heavily involved in BR (if his sig is to be believed), and a comment like that is incredibly unprofessional. It may be difficult, but when you are representing your employer on a website like that, you have to take stuff, and keep the high moral ground, regardless of you feeling that your are being criticsed. You could pass comments in private messages or email, but even that is probably borderline, depending on the contents and to whom. I would never behave like that in a professional capacity, and hopefuly not in a private one either.

 

[Rob S]

Well if Bike Radar doesn't shape up they'll lose my Century A Month Challenge franchise!!! :?:

 

[Yorkshireman]

Your words there seem reasonable to me Yorkshireman.

I'm not really willing to put up with the attitudes over there. If to make even a criticism of such a bad article you're stepping on eggshells... Just ain't worth my time really!

Cheers for that Cab, I understand your feelings, I can`t weigh the Weeks guy up at all. He`s had a run in or two with others over minor things he`s probably not used to dealing with `uncouth` but articulate plebs, it would be better if he stuck to his web design and development bit. On the other hand Nicklouse is showing a little bit of humour :-
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=14535228#14535228 but I reckon that I`ve given a reasonable amount of support (apart from the first day) over there, and I was thinking that it would settle down and possibly somewhere to spend a bit of time ... but now ... I`ll see ...

 

[piedwagtail91]

Well if Bike Radar doesn't shape up they'll lose my Century A Month Challenge franchise!!! :?:

great stuff! how long are you giving them. :?:

 

[Steve Austin]

about 4 hours would be reasonable :?:

 

[Rob S]

Well if Bike Radar doesn't shape up they'll lose my Century A Month Challenge franchise!!! :?:

great stuff! how long are you giving them. :?:[/quote]

Four hours has a lot going for it but I guess it depends on how the atmosphere goes in the next month or three....in particular the way the MTB lot seem to wander over to Cake Stop to post twaddle.

Currently Bike Radar's bid lies in fourth spot behind here, ACF and Knitting World.

 

[jonesy]

...

as far as i'm concerned, this place is the phoenix from the ashes of c+, at least in terms of the community stuff, not to mention the smut, innuendo and filth :?:

I agree. I like this forum and the efforts being made by admin to make it a proper community, designed for its users. My concern is how sustainable it is in the longer term, given the inevitable churn that always takes place. So we need to make sure we can attract a constant supply of potential new members to replace existing ones that drift away. We've got a nucleus of a large chunk of the active members from Soapbox and Cakestop, not so many from Campaign (always a quieter forum anyway, though still very important) and fewer still from the interest groups.

This means we have to make sure the forum is widely promoted in the outside world, and that it has attractive content covering a range of interests to keep people's attention when they pop in to have a look. And by 'we' I mean us members, if we want it to work.

Hence my suggestion of having a sticky for useful links and resources in Campaign- maybe there are similar things, but with wider appeal, that we can do in other forums? Anyone got any bright ideas? Product/ website reviews? Route/ ride descriptions? Things that take a bit more effort to write than a normal post, but which we try to keep distinct from the rest... I suppose we need to think of the things we'd like to find on a website ourselves and try to put them here for others. Thoughts :?:

We also need to think about how to publicise the forum in the outside world. BR will always have the big advantage that lots of people will pick up the magazine every now and again. We need to use other means- links from local cycling group websites for example. Any other ideas?

 

[Andy in Sig]

A thought occurs: most of the chaps from C+ seem to have come over but what about the gels? Arch and Kirstie are here but where for instance is Comet Girl? I'm sure there are others I should be mentioning but has anybody else noticed the absence of the girly element?

FWIW I think that if we want to keep this site going long term, it will be necessary to build up a body of knowledge on the various fora (is that right?) so that people will see it as a favourite port of call when they want know-how questions answered.

 

[beanzontoast]

Andy - couldn't agree more. Longevity depends on utility. Getting the forum categories right and (hopefully) a subject search mechanism is paramount. A forum for banter is one thing: a place where knowledge and experience can accumulate over time and be tapped, even without posting a question, is another. If this place can do both, it will become a truly excellent resource.

 

[Ravenbait]

I don't think being horrible about BR in terms of trying to make things harder for them over there is very sporting. If you don't like it (and I don't but am willing to give it a chance to improve), then stay away, but there's no need to suggest trying to make things worse.

As I'm already involved in the League's forum and don't have a lot of time for forumming, I don't know how much time I'm going to be spending here. I'm always wary of anything built on the principle of how things were "better back then" - retroactive assimilation just doesn't work. The only surety is change.

As for the girls (I know you didn't mention me, but I'll forgive you), maybe they have better things to do and have taken the opportunity to escape the gravitational well of forum life.

Sam

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Bl**y H*ll this is supposed to be a nice friendly place, well that's why I came here from the other place, I just want to be able to have a chat, get some advice/give some advice, not enter into a debate about that ghastly place, we were bombed out of our nice comfy C+forum for BR let 'em get on with it, it's much nicer here, just like the old C+ place.