What makes a good/bad forum? - Page 2

Accyexplorer · 25-03-2015, 09:42

I'll say it 'again',I'm not referring to this forum with my questions.
I have no gripe with this site and I think it has good community spirit (most of the time) and in general it is a good all round forum with regards to moderation etc.
One thing that could make 'this forum' better imo is folk could create threads/comment a little more but that's their personal choice and I hope my presence doesn't influence this
In case you haven't noticed,I've tried bitting my tongue and not creating controversy with my comments of late.

Explicit language (swearing,in moderation) wouldn't go a miss but that's just my opinion and I comprehend it's a child friendly site.

So, what sort of things help bring in new members and the possibility of donations which help fund forums?

dotti34 · 25-03-2015, 09:42

My previous posting on this thread was what my interpretation of what a forum is in answer to AccyX’s question – but to me Accyweb is much more than a run-of-the-mill forum. Although it is called a Community Forum I would put the emphasis on the ‘community’ part of it as it encompasses so many other things besides being a discussion group.

From a personal point-of-view I originally joined because I needed help with some family research and I received this very promptly and generously, but I soon discovered what a great site it is, am still here and feel privileged to be a member. It is a part of my daily ‘read’.

It is very humbling the way members support each other when things are not always that good. We have all felt deeply the loss of ‘friends’ who we didn’t know personally but had met through Accyweb and felt close to. Part of the family, the community spirit.

We are also able to share a laugh and to acknowledge other's achievements, again the community spirit, also offering helpful advice when this is asked for. So much more than just a forum, although I agree it is important to have interesting topics to discuss as well.

I agree with Margaret in that if you have some gripe, AccyX, then come out with it, don’t hide behind insinuations. You tend to make a statement then half go back on it. You mention a good community spirit – well see my comments above re this. The sort of explicit language you have in mind is not necessary for an intelligent person to get a point across, and I personally think the moderators do an excellent job, only stepping in when absolutely necessary.

dotti34 · 25-03-2015, 09:49

I apologise, AccyX. I must have posted my comments at the same time you were entering yours but you got in first. You have sort of covered some of my statements.

Margaret Pilkington · 25-03-2015, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

I'll say it 'again',I'm not referring to this forum with my questions.
I have no gripe with this site and I think it has good community spirit (most of the time) and in general it is a good all round forum with regards to moderation etc.
One thing that could make 'this forum' better imo is folk could create threads/comment a little more but that's their personal choice and I hope my presence doesn't influence this
In case you haven't noticed,I've tried bitting my tongue and not creating controversy with my comments of late.

Explicit language (swearing,in moderation) wouldn't go a miss but that's just my opinion and I comprehend it's a child friendly site.

So, what sort of things help bring in new members and the possibility of donations which help fund forums?

Folk DO create threads when something worth commenting on comes to mind...there is not much point in creating mindless threads(and Jason, this is not a dig at you....I am forthright enough to tell you when you post something which is not so hot).....there is not much point in creating threads that will cause ill feeling or be hurtful.
Swearing is totally unnecessary to get your point across...and it is a family forum.It is bad enough having to listen to swearing in general conversation....as if the commonality of it makes it alright...for me, it is only alright when you have bashed your thumb with a hammer or stubbed you toe against the doorframe.

I welcome new members with a fervent hope that they will bring something of themselves to the forum...something interesting.......and even when this hope is dashed I am always willing to give them another chance.......I don't condemn someone because they hold different views to mine.

I have never seen the community spirit of Accyweb fail...and that is over 11 years of being a member. If someone is in a tough spot there are always words of comfort, and in many cases offers of practical help too.

Eric · 25-03-2015, 15:30

Don't think I can take a question like this seriously ... It's bs and can't be answered ... or, if everybody on the planet offered an answer, there would be over 7 billion different answers. They will be herding cats before the definitive "good" and "bad" are found. Those who pop in on here regularly must think it's good for whatever reasons. It's good for me in a "Home Thoughts from Abroad" way ... or maybe Rupert Brooke: "yet/Stands the church clock at ten to three?/And are there black puddings still for tea?" I changed it a little bit.

Restless · 25-03-2015, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

I comprehend it's a child friendly site.

What many people don't comprehend on this subject is that this(like many others) is a PUBLIC forum, not just a child friendly site and therefore is required to reach a specific moral code/etiquette that forums have in general. Most forums don't allow bad language

Accyexplorer · 25-03-2015, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by dotti34

I apologise, AccyX. I must have posted my comments at the same time you were entering yours but you got in first. You have sort of covered some of my statements.

No apology necessary dotti

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Folk DO create threads when something worth commenting on comes to mind...there is not much point in creating mindless threads(and Jason, this is not a dig at you....I am forthright enough to tell you when you post something which is not so hot).....there is not much point in creating threads that will cause ill feeling or be hurtful.
Swearing is totally unnecessary to get your point across...and it is a family forum.It is bad enough having to listen to swearing in general conversation....as if the commonality of it makes it alright...for me, it is only alright when you have bashed your thumb with a hammer or stubbed you toe against the doorframe.

I welcome new members with a fervent hope that they will bring something of themselves to the forum...something interesting.......and even when this hope is dashed I am always willing to give them another chance.......I don't condemn someone because they hold different views to mine.

I have never seen the community spirit of Accyweb fail...and that is over 11 years of being a member. If someone is in a tough spot there are always words of comfort, and in many cases offers of practical help too.

After the boom of Fakebook,Twitter and the like good discussion forums seem to have died off,I'm glad this isn't the case here.
I didn't really want to bang on about this particular forum,but since it's on the cards,there is (usually) a good diversity amongst the comments here and like most I check regularly...whatever you post,someone will (usually) know what you mean and with the search facility whatever your interest is there's a good chance there is something about it on here (other forums seem a little subject specific unless I'm just looking in the wrong places).Maybe the diversity of comments is down to the age range of folk on here....I dunno

However,from what I've been told (only hearsay) but allegedly Accyweb is quieter than a few years back ("the good old days") is there a specific reason for this? Surely, it can't all be my fault

Thankfully it's still more than busy enough to work well and generates enough traffic to allow advertising which along with its contributors to help fund it.
We're rather lucky to have Accrington web,you'd assume every town would have one but sadly this isn't the case....long live the Accrington web

Now,with regard to my swearing comment I only meant It's use for emphasising purposes,not a free for all with every other word being explicit (it would save the abbreviations etc that I've seen on here too).
That being said,moderation is good and unbiased here, if it wasn't the (cough cough) trolls and spammers would be flooding the place and decent,rational,sensible folk like yourself an others would be abandoning ship.

I feel unwelcome here from time to time with some of the habitual belittling comments I receive but I put that down to those folks awareness of what they feel a good site should be like (and my unthinking,half baked comments). I've mentioned numerous times that I'm not here to make friends....however,I have picked up one or two along the way and for that I'm grateful

I originally joined to document the abandoned buildings in Accrington but have thankfully succumb to the allure of Accrington web and it's members.

Less · 25-03-2015, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless

What many people don't comprehend on this subject is that this(like many others) is a PUBLIC forum, not just a child friendly site and therefore is required to reach a specific moral code/etiquette that forums have in general. Most forums don't allow bad language

What people don't comprehend is that this is a PRIVATE forum that the public are allowed to join so long as they state whilst joining they are prepared to obey the rules.
Anyone that wishes to change the rules can't, but they are free to start their own forum and introduce their own rules then suffer the expenses incurred.

Restless · 25-03-2015, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

What people don't comprehend is that this is a PRIVATE forum that the public are allowed to join so long as they state whilst joining they are prepared to obey the rules.
Anyone that wishes to change the rules can't, but they are free to start their own forum and introduce their own rules then suffer the expenses incurred.

imo this is a public forum as you can view the forum without logging in- This is the element of which I was referring to.

Wonder how many read through the rules before accepting them

Restless · 25-03-2015, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

I feel unwelcome here from time to time with some of the habitual belittling comments I receive
.

You share your views and you have them picked apart... ah that forum life

Accyexplorer · 25-03-2015, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless

imo this is a public as you can view the forum without logging in- This is the element of which I was referring to.

Wonder how many read through the rules before accepting them

I'd agree,it's not exactly private if you can view it without becoming member....

...I read the rules,though to be honest as long as your not a total (deleted) they mean sod all as its basic forum etiquette

Restless · 25-03-2015, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accyexplorer

I'd agree,it's not exactly private if you can view it without becoming member....

...I read the the rules,though to be honest as long as your not a total (deleted) they mean sod all as its basic forum etiquette

I forgot most of them it was a long time ago when I first read them

Less · 25-03-2015, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless

imo this is a public as you can view the forum without logging in- This is the element of which I was referring to.

Wonder how many read through the rules before accepting them

Read yes, become a member and post no, wouldn't be much of a forum if no-one joined and posted the ghosts would soon be bored.
Probably greater than 95% don't read them, that's why they get upset when they get cocky and break the rules and are told off.
Just as an aside, I and several others didn't agree to the rules, because they didn't exist when we joined, so, it's up to the rest of you to behave not we few....

Restless · 25-03-2015, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Read yes, become a member and post no, wouldn't be much of a forum if no-one joined and posted the ghosts would soon be bored.
Probably greater than 95% don't read them, that's why they get upset when they get cocky and break the rules and are told off.
Just as an aside, I and several others didn't agree to the rules, because they didn't exist when we joined, so, it's up to the rest of you to behave not we few....

Im not aware of any forums where you can post without signing up.... least none I read

You make the rules, you lead by example... A SHINING EXAMPLE

Margaret Pilkington · 25-03-2015, 19:55

Accyweb is like other forums...people come and go. As i have said people join for their own reasons...some of which are not necessarily to make the forum more interesting, but to get information...to sell things(unlike Ebay there are no selling or commission fees).
I joined because I found it interesting...and I didn't read the rules until after I had joined.
Most of them are common sense and good manners anyway.

Sometimes life(real life that is, not this virtual reality) gets in the way of posting......and some of the long time members seem to have defected to the Facebook version/section of Accyweb...the reasons are their own.

If you have felt unwelcome at times that is just your perception and I have to say mainly because you have been contentious for the sake of it(to which you have freely admitted).
Whatever, Accyweb still beats other forums hands down.....long may it continue.