Site Growth Discussion (Pared from spotted thread)

[TaffZee]

Here is my perspective as a new member….and a woman!

All sorts of people join all sorts of forums for all sorts of different reasons. What I want out of it will be different from the next man or woman and I am fine with that.

I bought my first Z just before Christmas and am here to get to know like-minded people, pick up some general tips and hints and look for opportunities for meets etc.

I bought the Z to drive, not modify or maintain or “play” with. Neither I (nor my husband) are the slightest bit interested in doing anything more than polishing it (and if truth be told, I regard that as man’s work )….we will go to the professionals for that sort of thing. If I wanted a project I’d choose something that wouldn’t chip my nail polish …. and no I don’t pay someone else to paint my nails I’m quite capable of doing that all by myself .

I look at the forum most days, I check out the “What’s New”, I read any threads that catch my eye and if I have the time and it interests me I will comment. I am used to the kind of banter which is to be found when guys get together and it rarely bothers me……30+ years working in the automotive components industry has seen to that….but not everyone feels the same.

So the chances are I won’t contribute that often and never on technical threads but does that make me any less valid as a member?

Well Said Gail, and no because you dont contribute as much as others does not make you less valid.

 

[GazHyde]

I check out the “What’s New”, I read any threads that catch my eye and if I have the time and it interests me I will comment.

So the chances are I won’t contribute that often and never on technical threads but does that make me any less valid as a member?

Makes you no less a member in my eyes, and I'd rather you contribute on what you can add to rather than post to make up the numbers!

As with everyone else on here I will look forward to meeting up with you at one of the many meets this year!

We are a zed community

Prize for using the correct word. I personally don't like the word forum as it's a bit 1990's, and doesn't cover what we provide as a service.

 

[TaffZee]

Prize for using the correct word. I personally don't like the word forum as it's a bit 1990's, and doesn't cover what we provide as a service.

Take it of the site them and replace it with Community......

 

[BMBabe]

Here is my perspective as a new member….and a woman!

All sorts of people join all sorts of forums for all sorts of different reasons. What I want out of it will be different from the next man or woman and I am fine with that.

I bought my first Z just before Christmas and am here to get to know like-minded people, pick up some general tips and hints and look for opportunities for meets etc.

I bought the Z to drive, not modify or maintain or “play” with. Neither I (nor my husband) are the slightest bit interested in doing anything more than polishing it (and if truth be told, I regard that as man’s work )….we will go to the professionals for that sort of thing. If I wanted a project I’d choose something that wouldn’t chip my nail polish …. and no I don’t pay someone else to paint my nails I’m quite capable of doing that all by myself .

I look at the forum most days, I check out the “What’s New”, I read any threads that catch my eye and if I have the time and it interests me I will comment. I am used to the kind of banter which is to be found when guys get together and it rarely bothers me……30+ years working in the automotive components industry has seen to that….but not everyone feels the same.

So the chances are I won’t contribute that often and never on technical threads but does that make me any less valid as a member?

@Gail Nicely put!!! Cant wait to meet you at some events this year

 

[GazHyde]

Take it of the site them and replace it with Community......

It's not quite as straight forward as changing the words though, but I've noted your suggestion on my development plan.

 

[MAURICE THE MARTIAN]

In ans to to your last point Gail, for me an I suspect most of the members I would say no, as members we all count , whether we contribute much or not, without you and everyone else there is no .ORG.
M

 

[zedonist]

So what you are saying is unless my opinion conforms to your opinion I should not post?

Says it all really, and provides the basis for the original question.

 

[DavidM]

We might get enough information from these threads to construct a thesis, submit to the University of Car Forums, for a PhD in Forumatics?

 

[billz]

Just Going to throw this out there, but don't you think that all this recruiting will result in a paradigm shift of the forum kind (yes I know it's not science related), and as a consequence will alienate long established members if not done in a controlled manner?

I have noticed a content change over the last few weeks, and there is a danger that forum identity could be lost, it's a typical symptom of growth.

I believe your initial post was questioning wether established members would feel alienated because of having so many new members and posts not being related to the cars we own.

So what you are saying is unless my opinion conforms to your opinion I should not post?

Says it all really, and provides the basis for the original question.

So this has no basis for your original post. JMHO

 

[zedonist]

I really Really REALLY dont know what the problem is? Can someone enlighten me, When this site was formed it was (for a number of us anyway) in response to a over moderated forum. Am I right or am I right? and the idea of a forum where banter and off topic conversation could be had (within reason) without it becoming a problem was refreshing, that is why the forum took off, So Do A Poll. Find out what members think, Please dont discriminate against new members just because you have been here from the start, no one should be excluded from any of the areas on the forum, we want to welcome new members and make them part of the community not isolate them. As for the Hello's, Look at my shiny Zed, happy birthday are not tedious but are part of the forum.

Jim, I was not trying to discriminate against anyone, it was an example, the forum dynamics have changed, and one of the reasons is growth, it's how do you control it to ensure it is not detrimental to the forum as a whole. A similar analogy would be 10,000 immigrants landing in your quiet little village, it would change the dynamics for sure, it would be new, but would it be a good experience?

We all use this forum in different ways? Who is to say which is the right one, do we need to?

 

[Gail]

it's how do you control it to ensure it is not detrimental to the forum as a whole

And whose definition of what is or is not detrimental to the forum as a whole should we be using?

 

[zedonist]

Gail, that's the whole point of a discussion.

Collectively, if allowed, it's something we could help define.

Or the owner can just take a stance, either way is fine

 

[billz]

I like yourself am a long standing member of this forum and i personally do not feel alienated or overly concerned about the way it is transforming. Even though i do know what you are getting at with the amount of limited topics about our cars and about our plans with what we are planning on doing with them. But like i said in a previous post it is winter and most of us do not really do much with them over this period. I am sure more on topics will start as the weather picks up. Or we could just sorn the site over winter.

 

[TaffZee]

So what you are saying is unless my opinion conforms to your opinion I should not post?

Says it all really, and provides the basis for the original question.

No not at all, I myself would like some form of clarifcation on what your goal was in posting in the first place. To sum your opinion up:

To Many New Members
To Many tedious posts
Not enough Technical posts
Not Enough Moderation

Not everyone is able to post technical specifics for these cars, some would not know how to change a spark plug, but they are still welcome to post, even if its to say Hello or Here is a picture of my car, and any other comments they wish to make, it is not as you put it tedious but part of any community (Is that better Gary), maybe you find it tedious but I for one welcome all the posts and perhaps just perhaps they want to establish themselfs within the community () by taking part in the banter, you (in my opinion) want to restrict these postings and make it into an Elite Club with new members having to take a back seat. and it should be only used for technical information for our cars. Why do I own one For FUN. and I expect Zroadster.org to be FUN as well.

 

[zedonist]

To help clarify my original question, it was "do you think the forum dynamics have changed, and do you think it is detrimental to the forum" and I have as an example which related to hello posts and my opinion on them, there are others obviously.........

 

[oldcarman]

And to p--s all those who feel like that off
HELLO JIM not heard from you in a while

Which JIM are you pining away to hear from, there are several on forum now to choose from. JIM

 

[billz]

aimed at Taffzee Jim. Jim and if you was to use my real name there would be another one

 

[Zeti]

I like the analyze started by Zedonist!
The point is right and I understand perfectly what he pointed. Yes, the dynamic of the forum has changed and due to the growth will never come back. Up to me it's fine: we have the technical part, news and banter , all with a high quality of humor and spot of color. Maybe some discussions, some times, should be sent PM, just to save space on the forum, but we will educate each other, in time.
From (probably) 200,000 Zed3 owners (left in operation) we make just 1%, world wide, here on the forum; if the Zed brought us together it's nice to socialize on some other subjects too, enlarging our knowledge and pleasure. Some will be more actives some times (when time allows), others will just participate on visiting the forum.
I feel here as in a family and I like that.

 

[bruce&kim]

Hi all just a quick note...I used to post quite a lot about different problems I had with our car,i received all the answers on how to cure the problems as such it is running great but I don't feel confident enough to advise others on how to fix there issues so don't post as much ,but I do check in every day and great to see more people signing up and the forum growing. We have met loads of great people in the last year and as the weather gets better have no doubt we shall meet a load more this year. At the end of the day if someone has a prob many will help to sort it and if general banter is also high on the topic list that's fine as well .Keep up the good work Gary

 

[oldcarman]

Since I joined, close to a year ago now and still think I'm a newbie, I've found many new owners facing major problem that they would not handle on their own. Other members have joined up to go to the problem and have put the owner to work fixing their cars with their assistance. What can be wrong with that?
Not everyone takes the time to go through the menu to familiarize themselves on what is available to them so they post queries, get answers and decide how best to solve their particular problem. Hopefully they return, some recently have come and gone. I hope everyone feels at ease asking questions and some of the banter that goes with it. JMO JIM