What Happened To The 'older' Members

[Inchworm]

It's good to see you again dwarfgourami. Welcome back!


_____

Look at the posting from the mods (used as a group of experienced members rather than singling one "normal" member out), who are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced members. How many of them are fequently posting more than 2-3 posts per day? very few of them (some are struggling to average 1 post per month this year!) especially the ones who've been in the job longer than a year then how many of them are answering the same old questions regularly? again not many. It's not a criticism of them, they must be as bored of the same old, same old as anyone else so they don't bother answering them, but with their moderating "duties" bringing them back, they come back to TFF. Other experienced members dont have that "duty" or any other need to come back so they don't bother and the next generation of experts has to come through.

Hi Arfie

This has been a hard year for some of us older mods. I've posted about my problem earlier on this thread, so I won't go into it again, and several of the other mods have had family responsibilities take their attention. With luck all will go well for them and they will soon be here more often again.

While we like to post on threads, and often do, it's not our primary responsibility here. We first have to read to the "Report" PMs we received and take the appropriate action. Depending on the situation, this can take a bit of time. We also answer PMs we get from members and resolve problems that are presented to us there. Often this takes several PMs back and forth with them and one or more other members. Then it's off to the Mod's forum to catch up on the news and discuss policy issues. After that comes the tasks of moving threads around to their appropriate forums and bumping up worthy posts that have not had responses. After that is all done comes the fun part and that's posting on the threads.

Well, that's my routine anyway. Some of the other mods might do things differently, but the important work must be done if we want to keep the forum safe, sane and somewhat orderly. Just because you don't see us doesn't mean we're not there.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I particularly like that one on bumping worthy threads, (which I also do, even if I do not have a relevant answer, I always refer).... some of the threads do not get the necessary credit or deserved attention.... Nice to know that the mods are looking out for this.

 

[dwarfgourami]

It's good to see you again dwarfgourami. Welcome back!

Thank you, dear; they're lovely flowers (and the calf is most delicious).

 

[jourdy288]

I don't know if anyone here remembers it, but I disappeared for awhile too, it's seemed like I wasn't coming back (until one day, bwahahahah!)
That was just a short TFF break, now I'm back!

 

[Arfie]

Damn it Arf, I can't help but think the fact that we keep agreeing these days is the harbinger of doom. Maybe we should start automatically taking polar opposite views on everything?

the thought had crossed my mind, I'm OK, just waiting for you to get a YBOD and it'll all be sorted when I'm left alive

Hi Arfie

This has been a hard year for some of us older mods. I've posted about my problem earlier on this thread, so I won't go into it again, and several of the other mods have had family responsibilities take their attention. With luck all will go well for them and they will soon be here more often again.

While we like to post on threads, and often do, it's not our primary responsibility here. We first have to read to the "Report" PMs we received and take the appropriate action. Depending on the situation, this can take a bit of time. We also answer PMs we get from members and resolve problems that are presented to us there. Often this takes several PMs back and forth with them and one or more other members. Then it's off to the Mod's forum to catch up on the news and discuss policy issues. After that comes the tasks of moving threads around to their appropriate forums and bumping up worthy posts that have not had responses. After that is all done comes the fun part and that's posting on the threads.

Well, that's my routine anyway. Some of the other mods might do things differently, but the important work must be done if we want to keep the forum safe, sane and somewhat orderly. Just because you don't see us doesn't mean we're not there.

Hi Inch, it wasn't a pop at any mods , not even the ones I dislike , so no need for explaining or justification.

I simply used the mods as the perfect example of a group of people who have knowledge and experience, yet no longer take part in the run of the mill discussions. But as mods you have something to keep you coming back to TFF, where as others of similar experience who's face didn't fit in the mods world, just drifted away over time. I doubt half the older mods would even be posting at all if they were no longer mods (in fact a few aren't ) .

Another example of this is retired mods, very few of whom post at all now and there are some great ones who've simply gone with all their knowledge.

It may be my imagination, but people seemed to stay around much longer when there was a general talk and a working chat room. It kept people entertained and formed friendships and therefore kept them around to help out on the fishy side where now they are simply offline.

Arfie

 

[Ludwig Venter]

It was noticed jourdy....

 

[Ace Of Spades]

BEANMET!

 

[McG]

Mental Crisis! Sorry!

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Hi all, I feel like I'm jumping into someone elses conversation but I've been a member for a couple of years and similar to what's been said by other people, my interests seem to go in cycles. So although the fishes are always present, my interest, and in saying interest I mean interest in the forums, often diminishes as my other interests take hold- in saying that I've only really got the bottle to post recently so hope none of the digs at people were aimed this way.

Something else-it seems a natural progression that moderators don't reply to the majority of threads, that's not saying they're not interested but taking a supervisery role and allowing the younger members (meaning in terms of experience not age) in fact it allows everyone an opportunity to show what they've learned. Obviously it's good to have a mod for your own personal crisis or whatever, but by them not being the first to answer then it allows others to advance. And as sometimes happens if someone has offered incorrect advice then someone with a bit more knowledge comes in to correct.

Sorry this is my last point but this thread does strike me as a remarkably bad bit of PR for the forum. Kind of like lets advertise all that bad stuff. Just my tuppance and halfpenny.

I still think it's a great site and on the whole think the people are friendly and it still makes me crack a smile. To reiterate what a lot of people said, it's really a reflection of life- you have the Diamond Geezers and those who come accross as negative. And not always constantly doing the same role so you just got to take it all with a pinch of salt, and just like your pals in your own social circle - we all have bad days sometimes.

YUS, I AGREE BURN ALL THEIR HOUSES DOWN!

 

[McG]

Ditto

 

[OldMan47]

Like I see posted by Shelagh, BTT, AndyWG and others, there is a gradual shift going on that I have noticed with some of the newer, not necessarily younger, members. It does not seem a change for the better to me. For some people, like me, I come into the forum and read through areas where I have some expertise. If I see a question going unanswered and think I can help, I step in. If I see obviously bad advice, which is bound to happen sometimes, I try to correct it. If I see some of our newer members giving the exact advice that is needed, there is no need for me to interject. Once the right advice has been given for a problem, there is little point to repeating it unless there is something else to add that would fill out the picture better for the OP.
Just my two cents worth.

 

[andywg]

YUS, I AGREE BURN ALL THEIR HOUSES DOWN!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Inch, it wasn't a pop at any mods , not even the ones I dislike , so no need for explaining or justification.
...

It may be my imagination, but people seemed to stay around much longer when there was a general talk and a working chat room. It kept people entertained and formed friendships and therefore kept them around to help out on the fishy side where now they are simply offline.

Arfie

Hi Arfie

I know your post was well intended. But, since you did raise the issue of Mods, I took advantage of the convenient lead in to explain what we do so the newer members would understand. Thanks for that opportunity.

I'd be surprised if we don't have the Chat working again soon. It's popular and some of the Mods like it a lot. It's one of the glitches the board is experiencing. On the other hand, General Talk is almost certainly a thing of the past. Yes, it was fun and it's informality made it an easy place to make friends, but it just got to be too much for us to control. While it might have been an incentive for some members to stay, others left because of it.

 

[andywg]

I'd be surprised if we don't have the Chat working again soon.

Really? There have been issues with Live Chat for at least 18 months, if not two years now, with people getting in fromt he link. Given how long it has been left since it started playing up and we can't even now get the search function fixed I very much doubt that the chat will be fixed soon at all.

Large board + one seemingly uninterested admin = lots of technical problems for a very long time.

 

[aaronnorth]

i think there should be at least 2 Admins for this site, as we know William isnt always around so another that vistited more regularly would be ideal IMO.