I see many fewer new and interesting topics, and fewer people commenting on them. Maybe without the show to drive it, it is destined to fade away…
too bad.
I was thinking more or less the same thing just yesterday.
The group of regulars who respond to posts is probably no more than 20 people (or thereabouts), and fewer questions seem to have been posted recently.
I was happy this board kept going when Cartalk went to reruns, I spend enough time on the computer, but this is the only site I comment on on a regular basis. Mythbusters used to have a pretty good site, but that is gone. Trailvoy I was at a bit, but not much anymore. I was on a Evinrude outboard forum for a bit, but people were giving blatently wrong answers.
This forum might be slowing a bit with new posts, and seemingly more response pages to posts, I do not read all the new replies to some posts and get enough time in to be happy.
I really love the knowledgeable posters and learn new things all the time. Some sites are so busy posts are buried down the line with little or no response.
When Carolyn reads this, maybe she’ll put a bug in the ear of the rerun shows people to promote the boards as being live , current, and helpful.
Even have Ray record some promos…something like…"Ray here. The show may be reruns but visit with all my friends on the discussion board at cartalk.com. to get todays questions answered…today ‘’
^
Excellent suggestion, Ken!
I know I don’t post here as often as I used to because the quality of the questions seems to have declined, or tester beats me to them with the correct answer.
Keith, as to the quality of questions there are a few user names that when I see them I think " Oh Boy what kind of idiot post will they make this time ? " I mean really you have to go to an internet forum for help buying wiper blades?
If I were qualified to answer a lot of questions I wouldn’t try too hard. For a long time the intermittent, oh sorry, the internet has been spotty in Maine. I got out of the habit of trying too hard and can’t stop playing chess and The World in 3D, old game buy kind of mind dumb that I like to play.
Yep, that’s what it looks like to me too except it does seem to have spurts. Some folks aren’t going to like this and won’t agree with me, but putting so many restrictions on the content tends to discourage good discussions during the slow times. If you remember the old days, between the different forums, there was always something interesting going on. I understand being car related but still there is an interest in mowers, computers, mechanical things, and even once in a while current affairs. I’m sure the radio show still feeds questions but once someone asks a question, it would be nice if they’d stick around for a while.
Volvo, what is it that causes you to think this way about people?
This message board has been in decline for a couple of years. This weeks hot topics are grocery store check outs, lawn mowers, beer, computers and politics. Who would want to join the community if it appears there are no mechanics here, just a bunch of retired folks complaining about society?
Should an outsider post a comment they are greeted with “this discussion is dead, stop opening old (automotive related) threads”. At the same time there may be an active thread against Walmart or Sears. What not to “welcome aboard, thank you for adding your comment”.
What can we do differently to not have so many first time posters leave here upset over how they were treated?
one reason IMO,is because we do not have a true General Discussion forum.
I’ve noticed the decline in the last several weeks. I hope the forum goes on but sometimes we have to face facts. Life is full of disappointments.
I think the suggestion of calling it to the attention of the people who run the rerun radio show is a good one. If anyone knows them, I hope they can do it. I doubt if they read this. Also, regarding stupid posts, be careful. People have all kinds of different levels of knowledge. As someone in the “middle”, I can say, try to be kind and welcoming to everyone. We can’t do much about the slackers that post something and disappear.
I hope it doesn’t go away. The only alternative (that I know of) is boards that cater to a specific vehicle. Not as interesting…
Although the forum has “matured” it’s still by far the most active and diverse auto forum I’ve found on the internet.
Other forums have at most 5 regulars and newbie questions often go a day or more unanswered.
I found and became a regular visitor and poster more than 20 years ago when Rant & Rave was very active and the forum was wide open. It was not necessary to register and every post could be made with a different identity and, in fact, a vast number of posts were just a word in the poster’s name column and NM (for no message) in the subject line. That made for some great, fast paced humor and regulars recognized each other’s quips regardless how minimal they were. A few spoilers found the forum and trashed it and forced registering to post and I questioned registering for many months. When I decided to register I found that my all my IDs had been registered to others and visited much less often. As the www has evolved forums such as this have made efforts to evolve with it. I don’t recall when advertising was added. It was certainly not used in the beginning but I feel certain that the efforts to keep posts confined to automotive issues is at the behest of those who broker advertising. Oh well, $uch is life.
I’ve noticed the forum in decline for the past few years, perhaps longer. We have a few here that are insulting and belittling to people who come here for help, and that IMHO definitely hurts the forum. In addition, we’ve had a few people come and go who just came to argue. That has hurt the forum.
But IMHO the thing that has caused the biggest problem has been that too many of us (I may be guilty too, I can’t tell) post just to hear ourselves talk, with nothing to add to the thread.
There’s also a software issue. The old software from years ago allowed someone to reply directly to a poster, creating individual relevant discussions. The current software puts everything in the order in which it was received, and things get jumbled.
Regarding the issue of going off topic, I actually prefer a freer flowing forum, like we used to have. Many car issues are inextricably linked to politics and world events, and allowing the discussion to go there is not unhealthy. IMHO this should be acceptable, as it used to be, especially I the General Discussion section.
However, after all is said and done, we do help people. And it would be a shame to have the opportunity to do so disappear.
I’ve only discovered this site about three years ago. I have seen a decline, but I think the quality of the questions is like a roller coaster. Some weeks I find it hard to find anything that would be interesting to add my 1/2 cents to, but other weeks I find plenty of topics that I can contribute to.
There are simple questions that I sometimes pass on, but I understand that some people have no concept of mechanics and thus they ask some pretty simple questions.
There are some good questions and though I’ve worked on vehicles for over 50 years when I helped my dad rebuild an engine at about 10 years old, I have learned a lot from the regulars on this site.
Getting a plug for the site through the show may help raise the traffic that we see and the idea of Ray doing the plug is great.
And a big think you for all those people out there that have helped me when I post a question.
Yosemite
Do It Yourself auto repair is a fast fading activity. Car owners today are unsure about how to open the hood, let alone perform any maintenance once they get it open…So the stuff being posted is getting pretty inane, like “How Much Air Should I Put In my Spare Tire” or “My Oil Light Just Came On, What Should I Do?”
The old “regulars” whose skills are rapidly becoming useful only when applied to “Classic Cars” find other pastimes and drift away…
Another problem, with everyone switching to smart phones and tablets, trying to post readable questions and replies takes an hour pecking away at the “keyboard” with a little wand…