How to make the Forum lively again

[greatwhite]

Megan I must admit I find it funny when Mods defended a ship sinking fast and ignoring members that give suggestions as to how it could be fixed.

Many members that were chased away were good members and were not even banned they left. It must say something about what the site is becoming. Is the idea to try and destroy the site so it completely falls apart? I must admit it certainly looks that way. I am one of the longest posting members now on here as well as a couple of others who joined back in 2008 (seems like yesterday).

I am curious how the site would do if nobody ever posted again? As I said a conservative estimate is posts are down 90% easily and by that I mean meaningful posts.

gbk offered a good number of suggestions all were ignored. Kinda reminds me when companies ignore their customers complaints then cannot figure out why their going out of business.

[MeghanOOD]

Meghan* I must admit I find it funny when Mods defended a ship sinking fast and ignoring members that give suggestions as to how it could be fixed.

Many members that were chased away were good members and were not even banned they left. It must say something about what the site is becoming. Is the idea to try and destroy the site so it completely falls apart? I must admit it certainly looks that way. I am one of the longest posting members now on here as well as a couple of others who joined back in 2008 (seems like yesterday).

I am curious how the site would do if nobody ever posted again? As I said a conservative estimate is posts are down 90% easily and by that I mean meaningful posts.

gbk offered a good number of suggestions all were ignored. Kinda reminds me when companies ignore their customers complaints then cannot figure out why their going out of business.

They weren't ignored, greatwhite. They were addressed and discussed inside that thread, I seem to recall. Can you provide that thread you're referring to ("gbk offered a good number of suggestions all were ignored"); I can't seem to find it at this time.

[finsfurfeathers]

the pandemic spurred a series of posts that infringed on the Rules and Regs established by CalTek back in 2008, ranging from inciting violence to abject racism. I'm thankful to the MODS for helping to keep this platform a respectable place for people of all walks of life to read and share hunting, fishing, and outdoors content.
I'm not here to make friends and I don't mind being the heavy. We didn't write the Rules and Regs, but it's our responsibility to uphold them.

Thank you for summing it up as simply as possible.

[werner.reiche]

Again - I don't think the 'sinking ship' is because of the moderation. It's largely because of better (and easier to use) platforms for outdoors discussions and there are a lot of them.

Second to this, we alienate a lot of the real hard-core enthusiasts with a lot of experience when they get harassed off the board by the keyboard warriors. These guys are still around - just on forums where the people show them much more respect. This forum seems to have more than it's share of keyboard warrior know-it-alls. I've suggested it before - but using real names helps curb this. Also, the more pics on a forum, the easier it is to sort out the keyboard warriors. I'll give you one example here - Fratri posts informative pics. No one will question his coyote hunting expertise. He could post something about 'yotes that contradicts my understanding of it - and I'd take his word for it.

[finsfurfeathers]

Again - I don't think the 'sinking ship' is because of the moderation. It's largely because of better (and easier to use) platforms for outdoors discussions and there are a lot of them.

Second to this, we alienate a lot of the real hard-core enthusiasts with a lot of experience when they get harassed off the board by the keyboard warriors. These guys are still around - just on forums where the people show them much more respect. This forum seems to have more than it's share of keyboard warrior know-it-alls. I've suggested it before - but using real names helps curb this. Also, the more pics on a forum, the easier it is to sort out the keyboard warriors. I'll give you one example here - Fratri posts informative pics. No one will question his coyote hunting expertise. He could post something about 'yotes that contradicts my understanding of it - and I'd take his word for it.

Some very good points made there. I'll be the first to admit that I've been on both sides the hounded and the hounder. Came to the realization that it did the site no good so hopefully have came to a more zen approach of you do you and I'll do me. Everyone has their point of view and is entitled to it, however it doesn't make it the right or only perspective. If everyone explains why or how they do things as opposed to how others are doing it wrong well that's the forum I want to be part of. Now if only we could let bygones be bygones and move forward without looking back.

[Gilroy]

Again - I don't think the 'sinking ship' is because of the moderation. It's largely because of better (and easier to use) platforms for outdoors discussions and there are a lot of them.

Second to this, we alienate a lot of the real hard-core enthusiasts with a lot of experience when they get harassed off the board by the keyboard warriors. These guys are still around - just on forums where the people show them much more respect. This forum seems to have more than it's share of keyboard warrior know-it-alls. I've suggested it before - but using real names helps curb this. Also, the more pics on a forum, the easier it is to sort out the keyboard warriors. I'll give you one example here - Fratri posts informative pics. No one will question his coyote hunting expertise. He could post something about 'yotes that contradicts my understanding of it - and I'd take his word for it.

There have been good posters on here that have been bullied off literally by some of the folks that were on here EVEN to the extend of getting CALLED AT HOME.

So I know of at least three posters that are now gone because of this and they were good folks.

The moderation was not strong and there were posters making multiple posts every day repeating the same you tube conspiracy down the rabbit hole stuff.

Some posters simply do not have the nature for back and forth debate/argument so probably they are better off not trying to participate.

The problems with your hard core enthusiasts is that they wanted to inject Politics into every post, but did not like opposite political views.

So considering the abuse some on here took and it followed them to their homes, revealing real names is probably not a good idea unless you have figured out a way to protect them from online harassment and calls to their homes.

I am not to sure how pictures in todays age of technology help very much and some people are private and simply do not want to post publicly.

In the last 15 years I have been on here I have been called a troll, anti gun advocate, pacifist, mall Cop, Liberal spy.... LOL...

The moderators have done a good job of weeding out those folks who were on here for their own agenda's and have taken the forum back to its original roots for hunters, fishers and people who have a common enjoyment of the outdoors. The "weaponizing" of the post flagging is now down to zero so that should be an indication they are on the right path.

[werner.reiche]

There have been good posters on here that have been bullied off literally by some of the folks that were on here EVEN to the extend of getting CALLED AT HOME.

So I know of at least three posters that are now gone because of this and they were good folks.

The moderation was not strong and there were posters making multiple posts every day repeating the same you tube conspiracy down the rabbit hole stuff.

Some posters simply do not have the nature for back and forth debate/argument so probably they are better off not trying to participate.

The problems with your hard core enthusiasts is that they wanted to inject Politics into every post, but did not like opposite political views.

So considering the abuse some on here took and it followed them to their homes, revealing real names is probably not a good idea unless you have figured out a way to protect them from online harassment and calls to their homes.

I am not to sure how pictures in todays age of technology help very much and some people are private and simply do not want to post publicly.

In the last 15 years I have been on here I have been called a troll, anti gun advocate, pacifist, mall Cop, Liberal spy.... LOL...

The moderators have done a good job of weeding out those folks who were on here for their own agenda's and have taken the forum back to its original roots for hunters, fishers and people who have a common enjoyment of the outdoors. The "weaponizing" of the post flagging is now down to zero so that should be an indication they are on the right path.

When I refer to the hard-core enthusiasts - these are the people that don't post in the off-topic. They are the people that spend their time hunting, fishing, working dogs, and post in the hunting, fishing and gundog forums. If you are posting stuff that you don't feel comfortable posting under your real name - maybe you shouldn't be posting it at all - did that ever cross your mind. There are a lot of other forums where people post with real names and it doesn't seem to be a problem there. The best way top protect yourself from abuse online is the same as in the real world - don't be a jerk.

[trimmer21]

When I refer to the hard-core enthusiasts - these are the people that don't post in the off-topic. They are the people that spend their time hunting, fishing, working dogs, and post in the hunting, fishing and gundog forums. If you are posting stuff that you don't feel comfortable posting under your real name - maybe you shouldn't be posting it at all - did that ever cross your mind. There are a lot of other forums where people post with real names and it doesn't seem to be a problem there. The best way top protect yourself from abuse online is the same as in the real world - don't be a jerk.

With all due respect,I was pretty much in lock-step with you right up until your comment on using real names. From a personal security standpoint,I think that's a real bad idea. These days,there's far too many people who are devoted anti's,trolls and miscreants dealing with mental illness,some of whom are quite severely ill. Given the right circumstances,they can be quite dangerous.

[werner.reiche]

With all due respect,I was pretty much in lock-step with you right up until your comment on using real names. From a personal security standpoint,I think that's a real bad idea. These days,there's far too many people who are devoted anti's,trolls and miscreants dealing with mental illness,some of whom are quite severely ill. Given the right circumstances,they can be quite dangerous.

FB seems to work okay with real names. So does twitter.

[Birdbuff]

FB seems to work okay with real names. So does twitter.

If I’m not mistaken, on FB you get to choose who you surround yourself with. Not like on a public forum.