Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

This is the place to talk about news, TV, music and other hobbies
User avatar
Keith S
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1624
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:44 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Keith S » Mon Mar 02, 2020 2:45 am

Well, I had no idea that you owned this or that it costs money. Count me in when the time comes to make a contribution.

invicta280
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 664
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:24 pm
Location: kent england

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by invicta280 » Tue Mar 03, 2020 12:36 pm

Me too! Happy to chip in to keep the show on the road.

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by ge_rik » Tue Mar 03, 2020 2:24 pm

Me too. Happy to chip in whatever ....

R
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

User avatar
Old Man Aaron
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 795
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:08 am
Location: Sunshine Coast QLD, Australia

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Old Man Aaron » Fri Mar 13, 2020 2:38 pm

Aye, me too.
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Mar 13, 2020 3:29 pm

Welcome back Aaron.

User avatar
Old Man Aaron
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 795
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:08 am
Location: Sunshine Coast QLD, Australia

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Old Man Aaron » Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:28 am

Cheers, Tom. Been lurking here for too many years - time to get involved in this great forum.
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works

User avatar
Tropic Blunder
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 188
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:02 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Tropic Blunder » Sat Apr 04, 2020 5:00 pm

All this talk is quite interesting to me because I think theres a lot of different variables at play, more then just "young people dont play trains anymore" its often hard to find space or money to chase this hobby.

I know certainly a lot of my friends interested in the hobby simply just go straight for HO because theres never been as many ready to run models offered as affordably before and of a prototype that lots of them grew up with. People my age (I'm 22 for reference) never grew up with memories of run down narrow gauge lines or being involved with the early days preservation movement. They've grown up with DMU's, Container trains and preserved railways operating and that just generally doesnt fit in with what many people can achieve in the garden.

That said it doesnt mean there isnt scratch building going on. A friend of mine is now offering resin kits based off his 3d printed masters and is currently scratchbuilding early days models of Hon3.5 South Australian Railways stock. these people are out there you just have to look to find them.

Forums are definitely a different kettle of fish to facebook and I actually prefer them. It seems that most of the people who like to stir trouble or armchair model dont actually know about them and from there they become an easily accessible catalogue of modellers showing their work. First thing I did after joining this forum was spend 8 hours reading through pendo pilots excellent thread on the CVLR and then the next day all of Graeme (GTB) and Grant's (LNR ) work as a masterclass in modelling Australian locos and carriages.

Access to those resources make the forum worth it alone not to mention the excellent connections we all make worldwide. When the hats ready to be passed around I'll gladly tip in :thumbup:
Jake

Image

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:17 am

I don't know if Tom can view data for viewing/ interacting with the forum, but I suspect it's seeing a bit more traffic in these strange times?
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:18 am

There has been an increase in views, however, it is not enough to get excited about.

What has increased significantly is attempts by bots and spammers trying to join!

User avatar
philipy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5033
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:00 pm
Location: South Northants

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by philipy » Wed Apr 08, 2020 11:10 am

Thanks for keeping them out then, Tom :thumbright:
Philip

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Andrew » Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:18 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:18 am
What has increased significantly is attempts by bots and spammers trying to join!
They'll never build a bot that can accurately replicate our nerdiness! Well,mine anyway, I guess I should only speak for myself!

I'm often amused by the attempts to sell me stuff via online ads that are presumably informed by cookies etc looking at my browsing history. Because I visit this site, and those of preserved lines and garden railway retailers etc, my computer seems to think I'm probably interested in very expensive holidays by rail and dubious-looking mature women. Both at once, perhaps?

User avatar
Jimmyb
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2019 10:43 pm
Location: Weston-super-Mare

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Jimmyb » Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:27 pm

Andrew wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:18 pm Because I visit this site, and those of preserved lines and garden railway retailers etc, my computer seems to think I'm probably interested in very expensive holidays by rail and dubious-looking mature women. Both at once, perhaps?
Aren’t we all ;)

User avatar
JMORG
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 940
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:16 pm
Location: Gloucester

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by JMORG » Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:36 am

Andrew wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:18 pm
tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Apr 08, 2020 10:18 am
What has increased significantly is attempts by bots and spammers trying to join!
They'll never build a bot that can accurately replicate our nerdiness! Well,mine anyway, I guess I should only speak for myself!
You'll be surprised at how sophisticated they can get! A lot of forums I use have tests you need to do in order to post, even if you have an account. They tend to be the sort where you have to choose pictures with a certain object in them.

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by tom_tom_go » Thu Apr 09, 2020 10:43 am

There are real people who are 'employed' to sign up and promote business so even with registration questions you need to perform additional checks which is why this forum does not have bots or spammers :thumbup:

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by FWLR » Fri Apr 10, 2020 6:46 am

I just think this is by far the NUMBER 1 Forum on the internet.

Even though at the moment I have not done anything in the way of builds for sometime, it's still great seeing other members projects coming along and the ideas are still here in my head, but the energy isn't...

User avatar
Boustrophedon
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 235
Joined: Wed May 22, 2013 7:43 pm

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Boustrophedon » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:28 am

I have owned a certain make of kitcar for 20+ years. I find the owners club forum completely useless now and riven with arguments and primadonnas. People who used to contribute and actually drive, now drive nothing faster than an armchair and just act as know-it-all, been there done that types. On the other hand the Facebook group works really well, if I have a technical question I can usually get an answer within hours.

This forum is great and nothing like the aforementioned car club one, but I think that Facebook groups are behind a lot of the decline of forum traffic in general.

User avatar
Jimmyb
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2019 10:43 pm
Location: Weston-super-Mare

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Jimmyb » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:55 am

Boustrophedon wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:28 am I have owned a certain make of kitcar for 20+ years. I find the owners club forum completely useless now and riven with arguments and primadonnas. People who used to contribute and actually drive, now drive nothing faster than an armchair and just act as know-it-all, been there done that types. On the other hand the Facebook group works really well, if I have a technical question I can usually get an answer within hours.

This forum is great and nothing like the aforementioned car club one, but I think that Facebook groups are behind a lot of the decline of forum traffic in general.
From other forums I have been a member of, from aviculture to motorbiking, I have to agree with you (generically).

steamyjim
Retired Director
Retired Director
Posts: 1210
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:19 pm

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by steamyjim » Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:31 pm

The ease with which one can now upload photos to the forum has encouraged me to start posting again (here and on the Mamod Forum) - for years it was the painful operation of using Photobucket or similar, whereas Facebook groups had a simple upload button.
Check out my steam and engineering youtube channel at...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8vX4P ... _PnvhldjjA

HugoFitz
Cleaner
Cleaner
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 3:08 pm

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by HugoFitz » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:49 pm

Well it sadly looks like this one could be too...

Please read Tom's pinned notification about finding a new owner for the forum.

User avatar
Jimmyb
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2019 10:43 pm
Location: Weston-super-Mare

Re: Internet "forums" are a thing of the past

Post by Jimmyb » Tue Nov 17, 2020 2:24 pm

HugoFitz wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:49 pm Well it sadly looks like this one could be too...

Please read Tom's pinned notification about finding a new owner for the forum.
Judging by some of the strong responses, a lot of people do NOT move off forums :)

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests