Yes I can see the emergence of the software malfunctions suppressing participation by causing members to leave, and also causing would-be members to not join. This is because the problem is new, and imposing its effect for the first time. But I don’t see why bannings and deaths would cause a trend of falling participation because deaths and bannings should be occurring at an average, consistent rate over time. So I would think their effect could also be consistent over time. What has not been consistent over time is the forum technical operation.
One auxiliary problem caused by forum technical problems is that the sudden drop in participation reduces forum content. A reduction in content also suppresses participation.
I’m on a few regional railroad FB pages. The Reading & Northern, Wheeling & Lake Erie and Lake State Railway all have very active forums. Anytime that I’ve asked a question about planning a trip to one of them, I’ve had good answers within an hour or so. The Vermont Rail System group is much less responsive.
I think the random nature of deleting active threads because of some arbitrary sliding ruler of what’s on topic hasn’t helped this site over the years either. But let’s be real: just about all forums are dead. So many other platforms out there.
I get it, moderating a forum is like herding cats with a garden hose, and some people can get a tad worked up, but the times where the heavy hand ruled hurt participation, IMO. I know I am less likely (read: not likely) to put much effort into creating actual original content anymore. You can keep the $6.95.
Even if you want to, who knows if it will post or you will get an error.
The repeated removal of many posts and threads that had strong participation killed the interest of many. I don’t know if that policy was out of ignorance of the effect or not, but the damage was done.
I think the content of Trains magazine itself may have something to do with it. It has turned into an industry-lite news article mag. WRP has more interesting magazines for railfans.
I have been reading TRAINS regularly since 1967 with a few scattered issues before that and it has always been more than just a railfan magazine. The very first issue that I purchased in July 1965 had a leadoff story in “News and Editorial Comment” covering the introduction of EMD’s 645 line, a nice historical story about Rio Grande’s Monarch branch and an analysis of NYC’s New York suburban service. In later issues, there was a two-part story covering history, operations and analysis of the Belt Railway of Chicago. And the list goes on. Apparently, the younger enthusiasts don’t want anything too serious.
You’re missing my point. I’m talking about articles with executives and when they pushed EHH. When’s the last time that they had an actual “get out there and do it” article like JDI and DPM used to do? You can tell that their current product isn’t working. Just compare the paperstock used on Trains vs that on TRP. They got sold because they hit the iceberg and needed a rescue ship.
My thoughts exactly. The last issue of “Trains” I saw had 54 or so pages. My most recent issue of “R&R” from WRP has 82 and with the weight of the paper stock it feels like 100.
A couple of other Posters on this Thred have mentioned it, as well:
The Moderation. In the past, some of the Moderators have veen ‘envolved’…
They seemed to participate, in discussions, the were available, the would respond, and they seemed to hold ratonal positions, as to the discussions that took place; Diuscuyssions tghat were wide-ranging at times.
Most of the ’ regulars’ knew who the ‘agitators’ were; as well as, who the one’s who could hold an ‘adult conversation’, without use of ’ ad hominem’ assaults.
In other words The Moderator’s, MDERATED!! They werer good at their tasks, and were all pretty well liked, even after they dropped oiut of their offiucial roles of mederation… Those were certainly different times, and those times are missed; as is seen by, the drop in FORUM participation…[2c]
Over on the model side, Steve Otte says the building that houses the servers has to be vacated by July 15th.
So unless Firecrown decides to start their own forums (I wouldn’t bet on it), this place is almost dead on the law. Shall we meet in 5 years under the clock at Grand Central?
In theory, the part of the forum ‘framework’ that can access, format, and serve past posts could be ported to an appropriate VM in the cloud. But this might not have the exquisite back-end opportunities that the Telligent platform offered. Might be different if there was still access to the original install or configuration package…
I think by sometime first week in July, we all exchange such e-mail addresses here as we might want to use to contact each other…
I could also host one or more servers if they sell them ‘provisioned’. I have a five-room office I only use two rooms of, fully wired for Cat 6e and emergency power…
As much as some people hate Facebook - there are pages there for a variety of topics, including railroads. Come up with a suitable name, pick a couple of people to be mods/etc and let her rip.
My son is coaching a girls soccer team for his daughter and others. They have a Facebook location and they stream the games from a semi-fixed cell phone camera.
A lot of people use Facebook for a lot of activities.
This site may be going to another 504 incidents. Every slected posting is now giving a “HMM cannot reach site” for about 10 -14 seconds the finally connects.