New Website - What do you think?

[Pa Snip]

I often wondered why that whole thing was named after a sticky plaster,

guess calling it 'Elastoplast' would not have had the same effect.

[Westi]

There is another magazine, who for some reason won't let me post anything on their site, but what I can see is they have more participation from new & old members.

Are we too imbedded? Too much of our old posts showing to scare off new members? If you look at how many read our posts it's quite high but nothing back.

I have an idea! Start again - remove the old posts (from before a year ago maybe)? We are a small forum & have supported this site to keep it alive but KG (which is a much better mag btw) isn't capturing these people that look but for some reason are scared to post.

Or ask these viewers (not us) WHY?

[Pa Snip]

Well done Westi, you got this thread back on topic. I was guilty of helping lead it astray there.

I also noticed the magazine I think you refer to. I find KG a much better read. I used to subscribe to a n other mag and found their penchant for using small white or coloured text on a background colour a real struggle to read.

I just looked at a n other mag forum stats, claim 66,000+ members (allegedly) and almost every forum had people viewing (again allegedly).
Rare to catch anybody else online when I sign in here, and I do look down the bottom of board index to see if anyone is. Sometimes spot one or two other people but rarely more.

KG, we want to help make the forums busier, dare I even say more successful.

It is a fair point being made that because it is a group of regular names posting we could be frightening people off. On the other hand if we shut up completely then I have a horrible feeling it would just appear like tumbleweed was rolling across the forums.

[FredFromOssett]

I have an idea! Start again - remove the old posts (from before a year ago maybe)? We are a small forum & have supported this site to keep it alive but KG (which is a much better mag btw) isn't capturing these people that look but for some reason are scared to post.

Or ask these viewers (not us) WHY?

Personally, I should be sad to see the older posts removed, as there is probably a wealth of information in there, if we can be bothered to do a search.

As for trying to find out 'WHY', that sounds a really good idea; the problem may be HOW? Perhaps a questionnaire in KG along the lines of; do you know of the existence of the forum?; do you ever visit the forum?; have you ever contributed or thought of contributing?; if not, is there any reason putting you off? Something along these lines could be done as either a paper exercise or via a web link. Just a thought.

I totally agree with Pa Snip's comments about having to keep posting, even though it may be a relatively small number of registered members doing so. If the stalwarts stop, the forum curls up and dies; and it does serve a useful purpose amongst the banter which goes on.

[Westi]

I wouldn't like to see the old post removed, but the same people would post their same good advice if someone new asked a pertinent question so wouldn't be lost. I try to go back to old posts to find things I want to know but list is really long now!

I agree - ask the new folk what they want. They (by evidence) are reading the forum but scared to join in! Something is scaring them off - find out what it is? If they all say Westi I want a re-vote!

The only thing I have noted is the whole site is re-vamped but the topics are the same & maybe they should be re-freshed?? KISS comes to mind!

Westi

[Pawty]

Whoops! Feeling like I may have opened a huge can of our friends 'the worms'........ But I had to ask ......

I joined the forum, maybe a year or so ago - and admit to not speaking up at first - probably because I'm a newby and felt I couldn't contribute much except for asking silly questions. But then I thought, someone has to ask and I'm probably not alone.

[Pa Snip]

Whoops! Feeling like I may have opened a huge can of our friends 'the worms'........ But I had to ask ......

I joined the forum, maybe a year or so ago - and admit to not speaking up at first - probably because I'm a newby and felt I couldn't contribute much except for asking silly questions. But then I thought, someone has to ask and I'm probably not alone.

Pawty, do you recall if there was something in particular that made you eventually dive in.

Somebody, not the same person each time, will most probably find every question silly. I can imagine the "humph" and the "what a "B" daft question" passing through their mind. Then they remember they asked the same question once, probably of Noah.

I use Noah as the example cos right now everyone is asking "when is that rain going to stop"

[oldherbaceous]

Pa Snip, i hope i'm not in that mental list in your head of grumpy folk.....

[Pa Snip]

No OH, it was very much an observation with absolutely no one in mind

[oldherbaceous]

I know it was Pa Snip and i'm sitting here with a big grin on my face as i type...

[Pa Snip]

As if I would have a 'dig' at anyone

[Shallot Man]

Westi. What about a section for posts say two years or more. That way if required you can trawl back over the years.

[peter]

Then someone has to move them.
On another gardening website I used to visit, it had so many posts each day that one couldn't read them all and the repeat rate of previously asked & answered questions was ridiculous.

[Pa Snip]

Whatever was done it wouldn't be right for someone.

Just look at the recent differences of opinion when it came to site theme colours and backgrounds.

Lighter, Darker, Green, Blue, White background, Grey background.

It's a can't win situation.

In the main the site works, it could do with more participation, there will always be slight niggling things to someone, like how big or small buttons should be, or where they should be on a page.

The main thing I would ask of admin page designers is to remember not all of us are young, our eyesight may not be 20/20.
If making alterations or 'improvements' just make sure they are things we can see and read please, oh and definitely that we can find and understand

thanks.

[peter]

http://www.rnib.org.uk/about-rnib/web-a ... -statement is a good reference on that.