Do we need to make this more attractive?

[bob turner]

A couple of small incidents were corrected lately - I suspect that readership and participation here are separated by the difficulties of signing in and posting photos. That is, I bet there are a lot of readers who would participate if they could get a password. Right now it takes a huge effort, involving e-mails to our host.

As I understand it, part of the problem is out-dated software. Replacing it would entail a risk of losing past entries.

Here is my take: I have a lot of photos in past threads, but due to hosting problems, they often sort of disappear. A more modern version of software for the forum might make posted photos not only easier, but more permanent.

If it meant more participation - maybe even as many as ten active posters? - I would vote for taking the chance of losing all past threads. For my part, I could re-do my entries (I am really retired, and my duties are quite a bit lower than most, so I have the time to re-create my SP and UP threads, and maybe even the passenger car series).

Apparently the current software allows bots by the thousands. I have no idea what a bot looks like, but I bet it would look a lot like a resident alien. We should block them, and make joining by dedicated modelers and railfans a lot easier.

Opinion, as always.

[up148]

I feel the same way Bob. Why stew in our antiquated software if new software could bring us into the 21st century. If new software makes it easier for people to sign up that is about the most important consideration IMHO. I believe the moderator/host is on board, as long as he doesn't get flamed for updating and possibly loosing former threads and posts. We really don't have a good O scale 2R forum on the internet to my knowledge.

[SWrailroader]

I am more of glass half full. It’s not that bad of a forum. One can put in links to videos as well as images. It’s way better than some of the vacuum tube audio forums I belong to.

[SWrailroader]

At least this forum does not have advertisements which is ubiquitous in OGR. Pop ups galore.

[bob turner]

Yes, it has a lot going for it - but there are a lot of folks who simply cannot participate, and who do not have my or Butch's e-mail. I don't know about Butch, but I keep my e-mail address sort of secret to keep the volume down to a dull roar.

Here is Lee - he does have my e-mail, and has authorized me to post this comment, and who also says he has great respect for the folks here:

Bob,

I read “lurk” the O scale MTJ forum but due to lost passwords and difficulty in rejoining I can not post. I would welcome updated soft ware that would allow me to join and contribute. I understand that this may not be welcome by all in such case I will continue to read (lurk). I do appreciate the knowledge and wisdom present in the members who do participate. Thanks for reading and best wishes.

Lee

[sarge]

Bob, you've always held that the big reasons more people aren't here are what you cite in your original posting.

I still strongly believe a lot has to do with the atmosphere and behaviour (perceived or otherwise).

If our host is going to invest in new software and the effort to get it up and running, we would be doing him more than a disservice by continuing to behave such that the outside world sees this as the home of political sycophancy and of unpleasant grumpy old men. I've been here long enough to feel pretty comfortable that Bill would never have let this devolve into what it is today.

We would owe it to the man we would be asking to invest heavily in the rejuvenation of this site to do our bit, start over, create a welcoming atmosphere, and self-police to maintain a positive helpful environment for the hobby and a place where we old men would be seen as mentors and a knowledge base rather than insular, exclusive, and unpleasant.

I'll make you a deal. I'll happily agree that new software is worth losing the old history (especially the bile that is Club Car), and I'd even go so far as to say I'd give this a serious and honest try again if those were the conditions we agree to in return for his investment. The moment this turns away from mentoring and sharing the hobby and scale, and goes back to what it is, though, is the moment we will have screwed over our host.

If he buys the software and implements it, we owe it to him to rebuild it. If we can't accept that responsibility, and remain unwilling to adhere to or accept some level of decorum, I quite frankly wouldn't recommend he invests the time and money.

As you always say, Bob, "Opinion"!

[robert.]

Bottom line. You boomers are outdated with a forum layout.facebook is hip and trendy.

[sarge]

Bottom line. You boomers are outdated with a forum layout.facebook is hip and trendy.

Bollocks.

Facebook Groups is a forum layout (a much clumsier one than this is even now) very much like the late YahooGroups, the current GroupsIO and other like platforms which enjoy a helluva lot more traffic than here. The O Scale FB group makes it work in spite of itself because they wanna be there, not here.

Talk about outdated, the social media side of Faecesbook is the playground of boomers keeping up with their grandkids. Nobody under AARP age uses Facebook as their primary social-media platform. GRIN!

And anyone who uses the phrase "hip and trendy" online has gotta be a boomer hiding behind a keyboard.

[SWrailroader]

I could not agree more that the Facebook groups are “clumsier”/clunkier. Plus there are just too many fragmented groups that are O scale related in FB.
Also there is geopolitical baggage and weird data sharing associated with FB. How many times has Smuckerburg had to testify before congress.

Will take this forum over FB in a NY second.

[up148]

Sorry for my delayed responses, but we lost our internet carrier Saturday night in a storm and only got it back this morning.

Okay, regardless of how we behave here, how hip we are or the fact that we CAN post photos hosted from another site, the point of Bob's post (I'm 100% on board) is with our current outdated software the Moderator/owner is hamstrung trying to fix problems. The current outdated software doesn't protect the forum from "bots", which is the reason we went down last week....the forum was overwhelmed by thousands of bots probing and trying to join from a foreign country; this overwhelmed our resources. To install BETTER malware we also need to install current software.

But, this installation of new software might cause us to lose previous posts, threads and photos during the changeover. The moderator is hesitant to do this without having members onboard. We might lose the past to guarantee us a future. To me the risk worth taking. We either join the 21st century with new software or one of these days we will lose this forum and not be able to get it back........period.

With the limited posts and participation on the 2R forum I don't see a problem......the only direction is UP in my opinion. And losing previous threads is no problem as we get a fresh start to go forward.

I don't know how active the other threads are and I'm assuming if we change software it affects all of us. But I for one see this as a good thing not bad.

Maybe this wont' bring new 2R forum membership, but let's not be naysayers, because no one really knows.

[up148]

I mentioned above that I wasn't sure of how active the other forums were on MTJ. But I just checked and we're more active than any of the others. This really affirms that the joining process, posting photos directly from your own computer and other backward features has affected the use of this forum. I'm going to contact the moderator and ask him to update to new software and offer to contribute to any cost. I would love to see this forum more robust.

[ScaleCraft]

won't help. EVERY forum that upgrades loses folks. There is no reason for flashy banners, ads splashed everywhere (like VerticalScope) and folks just leave.
Look at the mess Clambake is now. They were the latest model rail fiasco. Last month seems like going from one magazine page to another required another log-in, and if I recall, main trains.com page totally different log-in.
MTJ is the ONLY forum I am active on any more.
Sign up and log-in issues sure didn't seem to be a problem on other sites that used phpBB software.

[up148]

There will be negative points I'm sure while it is sorted out. But, I don't understand loosing membership because we update the software. No one is talking about ads, banners or ???? Strictly software update.

[E7]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just my opinion.

Politics, as in the Club Car. Nowhere is it said that anyone is required to go there. Don't like a topic, stay away.

My opinion is the biggest problem would be joining here........were I not already a member, I wouldn't know how to become one!

Rich

[ScaleCraft]

What would you update it to?
Currently in 3, not sure suffix.....latest last month is 3.3.15.
I emailed and PM'd moderator several years ago during one of our "can't log in" fiascoes to put a working link he had access to without logging in. Works for folks who cannot sign up.
Nothing.