In a previous thread on reloading GeorgeS prompted me to start this thread.....

We have lost a lot of really good posters.....and the forums are diminished by this......so what makes a forum good or bad?....why would you walk away?....why would you stay?....what needs to change to improve the quality of threads and number of posts?

BTW....I would like a "no-holds-barred" discussion here.....tell it like you see it and let the cards fall as it may!

I liked the 'old' gunsmithing section where people posted pictures and descriptions of their projects: from modifications / tune ups to full blown custom jobs.

I realise the pictures affected the speed of the forum, and relied on the generosity of people's photobucket accounts, but I do miss some of those.

It gave me ideas for my own modest plans / dreams.

I have found lots of useful, 'real life' experience and knowledge in the reloading and the back pack hunting - good boots and clothing tips. Additionally, along the way I have learnt things about topics I would never have thought of before - crash landing a helicopter 'safely' for example (auto rotating & praying the gear box does not freeze up).

I think some things became too personal & spilled over from the Political threads section. Some subjects - football, religon and politics are just too flammable for rational discussion any time.

Also, some people tooks things too seriously and the sense of irony / harmless Tim Burton type sense of fun was lost (Crats, the other white meat).

quote:

(Crats, the other white meat).

yup....that cost us a few posters for sure

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

(Crats, the other white meat).

yup....that cost us a few posters for sure

Good posters!


.

quote:

Good posters!

I really enjoyed the humor of Digital Dan.....he now posts on the 24-hour place but isn't as interesting there....he was a ball here.....

quote:

Originally posted by robthom:
I liked the 'old' gunsmithing section where people posted pictures and descriptions of their projects: from modifications / tune ups to full blown custom jobs.

I realise the pictures affected the speed of the forum, and relied on the generosity of people's photobucket accounts, but I do miss some of those.

It gave me ideas for my own modest plans / dreams.

I have found lots of useful, 'real life' experience and knowledge in the reloading and the back pack hunting - good boots and clothing tips. Additionally, along the way I have learnt things about topics I would never have thought of before - crash landing a helicopter 'safely' for example (auto rotating & praying the gear box does not freeze up).

I think some things became too personal & spilled over from the Political threads section. Some subjects - football, religon and politics are just too flammable for rational discussion any time.

Also, some people tooks things too seriously and the sense of irony / harmless Tim Burton type sense of fun was lost (Crats, the other white meat).

I really liked those threads too. I even started a couple. I wouldn't today though. I just don't find it worth the effort to contribute much these day's. Let's face it, this place has lost it's manors. At one time we all seemed to focus on the things that interested us. Now it seems many here look for things they don't agree with and raise as much hell as possible on those threads to prevent anyone from from trying to have a civil discussion about the subject at hand. I've been drawn into a few and feel foolish for doing it. I've dealt with a lot of top name gunsmiths over the years and from time to time the subject of this place would come up. When I asked them why they don't join in the answer is almost universal. "It's not worth the hassel."

Terry

There just isn't enough people posting on this forum. I know it's not because people are too sensitive. 24HourCampfire members can be brutal with each other but that site stays very active.

This site has withered since I joined. It used to have constant activity.

I have no idea how to fix this place....dying for sure

I left the forum as I am probably rather outspoken and responded to some contributors who brook no opposing views rather strongly. I tried to contribute my rather meager experience and more or less it was rebuffed by the more popular members who are accepted as the foremost 'experts' on the subject whatever it may be. I came to realize while I thought I had something to contribute I was just a little delusional so I ceased to participate. I still follow the forums as there is a large amount of knowledge volunteered by some of the members but other than this remark I shall not participate again. You requested the view of the problem and you have it from my standpoint.

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
I left the forum as I am probably rather outspoken and responded to some contributors who brook no opposing views rather strongly. I tried to contribute my rather meager experience and more or less it was rebuffed by the more popular members who are accepted as the foremost 'experts' on the subject whatever it may be. I came to realize while I thought I had something to contribute I was just a little delusional so I ceased to participate. I still follow the forums as there is a large amount of knowledge volunteered by some of the members but other than this remark I shall not participate again. You requested the view of the problem and you have it from my standpoint.

That pretty much sums it up!

quote:

I came to realize while I thought I had something to contribute I was just a little delusional

Zim, why would you think that? It's seldom two people have exactly the same outcome from simular experiances. Why would yours be "delusional" and not the next persons?

quote:

I tried to contribute my rather meager experience and more or less it was rebuffed by the more popular members who are accepted as the foremost 'experts' on the subject whatever it may be.

Zim, just because a few blowhards accepted themselves as experts, doesn't mean they were.

What do I like, well, let me tell you what I DON'T like. I don't think we need to be calling each other STUPID, and ASSHOLE, over a differing philosophies. I prefer to see differences handled with humor and respect. A little respect goes a long ways.

I started to visit this site because of the experience of the members on a variety of subjects. My initial draw was information on hunting Africa. Which I think it is still the number 1 site for the subject of African hunting. What I was first impressed with was that there was a group of people who volunteered to help other folks (Andrew McClaren and others.) who would volunteer to help folks who had complications with trophies, hunts…
I still enjoy the site for questions on gun- smithing, Canadian hunting, American hunting, hunt reports, equipment, reloading, classifieds… IF I have a question on the outdoors, hunting and shooting I am sure I can get competent answers from the folks here.
The only negative at times is personal attacks on people whose opinion one may disagree .
I think this is a good community for hunters & Shooters and I have had a few conversations on the phone with a few members and was privileged to share a camp with another member

quote:

Originally posted by Antelope Sniper:
A little respect goes a long ways.

Exactly and what this place lost a long time ago.

Terry

quote:

A little respect goes a long ways.

OK....so let me ask.....when a poster on shotshell reloading who is loading 12 ga with 700-X says that he just finished loading several hundred rounds and somehow knows he has several with double charges among the loaded rounds and he's not concerned as the extra powder will simply be ejected from the muzzle and not cause a problem.....how much respect do you accord this poster.....

Or in other words....when someone says something not only just plain wrong but also dangerous.....do we sit back and ask ourselves if his view deserves respect?

Pretty simple, you should tell him he's wrong in a respectful way and that his error might cause him great injury or death. This can be done without being rude or disrespectful. If he chooses to not to heed your advice then the Darwin theory of natural selection will kick in just like it would have if there was no Internet.

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
I have no idea how to fix this place....dying for sure

Hogwash.

The following are some statistics for May 2012:
The Accurate Reloading Forums

Registered Members: 42919
New Members: 150
Total Hours Usage: 24270


Total Page Views: 2578186
Avg. Page Views/Day: 85939
New Topics: 1633

That is just one month's statistics.

There are currently ~260 viewing the forum as I write this.

It is my belief that the poison from the ARPF spilled over into many other forum discussions. Once someone has called you a racist scumbag, pedophile, leftist moonbat, etc., you cannot help but carry your resentment into your next onversation with that person, no matter the topic.

Now, you've got all sorts of people challenging each other not only on facts and opinions, but on a personal level as well.

People do tire of this and move on to other more 'genteel' sites, even if they themselves are not involved in the fracas.

Then you have the fact that a) damned near everything has been discussed on some forums, b) newbies ask questions that have been answered a hundred times already (this is where the search function comes in handy ), c) some people are here just to cause trouble, d) some people are upset that AR conforms to the site owner's vision instead of their own, e) cultural differences between posters, and f) the fractious nature of anoynmous discourse.

Finally, the weak economic situation has affected the ability of many people to take the big dollar hunts and/or build the big dollar rifle. This provides less fodder for discussion.

Of the dozens of forums I follow, only EBR, Class III, and rimfire forums seem more active lately.

George

quote:

Or in other words....when someone says something not only just plain wrong but also dangerous.....do we sit back and ask ourselves if his view deserves respect?

Well, let me give you an example of how this can be handled with tact:

A few days ago, on another forum, someone mentioned they were loading 62g of H4350 behind an 180gr bullet in the 30.06, and that was a "max" load in his book.

I suggested that sounded significanlty above max, and that if the load was in his book, he should buy a new book. Turns out part of the information was a misprint.

So, yes, I pointed out what I felt was wrong and dangerous. I suggested a solution. I was a respectful. This gave him a chance to recheck his facts, and save face, and everyone was happy.

I"ve suggested to several people that "If these were my face behind the bolt, I'd pull the bullets." Uually several other memeber will agree, "Nope, I wouldn't shoot those either." More then once, they've done exactly that, pulled the bullets, and thanked me.

Even if the idea does not deserve respect, we are still talking to a person, and that person deserves respect, at least until he proved his personal character is such that he does not deserve respect.

quote:

Originally posted by GeorgeS:

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
I have no idea how to fix this place....dying for sure

Hogwash.

The following are some statistics for May 2012:
The Accurate Reloading Forums

Registered Members: 42919
New Members: 150
Total Hours Usage: 24270


Total Page Views: 2578186
Avg. Page Views/Day: 85939
New Topics: 1633

That is just one month's statistics.

George

GeorgeS,
Here's the statistics for May of a year ago:

quote:

Statistics reported for period of: May 1-31, 2011

The Accurate Reloading Forums

Registered Members: 40716
New Members: 196
Total Hours Usage: 30321

Top 5 Posters
COOL 935
InfoSponge 493
Rothke 464
ACRecurve 443
DaMan 373

Top 5 Topic Starters
COOL 427
Geedubya 41
Swamp_Fox 35
Alan Bunn 31
robsrost 31

Total Page Views: 3228948
Avg. Page Views/Day: 107631
New Topics: 2469

Total hours usage has dropped from 30,321 to 24,270.....that's a 20% drop.....add up the posts of the five high posters from a hear ago and compare to the same five high posters of last month....this is a declining trend IMO.....and this thread was started as a method of airing folks views as to what needs to change.

To close ones mind to the truth is a sure way to lose any of life's battles....

Sorry, but I have to weigh in.
I like the discourse on AR. I don't like the Political forum, it serves me no purpose. You can't teach a pig to sing, it's a waste of time and annoys the pig. You can decide which way I lean.(republican. and proud of it) They are entitled to their opinion just as we are. However, it does no good to go name calling and say ugly stuff. We are adults and have the RIGHT of free speech. If I don't like what I read, then I dismiss it and go on. I like AR and it is the site I spend the most time on. I learn and help others learn from my experience and that's what I think this forum is good for.
Just my .02

I like AR. I spend more time on this website than I do any other gun site that I belong to. I was reading posts on this site for months before I actually joined. I learned so much from y'all and I cracked up along the way. Cuz frankly, you guys are funny!! And informative.
AR may not be as active as it once was, but I enjoy it.
What made this forum interesting to me, was the knowledge imparted, the camaraderie, and the humor. I don't even mind the sexist humor, cuz I know y'all are full of it and I've read some very touching sentiments regarding your better halves.
Some may get frustrated and leave, but I'm not going anywhere.

years ago ravenr put a yearly thread up called "show me the one" it was pictures of your best of the year.

He still puts it up each year but every year it gets less post......American big game is dead

CHC post crap all the time and Az writer puts up stuff but this place is not the same it was 7 years ago no mater what the numbers say

A damn hotcore thread gets 4 pages but a handloading question gets 4 or 5 answers

Where is Frank gets pages and pages

Mark Sullivan gets so much talk the thread was pulled....bs

vapodog,

The May 2011 statistics are skewed by the multitude of posts by and continuous bickering between COOL, InfoSponge, Rothke, and DaMan. That sucked up a lot of the 'oxygen' around here.

Three of those four are gone. A quick trip to the ARPF will show a better atmosphere (not perfect, but better nonetheless).

I think given a choice between pricks and prickly personalities, I'll choose the latter every tine.

George

point well taken George!

quote:

I think given a choice between pricks and prickly personalities, I'll choose the latter every tine.

George

Thats one of the best lines I've heard in a long time. good one George!

Great hunt reports that are better than any magazine articles out there for hunting or shooting,

example:

Bongo in the Congo

quote:

Originally posted by TC1:
Let's face it, this place has lost it's manors. Terry

When I joined I thought this was one of the only places where enough manners and respect for differences of opinion were prevelent. Even a heated disscussion with some good natured badgering was handled with some class.

That was over ten years ago. I suppose online arguments have become more commonplace amoung younger users and class is falling by the wayside. No different than in real life. Take a look around.

If moderators dealt out some spankings for poor taste child-like behavior it may stiffel some individuals urge to purge but some would then be mad because they're being policed.

I stop in fairly often but don't get as involved as I used to. Anymore it's more to do with my level of boredom.

I have been on AR since it started in 1998. Since my interests run to big bores this for me is the best site. It had the big bore posters from the early days.

The only other site I post on is an Australian guns/hunting forum. I look at 24Hour but rarely post there.

When the Political Forum first started it was very inclined towards inroads on gun ownership and similar. But then it turned into a Republican Vs Democrats site.

But in general AR in all the guns/ammo based forums and of course the African forum tends to have a bigger number of what I would called "advanced" posters than is found with other sites.

Intellegent verbal inter play verbatim as well as real issues concerning data;,given + received on the reloading forum;diversity on many subjects dear to many hearts,mine as well.Classified with quality sales,Books with smart discourse,great results with fellow members about 99+%.Humor;so far so good.This is not a monastary but I have found most of the jokes in good taste...funny.