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MJames70

I'd say the opposite is true - the decline in the magazine is affecting the forum. As FSM struggles to find a place and be relevant, it shows up here. Forums on company/product sites are disappearing rapidly. Companies don't want to deal with the hosting and moderation, when there is little tangible bottom line benefit from it. A site like this is a dinosaur today, a relic of twenty years ago. It just took a while to catch up. I expect FSM to go the way of Scale Auto before long. 

 

 I'm not against you or trying to merely win an arguement. I'm trying to help this place and you indirectly by giving positive feedback that'll keep FSM forums around for some time to come to give the members their forum back.

Joe 

MJames70

I'd say the opposite is true - the decline in the magazine is affecting the forum. As FSM struggles to find a place and be relevant, it shows up here. Forums on company/product sites are disappearing rapidly. Companies don't want to deal with the hosting and moderation, when there is little tangible bottom line benefit from it. A site like this is a dinosaur today, a relic of twenty years ago. It just took a while to catch up. I expect FSM to go the way of Scale Auto before long. 

 

I can speak for myself that I stopped subscribing to the magazine soley on FSMs inaction to fix this site. I know a few other people that did the same. I don't garner much from the magazine either way, but I subscribed to support their business. I would have continued to do so had they put some effort into this. I am in sales and as a customer, you can't take customers for granted. 

It's probably a lot of factors but how the website has been managed surely has cost them business. How much business, who knows.

I'd say the opposite is true - the decline in the magazine is affecting the forum. As FSM struggles to find a place and be relevant, it shows up here. Forums on company/product sites are disappearing rapidly. Companies don't want to deal with the hosting and moderation, when there is little tangible bottom line benefit from it. A site like this is a dinosaur today, a relic of twenty years ago. It just took a while to catch up. I expect FSM to go the way of Scale Auto before long. 

BrandonK

This site is a key ingredient to a better magazine subscription following. Let this wither and die and the magazine will follow. In today's market the online activity WILL lead to more subs at the magazine because members will be happy, active and want more. The opposite is just as true. Put a priority into this forum and the activity and subs will follow.

 

Bingo. 

Just my two cents. Joe, Brandon, Tojo, I agree with you. It's on all of us to participate if we are to maintain a vibrant community. And Joe, what you wrote is excellent. 

This site is a key ingredient to a better magazine subscription following. Let this wither and die and the magazine will follow. In today's market the online activity WILL lead to more subs at the magazine because members will be happy, active and want more. The opposite is just as true. Put a priority into this forum and the activity and subs will follow.

Kendra Bell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think this is a good point. It seems to me that lots of posts on our forums don't get views, especially right away, and just because your post isn't getting comments doesn't mean people don't appreciate it! I'm personally more of a silent appreciator (ie leaving a like when possible/applicable). I don't often comment unless I have something pressing to say or a comment/compliment that adds to the conversation. I'm sure many modelers feel the same!

 

 If you could've seen this place 10 years ago I think you'd have a different stance on things because they were anything but silent back then. FSM was screaming with encouraging and supportive activity. True, there was some drama from time to time but I made many friends in my time here and had a BLAST. I truly miss those days and that saddens me because things don't have to be the way they are here now and I want to say the following with the highest respect to the FSM staff. You guys are sitting on a gold mine with this forum in having a magazine to back it. The forum and the magazine would BOTH benefit from and be a compliment to one another and wherever they are now on the success meter....it would only get better. The staff on any site has to be involved to establish an interest from the top down or great sites like FSM has been will simply become transient lodging for members. It happened where I am now 4 years ago with the core staff just abandoning the site. No staff presence.....and the members find somewhere else to go or become closet builders. It's like a plant, we've got to put the work in or the plant will die.

  A good example of staff being involved is Tim Kidwell and Aaron Skinner came up with an FSM WWI Group Build in FSM's heyday here on the forum around 8-10 years ago and it was a HUGE success. Why? Because the staff was involved. The FSM forum has got alot of potential but it's only going to get to its fullest when some sort of staff gets either appointed or the existing ones participate consistently. As a forum site owner I have the responsibility to the members to provide them not only with a great place to gather together and have fun in this hobby but to keep scale modeling alive as well as to promote it for the next generation. 

 I do hope you take this in the helpful way that it's meant Kendra. This forum can be one of the heavy hitters in scale modeling online communities just like it used to be not so long ago. 

Joe

BrandonK

 

 

Kendra Bell

I'm personally more of a silent appreciator (ie leaving a like when possible/applicable). I don't often comment unless I have something pressing to say or a comment/compliment that adds to the conversation. I'm sure many modelers feel the same!

 

 

This is EXACTLY why this forum is slowly fading away. People look but they don't interact. The whole point of a forum is interaction, and looking and moving on is NOT interacting. Even a simple emoji or one work comment can make someones day. I quit posting here for this exact reason, there is little to no feedback and that is contrary to what forums are all about. If the FSM staff can't be active, even a litte in their own forum, it is doomed to fail. This mindset will kill this forum just like it has killed many others. The forums where members like and comment and let the thread creater know that they have stopped by keeps those places active and popular. "Silent appreciator" doesn't cut it in forums. You can to that on Pintrest. 

 

Excellent points,we'll said 

Kendra Bell

I'm personally more of a silent appreciator (ie leaving a like when possible/applicable). I don't often comment unless I have something pressing to say or a comment/compliment that adds to the conversation. I'm sure many modelers feel the same!

This is EXACTLY why this forum is slowly fading away. People look but they don't interact. The whole point of a forum is interaction, and looking and moving on is NOT interacting. Even a simple emoji or one work comment can make someones day. I quit posting here for this exact reason, there is little to no feedback and that is contrary to what forums are all about. If the FSM staff can't be active, even a litte in their own forum, it is doomed to fail. This mindset will kill this forum just like it has killed many others. The forums where members like and comment and let the thread creater know that they have stopped by keeps those places active and popular. "Silent appreciator" doesn't cut it in forums. You can to that on Pintrest. 

Yes and I had to raise it (red  area)to clear some of my tall rolling stock.

Big sucker! 

Bill

Made another bridge too,! 

Yes it is fun to take a bunch of craft popsicle sticks and make a bridge out of them!

No worries.

templar1099

 

 

Real G

I guess not many people in this day and age are into building bridges anymore.

I'll get my hat & coat...

 

 

 

 

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I wasn't denigrating bridges or any other objects built in this fashion. I personally feel that scratch builders deserve their own magazine and forums. It's an art form well above my abilities. 

 

 

 

Not a dig on you Templar.  I was just commenting on the current zeitgeist.

Real G

I guess not many people in this day and age are into building bridges anymore.

I'll get my hat & coat...

 

I wasn't denigrating bridges or any other objects built in this fashion. I personally feel that scratch builders deserve their own magazine and forums. It's an art form well above my abilities. 

Eugene Rowe

Yes!not much call for it nowadays.

 

Not much call for them these days, but they are badly needed more than ever.

Build your bridges Eugene.  If you get enjoyment from them, that is all that matters.  Others will follow, in time.

Yes!not much call for it nowadays.

I guess not many people in this day and age are into building bridges anymore.

I'll get my hat & coat...

Must of been a year or so ago I dropped out. Walked into my work space and just couldn't continue. Hit a wall,burnout,whatever. Had nothing to do with views or comments or life getting in the way. Having restarted and getting back in the swing of things I thought I'd add my two cents.

I think all the opinions expressed in these response have some validity to them,and I recognize myself in some of the characterizations. I am more of a viewer and I view basically what I am interested in. There are only so many P-51'S, Tigers,and Enterprises that can capture ones interest. I'll leave a comment on what catches my eye,but to be honest, I've never seen a bad build posted on this site. Having done this for a few years now I still am inadaquately experienced to add any real substantive contribution to help improve ones build.

On the contrary,I rely on the responses given to certain topics relatable to me by my betters to over come obstacles or problems that arise,gather new resources or learn information pertaining to my interests.I don't " follow " anyone in particular but there are certain members here that I rely on for their perspective and knowledge,some for their humor and some because of their work. I post what I build and start another one, if it gets a comment I'll always acknowledge the poster for taking the time and answer any questions I can,if it gets a view, I hope you liked it.

Rob Gronovius

 

 

Tojo72

"Drive by posting"

Thats a perfect description Rob,I like that.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, this forum has a unique phenomenon where a few folks will post a build, not engage with anyone who replies and is never seen again or might return in a few years.

I find it odd; why join a forum where the membership often have a back and forth discussion, but never enter into discussions with the community?

 

A rather annoying habit by those who partake in that sort of posting. Its good manners of the original poster to at least acknoweldge those who take the time and effort to provide any sort of comment of feedback on a post.

Yes that is quite strange  

Tojo72

"Drive by posting"

Thats a perfect description Rob,I like that.

 

Yeah, this forum has a unique phenomenon where a few folks will post a build, not engage with anyone who replies and is never seen again or might return in a few years.

I find it odd; why join a forum where the membership often have a back and forth discussion, but never enter into discussions with the community?

Never thought it could be bot activity,but it is an interesting concept for sure!

I am not privy to forum traffic or active membership numbers, but I firmly believe that views counter is not a real indicator of actual human views and is inflated by bots or internet archivers. 

This is a purely anecdotal instance, but I have made ice breaker posts in the General Modeling subforum like what subjects do you want made which will reflect dozens of views within a couple hours, and yet if the post gets more than two responses within 24 hours it is a surprise to me.  I find it hard to believe that if there was as much actual human traffic as the views number indicates, that there is otherwise so little substantive activity anywhere else like in the GB forum.

Perhaps I am wrong, and there realy are thousands of lurkers hanging out and visiting each week, I just wish they would chime in and help revitilize the site.

Have to disagree,a forum is about communication,how about if an artist does a painting,a woodworker completes a piece,any craftsman you can think of presents his work to his friends and family,they visit,look at it,and walk away without commenting,how would you feel? Probably not too good.

How about the Ready Room,that's where banter takes place,someone posts a funny,an interesting article,an experience,those are usually greeted without much feedback too.Back and forth makes a forum,not just looking or lurking.

Not encouraging folks to ditch this place,it has been my hangout since 2003,but if you want to see a busy,friendly, proactive forum,come see Modelerssocialclub, also the Kitmaker Network.

Eaglecash867

Comments are nice, but I'm happy just taking views as an expression of interest in what I post.  Everybody has their own way of doing forums.

 

I think this is a good point. It seems to me that lots of posts on our forums don't get views, especially right away, and just because your post isn't getting comments doesn't mean people don't appreciate it! I'm personally more of a silent appreciator (ie leaving a like when possible/applicable). I don't often comment unless I have something pressing to say or a comment/compliment that adds to the conversation. I'm sure many modelers feel the same!

Thanks!I really appreciate it!I was concerned that I messed up my bridge but I think it came out exactly as I envisioned!I am a long term member of this forum and remember how plentiful responses to most people's threads were!I guess changes are inevitable!

Hi Eugene,

Please don't worry about it. Along with the positive comes the negative, and nobody deserves that.

You are pretty unique. I see you as someone who can model anything from electric guitars to stick and tissue aircraft of your own design.

I always enjoy your posts.

Bill