Maybe all the good questions are already asked and there is nothing left to say.

Yeah, I've largely stopped trying to help people I've never heard of here. Generally I'd be happy to offer a helping hand but when someone asks a question and then never replies so you don't know if it was helpful, useless, wrong or what I get a little miffed.

Same here, I'd post more but the site has been slower so there's not as much to reply too. I guess I could start a few threads but other people tend to come up with better topics than I do.

.

What's frustrating the OP may post a question and we respond, and then the OP simply disappears never to be heard from again.

templar1099

 

 

Greg

Still, a bunch of great folk and a tremendous amount of know-how and willingness to share here and that's the main thing for me, anyway.

 

 

---

I ain't goin' nowhere.

 

Same here. Truly is a great group, whether anything has changed or if it's imagined.

Greg

Still, a bunch of great folk and a tremendous amount of know-how and willingness to share here and that's the main thing for me, anyway.

I ain't goin' nowhere.

It seems to me that like Rob mentioned above, the mood here has changed since I joined a few years back.

It seems there used to be back and forth discussions, with involvement and interest in the posts of others. Now, an alarming number of people simply read the OP, reply, and run off. This is apparant from the number of same answers in threads, among other things.

I believe this may be partly due to the format changes, especially only one previous post showing in the reply window, but that discussion seems to be moot and verbotin.

I was enticed to join here because of the friendly, discussion-oriented atmosphere here. IMO, the folks are still freindly, but the posts these days are more directed to the OP than being discussion-oriented.

That said, at 3 years I am still a relative newbie, so I'm not sure my observations or feelings reflect what is really going on.

Still, a bunch of great folk and a tremendous amount of know-how and willingness to share here and that's the main thing for me, anyway.

To me it is very clear that activity has dropped. I also tend to agree that activity began to slide with the upgrade. It is sad to see that this is happening.

I agree that the forums have slowed a bit, but I wonder if it is a cyclical thing.  As for me a remodeling project at home has consumed me for the last couple of months.  I signed up for 2 group builds that I haven't even started on although I resolved in January to finish several kits that were 90+ percent finished.

Almost all my "forum time" is spent on the FSM site so I cant vouch for other forums on other sites (I am a member on several others, just don't have time to mess with them).

.

I usually check the forums right after breakfast.  I do the same as Don by glancing through the posts and reading only those whose titles draw my attention.  After completeing the usual Dr. visits, errands, shopping  and then the items on the "Honey Do" list, I hit the bench.  After dinner, I check the Forums again and then head for the bench again.  I don't have a concentration limit as I could work at the bench all day on various builds and forget lunch and dinner if it weren't for SWMBO telling me to get my butt out from the bench and sit down to eat (bless her soul). Might check the Forums again before retiring for the night/morning. 

T.B. - I can't post pics either.  Been going round and round with PB for years. Tried other sites too with no luck.   The book "Computers for Dummies" is so far over my head it's rediculous.  I can send pics in e-mails though.  If anyone wants to see pics, send your e-mail in a PM and I can send loads and loads of pics as I always take pics during my builds to send to the guys in the club.  Also have pics from all contests we attended (100s of pics).

Jim  

Tanker - Builder

DON ;

  If you do that , when do you find modeling time ?  Personally , I have noticed a drop .What with certain folks gone , for whatever reason and everyone complaining about navigating this site .

    I am so dumb ( Computer Wise ) I still can't do the picture thing .Yet, I am still here , and navigate just fine . .Now , I have more on my plate but I still make time for here and another Model site .     T.B.

 

It takes me less than half an hour to read my forums.  I do not read each post- the titles of the threads determine whether I read them.  So there are still many hours in the day to do modeling (plus I am retired).  I find a much worse limit is that in my advanced age my concentration is failing, and I cannot spend as many continuous hours at the bench as I used to.

Sure time of the year has a lot to do with it. Warmer weather means more time riding the Harley, tending the backyard garden along with a myriad of other summer chores and activities.  But you bet people are still building. I personally have been knees deep in an Academy 350th Graf Spee build that has become borderline obsessive, lol (never let anyone tell you 350th is easier than the smaller scales if you enjoy adding detail!). I've said it before but for me it has started coming down to effort versus reward. I think most of us here are motivated to post our work looking for peer recognition as well as constructive criticism to better advance our skills. The lack of either when going through the motions of getting our images here and taking them along the way throughout the build can be very discouraging. For myself, I think it would be better to just post a couple of finished pics if that than try and document and post somewhere. I generally don't participate in the whole " Have you read any good books" or any similar type threads. Some people come here to share their work and learn techniques from others as well as admire the work of others and some just come here to yap. Others to possibly even do both. To each their own.

"]Nathan T Ha, the slowness is definitely not due to folks actually building...  

Is that what it is?

Nathan T

Ha, the slowness is definitely not due to folks actually building...

 

Nathan,when I'm home I build,when I'm at work I do most of my posting.Unfortunatly I'm at work way too much,thus the lack of building.

Ha, the slowness is definitely not due to folks actually building...

We could always resurrect decade old threads.....wait....that was done already

OK, I'm new here and not familiar with the prior to last July's format,and got locked out for 10 days or so in the recent 'upgrade',of which certain members are still experiencing problems due to technological incompatibilities. So if the recent re-boot didn't enhance paid subscribers experience, to whose advantage did it benefit? What do you do to increase satisfaction? Seriously, would a rollback to former format do the trick?

Hello!

I'd say I see the decline in activity on the forum very clearly. When I joined, I just wasn't able to read all the posts generated since last day. Nowadays it's easy. I don't think it's the weather, unless it's the springtime of the century!

That format change bothered me a lot. I don't have problems with learning new things, but I'd like to see some kind of advantage for me in doing so. That didn't happen here. And those bugs were like saying: keep on posting, you're least priority! Last thing that might put many people off is the censorship here. And recently the new members get to be "moderated" - did you know that? I bet that's discouraging, too.

So no wonder people are moving elsewhere - other forums, FB, their own hobby rooms. I'm sad to see that - I like the FineScale forums, many nice people here.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

stikpusher

I am one of those folks definitely affected by the forum format change. Pure and simple I can not post as often as I used to. Why? My old phone and its' software does not seem to interface with the new forum software to allow me to log on. I can look but not post. And considering that at least roughly half the time that I can be, and have been on here is via mobile/phone, that put a big dent in my participation. Now I may see something that I want to comment on, but when I have access to my laptop or desktop to do so I have forgotten or my post just doesnot have the same urgency that it did in my mind earlier. Do I see the issue getting resolved- no. It's been a couple of months and nothing has changed.

Add to that fewer posts on here overall that I want to comment on (due to fewer posts being made currently), and it is a downward spiral in my view. Is the site dying? Only time will tell. But currently it is not thriving as it used to be.

 

I find that last one a big issue. I come on here just as much as i used to, but just find there is less to comment on. My own post count has dropped hugley, some days i find it hard to post at all.

I have had the same thought as Joe for some time. We ain't quite dead, but the priest is on the way.

I am one of those folks definitely affected by the forum format change. Pure and simple I can not post as often as I used to. Why? My old phone and its' software does not seem to interface with the new forum software to allow me to log on. I can look but not post. And considering that at least roughly half the time that I can be, and have been on here is via mobile/phone, that put a big dent in my participation. Now I may see something that I want to comment on, but when I have access to my laptop or desktop to do so I have forgotten or my post just doesnot have the same urgency that it did in my mind earlier. Do I see the issue getting resolved- no. It's been a couple of months and nothing has changed.

Add to that fewer posts on here overall that I want to comment on (due to fewer posts being made currently), and it is a downward spiral in my view. Is the site dying? Only time will tell. But currently it is not thriving as it used to be.

I don't think its part of the problem, its the problem full stop. I don't find the forum difficult to navigate, in fact i find it easier than many. But there were a number of things lost last year, and as has been mentioned, we seem to have been lost to our own devices. Then the more recent issues, the reason for it still alluds me, was i think the final straw for many.

Of course everyone has their opinion about the upgrade,but from my end,I just don't see any new difficulties in reading posts and posting my replies,seems the same to me.Some things are diffrent,but v I'm not bothered by it.But for whatever reasons,many have left and are posting on other forums and I guess there is only so much time in a day so this one suffers.

DON ;

  If you do that , when do you find modeling time ?  Personally , I have noticed a drop .What with certain folks gone , for whatever reason and everyone complaining about navigating this site .

    I am so dumb ( Computer Wise ) I still can't do the picture thing .Yet, I am still here , and navigate just fine . .Now , I have more on my plate but I still make time for here and another Model site .     T.B.

I would bet the forum "upgrades" have been to blame for much of what we're seeing.  That led to a very user-unfriendly system imho.  As a member of multiple forums in various interests ie. scale modeling, guns, cars, etc, I can say this is by far the clunkiest to use.   It doesn't exactly encourage participation...

As far as the forum being ignored by the owners, I'd venture that is due to the forum not being a for-profit enterprise.  Since it brings in little revenue, just let it totter along.

Gary

Bish

Its not just the last few weeks its been dropping over the last few months. It started with the change last July and then got worse after the recent log in problems. It actually seems to have picked back up in the last few days. We seem to have lost quite a few poeple and many more, my self included, are posting less than usual.

 

I was wondering if that was part of the problem.

Pfffftttt... Facebook... a total waste of time. Don't get me wrong, it's great for keeping in touch with family and close friends. But I've seen and heard far enough share of some pretty idiotic stuff folks posted on FB pages. What's wrong with picking up a phone and calling to say hello? I'm glad we don't have FB account. I've got better use to spend my time than be on FB.

I think one of the reason is Facebook and the other social media. Our local model club's forum in our website not working anymore because the group has created a new account on Facebook and everybody is active there. Why? The answer maybe related to the post of Scarecrow Joe. In comparison with FSM Forum, it is easier to communicate, post pictures in Fb.

Keep dreaming its the weather....clearly its not.  The site is indeed dying slowly but surely.  Since the " upgrade" its been just agonizing.  What you expect from a forum which is defective, hard to navigate and basically ignored by its owners?  It never received the full attention it deserved by the owners and people just moved away.  It was kind of slow and the upgrade was the final touch.  I believe it will just dissapear in time. Just my opinion of course. Dont be surprise if it does...

Or was that Dear....

As for me, I've been trying to get some building done for this year's Modelpalooza but even that has slowed as some medical issues make it harder to stand at the bench and get that done.  Sitting at the computer isn't always easy and when I can it's usually for shorter periods than I used to.