[SuperFreak]

Hey administrator, Lets make this place a good Easy to see who posted new stuff and responded place, like gardenweb, by making all tractor posts on ONE forum.Not ten or twelve like it is currently.
Gardenweb is popular for a reason , becuase it is easy to read, plain and simple.So lets do the same here.
I know a pole was taken if the place should remain the same but hey. If you look at all the votes to keep it like it is currently, they are from the moderators! I know the moderator power trip thing is in full effect espicaially after being at gardenweb and whatstheworst.com.
But lets get real and make this place an easy fun place to visit like gardenweb, easy to read postings. Not having to sit around going to 15 differnet forums to see who posted.
We have more moderators than members and a majority of postings are from moderators.
So lets keep this place alive otherwise it will drown.

 

[Ingersoll444]

Up in the top right corner of the home page, there is a link to "view new posts" This will group all the new posts together in desending order like GW. Some people like the sepret fourms, some don't.

Now as for the power trip?

Well, its not like we have THAT much power. And I have never moved or deleted any posts.So no, we are just some guys that like to talk tractors[and a lot of other stuff also] and want to help out.

 

[jodyand]

If i recall

If i recall SuperFreak you were a moderator but got the boot because you never posted. You register in September and this makes your seventh post if you take a few min and take a look at the forum you would see how easy it is to use. As Ingersoll said all you have to do is click on view new post or click on Search forum posts from the last 1 day and see what has been posted that day. And as soon as you open a forum like the shade tree lounge the newest post are up top just like garden web. And the object of have different boards is so there is no bashing because if you do not have that brand you have no business on there bashing. And as for the power trip are the moderators not members are they not suppose to post just because they are moderators. I think not this is there board just as it is yours and they have just as much right to post as you. So you should become more of an active member and you will see how easy this forum is to use.
Jody

 

[SuperFreak]

I apoloize if we offended you Jody on the power issue, not my concern at all. I was a moderator but i had nothing to moderate so I quit posting. But I have to weigh the interest of the board as a whole. I do find that if we did keep it simple like Gardenweb,things would go smoother and useage would increase tenfold. I also think there should be a lawn care and tree forum, and tool shed would nice also. Maybe I will email the administrator direct. In the interest bashing many people actually enjoy the bashing. Yes it can be tiring but, nothing keeps people close to their computer like a good bash.LOL
But the concern we must focus on is survival of the board and what maximizes utility for all.

 

[tisenberg]

Good insight SuperFreak. You can do the GW mode by using the Search button at the top and select the number of days or view new posts link (again at the top). This will get you GW look and feel. Lastly, you ask for GW look and feel, then asked for a few more groups.... which are you looking for?

 

[Argee]

SuperFreak

If we emulate GardenWeb, then we are another GardenWeb! That is the purpose of this site, to be different. This is Tractorforum.com, a different format, a different experience. I personally like the way Andy has set it up. I can go to the boards that interest me. I can move around here pretty good and I,m technically challenged.

As for your statement implying the moderators are the only ones posting here, I must take exception to that. There are a lot of boards and consequently a lot of moderators. I personally haven't felt any additional power. I feel a moderators job is to post often and introduce new material that that induces others to respond. I joined this forum because of my interest in tractors, and tractor related issues, not the bashing bullshit that goes on at GardenWeb.

Remember, moderators are also members like everyone else, the only difference is we have volunteerd to devote some more of our time to it because we want to see it succeed.

Instead of sitting on the sidelines criticising others efforts, jump in and get involved, make it a better place.

 

[Gromulus]

Observations

I vist many different forums on the web (religion, firearms, knives, electronic equipment) and this site's setup is very similar to many others. While slighly more complicated in initial appearance, it does offer many other features not found in other formats. Perhaps the easier to use/"simpler" GW forum is catering to it's "target" audience. :alien2:

 

[guest]

Superfreak: sorry to hear that you dont like the forum..
There are many good things added here;
it allows 3 ways to post a pciture, there are 2 ways to see new posts as mentioned above.
This is a true open forum, no trips to disney or deletes no removal of member ship if what you post is not up to spikes standards... Its a forum for the members/by the members..

as moderators it is true we are encouraged to post to keep things going... but thats no big deal... at least here we are given some guidance.... at spikes you will find random deletes with no explanation.. Here Andy & Clint (although clint is like the silent partner) will go the extra mile to help a guest or member with any issues...


Here you can see who is on line, what they are looking at, who the actual members are, how many posts.... (bottom of page links)
On the other site, we pleaded with spike to let us know a member count... it ended up with about 5 threads of self membership lists. Ask andy a question and youll get a response..

this forum may not be 'easy' like the other one, but with all of the functionality, it would have to be a little harder to get around....

I think its worth it.. time will tell if others do also... once you spend a little time it gets easier...

sj

 

[freebird]

I like the current setup here. I can go right to my area of interest instead of having to scroll through the main "sluicebox" to see if a post I made got a reply. Then if I like I can poke around and look at other areas I have not seen.

 

[Chris]

Originally posted by SuperFreak
Hey administrator, Lets make this place a good Easy to see who posted new stuff and responded place, like gardenweb, by making all tractor posts on ONE forum.Not ten or twelve like it is currently.
Gardenweb is popular for a reason , becuase it is easy to read, plain and simple.So lets do the same here.
I know a pole was taken if the place should remain the same but hey. If you look at all the votes to keep it like it is currently, they are from the moderators! I know the moderator power trip thing is in full effect espicaially after being at gardenweb and whatstheworst.com.
But lets get real and make this place an easy fun place to visit like gardenweb, easy to read postings. Not having to sit around going to 15 differnet forums to see who posted.
We have more moderators than members and a majority of postings are from moderators.
So lets keep this place alive otherwise it will drown.

Well, let's explore each point --- (see instead of sending you to DISNEY like Spike I actually will entertain your pompous & adament prose)

1. ONE BIG TANK MESSAGE BOARD - don't like it --- never did - you want that, go back to GW. YTMAG uses seperate boards for each make of tractor in one big thread (as I have the big tractors & LT/GT now setup) Why don't I like it? No order, no ability to really ignore certain posts, heated bashings or anything else. I created all of those boards including a "Prayer Forum, Off-Topic (anything goes), Shade Tree (general discussion), Workshop, PC Support, Photography Digital & SLR, Restoration Forum, Small Engine Antique Forum and countless others. Just like GW has its own share of "seperate boards" such as "Tractors, Lawn Care, Tool Shed etc" --- I frankly don't see the point nor the accuracy of your statements --- but in the end you are entitled to your own opinion.

2. It is true that the moderators (or what GW would classify as simply the most devoted and active since Spike would never dare share the throne in any conceivable fashion) do post quite a bit, but isn't that the point? Promote the most active, the most knowledgeable, the ones who really day in and day out give more than average and post more than average? My mods are never abusive, controlling freaks who want to "exercise their power" on any users. They have NEVER not one single time asked me for MORE power nor to censor, give rid of, or ban any users. I thank them for the ultimate success of this board as it belongs to the community not to me. I will put it this way - if you start out with trash then you get trash. TRASH IN = TRASH OUT. If you have had problems with mods before it is because of their own personal character, need to control & likewise poor administrative lead.

3. Drown? TF.COM averaging over 150 posts a day. I doubt REALLY TRULY SERIOUSLY that any tractor board started with 150 posts a day by day 45 which is where we are located. We have 65,000+ ACTUAL THREAD VIEWS NOT PAGE VISITS OR COUNTS. Our page counts are in the millions. Plus we are adding so many features that frankly it makes older boards such as GW look like
a text-based ANSI BBS from the mid 80s. We have custom avatars, ability to upload pics directly to server w/o having hosting space of your own, complete customized professional graphics, mouse-over forum selectors, personal messaging features, tons of smilies/emoticons, search features that list all posts by USERNAME, DATE, and/or TOPIC --- FOREVER --- Not until they "drop off the edge of the universe and never to be seen again" ---- With all of the techology, advancements loaded in the forum, etc --- I am most proud of the people here ---- the board that is growing and moving forward. Navigation is truly easy - Click on the "New/Active Topics" and/or search on the first page for "Search last x days" ---- pretty easy to me!

You are of course welcomed to your harsh opinions about this board and its future. I can only imagine if you were truly satisfied with the content and the layout of GW, you would not even be proclaiming your need for change here at TRACTORFORUM.COM --
Find the good in things, don't act as if change is bad. It is different but like I said before ---- different is not bad.

I hope you can find a place here that you can call home. This board was created for the community not to "compete" with any other board --- I saw a need for something like this and I created the framework --- the future of it is up to the members.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[johnbron]

turtle


This is the only forum of many I go to that will allow me to post a picture straight from my camera to my post without using a URL which I dont have so that really impresses me.

What I dont like is that Avatar wont work for me and also I cant get new thread activity e-mail notices from here like I do on other forums.

Other than that I dont have anything to bitch about._____ BTW, I am not a moderator and I have posted more than a couple of times.NANA NANA NANA NANA :night:

 

[Stewart]

I like it

I was a moderator but i had nothing to moderate so I quit posting.

If you had hung around and contributed you would have had something to moderate or be a contributing member.

That being said it does look like you are posting and contributing. Hang around and see what happens.

The set up of GW seems old to me. There are more than one site out there that run almost the same format as the tractor forum. Like I said I like the set up and the posts they have been informative to say the least!!:ride:

See Ya around!!
:beer:

 

[bontai Joe]

I tain't no moderator either, but I's been posting since day one. Yeah, it was a litle quiet the first few days, but seems like this ship is movin' along purty good now It will only get better if folks contribute and I welcome your contributions to better my knowledge of ALL that is tractors.

 

[leolav]

I at first was just like Super freak. Once I used it and understood the power of this format, I have been hooked ever since. I have recruited several other members that I am friends with and they have had nothing but rave reviews. I spend a large majority of my online time on here.

I too just started looking at the recent post link to see what is new, but I still go to the Shadetree very frequently.

Stick with it. It is addictive. You will like it better than GW. And best of all, you won't get blasted to Disney.

 

[jodyand]

No Reason

Super freak no reason to apologize i was not offended i was trying to tell you that moderators are also members and have the right to post just like you. The more you use this site the better you will get around and will see the benefits that this site has. If you go to GW main page you will be lost to you are just used to going to the Tractor Forum and not the main page. So i hope you will keep on posting and become a contributing member. No one is mad at you although different opinions maybe but mad noway. :tellyou:
Jody

 

[DeereBob]

Super Freak,
I am guessing you don't participate in too many online chat boards since this one uses the same webware and format as 3 others I belong to. I personally think the Garden Web webware is clumsy and difficult to navigate. I also much prefer a segmented forum like this one so I can choose general topics or ones that pertain to my brand of tractor. By the way, I am not a moderator and post regularly here!

 

[Kevin Beitz]

This is a simple fix.... Leave the forums the way they are and add one more for all tractors... I also like everything together... So if we add another forum for all tractors time will tell... I for one would very much like everything together...
Just my $0.02

 

[BradT]

Kevin,

Your suggestion makes sense, as it seems that is how The Shade Tree Lounge is being used. By my quick count, of the 13 brand specific areas, only four of them have had a posting so far this month. On the other hand, this area seems quite active.

 

[Argee]

The Shadetree Lounge

is for general posting and is not brand specific. So that should meet Kevins' criteria for a single forum for all tractors and general discussion.

There something's here for everybody. If you want to speak on a specific brand, you can go to that board or you can lay it out there on the Shade Tree Lounge for general discussion. It's your call.

 

[SuperFreak]

Hi Andy, sorry in think you took my ideas as insults nad considered them "pompous and adament prose", No need for that we are all grown ups. . Im Just suggesting an idea, and post pubically so we all can read the feedback together. I did find other people who did not like they layout i had to do some searching through the many forums. Heres a possible scenerio

I figure this if someone was to visit john deere page only becuase he owned only a John deere but at one point owned and had experience with Cub cadets , well the experienced Former cub Owner could offer no helpful advice but,becuase he only reads the John deere board all of his cub cadet knowledge is useless unless he specifically visted cub cadet daily. As with one Major board he would browse and see the cub cadet problem visit it and more than likely offer a solution. Since the experienced cub person is already "here" so to speak in the general forum.
I also like kevins ideas of an aditional forum " would be a great idea.Great idea kevin. I thunk once that board is started it will eliminate the need for brand specific forums.

As for having a tool shed board and such, i did not know there was one becuase it is kinda not easily accessible, Which goes back to my point of having an easy to read board.My idea is not "harsh" but instead feedback you requested in a different thread. Of when the board first opened and you asked or (polled)if we should change the forum.
Some like the gw forum layout and some do, some like this forum layout , some do not. Keyword here is FEEDBACK and i welcome it and hope you and every else welcomes feedback also.