Forum dying?

[secretagent]

Sorry I should have said it properly, but earlier in the thread I stated I did not in fact have any blogs but I will be making them soon!


EDIT:
I have been here much longer than Mar 2012, I just made another account

 

[DerStrom8]

Honestly I have that much free time for magical reasons, So if I were a moderator Id probably spend an hour or two a day to clean up titles...

I'm not sure you realize that moderation is a full-time job. You can never see it, but there are constantly spammers attacking our beloved forums, and the moderators have to work very hard to keep them at bay. If you were to become a moderator, i'm not sure you'd have the free time you think you would

In a way, I'd love to become a moderator to help out the forum. I'm a frequent visitor, so that part would work out well. The problem is that I am easily biased, and I don't think I'd be able to handle all the responsibility. From what I've gathered, moderating is much more difficult than it seems.

Also, isn't Nigel a moderator? Eric's not completely alone in this, is he?

 

[secretagent]

I am not yet able to get a job so I can give full time

 

[DerStrom8]

I am not yet able to get a job so I can give full time

My point is that moderating IS full time--and you probably wouldn't have the extra time to change titles, like you think you would.

Then again, I've never been a moderator. Perhaps Eric could shine some light on this....?

 

[secretagent]

He should tell us, But youd be suprised I can do 5-12 hours a day

 

[DerStrom8]

He should tell us, But youd be suprised I can do 5-12 hours a day

Doesn't surprise me--in the past I've averaged between 8 and 15 hours (weekends especially), but then again, I wasn't a moderator during that time

Do you plan on getting a job anytime soon?

 

[secretagent]

Want to get a job have to wait 1 year though

 

[ericgibbs]

Doesn't surprise me--in the past I've averaged between 8 and 15 hours (weekends especially), but then again, I wasn't a moderator during that time

Do you plan on getting a job anytime soon?

Hi D8.

I have replied to this post in the Site & Feedback Forum.

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/moderation-work.129186/

Eric

 

[misterT]

Sus55anfd King of one-liners.

About the topic.. During the summer the forum has been "boring" for me, but I don't think it is dying. I hope not.
It is funny to see some topics to raise from hell every 2 months or so. Topics like "how does a transistor/capacitor work" or "what is the best programming language / microcontroller"

Edit: Why don't we have competitions anymore?

 

[Hangman]

Hello SecretAgent,

if the photo shows you with your posts I wouldn't trust you one moment being a moderator. It shows you like being a spoiled boy (brat?) whose profession is "son".

You just seem too young to decide in a just manner. I estimate you're just 15 to 19 years of age.

In Jemen we use to say: "He is not dry behind the ears."

As I was told by friends ericgibbs (80 years old) is the one and only moderator at this time. Nigel Goodwin is also a Super Moderator, but never has entered the chat room so far.

He has great psychologic knowledge and superior electronic knowledge and experience.

I estimate he will appreciate to have somebody sharing his hard work and give him some rest when he cannot observe the chat room.

A great forum is like a family from my understanding. Newcomers are always welcome like another child in the family is welcome. It's the experienced members who have to guide him/her to a satisfactory result of their work without serving the final solution on a silver platter. (That would support laziness, wouldn't it?)

Anybody else demanding a proper solution including schematic, PCB-design and explanation of the project certainly has chosen the wrong address.

You stated that you have gained experience using a different login name before you became "SecretAgent". Allow me a quick guess on your former login name. "ky....es" should be it. The number of full stops represent the missing characters.

I guess that will be the worst start to become moderator in this splendid forum.

Regards

Hangman (my profession in Jemen)

 

[DerStrom8]

Hello SecretAgent,

...

You stated that you have gained experience using a different login name before you became "SecretAgent". Allow me a quick guess on your former login name. "ky....es" should be it. The number of full stops represent the missing characters.

I guess that will be the worst start to become moderator in this splendid forum.

Well said. And sorry, SecretAgent, but I agree. Making a new account after being banned is not a good start. Especially for becoming a moderator. It's just not how things work here.

 

[cowboybob]

I've been following this thread with a modicum of interest.

I still consider myself a relative noob.

Don't think the forum is dying so much as evolving, which is to be expected and, IMHO, a good thing. And as with most things evolving, some members may see growth and others see decline. So it goes.

Any public situation carries the seed of riot, revolt, bad behavior, poor decisions and bad language. Similarly, their opposites.

While I have been the object of some public derision on a couple of occasions, overall my experience has been marvy and enlightening.

I also think that ericgibbes (did not know he was the sole moderator) does a yeoman's job of keeping this forum on an even keel. Don't know the man, of course, but his even-handedness (best I can tell) is extraordinary.

I like ETO a lot, and it's a part of my daily routine.

But I'm not so naive as to expect a orgasm on every visit.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Don't think the forum is dying so much as evolving, which is to be expected and, IMHO, a good thing. And as with most things evolving, some members may see growth and others see decline. So it goes.

I can't believe anyone even started such a stupid thread? - people spend less time on their hobbies and on forums in the summer than in the winter. It's hardly rocket science.

I also think that ericgibbes (did not know he was the sole moderator) does a yeoman's job of keeping this forum on an even keel.

He isn't the only moderator, but because he's retired he's able to spend much more time on his moderation duties, and I only pick up the few that he 'misses' through not being on-line occasionally when I am.

I know how many hours a day I spent moderating here, and Eric has take most of that load off of me - thank you Eric!.

He is a wonderful guy as well, and displays a greater degree of patience than myself (sometimes I think he's too patient ).

 

[Sceadwian]

Experiences differ Nigel, and this should be noted; all things are not shiny and fine all the time here and that's simply a matter of observation of which moderation and the moderated take very different stances on in some cases.

Simply based on the actions I've seen with EM in adding forums for feedback from users and from and for moderation in the last few weeks have been a stellar improvement and I believe will be a solid core to advancing the forum and all users once the rules themselves are hammered out as to be easier to deal with from different perspectives.

We all HAVE to learn to get along, or those that don't will simply leave, and those that don't are becoming more common in general.

Look at core user statistics overall...

Nigel... Look at overall poster statistics. Where is Hero999? Why has AG resorted to nothing more than ranting negative posts to anything he decides to comment on? I understand you have things going on which means you're not here or able to moderator on a regular basis, no fault of your own but this is what the forum needs is people here. Blueroom.... Pommie... 3v0?

Take into account user account age, and I think you may look at the dynamics of this forum a little differently.

 

[3v0]

Sceadwian after a few years of paying serious attention to the forum it starts to feel like most everything is a rehash. Moderating helped for a while but after a while a clear pattern developed and it lost its charm too. You will find me in chat when I am on the computer mostly to keep in touch with the good friends I have made here.

We used to have a few people doing and posting about interesting things on PICs and posting about them but they have faded or moved to other processors.

I would not worry about the state of the forum. Its nature and flavor may change over time and there is little one can do about it.

 

[Mr RB]

I can't believe anyone even started such a stupid thread?
...

That was me! And believe me after seeing some of the bad press here I am regretting it.

From my view it seemed that over some months now (not just summer) there has been less posting of the cool projects that people enjoy contributing to, or just reading, and what remains has been the usual nitpicking fights and newbies with questionable manners wanting free help.

To *me* it is important for a forum to have members making exciting projects, people like Atomsoft, Pommie, 3v0, my self and others who often made cool projects seem to have slowed right off and/or disappeared. That is not good.

If that continues the only reason to come here would be to spar with someone in a nitpicking fight or to come here to be treated as a (largely unappreciated) free helper of rude newbies wanting to get an A on their class project using someone else's efforts.

The cool projects are vital.

 

[3v0]

That was me! And believe me after seeing some of the bad press here I am regretting it.

Yeah Nigel has real gift at making people feel welcome. Borders on disrespectful and for sure not in the spirit of the forum.

 

[ericgibbs]

Nigel... Look at overall poster statistics. Where is Hero999? Why has AG resorted to nothing more than ranting negative posts to anything he decides to comment on? I understand you have things going on which means you're not here or able to moderator on a regular basis, no fault of your own but this is what the forum needs is people here. Blueroom.... Pommie... 3v0?

Sceadwian,

If you look more closely at the Forum posting figures, you will see that Hero999 is the 4th down on the extreme right side column !. You must also be fully aware that hero999 was banned a very long time ago.
I asked you this question in a recent post, which you did not answer, why do you consider it necessary to raise these very old events.???


With regard to 'audioguru' where are all these 'resorted to nothing more than ranting negative posts'.??
I would suggest you do your homework before making such accusations, 'agu' is a major technical contributor to the Forums.

I would agree that the Forums need people like 'Bill', 'Pommie' and 3V0, but there other newer members who are also able and active on the Forums.

 

[JimB]

Edit: Why don't we have competitions anymore?

Look here:
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/anyone-up-for-a-spring-contest-here.116101/

Tcmtech* offered an oscilloscope as a prize.
Electromaster offered to cover the cost of shipping.
Everybody else sat around arguing about form of the competition, how to judge the competition, when the competition should take place, etc.........

I guess that is why we don't have competitions anymore.

* Currently sitting on the "naughty step" for whatever reason.
I have my suspicions.

JimB

 

[JimB]

About two weeks ago I wrote:

Overall I think that ETO is quite healthy.

In the intervening period I have come to the conclusion that ETO is in danger of just blowing itself apart due to petty squabbling.

Much of this squabbling appears to be caused by inconsistent and over zealous [something which may not be discussed].

JimB