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8.54pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
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I realise this is going to be a controversial question. @Joe may not like all the answers. However, for several months now, it has not escaped any of the regulars attention that posting on the Forum has slowed down incredibly.
It used to be rare that you could look at the Forum and in the “Most Recent Posts” see a post that was more than 3 or 4 hours old, now that list is regularly filled with posts that are up to twelve hours old, occasionally older.
We who have been part of the Forum for a while are well aware that the conversation has dropped off, and I feel that acts as a disincentive to others join in the conversation.
It disappoints me when I look at the Forum and see that the last post was made hours ago, remembering how it always used to seem that there had been at least one post in the last hour.
I’d like to see this Forum become the vibrant and active community it was before, which is the only reason I ask the question:
Does anybody have any ideas about what the site could be doing to attract people back to joining in the conversation?
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Expert Textpert, natureaker"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
12.58am
18 October 2013
Offline I think it coincided with that bloke Atlas joining?
4.27am
8 January 2015
Offline 
Perhaps it’s just a normal thing where people run out of things to say in specific areas. I know one thing that hurts is not being able to follow conversations and being notified when someone is replying to you. These aren’t anyone’s fault because the code has bugs, but it makes subject trickier to follow up and and probably hard for lurkers/guests to follow.
edit: and admittedly my own posting has dropped off but life does get in the way sometimes. My fandom is as strong as ever, but the flesh and internet access is sometimes weak.
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Zig, Mr. KiteI'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 
but I may have to get more specific in the future.
7.34am
1 November 2013
Offline 
2014 had the 50 year anniversary boom. 2015 doesn’t have that. We could look at activity for 2013 – 2009 and see if this is really a decline or more of 2014 was a peak and this is the forum’s natural state.
Joe has said early that the new way google captures sites has left this one out a little.
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7.51am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline The forum goes in cycle bursts of activity dependent on how busy folk are. Some days you log on and you have 24 posts unread, others there are 5.
As to the site itself as Anna says in 2014 traffic hit a high and since then its lessened but evened out. Joe is working on new articles, removing links etc to bring the google rating up plus* mods are moving posts and threads around to help with that. @Joe would be able to explain that a lot better.
As to how to get folk to join in with conversations the best way is for folk themselves to start them. Some threads will get few posts but others will spark into life, just dont take it personal if one falls flat.
*Important note: that should read “mods are not moving posts and threads around to help with that”.
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Beatlebug"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.17am
Moderators
Members
Reviewers
20 August 2013
Offline I take it upon myself to PM folks to let them know we miss them and would like for them to come back if they want to.
I mention the site to as many people IRL as I can without making a nuisance out of myself.
I’ve been thinking along the lines AD40 mentioned in her post. The big “50” in America has passed. The Glee bump has passed. There was a bump in traffic on John’s birthday. There were about 75 guests on the forum…instead of our now-normal 40-55. Maybe (hopefully) we will see a 1+ bump.
Also, we don’t have any races to the top poster’s list going on.
Perhaps another factor is the decline in folks playing the games we used to have.
Can buy Joe love! Amazon | iTunes
Check here for "how do I do this" guide to the forum. 
(2017) 
(2018)
8.25am
1 November 2013
Offline Ahhh Girl said
Also, we don’t have any races to the top poster’s list going on.
Maybe if their was a way to reset our post counts to zero then we can all have the climb and have something to try an accomplish again. People wouldn’t be shut out from the top tens then. Or if not that, maybe a contest or something that could get users something to work for a little.
Perhaps another factor is the decline in folks playing the games we used to have.
This is why I tell people to ask a question before you can answer one in some game threads cause if you don’t, the thread will die.
9.30am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Apologies as i’m not one for social trends but why do folk need things to work towards to post? The need to reach x000 posts or be #5 on the top 10 list or need a target or goal utterly eludes me. Post to say something that contributes not because it bumps up your post count by 1. Might as well go the whole way and open up a voting system whereby at the end of every month a poster is voted off.
I’d far rather have 5 posts that were meaningful than 76 that were so the site/user reached a target every week. If the number matters than you might as well start up a thread counting from 1 (that’s not a suggestion).
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Ahhh Girl, Expert Textpert, Zig, ewe2, Beatlebug, Little Piggy Dragonguy"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.41am
Moderators
Members
Reviewers
20 August 2013
Offline Totally agree, mmm. Well stated.
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ZigCan buy Joe love! Amazon | iTunes
Check here for "how do I do this" guide to the forum. (2017) (2018)
9.56am
1 November 2013
Offline meanmistermustard said
Apologies as i’m not one for social trends but why do folk need things to work towards to post? The need to reach x000 posts or be #5 on the top 10 list or need a target or goal utterly eludes me. Post to say something that contributes not because it bumps up your post count by 1. Might as well go the whole way and open up a voting system whereby at the end of every month a poster is voted off.
I’d far rather have 5 posts that were meaningful than 76 that were so the site/user reached a target every week. If the number matters than you might as well start up a thread counting from 1 (that’s not a suggestion).
Their are forums that actually have that 
.
That could be a reason for the lack of activity that is not negative since back in the day, post count mattered to people a lot more than it does now.
11.39am
18 April 2013
Offline Don’t hate me for speaking my mind here, but…
I feel like all the “races to the rooftop” or whatever contributed to a lot of mindless chat just because people felt they had to post something else to boost their count. There may have been more posts, but not more meaningful discussion.
Also, I feel that a lot of the fun is taken out of things when posters try and immediately squash any talk of conspiracy theories.
Also, I don’t feel I can really express my true opinions on John and Yoko because people are against Yoko so much. So, I feel a little guarded when I come to the forum. I ask myself, “Are people going to judge me for what I am about to say, or make a snide remark?”
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
12.07pm
14 December 2009
Offline
What a coincidence that this topic should come up on the very day I decide to pay a visit to the forum for the first time in like a month! I dunno, I just feel that I haven’t had much to say that’s anyway new or interesting for awhile now. I’ve been hoping for a physical release of the Beatles’ promotional videos for a few years now; and now there’s one due to appear in stores (if it’s not appeared already) – and I still couldn’t bring myself to comment on the relevant thread, since I couldn’t think of anything to say besides “Yay, I guess…I’m glad this exists but I don’t feel any real need to buy it at this time, especially not since my DVD player has been broken for awhile. I considered wishing John a happy 75th last week, except I can never remember whether his birthday is the 7th or 9th (and I was out of town, away from my own computer anyways) so I didn’t bother.
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ewe2Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
12.21pm
1 November 2013
Offline Expert Textpert said
Also, I feel that a lot of the fun is taken out of things when posters try and immediately squash any talk of conspiracy theories.
I find that to be true also. We should have the rule of improve of always yes with relevant Beatles speculation. As long as it’s Beatley it should be indulged for a bit.
12.51pm
22 September 2014
Offline It does seems like there has been a reduced level of activity during my short time on the Forum, but I can say for sure that’s it’s not because of anything the posters in this thread have done or failed to do. RN, Ex Tex and mmm are prolific, thoughtful and provocative posters who constantly keep the legend alive and promote the Forum in the best possible ways. And Ahhh Girl! I could not imagine a better ambassador for the site and a more supportive friend for all her fellow Beatlemaniacs. I have a feeling this is just a cyclical thing and that new members will boost activity in time. Look what Silly Girl has done single-handedly. 
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Expert Textpert, Starr Shine?, Ahhh Girl, natureaker, ewe2, BeatlebugI say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'.
Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake, 1997
2.21pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Everyone should feel free to express their opinions (within reason, as it always is – be respectful, not too vulgar in the language etc) but it goes both ways – if one person wants to praise whoever or whatever another should be able to do the opposite and neither should take it as a personal slight etc or as a call to an argument. Its a grown up forum so folk should be acting in a mindful manner whilst retaining a key element of humour and not taking anything too seriously. If anyone is unhappy with anything please PM a mod and we will look into it, its what we are here to do. I cannot guarantee a favourable outcome on your side however and not everyone is going to like everyone.
One thing that will attract and retain new posters is a friendly board not bitching or having stupid pointless arguments that go nowhere and bore the pants of everyone else. Thankfully 99.99999% of the time a very friendly welcoming board is what we have and the few morons who coming looking to pour fire on the forum quite soon piss off as they dont get the bites they want.
There is a fantastic quote from John when in Memphis in August 1966 which is what i hold onto
“You know, they’re entitled to not like us. And we’re entitled not to have anything to do with them if we don’t want to, or not to regard them. We’ve all got our rights.”
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ewe2, Beatlebug"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.16pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline All good feed back above, thanks.
I think Ad40 had one of the best observations in post #4.
Here’s my proverbial four of fish: Prior to the “Thank” feature, we used to thank each other with a post, which would inadvertently bump the thread or compel one to add to the conversation. Now, some conversations simply die with a final post featuring 4 or 5 “Thanks”. Whoop-dee-freakin’-doo.
I like that we all thank each other and it is a cool feature – but at what cost?
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ewe2To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
4.40pm
18 April 2013
Offline Zig said
All good feed back above, thanks.
I think Ad40 had one of the best observations in post #4.
Here’s my proverbial four of fish: Prior to the “Thank” feature, we used to thank each other with a post, which would inadvertently bump the thread or compel one to add to the conversation. Now, some conversations simply die with a final post featuring 4 or 5 “Thanks”. Whoop-dee-freakin’-doo.
I like that we all thank each other and it is a cool feature – but at what cost?
I know you guys don’t like the idea of this feature, but the Elvis forum I’m on has a tally of how many times you have thanked others or been thanked, and you can see it below your avatar, so you know when you have been thanked. You can also go to a page and see all of your posts that have received thanks. As it stands, I think a lot of posts do die because there is no way of notifying a person when he or she has been thanked, and as you say, there are no actual replies. People probably do not know when they have been thanked, I know I don’t.
"If you're ever in the shit, grab my tit.” —Paul McCartney
4.46pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline Thanks.
*See? Another post.*
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Expert Textpert, ewe2, BeatlebugTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
4.56pm
14 December 2009
Offline I once suggested to Joe that the “thank” function might be tweaked so that the thanked one receive a notification similar to the “@”, with the hope that it could lead to more dormant threads being revived, but the idea was not thought to be a good one. Or maybe it wasn’t possible…I can’t recall.
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Expert Textpert, Starr Shine?Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
6.12pm
8 January 2015
Offline The (unavoidable) loss of feedback is possibly a reason why threads run dry because people can’t track if it’s still got interest in it, and I’d already forgotten that being notified of thanks was part of that. Sometimes thanks on an effortpost is vital, I might never have persevered with my Beatle megaposts if I didn’t get that feedback (how else would I know that they were being read?), but they aren’t very useful if one is unaware of them.
I feel it’s asking a lot of our mods to keep across these things, which I know they’ve been doing, to stimulate conversations, so hats off to all. And now I will write another megapost about the 5th Beatle. 
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BeatlebugI'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 but I may have to get more specific in the future.
