SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,395
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Post by SteveW on Jan 25, 2023 16:03:17 GMT
I find it interesting that there's so much interest and comment on admin and where content should be, yet not so much actual Model Engineering going on. Think you'll find its that time of year coupled with the increased cost of being warm enough out there in the workshop.
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Jan 25, 2023 16:56:08 GMT
If there is a move to persuade people to put less ME stuff into Off Chat, then could Off Chat please be in the top General green section? There will probably be quite a lot more traffic to Off Chat and it will be a bit of a nuisance to have to go clicking about to get to it. Chris, look at the example the other Jason has posted in thi sthread and the Poll one, offchat comes up the list
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Jan 25, 2023 16:59:48 GMT
I find it interesting that there's so much interest and comment on admin and where content should be, yet not so much actual Model Engineering going on. I find little response to what I post about here, I post where appropriate to those with like minds for example at the moment I'm working on a version of Stuarts james Coombes engine and posting on Stuart Model Steam Engines" Facebook group. Maybe with the type of subject I make being moved up it will get noticed more so may have a go at posting in the future. But to me this forum has always been mostly focussed on locomotives and where I would point anyone with loco queries. www.facebook.com/groups/2378005929154192/permalink/3387351148219660/www.facebook.com/groups/2378005929154192/permalink/3381680565453385/
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 17:56:27 GMT
I'm not sure why 'What I've done today' qualifies to be on General Chat?
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,209
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Post by jasonb on Jan 25, 2023 18:14:26 GMT
Yes When I first started a similar topic on ME (now copied by other forums) it was intended to be engineering related rather than what you had for breakfast or what the doctor said at your latest appointment
Ideal for someone that just wants to show a bit of progress on a project, new tool or machine installed, etc without feeling the need to do a full build thread and it also keeps the number of threads down rather than having loads with maybe one or two posts in them if there are no comments about the opening post.
EDIT, just looked at the last two pages with just a couple of exceptions almost all ME engineering or workshop related so so why not?
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 18:16:27 GMT
I'm not sure why 'What I've done today' qualifies to be on General Chat? It does if it's about model engineering or equipment connected with it. And there's the problem with this kind of exercise. Personally I'd have left well alone. Threads that are of no interest soon drop off the bottom.
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Post by chris vine on Jan 25, 2023 18:35:46 GMT
That's a great shame.
My feeling is that if most of the threads are in one place, then we will see them more easily. Also, the ones which are popular will tend to stay near the top, so will be visible.
The only downside is that you have to ignore threads which are of no interest.
My only problem with the forum is that I don't have the time to mess about putting pictures with posts. If that could be fixed, it would be very helpful I think...
All best Chris.
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 18:56:02 GMT
No, the problem is that this is a model engineering site and also equipment connected with that subject. I am now looking for another site so that I can leave this one. So looks like I will be joining Pete and John. So any input from me will soon be non existent. Well, now the General Chat has been purged of this apparently offensive material, it seems a little odd to be leaving. In the end, we're all here for different reasons and it's up to everyone to decide if they want to be here or not. Personally, I think we all need to grow a thicker skin and accept that not everyone will agree with them. The only things I find unacceptable are personal attacks and trolling threads with ever more extreme views when their entrenched viewpoints are challenged.
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timb
Statesman
Posts: 512
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Post by timb on Jan 25, 2023 18:56:23 GMT
I'm not sure why 'What I've done today' qualifies to be on General Chat? Really??!!
Most of the active posters are model engineers. Most of the posts in 'What I have done today' are on model engineering topics. I dont see how this can be anything else but general chat on model engineering topics.
I think this is getting silly now.
We need to encourage posts not put people off with petty bickering!
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 19:00:53 GMT
I'm not sure why 'What I've done today' qualifies to be on General Chat? Really??!!
Most of the active posters are model engineers. Most of the posts in 'What I have done today' are on model engineering topics. I dont see how this can be anything else but general chat on model engineering topics.
I think this is getting silly now.
We need to encourage posts not put people off with petty bickering!
Quite a lot of posts in 'What I've done today' are nothing to do with ME, just look back at a few. One was about weeding the garden. I only posted this because of the absurdity of trying to nail everything down to only ME. A pedant would say that the 'Threads' thread has no place there either. It would have been better to have left well alone in my opinion rather than to cave to the complainers. I think it's a bit too late to avoid petty bickering, my EV thread has been the subject of that since I started it, despite my best efforts to keep it civil. If the content is worth viewing, people will use the Forum. What's needed is for less armchair ME and more physical ME else there's not much point in having the Forum at all.
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timb
Statesman
Posts: 512
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Post by timb on Jan 25, 2023 19:23:17 GMT
Roger, I stated 'most' not 'all'. 'If the content is worth viewing' - I find that quite an arrogant point of view that I am sure puts many people off. Who is going to post if its considered 'not worth viewing'. 'What's needed is for less armchair ME and more physical ME' There is lots of 'Physical ME' going on but no-one posts about it because its felt that its 'not worth viewing', also I find this a strange statement from you as your second largest thread is nothing to do with ME.
Did not mean to like my own post, managed to click it whilst aiming for edit - sorry.
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 19:30:48 GMT
Roger, I stated 'most' not 'all'. 'If the content is worth viewing' - I find that quite an arrogant point of view that I am sure puts many people off. Who is going to post if its considered 'not worth viewing'. 'What's needed is for less armchair ME and more physical ME' There is lots of 'Physical ME' going on but no-one posts about it because its felt that its 'not worth viewing'. The point I'm trying to make is that Model Engineering doesn't exist without models. Someone has to make, repair, modify and service them. Without that physical activity, the hobby will just wither away. We're not getting many new Engineers through apprenticeships, and the pool of knowledge is gradually draining. How many people are doing these activities? Not many if this Forum is a guide to that.
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timb
Statesman
Posts: 512
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Post by timb on Jan 25, 2023 19:39:59 GMT
And the list on this forum is growing ever thin. Yes its 'Their choice' to leave, certainly, but WHY are they choosing to leave, its certainly not because of lack of content - its the content providers that are leaving.
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Post by Roger on Jan 25, 2023 19:53:56 GMT
And the list on this forum is growing ever thin. Yes its 'Their choice' to leave, certainly, but WHY are they choosing to leave, its certainly not because of lack of content - its the content providers that are leaving. Only they can tell us that. My impression is that it is mostly to do with getting embroiled in debates that they would probably do better avoiding. It's very easy to take things the wrong way or up the temperature when someone disagrees with you. If you're the kind of person who doesn't like a robust discussion, it's better to not get involved. I've considered asking the moderator to delete my thread on several occasions, but resisted the temptation. However, if people would prefer me to leave, I'm more than happy to ask them to do that. At the moment, I'm of a mindset that I don't really care whether I'm here or not.
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timb
Statesman
Posts: 512
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Post by timb on Jan 25, 2023 20:04:49 GMT
No-one wants anyone to leave, thats the point.
Sometimes opinions differ, it does not matter who is right or wrong, forcing the point one way or the other does not help.
Its a bit late when the only person to disagree with is the only person left.
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Post by springcrocus on Jan 25, 2023 22:18:43 GMT
No-one wants anyone to leave, thats the point. Sometimes opinions differ, it does not matter who is right or wrong, forcing the point one way or the other does not help. Its a bit late when the only person to disagree with is the only person left. I don't think people are leaving, as such. OK, Pete deleted his account after many years and John (simplyloco) made a statement but has not, this time, deleted his account. Maybe they are trying to draw everyone's attention to the general malaise (John's words) that permeate this forum nowadays.
There are quite a few members who used to be regular contributors but are now occasional posters, prefering to keep their heads below the parapet, and the question needs to be asked. Why? I think that some of those people see their work as "below par" because they compare themselves to the more prolific modellers and I think they are doing themselves a disservice. Everybody's efforts deserve recognition, otherwise people start to think, "Why the hell do I bother?"
But it is also down to those prolific modellers to be more supportive of the less active members by offering comments and "likes" to encourage further postings from them. I've noticed over the last couple of years that it is the same old few of us who click the "like" button when someone makes the effort while the rest just sit in silence and remain insular. If you don't reward the posters with encouragement, you end up with no posters and, thus, the forum dies.
This is only marginally related to the rearrangement of the forum titles which is, after all, just a bit of housekeeping to reflect modern times. A bit like getting rid of running boards on cars (who remembers those?) but won't stop the general dissatifaction that appears to be rife at the moment. My suggestion is that those high posters spend a bit more time reading, encouraging and commenting on the threads of the less active members and spend a bit less time just blowing their own trumpet. Otherwise, those high posters will, indeed, be preaching to an absent congregation.
Regards, Steve
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Post by springcrocus on Jan 25, 2023 23:30:01 GMT
Did not mean to like my own post, managed to click it whilst aiming for edit - sorry.
Tim, click it again and it will "un-like" it.
Regards, Steve
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Threads
Jan 26, 2023 7:39:38 GMT
via mobile
Post by ilvaporista on Jan 26, 2023 7:39:38 GMT
I only access subjects through the recent posts, if the subject interests me I will go to the thread and read the last page to get context. I reply if I have something to add or something relevant. I then go through all recent posts until I remember having read it before, which sometimes means a few pages if I have been away.
The way I access the forum has changed as now I very rarely log in from my PC. Nowadays it's 99% through my phone. I am not workshop active at the moment as after the house move and building works the 40' X 20' workshop has been rammed full of everything that had to be moved out of the way. I would post pictures but the hassle of setting up and managing yet another account/password/program puts me off. On other forums I just take a picture with my phone and load directly to my posts. I guess that costs money to have and for a smaller sized forum for which we pay zilch the options are limited.
Once I get back in the workshop I have several complete railways to build. A possibly dual gauge 5 - 7 1/4". A raised 2.5/3.5" and a 45mm. That Will keep me going for many years.
I do not get disheartened by looking at finely detailed models well beyond my level of workmanship. I read and learn for my next try.
I also closely follow the application of new technology and different ways of doing things, here I have to say Roger's Speedy thread is a mine of golden nuggets. We tend to be traditionalists and keep doing things the same way but we really should keep an open mind and question if there are better ways.
On other engineering topics I keep an eye on these and chip in if I have experience or want to understand more. EVs are interesting but I have a bit of a vested interest as they form 80% of my day job. Most are still a way off from breaking cover and some have fallen along the way (Thunderpower gets an honourable mention)
My input on the jokes thread dried up, partly due to the shifting opinions but mostly because these days most are memes which requires posting images, see above.
I will get back to being workshop active but external circumstances are causing me to be away from home a lot, it's not so diplomatic to come back from a week away and rush into the workshop! Though a happy medium are the hours early in the morning at the weekend when my wife has a long lie in and snuggle time with the cats. The old house had the workshop in the basement so any noise was transmitted upstairs. Now I am in a separate building and can run machines as I please.
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Post by Roger on Jan 26, 2023 7:49:11 GMT
Snip... "I do not get disheartened by looking at finely detailed models well beyond my level of workmanship. I read and learn for my next try." Rightly so, it's not a competition and we all have to figure out how to achieve the best we can from the kit we have. The better the machines (and software these days) the easier it is to push the boundaries and get finer detail. It's nice, but not necessary. As long as it works and it gives you pleasure, that's all that matters. If you want to actually finish a locomotive, forget fine detail because you'll be bogged down for months unless you can buy it off the shelf.
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Post by Boadicea on Jan 26, 2023 9:04:45 GMT
Snip.... My suggestion is that those high posters spend a bit more time reading, encouraging and commenting on the threads of the less active members and spend a bit less time just blowing their own trumpet. Otherwise, those high posters will, indeed, be preaching to an absent congregation. Regards, Steve Amen to that.
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