Re: TRANSFER Old "Yahoo" Site to "ForeForms"
Reply #9 –
THe issue is not whether the new forum is better or not. It seems that some of the members do not want to move over yet. The fact is that this forum is still being built out but has been moving quickly. I applaud Steve and Michelle for that. I also know that I have received more than a few emails indicating that people want to stay on the old yahoo forum. The issue is not only emails but how the emails come in. I signed up for the yahoo forum a long time ago and it was not very large. It is now much bigger and it took a long time to get people to come on and contribute. THe issue is not the polls but the fact that it will take a bit of time to get everything up and running and quite honestly some of the comments I got at the rally this weekend and via email is that the new forum has only a few people posting and the topics are broad based and not very useful... THe newer members or owners may find it that way as well as a number of complaints on the posts pushing this forum. I look at both and respond to both. I think that the issue of the email and the format is the sticking point and the fact that they want to read every post that way and to start posts that way. THose people post from their PDAs as I can moderate the yahoo forum for most things from my blackberry when I am not traveling.
So, there are no grand plans to shut down the yahoo forum right now. THe poll gave us the information we wanted but it also resulted in numerous emails stating that they did not plan on moving till the information flow was sufficient on this forum.... IT is not going to happen overnight but I think it will happen in the long run. THe other fact is that many people do not search even if it is an option. IT seems that it is easier to just post the information request.
Finally, I have noticed that there are a number of foretravel owners who do nto use their computer very much or only use it for email. THat is not a blanket slight but an observation. It will take a while for the membership to come to grips with the fact that there are two forums for a while and the one that has the most information will be the one that will get the traffic.
Finally, all of the foreforum posts are going to be discouraged on the yahoo forum. I would like Steve or Michelle to post a status or update so that the people there can be notified of the options but some of the other posts have actually had a negative affect if I judge it by the emails I have received. The fact of the matter is that there are a few people who post more than others and have some information or cure that people seek. Those are the people who are needed for this board to survive. SOme are here some are not and that is their decision not mine or John Lang's or Don Hay's. Ourr decision after seeing the poll was not to say ok we are shutting yahoo but to see the mood of the group and to give the Cooks an idea of the number of people who are interested in switching. My personal opinion is that we will all be over here in a while but not all at once or immediately. The reason is that many people just do not care about the features and abilities of a forum and do not use them. They just want to read the posts and then the take the email they like and file it on their computer under different headings for future reference. Thus, for many the email version is all that is needed at this time. They like the ability to start and respond to threads too. I know that Steve is working on that and that he has done a great job so far. The idea that everyone will move over here as the site is being developed is not going to persuade people to move at this time. Later, after they se it work, we may see more people move but right now the number of posts on Yahoo are still going pretty strongly. I can not see shutting it down till the traffic drops off and this forum is fully operable and people can log in. Right now there is a post where someone tried to log in and could not and then posted it on yahoo for help. The think I have seen moderating yahoo is that we have some people who are pretty computer smart and others who are not and it will be a while till they all can figure out what to do and it will take advertising at the Motocade events to get people on as well.
Hope that clears the air.
Topic: TRANSFER Old "Yahoo" Site to "ForeForms"