forced to go the fb route?

[mr horsepower]

As i have no fb acount and no feel to do so i am worried about the vw forum
Like cal look
I see that there is less movement on the forums and its  bleeding to dead
In my opinion .
I asked a few times to reactivate my topic and as had no reaction on this
Other then there was no time for it .
In other words i can question myself if this forum is wanted to be alive or let it bleed to dead
I go here every day after work and must say i had a great time
But a fact is there is not much race  tracks and the cost are large to go racing
Lots of raindowns and the organisations are loosing money to
We are stepping in a new era i think
I wil go on do my own thing and wil see where this wil end
Just some thoughts .

Gr henri

[Trond Dahl]

As i have no fb acount and no feel to do so i am worried about the vw forum
Like cal look
I see that there is less movement on the forums and its  bleeding to dead
In my opinion .
I asked a few times to reactivate my topic and as had no reaction on this
Other then there was no time for it .
In other words i can question myself if this forum is wanted to be alive or let it bleed to dead
I go here every day after work and must say i had a great time
But a fact is there is not much race  tracks and the cost are large to go racing
Lots of raindowns and the organisations are loosing money to
We are stepping in a new era i think
I wil go on do my own thing and wil see where this wil end
Just some thoughts .

Gr henri

Henri, if it was as easy as "reactivating" your topic it would have been done a long time ago. I have not been able to find out the bug behind your topic. It might be quicker to start a new one I am afraid :-( I wish I had other news.
On the other topic, I think you are right about facebook stealing a lot of peoples time, including myself. All forums are used less, but even though they are not peaking anymore they are still used. It is up to all of us to continue to do so to keep them alive. I see the exact same on other forums.

[BeetleBug]

This has been discussed before: http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,23787.0.html

The Lounge stats:

May 2016; 101 new topics and 892 new posts.
May 2015; 106 new topics and 906 new posts.
May 2014; 133 new topics and 1021 new posts.
May 2013; 200 new topics and 1762 new posts.
May 2012; 411 new topics and 2654 new posts.

-BB-

[Nico86]

As i have no fb acount and no feel to do so i am worried about the vw forum

Don't think things are better on fb. That's true there is more activity there, but the content is far less interesting (or totally useless the rest of the time). If you are looking for technical infos or mechanical help on fb, you will most likely get nothing or have scarce informations spread over lots of groups and pages... ...that you will never find again anyway because of the timeline layout that makes it impossible to have archives.

If you are looking for a dose of daily pictures and news then fb might be what you are looking for. But if you need to dig more into a topic or to have solid infos you will be deceived by it.

[Trond Dahl]

Totally agree!

[BeetleBug]

People are not on FB to find tech info or get mechanical help! People are there to brag and to get updates. If you think The Lounge can survive on tech info and info from mechanical nut heads then think again. The Lounge is NOTHING without the stories, the cruise pictures, the event pictures, the race reports, the DKP guys, the old heroes and the new heroes.

I was forced to enter the FB world since my work was the first company to start using FB@work in Norway. I hate it but the truth is that there is not any option. If the rest of the world, all your friends, all your colleagues, all your kids, all your relatives - EVERYONE is there you do not have a choice. As simple as that. The Lounge is dying, our Norwegian forum is dead and other forums is suffering. It is all because our ways of communicating is changing, like it or not!

#BeetleBug#

[Trond Dahl]

Dead to you perhaps but not the other 200-300 users pr day that posts new posts and threads.
Reduced, yes. Communication is changing, yes. Dead, no.

[nicolas]

as much as i have to agree with the way we communicate is indeed changing, i do have a practical inability of FB. it is not a book… it goes to quick, too much is said unchecked, unread, just posted to have it said out loud.
a forum is more like a book as a topic is started and much more condensed and less cluttered with all the other info woven in between posts. so that means to me that a more technical question or a more specific topic has a chance to be noticed, read and answered, not just liked.
also you can go back and do a decent search. prime examples are found right here, topics that have been 'dead' for years are revived, reviewed, rewritten.
as much as i am missing out on what is hot right now, as much as i am missing inspiration from random pictures and 'sightings' for not being on FB, i do get my kicks just browsing through older posts.
how many miss the old callook forum (american one or the lounge) just to re-read the stories of what happened at Carlsbad raceway or what brew in OC? or here, take a look at the heydays of this forum some 5 years ago. info, stories, news, never been seen pictures, enthusiasm was buzzing and cars popped out of garages like popcorn in a cinema.

the reality is probaly not as black and white as i post it here, but think about it and it really makes sense.

[Nico86]

People are not on FB to find tech info or get mechanical help! People are there to brag and to get updates. If you think The Lounge can survive on tech info and info from mechanical nut heads then think again. The Lounge is NOTHING without the stories, the cruise pictures, the event pictures, the race reports, the DKP guys, the old heroes and the new heroes.

I was forced to enter the FB world since my work was the first company to start using FB@work in Norway. I hate it but the truth is that there is not any option. If the rest of the world, all your friends, all your colleagues, all your kids, all your relatives - EVERYONE is there you do not have a choice. As simple as that. The Lounge is dying, our Norwegian forum is dead and other forums is suffering. It is all because our ways of communicating is changing, like it or not!

#BeetleBug#

And that's why places like The Lounge to get tech and mechanical infos and help still have a place. That's basically all the content that's left here since the last couple of years, and so far, so good. Fb is something totally different that for some might replace forums, but for hundreds of users who still come here everyday brings something different. Again try to find something on fb and good luck with that, you are flooded with uninteresting facts about people's personal lives, what's trendy what's hype, what's whatever, too much stuff no one really cares about...

Ask for some help on The Lounge and you can be sure you'll get replies and infos within the day. Ask on fb you will have replies only if someone sees it on the moment you post it, since within a few mintutes it will be burried under tons of random other uninteresting posts... unless everyone would be 24/7 online (well that's what people at fb are probably dreaming of  but as far as I'm concerned I have better things to do than staying online all day long).

And no one is pointing a gun at people and telling them to be on fb, if one doesn't want it then they just choose not to use it. If someone uses fb it's only because they have chosen to use it. It's as simple as that too. The Lounge is dead only for those who decide it is.

[richie]

This has been discussed before: http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,23787.0.html

The Lounge stats:

May 2016; 101 new topics and 892 new posts.
May 2015; 106 new topics and 906 new posts.
May 2014; 133 new topics and 1021 new posts.
May 2013; 200 new topics and 1762 new posts.
May 2012; 411 new topics and 2654 new posts.

-BB-

Maybe stats without For sale adds would show truer reflection of what is happening? or not happening    

Also looking at the majority of posts recently I think a technical section on here could really help, most of subjects don't fit section they are posted in    But some of them don't fit any section really and technical section would fill this gap and also allow for them topics to stay easily searchable

cheers Richie

[Trond Dahl]

Thats about a twenty second job so that can easily be done

[richie]

Thats about a twenty second job so that can easily be done

Ok cool, going to make tea, and it will be done by time I am back? 

[Trond Dahl]

It could be, but we are at the dyno today so I will prioritize that :-)
But come with a suggestion to what/where :-)

[nicolas]

allright! i have a tea ready and an ice cream. so that way we have a technical section AND an update on your dyno day! hope all goes well with the testing.

[Trond Dahl]

So do I :-)
This is the DKL car in question, with a new built engine. Aiming for 400+ whp
Owner is Svein Ove (SOA)

[richie]

Cool hope its going well on dyno, interesting set up

I think a complete new section between cal look and pure racing

Technical section:

[ For any questions or How to info of a technical nature about aircooled style VWs ]   or something like that

[spoolin70]

Would a technical section split into sub sections make it easier or too complicated ?

I was thinking of sections such as :

Engine & gearbox
Brakes, wheels & suspension
Electrical
Body & interior

Trond - is that a twin chargecooler setup ?

Thanks
Darren

ps. I'm on another forum too for my 'other' car. I don't know the member numbers but there can be up to 200 posts a day sometimes. That includes pictures, build threads, for sales etc but also car insurance, traders index, general chatter (EU, science etc). It certainly hasn't slowed down in the couple of years I've been on there.

[spoolin70]

Just had a look at the other forum stats -

Threads: 202,411, Posts: 2,129,391, Members: 62,852, Active Members: 2,955
Currently active users: 245

They are a bit stricter than here - 50 posts before you can sell anything. 10 posts before you can PM.
I guess this encourages people to write but there is also a section called 'spamming for 50' where people are named and shamed.

Thanks
Darren

[richie]

Just had a look at the other forum stats -



They are a bit stricter than here - 50 posts before you can sell anything.

10 posts before you can PM.
I guess this encourages people to write but there is also a section called 'spamming for 50' where people are named and shamed.

Thanks
Darren

That's really good idea, amount of people that just use site to try sell parts etc is disappointing to say the least

[Trond Dahl]

Trond - is that a twin chargecooler setup ?

Yes it is :-)
We didn't end up no the dyno yesterday as we were struggling with the hydraulic clutch system and some other things. We will try again on the weekend two weeks from now.

I think I want to keep the setup for a technical section rather simple. I don't think we need to get to specifics and split between brakes, wheels and engine parts. Thoughts anyone?

[alex d]

keep it simple, too many sections means too much back and forth clicking for a relatively small number of topics

[Erlend / bug66]

Trond - is that a twin chargecooler setup ?

Yes it is :-)
We didn't end up no the dyno yesterday as we were struggling with the hydraulic clutch system and some other things. We will try again on the weekend two weeks from now.

I think I want to keep the setup for a technical section rather simple. I don't think we need to get to specifics and split between brakes, wheels and engine parts. Thoughts anyone?

I would do:

Cal-look
Pure racing
Technical stuff
Top Racers list (or move it under Pure racing(?))
In Da Werks

[richie]

I would do:

Cal-look
Pure racing
Technical stuff
Top Racers list (or move it under Pure racing(?))
In Da Werks

Yep I agree, for me nothing else needs to change, just ad a technical section after Pure racing, I see a new question on Cal look about flywheel depth, this sort of thing is exactly what I am talking about, it has no place it fits at moment and maybe useful info for others in future, in tech section should be easier to find

cheers Richie

[Rick Meredith]

Facebook is a time suck. I'm on FB Hiatus since December. When my birthday came around, my wife asked me to go on to reply to my birthday wishes which I did. I really don't miss it.


On another note. I usually use Show all topics since last visit or show all unread topics when I browse The Lounge. Keeps down on topic jumping.

[Trond Dahl]

A technical section is now added. Thanks for pointing it out, it has really been missing.

[richie]

Thanks Trond   just have to encourage people to use it now

[spoolin70]

Thanks for the new addition Trond. I had to look twice at the main page as it looked different

What are peoples thoughts on a minimum post count before they can sell ?

I have mixed feelings about it as I've seen it in action on another site. It would obviously stop people just joining, selling one item then never using the forum again. Thankfully these one time sellers seem reputable as rarely do I read about a bad transaction. It happens a few times on the other site which is why the minimum 50 post rule was introduced.

It would encourage more participation if someone's only goal was to sell but the post count can be increased by reply's such as excellent/cool/I like this etc which to me, bring nothing to topic/discussion. Show a build, ask a question, bring something to the table, not just a throw away comment.

Most sellers here are repeat sellers that have a reputation or are known by others, would you buy something expensive from someone's first post ?

How about a 10 post minimum ?
Can the site software even handle stopping someone posting in a section until they are activated ?

Must have been the strong coffee I had earlier, I'm feeling all draconian 

Darren

[richie]

Thanks for the new addition Trond. I had to look twice at the main page as it looked different

What are peoples thoughts on a minimum post count before they can sell ?

I have mixed feelings about it as I've seen it in action on another site. It would obviously stop people just joining, selling one item then never using the forum again. Thankfully these one time sellers seem reputable as rarely do I read about a bad transaction. It happens a few times on the other site which is why the minimum 50 post rule was introduced.

It would encourage more participation if someone's only goal was to sell but the post count can be increased by reply's such as excellent/cool/I like this etc which to me, bring nothing to topic/discussion. Show a build, ask a question, bring something to the table, not just a throw away comment.

Most sellers here are repeat sellers that have a reputation or are known by others, would you buy something expensive from someone's first post ?

How about a 10 post minimum ?
Can the site software even handle stopping someone posting in a section until they are activated ?

Must have been the strong coffee I had earlier, I'm feeling all draconian 

Darren

If it was needed I think a time limit would work better than post count, can't sell until been a member for 6 months say, then the 1 post to sell members wouldn't bother as they wont wait  6 months to sell something

cheers Richie

[Rocket Ron]

Limiting the number of sale threads to 10 a month per user name would stop some users pushing others threads down the For sale page like they do currently.

[Neil Davies]

With the sales adverts, wouldn't it be better to have each user's items merged into one thread? Richie does tend to do this, as do quite a few others. That would give 25 or so user's the chance to get their lists on the first page of the  for sale area. I wouldn't do it for the wanted ads though.