Has Facebook killed this Forum?

[Bruce Fielding]

Why is the Forum so quiet these days?

It's the Facebook page I suspect.

People are posting to Facebook, but not to the Forum and that's a tragedy.

Because although Social Media might look like the future, I reckon that in a few years, it'll be the past, and where will all the useful content be then?

The forum was historically used to gather and contain a goldmine of information. Facebook is just froth. It'll be of little use to anyone who wants to actually learn anything about the cars and bikes in the future.

I would propose that we make the Facebook page something that admins only can post to as a way of linking through to interesting stuff on the forum.

Having said that, if the forum didn't look like the waiting area at Argos or a Russian social security office, it might encourage people to post here more...

[Hedge]

Personally, I don't think it's FB. Given the relatively low number of posts there, I can't see how it can be.

That said, there has to be some reason - or set of circumstances, if you like - why the Forum is so quiet, as you say. And that may be down to a number of factors...

It could just be that, again as you allude to, people are less & less inclined to type stuff & are thus busier doing stuff. As simple as that.

It is just that, from my sense. Probably.

For what it's worth, I sincerely doubt what the forum looks like dissuades or encourages interaction either way. And is a bit of a slap to its creators.

Cheers,
Hedge

[rowmrob]

Can more owners keep using this forum to post about their cars and bikes.
So lots of interesting information will be stored on here for the future.

[autobackup]

I would suggest that the new forum takes a bit of 'getting one's head around' as it is not quite so intuitive to use as the previous version.

However, after a bit of expeimentation and a short learning curve I find that it is pretty good - however I would agree that it is not so busy as the previous forum version was.

The secret I have discovered is to click 'Quick Links' (immediately above the Board Index/Home icon) at the top left of the webpage which makes navigation MUCH simpler and quicker.

In my opinion it took me 15 to 20 minutes to get to grips with the logic & layout and now i have no problems.

I have no idea what is on FB (or any other social media for that matter) as I won't let any of them anywhere near any of my devices due to the blanket data collection agreement imposed by their Ts & Cs.

- signing up for Facebook (et al) gives the right for them to data-mine/collect EVERY scrap of data, web searches, email contacts, keystrokes and keywords that you have ever typed into your device(s) or looked at on your computer so they can sell your information to whomsoever they wish!

[thomas_fr]

From what i see here and on other communities, people are more and more leaving forums to go to Social networks,
on an FB group, you can get an instant answer but way less detailed, no history, no search engine, ...

IMO, running a phpBB in 2018 with a small active community is not the best solution,
and run an FB group for discussions is not the best solution also

A compromise between those 2 can be a good solution, like those solutions : https://discuss.flarum.org

Secondly, i personally think that the actual forum is too segmented according to the size of it's audience : Ariel produces 3 models (Atom, Nomad, Ace), i'm owner of an Atom, but i like to read about the Nomad, and the Ace,

i think that 5 categories can be enough :

- Welcome to Ariel.club / present us your car/bike
- Atom/Nomad/Ace discussion
- Off topics
- Wanted / forSale
- Clubroom

With modern forum boards, a user creating a topic in Atom/Nomad/Ace discussion can tag it with the "Atom 2" tag and "Technical" tag for example, to allow other users to filter discussions that they want to read.

[Hedge]

Any online forum is only as good as the people that use it, ultimately. Regardless of how it looks like etc, its content is what is key. And if nobody can be ersed to post, then it'll kinda look like it does now...

I must say, as a newbie, I'd be mightily disappointed in its content. There's no real bantz going on nowadays, of any real shape or format. I can't believe it's because there's less "characters" about now vs "the old days" (by that I'm referring to 10+ years ago). I merely think people have better things to do, other than post random shizzle via keyboard. Were it via a phone, however, that might be a different thing.

For what it's worth, I think it's pretty widely accepted - certainly among the younger generation - that Facebook is for losers ( ). All "the kids" are either using Twitter or Instagram. Using FB is very 2013....

Cheers,
Hedge

[GraemeW]

I refer to my comment on Facebook that some people not aware of quick links options.

My experience organising two tours this year, Italy and Border Blast, I had quite a few people, who also happen to be forum users, contact me after posting details on Facebook. Not all had been aware it was on the Fotum. The Facebook link alerted them. I suspect the details weren’t clearly visible on the forum?

Some know about quick links others don’t and perhaps can’t be bothered to learn a new forum? Like how many blokes read instruction manuals ? It must be easy and intuitive and therefore useable for very busy people? I have some experience of the useability of software / applications when I rolled out systems in my last job. Small details made a big difference to its adoption by its intended users

[GraemeW]

It can’t be completely dead given the number of quick responses on this topic. .

[Hedge]

After I've sold - or tried to sell - one of my bikes on FB, I'm coming off it (I was always intending to do this anyway, regardless of its recent issues).

I know many many people who don't use it, basically. That's why, in my opinion, if you're pointing the finger at FB for the "killing" of this Forum, I think you're off the mark.

Cheers,
Hedge

[phil4]

I think I counted 9 facebook posts in a week, including the one that this is about.

While I fully agree that traffic is down on the previous forum, I did think the old forum was starting to dwindle a little anyways. Regarding the look, that's entirely subjective but as an "out of the box" layout at least it's reasonable clean.

Quick links is the quickest way of finding what I've missed, and is a great way to catch up. And for mobile Tapatalk integration exists so you can read on the go.

I suspect that Facebook will be used more for anything where photos are involved, usually because they're already on the phone, so easier to add to facebook. But I don't see more posts there than here as such.

I think there are a couple of reasons which this forum is not flying, but I don't agree that facebook is one of them. 1) The season, winter is always quiet since many drivers this side of the pond will rarely be out. 2) The transfer to the new forum caused problems with people's passwords, which while we can work round require a little too much effort for some. 3) Few new owners. We're seeing cars being sold, but very few new owners of new cars.

I don't know the answers, but equally I don't think Facebook is killing the forum.

[GraemeW]

I agree with you Phil, the Facebook page is also quiet, if not quieter

[Bruce Fielding]

It can’t be completely dead given the number of quick responses on this topic. .

Yes, but are people coming here because of the mention on Facebook?

I suspect that the place is just too vanilla and boring these days. As Hedge says, there's very little banter or fun on here at all. We used to have good debates, you know, like this one, where people could air different views. It's only my own opinion, but opinions I feel are lacking. People who own Atoms (and Nomads and to some extent probably Aces as well) aren't shrinking violets. They're confident people who don't really care what other people think and that's what makes the marque so special.If they were that bland, they'd own Volvos.

It's time for things to get a bit edgier I think. That used to be my job. Who'll start the fights now?

[Bruce Fielding]

And another thing. Someone just posted a query about a brake switch on Facebook. In a week's time (or maybe a month) this will have faded into the netherworld of old Facebook posts that are impossible to find. On here, the information would be a valuable, easily searchable, defined resource.

Please Admins. Have a debate about what Facebook is for...And what this Forum is about... You have your own bit of this forum to do that on, don't you... Go for it.

[smokin]

And another thing. Someone just posted a query about a brake switch on Facebook. In a week's time (or maybe a month) this will have faded into the netherworld of old Facebook posts that are impossible to find. On here, the information would be a valuable, easily searchable, defined resource.

Please Admins. Have a debate about what Facebook is for...And what this Forum is about... You have your own bit of this forum to do that on, don't you... Go for it.

+1

I don't FB or any of those other data grabbers, but I'm always here to offer help on any Atom techi stuff. This board is a great resource for those that want to get their hands dirty (it's helped me loads) and thanks to admin for making sure we kept it all in the move.

Why has it gone quiet? My guess is we've lost a few 'personalities' that were heavy posters, our US chaps are using other channels and, frankly, the Atom is not as rare and mystical as once it was. It's still a great place to search for answers and to ask for new, don't join the ratings battle.

[Bruce Fielding]

For what it's worth, I think it's pretty widely accepted - certainly among the younger generation - that Facebook is for losers ( ). All "the kids" are either using Twitter or Instagram.

According to Alex's poll, we're all old bastards anyway...