Michael Graff Graffen

As stated, which is more likely to generate most interactions from the forum readers?

I've noticed that a new update on my blogs on various foras gives few replies, but a new thread with the same update gives a lot more.

This is especially important when you need input from the community.

I don't like to spam the forum with a lot of threads as they make it more difficult to find later.

What do you think?

 

Michael Graff, cultural heritage advisor for the Church of Sweden.

"Deo adjuvante labor proficit"

Reply 0
Marc

Yes I agree

 

Until you are deeply interested by a thread, where you come back often, the people seems to fly from threads to threads and read the new ones, because they seems to want to read new materials each times they comes and if you publish a lot of threads about the same subject with different title, yes more people are coming.

I have point out this feeling too, but don't have any answer about it.

Of course so many threads about the same object are like spam, don't like them.

On the run whith my Maclau River RR in Nscale

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hobbes1310

I wouldn't read too much into

I wouldn't read too much into it people not responding. Yes, it can be a bit dis-hearting if your trying to gather input. I haven't had a reply on my blog for 8 days. Not everyone is interested in modern railroading etc.I don't take it to heart. It is what it is.

 I have found myself posting more on Facebook railroad groups. Far more responses etc. I get the feeling the forum here isn't what it it use to be anymore. Maybe seasonal thing.

Phil

Reply 0
peter-f

There's more readers than writers...

ask for input, express doubt.  You'll get responses... probably an earful (OK, the internet spares the ears!)

Or, post your blog, and a parallel forum thread... then cross reference them with a link... [see the edit menu above as you write... find the Flag.. look 2 spaces left for the link icon]  as you link... state where you'd prefer responses (I'd go with the forum thread).

Also, note that there are Many 'dead' threads that merit a bump... but we're to busy expanding the new ones to look for fantastic old ones!

My personal peeve is a thread with ambiguous title... like  "Help needed on layout "   -  if possible, specificity helps... gets answers faster and makes searching Much easier.

- regards

Peter

Reply 0
mecovey

I hear you

Graffen,


I had the same situation. I have been a registered user for 9 years and 44 weeks and post very infrequently but come here nearly every day. A couple of days ago I asked for help with panel pro and although over 100 people have read the post no one has replied. Maybe there aren't many people who actually use panel pro or maybe I wasn't clear in how I asked my question. Hopefully I can get some feed back but I'll enjoy the site none the less.

 

Mike

20Avatar.jpg 

Reply 0
YoHo

On MRH, it seems that the

On MRH, it seems that the vast majority of readers browse via the "recent posts" link. And because of that, there is no practical distinction on Blog vs. forum post. The only distinction is how much control you have over the discussion.

 

 

Reply 0
joef

No distinction ... and how to get responses

YoHo nailed it — there is no distinction. Most use recent posts and that makes no distinction. As for getting responses, you need to keep posting to your own thread and ask for responses. I had to keep posting to the DCC wanted thread several times before it finally took off. As for obscure questions on things like PANELPRO, just keep posting to the thread. Use each posting opportunity on your thread to ask the question a bit differently or to comment on why this matters. You’ll eventually get some responses if you keep feeding your own thread — but make the new posts have more than “bump” or “hello?” ... actually say something interesting.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

[siskiyouBtn]

Read my blog

Reply 0
eric_neilson

Why Bother Attitude

While there is some reluctance by some about posting anything publicly it is more common on this site for the OP to get side tracked by irrelevant nonsense. The “Tooic” is public and will remain here, for better or worse, as opposed to a Blog where the owner has control of what is posted and can delete the whole post (heaven forbid) if desired. This has had negative repercussions for the MRH forum as “once bitten, twice shy” certainly is prevalent. 

Some like to read the OP and follow along for their own knowledge and education. Just because there is not a “Follow” or “Kudos” feature here (aka Facebook or others), Joe encourages a post with thoughtful content. Of course there will always be the “troll” who is looking to comment how or why this or that is a bad idea, or worse, why it doesn’t apply to them. 

This forum could benefit from a little more moderation and occasional intervention, imho. 

Reply 0
joef

Not any longer

Quote:

for better or worse, as opposed to a Blog where the owner has control of what is posted and can delete the whole post (heaven forbid) if desired. This has had negative repercussions for the MRH forum as “once bitten, twice shy” certainly is prevalent.

That's no longer true with blogs. The "make this private" check box still exists on blogs, but deleting a blog has been disabled for everyone except admins.

After having the issue with Jim Six getting "buyer's remorse" after deleting his blogs, we rolled that back to allow cooler heads to prevail. So what you describe is no longer true -- we learned our lesson and have improved things!

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

[siskiyouBtn]

Read my blog

Reply 0
YoHo

I don't think another member

I don't think another member who is not the OP would really get a say in whether it's appropriate or not.

The question is the lack of responses to questions posed. I think the "That's a good topic, but I don't have anything valuable to add" is a perfectly good response to this topic at hand.

 

I would tend to have the same response. I respond to topics that are about topics that I have something I think is of value to add, or I'm interested in. If not, I don't reply even if I read.  

Reply 0
Virginian and Lake Erie

Graffen, I tend to read a lot

Graffen, I tend to read a lot of the posts and if I do not know something from experience or from reading something that is applicable I do not post anything. I remember the panel pro topic and I have had no experience with it so I had nothing to add that would have been helpful.

In some cases topics deal with things I have very little interest in so other than to say some models are impressive or look nice there is not much I can add. In many cases I think that might be the case for others as well.

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