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[TheBoy]

Speaking as a long standing member here, rather than a Moderator...

Is it me? Or has the 'fun' element gone from OOF?  I used to come on here every time I had a spare 5 mins, and enjoy every second of it, whether it be interesting reads on the antics around those doing up cars, or just the chat having me rolling around on the floor, much to the amusement of Mrs TB.

Now, I seem to be struugling to find the energy and enthusiasm to even log on. Our stats show I'm not alone, as we have fewer online now.

So, whats gone wrong? And more importantly, what can we do?


Now, here's your chance for your say. As a moderator, I will do what I can to keep all post to this thread visible, unless its legally irresponsible to. Essentially, this thread will be left unmoderated.

So have your say - it may influence the futures of OOF

But please try to keep this one serious and on topic, else its a wasted opportunity. And I don't think we can afford to waste it


Popcorn ready.
TheBoy

[JamesV6CDX]

I still maintain an element of what I said a few months ago - a lot more members are a lot more competent and clued up on the common jobs, so mechanical projects are no longer so much an interesting discussion and have died a death...

[TheBoy]

I still maintain an element of what I said a few months ago - a lot more members are a lot more competent and clued up on the common jobs, so mechanical projects are no longer so much an interesting discussion and have died a death...

I think the low values mean that projects to do up and sell on will always be few and fair between.

If you believe OOF is just about car help, and we've got all that covered, is it time to close registrations, and set it Read Only? 

[Teebee]

I realise i'm hardly what you would call a regular but I stopped visiting so much when I parked the mig for the last time prior to scrapping. I suspect that's the main reason for the drop off, the number of possible members goes down with every car scrapped. And as an aside I will say that for an owners site we seem to have a more than unhealthy interest in reducing the numbers available (although I do realise that it's more profitable to scrap than sell in a lot of cases).

[JamesV6CDX]

I still maintain an element of what I said a few months ago - a lot more members are a lot more competent and clued up on the common jobs, so mechanical projects are no longer so much an interesting discussion and have died a death...

I think the low values mean that projects to do up and sell on will always be few and fair between.

If you believe OOF is just about car help, and we've got all that covered, is it time to close registrations, and set it Read Only? 

No, and no

I don't believe it's just about car help. The social and community aspect of it is brilliant

[TheBoy]

The social and community aspect of it is brilliant

Thats where I think we have derailed...

[b4ndit]

being a newbie i can only speak as i find and i think the forum is brilliant and hope it keeps getting stronger, that can only be achieved by the members.

[OOMV6]

From my perspective of a relative newcomer, I have observed a trend towards moaning, whinging, complaining. Oh aren't we hard done by, poor ol' us.

Whether that be EU, the Euro, the Govt, prices (of anything - everybody always commenting on the cost of this and that bla bla), the crap on TV, the weather, .... and on and on. The price of petrol is high - accept it. Yes, we can all find something to moan about, but it becomes contagious. From my short time here, it's seems like there are hell of a lot of miserable old (maybe young too) gits owning Omegas. 

Equally, positive threads, comments, friendly banter is also contagious. Have a laugh, share a funny experience (even if it's years ago it happened), lighten up. Tell tales of mishaps, god knows what else, but positive. This, in theory will set a trend and make room for the laughs that I assume you used to have.

I'll be back soon to (re)start the trend 

[bob.dent]

TBH Jaime, it's like any forum/club or the like when it gets bigger - the bigger it gets the more impersonal it becomes in my experience. It's a bit like living in a small village where everyone knows everyone and it's fun. Then the village expands and becomes bigger and suddenly you find that you don't know so many people and it becomes more impersonal. In the 80's I used to belong to a water skiing club that only had a handful of members and it was brilliant - lots of weekend parties among great friends and everyone knew everyone. Then it got bigger and bigger and eventually became a very impersonal corporate watersports and entertainment centre.
With OOF, a similar thing is happening. When you think back to when OOF began, there were only a handful of us and we all got to know each other and became good friends. Also, not everyone is going to keep their Omega's indefinitley (like me!) and tend to drift away.
Anyway, the point I'm making is that with OOF membership now in the thousands, the problem doesn't necessarily lie with OOF as a forum, it's just expanded and members come and go as do their cars.
I think one of the best things OOF can do is to keep the meets going, particularly the national one's such as the Lakes and Newent.

Oh, and nearly forgot to mention, OOF is STILL one of the best forums which is why I'm still here!!

[pauls]

Not been a keen or able user of spanners i find the open and williness of people on here to help each other out a great thing in todays society .
for my self keep it up and long may oof carry on.
reading some of the posts over the last few months i have seen more of a tendenacy for people to snap at each other rather than allowing other people to have their say even if it is total wrong... Please excuss spelling and delete if you think iam wrong. or out of place.

[The Red Baron]

Tbh J, i have really tried to interact more recently rather than standing on the wall. i really dont think we are doing that bad......are we?. 

[Terbs]

There may be a bit of moaning about EU, economy etc, etc, etc......but to a lot of us, this is the only place where we can let of steam and vent our frustrations

I also need this forum to keep my car healthy...I also need the members that do the little (or large) jobs for us when we are in trouble

This place is a wealth of knowledge...and better than any other forum I have been on

[JesterRT]

...or perhaps Omega's aren't cheap to be motoring around in these days, so people aren't visiting for the mechanical know-how (the side-show discussions have been brilliant - even as a spectator), but I know I visited a lot more when there was a miggy on the drive (still very, very sad to have seen it go, both times).  The old ones are being scrapped/scavenged/written off and the new ones cost the earth to tax (and run) so people are shifting into small economical crappy FWD euro-boxes.

[JesterRT]

OOF is STILL one of the best forums

All said - I haven't had a miggy for some time, and I still completely agree with the above - I don't visit any other forum anywhere near as regularly, and I often browse through the Car and General discussions because the topics are often interesting/funny/enlightening.

[TheBoy]

Tbh J, i have really tried to interact more recently rather than standing on the wall. i really dont think we are doing that bad......are we?. 

I personally think we are. Maybe I'm just down in the doldrums, and its clouding my take on the forum. Who knows.

*BUT*, I do think/feel there are underlying tensions bubbling under the surface.


This is everyone's chance to have their say on how we can improve things (even if people think we are doing OK, that still leaves a lot of scope for improvement), and unload tensions, and clear the air.