Shall we just start a new forum?

[corrigan42]

I might be talking out of turn here as a new member, but the lack of admin here seems to be killing the forum, loads of new members who want to help and learn but don’t have the access.

Would anyone be up for just starting a new site? I’d be able to sort out the hosting and forum if people were up for moving?

Obviously can’t just copy all the important threads like how-to’s etc, as that would be taking the piss!

So would need a few people to help with re-building the important info that is locked for new members


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SainzFab]

Def not, forums are a resource - the how to sections and build diaries take yeats to accumulate.

Better to get the admin to hand over the reigns to new mods.

[Flog_TSC]

Def not, forums are a resource - the how to sections and build diaries take yeats to accumulate.

Better to get the admin to hand over the reigns to new mods.

Most of us new guys can’t see anything how do we get the admin when no one can speak to this doc person


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kobat79]

The knowledge and technical resources that exist on this forum won't spontaneously reappear on a new forum, and for the most part those are where the value in this place lies. Not to mention the fact that I'd be very surprised if even a tiny fraction of the membership would jump ship to a new (empty) forum. And it seems that any online search for anything related to a Caddy 2K points to this forum.

As mentioned above I think the way forward is to try to secure a transfer of ownership/control/whatever it is, from Doc to someone else, or a group/team/committee, whether that be the current mods or otherwise. There are several problems with that:

• Contacting Doc - unless the mods are under an omerta it would appear that none of them have even been able to get in touch with him. Although I believe STP may have received a message from some people who know Doc in Dub Unit to say that he is OK.

• Doc may have lost interest in the forum, but he may not want to pass it on to anyone and may be content to just watch it die. The evidence for this is strong...!

• There is a monetary value in a popular forum. Not as much as there used to be, but still something. Assuming Doc wanted to pass it on it's possible there would be a cost involved. Who would pay it? And on the subject of costs, there is obvs the cost of running the forum, hosting, etc. which any new custodian would need to take on.

• Doc was the beating heart of this forum. Him not being active any longer is a massive loss for the forum. A huge amount of the technical knowledge came from him. He answered dozens of complicated technical queries every week. I'm not surprised he got burned out. But the tech sub forums are ghost towns since he left. Honestly, to those still waiting on account validation, don't be thinking there is a buzzing hive of active technical back and forth in the sub forums. They're as dead as everywhere else.

[STP]

To be honest, I've been a main admin on a successful forum for over 10 years and I learned a few things which I'd like to share.

Monetary value - comes from advertising revenue which this forum seems not to have, or membership subs. Without either it's a financial drain. Again we seem not to have either here, which is actually odd.

Next, people blow with the wind. They buy a car or van, join the forum for it, ask loads of questions or read all they can, then a year or two later most have bought a different brand and have gone, to be replaced by others. Some die hards stick around, but most don't. Probably 10-15% stay on while the rest of the members are in a constant churn of new folk.

Scammers - there is a tidal wave of scam, criminal activity and spam which NEVER stops, at a level which would make your hair curl. That part takes a lot of resources (time) to stay on top of and it's a thankless task. Doc seems to have combatted this by restriction of access, but should have charged a membership fee so it works as a business. Otherwise it's just a money pit.

A forum needs to pay for itself and show a profit too. One which pulls advertising revenue, commercial membership and private membership fees can be a goldmine. I don't see how this one makes anything at all.

There is always room for more forums, but money and resources are needed, also the right structure to make it viable and have content which people will want to join for and stay joined. All of that is doable but not a 5 minute job unfortunately.

[PJD]

Is there any way we could repopulate the open sections with the most valuable technical details. Possibly links that will take a new member into those sections as seems to be the case if you do a Google search that makes reference to this site.

[STP]

That's a great idea, even the how-tos would be excellent but I found as soon as I follow a Google link to a closed section, I can't get any further. Mind you, if Google can index the site, then the wayback machine must do so as well.

Going to try an experiment since I'm restricted too. Back in a minute...

Nah the wayback machine has crawled the site, but I tried the how-to section which looks full of great stuff and they haven't got the individual threads, only a tantalising index of the goodies contained there. Ah well.

[Flog_TSC]

That's a great idea, even the how-tos would be excellent but I found as soon as I follow a Google link to a closed section, I can't get any further. Mind you, if Google can index the site, then the wayback machine must do so as well.

Going to try an experiment since I'm restricted too. Back in a minute...

Bit early for experiments


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[STP]

Lol maybe....

See my edit above!

[Flog_TSC]

Ahh that sucks
So does not 1 person actually know the owner of the forum ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SainzFab]

Having owned and run a phpbb forum in the past i know full well the expense that's being put in and credit to Doc for carrying it on.

The ideal solution would be to allocate some more moderators with the ability to upgrade peoples memberships as per the current rules, or assign another 1-2 administrators that can deep dive into the backend and re-address the permissions settings to either automate the changes or change the criteria... but none of this can be done without Docs permission as he's the only one with the power to do any of it.

Happy to throw my expertise into the hat, even if it's temporary to help the new mods get set up and the permissions sorted out.

[kobat79]

Lots of good suggestions and there are plenty of possible ways forward. But without Doc's engagement nothing can be done and no operational and organisational changes can be implemented. It's a white elephant.

I assume the current mods are still modding away in the background as I've seen the occasional edit here and there. But if I was one of them I'd be wondering what the point is in giving up my spare time to mod this place when it appears that the owner has turned his back on it. UNLESS, they know more than they're letting on...