What makes a good forum?

Ok,no discussion threads!If a newbie doesn't start the thread,it is irrelevant

You may be completly correct, I just haven't seen any like that. But it would seem to me that the best thing to do would be supply the answer. Or maybe it went off topic becuase no one has an answer I have no idea.

If it looks like Stan and having direct converations could be because no one else is responding. I don't set up topics for Stan to read I set them up for eveybody. Who respond and who doesn't is not in my control or Stans.

A good example is the Bike Ralley I set it up because I know there are guys on the forun who ride and might enjoy going to the event. Stan and beermonkey were the only ones to respond, so a topic was placed and there wasn't much interest. Maybe they were just being kind to me I don't know. I just feel like we should try to kept the forum active a much a possible.

I started a topic about the orphanage a mod interjected his project into it, did you hear me complain about it. That kind of things a far a I can tell is very normal on any forum.

Beleive me I'm disagreeing with this concept totaly, but if people don't participate there isn't going to be a forum and they may not always do it the way I want to be. I can accept that.

Your right sometimes you read about Florida weather, but sometimes out of no where that little jewel of information pops up. If the thread is restricted to deligently I think there not going to have chance to do that. Which is my point.

Many times something come up in the threads that keys someone to something in thier memory that may have some importance to others and they don't start a new topic, I can live with that. but I would hate to miss that information if it would help my life. Just because it wasn't in the right format.

As a newbie I read it all, I needed to learn so I made the efffort. I still do that today with current subjects I make an effort.

The advantage to a forum like this is it is not just a source of information but aditionally how others understand that information, how it effects them and thier lives and how they deal with it.

Yuo can go to the immigration site and look up the regulation, but yuor not going to get a feel for what it is to sit across the table and deal with them you can in here. And that infomation may very well come up in a questions about visa regulations all though it is not a part of the original topic.

I've learnd a bit about life in the UK on here, never had anything to do with the original topic, just came up in the exchange. I have learned about Brittish slang wasn't part of the topic just came up. Now others may not think there is a value to that, but I do. Restrict the threads to much and it won't come out.

The forums position seems to be that this is going to be enforced I don't envy them. Cause if I don't say something someone else is going to eventually and I try to be nice.

john2005 wrote:Do you not think that most newbies are coming to this web site for information on Udon rather than for entertainment?

Stevo wrote: Spot on. Not just newbies either.. many issues and experiences are kept updated through member input.
IMHO the forum has changed considerably over the past 18 months... but is still a good place to source require info, if you are prepared to cut through the chaff.

john2005 wrote:I still think a forum for the old timers is a good idea.Those who know all the facts already can gibber away to their heart's content.

Absolutely correct.

To confirm grammar and spelling are certainly NOT the issue here. It is keeping to topic, primarily for the purpose of ANY member (not just Newbies) being able to readily and easily find information and answers. This doesn't just mean from the current thread, but being able to locate information from previous threads/topics, which is where and why it becomes important to be able to find what you expect under a clear topic title.

As suggested above if someone wants to jabber away with their neighbour they can use the chat room, or the garden fence!

John2005 wrote:I think the mods are just asking for the information to be relevant.A lot of people must come to this site on the back of a google search and they end up in the middle of a discussion on African politics.

Indeed, they are John.

The Forum needs to be workable and usable by all, and not just a chat room for a limited few, who dictate the direction of topics to suit their own whims and moods!

Well Arjay thats your point of view it is not mine I got say what mine is so I'm happy how about you?

What makes a good forum....in my view this is a good forum if it was,nt, i would'nt spend a few hours a day looking and posting here,one of the most important things it needs to make it good is member participation which it gets , the posters who ask 4 info usually get the info and a few opinions and views thrown in,so it works,its good fun too, some times i am pis*ing my pants this end. I like the off topic stuff,sometimes its better than the original post,but thats just me,i certainly would'nt fret about it, Jai-Yen Jai-Yen....
you have the experianced "oldies" members who I/we learn a bit from,there is a broad make-up of members with their own speciality topic's and views and ideas and opinions on where to get this where to get that,good resturants, shops,Bars,what not to do etc etc . i myself have had the Thai Love affair for 18 years so i will know some stuff and have some experiance,for the stuff i don't know there is Val !! (and a few others of course)even the newbies have something to say(we must of all been a noob once)some say it and dissapear but everyone has a experiance and knowledge to share,Long posts short posts without that you hab no forum.

i think it works rather well,if you want info its here somewhere or i am sure you will get it, if you want jokes/pics they are there,but if they are not you then thats ok its your choice,if you want vids or life experiance's its all here.
i rarely venture in the debate section,it's not my thing really, too heavy, so i don't like to post,unless i see something and feel i want too.
All in All its good in my eye's i have learnt some stuff since i joined and have had plenty of fun along the way,so thats what makes it good for moi !

Ray23 wrote:If it looks like Stan and having direct converations could be because no one else is responding. I don't set up topics for Stan to read I set them up for eveybody. Who respond and who doesn't is not in my control or Stans.

From the perspective of what topics interest members - If you look at the list of postings since your last visit, or under any of the Forum headings, it shows how many times each topic has been viewed and how many posts have been made on that topic.

In my view that gives a good picture of what people are really interested in and what they aren't interested in.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it was about the weather in England

arjay wrote:

Ray23 wrote:If it looks like Stan and having direct converations could be because no one else is responding. I don't set up topics for Stan to read I set them up for eveybody. Who respond and who doesn't is not in my control or Stans.

From the perspective of what topics interest members - If you look at the list of postings since your last visit, or under any of the Forum headings, it shows how many times each topic has been viewed and how many posts have been made on that topic.

In my view that gives a good picture of what people are really interested in and what they aren't interested in.

Ok thats fine I totaly agree with parts of your statement, but I don't write for others interest I write for mine. I don't post subjects for Stan or beermonkey, but I'm sure as heck not going ignore them when they respond either. This is a place of indvidual choice, no one has to read anything I or anyone else posts.

We could have easily made several threads from this subject, people had some things to say, in my mind what's the difference if they say it here or somewhere else.

Arjay you might want to be careful about that old timers section, your number 5 poster, so your an old timer and that would be where you belong to.

To be honest I think this is a great forum, or as BM said I wouldn't spend so much time on it. But I don't think it is broken, so why so much effort in fixing it.

By the way,what do everyone think a newbie is getting out of this thread?

As a newbie soon to be on my way to Udorn, I can answer this question. This thread with all its silly arguments and exaggerations is great entertainment in it self.

If I may say so, I see some bored individuals who rely upon the forum to maintain contact with others in the community. That's great.

In a way this thread is both entertaining and informative.

Please don't change this forum, just leave it as is (or almost) with all the good and bad.

uncle tom

Well thanks for your input uncle tom, truth is sometimes we are a bunch of cranky old farts with to much time on our hands, well some of us anyway

Welcome to Udon.

The other truth is most of these guys are a great bunch people to know, even if we fight in the sand box and don't play well with others at times.

I can see that some like a free flowing forum with no direction.However some do not and when serious threads are taken over by one of the "post for the sake of it" forum junkies its a real pain,akin to wading through treacle.Why should i and others have to sift through all the crap.

You have freedom of choice you don't have to do that.

Indeed,leave the forum for you and Stan to chat away about all and sundry.You act as though you own the place so maybe i should set up my own forum were people actually talk about items relevant to Udon.

Hmm!!!! now there is a qaulity idea.

A good forum can be free flowing but it needs some focus,otherwise why have distinct headings for different subjects.