Pending Forum Closure

[Diplogeek]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

For what it's worth, I went in a couple of days ago and subscribed. I've been meaning to for a while, but it kept slipping my mind, so this thread was good in that it gave me the kick in the pants that I needed to get it done. I expect others are the same.

All I can say is that this forum was hugely helpful to me before I actually started reenacting in that it allowed me to do a lot of initial research and avoid a lot of mistakes (especially as far as gear purchases) that in turn helped my impression. For that alone, I have no problem shelling out some money to help make rent, as it were. I recommend AC to people all the time as a place to get good information about various reenacting-related stuff, and it's been a great resource for me. I hope very much that it stays open, because I think it does pull people toward campaigning or, at the very least, towards honing their mainstream impressions and doing things because they're authentic, not because it looks cool or has been passed down in reenactor lore or whatever.

So thanks to the site team for the work they do to allow us to have this forum at all, and I hope people are chipping in enough to keep things running.

- Al Jones

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

I am up for a break-down of what more fundage is needed. Just a suggestion. (I don't mean to put anyone in an embarrassing position by that statement either.;))

[Dbackfed]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

One thing that some sites will do, like Wikipedia, is have a donation tracker for an annual period until funds are met. Perhaps a yearly funraiser would be one route to go when funds are too low? Just my two cents.

[paulcalloway]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Not all the expenses are fixed - so can't really give you an exact number. Depends on what we do with licenses, software, hosting etc. We're overdue for a couple software upgrades (vbullletin 5.0). I usually pay myself an hourly rate to fix stuff when we can afford to.

Roughly $1500-2000 per year to run the forum. We get about $1000 of that from vendors and the remainder from subscriptions/donations.

[Jeff Nichols]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Again...it's hard to fix what you don't know is broken. Is there a best "guesstimate" regarding licensing and software upgrades, plus the hourly labor rate for however many individuals are involved? Maybe an average of the last 3-5 years would be a starting point? I realize it involves time and energy, but it would seem that the fate of the site is dependent upon such. Unfortunately, there are but a select few who have access to and can gather the information.

I think it's fair to say that no one wants to see this site go away...myself included. It would be an understatement of epic proportion to acknowledge that I have certainly gleaned more from these pages than I have ever contributed. I chime in with others who have expressed their willingness to contribute, but there has to be some sort of plan. A shotgun approach is no solution to what is destined to be a long term problem. Very difficult to devise a plan of attack without the information at hand.

[Tom Craig]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Hey all,
I have been a long time member/follower of the AC forum...from back when the internet was still a pretty new gadget in our lives. It used to be a place of organizing for events, spreading info, and some very entertaining flame wars and ego trips (despite everyone's teeth gnashing about it, everyone watched THOSE shows).

Unfortunately the digital world has evolved and sites like this have become pase for many for a variety of reasons, from too many rules, to personalities, to as one person pointed out, the WalMart effect of FB.

The AC today is not what it was even three years ago. I used to check it daily, and I'll admit sometimes several times a day depending on what was going on. Now, I check it 2-3 times per week. Not because of personalities or rules, but because all it has become is a big classified ad. Gone are the event organizing posts (gone to FB, in part because of the cumbersome approval process here), and the historical analysis research (I don't know where that went sadly).

Yes there is a lot of intel archived here, but what is it's value when no one remembers the site anymore. Sure some folks will anty up for a subscription, but just the way that print media is dying, sites like this are dying too, for better or worse. It would help to see detailed financials, because a lack of transparency makes people question integrity, and makes them fill in their own version of the story. But more than transparency, the site, if it is going to survive needs to rediscover or invent some new relevancy.

Best of luck,
Tom Craig

[mosbysgirl]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Hear, hear Mr. Craig!

[Michael Comer]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

I think though, that even with FB being at the forefront right now it is temporary. Yes, you can get information out about events etc there, but it takes a lot more steps to do and you do not get it out to every interested party in such a way as a single site such as this can do.

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

The one thing I've noticed about social media such as FB, is how many groups do you have to be a part of? There's probably 5 different Civil War themed Buy/Sell/Trade groups. Then there are the unit webpages. And the mess pages. And the event unit webpages. Like, seriously, I think we're too wired into these groups, that a lot of information is going to be missed.

While it sucks to pay a lot for site hosting, seriously take a look at at any documentation thread based thread on FB and decide if it's opinion or fact based. The nice thing about the AC is if you post it, you need to document it. I'm seeing a lot of old school, "It's this way, and you're wrong- but I'm not going to show any documentation for it." I'm seeing a lot of, "Who makes the best?..." threads, and guys trying to look cool and take self-pics of themselves in gear, and showing off.

[PaulJ]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Still paid up until February but have sent another donation. Very many thanks to Paul and Jim for maintaining this Forum - there's a lot of information on here that it would be tragic to lose.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

The one thing I've noticed about social media such as FB, is how many groups do you have to be a part of? There's probably 5 different Civil War themed Buy/Sell/Trade groups. Then there are the unit webpages. And the mess pages. And the event unit webpages. Like, seriously, I think we're too wired into these groups, that a lot of information is going to be missed.

While it sucks to pay a lot for site hosting, seriously take a look at at any documentation thread based thread on FB and decide if it's opinion or fact based. The nice thing about the AC is if you post it, you need to document it. ...

Therein lies the value of this site. It does something Facebook cannot.

[Pumpkinslinger]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Therein lies the value of this site. It does something Facebook cannot.

How true....

[Tom Craig]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

Yes this site does things that FB cannot, in terms of putting stuff in one easy to use place. But who is going to pay for a good service, when you can have an ok one for free? I prefer having event details here (or in one other central place) and I really enjoy having one central space for all sorts of hobby info and conversation. But the world has moved on, and while for some of us old school type folks this format feels better or is more effective, the rest of the world has voted with their fingers.

And like the free vs pay question, ask yourself if the average person would rather post info in a forum that they control with no rules or restrictions, or post in a forum like this with strict rules, and folks sitting in judgement of your efforts/events? People will always move toward freedom.

Take care,
Tom Craig

[Michael Comer]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

I think you're right Tom about people moving toward freedom but would add that much of that internet freedom comes at a price. I've seen many things on FB that started out looking like they would be good threads quickly disintegrate into a train wreck with people calling each other names, getting off topic, taking a thread completely in another direction etc. The end result is that people bail out of the discussion and it becomes a power struggle between a coupld of people. So, the price is you have a potentially good conversation ruined by some idiots.

You'll notice that a number of hobby related FB pages have the equivalent of moderators and administrators. There's a reason for that.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Pending Forum Closure

So, if the above is the case, then the forum format/software/ease of use on AC is really the underlying issue...?