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We need to consider shutting this place down.

Started by Scott, January 08, 2016, 07:37:26 PM

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Scott

Let's face facts - GP is pretty much dead. Discussion boards are migrating to Facebook and are a thing of the past.




"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Roscoe

 As much as I hate it- is there a way to transition it to a free forum or something of that type? Or do they even exist? There's so much here that shouldn't be lost. I often find myself reading old things that not only remind me of my life, but have uplifted and encouraged me. Stuff like Mini's advice thread, joking with folks like Yoop,  and that type of thing.... Hurts me to think about losing it. Is there anything we can do? I've tried telling folks about it and trying to drive traffic here, but it doesn't seem to help. And with some of our old timers pulling away...:sadbounce:
Potstirrer and snoop extraordinaire   "I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world."- Thomas Edison

The Purple Fuzzy


Scott

We can go to a free board, but we will still lose everything.

We need to face facts -  Facebook is killing discussion forums.  We can see pictures of your old jalopies on Facebook without even clicking on a topic.


I can tell cop jokes and hit 4  or 5 of you at once.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

mini

Is there a way to download this forum (posts/profiles/etc) to migrate to another forum?

And besides only a few posters, what is driving the decision to shut it down?  Money?  Time?
DISCLAIMER: All rights reserved. Meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Not necessarily the view of this website. This supersedes all previous notices.

I wonder if we made a wax figure of Mini, and then melted it, if we'd get Roscoe... -MellerYeller

Scott

Quote from: mini on January 09, 2016, 12:51:52 PM
Is there a way to download this forum (posts/profiles/etc) to migrate to another forum?

---> No

And besides only a few posters, what is driving the decision to shut it down?  Money?  Time?

---> It is dead!  Forums like these are dying all over the place.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Scott

I had to close down another forum and move to a different type for the 5 Luddites afraid of Facebook.  There is no security, lots of spam, advertising and no way to keep things private.

We do have a Facebook version of GP that everyone can use.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Roscoe

Just throwing this out- if someone were willing to pay fees and assume moderation, what would it take? Don't know if I can afford it, but Luddite or not, there is a lot to like about facebook- and a lot not to like. And again- some of us don't want to lose the treasure trove of the past.
Potstirrer and snoop extraordinaire   "I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world."- Thomas Edison

MsJennJenn

GP goes away - so do all of you from me. I don't have FB! I would be sad. I like the few that do still randomly post.

I miss the extreme excitement of this place. And the chats from way back then too. So sad. lol
 "When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower."
-Alexander Den Heijer-
"When I wait, you strengthen my heart."
-Psalms 27:14-
:shine:

Heather

I'd still stalk Jenn on IG though so you can't get away from me!! Mwahahaha!

Also I'm a lot more blunt on FB causing a few people from here to unfriend me. But alas I can't help what you don't like.
Keep it simple. Just love Jesus. -Sister Ali

Lynx

I'm not a luddite, nor am I afraid of FB. It just doesn't fit my use-case.

This day has been coming for some time, and frankly I'm surprised someone has been funding this forum for so long with so little activity. I haven't said anything though because I like keeping up with y'all wingnuts. But yes, the current activity level and number of active members would probably be better served by a FB group.

I can still bug Bobby though, as long as he doesn't change phone numbers.  :updown:
"Do you sing at church?"
"Yes I sing at church, I sing at home, at work, in the car, at the supermarket, at Wal-Mart..."
:sing: :sing: :sing: :sing: :sing: :sing:

mini

DISCLAIMER: All rights reserved. Meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Not necessarily the view of this website. This supersedes all previous notices.

I wonder if we made a wax figure of Mini, and then melted it, if we'd get Roscoe... -MellerYeller

Richard

Scott,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for maintaining this place for as long as you have.  I do remember fondly the "golden age" of this discussion board...which (now that I think about it) was over ten years ago.

I think that you are right though... the need for this type of place has been supplanted by Facebook and even certain blogs and whatnot. 

It was nice to have a place to discuss our various views/issues that was reasonably safe... and this was due to your (and the other mods) careful curating of our collective experience.  Your work was a blessing to many people.

Thanks again,
Richard
Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state. -Noam Chomsky

Scott

Quote from: Lynx on January 10, 2016, 11:32:27 PM
I'm not a luddite, nor am I afraid of FB. It just doesn't fit my use-case.


I was not talking about anyone on GP. I was talking about another board I admin.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Scott

Quote from: mini on January 11, 2016, 05:43:29 PM
Do the mods have access to the database?


Only what you see. We don't have a secret Archive if that is what you mean?
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

mini

No.  The forum should be backed up where it's hosted.
DISCLAIMER: All rights reserved. Meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Not necessarily the view of this website. This supersedes all previous notices.

I wonder if we made a wax figure of Mini, and then melted it, if we'd get Roscoe... -MellerYeller

Scott

Quote from: mini on January 12, 2016, 11:40:08 PM
No.  The forum should be backed up where it's hosted.

Jerry has access to the raw data since he hosts it.

Anyways, the mods and Admins are discussing finalizing this transition.  I will keep you posted.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Scott

Quote from: Richard on January 12, 2016, 04:00:26 AM
I do remember fondly the "golden age" of this discussion board...which (now that I think about it) was over ten years ago.


The Golden Age of Discussions Boards as a whole are over with - Facebook has killed the genre'.  It is sad really. Once upon a time this was a hopping joint.

Your sentiments are appreciated.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Lynx

And it seems snapchat is killing part of facebook. There will always be something new.

I'm not a member of snapchat - just never had any reason to use it before - but if anybody else wants to migrate I'll join. Lemme know.
"Do you sing at church?"
"Yes I sing at church, I sing at home, at work, in the car, at the supermarket, at Wal-Mart..."
:sing: :sing: :sing: :sing: :sing: :sing:

Roscoe

Quote from: Scott on January 13, 2016, 03:16:27 PM
Quote from: mini on January 12, 2016, 11:40:08 PM
No.  The forum should be backed up where it's hosted.

Jerry has access to the raw data since he hosts it.

Anyways, the mods and Admins are discussing finalizing this transition.  I will keep you posted.
Scott, putting it plainly- would Jerry consider parting with the board/data. Specifically, could someone else take over and take care of admin/mod/and paying for the site?
Potstirrer and snoop extraordinaire   "I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world."- Thomas Edison

sunlight

Quote from: Roscoe on January 13, 2016, 10:11:57 PM
Quote from: Scott on January 13, 2016, 03:16:27 PM
Quote from: mini on January 12, 2016, 11:40:08 PM
No.  The forum should be backed up where it's hosted.

Jerry has access to the raw data since he hosts it.

Anyways, the mods and Admins are discussing finalizing this transition.  I will keep you posted.
Scott, putting it plainly- would Jerry consider parting with the board/data. Specifically, could someone else take over and take care of admin/mod/and paying for the site?
What he said.
  :attackhug: Be full of hugs!

Scott

I dunno. But you can always start a  board for fee

http://www.boardhost.com

Not like this one, but it is still a board.

Bear in mind, we don't have shut down set in stone.    As I said above, I cannot remember the last time we  had a new member.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." (Vader)

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf (Orwell and Churchhill)


The Never Ending Battle

Soubriquet

Besides a few bucks for the domain name, this doesn't really cost me anything to host.  I think it's more of an issue of why have a big place that only a handful of people use when there are more efficient routes (like a Facebook group).  In the last 30 days, only 13 users have been online.  The chat room died years ago... it's amazing that the forum has held on as long as it has.

I'll change the forum software to the latest and greatest (and still beta) version in a couple days. That has notification features that might bring people back more often, but I doubt it.
the web guy (the one who's usually at fault when it doesn't work)

Roscoe

Quote from: Soubriquet on January 14, 2016, 06:51:24 AM
Besides a few bucks for the domain name, this doesn't really cost me anything to host.  I think it's more of an issue of why have a big place that only a handful of people use when there are more efficient routes (like a Facebook group).  In the last 30 days, only 13 users have been online.  The chat room died years ago... it's amazing that the forum has held on as long as it has.

I'll change the forum software to the latest and greatest (and still beta) version in a couple days. That has notification features that might bring people back more often, but I doubt it.
Thanks for what you are doing. I would be glad to chip in for the domain name or whatever we need to do to keep it. I know it may not make a lot of sense to some people, but this place has connected me with folks that have become family, and I don't want to lose it and all the past conversations. It's kind of my safe place....and I suspect it is for the ones that DO still show up, too.
Quote from: Scott on January 14, 2016, 06:02:42 AM
I dunno. But you can always start a  board for fee

http://www.boardhost.com

Not like this one, but it is still a board.

Bear in mind, we don't have shut down set in stone.    As I said above, I cannot remember the last time we  had a new member.
Having a "board" is not the issue for me. I don't care about that. I just don't want to lose what we have...
Potstirrer and snoop extraordinaire   "I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world."- Thomas Edison

Elfin

#24
Quote from: Richard on January 12, 2016, 04:00:26 AM
Scott,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for maintaining this place for as long as you have.  I do remember fondly the "golden age" of this discussion board...which (now that I think about it) was over ten years ago.

I think that you are right though... the need for this type of place has been supplanted by Facebook and even certain blogs and whatnot. 

It was nice to have a place to discuss our various views/issues that was reasonably safe... and this was due to your (and the other mods) careful curating of our collective experience.  Your work was a blessing to many people.

Thanks again,
Richard

Ditto. This was a great board back in its day - the board and related chats that linked so many of us together, put me in contact with folks I still consider friends to this day. I left this board when the culture of it changed, but I do think fondly back to the great times that we had and the connections that were made.

The nature of online communications has changed, and it's just a reality that has to be accepted. Whether or not one chooses to adapt to it is their choice. But it's hard to justify sustaining a site when half a dozen people post one time a day or less. I'm a part of a number of Facebook groups that are very active, and it's an acceptable alternative for those who choose to participate.

Anyway, I just wanted to chime in my thanks, as well. And to Jerry for managing the technical aspects of hosting it, as long as he did, as well.
~
~~
~~~
Renée