Forum and what it to be.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by raybark

The fact that those "spambot" subscribers exist is simply a fact of life for a forum that allows self-subscriptions. If you were able to see the statistics of other forums, you would likely see the same sort of thing, they just don't display them.

I just created an account for myself on the Orchid Board.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community/
Doing so was an automated process that took only a few moments.
They display their statistics and I see no evidence of "spambots":

Threads: 36,533, Posts: 351,905, Members: 15,895
Welcome to our newest member, DavidCampen

Originally Posted by raybark

The important thing is that those bots do not clutter up the forum with "trash" posts, so why even worry about them? The fact that those spambots do not interfere makes me give kudos to the admins, not knock them.

It gives me cause for concern because I have not seen these ghost subscribers on other Forums (and I am a member of several, and they do provide their statistics). I expect that at some point these ghost subscribers may fill the number of membership entries available or cause some other problem that will require this forum to be reset.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by raybark

... for example, the threads that (primarily) DavidCampen, Kentucky, and I kept going for a while - greenhouse misting, for one - even though they were very informative and mostly based upon fact, the depth of the discussion and fringes of contention we ran along at times (I was halfway expecting a "Jane, you ignorant slut" comment in some of them) may have seemed a bit intimidating to some. I am not, for a moment, suggesting we abandon that sort of thing, as open discussions of thought processes and the facts of the subject-at-hand are the surest way to learn from each other, but we should probably think more about how we come across to others.

Who, me? I was being moderately mild there. I do have to calibrate my tone for each forum; I belong to some where only subject matter experts dare to post and others that are extremely friendly towards anyone.

[raybark]

Hi David. Happy Thanksgiving!

My point on the spambots was that they are not interfering with anything, so why worry about it. I don't think it is indicative of much - if anything - about the forum contents.

I am a member of several forums myself, and just about every one of them has had its share of spam, which ends up creating a lot of work for the admins.

[Andy Ro]

I see one solution to the problem as follows:


1. There is no information who the moderators are their number and their
names.
When you see them on the forum and their topics people will be more
closely refer to their statements and remarks.

2. If there are any, they must in addition to supervisory policies more
actively participate in forum threads. Even when they appear as sympathy,
congratulations or advice, it will make others understand and know that
moderators are always nearby and at the same time there is some control.


3. To my mind there should appear on a few leaders about "hot" topics. For
example, for growing a particular group or tribe of orchids. This will
streamline the priority and not to reduce the discussion into chaos,
otherwise it will be difficult to chose among many opinions the right
solution, it should be so, a well-known expert expresses his opinion and
the rest act as informative - recommendation as advisers. Then the person
who received the answer to the question is to know what the specialist
recommended that underlies the knowledge and experience, and that given by
others in the form of advice, based, as a rule, only on their own,
non-aggregated experience. This, of course, is also very interesting and
useful.


4. These leaders on the topics can be presented by the forum and also they
will appear and in time themselves earn respect.


This is a peace of advice, which might lead to an improvement of forums.

[Andy Ro]

What other thoughts? Or all is good?!

[EdM-in-TN]

Just to add my "two cents".

As Kathy and Ray have mentioned, the AOS forum was extremely active in the past. You see that I have only 84 posts to my credit now, but I have posted here thousands of times over the past twelve years. I know that I, Ray, and Kathy, and many others were all very active on the AOS forum ten to twelve years ago. Ten years is a very long time. It takes a pretty stallwart person to do the same thing actively for ten years and keep going, especially something fairly "thankless" such as answering "newbie" questions. Kudos to all of those who do. Since those days there have been many other orchid forums created that people have migrated to and invested in. They have found new forums that supply what they need. But, it is left to the current members here, now, to make this forum what it is, whatever that may be.

[Andy Ro]

And it can be necessary to communicate, impart experience further simply and thoughts and gradually all will rise on the places!?