STRADALE:
It's a ghost town of it's former self. After not posting for a week when I came back from MA I think it took me 20 minutes to read everything that was posted. When dozens of long time, frequent posters said they hated the new format & said they were going to leave I wished we would have listened. Also to the posters that don't post but instead just come here to complain about how bad things are why not contribute something instead? It could be anything in any subject, doesn't have to be off-topic. I mean if you have 70 posts since Feb 2005 or 97 posts since August 2003! (that's what 1post a month?) that has ZERO to do with anything recently on off-topic.
Not a single person whining on this thread replied to Hani. Anyone welcome him to the forum? So if you want a scapegoat look no further than a mirror.
You, me, and Alan kept O/T alive for the most part excluding tours. Now that Alan is busy or lost interest it is down quite a bit. Dreamcar and easy have kept that going and john the grumpy of late jokester supplies his wit.
Ghost town comment above - today I was reading the Aston section at 6speed - a place that was not near as busy as rennteam years ago - 11,000 posts on astons seems most by owners. I think that ties into PinkChampagne below.
PinKchampagnE:
Could be my own perception but RT feels elitist sometimes.
IMO, we all should be under the same banner : passion.
My feeling too. although a better word may be close-minded or something along those lines. I said it before but it is becoming less welcoming to non-european, non-911 subjects. Corvettes, camaros, et al get very little reaction from most non-US members except for some negative comment.
Eunice:
He tried to join our community and suddenly had to defend himself.
Seems I have to defend myself a lot lately. Seems my passion for the 928 really bugs some people while others handle it very well like ISUK who makes jokes about it.
Still others, a very limited group, never fail to jump in with useless venom. Never start a good thread, never share an experience, probably have not had any, never much positive to say. I have made good use of the ignore function with this group.
Turbo Al:
I suggest isolating the "Off Topic" board so that it doesn't routinely come up with the board listings. Keep it to the left of the page, and mandate that those who wish to jump onto it must click on it to the left. Therefore, it doesn't completely disappear from RT, but won't blend in with the other boards when one logs on to RT and/or peruses the boards for the latest or even all posts.
Al, just today I asked you why you don't post more, you are like 2 posts a month now. So why would you want to follow a strategy to kill the place even more.
You also used to post a bit in O/T yourself.
nberry:
Chat sites are becoming passe'. Unless your are a real enthusiast often it is not worth the time and trouble to post
Chat sites will be passe when humans become telepaths. These places are simply new forms of human communication and if anything will get stronger( the good ones). This place has facilitated a lot of new acquaintences/friendships that otherwise would not exist.
I would like to go on some group rides with a lot of the people here, but geography limits this. It's not easy to meet people who share the same interests, especially if you are a private type person.
And if we ever did have a group ride a lot of stuff would be easier also, there would be a lot more 928 fans, and some might adopt better attitudes.
MKW:
There are boards to discuss everything from cars to carpet lint , not to mention social networking sites that have people logged on for hours a day , which didn't exist to this extent even 2-3 yrs ago.
Exactly. So why doesn't everyone loosen up a bit and jump in on threads about TV shows and discuss them or discuss lint. Or why when someone takes a trip and goes to the trouble of sharing photo's and stories why not express a thought.
But less negativity from all. If you don't like a thread or subject matter, keep your mouth shut. If you want to contest a point do so in as civil manner as possible. How many of the most vociferous antagonistic folks here would actually do the same behaviour in person?