So who owns this shindig anyway?

[Dizzy]

I don't think one little box is going to be the downfall of a good forum.

The whole dynamic of the place had changed over time. And well before that came along.

Just post.... For the whole 15 seconds extra it takes (if that). I don't post as much as I used to as I'm not young and carefree and as opinionated as I used to be, and mostly can't be arsed. It has nothing to do with the box.

Maybe chaz just isn't what it used to be. Well, it definitely isn't! But that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

 

[AllieMackie]

I don't think one little box is going to be the downfall of a good forum.

The whole dynamic of the place had changed over time. And well before that came along.

Just post.... For the whole 15 seconds extra it takes (if that). I don't post as much as I used to as I'm not young and carefree and as opinionated as I used to be, and mostly can't be arsed. It has nothing to do with the box.

Maybe chaz just isn't what it used to be. Well, it definitely isn't! But that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Pretty much this.

I never used the quick reply even when it was available. The questions don't slow me down - having a stressful and busy life is what's slowed me down.

I do agree that the megathreads need to die off, but at the same time it's so easy to post in them.

 

[Linds]

Just because it doesn't bother you (general) to not have the quick reply or answer the questions doesn't mean it isn't slowing down others. And for newbies who aren't already attached to the forum I could easily see it being super annoying and be something that lessens how often they come.

I think the problem with the clump threads is people go "I feel silly starting a thread when it fits in ok here" even if it's bigger news that should deserve it's own thread. So everyone stop that!

 

[xpaeanx]

I almost exclusively Internet from my phone. I also hate tapatalk, even my phone hates it and tried to autocorrect to tap stalk! LOL.

Anyway, there have def been times where I've been busy so I haven't posted a response because of the annoyance of doing so. Actually, there are quite a few times. And I'm more of a chit chatter these days, I don't feel comfortable sharing too much in open forums, so it certainly slows down my contribution to Chaz.

 

[~Jessie~]

I've been really busy with life, but I will say that the loss of the quick reply has kept me from posting on here more often.

I get on here when I'm nursing Nora and look at the pictures and read the threads, but I don't post because I have to deal with hitting reply, waiting for the next screen to load and then answering the question.

I know the intended purpose of the question is to keep away the spam, but I do believe it's stopping people from posting (and keeping new people from wanting to join in). People seem to be chomping at the bit to be mods, so my vote would go to make new mods and bring back the quick reply.

 

[sassafras]

No snark, I honestly don't understand what the difference is between a lot of posts in one clump thread vs a lot of threads? It's the same amount of activity, isn't it? And there's a button to take you straight to the new posts in the thread.

Not that I love them and would cry if they were gone, but I'm not sure they're really the problem. Honestly most of the stuff I post in clump threads I wouldn't post at all if they weren't there, just not important enough to start a new, narcissistic thread. I agree with Dizzy, I think FB is a big part of it, plus just the familiarity that long time users get with each other and people mellowing out.

 

[RBark]

I would never join a forum, no matter how good, if I had to enter captcha every single time I post unless I knew it would only happen for a limited amount of time.

People mentioned it slowing down since Facebook. I agree, to an limited extent.

Why would you post *anything* here, when you can do it on the FB group without any roadblocks?

There's already plenty of roadblocks on a forum. It takes me 10 seconds to post 20 pictures on my FB or in a FB group. The same effort would take 10 minutes on this forum, not even including the questions.

So there is little to no appeal to posting here unless you have no other alternatives. But there is always alternatives, joining other dog forums are much easier, so there's even less point of posting here.

It does not stop me from posting big news or in major threads. But it definitely stops me from posting in stuff where I just want to say "hey that's cool!" to someone's pictures or quick training responses or the like.

 

[sassafras]

Again, no snark, but I'm actually astonished by how big of a deal the quick reply is.

 

[RBark]

No snark, I honestly don't understand what the difference is between a lot of posts in one clump thread vs a lot of threads? It's the same amount of activity, isn't it? And there's a button to take you straight to the new posts in the thread.

Not that I love them and would cry if they were gone, but I'm not sure they're really the problem. Honestly most of the stuff I post in clump threads I wouldn't post at all if they weren't there, just not important enough to start a new, narcissistic thread. I agree with Dizzy, I think FB is a big part of it, plus just the familiarity that long time users get with each other and people mellowing out.

Not all of us check the forums daily. I check the forum maybe 2 to 3 times a week.

As such, the gigantic threads are impossible to keep track of. It talks about 20 topics at a time and since it had been a few days since I last read it, I can't quickly scan the original topic or just look at the thread title to remember what was being discussed.

 

[RBark]

Again, no snark, but I'm actually astonished by how big of a deal the quick reply is.

It's not a "big" deal. The problem is that it's *a* deal.

Why would you post on Chaz with a captcha when you can post on any other forum without one? There's no reason to. They are both dog forums, and the newbie doesn't know if Chaz is any better than the other forums.

 

[sassafras]

Not all of us check the forums daily. I check the forum maybe 2 to 3 times a week.

As such, the gigantic threads are impossible to keep track of. It talks about 20 topics at a time and since it had been a few days since I last read it, I can't quickly scan the original topic or just look at the thread title to remember what was being discussed.

I'm confused and starting to think what I'm calling clump threads aren't what other people are calling clump threads - are we talking about stuff with thread titles like "the venting thread" ?? Because there really isn't an original topic, is there? I thought those were started as more of a place to post things that didn't warrant their own threads, rather than real discussions of any one particular topic (although mini discussions may swirl up).

And you just have to hit the little arrow to take you to the most recent unread post, you don't have to wade through and or keep track of anything.

 

[Linds]

Sass, with the clump threads (Venting, good news, musing) the original purpose was just little things that didn't merit a thread (I forgot eggs when I went to the store) and instead have been home to some major news (Dog deaths, new puppies, big life changes, debates) that get lost by half the forum because they are buried in those threads.

You can just get the most recent, and that works if you keep up with them. But if you don't check them you have to wade back and then try to follow who is talking to who and what is being argued about.

It's not the little things that would never have had there own thread that slow down the forum, it's the stuff that a couple years ago would have been at least a 5 page thread that get posted there. It just gets lost in the giantness of the thread. Maybe not by everyone, but people who don't post often or don't check those etc.

And as far as the quick reply, honestly it doesn't bother me THAT much but I can see how it does other people. I could see how it would be very easy if you were new to just not deal with it. I can see how it slows down impulsive quick posting. I can see how it's a huge pain on a phone etc. And at this point, it's redundant, so why NOT bring it back.

 

[sassafras]

It's not a "big" deal. The problem is that it's *a* deal.

Why would you post on Chaz with a captcha when you can post on any other forum without one? There's no reason to. They are both dog forums, and the newbie doesn't know if Chaz is any better than the other forums.

Well, lots of things are *a* deal. Spam is a deal. Trolls are a deal. People I don't like are a deal. Crappy moderation is a deal. Stupid rules are a deal. Being blocked at work is a deal. At the end of the day, either I like a forum enough to be active and post or I don't, despite whatever its deals are.

I'm not trying to be dismissive of people, even though it sounds that way. Like Dizzy, I'm just skeptical that one little box is really going to make that much of a difference. Everything matures and changes, even forums.

 

[sassafras]

Okees, I yield.

Bring back quick reply and kill the clump threads.

 

[Dizzy]

Facebook is easier than ANY forum though, it's not chaz exclusive. And honestly, if people are chatting and sharing... Does it really matter where that's happening?

I don't really contribute to Facebook but that's because to me they're two different things, and that is PURELY because when I joined chaz there was no Facebook (omg I'm old). So the forum was super active. There was no alternative. Plus my Facebook is for more 'real life'.

Forums in general are kind of becoming redundant in a lot of ways. I agree about photo posting. Gone are the days I used to actively upload to photo bucket. I don't need to as I post to Facebook... But then I don't bother transferring them here half the time. It's just..... Different. Technology is moving on.

Just POST. That's all it needs. Not new mods, not new this or new that. Just write something!!!

 

[RBark]

Facebook is easier than ANY forum though, it's not chaz exclusive. And honestly, if people are chatting and sharing... Does it really matter where that's happening?

I don't really contribute to Facebook but that's because to me they're two different things, and that is PURELY because when I joined chaz there was no Facebook (omg I'm old). So the forum was super active. There was no alternative. Plus my Facebook is for more 'real life'.

Forums in general are kind of becoming redundant in a lot of ways. I agree about photo posting. Gone are the days I used to actively upload to photo bucket. I don't need to as I post to Facebook... But then I don't bother transferring them here half the time. It's just..... Different. Technology is moving on.

Just POST. That's all it needs. Not new mods, not new this or new that. Just write something!!!

I don't disagree that if older members just posted, there would be more traffic here. But as a general rule, anyone who has been here for several years has tackled most of their dog issues, or at least are on a path where they can rely on themselves. So as people are here longer, they are less and less inclined towards staying on a forum.

So we can tell the existing members to post all we want, and it really wouldn't make a dent. It's new people that keep a forum active and interesting.

There is plenty of reasons to post on here vs FB. To make new friends, to see new people, to be exposed to new ideas. Those are things you don't generally see on FB since everyone knows each other already as a general rule. Otherwise they wouldn't be accepting that friend request.

But the forum has to be inviting of such participation. When it assumes that everyone is a spammer, with thousands of posts... it's not very inviting at all.

 

[Dizzy]

That goes for newbies too... Post, reply to their posts. Just click the button and write. Be the change you want to see

The quick reply may never return... Who knows?! In the meantime work with what you have.

Or find an easier forum, or use Facebook. Not being funny... But those are the honest other options. Chaz is just a forum.. And people make it. Not reply buttons

It's kinda like it or lump it......

If it fizzles out totally maybe it will change. Who knows. But clearly it's not changed it yet, so there's a reason it's stayed.

 

[sassafras]

And yet, when there is something important enough to brave the random question for, look how active everyone gets.


(I still yield. I don't really care either way to be honest, just surprised & confused about it all.)

 

[Dizzy]

And yet, when there is something important enough to brave the random question for, look how active everyone gets.


(I still yield. I don't really care either way to be honest, just surprised & confused about it all.)

When something hots up no amount of clicks and questions stop that baby.

It's all in the mind

 

[Beanie]

And yet, when there is something important enough to brave the random question for, look how active everyone gets.

This makes me giggle. That is all.


I will say that I post less without quick reply but it's mostly stuff that is short and stupid and not really worth posting IMO. Like "so cute!!" on photo threads. Which I don't like because I know people want comments on their photo threads, but it still stops me from doing it. I do think a lot of these measures have become redundant now that new members are being moderated anyway, so I feel like they can go away in favor of the "first 10 posts moderated" decision. Life is always a test... try it, and if spam becomes an issue again, they can always come back?