53 replies to this topic

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Hello friends.

 

I thought this would be a good topic of conversation. I was hanging out with a friend chatting the evening away around the fire pit and we got on to the topic of forums and Facebook and how inactive so many forums are these days and we both agree it's a terrible shame. He is the chairman of the Armstrong Siddeley owners club (yes there is such a thing!) and that has been active since the days of Yahoo message boards. Well for me I loved nothing more than sitting down with a cup of tea on a Friday night and working my way through a long project thread here on TMF. Sadly it seems that so much of the forum is quiet these days. Of course everything moves on. I'm not on Facebook but I used to be, and I remember how active the Mini pages used to be. But it just isn't the same to me having people share a bunch of pictures of their car without that timeline you get in a good project thread. All things must pass but sometimes the evolution of technology isn't such a great thing. I think that getting to know people via a message board like this and not having a face to the name meant you could build a great friendship with them before you even met for the first time, and then you'd meet at a show and as you'd shared so much conversation on the forum it's like you'd known eachother forever. TMF has always meant a lot to me and the majority of my teenage years were spent right here :) 

 

 

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[Merryck]

Yeah, Facebook has really done a number on forums. I moved away from the Mini scene a while ago but have been trying to finally get myself sorting out my Red Hot, which I've been storing for about 15 years.

 

Coming back to the various forums that used to be very vibrant and seeing them now is a bit disheartening. I don't know how many people learned their way around cars through these forums but I certainly did.

 

I've got a Facebook account so I can run a business page through it and there are a few groups on there, but the way it's set up is wrong for the type of information a car forum needs to hold. Like you say, it's really important to have proper build threads so a newcomer can really see and understand what's happening and the decision process behind it. Facebook doesn't have that and never will because it's entire business model is derived from new content and users regularly logging on to get it. This means more page refreshes and more ad revenue.

 

Also let's not forget the absolute mess that was Photobucket. The damage they did to forums was phenomenal. So many great threads with amazing information just wiped out. I've recently picked up a K11 Micra with the intention of putting the engine in the aforementioned Red Hot, and so many threads on the Micra forums with tuning information are all but useless now. Such a shame.

 

On another note, does anyone remember miniresource.com? That's where I started out before the chap who ran it threw in the towel. Can't remember why.

[sonikk4]

Thats the one thing that FB cannot do and that is as already mentioned, THREAD BUILDS.

 

Photobucket kicked us in the teeth on TMF right royally, but Adam aka Deathrow weaved his magic to get a work around to allow all of our hard work to still be shown on here.

 

And the conflict you see on FB with regards to who does what Blah Blah Blah must be off putting to newbies on the scene.

 

And yes TMF is not what it was once but its still here, our membership base is still expanding so must be doing something right. We can never compete with FB post wise but at least we can show our builds in their entirety and not some mish mash on FB.  

[Chris1275gt]

Not on Faceache myself but have access to 2 mini type specific groups through her indoors. I find they are very different to this superb forum which I've been on for 3 years now. I find them very superficial, with a general obsession of how much is my car worth now and very, very little technical info or questions posted plus they don't drive them about very much at all.
I personally think this forum is way above the other forums with the information and help you can get with a problem or anything to do with any mini someone will know and be willing to help and reading about Moke spiders epic trek post earlier this year is priceless. The other forums do have a function for a lot of people and I think at the moment this is still as strong as any but probably not as busy as it was.

[T.Harper]

Agree with all of the above.   I also use facebook, which is better for "look what I am doing now" but not so good for in depth discussion or problem solving.

 

I think it reinforces the approach we all need to have to this forum - keeping it detailed, keeping it open, keeping good records that are easy to find from Google in particular.

[johnv]

It’s still a real pain adding pics on forums .. so easy on FB and WhatsApp, but I agree, they’re useless for reference, and any question is guaranteed to get two completely opposing answers in a matter of minutes :)

[roblightbody]

For me, forums still provide quality over quantity.

And of course forums are googleable.

[sonscar]

Facebook has not killed forums,the need for punters instant gratification has.I have children and grandchildren,they want it now and long term is before bedtime.When people say it is hard to add pictures I find it amusing.Digging holes by hand is hard,pressing a few keys less so.Take time to compose your posts,select relevant pictures,perhaps edit them.Make it an experience?No I want it now,a transitory thing lost at the next burger(or pizza etc).
When did you see anyone watching things?Recently I stopped to watch a busker,lots walked by without a glance,those who did not watched their phones watching him.
Changing times indeed,sorry to go on so,Steve..

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Well this was a bloody good conversion. I rest my case. 

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Facebook has not killed forums,the need for punters instant gratification has.I have children and grandchildren,they want it now and long term is before bedtime.When people say it is hard to add pictures I find it amusing.Digging holes by hand is hard,pressing a few keys less so.Take time to compose your posts,select relevant pictures,perhaps edit them.Make it an experience?No I want it now,a transitory thing lost at the next burger(or pizza etc).
When did you see anyone watching things?Recently I stopped to watch a busker,lots walked by without a glance,those who did not watched their phones watching him.
Changing times indeed,sorry to go on so,Steve..

 

I think we should frame this one 

[johnv]

Well you can't uninvent something, and the technology is there on FB , WhatsApp etc to take a pic and post it without having to upload it to some advert heavy piece of 3rd party software to resize it etc., but it doesn't seem to exist for forums.
Do you still use a chemical film camera? Or do you prefer the 'instant gratification' of digital? There is much to be said about taking pride in things you do but at the same time why use old tech just for the sake of it when there's clearly a better solution.

Edited by johnv, 24 August 2021 - 06:34 AM.

[sonscar]

Better solution?I think in terms of different solution.One size does not fit all and I embrace this.Our ages are probably quite different and our experiences are bound to have moulded our thinking,one of the things that makes life so varied and interesting.
The original premise was "Facebook killed forums" my take was it was not responsible,people were.
I am now going to order an electric SUV so as to blend in.Just having fun,Steve..

[johnv]

I'm 65 Steve 😀

[greenwheels]

Facebook hasn't just damaged forums, it has also damaged websites. Nothing annoys me more than when I Google a subject and follow to a website page and I see 'refer to our Facebook page'. Why cannot people keep up a logical website instead of throwing information into the dustbin of a Facebook page. It's so lazy.

Not only that - I remember watching an interview on TV about the internet. The subject of Facebook came up and the interviewee said 'ah yes, you mean that data collection company'. That sums up Facebook perfectly I thought.

[mab01uk]

There is much to be said about taking pride in things you do but at the same time why use old tech just for the sake of it when there's clearly a better solution.

 

Out of interest if Facebook is "clearly a better solution"  and forums are "old tech".....why are you still posting on TMF?

 

If you use 'Imgur' it is very easy to store and upload photos to forums in an instant.....

https://imgur.com/

Edited by mab01uk, 24 August 2021 - 08:33 AM.