Overwhelmed

[Coach Morse]

I get the feeling that you guys are trying too hard to recreate all the content from the old SBF.

When I come here and check the new posts, there are so many that I don't know where to begin. I'd like to jump in somewhere, but new threads are being added at a breakneck pace and it feels like information overload.

I suggest letting the starting of threads take it's natural, slower course, which will give members more time to develop the discussion within each thread. In this way I think you'll build a larger, more involved membership.

Just my two cents from the FWIWD.

[KristineS]

I think, as time goes on, we will step back and let threads start as they naturally would. Right now we're working to create some content and that means that the Steves and I start more threads than we probably would otherwise.

I think, eventually, the forum will take on it's own momentum.

[cbscreative]

I've noticed it has actually slowed a little recently, so we're becoming more natural in our pace now. Maybe this will help, George. We do have some threads get a lot more discussion than others, so you might be comfortable in either certain subject areas, or threads that have a pace you can keep up with.

I appreciate your comments. We're trying to accomplish more than just adding content, but open enough discussions that we hit winners that will be helpful to the members.

Another thing that I think we should call attention to is the thread rating system. If our members use the ratings, it could also be helpful to others.

[vangogh]

George I wouldn't say we're trying to recreate the old SBF, but we are creating a lot of new threads and posts and your concerns are valid.

There's a bit of a catch22 in starting a new forum in that people generally won't register for a forum that's not active, but in order for the forum to be active you need people to register and start posting. While we are fortunate in that we're starting with an already active membership, we took it upon ourselves to create a lot of the content in the hopes of having an active forum. Where the balance is in creating new content for guests and not too much for existing members is, I'm not really sure. Maybe we've leaned a little too far in one direction.

I think we are slowing down though. I know all of our average daily posts counts are dropping. Pat of what's happening with me and I suspect it's the same for Steve and Kristine is that because we were involved in so many different threads from the start when we log in now we have long lists in our control panels of all the threads we've subscribed to. I always look at each and respond accordingly. I have been responding less and less to every thread and trying to be more selective in where I post.

I can understand why you might get overwhelmed. We have created a lot of content to date, but I think all of us agree we'll be scaling back. It might take a little time given we're subscribed to so many active conversations, but it is happening.

The solution of course to there being too many posts for you to absorb is simple though. You need to spend all 24 hours of each and every day here on the forum

On a serious note, what I usually do with other forums that have a lot of content is glance through the new posts or today's posts and just open the one's with interesting titles. I have things set to subscribe me to any thread I post to so on login I do check and respond to the threads in my control panel. Sometimes there's enough there that I don't go looking for more and sometimes the old conversations fade and I go back to the new posts looking for more. I know I miss some conversations I may be interested in, but I've learned they all come back again and I'll catch the discussion the next time around.

[Coach Morse]

The solution of course to there being too many posts for you to absorb is simple though. You need to spend all 24 hours of each and every day here on the forum

lol

I know it's not the old SBF you're after, just valuable content. I think what you've done so far has been a good jump start and I appreciate the time you all have put in to this. I visited the old SBF the other day and boy is it crap

Keep up the good work and I'll try to jump in when I can.

[vangogh]

Thanks George. Hopefully when you get back we won't have overwhelmed with more content. I know we're still producing a lot, but I also knew we're slowing down.

[orion_joel]

I know i have slowed up a little, i was replying to most threads to start with. I didnt start to many threads but just started what i thought may have some conversation. I have been on a more limited time frame them i thought i would be initially and as such have not been here as much as i would have liked.

I also have dropped visiting a couple of the forums here, such as the Legal one as being in Australia the cross over of relevance is quite low and my comments really may be pretty off course. While i am trying to take more time in the areas that interest me.

[vangogh]

I think it was natural for most of us to post frequently in the first few weeks. This place is new and there was an excitement to starting over. I figured as the weeks went by we'd all get back to more normal posting habits.

We have been slowing down to more normal levels this week, but it's still amazing how quickly we all filled up the place.