Membership

[JohnMOhio]

I wish I had the answer to the lack of participation on these forums. I see that there are 600 plus people listed as guests. To those people, why not join us. Otherwise, this forum is in hospice. What is your excuse for not joining? On the other hand, if you are members and don't sign in as such, what is your reason for not signing in?

[Phloating Phlasher]

I think you'll find that many of them are "Bots" of various kinds.

[JohnMOhio]

Is it possible that considering the current administration in DC these visitors do not want to be tracked to a internet site discussing firearms? There has been statements made that departments of our government are tracking the internet not only for terrorists but Americans e mails and more, and it all goes to a national central collection computer. I think it is called NSA.

[JB White]

Gentlemen, what I?m about to say is going the sound harsh but it needs to be said.

This forum has become a local diner or neighborhood coffee shop etc.
In the back corner are all us retired guys who like to meet regularly. Discussing most of the same things repeatedly with a half century old perspective. That same perspective is applied to any current happenings as well.
And just like those local diner crowds, it continues to get smaller all the time.
News flash: The NSA isn?t much concerned with that.

Just because the site lists X amounts of members, it doesn?t mean they are lurking without participating. They aren?t even looking this way anymore. There are other more enticing venues out there for their enjoyment.
Bots: every site out there has that same problem. However they aren?t working with patched up antiquated software.
To dodge those bots, this site has not only needed to change addresses, but modified the name too.
Meaning when they tried to look in there occasionally (as numerous people do) it isn?t easily found. Not without a redirect. How many of those folks were lost in the dust?
If they do find this site, what have they missed? Not much. Which takes up back to the coffee shop scenario. The vicious circle of slow death. More old members fading away through attrition without new members to pick up the slack.

Most fraternal organizations strive to meet +1. Gaining enough new members to replace those leaving. And gaining at least one more member above and beyond the year, or quarter, before.
How long has it been since this site was +1??

It isn?t about spies and bots as it is a lack of interest coupled with not being readily accessible.
The proverbial new highway passed it by and no billboards letting anyone know we?re still here.

That?s my take on things and I?m not expecting anyone to agree. But at least I voiced it openly.

PS. I?m not editing the typos. Those are autocorrect errors for no good reason. This I know because I caught it a few times but it insisted it knew what I was thinking.
Had to fix this postscript too!

[PWC]

Well, I've been sitting in the back since 1982. You're right, there are fewer old folks here now. Look at the forums, the Major set this site up to talk about the main subjects in the table of contents. The super highway has bypassed those subjects for newer and now, less expensive Firearms. Most of the old guys have the CSP/JOUSTER/JOUSTER2 subject arms, and yes some of the Matty Mattel many versions and fantastic plastics which have their own, much more active web sites.

For a time, the 2nd A hijacked all the activity. I don't know if it is still so because I chose not to participate there. I know others have had access problems, but honestly, I've had no major problems. I do check in here to look at new posts, but usually there if no substantive changes day to day.

I think Pat, Lyman, Allen and anyone else as moderators have done and continue to do an excellent job.

[Allen]

I think Pat, Lyman, Allen and anyone else as moderators have done and continue to do an excellent job.

Thank you !

The times, they are-a-changing.

[Phloating Phlasher]

^^^ this.

[JohnMOhio]

I agree, JB, Phlasher and Allen have made some good points. How do we change it? Can we? I believe we must fix access to Culvers and we may get some of the posters back. What if we mention Culvers on other sites we may visit, note to use Fox and tell them to take a look at what we have to offer. What we are all about.

[PWC]

I became an octogenarian on Nov 6th and woke up to the greatest birthday present from the 5th! I think getting the old members back would be a chore as they migrated (legally) to other forums, or the Itis boys have gotten to them...you know Buris and Arthur and interests may have changed. It's you mid to older folks that keep the oxygen flowing.

Couple of months ths ago I saw a gun rag with an M1 on the cover. I scanned it and there was nothing new. I think the M1, 1903's, 1911's and all the other vintage arms have been talked to death, in great detail. The days of $19.95 Springfields in the back pages of Outdoor Life, or Field and Stream have passed along with my high school diploma. They are now very xpensive and becoming harder to find.

I know, it's up to the members to talk it up; I tell everyone I find that's interested in guns and shooting about this site, CMP's, and The High Road, but have no way to follow up. Some sites don't like others advertised on their site, because of the same problem we are xperiencing.

I know when I take my wooden warriors to the range I get to hold a mini history class. Mine speak with more authority than most other guns on the line. Many have read or seen pictures of them but never had the opportunity to hold one, or on rare occasions to shoot mine. Heavy, you bet; our antecedents weren't wussez, and recoil, wow, not like a .223 or 9mm.

[lyman]

thanks for the kind words


this forum, like a lot of others, is just old, and in an age where forums are generally not doing well,


some are just petering out, due to lack of loyal members, or lack of funds or whatevre

look at Yesterday's Weapons, kilt dead by the hosting system cause it was gun related,

JB and PWC both make strong points,


and I will admit, I have been a bit slack in finding out what it will take to update the site,
that will be a new years resolution for me (busy time at may shop)


and I will always agree with just about anyone that remembers the daily and hourly battles between some members years back, and how that ran many many members off,

[S.A. Boggs]

Not just here but in gun mags as well. Been there, done that, got the long underwear. B.S.ing here is fun and at times informative.
Sam

[Allen]

I've learned a few things too here. Not only on guns but news I hadn't heard yet.

That's where the 2A/Political forum comes in handy. Seems like EVERYTHING these days relate to politics in some way. Unlike before, if you don't want to read about such you don't.

[Mark in Ottawa]

One of the problems is that a lot of the very interesting and interested members have died and new people are not joining. I do remember that some of them were very interesting in their own right apart from their interest in firearms (For examples, does anybody remember Goo? As I recall, he was the non-pilot in Phantoms and was an ex-marine).

[Allen]

One of the problems is that a lot of the very interesting and interested members have died and new people are not joining. I do remember that some of them were very interesting in their own right apart from their interest in firearms (For examples, does anybody remember Goo? As I recall, he was the non-pilot in Phantoms and was an ex-marine).

Yes. I believe he flew or flew in F-4's and F-14's, died at age 70. My memory may not be 100% though. BTW in a tribute to Goo "obama sucks" !!!!!

[RED]

One of the problems is that a lot of the very interesting and interested members have died and new people are not joining. I do remember that some of them were very interesting in their own right apart from their interest in firearms (For examples, does anybody remember Goo? As I recall, he was the non-pilot in Phantoms and was an ex-marine).

He was a true war hero, shot down twice, lost at least 1 pilot due to combat. Goo had a large "bucket" and was working it down at every opportunity. When the bucket was empty, he was empty too and left this world and forum!

Not my thinking. I came within .005 seconds.of dying in a F4-B. The ejection seat was returned to Martin Baker in GB and after hundreds of tries they could not recreate the mishap. Thank God! Had the seat fired, both me and my pilot would have died.

[Allen]

RED, good to see you getting around enough to read and type again.

[S.A. Boggs]

Red is one of those people who make life interesting.
Sam

[Former Cav]

This "group" is shrinking. It is like all of the "old cars" guys (the cars, not the guys were old) are fading away. Just saw A Buick GS on hemmings for sale for only 22 grand. about 10 years ago, they were 70 grand. I have a 71 Skylark (350-4v, factory air, auto) and I'm selling it as I NEED the space in the garage and I am TOO OLD and tired to get up at 5 AM to do the threes "S's" in the morning to get to the auto show from 8 to 10. (that's all they do here...8 to 10).
anyone interested in the skylark, give me an email at cava3r4 AT gmail.kom (spelled that way for robots and A I bs)

[Phloating Phlasher]

Don't forget the slash & burn mass culling over at GunBoards after Vertical Scope acquired it.

[PWC]

I was just over to milsurps.com; it appears they have the same stagnation problem.

When CSP had a major problem years ago, they helped by letting the Maj., Swede, and Pat "share" into their platform. After CSP was ready to stand alone, there were some problems getting the divorce, but CSP did survive as Jouster 1, now Jouster 2.

If you check, both sites are set up simamarly, with it appears the same "table of contents". Don't know how to attract a younger crowd.

I'm still sitting in a corner booth, drinking coffee and people watching...

[Allen]

Don't know how to attract a younger crowd.

I'm still sitting in a corner booth, drinking coffee and people watching...

Well, that's no way to attrack someone young. Try throwing money around.

[Phloating Phlasher]

Yeah, every time I go to look something up I get the "This is an old thread" warning.

[Allen]

I was just over to milsurps.com; it appears they have the same stagnation problem.

While I'm not happy about their problem it's good to know it's not just us.

[PWC]

I do talk it up among those shooters I know. I'll commit myself here, we've talked all around it, but I think the site needs to be redesigned less about the WWII wooden warriors and stuff, and more about fantastic plastic arms, M16 "type" guns, long range stuff, optics, etc. All stuff I don't care about, but remember, I'm old and sitting in the corner. Allen says to throw money around, but I don't have it.

From watching the responses here on the threads I monitor, there are people here that have mod'd on other forums, and website designers, very computer savvy folks.

There are a lot of new gun owners out there, some bought one because they are afraid, but only know generally how to use one.

We are competing with other more relevant forums for the more popular guns that are actively being bought and shot.

Ok folks, to borrow from Shakespere "Lay on McDuff and damned be he who cries hold, enough.."

[lyman]

welcome new guy TOM1911



re the forums, they are all suffering, even the mighty Gunboards is not as active as it once was , but that was a self inflicted wound, by the Canadian owners,

[Allen]

Allen says to throw money around, but I don't have it.

I was joking about throwing money around to attract young women but I guess you had no way of knowing what was in my mind a the time. It's not a good place to visit either.

As far as gaining young members and getting back old members who are still kicking, I'd say the first issue is the purchase of an upgrade or new host for this site to enable anyone and everyone to be able to log on. That problem is out of our control right now.

New members will still need to be restricted from the 2A/Political forum though because that is where the trolls show up and new members may show up just to troll.

[Phloating Phlasher]

Yeah they bought it to kill it.