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It's time to refresh this site. We need some new ideas, and some new moderators!

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    It's time to refresh this site. We need some new ideas, and some new moderators!

    Traffic on this site has decreased drastically. The core members are still here, and we still have plenty of noobs signing up daily... but we're not as hoppin' as we once were.
    I know much of that is due to the age of these cars, and the fact that they're starting to become less common. Also, newer cars are becoming more accessible to tuners, budget enthusiasts, and kids getting their first cars!

    Regardless, I want to see if we can breathe some new life into this place.
    Our current moderators are very good at what they do, but most of them aren't as active as they once were. The current active moderators are primarily babysitters, aside from a few specific things (Joey doing the AoM stuff, evil_demon compiling all of the stickies into index threads, etc...)

    So, here's my idea.
    I want to come up with some ideas that will encourage activity... both on the forums and in the garage. I want some real leaders, enthusiastic leaders, to help bring this place back to life.

    People to organize local meets. People to encourage contests and competitions. People to better organize the nearly 11 years of information we have here.


    I'm looking for two things:
    - Members that are interested in becoming moderators
    - Ideas that will make this site better (ideally, you'll be suggesting an idea that you yourself would be willing to step up and tackle.)

    Feel free to post your ideas on here, as well as volunteering to be a moderator. I can't choose everyone that volunteers, obviously. I'll choose based mainly on your ideas for improving the site, how often you're here, and how mature you act among your fellow tuners. You don't have to be a technical genius. In fact, you don't even have to own a CB7! If you care enough about this community that you want to improve it, even without owning a CB7... then I'd say you're a valuable member indeed.


    I'm in no rush, as our current staff is doing a hell of a job keeping things going.
    I'm also not at all interested in updating the software. I don't want to add any features to the code. I don't want to run a newer version of vBulletin. The site is familiar as it is, and most importantly, it is stable. Please don't suggest anything along those lines!







    #2
    I'm on board to help in anyway possible. I think we need to start browsing more popular forums and see what they are doing to increase activity. Raffles are something I see a lot on other sites.

    I've always thought we should get rid of the facebook pages. Since those blew up, this site has been a ghost town.

    Comment


      #3
      I would like to be a moderator. Some key aspects I would focus on:

      - Improving DIYs to include pictures. Even having users send me the pictures and uploading them to a reliable account/hosting provider so the pictures stay viewable. Also organizing, validating, assisting with the DIY page so that long term members have a page they can rely on. I think an improvement on this page alone will bring new folks to the site, keep them present, and coach them on the key importance of research, learning, and doing the job correct the first time. Old DIYs without pictures should be modified to include pictures. Also the DIY needs to broken up into subcategories for external, internal, engine, etc.

      - Assisting in searching and spreading the word on how to properly search the vast information available to the site. Even if it requires a PM to each new user (with more than 10 posts ) to help them understand how they can find the information they need. Finding the proper information or DIYs on the site can be difficult, even for myself. Some days I remember a thread I seen years ago on how to do something and it takes 20min+ of searching to find the article. Ex: modifying CD5 side skirts to fit OR best spot for relocating a fuse box. I know the "how to search" thread is out there but it doesn't make it to the newbies who then create threads saying they searched but couldn't find it. Maybe we need to automate this more as well.

      - Expanding Canadian sections for activity, meets, communication and buy/sell. As a local Canadian there are others like myself, serious about their cb7 but lurk in the shadows on the site. For the long term members they're needs to be some support for these neighbors to the north.


      I know I wasn't one of the first users on the site. But I'm responsible, educated, experience with VBull, IT, and own two cb7s to which one is a serious build. I'm always online and love the site.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by 93accordexcoupe View Post
        I'm on board to help in anyway possible. I think we need to start browsing more popular forums and see what they are doing to increase activity. Raffles are something I see a lot on other sites.

        I've always thought we should get rid of the facebook pages. Since those blew up, this site has been a ghost town.
        Raffles can be a hassle. Not to mention the potential legal issues (it's essentially gambling), and the possibility of people getting upset over them being "fixed". Merit-based prizes might be doable, though. I was supposed to set up a DIY competiton to win a custom valve cover paintjob by Keeledesign, but I dropped the ball when things got crazy over the holidays. I need to contact Brandon and see if he's still up for it.
        But yeah, things like that I think could be very good indeed.

        The Facebook pages, especially the "group" that is full of idiots, isn't official. I didn't create it, and aside from contacting Facebook saying that the page is violating copyright by using the CB7tuner name, I can't do anything about it. I don't even know who created it!
        Right now, cb7nub and joey_gtr are attempting to bring it back on track. There has been talk of limiting the members only to people that have an account on this forum, so that would help in some ways. Josh (cb7nub) has even suggested that all the admins on the page be CB7tuner staff members.
        The Facebook pages probably aren't going to go away, so we might as well use them to our advantage! If we can harness the direction of the pages, perhaps we can use them to direct people back to this forum for the answers to their questions.


        Originally posted by Raf99 View Post
        I would like to be a moderator. Some key aspects I would focus on:

        - Improving DIYs to include pictures. Even having users send me the pictures and uploading them to a reliable account/hosting provider so the pictures stay viewable. Also organizing, validating, assisting with the DIY page so that long term members have a page they can rely on. I think an improvement on this page alone will bring new folks to the site, keep them present, and coach them on the key importance of research, learning, and doing the job correct the first time. Old DIYs without pictures should be modified to include pictures. Also the DIY needs to broken up into subcategories for external, internal, engine, etc.

        - Assisting in searching and spreading the word on how to properly search the vast information available to the site. Even if it requires a PM to each new user (with more than 10 posts ) to help them understand how they can find the information they need. Finding the proper information or DIYs on the site can be difficult, even for myself. Some days I remember a thread I seen years ago on how to do something and it takes 20min+ of searching to find the article. Ex: modifying CD5 side skirts to fit OR best spot for relocating a fuse box. I know the "how to search" thread is out there but it doesn't make it to the newbies who then create threads saying they searched but couldn't find it. Maybe we need to automate this more as well.

        - Expanding Canadian sections for activity, meets, communication and buy/sell. As a local Canadian there are others like myself, serious about their cb7 but lurk in the shadows on the site. For the long term members they're needs to be some support for these neighbors to the north.


        I know I wasn't one of the first users on the site. But I'm responsible, educated, experience with VBull, IT, and own two cb7s to which one is a serious build. I'm always online and love the site.

        Improving the DIY section, and encouraging the creation of new DIYs is definitely among my top priorities. Detailed writeups that are easy to follow, clear pictures, even videos... all would make DIYs SO much better. Cleaning up the old ones, and perhaps deleting any that are useless, incomplete, incorrect, or lacking pictures to the point of being useless should probably be a priority as well.

        Searching sucks on here. The Advanced Search feature is useful for some things, but I doubt many people use it (or know how to use it properly.) Teaching people how to do it, and how to use Google to search this site, would definitely be helpful!
        I can probably set things up to PM new members as they sign up. I'll probably seek help from my current (and future) moderators to craft a message that will be helpful... and not too long, so that it'll actually be read! I tend to get wordy...

        Our Canadian population has definitely grown considerably. The CB7tuner Canada Facebook group has 73 members. The group is fairly new, and I believe Josh requires all members to have an account on this site before they can join the group. We should probably expand the Canadian regional section to be a bit more meet-friendly. Right now, it covers a massive amount of territory, and it's not all that useful for planning and discussing local things.






        Comment


          #5
          delete the facebook page. That is all
          1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

          1986 Chevrolet C10|5.3L|SM465|Shortbed|Custom Deluxe

          1983 Malibu Wagon|TPI 305|T5 5 speed|3.73 non-posi


          1992 Accord Wagon (RETIRED)

          Comment


            #6
            What I think would help a lot is orginizing the DIYs. Get rid of or move the redundant DIYs and sort them into things like maintanence, performance, and appearence. Also maybe the MRT, orginize it by color or style.
            Be unique, like every other person.

            CB7 Sold________________________E34 Sold________________________E39 Current

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Accrdwgnguy View Post
              delete the facebook page. That is all
              Can't. Not mine. Someone else started it, and I can't even find out who it was.






              Comment


                #8
                You know I am always down to help in any way I can. I wish I could login to update the cover page myself lol, because editing the html literally takes 6 minutes.

                I think as far as a hosting site for DIY pictures, you should look into making one or two flickr Accounts. They are currently offering one TB, or 1000 GB of storage space for accounts. So if you create two emails on yahoo, then you have two tb of storage space for free for just pictures. This way you own them, they won't be going anywhere, and it's an easy place to pop in and edit/delete/update.

                Id be interested in helping setup meets. I have seen some places where, if everyone behaved themselves, we could hang out. I know we have a pretty nice number of NJ residents. Not sure how many out of state people would show, but could always test the waters.

                Id love to do a meet like the AFM, but here, but I just don't have the time esp with a new baby, but when the weather is nice, id love to just hang out with everyone and grab some food and take pictures.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Ralphie View Post
                  Id be interested in helping setup meets. I have seen some places where, if everyone behaved themselves, we could hang out. I know we have a pretty nice number of NJ residents. Not sure how many out of state people would show, but could always test the waters.

                  Id love to do a meet like the AFM, but here, but I just don't have the time esp with a new baby, but when the weather is nice, id love to just hang out with everyone and grab some food and take pictures.
                  We have a giant presence here in the North East, we can definitely get something going like we used to.

                  Everyone always references the big CT meets for a reason, they were huge!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by XCRN View Post
                    What I think would help a lot is orginizing the DIYs. Get rid of or move the redundant DIYs and sort them into things like maintanence, performance, and appearence. Also maybe the MRT, orginize it by color or style.
                    Organizing the DIYs would be useful. The current EXT, INT, ENG, SUSP designations that ATX put into place originally are useful, but with 10 years' worth of info, it's cumbersome. It would be a major project to sort through it and make it better, but that could be a very good thing to focus on.

                    The MR threads are the same. LOTS to sort through, and we'd need to convert all threads to a new format if we choose to do that. Not a bad idea, but it would take dedication.

                    Originally posted by Ralphie View Post
                    You know I am always down to help in any way I can. I wish I could login to update the cover page myself lol, because editing the html literally takes 6 minutes.

                    I think as far as a hosting site for DIY pictures, you should look into making one or two flickr Accounts. They are currently offering one TB, or 1000 GB of storage space for accounts. So if you create two emails on yahoo, then you have two tb of storage space for free for just pictures. This way you own them, they won't be going anywhere, and it's an easy place to pop in and edit/delete/update.

                    Id be interested in helping setup meets. I have seen some places where, if everyone behaved themselves, we could hang out. I know we have a pretty nice number of NJ residents. Not sure how many out of state people would show, but could always test the waters.

                    Id love to do a meet like the AFM, but here, but I just don't have the time esp with a new baby, but when the weather is nice, id love to just hang out with everyone and grab some food and take pictures.
                    I know. My stupid FTP program is a pain in the ass to use, and sometimes it won't even start. I'll be better at uploading the page if I just get a better FTP program! That's the main reason I don't upload the page right away. If I can't get it started in a few minutes, I move on... and forget to do it later.

                    I like the idea of having accounts for DIY pictures. The only issue with that would be that we would need a moderator (or multiple) with access to those accounts that would be willing to copy all of the uploaded DIY images, upload them to the accounts, and then editing the URLs for each picture individually.
                    It would be a great way to ensure that the continued existence of the pictures remains under our control (at least until the image host shuts down... like Imageshack did ) It would be labor-intensive, though.
                    If the image host were to close down, we'd have to rescue all the images, upload them to a new host, and correct every URL.
                    Still a good idea... we'd just need to figure out how to make it work (and get people willing to keep up with it.)






                    Comment


                      #11
                      Put a prelude on the front page. Automatic activity
                      www.850fab.com
                      IG - @850Fab
                      FB - @850Fabrication

                      Comment


                        #12
                        But then we'll attract Prelude owners... and Prelude owners are stupidheads!






                        Comment


                          #13
                          Ya it would be labor intensive, but the long term benefit would much outweigh the initial workload.

                          That would be something I could help with, I did that for the private p2p site im on. I was responsible for searching the net and finding cover artwork for uploads and then uploading the cover art to their host and fixing the urls. Most of it was porn, and german porn is notoriously hard to find LOL.




                          As far as the meets, I know the NE is a huge group, but I think we should start small first.....like a snowball effect. People will be more inclined to drive 3-4 hours + if we consistently meet and have a good time.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Deev, I would love to help clean and organize things around here. Feel free to asign me something I also volunteer to be a mod. I really think I could do some good in the diy section.
                            visit vgruk

                            Comment


                              #15
                              For the DIY picture/video I would create a backup of the organized folder structure you have hosted on flickr, photobucket,etc to a personal NAS. On the photo host page create a naming scheme and folder organization method. When the web photo hosting page dies, upload all folders to a new one, edit the HTML page, find & replace all, save = fixed. Or if you have access to the primary DNS for cb7 create an alias to point to the new domain.

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