FINCHforum

wessel I agree, this forum is awesome. Active or not, the people who are on are always are happy to help. As am I.

I'm still here!!! Just don't have the time to sit and "chat" lately! But today I had a day of vacation and worked on my outdoor aviary!!! I'll post pictures so everyone has something "new" to look at!

Jen
Looking forward to the pictures.

There are some sites that keep track of, and post publicly, statistics such as number of members and visits to the site daily and numbers of posts daily.
I've noticed that on different sites it is always the same: Some people lurk and some people post. That is neither good nor bad, it is simply the kind of person and their comfort level that determines participation.
This is a really good site, I think if you checked out statistics about the number of people visiting, y'all might be pleasantly surprised.

I tend to post rather than lurk. I also believe that if those persons who tend to post do so frequently, it helps pull in the lurkers so that they say more as well. And that is good, their questions are just as important.

Lucille

Hi Lucille.

When I mentioned 'few members' on the Forum, I didn't mean the lurkers, lol. I meant people who had been frequent participants on the Forum, and who quit participating for unknown reasons.

When I first joined the Forum, there were quite a few members who have since disappeared into never-never land.

I always think that it would be nice, if folks would come on and say...."Hey, I'll be away from the Forum because...." or, "I've decided to quit the Forum...." or "I'm getting out of finches, and so..." or simply, "Don't like you guys any more, good bye...."

It would at least let us all know, that someone we've chatted with for a long time , hadn't dropped dead all of a sudden.

I knew what you meant, I was saying something about forums and participation.
I don't know if the board permits emails, a message just might nudge non participants back.

Sally

There is no where else on the planet I could have shared and entire diary of experience with such enthusiastic people.

I think the hard part, is finding members that follow through and keep us posted when they find what they are looking for......

Emotionally, many members are invested in the outcome as well as the experience.

I see many posts with questions answered to new people...and people dont let the forum know what happened next. I was very aware of that from lurking for 2 months before I posted.

I made sure people here KNEW what happened after they gave advice, and I showed the forum that I was not the only one who had a success, but in essence WE all had a success, because without you all.....I probably would have 11 dead babies on my hands.

If people only KNEW how important it is to let the whole group know the outcome of an emergency situation (and that they have realistic expectations)....and that the regulars really CARE about the results of the advice, hard work and love the core team gives to even the newest member.

I just joined about a month ago, and I could not have made it without you guys.

Maybe a "testimonial page"?? where people like me could cheer on new people, and let them know 'TELL US WHAT IS HAPPENING.....just dont pop in and out!!"

delray

You are a bright young man. Very bright (Im impressed by you), however I have noticed a lot of people responding to others and not using the @ U button to give alerts to people they are talking to.

I truly think those people look at their "message board" and dont see a reply alert and think noone has replied to their urgent post.

Anyway to highlight that function that lets new people know, if you dont hit the @ U button, then you will think noone has replied, even if they did. If they learned to use it properly most would see their message post light up with replies, and that gets them engaged. I know thats how I knew people were interested in my dilemma.

You're a brilliant lad, I know you can come up with something awesome!

Make that sucker blink and catch attention, fiddle with the HTML that in some way makes people use it properly with ? Only way I have to check to see if I have a response (if they fail to use that function) is to check the "new posts"......I have a feeling a lot of new members dont use that interface.

Babs wow, thanks for the compliments! I am going to make a thread highlighting the importance of using the u because I agree with you. I will also guide people towards using it when I can. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know if there are any more things that I should address. Thanks!

Babs we need more members like you to speak up when you have a suggestion for how to make our forum better!! Appreciated!!

delray

Honey you have NO idea how much like my own son you are. He was building websites for our school district @ 7 years old.

I suspect you did the same at your age. You are well BEYOND your years and you understand the "lingo", you're programmed that way, and you're emotionally intuitive.

I adore you already, however.........If you are like he is, you may forget your vacation to fix the site.

Enjoyyyyyyyyyy your vacation. We can wait. You will do something spectacular, I know it

Babs well I wasn't programming at that age, but my parents do say I am beyond my age!! I appreciate all these compliments, you are great. I was thinking about making the thread before I go to sleep tonight anyway so it's fine. Il see what I'm doing.

Unfortunately I do not have admin capabilities to edit the site.. But I hope that one day I will be able to help at that degree. Right now, I can educate people on how to use it properly so that should be good for now.

Thanks again

Lucille

I had pm'd some people.
Some pm'd me back, some posted briefly on the Forum again but drifted off again....

What can you do?

delray

Oh lawdy you are JUST like him!! You do your magic! I know you live for it!

Im changing my signature to reflect "if you want me to KNOW you've responded to me hit the @ u button at the lower left of your screen in your message, so I can be sent an alert that you need me"

Oh holy cow, Elana is gonna be a busy bee if she does the same!! Sorry Elana in advance!

delray

Here, I just changed my signature to make your job easier.