Brave! A (not so) new woodworking forum
#11
My inbox had a spam mail (so I thought), but it turned out to be a new forum launched by a woodworking magazine. The magazine ran such a forum long before any others did, but it ended or should I say, died?

Many woodworking forums are dying if we measure them by the number of views and actual contributions. A few years ago, each thread in this Forum easily recorded over 1,000 or 2,000 views, but now it is no longer the norm. And then when it happens, out of nowhere some members would suggest killing it!
Crazy 

I have been a member of a power tool forum (green color!) almost since day 1, and it, too, has gone downhill in recent years. Another one which I no longer visit is more like a private club, dominated by a handful oldies who gang up and discourage divergent views or comments. Most past participants either left or just read. Sometimes, you don't see any exchanges for days. I hope this forum is not moving into that direction.

As for the new magazine forum, I will give it a try.

Simon
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#12
I was on the Wood magazine forum since the late 90's...Wood pulled the plug on it some years ago. (It's fair to say IMHO, that Wood terribly mismanaged the whole thing.) In some ways these forums are becoming a lot like the magazines that are failing. You go over the same topic so many times it gets old for those of us who have been around a while. I still enjoy the forums (until they lose their civility) and the various opinions so I frequent about 5 different ones.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#13
(05-02-2019, 12:38 PM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: My inbox had a spam mail (so I thought), but it turned out to be a new forum launched by a woodworking magazine. The magazine ran such a forum long before any others did, but it ended or should I say, died?

Many woodworking forums are dying if we measure them by the number of views and actual contributions. A few years ago, each thread in this Forum easily recorded over 1,000 or 2,000 views, but now it is no longer the norm. And then when it happens, out of nowhere some members would suggest killing it!
Crazy 

I have been a member of a power tool forum (green color!) almost since day 1, and it, too, has gone downhill in recent years. Another one which I no longer visit is more like a private club, dominated by a handful oldies who gang up and discourage divergent views or comments. Most past participants either left or just read. Sometimes, you don't see any exchanges for days. I hope this forum is not moving into that direction.

As for the new magazine forum, I will give it a try.

Simon

Sadly, it seems like it is.  There hasn't been many new posts/day/week/whatever your yardstick for months.  Build-a-longs are even more scarce.  I wish I had a remedy.  

As for the other forum dominated by a few highly opinionated members, you must mean WoodWeb, at least in the Architectural Forum.  Nothing for days and if you are new the first response you will get starts with an attack on your craftsmanship, whether you have the right machines (ie - big, expensive ones), if you have paid your dues and, if you have, why would you need to ask.  It's no wonder there are so few new postings.  

John  

John
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#14
When I started as a neophyte as a woodworker and a home remodeler forums like this were invaluable.

When my son purchased a home I suggested he frequent these forums for advice.
His response was, "There are so many youtube videos out there I really don't need to ask forum members."

And... he is right.  Millions of videos by both professionals and hacks.   We can talk/explain our experiences, but with youtube he can view a plethora of videos on the subject, choose the ones that seem most practical and follow along step by step.  

Not to say that forums like these are of no value, but the same information can be had via video and you can see the actual results to help evaluate.
Just as 25 years ago the technology of bulletin boards, listservs, then forums  was cutting edge, video is more current technology.
I find myself  going to video more often, also.

Originally I felt an intrinsic  obligation to continue to frequent the forums as a way to give back for all the advice I got so long ago, but not so much now.   These forums are becoming more of a social thing than a group help thing.
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#15
I tried to save Knots several years ago by setting up a new forum on the software company's website they used and called it The Burl. The looks of the forum mirrored Knots. It last for awhile, but eventually died off. I wish it would have lasted. It was fun was while it did.
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#16
I remember when I was considered young on this forum, nearly half my life ago!

All things change. All things die.
Semper fi,
Brad

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#17
(05-02-2019, 07:54 PM)srv52761 Wrote: When I started as a neophyte as a woodworker and a home remodeler forums like this were invaluable.

When my son purchased a home I suggested he frequent these forums for advice.
His response was, "There are so many youtube videos out there I really don't need to ask forum members."

And... he is right.  Millions of videos by both professionals and hacks.   We can talk/explain our experiences, but with youtube he can view a plethora of videos on the subject, choose the ones that seem most practical and follow along step by step.  

Not to say that forums like these are of no value, but the same information can be had via video and you can see the actual results to help evaluate.
Just as 25 years ago the technology of bulletin boards, listservs, then forums  was cutting edge, video is more current technology.
I find myself  going to video more often, also.

Originally I felt an intrinsic  obligation to continue to frequent the forums as a way to give back for all the advice I got so long ago, but not so much now.   These forums are becoming more of a social thing than a group help thing.

One of these days (it may be years) Google is going to to monetize YouTube with a paid subscription, ie, Photobucket. When that happens, the game will be open again to forums.
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#18
Everything has to be so precise anymore and we should have many thousands invested in tools, both big and small- right down to the finest cherry handled screwdriver. We seem to have forgotten the simplistically designed pieces with small imperfections created by hands and old tools, well adorned today as antiques. The Shakers had it going for them, but now even the Amish use power tools and build factory made furniture.
And maybe it's just me, but there seems little room for humor anymore (OK- maybe some of my puns are not very funny). If it ain't fun, if you can't make mistakes, if you can't veer of the normal course and do it your own way, it ain't worth doing.
 I've seen too many separations forming on forums. Groups if you will. If your not doing it their way or do as they say, they have little to do with you- you don't belong- perhaps your not politicized enough.
 This is the last wood forum I go to now- I choose more to observe than respond as in the past.

 It is refreshing to see a young person post questions. Reminds me of the excitement woodworking still has for a few newcomers. Reminds me of the fun helping a new interested person make a simple step stool and the proud look on their face. They don't care it's not perfectly square or sanded or finished- they stuck with it and did it! That's the fun beginning!  And here on this forum there are still more folks willing to lend a hand without judgement or a bossy attitude- that's why I stay.
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#19
Not just here, but many others.  I was a long time participant on the Bill Dance forum.  More than YouTube, I think it was the explosion of Facebook that sucked so many of the forum participants away.  Because that's about the time that so many forums started going down hill, all at the same time.

Also there seemed to be a huge spike in trolls about that time on many forums which led to uneven and sometimes overbearing moderation that drove members away.  This forum seems to be a survivor so far.
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#20
(05-02-2019, 12:56 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Sadly, it seems like it is.  There hasn't been many new posts/day/week/whatever your yardstick for months.  Build-a-longs are even more scarce.  I wish I had a remedy.  

As for the other forum dominated by a few highly opinionated members, you must mean WoodWeb, at least in the Architectural Forum.  Nothing for days and if you are new the first response you will get starts with an attack on your craftsmanship, whether you have the right machines (ie - big, expensive ones), if you have paid your dues and, if you have, why would you need to ask.  It's no wonder there are so few new postings.  

John  

John

A lot of action on Reddit.  Lots of talented people and "i did this" pictures.   Unfortunately the format of reddit doesn't lend itself the kind of help and community you get here.  Whenever I see a good post, I always PM an invitation to that person to come here.
MAKE: Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out...  www.makezine.com

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

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