Oh well, I can't expect to make everyone happy. I know what I'm doing, and where I want to go with it, so I'll just have to settle for that.
What is it that you're unhappy about anyhow? On the one hand, it seems that you're angry because I don't want to ignore the traffic that we can get from search engines but, on the other, you seem to be upset because I said that I wasn't looking to get a whole bunch of new members at one time. If we find ourselves with a whole lot of new members at one time, we'll deal with, but that's not my goal.
Ken..I must say this to you..I totally like your sense of fair play and reason on this forum. You come out on the forums and interact with everyone. That's refreshing after being on a forum where that wasn't the case. You're doing a wonderful job here. I think a forum is ruined when a few personalities are allowed to run amok all over everyone either In the name of being PC or of being "silly". I'm very cool with silly as long as you aren't dominating the whole forum and hijacking all threads into the stratosphere.. I also think with personality clashes people should do as you said..ignore each other or whatever they need to do. a forum is a kind of community in my mind where people from all backgrounds filter in. I think it's ridiculous for people to think the admin or mod should ban people based on personality clashes, political clashes..etc. I think only when someone refuses to "play well with others" despite warnings should they be banned. Okay, that's about it. . Ken, you have a quality forum...so as far as I'm concerned you're doing it right.
Yes, Ken is a great Admin, very fair and takes part in his forum. Even now when he has enough personal issues on his mind. Like I've said more than once...this is the best senior forum now that is out there. There are others but they all lack something that makes me not want to stay. We can always use new members but I hope it doesn't get too big but even that's okay because we were here at the beginning.
Let's see now, to be bigger, or not to be bigger....that is the question. Whether tis nobler ....aw cut it out. Larger and more complicated forums are generally less friendlier and have absolutely no personal contact with the person who is interested most about the forums success......the owner/administrator. Ken does a great job of interacting with everyone and offers up some great posts of his own even though in truth, he doesn't have to. And let's think about one especially important item. Larger forums seem to need moderators. Moderators do not have any blood invested in the forum and generally speaking start cliques which seem to have a group opinion of their own that is openly pushed upon other posters. I am sure that anyone who has posted in just a few forums has found out what an over zealous moderator can do. Uh.....it seems that some of you already have in one very close forum to ours. When someone comes up with a suggestion for a topic or sub topic Ken has been very willing to act upon it and give some space. The "hello and goodbye" for example or some of the party topics or the games. All we have to do is ask and Ken is more than personal with us all to entertain whatever it is that is on our minds. My wife and I were the 1st and 2nd posters on this forum and as for me, the growth has been gradual just enough to keep it close to being a family type of place to go and for my taste it's fine just the way things are. Please note: In My Most humble opinion, there are about a thousand or so forums out there if someone does not like the way things are run here. This is my opinion and only my opinion so.....take it or leave it. God Bless.......Bobby
Before I opened this Tread and read all the posts if anyone would have asked me what a Forum needs I would have just answered: " A bunch of people who like to talk." Now I know it takes a lot more than just that. In my opinion this Forum has everything I need and that's what really matters to me. This Forum has everything I need so far...and I am confident it will continue that way. You're doing a fine job @Ken Anderson. Instead of feeling like I'm on a Forum I feel like I'm sitting in a big comfy den with friends just sharing and caring!
I, for one, wish you'd have stayed, and still hope you'll return one day @Babs Hunt. You were right though, in that a forum does need a bunch of people who like to talk. With some exceptions, pretty much any topic is fine, and you don't have to be an expert in whatever you're talking about, although expertise is always appreciated. For the past few months, since this is a presidential election year, a large percentage of our topics have been political, but most of the forum is not political, so an interest in politics is not required. Whatever the topic, it is desirable that each thread remain on topic because... well, because the Internet works better that way. People are more likely to find a topic that they're interested in if each topic has its place. Whenever you find that a topic is beginning to morph or digress into another topic, you can simply start another thread to cover this new topic, or put the thread back on topic, or both. If it's already happened, you can always ask me to split one thread into two. This is something that I'll often do but I don't always notice, so the extra help is appreciated. It's been mentioned in other posts in this thread, but thread titles that let people know what the thread are very helpful because more people will be able to find what they're looking for that way. Think of the title like the label on a file folder. If your file cabinet were organized through labels like STUFF, MORE STUFF, AND STILL MORE STUFF, you'd have a hard time finding the stuff you were looking for.
I'm glad that I'm a part of Seniors Club. I have not been active because of our full on move to the suburb. It was a long process of looking at Real Estate properties, getting into debt again because our old house had been paid off in 2008. And we're not seling, which is why I agreed to do some renovations on the old house and rent it out, instead. Anyway, the topic is about 'posting'. And I just gave a short reason why I haven't been posting. I hope everyone is still here.
@Avigail David, welcome back. People come and go. I'm sure there are some members who you remember that haven't been here lately, but several of the regulars are still active, and new ones have joined.