Not Frothing - Drowning, Possibly Swimming!

[finelines]

Not Frothing - Drowning, Possibly Swimming!

 

Thanks again for the PM’s (It always makes me laugh when the political commentators talk about PMQs) .

 

I want to start the older style thread where people talked to each other on Rmweb. Sharon and I are less able to go out these days, you might have noticed she doesn’t come to exhibitions any more, and it is lonely.

 

There are lots of things I want to say, but I can’t say them all at once, so I’ve decided to break it up into smaller bites twitter like.

 

PS I’ve signed up to twitter but some *@!%&* has already got Finelines:P :P , so I’m called Chivesco, the first planned name of Finelines. Perhaps somebody could twitter me and tell me what to do with it, if you know what I mean.

 

First Bites:

 

I see it as my job as a manufacturer to make the kit as accurate as I can. I always put on the rider that it is my interpretation because in the end you can only produce things within the facilities available to you. I am my own greatest critic.

 

Why do so few people reply to threads? Last week I put on a post, Make Matthew froth.

 

I deliberately chose the subject of the D3 because, I know there are people who still want one.

 

I deliberately left the email and website out, to see if anybody asked for it.

 

To date it has been read 227 times, there has been one very nice post with a picture and I received one pm. I’m not 100% certain he got my reply because I wrote it when hell was going off on the Stove R thread and I might have deleted by mistake.

 

It’s very disheartening when you sit there in silence. This doesn’t just apply to us.

 

Roger

 

　

 

　

 

　

 

　

[Kenton]

Why do so few people reply to threads? Last week I put on a post, Make Matthew froth.

 

I deliberately chose the subject of the D3 because, I know there are people who still want one.

 

I deliberately left the email and website out, to see if anybody asked for it.

 

To date it has been read 227 times, there has been one very nice post with a picture and I received one pm. I’m not 100% certain he got my reply because I wrote it when hell was going off on the Stove R thread and I might have deleted by mistake.

 

It’s very disheartening when you sit there in silence. This doesn’t just apply to us.

 

I think this happens to everyone. I think it has something to do with the number of new topics being posted and the relatively short time site visitors have to read everything that is posted.

I didn't read it, and I'm one of those who seem to frequent the site 09:00 till 22:00 every day.

Sometimes it can be the title of the thread - it has to be eye catching and draw folk in. Sometime it is the size of the first post - usually short and snappy seems to work best and a picture - well you know we all like pictures

Some folk view the forum just using the Active Topics never venturing out into separate forums or to the front page (that's me) and it doesn't take long for a new topic to disappear off the front page (40 minutes when I last looked) and only 200 topics or 24hr to vanish from this list all together.

 

What is certain no one will use the search facility for a topic they do not know exists.

 

Twitter: personally can't stand it and don't take part, I'd rather use the online time on RMWeb - but each to their own.

 

Now what was the link to that thread so I can at least read it ?

[finelines]

I think you are right. I talked to Andy about it at Manchester and he moved the Smaller Traders to the top. I think it's a structural problem.

 

Roger

 

 

[micklner]

I also found your thread by accident . I have no use for a D3 hence no reply

 

What RM web needs is a facility on other forums wher if you hover ovr the title you get a couple of lines of text without opening. There is so much on here i probably miss loads as I have no time to open every thread on the off chance of something of interest

 

More LNER please:lol:

[ian]

As someone who is on here far more than I ought to be I can honestly say that if a thread dosn't get picked up whilst it is on the first two pages of 'Active topics' then it is probably lost forever. At some times during the day this can take less than an hour.

 

Also, we've been asked to cut down on replies that don't add anything to the thread - all those 'me too' posts that used to irritate people but at least kept the noteworthy floating near the top of the pile.

 

Can't help with the D3 - not my thing at the moment, can't help with getting replies to your posts either - we all get ignored (or so it seems) from time to time.

[The Stationmaster]

Not Frothing - Drowning, Possibly Swimming!

 

 

I deliberately chose the subject of the D3 because, I know there are people who still want one.

 

I deliberately left the email and website out, to see if anybody asked for it.

 

To date it has been read 227 times, there has been one very nice post with a picture and I received one pm. I’m not 100% certain he got my reply because I wrote it when hell was going off on the Stove R thread and I might have deleted by mistake.

 

It’s very disheartening when you sit there in silence. This doesn’t just apply to us.

 

Roger

　

 

　

 

I'm one of the 227 Roger and I have read the thread because the heading looked as if it might be interesting (just like this one) and it was an interesting post and the pic someone posted of a finshed kit also looked very attractive.

 

But the subject of the model is outside my usual area of interest (as was the other one you mentioned) so I didn't pitch in with either comment or order. And I think that can be said of lots of things on a very catholic (in the non-religious way) forum such as RMWeb - we don't look at everything even if we have the time available to do so. As it happens I usually follow the threads you start because they invariably seem to contain something of interest somewhere along the line, perhaps that is the sort of 'social thread participation' you're hoping to get going on here?　

 

　

[James Hilton]

I think everyone's raised excellent points which I'd echo - getting 'audience participation' can be really difficult, especially as we narrow down the interest - take my current blogging topic... it's modern image (rule out half the population on here), P4 (rule out 90% again) and making slow progress. So less than 5% are probably interested and that's if they see if before it dissappears!

But why do I share it? Because I like too - but it does feel lonely until a brave soul posts a comment - then it was all worthwhile. It's funny - I think the Layout/Workbench blogs have become a little 'cliquey' as it's quite often the same 50 or so members who live on that part (me included) so much so that I ignore a lot of the regular forum now. We all comment on each others blogs and once someone takes part and makes comments on yours, you take a look at what they're doing... it's just human nature.

 

So Roger - don't be disheartened - be encouraged that people are responding to this and I'm sure as more people become aware of these topics, posts, and take part they'll keep more of an eye out for them

[Morphaniel]

I didn't read the original thread because I am subscribed to many interesting RMWeb topics and when my email box is overflowing (which means I am behind in my real work) I keep up with RMWeb only by responding to those email reminders, which means I miss many new topics.

 

When I do get on top of things again - briefly - I browse RMWeb using the 'New Content' link. But of course, it is set to only be 'New' since my last visit, which tends to be messed up by those emails!

However, the title of this thread was interesting/unusual and I 'recognised' the thread author - you - as someone very much worth reading. So here I am.

 

Alas, a D3 isn't on my wish list. But when Googling it to find out what it was I was cheered up immensely by the picture of Gordon stuck in the tunnel he is bricked into from the Rev Awdry's books near the top of the pile. So many thanks for that!

[finelines]

This is more like RMweb used to be.

 

Roger

[Kenton]

I think you are right. I talked to Andy about it at Manchester and he moved the Smaller Traders to the top. I think it's a structural problem.

 

Roger

Roger, I'm not sure that really helps except for those new members arriving at the "home" page. As seen by the posts here some possibly quite a few of the regular posters use the "Active Topics" list to see whats buzzing. Although the forums are listed along with the title and may influence selection a little, I suspect most go with what is on the first page. Then after they have responded to those active topics simply refresh that list and start over again - checking to see if there is a response to their post in order to keep the conversation live. Before now I have been invilved in a couple of first page topics and have missed a great deal of others that were only started about an hour previously.

 

By the way don't be fooled by the viewed count. It does not mean 227 different views of that topic. Sadly it means 227 browser hits - not quite the same thing - just press refresh in your browser [F5]key and watch the count go up, add to that folk returning to see what has been added and you soon realise that there may only be half-a-dozen or so real unique viewers - and they may just have no interest in a D3.

 

Still looking for a link to that thread

[Mikkel]

I think the thread in question is this one?

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/23574-get-matthew-frothing/page__p__235316__hl__matthew__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=235316

 

It certainly makes me froth! I had missed it entirely though, despite being on here fairly frequently at the moment. I would agree with Kenton that titles matter a lot.

[RedgateModels]

Just a suggestion Roger, if you'd swapped the title and subtitle of the thread in question you might attract more hits too. I personally think that anything with the word "froth" in the title would be, well, more trivial, frivolous etc. I appreciate there is a long running "in-joke" that this hints at but most of us miss that entirely

[Nick Holliday]

I think I was the one who sent you a PM and I haven't had a reply. Thought it was something I had said!

[Chivers Finelines]

Just to let you all know, My Dad is having trouble posting, he's writing replies but they are not showing up when he adds the reply! He's not sure whats happening to his replies, not sure if its his computer or an error on the board.

[PhilH]

I want to start the older style thread where people talked to each other on Rmweb. Sharon and I are less able to go out these days, you might have noticed she doesn’t come to exhibitions any more, and it is lonely.

 

Get on ERs and talk drivel with the rest of us!

[RedgateModels]

Just to let you all know, My Dad is having trouble posting, he's writing replies but they are not showing up when he adds the reply! He's not sure whats happening to his replies, not sure if its his computer or an error on the board.

 

Hi Matt, Your Dad has "moderated member" status which means his posts will have to be passed by a moderator before they appear on the board. Might be down to the recent exchanges on the Stove R thread. I suggest he checks with Andy Y or a Mod.

[Andy Y]

Just to let you all know, My Dad is having trouble posting, he's writing replies but they are not showing up when he adds the reply! He's not sure whats happening to his replies, not sure if its his computer or an error on the board.

 

 

The posts are being previewed by a member of the admin team before publication, we tried to send a PM earlier to advise but it wouldn't go through the system (full inbox?). A couple of posts saying that he couldn't see them were deleted.

 

Just carry on posting, the posts will be reviewed and released accordingly.

 

 

[Jordan-Leeds]

Andy or the mods to answer this please.

Why is rogers being Pre moderated i was always under the impression that posts where premoderated as some kind of punishment is there really a need for this ? and why are you doing it?

Yours sincerely

A Very curious

Jordan Leeds

[Andy Y]

I'm surprised you'd want me to answer such a question on an open forum as an answer could offend. Ah well.

 

Last week considerable time was spent in off-forum communications as a result of complaints from various parties over postings made. Today was a day when I could not devote any of my time to fielding any further escalations and this measure was put in place to stop a problem potentially happening rather than mopping up afterwards.

 

I was saddened that liberties were taken with freedom of speech with traders battering other traders. I have made concessions to try and support some cottage industries through the forum and some days I wonder why I flaming bother if it's repaid by barbed comments.

[PhilH]

I am writing on the basis that you will reject this post.

 

Firstly I don’t think you can PM somebody you have already put on moderation because it cut’s them off.

 

I was not flaming anybody, I was stating a fact.

 

I have been very lucky not to have lost more kits out of my range than the N gauge utility van plus the fish van and the OCA. My BBA and OTA will shortly be going as well.

 

Cambrian have lost numerous modern image wagons in 00 gauge wagons, in which they originally had a dominant position

 

Parkside have equally seen their kits decimated by the ready to run people. I was talking to Andrew when Bachmann announced the LNER vans.

 

I don’t know the Coopercraft range well enough to comment whether they have had losses.

 

I would call that a battering, wouldn’t you?

 

In my post in which I announce that I was not happy with the situation in which found myself and withdrew from the thread, into which I tried to fit something about you integrity, but could not find the right words. You take offence.

 

I finally got people over in Smaller Traders to talk and I can’t reply to them. It took 4 hours for a one line innocent reply to appear.

 

Roger

 

　

 

Roger, without wishing in any way to inflame or offend anybody I can't see what is wrong with rtr versions of anything being produced. There are those of us to whom railway modelling is not a way of life, not a passion, perhaps, as in my case, not even a main hobby. I don't have the time or inclination, or maybe even the skill, to produce models built from kits of everything I want to run on my layout - so are we saying then that I should be denied ownership of certain models because of this?

 

I can certainly see your point, but would suggest that for every dyed in the wool make-everything-myself modeller there must be hundreds who are glad to buy rtr versions, especially when nowadays they are usually far superior models than most of us could produce with our own efforts. From what I've seen only the special few can produce models from kits on a par with today's rtr - I've seen a lot of pretty dire stuff doing the rounds. It has to be said also that kit versions can be more expensive than rtrs, that's before wheels, paint, transfers and my time.

 

So all in all I hope that I can buy the models I would like to own without having to make them - for me life is just too short.

[finelines]

We live in a dog eat dog world, and companies as small as mine are at the bottom of the food chain. As you can see I was not expecting my post to be published. I was purely defending my remark elsewhere that kit manufacturers have taken a battering from the big boys and by being published here it has moved out of context. I buy rtr wagons myself.

 

Please do not take this up and run with it.

 

Roger

 

.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

I must say Roger, even as an occasional customer of yours, that I agree with PhilH on this one.

 

I love building kits, particularly of wagons but I just don't have time to do as many as I would like to do.

 

It is not inevitable that RTR will necessarily kill the kit market anyway. Since the China explosion, the RTR manufacturers have been supplying in batches with quite long famines in between. At least with a kit one can get ones own colour scheme but it is Sodde's Law that directly I have decided to invest in a kit, the RTR man re-issues it in the colour scheme I want as well.

[finelines]

Back to the the original purpose of the thread. I would like to have answered as it went along so really the moment has gone. I think you all made positive points about my posts. As somebody said it Come Froth With Me is a Running Joke, but I love horsetan's remark, which turns out to be on the other thread:

 

As the idea is to create froth, should these be renamed "The Capuccino Threads"?

 

I think you missed my remark that it's not just us that don't get replies. have a look at how many other post have no or very few replies.

 

Roger

[cctransuk]

Hi Matt, Your Dad has "moderated member" status which means his posts will have to be passed by a moderator before they appear on the board. Might be down to the recent exchanges on the Stove R thread. I suggest he checks with Andy Y or a Mod.

 

Me too - didn't you know that all the best people are now being moderated? Must be something I said !!

 

Seriously, though - 'tis a shame when pointing out that NPCS stock didn't usually run around on wagon wheels; (surely a pretty basic bit of knowledge?); gets you put in detention.

 

Regards,

John isherwood.

 

I must not question the model producers' research.

I must not question the model producers' research.

I must not question the model producers' research.

I must not question the model producers' research.

..................................................

[Andy Y]

Sometimes gentleman it's not what you're saying but the way that it is said that causes friction.

 

When there's an appreciation that when friction has been caused other people have to clear up we may be getting somewhere. Undoubtedly you feel that your comments were correct; I would counter that by saying your approach was not.