So, what can we do to revitalize this forum?
 

Hello All,

I've been a big fan of CC's for some years and really enjoyed this forum about 5 yrs ago. There was a ton of activity and lots of friendships made. I met several nice folks FTF as a result of being here and learned a lot.

Upon returning, the forum is a relative ghost town. Without discussing the why's, let's brainstorm how to revitalize it.

My thoughts to kick it off:

1) Be friendly, patient and supportive to all.

2) Realize few who may post here looking for help are small engine mechanics.

3) Welcome newcomers

4) Post pictures. Lots of pictures.

5) Share your experiences...good and bad.


That's my start, what say you? I don't always do these things, but I think they're good beginning steps.


John:bigthink:

Give it time, tis the slow season.
All too soon there will be broken blowers an worn out rubber baby buggy bumpers.
follered by rumblin' wadder pump berrins' in hay-bans.
Happens every year, sure as sleigh bells ring in Amish country.:beerchug:

Yup, the slow season it is...
There is another forum I frequent, (off topic) and they are asking about the same. Most think that "faceplant" is drawing away from forums. Could be something to it, cause from what I hear, that's where the "experts" on everything hang out.:bigthink:

"Faceplant" will never come close to what is here at OCC! Though, I was thinking how we as enthusiasts would help the younger generation of enthusiasts, promoting and encouraging. Also, I think through out the years, there have been some pretty good "how to's" documented, and that we ought to take another look at them and bolster up our Tips section, as I feel it's getting out-dated. I know how ever simple they maybe, they would count and make a polished impression on new members. I have a narrow frame front axle squeeze thread I thought was decent, but fell short of Glory Land, lol!

Very good guidelines for sure!
Like others, I think it really is the slow season, for about 2 more weeks. I've got 2 Cadets in the middle of the shop now that I haven't touched in 2 weeks. One is a 782, the other is a 124. Too much else going on with Christmas upon us to worry with them right now. Heck, I have a small fortune in parts sitting here for my 2284 that need to be put on.
Other than these, no real plans for extensive Cadet work this winter. But I do have some older farm tractors that need TLC--some of them are red.:biggrin2:

I would ask the senior members to re-open old threads started by new members to inquire whether or not they are happy with their cubs and if any repair issue they were having had been resolved.

Water new grass or it will die. Easy on the fertilizer:)

Guess we each have logical differences in the thread title interpretation, ha!

:biggrin2:

jbrewer,

You have a great list there. It reminds me of mine;

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...163#post394163

Most of all, I would say, Keep doing what you're doing. It will catch on.

:beerchug:

Say more, I'm not sure I understand?

John

The previous answers and list are all great. I would just simply say treat everybody with respect and realize we do not all look at things the same way but that does not mean some one is wrong. Also as far as new posters go we only get one chance to make a good first impression.

"Will never come close", but as anything else. Things change. I for one don't use faceplant, but from what I read, it's "full" of know it alls, and sheep, that follow along.:bigthink:

You have a pretty good idea there. Not so much about the outdated thing ( they are 50yr old tractors you know :biggrin2:) but a way to draw the attention to the tips better. Seems like people ask questions before doing any research. That might just be laziness. IDK.

Search
 

Good discussion!

I agree that a lot of the questions are repeats. It's the nature of the forum topic that folks are going to ask about the same things, and let's face it, people can be lazy (me included).

I work with databases, which this forum is a type of . In order to make searches effective, there's gotta be "metadata"--- which is a fancy term to indicate "what search topics or summary words are best associated with this information" as targets for searches. That's over the top for a forum, but it's helpful to remember when describing a topic to stash some keywords in there that people might be searching for .

Another idea (I'm just thinking out loud). When folks ask the same question, let's point them (with a link?) to the answer if it exists in the "how to " section. Maybe if that's done enough times this will help, rather than just saying "go search for it".

I was interested in wheel size for a 123 recently. I did try searching but came up with no pertinent info, and a lot of extraneous noise. Again, keywords would have helped this, but it's a lot to ask whenever we post, I know.

Just some more ideas....

I'm not a facebook fan either, but there's reasons people go there. If we want to have/keep this forum an active dynamic one, we'll need to make it so.

Well, I've been around these IH Cub Cadets since I was around 11-12 years of age. My first was a Original with all the bells and whistles. I never gave up on these awesome garden tractors through out the years. The best thing I done was give up on that race car and super truck stuff and stick with these tractors.

But I will tell you I'm no expert! While things change, change is not for everybody. I enjoy the group here, and the variety of how enthusiasts care and maintain their tractors. I've handed over hundreds and hundreds of dollars to folks here because of the trust and loyalty I find here. No need for faceplant ever, for anything in my life and that's fine with me! You have to draw hard lines in life, and stand for good things. This is where and why I like being around OCC :biggrin2:

I think this site will keep rolling along. I see fewer and fewer people everyday that can work on and repair anything. They are products of our throw away society. A lot of the newbies here need a few kind words and encouragement. :bigthink: I know I've asked for help in the past after searching and other people find what I didn't. My Dad (RIP) used to get mad at me when we talked on the phone while searching for something. He couldn't understand why my search was different from his. If we typed the same words it had to be the same results. He'd get so mad and hang up on me. So my point offer kind words and lets all get along.:beerchug: I've spent many of hours looking through old posts, and I saving threads for future projects.

Not much to complain about here at OCC! While some folks responded by noting a end of the year slow down in group activity, I went on to mention a few notes of my own. This really is the best forum around. Look at other sites, they are plagued with ad's, or you have to be of select few to understand how post pictures, and much of their FAQ's are so out dated and don't allow for other member's to participate in well documented experiences with these tractors. So, I for one, suggest we look back at some threads, and list them in the Tips and How-to sections, for many good reasons! Also, the encouragement and promotion to the next generation of Cub Cadet enthusiasts.

:biggrin2:

I've been having a hard time checking in- busy time of the year..and I have a 3 MO daughter. :biggrin2: Don't get me wrong I've used my cub plenty of times this month. We've got dumped on multiple times- I even got to use it yesterday morning before Christmas mass. Went to start it up today but it hadn't been plugged into the charger overnight and with it being 11 degrees she didn't want to fire.

Some folks who ask for ideas on how to fix "X" want the easy fix. You could have five different forum members offer insights on what may be wrong and the original poster will only do the easy ones.

Sometimes one must get dirty to get something corrected. Not everyone wants to dig into a dirty or thought provoking repair.

Can we make things better? Yes we can but we can can only do so much.

Jeff

If you want a site to sit and BS go to FB.... Winter time = Less seat time
Brevity is the real sign of intelligence.
Don't need old threads opened up or rehashed....Its called a search...
The ones that need to know, know what I'm doing...

Like I tell my employees...

Be Brief
Be Brilliant
Be Gone

This site is another tool in the tool box... Some wrenches are better than others... : - )

Perfect .... 10 characters

To some people this site is just a tool but this resource wouldn't be here without the senior members and their enthusiasm for cubs. They built this site because they enjoy BS'ing all things cubs. Nothing wrong with having a hobby.

Agreed. Forums exist ( or don't ) because of a sense of community. It's not a Cub thing, it's a forum fact.

If the charter for OCC is nothing more than search and lookup, then creating a cub wiki is all that would be needed. If information on a fix is the only purpose of the forum AND if we don't foster newbies who have questions that have already been answered before, then there's no need to *have* a forum, and the attrition will continue. Want to cut down the repetitive questions (which will never totally happen in an online forum) then organize the FAQ and sticky section.

Dialog, pictures, enthusiasm, pictures, support for newbies who ask the same tiresome questions (that we all probably asked once upon a time) , pictures, and courtesy builds and sustains a forum ... or a club, or a family, or a friendship.

If you look in the older posts, there was 2-3 times the posts that exist here today, regardless of the season. Many/most of the regular posters that left were accomplished and competent long term Cub owners/mechanics and restorers. I've found a good number of them on other forums, and only a very few on Facebook (which IS a horrible place to get , find and store technical info, and is primarily a place to find out what Uncle Floyd had for lunch today).

In any case, it's up to us (and the Admins/owners). Is this a place for a handful of grumpy experienced Cub mechanics, or a community for people who enjoy using, owning and repairing Cubs.

It's really only sustainable if the answer is both.

John

Yep, its the slow season. A few weeks ago I took the 54" deck off my 2284 and put the 551 blower on it and it hasn't moved since. I'm sort of wishing I lived up in Erie right now. :bigthink: As soon as we get a good Nor'easter up the east coast the site will probably light up again with tractor and snowblower questions. Or winter maintenance questions to get ready for spring. I may be one of those question askers, since I have never used my blower, and might have some questions... and I surely will post some action pictures if/when that time comes.

By the way, I hate "faceplant" and refuse to go anywhere near it. :BangPC: In 2012 I had a knock at my door from Child Protective Services because my wife posted a picture of our then 6 year old daughter standing in front of a frying pan of eggs cooking, and someone on my friends list took exception to that and thought it was child endangerment. They said in their report to CPS "Where are the parents" and included a copy of the photo. Hey anonymous dummy, WHO took the picture??? :biggrin2: A thorough investigation found no wrong doing... So yeah, I blew up my Facebook account and lost a lot of friends over that because I lost all trust for pretty much everyone on my "friends" list not knowing who did it. Whew, that rant went off the "off topic" topic quickly... Sorry about that.

I'm a new member I can say that there are tons of very helpful people here and there are a couple that can be smart a$$es and give the wrong impression. Some of us are very very new to cubs, like myself, I have only had my 127 for a week or so now. I know how to fix just about everything with a little direction from this forum. My father has had tons of cubs and even did tractor pulls with his Oliver 70. I can always ask him and leave this site but I was looking to join something more and so far my experience has been wish washy with kindness and people making myself and other look like idiots.

The hardest thing sometimes for people to realize, is that when you have a higher level of knowledge on a subject, that others are not at or may not be able to be at your same level of knowledge. Twenty years ago I was sitting in my office working on administrative stuff for my practice when my office manager came in and said my new patient was ready. I was annoyed because I was in the middle of something. I was also annoyed because my practice was not growing. I relayed this frustration to a very successful business owner I knew. What he told me changed my life. He told me that when the very thing you want becomes an annoyance you will always fail. I had to decide did I want to be an administrator or a clinician. I chose admin and hired an associate and my practice exploded. The patients sensed that I was distracted and annoyed. Now twenty years later I own a small mom and pop hardware store. My employees are constantly getting frustated by customers that have no idea what they want or how to do what they are trying to accomplish. I have to keep reminding them that these customers are our life's blood and keep us in business. The same holds true for any group including a forum. Since I have joined many have left or stopped posting. New members need to be made to feel at home and comfortable not like they are an annoyance or stupid. I am not so sure why people even care how many times a question is answered or if some one does not take the advice that is given. If you do not want to answer again then don't if they don't listen who cares that's on them. Otherwise you will be perceived as a group of grumpy old men chastising every one for not knowing better. Whether you agree or not the truth is new blood is needed to make any organization thrive. Students, customers, patients or members it does not matter you need them or fail. The tone of the forum is set by the tone of current members. Trying to get less repeat questions or uneducated members will not help, the nature of a forum is for less knowledgeable to talk to more knowledgeable. Until this is understood the forum will continue to shrink.

I can't believe people are still posting in this thread.....


LET IT GO boys. Let it go. Go participate in a worthwhile thread. One that actually helps someone. I'm tired of this one still popping in the "New Posts" list. :bash2:

:beerchug:

I think it's important for site sponsors and others who donate and pay for this forum to know why they are loosing members.

:biggrin2:DRCVJ said: " My employees are constantly getting frustrated by customers that have no idea what they want or how to do what they are trying to accomplish. I have to keep reminding them that these customers are our life's blood and keep us in business. The same holds true for any group including a forum."


This is the key point. If all forum members knew what they were doing, could search well, and knew the Cub supply chain, there would be precisely zero traffic. Wouldn't that be fun!

I worked in retail (blessedly for a short period of time!) and I quickly realized that in any technical field (hardware, electronics, etc) few people know what they need, while many know what they want. In a perfect world, it's the same thing, but ....

John (another grumpy old man, but not here :biggrin2:

The mere fact that you can't believe the thread is still going proves the relevance of the thread. It is really funny you are the first one to condemn some one for asking the same thing over and over or not listening to what they are told but yet you were told the same thing over and over and over and over, removed as a moderator and still don,t get it. Irony at it's best. Read what the new poster said their experience is like being new to the forum. Not good. This thread helps who ever chooses it to be helpful. You do not get to choose what thread is worthwhile for anyone except yourself. If it is not important to you, no one is forcing you to post in this thread. LET IT GO. JUST LET IT GO. You are not the thread police. :bash2::bash2::bash2::bash2::bash2::bash2::beatdea dhorse::beatdeadhorse:

That was a personal attack on another forum member..... which is clearly against the forum rules. I doubt that will help the situation much.

There has been some good suggestions on here but for the most part, the thread reads like just another Rant about facebook.

I too am growing weary of the constant attacks.
There is irony in all these posts.
People wanting the forum to thrive but not doing anything but complaining about members and not really contributing.
Another is attacking a member while complaining about that member attacking. There is plenty of irony to go around.
Somebody needs to delete this thread

Lance, I am not trying to personally attack any one. I am just pointing out facts. Telling a member that their thread is worthless is a personal attack just one of many. You the moderators and the other members either want this forum to continue and grow or not it is that simple, currently it is not growing. Keep doing the same things over and over and you will continue to get the same results. I find it mind boggling why any member here would not welcome new members regardless of their level of knowledge with open arms and also treat each other with mutual respect.

I wasnt attacking anyone.... that was just a friendly reminder, for everyone, to keep things within the existing rules.

Deleting the thread does not solve the problem. In the past many threads have been deleted yet the problem still exist. The real irony is calling the person calling out the attacking the attacker. We still have new members telling us that their first impression was not good and it is still being ignored that's a fact. This thread is about revitalizing the forum and that fact directly effects that. If the thread is deleted it will not hurt my feeling but it will also not change the forum for the better.

This was a good thread about halfway down,then the usual complainers jumped in and now it’s trashed. Unbelievable.:bash2:

To anyone who has a problem with what another member is saying, I have three words for you;

"Ignorant Member List"

Us it.

Edit: Sorry, my bad, that's Ignore Member List. Damn auto correct!:BangPC:

Been using that for a while....:biggrin2:

Terry it is not that hard to believe over the past few threads and in light of some recent changes that were made from the top it has become very clear some members are very happy with the way the forum had progressed and would like it to continue the same. While others not so much. These threads would never have existed if there was not a problem. I could just as easy say the usual defenders jumped in and trashed the thread. The point that you said the thread is trashed just keeps proving my point over and over again. That is what is unbelievable. I truly hope the thread is not locked or deleted let the members make their own decision. You make one big mistake I never complain I just point out facts. You can easily go back and find stated very clearly why things were done the way they were. You can choose to ignore the facts if you want. If you are happy with the forum that's great but those that are not should be able to say so without being attacked or called complainers or whiners.

Exactly!!!! :beerchug: